Just browsed through this article about Marquez and Pacquiao.
It is the prom all over again. Kinda, sorta. Juan Manuel Marquez went on two dates with Manny Pacquiao. They had a lovely time and were the talk of the boxing world. The trouble started when Marquez decided not to call Pacquiao after their first encounter.
Rumors were rampant that it was Juan's dad , one Nacho Beristain, that may have in fact put the kibosh on date number two. That was a shame because the first date had gone so well with it's swollen lips , busted noses and knockdowns. It was the classic first date.
It took four years to get these two crazy kids back in the ring together. Each had grown in popularity and each had become even better than before. The date went fantastically. It had body punches and hard left and right hands. And oh yes, there was even another knockdown, how sweet.
But the night didn't end exactly like Juan had envisioned. Manny was declared the winner in a great fight and as he left the ring one could hear Juan say, "call me".
Juan has been waiting by his phone ever since then. But Manny never called. Juan's hopes were raised earlier this year when Manny's dad, Mr. Roach to me and you, said that he thought a third date would be great. But he made it clear that Juan and his family would have to stop crying about date number two.
Manny now has Miguel Cotto's name pencilled in for November 14. At the same time Juan has agreed to a September date with that rather loud young man, Floyd Mayweather. Many believe that Juan is just trying to throw Pretty Boy's name in Manny's face. Maybe make Manny a little jealous about what could have been.
But Manny isn't playing that game. He says he has gone on to bigger and better things and it would suit him just fine if Juan's name was never mentioned again.
Now, it has come to our attention that Manny has a wish list for three more mega dates and Juan's name isn't on there. So how can Juan get his name back on that list? His plan is to apparently pummel Floyd on their date. You know , the good old fashioned kind of beating we only see on classic fight films. His hope is to make Manny so jealous that he will have no alternative but to call him.
Unfortunately for Juan, Manny doesn't have a jealous bone in his body. So while the rest of us kids at the prom would love to see these two get back together, it just isn't going to happen.
So Manny says , "thanks for the memories Juan, but it is time for you to move on and see other people."
And just like that one of the best fighters in the world has a date with Floyd and then will go back to waiting by the phone. Waiting for that one call. But it won't be from "him".
That waiting by the phone can make for some long nights. I know. Been there, done that
source: http://www.examiner.com/x-8557-Norfolk-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m8d16-Juan-Manuel-Marquez-Waiting-for-the-call
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
THE ‘RJ’ LEGEND & COTTO
Here's an interesting article from Doug Fischer
What's up Dougie. So not sure if you caught the Jones/Lacy bout, but if not it was a hell of a beatdown. I figured Jones would outpoint him, but the way he threw his combinations with blazing handspeed served us all notice that the fight wouldn't go the distance. Lacy god love him tried and tried but to no avail. Roy has entirely too much left for a majority of fighters out there. I think another scalp he would easily add would be Jermain Taylor who doesn't even deserve to be a part of the SM tourney. And Taylor gave Carl Froch all sorts of trouble before running out of gas, which again leads me to believe that Jones would whoop Froch as well. Now it would be best to avoid young studs like Abraham, Kessler, and Ward, but I would rather see him add the two aforementioned scalps than take on Danny Green. Green while not the most skilled fighter on the planet is a big dude and packs a heavy punch, which may spell trouble. I digress.
Miguel Cotto too will not lose to Manny Pacquiao. It's gonna become very clear after 5 rounds that Manny is in over his head. We've seen Cotto blow up to well over 150 pounds come fight time and his punches pack some weight as well. I know the danger of fighting a guy with the tenacity and power of Manny, but I believe that Cotto's body attack will saw him in half sapping his energy. People say Cotto this and that but he has been taking on only the most serious tests and prevailing through adversity and pain. It seems as if Manny took my advice and decided to add a few easy scalps to his resume before he hangs em up eventually by adding Diaz, De La Hoya, and Hatton. I give him credit for picking Cotto in his next bout, but he's only doing it because he feels Cotto is on the slide and that's why he won't be the victor in November. You heard it here first man. Well you've probably heard it somewhere else but still! Yea, that felt good. Peace Dougie. -- David
I think Pacquiao wants to fight Cotto because he knows the Puerto Rican is a worthy opponent. Just because some fans and members of the media (and I ain’t one of them) think Cotto is “sliding” because he had a tough fight with a top contender (Joshua Clottey) doesn’t mean Pacquiao is that dense. The PacMan knows fighters. Real champs recognize real champs. He was ringside for Cotto-Clottey and he knew more than anyone inside Madison Square Garden or watching on HBO that night what it is like to suffer a bad eye cut while fighting a world-class boxer. He saw how Cotto handled adversity and found a way to win. He knows Cotto is not a one-dimensional fighter. He knows Cotto is stronger than he is. He knows he’s got a real fight on his hands. Because of tax issues that will keep Pacquiao out of the U.S. until fight time, Freddie Roach knows that his star fighter may not have the best training camp for Cotto. Trust me, Team Pacquiao does not believe they have an easy fight on Nov. 14.
As for Jones-Lacy, I missed it and I will probably take my sweet time in reviewing a DVD of the fight. I had no doubts that Jones would win that fight. If you go life-and-death against Epifanio Mendoza and Otis Griffin even a 40-year-old Roy Jones is going to slap you silly.
Anyway, I’m happy for Jones and a little sad for Lacy. I think it’s time ‘Left Hook’ considered retiring from prize fighting. He had successful amateur and professional careers. He was an Olympian. He fought on television numerous times, he won a major world title, defended it a few times, and made some good money. He’s got nothing to be ashamed of and plenty to be proud of.
As for RJ’s future, do you REALLY think he’s got “entirely too much left for a majority of fighters out there”? Just because he beat up Jeff Lacy, who has looked horrible in every single fight he’s been in since getting beat up by Joe Calzaghe?
Do you think he’s got entirely too much left for the majority of legitimate top 168-pound and 175-pound contenders?
I don’t think he would have his way with any world-class fighter who has something in the way of hand-speed, reflexes, footwork and basic boxing ability. I’m talking about real contenders like Mikkel Kessler, Lucien Bute, and even a still-learning Andre Ward (at super middleweight), and Chad Dawson and Jean Pascal (at light heavyweight).
I think RJ’s fellow 40-something world-class veterans like Hopkins, Johnson and Tarver would also give him all he can handle.
more from http://www.ringtv.com/blog/995/dougies_massive_monday_mailbag/
What's up Dougie. So not sure if you caught the Jones/Lacy bout, but if not it was a hell of a beatdown. I figured Jones would outpoint him, but the way he threw his combinations with blazing handspeed served us all notice that the fight wouldn't go the distance. Lacy god love him tried and tried but to no avail. Roy has entirely too much left for a majority of fighters out there. I think another scalp he would easily add would be Jermain Taylor who doesn't even deserve to be a part of the SM tourney. And Taylor gave Carl Froch all sorts of trouble before running out of gas, which again leads me to believe that Jones would whoop Froch as well. Now it would be best to avoid young studs like Abraham, Kessler, and Ward, but I would rather see him add the two aforementioned scalps than take on Danny Green. Green while not the most skilled fighter on the planet is a big dude and packs a heavy punch, which may spell trouble. I digress.
Miguel Cotto too will not lose to Manny Pacquiao. It's gonna become very clear after 5 rounds that Manny is in over his head. We've seen Cotto blow up to well over 150 pounds come fight time and his punches pack some weight as well. I know the danger of fighting a guy with the tenacity and power of Manny, but I believe that Cotto's body attack will saw him in half sapping his energy. People say Cotto this and that but he has been taking on only the most serious tests and prevailing through adversity and pain. It seems as if Manny took my advice and decided to add a few easy scalps to his resume before he hangs em up eventually by adding Diaz, De La Hoya, and Hatton. I give him credit for picking Cotto in his next bout, but he's only doing it because he feels Cotto is on the slide and that's why he won't be the victor in November. You heard it here first man. Well you've probably heard it somewhere else but still! Yea, that felt good. Peace Dougie. -- David
I think Pacquiao wants to fight Cotto because he knows the Puerto Rican is a worthy opponent. Just because some fans and members of the media (and I ain’t one of them) think Cotto is “sliding” because he had a tough fight with a top contender (Joshua Clottey) doesn’t mean Pacquiao is that dense. The PacMan knows fighters. Real champs recognize real champs. He was ringside for Cotto-Clottey and he knew more than anyone inside Madison Square Garden or watching on HBO that night what it is like to suffer a bad eye cut while fighting a world-class boxer. He saw how Cotto handled adversity and found a way to win. He knows Cotto is not a one-dimensional fighter. He knows Cotto is stronger than he is. He knows he’s got a real fight on his hands. Because of tax issues that will keep Pacquiao out of the U.S. until fight time, Freddie Roach knows that his star fighter may not have the best training camp for Cotto. Trust me, Team Pacquiao does not believe they have an easy fight on Nov. 14.
As for Jones-Lacy, I missed it and I will probably take my sweet time in reviewing a DVD of the fight. I had no doubts that Jones would win that fight. If you go life-and-death against Epifanio Mendoza and Otis Griffin even a 40-year-old Roy Jones is going to slap you silly.
Anyway, I’m happy for Jones and a little sad for Lacy. I think it’s time ‘Left Hook’ considered retiring from prize fighting. He had successful amateur and professional careers. He was an Olympian. He fought on television numerous times, he won a major world title, defended it a few times, and made some good money. He’s got nothing to be ashamed of and plenty to be proud of.
As for RJ’s future, do you REALLY think he’s got “entirely too much left for a majority of fighters out there”? Just because he beat up Jeff Lacy, who has looked horrible in every single fight he’s been in since getting beat up by Joe Calzaghe?
Do you think he’s got entirely too much left for the majority of legitimate top 168-pound and 175-pound contenders?
I don’t think he would have his way with any world-class fighter who has something in the way of hand-speed, reflexes, footwork and basic boxing ability. I’m talking about real contenders like Mikkel Kessler, Lucien Bute, and even a still-learning Andre Ward (at super middleweight), and Chad Dawson and Jean Pascal (at light heavyweight).
I think RJ’s fellow 40-something world-class veterans like Hopkins, Johnson and Tarver would also give him all he can handle.
more from http://www.ringtv.com/blog/995/dougies_massive_monday_mailbag/
Monday, August 17, 2009
Dawson-Johnson II and Other Rematches We Need to See
rematches that we need to watch:
by Corey T. Willinger August 17, 2009
It’s really good to hear that IBF Light Heavyweight Champion Chad Dawson and Glen Johnson have managed to hammer out contracts for a November 7 rematch of their controversial first fight from April of 2008. Back then, Dawson narrowly edged Johnson for a unanimous decision in a fight many felt was a draw or could have gone either way by the slimmest of margins.
Since that time, Dawson has gone on to twice defeat Antonio Tarver to largely gain recognition as the man to beat in the light heavyweight division. Of course, the division’s last champion, Joe Calzaghe, retired unbeaten, and Bernard Hopkins is still considered by most to be the best light heavyweight in the world; that is, when he actually fights. But with Calzaghe retired and Hopkins just about there himself, Dawson is the face of the division.
Carrying that torch inevitably brings criticism, and Dawson had been receiving his share for not granting Johnson an immediate rematch. Truth be told, that criticism was warranted. Dawson was not a convincing winner in April, but, like a champion, he’s answering the criticism now by giving Johnson the rematch he deserves.
A lack of other lucrative options probably steered Dawson in this direction, and he’s even made sure that the fight will take place in his backyard of Hartford, Connecticut. But the fact that he’s facing a tough challenger like Johnson, who gave him all he could handle a year and a half ago, earns merit.
Dawson-Johnson II takes care of one rematch fans have been calling for, but there are several others out there that boxing needs for closure. They’re not all popular fights; in fact, fans probably wouldn’t want to see at least one of them, but it’s because the fights were so close and because of what has happened since each fight that we need to see them again.
One necessary rematch that immediately comes to mind is Andre Berto vs. Luis Collazo. In January, Berto only just edged Collazo in a real nip and tuck affair that more than a few people thought Collazo deserved to win. Either way you saw it, it was a close fight without a definitive winner. But Berto kept his WBC Welterweight title and his unbeaten streak when the judges turned in two cards that had Berto ahead by a point and one bizarre card that had him a five-point winner. Berto agreed to give Collazo a rematch immediately after the fight but went on to fight the smaller Juan Urango instead.
However, it turns out that this is a rematch Berto might not be able to avoid. A purse bid for the rematch was scheduled for last Friday, as Collazo is Berto’s mandatory contender, though no official word was announced. Speculation has been going on that Berto would rather pursue other options, but, if he wants to keep his WBC belt, he has to go through Collazo again. Barring a big fight against Shane Mosley or Joshua Clottey, chances are Berto will end up fighting Collazo. And it’s not like the fans wouldn’t want to see it. The first fight showcased some wild exchanges throughout, with Collazo getting off to a good start only to lose some steam late in the fight. Collazo remains the only real threat Berto has faced in his career, and Berto owes it to the fans to prove that he is indeed the better fighter.
On the other hand, a rematch fans probably wouldn’t care to see but one that remains somewhat necessary is Sergio Martinez vs. Kermit Cintron II. The first fight, simply put, was boxing at its worst. The bout was dull by anyone’s standards until Martinez connected on a punch that forced Cintron to take a knee. Cintron tried to play it off as a head butt and actually let himself be counted out of the fight. Then, things got downright ridiculous as Cintron managed to convince Referee Frank Santore that he had been butted, and Santore restarted the fight after it had been stopped, which is flat out unheard of by any boxing standards.
Forced to continue after scoring a knockout, Martinez appeared to out box Cintron with his quicker hands en route to what should have been a wide decision win, but two judges found a way to see the fight even, rendering a majority draw.
Normally in an instance such as this, fans and experts alike accept that the judges erred, and the guy that should have won goes on to bigger and better things. The problem, though, is that Martinez really isn’t a big name in boxing – he’s not even a bigger name than Cintron. And, Cintron is coming off somewhat of an upset as he became the first man to defeat Alfredo Angulo in May. Further complicating matters is that, while Cintron’s record shows two losses, both came at the hands of Antonio Margarito, who was caught trying to illegally load his gloves against Shane Mosley. Boxing insiders and fans alike have taken this to mean that Margarito had been loading his gloves for years, which would negate both of Cintron’s losses to him, one in 2005 and one in 2008.
So even though just about everyone outside of two of the judges thought Martinez handled Cintron with relative ease, Cintron can be considered an undefeated fighter with a little push and shove here and there. Martinez only has one loss on his resume, which, interestingly enough, was to Margarito from years back. If Margarito was loading his gloves then as well, then we could be looking at two undefeated fighters going at it once more to settle the score.
The last sorely needed rematch to touch upon is by far the most important. In November of 2007, Miguel Cotto narrowly defeated Shane Mosley in defense of his then-WBA Welterweight Championship. It was a close, competitively fought bout to be sure, but most felt Cotto did enough to earn the win. Anyone demanding a rematch was probably looking for an excuse to see a great fight happen again, not because there was any doubt about the winner.
When Floyd Mayweather Jr. retired the following year, Cotto was considered the leading candidate to inherit the welterweight division. All he had to do was beat the highly-rated Margarito in July. But it wasn’t to be as Margarito wore down and stopped Cotto late in the fight. As a result, Margarito was then looked at as the man to beat in the welterweight division.
So how does Mosley factor back in? Well, he went out and not only beat but thoroughly dominated Margarito this January, and, as a result, is now widely considered the best welterweight in the world not named Mayweather. But Cotto was the one who beat Mosley before all of that. So doesn’t that make Cotto the man to beat at 147 pounds, especially given that Margarito likely used loaded gloves to beat Cotto, in which case Cotto would still be undefeated?
It’s a good question and a hard scenario to figure. While this writer feels Cotto is the number one welterweight in the world, based on his performance against Mosley and the fact that he probably beats Margarito if no tampered gloves are involved, it doesn’t mean that’s the way it should be. Sure, Mosley did beat a Margarito who definitely wasn’t loading his gloves, but what if Mosley has simply rejuvenated himself to where he is actually better than Cotto now?
With Cotto and Mosley the two highest-rated welterweights, a rematch would give boxing a clear welterweight champion, at least as far as The RING is concerned. Mayweather may have something to say about that in 2010, and maybe Manny Pacquiao will run through Cotto in November to erase the Puerto Rican from the picture altogether. With that said, Cotto-Mosley II is the fight that should have been happening this fall, but it’s unlikely we’ll get to see it.
These are just some bouts that could bring about clarity, but, more often than not, these and bouts like them will only come to fruition when the fighters are forced into that position, whether it be money or contractual obligations. Still, the remainder of 2009 is seeing some great fights lined up as it is, and, as long as top fighters fight one another, the sport can sort itself out over time.
source here: http://insidefights.com/2009/08/17/dawson-johnson-ii-and-other-rematches-we-need-to-see/
by Corey T. Willinger August 17, 2009
It’s really good to hear that IBF Light Heavyweight Champion Chad Dawson and Glen Johnson have managed to hammer out contracts for a November 7 rematch of their controversial first fight from April of 2008. Back then, Dawson narrowly edged Johnson for a unanimous decision in a fight many felt was a draw or could have gone either way by the slimmest of margins.
Since that time, Dawson has gone on to twice defeat Antonio Tarver to largely gain recognition as the man to beat in the light heavyweight division. Of course, the division’s last champion, Joe Calzaghe, retired unbeaten, and Bernard Hopkins is still considered by most to be the best light heavyweight in the world; that is, when he actually fights. But with Calzaghe retired and Hopkins just about there himself, Dawson is the face of the division.
Carrying that torch inevitably brings criticism, and Dawson had been receiving his share for not granting Johnson an immediate rematch. Truth be told, that criticism was warranted. Dawson was not a convincing winner in April, but, like a champion, he’s answering the criticism now by giving Johnson the rematch he deserves.
A lack of other lucrative options probably steered Dawson in this direction, and he’s even made sure that the fight will take place in his backyard of Hartford, Connecticut. But the fact that he’s facing a tough challenger like Johnson, who gave him all he could handle a year and a half ago, earns merit.
Dawson-Johnson II takes care of one rematch fans have been calling for, but there are several others out there that boxing needs for closure. They’re not all popular fights; in fact, fans probably wouldn’t want to see at least one of them, but it’s because the fights were so close and because of what has happened since each fight that we need to see them again.
One necessary rematch that immediately comes to mind is Andre Berto vs. Luis Collazo. In January, Berto only just edged Collazo in a real nip and tuck affair that more than a few people thought Collazo deserved to win. Either way you saw it, it was a close fight without a definitive winner. But Berto kept his WBC Welterweight title and his unbeaten streak when the judges turned in two cards that had Berto ahead by a point and one bizarre card that had him a five-point winner. Berto agreed to give Collazo a rematch immediately after the fight but went on to fight the smaller Juan Urango instead.
However, it turns out that this is a rematch Berto might not be able to avoid. A purse bid for the rematch was scheduled for last Friday, as Collazo is Berto’s mandatory contender, though no official word was announced. Speculation has been going on that Berto would rather pursue other options, but, if he wants to keep his WBC belt, he has to go through Collazo again. Barring a big fight against Shane Mosley or Joshua Clottey, chances are Berto will end up fighting Collazo. And it’s not like the fans wouldn’t want to see it. The first fight showcased some wild exchanges throughout, with Collazo getting off to a good start only to lose some steam late in the fight. Collazo remains the only real threat Berto has faced in his career, and Berto owes it to the fans to prove that he is indeed the better fighter.
On the other hand, a rematch fans probably wouldn’t care to see but one that remains somewhat necessary is Sergio Martinez vs. Kermit Cintron II. The first fight, simply put, was boxing at its worst. The bout was dull by anyone’s standards until Martinez connected on a punch that forced Cintron to take a knee. Cintron tried to play it off as a head butt and actually let himself be counted out of the fight. Then, things got downright ridiculous as Cintron managed to convince Referee Frank Santore that he had been butted, and Santore restarted the fight after it had been stopped, which is flat out unheard of by any boxing standards.
Forced to continue after scoring a knockout, Martinez appeared to out box Cintron with his quicker hands en route to what should have been a wide decision win, but two judges found a way to see the fight even, rendering a majority draw.
Normally in an instance such as this, fans and experts alike accept that the judges erred, and the guy that should have won goes on to bigger and better things. The problem, though, is that Martinez really isn’t a big name in boxing – he’s not even a bigger name than Cintron. And, Cintron is coming off somewhat of an upset as he became the first man to defeat Alfredo Angulo in May. Further complicating matters is that, while Cintron’s record shows two losses, both came at the hands of Antonio Margarito, who was caught trying to illegally load his gloves against Shane Mosley. Boxing insiders and fans alike have taken this to mean that Margarito had been loading his gloves for years, which would negate both of Cintron’s losses to him, one in 2005 and one in 2008.
So even though just about everyone outside of two of the judges thought Martinez handled Cintron with relative ease, Cintron can be considered an undefeated fighter with a little push and shove here and there. Martinez only has one loss on his resume, which, interestingly enough, was to Margarito from years back. If Margarito was loading his gloves then as well, then we could be looking at two undefeated fighters going at it once more to settle the score.
The last sorely needed rematch to touch upon is by far the most important. In November of 2007, Miguel Cotto narrowly defeated Shane Mosley in defense of his then-WBA Welterweight Championship. It was a close, competitively fought bout to be sure, but most felt Cotto did enough to earn the win. Anyone demanding a rematch was probably looking for an excuse to see a great fight happen again, not because there was any doubt about the winner.
When Floyd Mayweather Jr. retired the following year, Cotto was considered the leading candidate to inherit the welterweight division. All he had to do was beat the highly-rated Margarito in July. But it wasn’t to be as Margarito wore down and stopped Cotto late in the fight. As a result, Margarito was then looked at as the man to beat in the welterweight division.
So how does Mosley factor back in? Well, he went out and not only beat but thoroughly dominated Margarito this January, and, as a result, is now widely considered the best welterweight in the world not named Mayweather. But Cotto was the one who beat Mosley before all of that. So doesn’t that make Cotto the man to beat at 147 pounds, especially given that Margarito likely used loaded gloves to beat Cotto, in which case Cotto would still be undefeated?
It’s a good question and a hard scenario to figure. While this writer feels Cotto is the number one welterweight in the world, based on his performance against Mosley and the fact that he probably beats Margarito if no tampered gloves are involved, it doesn’t mean that’s the way it should be. Sure, Mosley did beat a Margarito who definitely wasn’t loading his gloves, but what if Mosley has simply rejuvenated himself to where he is actually better than Cotto now?
With Cotto and Mosley the two highest-rated welterweights, a rematch would give boxing a clear welterweight champion, at least as far as The RING is concerned. Mayweather may have something to say about that in 2010, and maybe Manny Pacquiao will run through Cotto in November to erase the Puerto Rican from the picture altogether. With that said, Cotto-Mosley II is the fight that should have been happening this fall, but it’s unlikely we’ll get to see it.
These are just some bouts that could bring about clarity, but, more often than not, these and bouts like them will only come to fruition when the fighters are forced into that position, whether it be money or contractual obligations. Still, the remainder of 2009 is seeing some great fights lined up as it is, and, as long as top fighters fight one another, the sport can sort itself out over time.
source here: http://insidefights.com/2009/08/17/dawson-johnson-ii-and-other-rematches-we-need-to-see/
Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao are bigger than the WBO
an interesting article on the Cotto-Pacquiao bout
All of the drama surrounding the WBO's intervention into the Miguel Cotto-Manny Pacquiao contract negotiation was pathetic and pure madness. I appreciate that many of you want to see Manny try for a record seventh world title. I do too, but the title issue, which I understand has been resolved, was an afterthought. Money and catch weight drove this thing initially--period.
The World Boxing Organization wanted it to be a title shot because it technically is a fight that will occur within the welterweight limit and the entity stands to make a good chunk of change. Fine. What if the two fighters had contracted to meet at 141 instead of 145? The WBO template still exists since it is above the junior welterweight limit. Mandatory title fight? The better question may be what if Cotto weighs-in at 147 instead of 145? Most certainly such would breach the Pacquiao contract; however, he would absolutely be in compliance with WBO rules regarding maximum weight for welterweights.
The reality is that the World Boxing Organization turned on its champion and the most blatant example is making Manny Pacquiao the number one challenger in order to force Miguel's hand. The WBC doesn't have Manny ranked at welterweight. There is no Pacquiao listed at 147lbs on the IBF ratings board. How about the WBA? Negative. The Ring? Nope. The WBO didn't even have Manny on its radar screen at welterweight until this month. I could be wrong, but I believe the WBO did the same thing when David Haye-Wladimir Klitschko was still an option.
The Cotto-Pacquiao bout in November is going to be an all time classic and it was going to be that way whether or not the WBO played a role. The fact that the title is on the line now though means that it may have historical significance. It is highly unlikely that Manny will defend the title if he is able to secure it, well at least not at the full 147lb weight limit and certainly not against whoever the number one challenger may be (Joshua Clottey is currently ranked number 2). My guess is that if Floyd Mayweather, Jr. can get past Juan Manuel Marquez next month, he will come out of nowhere to be the WBO's number 1 welterweight contender (Mayweather is not currently ranked by the WBO).
Manny Pacquiao beat Oscar De La Hoya into retirement and has most likely done the same to Ricky Hatton. He won't accomplish that against Miguel Cotto. Win, lose, or draw and Miguel will still be a force within the welterweight division. He doesn't need a title to justify anything, let alone the WBO title. Neither does Manny. Both men are bigger than any championship strap.
If Manny wins in November, my hope is that he will raise the belt and then hand it to the WBO president, Francisco Valcarcel. If Miguel wins, then my hope is that he gives it to Bob Arum for picking up the sanctioning fees required by the WBO. The belt will make a touching parting gift between Cotto and Arum. Cotto can then go get his old WBA belt back from Shane Mosley.
source here http://www.examiner.com/x-8370-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m8d17-Miguel-Cotto-and-Manny-Pacquiao-are-bigger-than-the-WBO
All of the drama surrounding the WBO's intervention into the Miguel Cotto-Manny Pacquiao contract negotiation was pathetic and pure madness. I appreciate that many of you want to see Manny try for a record seventh world title. I do too, but the title issue, which I understand has been resolved, was an afterthought. Money and catch weight drove this thing initially--period.
The World Boxing Organization wanted it to be a title shot because it technically is a fight that will occur within the welterweight limit and the entity stands to make a good chunk of change. Fine. What if the two fighters had contracted to meet at 141 instead of 145? The WBO template still exists since it is above the junior welterweight limit. Mandatory title fight? The better question may be what if Cotto weighs-in at 147 instead of 145? Most certainly such would breach the Pacquiao contract; however, he would absolutely be in compliance with WBO rules regarding maximum weight for welterweights.
The reality is that the World Boxing Organization turned on its champion and the most blatant example is making Manny Pacquiao the number one challenger in order to force Miguel's hand. The WBC doesn't have Manny ranked at welterweight. There is no Pacquiao listed at 147lbs on the IBF ratings board. How about the WBA? Negative. The Ring? Nope. The WBO didn't even have Manny on its radar screen at welterweight until this month. I could be wrong, but I believe the WBO did the same thing when David Haye-Wladimir Klitschko was still an option.
The Cotto-Pacquiao bout in November is going to be an all time classic and it was going to be that way whether or not the WBO played a role. The fact that the title is on the line now though means that it may have historical significance. It is highly unlikely that Manny will defend the title if he is able to secure it, well at least not at the full 147lb weight limit and certainly not against whoever the number one challenger may be (Joshua Clottey is currently ranked number 2). My guess is that if Floyd Mayweather, Jr. can get past Juan Manuel Marquez next month, he will come out of nowhere to be the WBO's number 1 welterweight contender (Mayweather is not currently ranked by the WBO).
Manny Pacquiao beat Oscar De La Hoya into retirement and has most likely done the same to Ricky Hatton. He won't accomplish that against Miguel Cotto. Win, lose, or draw and Miguel will still be a force within the welterweight division. He doesn't need a title to justify anything, let alone the WBO title. Neither does Manny. Both men are bigger than any championship strap.
If Manny wins in November, my hope is that he will raise the belt and then hand it to the WBO president, Francisco Valcarcel. If Miguel wins, then my hope is that he gives it to Bob Arum for picking up the sanctioning fees required by the WBO. The belt will make a touching parting gift between Cotto and Arum. Cotto can then go get his old WBA belt back from Shane Mosley.
source here http://www.examiner.com/x-8370-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m8d17-Miguel-Cotto-and-Manny-Pacquiao-are-bigger-than-the-WBO
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