Mayweather-Mosley an All American Showdown

Shane Mosley (left) and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. have agreed to terms and will meet May 1st in Las Vegas.

Like baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet - Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Jr. and “Sugar” Shane Mosley are red, white and blue through and through.

Late Friday evening, it was announced that the effort to match Mayweather, originally hailing from Grand Rapids, Michigan with Mosley from Pomona, California has resulted in success.

The fight will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 1. Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer worked feverishly to make the fight happen and he had intoned over the past week that an announcement of the bout could be imminent.

For fight fans, crestfallen when negotiations collapsed to match Manny Pacquiao against Mayweather, the prospect of seeing the two best American fighters on the planet face off against one another harkens back to a day when the United States dominated boxing and names such as Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns reigned atop the 147-pound division.

Certainly one of the issues plaguing the sport in this country is the lack of household American names. While Americans Bernard Hopkins, Paul Williams and Chad Dawson are all rated in the pound-for-pound top 10, they are virtually unknown to the general sports fan.

But Mayweather and Mosley are familiar to most. While neither fighter has the sort of rabid fan base that makes Manny Pacquiao a phenomenon, both men have respectable name recognition.


Both fighters are meticulous in their preparations and always show up in tremendous physical condition.

In 2007, Mayweather was one half of the highest selling boxing pay-per-view in history versus Oscar De La Hoya. He has been able to build upon that success with his participation on “Dancing with the Stars” and cameo appearances on World Wrestling Entertainment.

Mosley has been fighting professionally for 17 years, has won titles at 135, 147 and 154 pounds and he holds signature wins over Oscar De La Hoya, Fernando Vargas and Antonio Margarito. He is perhaps as well known by mainstream sports fans for his association with the BALCO steroids scandal as he is for his accomplishments in the ring.

Put the two men together and it is quite likely one of the best match-ups of two American fighters that the sport of boxing has seen in a decade. For the first time in years, the undefeated Mayweather will be in with an opponent that has a real and legitimate chance of beating him. That fact alone makes the fight worthwhile.

“I truly feel I am the best fighter out there,” Mosley told me in Las Vegas the day of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto bout. “These guys don’t want to fight me for a reason and that’s obvious. None of these guys out there can knock me off the top of the mountain.”

There may be some truth in Mosley’s grandiose view. He is ranked in the top 5 on all of boxing’s pound-for-pound lists, but he has been forced to sit idle for the past year as no marquee fighter would accept his challenge. He was to have fought last night against Andre Berto, but the fight was cancelled when Berto, who is of Haitian descent, decided to devote his efforts to aid struggling earthquake victims in that country.

“To be considered the pound-for-pound best you’ve got to fight everybody,” said Mosley. “That’s why back when I was the top of the pound-for-pound it was that way - because I fought everybody. To me, it didn’t matter. I moved up to junior middleweight and fought Winky Wright and Fernando Vargas. It didn’t matter to me because I went where the fight was at and that’s the way it should be today - but I don’t see that no more.”

For those that like to punch holes in Mayweather’s claims of superiority, the spot they perceive to be his weakest is his level of competition. While he has beaten established names over the years - many make the argument that none really stood a legitimate chance of seriously challenging him. It is a view that Mosley shares.

“These guys are ducking and dodging me,” said Mosley. "Mayweather, I think, is scared. By avoiding me like they have they are only tearing their own legacy down and bringing their own reputation down. For them, the big fight is right there in front of them and it’s with me. Mayweather tries to say I’m not a pay-per-view attraction but my fight against Antonio Margarito at the Staples Center was a record. There were more fans there for that fight than had ever been there for any sporting event before or since.”

If marketed properly, Mayweather vs. Mosley could be a very lucrative prizefight. The pay-per-view line-up for the first half of 2010 is not an overcrowded one and there is not an abundance of high-profile bouts. Action starved boxing fans will likely be in the mood to see an intriguing fight such as this that pits two well-established fighters in a match-up that will have significant ramifications for the winner and the loser.

For the first time since he faced Diego Corrales in 2001, there is a real and significant danger for Mayweather in a bout versus Mosley. After the talks for the Pacquiao fight imploded, Mayweather was left with very few options when it came to facing an opponent that could provide a bankable payday. Furthermore, Mosley was the only legitimate American name at 147-pounds. It is a fight that makes sense on a number of levels.

“Mayweather keeps saying that he’s only fighting for money now and that he only wants the big fights,” said Mosley. “Well, here I am.”


The seed for this fight was planted when Mosley challenged Mayweather in the ring immediately after he beat Juan Manuel Marquez.

Aside from the myriad of intangibles that makes this fight an attractive one, the fact that it will result in crowning the best American fighter in the world is another reason it needs to happen. In this day and age of outsourcing, one thing that is somewhat difficult to outsource is live entertainment. Mayweather and Mosley should bring that as both guys have a strong belief they are the best in the world. The fact that both have a strong belief in their country will also make the fight one of pride.

For long lost and beleaguered American boxing fans, who have grown weary of trying to pronounce names like Pacquiao, Povetkin, Klitschko and Wlodarczyk - Mayweather vs. Mosley has come along at just the right time.


January 2010

The Lady and the Champ Hit Another Snag

Holyfield and his then wife Janice Itson pictured over a decade ago during happier times for both.

Former four-time heavyweight titlist Evander Holyfield recently filed documents in Cobb County Superior Court in Georgia to alter his existing child support agreement with ex-wife Dr. Janice Itson.

Holyfield and Itson were wed on Oct. 4 1996, a month before his first bout against Mike Tyson. They were divorced 3 ½ years later.

A source close to the Holyfield family contacted this writer Tuesday and revealed the situation regarding the spending habits of Ms. Itson (as well as Holyfield’s drop in income) that has led the boxer to seek a renegotiation of their 2000 divorce settlement.

“I can tell you that she has a credit card in here name that, in the past, she has routinely charged upwards of twenty to twenty-five thousand dollars a month on,” said the source. “She would charge everything to that card from Starbucks Coffee to groceries to vacations. Evander was on the hook to pay it all.

“She would run over a quarter of a million dollars worth of stuff through that card in a year. I know for a fact that the credit card company had threatened to shut the card down on her. They would call her to get a comfort level with her spending habits. Once they found out she had been married to Evander - and that she herself was a doctor - they would let her go over her credit limit and basically charge whatever she wanted. It would always be paid in full within a month.”


During the glory years, Holyfield, pictured here against Mike Tyson in 1996, earned millions of dollars per fight.

Itson was Holyfield’s second wife. The couple had one child together, a son, Elijah Jedidiah Holyfield. But during the time they were married, Holyfield fathered two other children out of wedlock with two different women. The pair went through a very messy divorce and Holyfield, despite his own marital infidelity, requested a paternity test be administered to prove that Elijah was indeed his child. At the time of their divorce, Holyfield’s net worth was estimated to be $90 million.

“Evander paid for everything for her,” said the source. “Everything for her, her house, Elijah - and she was not a spendthrift. Every day was a shopping spree and every day was a day at the mall. I know that she used the credit card I told you about so often that she had to call the credit card company to get a new card because it was literally worn out.”

Earlier this month, Itson sued Holyfield in Harris County District Court in Houston, Texas seeking to collect $280,000 in past-due child support and interest. She had also filed suit against him in Georgia in October seeking to collect on the same obligation. Itson was able to bring suit against Holyfield in Texas because he owns two properties (one of which is worth over $1 million) in Harris County.

The Holyfield-Itson divorce, granted on the grounds of irreconcilable differences, was finalized in July 2000, but the couple had been separated since July 1998. At the time, Holyfield admitted the marriage was “a mistake” on his part.


January 2010

Johnny Ruiz Stays Home - Skips Press Conference

David Haye showed up in Manchester, but challenger Johnny Ruiz was a no-show.

There was a press conference in Manchester, England Tuesday to announce the April 3 heavyweight title bout between WBA titlist David Haye and former two-time belt holder Johnny Ruiz.

At most pre-fight press conferences, both fighters show up, go through the motions for the media and tell everyone why it is they will be victorious. Haye and Ruiz will meet at the Manchester Evening News Arena and today it was expected that both fighters would make their case and get the promotion for the fight off to a rousing start.

But Johnny Ruiz decided not to show up.

“We paid for his first class tickets over here, a great hotel and tried to accommodate him as best as possible,” Haye said at the press conference. “But he didn't get on the flight. I don't know what his reason is.”

When contacted at his hometown of Las Vegas this afternoon, Ruiz was vague as to the reason or reasons behind his absence.

“It was too far a trip to make,” said Ruiz. “Right now, I’m focused on training. This fight is important to me, important to my career. All I can say is that I’m sorry for not being there and I apologize.”

Ruiz, who turned 38 earlier this month, is no stranger to heavyweight title fights, nor is he a stranger to fighting overseas. A 54 fight veteran, Ruiz has fought six times in England and four times in Germany. He has engaged in 10 world title fights over the past decade.


Ruiz was recently pictured sitting on a pool table while enjoying a cigar at his home in Las Vegas.

“I heard some of what David Haye said today,” claimed Ruiz who recently signed a contract with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. “I’m glad he’s doing all the talking. That’s what he does. It’s doesn’t bother me. He just uses that to motivate himself because he knows that when he fights me he’s going to have his hands full. So, let him talk is what I say.”

Ruiz’ claim that he decided to skip the press conference because he needed to focus on training sounded like a hollow excuse. The bout is still 9 ½ weeks away and he last fought in November at a very trim and well-conditioned 227 pounds.
When asked if he had decided upon a plan of attack versus Haye, Ruiz (44-8-1, 30 KOs) said he had.

“The biggest strength I see in him is his movement. I want to slow him down, bring the fight to him and stay on top of him. I want to make him fight my fight.”

The odds for the bout have not yet been posted, but the 29-year-old Haye, a former cruiserweight world champion who has a record of 23-1, 21 KOs who will also be fighting in his home country, is expected to open as a heavy favorite.


January 2010

Fighting for a Better Life

Rogers Mtagwa gets his second chance at a world championship tonight in New York City.

Joe Parella, the feisty manager of featherweight Rogers Mtagwa, says nothing would please him more in life than to see his man win a world championship tonight in his WBA title tilt against Yuriorkis Gamboa.

“He can hang with the best of them,” says Parella, who has served as Mtagwa’s manager for nearly 10 years. “If he listens to instructions, sometimes he doesn’t always listen; but if he listens he is quite capable of being a world champion and I’ve told him all this before.”

Mtagwa was born in the dusty and impoverished country of Tanzania in East Africa. He now operates out of Philadelphia under the promotional guidance of J. Russell Peltz and trains at Joe Hand‘s Gym with former middleweight contender Bobby “Boogaloo” Watts serving as his chief second.

With a wife and two children, Mtagwa has a lot to fight for. He either makes it as a prizefighter or he goes back to Tanzania to work in that country’s agricultural industry. Despite 13 career losses, Mtagwa is perhaps the most feared and respected fighter in the world with that many black marks on his ledger.

“We’ve fought everybody,” says Parella in defense of his man’s spotty record. “He’s fought Agapito Sanchez, who was a former WBO champ. He fought Joe Morales, Martin Honorio, Fernando Trejo. All the proof you need about how good he is was seen in the fight against Juan Manuel Lopez. Nobody ever did that with Lopez before.”

The fight to which Parella is referring took place this past October versus then WBO super bantamweight champ Juan Manuel Lopez, who came into the fight riding the crest of a wave of success. With a record of 26-0, 24KOs he was being groomed as the successor to Puerto Rico’s favorite sons in Miguel Cotto and Felix Trinidad. But Lopez ran headlong into Mtagwa and was very nearly knocked out late in the fight.


Mtagwa and Lopez engaged in one of the fights of the year last October. Mtagwa came very close to winning, but ultimately lost via close decision.

“I told Bruce Trampler before the Lopez fight that anybody that Russell Peltz promotes would be a tough, tough fighter,” said Bob Arum who is promoting tonight’s card from The Theater at Madison Square Garden. “I told Bruce after that fight to lose Russell’s number and not to answer his calls. But the truth is, Mtagwa put up such a sensational performance against Lopez that he deserved this fight against Gamboa.”

Peltz, who says he saw his first live boxing match over 50 years ago and began promoting fights 40 years ago, claims that Mtagwa is one of the most exciting fighters in the world today and that his bout against Tomas Villa was one of the ten best he has ever seen. Based on that, Peltz says that Rogers deserves his second title shot in a row.

“Rogers earned this shot. Well, he earned both shots for himself, but he certainly earned this one on his performance against Lopez that night. Hopefully, if he wins this fight against Gamboa, maybe he can get another shot against JuanMa if he also wins his fight.”

What is clear is that no matter who you talk to about Mtagwa, they all see something special in him. With his angry looking won-loss record, most casual boxing fans would summarily dismiss his chances against Cuba's Gamboa. But those that know boxing know of Mtagwa and they know that his ability to hang in there when all seems lost is legendary. Not many fighters with 13 losses make it onto HBO nor do they earn two title shots in a row. That alone says all one needs to know.


Mtagwa will meet Cuban defector Yuriorkis Gamboa for the WBA 126-pound title. The bout will be televised by HBO.

But there is more. Mtagwa turned professional in 1997 at only 17-years-old and he fought a 10-rounder in only his third professional bout. Within three years he made his way to Philadelphia (he heard that was the best boxing city in America) and since then he hasn’t looked back. With the “City of Brotherly Love” serving as his new base of operations, Mtagwa accepted fights with little or no notice. He lost three of his first four fight on American soil and he barnstormed across the U.S. while fighting everywhere from Hampton Beach, New Hampshire to Choctaw, Mississippi to Evansville, Indiana.

For Mtagwa, 30, poverty and the prospect of returning to Tanzania without success is perhaps his strongest motivator. In his home country, the average life expectancy is 60-years-old. HIV kills tens of thousands per year. He wants to return someday - but as a winner and a world champion.

He seems to have found a wonderful set of allies in Peltz and Parella who both believe in him. Parella, who does most of the talking for Rogers, “He doesn’t like to talk in front of everyone, he does most of his talking in the car or in the hotel room,” is not your conventional, run-of-the-mill boxing manager. He understands the implications of what a win tonight would mean for Mtagwa. To say it would be a game changer is an understatement.

Parella’s message is that what he most desires for Rogers is success. He is out for the best interests of his fighter and not the other way around.

“The truth of the matter is that I want to see him succeed,” Parella explains. “I’m O.K., you know what I mean? I’m O.K. But for Rogers? Well, this is all for him - it’s not for me. He’s got a family, he’s got a couple of children, he’s got a wife and he’s got responsibilities. If he wins, it will change his life and it will make a better life for him.”


January 2010

Clottey Guaranteed a $1 Million Payday

Manny Pacquiao (left) and Clottey will meet each other again at Cowboys Stadium in Texas.

It has been confirmed that perennial welterweight contender and former titlist Joshua “The Hitter” Clottey stands to earn upwards of $1 million plus additional money from HBO PPV for his March 13 bout versus Manny Pacquiao.

For Clottey, who grew up dirt poor in Accra, Ghana the rewarding fight against Pacquiao has been a long time coming. Clottey has been fighting professionally since 1995.

“I grew up with nothing,” Clottey says. “I had to fight my way out of poverty.”

Many in the industry figured Clottey had made a poor choice when he turned down a fight earlier this year on the premier show of Top Rank’s new FOX Sports boxing program.

Clottey’s reasoning was that the “prestige” of the fight was not up to his standards. He felt he deserved to be fighting on HBO. And only a few weeks later, Lady Luck looked his way when the negotiations for a Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. bout imploded and he was called upon to face Pacquiao.

“This is a fight that I wanted and when I heard that I was the one I rushed to America to make it happen,” he said. “This is the fight that I deserve. This is a dream for me.”

Clottey, 32, will earn a career high payday against Pacquiao and the seven figure check will immediately place him in the millionaire tax bracket. Clottey hopes this fight could be the springboard to other such paydays.

“I want to fight both Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto again,” he said. “I would like to get a rematch with both of them because when I fought them the first time - something happened. My record shows a loss against them. But the Cotto fight was controversial and both of my hands got injured against Margarito. So I need to fight those two guys to make it right, you know?”

While Clottey’s record is 35-3, two of the losses are controversial. The first was a very questionable 11th round disqualification against Carlos Baldomir in 1999. It was a fight in which Clottey was comfortably ahead on the scorecards. In 2009,he fought valiantly against Miguel Cotto but was on the short-end of a split-decision loss. Many (including this writer) felt Clottey deserved the decision. The only fight in his career that Clottey clearly lost was against Antonio Margarito in 2006.


January 2010

Estrada Claims He's Never Been Off His Feet

Heavyweights Tomasz Adamek (left) and Estrada will clash next month in New Jersey.

Jason "Big Six" Estrada who hails from Providence, Rhode Island will step into the ring versus Tomasz Adamek on Feb. 6 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

While much has been made of Adamek's rise to heavyweight and his recent success against Andrew Golota, Estrada says he isn't worried about what the former light heavyweight titlist and cruiserweight champion brings to the table.

"This is something I've been hoping for my whole life," says the 29-year-old Estrada who sports a record of 16-2, 4 KOs. "I finally get a chance to fight for a real belt [IBF International title] this is not a toy, this is the real thing. I'm very happy about that. Secondly, I really honestly think that Tomasz made a big, big, big mistake. He's going off the Golota win, who I think in his day, was one of the best heavyweights in the world. But the Golota that he beat is not the same Golota from '96 that fought Riddick Bowe. So for me, that's not really a fight that I would see as justification to use to fight me."

Estrada and Adamek are about equal in height as both men are approximately 6-foot-1, but Estrada routinely weighs in the mid-240 range whereas Adamek scaled 214 1/2 for his bout against Golota in October. Estrada has also been in the ring with some very large heavyweights such as Charles Shufford, Lance Whitaker and Alexander Povetkin.


Estrada tips the scales in the mid-240s and though he is a bit rotund he possesses quick hands and an excellent chin.

"I've heard the stories coming out from Adamek's camp about how they're going to do what nobody else can do - which is put me on my ass," said Estrada. "That's not going to happen. Two-hundred and seventy-five amateur bouts - it's never happened. In the gym, in sparring - it's never happened. In the street - it's never happened.There's nobody that's going to put me on my ass. I work too hard in the gym, my defense is too good and I'm too fast for him. He's basing his whole thing on how much faster he's going to be than I am."

But Estrada believes if that is Adamek's line of thinking, then the Polish fighter is sadly mistaken.

"Look, I've seen fast," explains the confident Estrada. "I've worked with Eddie Chambers, I've worked with Matt Godfrey. Now these guys are fast. I've watched Adamek's fights and I've studied them back and forth - forth and back. Honestly, I have to put the DVD on fast forward to make him even as fast as me. That's about equal then, if I put the DVD on fast-forward. Honestly, he's a good fighter at light heavy, he's a good fighter at cruiser - but at heavyweight I think he made a mistake."

Estrada has impressive amateur credentials and he was three-time US Amateur super heavyweight champion in 2001, 2002 and 2003. He won the gold medal in the 2003 Pan Am Games and represented the USA in the 2004 Olympics before being ousted in the second round of the Games.

"This fight is the opportunity of a lifetime for me," says Estrada. "I get to fight on the East coast, close to home and for the first time I have eight weeks notice to train for a fight. It's usually three or four weeks and I never have had this long to train for a fight. This is great for me. I don't have a problem working hard, especially with an opportunity like this."


January 2010

Pacquiao vs Clottey Tickets To Go On Sale on Jan. 23

Jerry Jones and Bob Arum, owner of the Dallas Cowboys and chairman of Top Rank, respectively, announced today that Cowboys Stadium would be the site of THE EVENT: PACQUIAO vs CLOTTEY World Welterweight Championship. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with the Dallas Cowboys and Tecate, Pacquiao vs. Clottey will take place, Saturday, March 13 and will be produced and distributed Live on HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. This marks one of the biggest world title fights to be held in a major U.S. sports stadium since the Muhammad Ali – Ken Norton World Heavyweight Championship in Yankee Stadium in 1976, also promoted by Top Rank. Pacquiao and Clottey boast a combined record of 85-6-2 (59 KOs) -- a winning percentage of 91% and a victory by knockout ratio of nearly 70%. Tickets to Pacquiao vs. Clottey go on sale This Saturday! January 23 at 10 a.m. CT. Priced at $700, $500, $300, $200, $100, and $50, tickets can be purchased in-person at the Cowboys Stadium box office in Arlington, or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com . “I have wanted to bring a major boxing event to North Texas for many years, so why not bring in the biggest and the best?” asked Jones. “Manny Pacquiao is boxing’s No. 1 pound for pound attraction and the world champion. Manny’s title defense against Joshua Clottey is not just a great fight, it is THE EVENT, and one we can showcase to the fullest in Cowboys Stadium. We’re going to promote this like it was the Super Bowl. This will be the fight to remember.” Cowboys Stadium will be configured for over 40,000 fans for THE EVENT with elevated floor seating similar to NBA games. “Jerry Jones knows exactly how big and important THE EVENT is, which is why it was so easy to put this deal together,” said Arum. “As a lifelong Giants fan I had to receive special dispensation from Steve Tisch, the Giants’ Chairman and Executive Vice President, to bring this event to Cowboys Stadium and he blessed the deal. If Jerry could sell me on Cowboys Stadium and the North Texas market, you know he is going to have no problems selling out Cowboys Stadium on March 13. We are ready to roll up our sleeves and promote Manny’s debut as World Welterweight Champion. Manny Pacquiao is the Lone Star of boxing. There isn’t a more appropriate place in the world for him to fight! Like Yankee Stadium, when it hosted so many great world title fights, including Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson and Ali, I feel a new era in boxing is about to begin at Cowboys Stadium.” Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, will be defending the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title he earned in his last fight, produced by a 12th round knockout of three-time world champion Miguel Cotto. Pacquiao’s victory made him the first man to win seven titles in as many different weight divisions, with his last three world championships coming by way of knockout.