As 2010 comes to a close, it really depends on who you ask as to whether the year was a prosperous one in the world of boxing. On the surface there were developments such as the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather fallout and various fights being postponed or pushed back that seemed to hinder the sport but you can?t deny the compelling action that took place in the months of November and December and that seems to be what many are hanging on to.
I had a talk with respected historian and author Bert Sugar last night and decided to discuss the action that lies ahead in 2011. We covered such topics as Sergio Martinez?s future, Manny Pacquiao?s legacy as he heads into his May 7th bout with Shane Mosley, the Miguel Cotto-Ricardo Mayorga scrap, whether or not the city of Las Vegas can bounce back, and much more.
Continue on to the slideshow for a picture by picture look at all of Sugar?s thoughts?
Bidding farewell to 2010? ?I thought it closed out with a bang. I really do. You had some great fights coming right at the end of the year. It really was a good year for boxing against all expectations. When the Pacquiao-Mayweather discussions or negotiations broke down twice you thought ?Well this is really going to be a terrible year?. But it was more than made up by other good and great fights.?
Sergio Martinez?s breakthrough? ?Who in the hell would have thought Sergio Martinez would be that good? [But] he?s got a problem. I don?t think that anybody in that division really wants to fight him. He showed up so well against Williams in their second fight. Not only did he fight Williams in a very closely contested first fight, which many people, this person included, thought that he won, and beat Kelly Pavlik. Then he goes on to decimate, destroy Williams in their second fight. All of a sudden you hear a lot of guys who want to fight at either junior middleweight or super middleweight. They don?t want to fight in the middleweight division. It?s going to be tough for him. He might have scared away his potential opponents.?
The January 29th Timothy Bradley-Devon Alexander bout? ?It gets me excited as a pure boxing fan. I don?t know that it will catch on with the peripheral public or the non-hardcore boxing fan. I think it?s an excellent. I love to see two guys with four first names fight.?
Fights in Las Vegas in 2011? ?If they open up their doors and 4,500 show up they are still going to break even because of the tables. That?s where they are making their money. Not off of their fights; they are making it off of the gaming tables. I still think they need blockbusters out there. That?s why the Mosley-Pacquiao fight will get them a full house. They need it because they now have competition. I mean you have fights this year in Yankee Stadium, you have fights at Jerry World, I mean you had them all over. I think Vegas has to make another stand to be what it has always called itself; the capital of boxing.?
Massive events returning to Nevada? ?I think it will make a comeback if the economy makes a comeback. Remember, Nevada is suffering probably more than any other state besides Michigan. They call it the great recession. I have no idea what?s so great about it. As the economy comes back, Vegas will come back. And it will have at least three or four massive fights.?
Miguel Cotto vs. Ricardo Mayorga on March 12th at the MGM Grand? ?Cotto?s base is New York. He draws well here but I think that fight will draw. Cotto is a known commodity. Mayorga certainly is a great fighter and you have a great fight. I don?t know if it will draw the Mexican fan, which is the key to anything that happens in Vegas.?
Manny Pacquiao?s legacy? ?If Pacquaio fought you he would get a million eyeballs on pay-per-view; he?s that big of a hero. He?s just that big. Yes, Mosley looked terrible against Sergio Mora. Sergio Mora looked worse against Mosley. That was a terrible fight. I think I woke up in the 4th round and went back to sleep in the 5th. But Mosley is a good fighter. Pacquiao has had fights against the David Diaz?s and some of the others who were unknown. Mosley is a known and he will bring them in. Yes, Mosley should put up a fight but Pacquiao should win but that?s not the point. It?s Pacquiao vs. his legacy as much as Pacquiao vs. Mosley.?
Bernard Hopkins? effort vs. Pascal and his hopes of a rematch? ?I was amazed. We have written Bernard Hopkins off more times than the national debt. And he continues to amaze us. Here is 46 going on social security, and he continues to do things that we never thought were possible. I thought he won; he got knocked down twice. Which is only the second fight he has ever been knocked down in, I think Segundo knocked him down twice in their first fight, but I am amazed by Bernard Hopkins. I would like to see him, for his sake, to get another shot at Pascal. But I don?t know that Pascal wants it. He was lucky.?
Chris Robinson is based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. He can be reached at [email protected]
