WE COULD HAVE A FIGHT ON MAY 7
Shane Mosley is quicker than Joshua Clottey, Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito and if he can strike more with his left and guard his right he might be able to put up a fight. — Tony
Molsey is indeed quicker than Clottey, Cotto and Margarito, all of whom were able to ?reach out and touch? Manny Pacquiao — and actually do some physical damage — during their one-sided losses to the Filipino superstar.
I?m sure many hardcore heads are wondering if quicker mitts mean that Mosley will be able to ?put hands? on Pacquiao more than recent opposition has.
However, the question that should be on every fan?s mind is not how quick Mosley is, but rather how quick on the trigger is the 39-year-old veteran.
Reflexes are usually more important than raw hand or foot speed in a boxing match. Does anyone deny that Pacquiao has superlative reflexes or that Mosley?s ability to immediately react to ring-combat situations has clearly diminished in recent years?
Quick hands aren?t much good if the fighter can?t let them go in time to take advantage of openings.
HBOVERREACTIONS
Doug E. Fisch,
Aren’t folks going a little overboard on reading HBO their last rites? I fully appreciate that losing the Pacquiao-Molsey fight was a big blow to the network and that they could have handled it better. But people are forgetting a few things:
1) The Arum/Pacquiao-CBS/Showtime marriage isn’t guaranteed to be a successful one.
2) Even if it is, Pacquiao has indicated that he may not have many fights left. And if Pacquiao-Mayweather never gets made (looking more and more likely each day) there will still be a void there from a historical perspective. And who will they have to pick up the mantle when Pac’s done?
3) HBO had Bradley-Alexander last month, Donaire-Montiel this month, and Martinez-Dzinziruk next month. Three of the most significant fights you can make in the sport in back-to-back-to-back months.
And point three above leads me to another overblown HBO beef… Of those six fighters, none are promoted by GBP. So where is the supposed favoritism? Thanks, dude. — Tom E., Lambertville, NJ
Thanks for your opinions, Tom. I?ll reply to your points in order:
1. This is true. There?s no guarantee that casual fans will get exited enough about Pacquiao-Mosley to order the PPV show just because they see the fighters on commercial television. However, I hope the ?marriage? is successful. Although I?m not that into the Pacquiao-Mosley matchup, I am high on the idea of seeing a major boxing event marketed to a mass audience on a major terrestrial network. The hope, of course, is that if the Top Rank/Showtime/CBS ?marriage? is successful (i.e., the Pacquiao-Mosley PPV event does crazy numbers) the networks (Showtime and CBS) will be willing to do more cross-marketing with other big fights, perhaps even for the occasional hardcore fan matchup.
By the way, in a blatant attempt to dissuade message board trolls from accusing RingTV.com of HBO/Golden Boy Promotions favoritism, here?s the Showtime/CBS schedule for FIGHT CAMP 360: Pacquiao vs. Mosley series:
Episode 1 (CBS) – Saturday, April 2 at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT
Episode 1 (SHO) – Saturday, April 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Episode 2 (SHO) – Saturday, April 23 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Episode 3 (CBS) – Saturday, April 30 at 8 p.m. ET/PT
Episode 4 (SHO) – Friday, May 6 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Episode 4 (CBS) – Saturday, May 7 at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT
2. If Pacquiao only fights two or three more times before retiring (and it?s a fair guess that he won?t be getting it on with Mayweather — no matter what Arum tells the Filipino media), Showtime still stands to profit mightily from the superstar?s presence on their network. Who in Arum?s stable will replace the Pac-monster as a ?Showtime PPV seller? when Manny finally retires? Maybe Nonito Donaire (provided he beats Fernando Montiel this Saturday and continues to win). Maybe JuanMa Lopez (provided he beats Orlando Salido in April and he wins an eventual showdown with Yuriorkis Gamboa). We?ll just have to wait and see.
3. That?s a good point, Tom. HBO?s providing quality (at least on paper) boxing programming so far this year, with or without GBP. And the shows with GBP (such as the March 5 B.A.D. card headlined by Saul Alvarez and the Hopkins-Pascal rematch with Chad Dawson in the co-feature in May) are quality, too.
I think Arum?s stronger alliance with Showtime will only improve the network?s boxing programming, while forcing HBO to step up its standards. Fight fans will benefit from better quality fights on both premium cable networks.
COUPLE OF POINTS
Hi Doug,
I really enjoy reading your weekly mailbag. Checking ringtv.com is always included in my daily routine. Nice job guys. This is my first time to send you an e-mail and I just want to know your thoughts about some points.
1. Nonito Donaire Jr. was told by his mom, “stop spreading lies”. I know you already read the news about that. Donaire is loved by boxing fans because of his tenacity in the ring while maintaining his charming personality outside the ring. But spreading lies that he grew up poor without nothing to eat, just to be like Pacman, man, that’s ridiculous. We still don’t know the truth but I want to know your comments about that.
2. Pacquaio says he will fight twice a year until he retires in 2013. That would mean six more fights starting with the bout with Mosley. Who do you want Pacquiao to fight with on his last five matches? Anyway, if Mayweather-Pacquiao eventually fight on late 2013, what would be the age implications of the bout giving that Manny will be 34 (35 on Dec. 17) and Floyd will be 36?
3. Floyd will soon face the court. If the court finds him not guilty, and Mayweather decides to continue his career while going in different directions with Pacquiao, who do you want Mayweather to fight with on his remaining boxing years?
Thanks. — Cherenzkie, Philippines
Thanks for finally writing in Cherenzkie. Don?t be a stranger now that you?ve broken the ice. I?ll answer your points in order:
1. I haven?t paid much attention to things Donaire has said about his youth or statements that his father and former trainer has made since the two split up. I know father-son relationships can be pretty volatile, especially in boxing. Regarding Donaire?s claims that he grew up in poverty, I take it with a grain of salt, just as I do when I hear African-American fighters who are clearly middle class — such as Timothy Bradley and Allan Green — talk about how they grew up in a ?ghetto area/the hood? around a lot of crime, drugs and gangs. That?s just part of the Hip-Hop generation. Everybody wants to be either hardcore from the streets or someone who overcame the ?thug life?/poverty/oppression. I totally understand why young folks do it. They get more attention/sympathy with that story than if they told the truth. The general public doesn?t get attached to nice guys who have led decent lives. Nobody wants to hear about a well-adjusted young man from a loving family who did well in school and sports. Look at Shane Mosley, someone from my generation. He?s middle class all the way and he never tried to hide it or make up some kind of hardcore gangster/ghetto past. And you know what? He?s never had a dedicated following. Anyway, Donaire can say whatever he wants about his past; it?s his life. I?m glad it?s not just young African-American fighters who feel the need to, ahem, “embellish” their life stories.
2. Provided he handles Mosley as easily as the odds makers and most pundits believe, I?d like to see Pacquiao face Mayweather, the winner of Berto-Ortiz, Marcos Maidana (if the Argentine slugger beats El Terrible in April), Saul Alvarez at 147 pounds (provided the kid continues to wins in impressive fashion and perhaps earns a major belt or two), and either Juan Manuel Marquez or the Khan-Bradley winner (but only if these bouts are contested at 140 pounds).
3. The Khan-Bradley winner (if that fight takes place) at 147 pounds, Alfredo Angulo (or James Kirkland if ?Perro? can?t get a visa to come to the States) at 154 pounds, the Martinez-Dzinziruk winner at junior middleweight (or at some kind of catchweight between 155-160 if Floyd wants to try and win the middleweight championship), and Saul Alvarez at 147 or 154 pounds (provided ?Canelo? continues to wins impressively).
SPEED KILLS
What Mosley says about styles making fights is true, but the saying ?speed kills? is also true. And unfortunately for Shane, Manny is a helluva lot faster than him. Mosley has a puncher’s chance, but then so did Clottey, Cotto and Margarito. — Keith
That?s true, Keith, however — and I?m just playing Devil?s Advocate here, Pac-fans, so don?t gang up on Ole Dougie — Mosley is facing a version of Pacquiao with the wear and tear of the Cotto, Clottey and Margarito fights on his compact little body.
Mosley lost and drew in his last two bouts but he didn?t take as much punishment as Pacquiao did during his recent dominant victories (especially against Cotto and Margarito). Despite weighing in at 144.6 pounds for Margarito I thought Pacquiao?s hands and feet were noticeably slower than they appeared in previous bouts, especially late in the fight when he practically had a dead body stalking in front of him.
One has to wonder when training and fighting at an unnaturally heavy weight and constantly burning the candle at both ends will finally catch up with Pacquiao.
BOXING ON NETWORK TV
What up Dougie, So with all this talk about CBS being involved in the promotion of Manny’s next fight, it reminded me of a debate with a friend as to what was better for the actual boxers. Boxing remaining on premium cable networks and PPV or back on network TV. I made the argument that boxing back on the networks would benefit the sport and the fighters more. With endorsements and more exposure, I figure the fighter to get more money in the process. My friend takes the stance that with PPV, the fighter maximizes his earnings. I was curious what you’re take on this would be?
Top 5 wasted talents of that last 10 years…fighters who didn’t achieve what they could of based off of a lack of effort. — Robert
I think the sport of boxing and the fighters would benefit more — WAY more — from being back on network TV than both currently benefit from the pay-per-view revenue model.
Pay-per-view events only benefit a select few fighters and industry people, and only the smallest percentage of active fighters in the world actually get rich from having their fights broadcast in that manner.
Every hardcore fans has a list of 10 to 20 things he or she believes needs to be changed in boxing in order for the sport to thrive in 21st Century, but I think all that really needs to happen for boxing to be more popular is that it appear on network television once again. The product is still good. Hell, sometimes, as we?ve seen with Corrales-Castillo I, Marquez-Pacquiao I and II, and the Barrera-Morales, Gatti-Ward, and Vazquez-Marquez trilogies, it?s GREAT! The problem is that these awesome bouts are shown to comparatively small premium cable and PPV universes. If those bouts were shown on ABC, CBS or NBC, and if those fighters were network staples, boxing would be much more popular in the U.S. The more demand there is for the sport and for the fighters the more money everyone in the industry makes.
Guys who are/were practically ignored in the States would have been huge had they fought on network TV. Steve Cunningham wouldn?t have had to sign with a German promoter and fight most of his bouts overseas had his barnburner with Tomasz Adamek been on network TV. If his story was told before and during the 12-round bout there?s no doubt in my mind that huge numbers of American viewers — particularly those in military service — would have become attached to him, even though he lost a split decision. Cunningham is skilled, gutsy, intelligent, and engaging. His only problem is that American fans rarely get the chance to see him fight. Same deal with Lamon Brewster, whose fighting days are probably done. Everybody complains about how boring the heavyweight division is, but his brief WBO title reign was nothing but action, drama and surprises. However, those fights (vs. Wladdy Klitschko, Kali Meehan, Andrew Golota, Luan Krasniqi and Sergei Liakhovich) were either on Showtime, HBO or German television (the very underrated Krasniqi fight). If Brewster came back from a brutal beating to Klitschko like Rocky, he whacked out Golota like a prime Tyson, and he went life and death with the others in all-action fights. Had he done that on network TV there?s no way American sports fans wouldn?t have been talking about him and those fun fights around the water coolers at work.
Anyway, I?m digressing. Sorry about that.
Top 5 wasted talents of last 10 years: 1. Francisco Bojado (perhaps the most naturally gifted fighter I?ve seen in the gym since James Toney, but he had even less dedication to the sport than ole ?Lights Out?), 2. Edwin Valero (I know he won titles in two weight classes but I think he could have done so much more had he handled his personal life and career differently), 3. Rock Allen (a tremendous amateur boxer who literally grew up around world-class fighters and brilliant boxing minds, but he doesn?t seem to want to fight), 4. Malik Scott (he?s got the best foundation, skillset and physical tools of any American heavyweight, but where the hell is he?) and 5. Kelly Pavlik (it?s not too late for The Ghost but man, I can?t help but think about how big this guy could have been had he taken better care of himself and stayed clear of Bernard Hopkins).
THIS IS IT FOR SSM
At least Mosley is trying to sell the fight but the truth is that Pacquaio will beat him so bad that this will be Sugar Shane?s last fight. — Richard
I don?t think Mosley is trying to sell anything. He truly believes that he?s got a shot against Pacquiao due the overwhelming favorite?s aggressive style. And why shouldn?t he? He?s always whacked out aggressive fighters in the past.
But if Mosley does take such a severe beating that he calls it quits, so be it.
That?s the way it?s gotta be for a lot of fighters. They don?t know it?s time to hang up the gloves until they are absolutely dominated and/or quite literally beaten into submission.
As long as Mosley isn?t seriously hurt on fight night, it can be a good thing. Mosley?s been boxing competitively since he was eight years old. It?s probably time he moved on to training and/or managing fighters with his father.
TOO BAD IT ISN?T 2000
If I could have one wish….it’d be that Pacquiao was fighting the welterweight version of Mosley who beat Oscar De La Hoya (when he was stepping up from LW to WW)…..what a mother effing FIGHT!!!!
Now? Not so much… — Derrick
Pacquiao vs. the 28-year-old version of Mosley would indeed be off the damn chain. The official title for the event would probably be ?What a mother effing fight!? LOL.
That version of Mosley had the same thing going for him at 147 pounds that Pacquiao does now — the constant movement and high punch output of a lighter-weight fighter. Mosley shocked De La Hoya by bringing a 135-pound pace to their classic first bout. He slowed down by the time he got into the ring with Vernon Forrest.
Pacquiao has also slowed down a bit since his first fight above 135 pounds (for De La Hoya in December of 2008), but for his first few bouts in the 140-145-poundrange he carried the crazy workrate of junior lightweight into the ring. Pac?s still ridiculously active for a welterweight, and though he?s slowed down a bit, his reflexes appear as sharp as ever.
Mosley had razor-keen reflexes back in 2000. As Apollo Creed told Rocky Balboa at the end of Rocky III: ?It?s too bad we gotta get old.?
