LAS VEGAS — Ricardo Lois, whose stupid appearance belies the intelligence that lies buried deep within, had it right about two things lately. One, he is 1000 percent correct that ?The World Awaits? is perhaps the dumbest big fight nickname ever.
And, two, his creation, “Cinco De Mayweather,” is vastly superior. But, if it turns into the stinker I think it may well be with Mayweather floating, flicking and juking all about., will it be known afterwards as Stinko De Mayo? Or Stinko De Mayweather?
I can hear Michael Buffer’s dulcet tones as the people exit the MGM Grand Garden Arena with the familiar cry, “Let’s get ready to fumigate!”
Truth be told, and I know it’s a tired cliche, but if Mayweather jabs and dashes, he is sure to win. ODLH cannot outbox him. Oscar’s only hope is to take a boxing match and turn into a fight, a brawl for it all. I just don’t think FM lets that happen. Oh, yeah, Oscar may clip Floy’s chin once, twice or thrice, but I doubt this Model year 2007 De La Hoya can knock a prime time PBF out. Oscar may do more looking than left hooking.
I hate to pat myself or www.boxingconfidential.com on the back since my college major at University of Nevada, Reno, was (false) modesty but we got proper mention and credit in Tuesday?s Los Angeles Times for breaking the tasty tidbit that De La Hoya supplied Pretty Daaddy Mayweather with a hotel room and fight tickets. Greg Marotta, our TV editor, reports that we got an indirect mention when Jay Leno chatted with Oscar as well. Now if only Marotta can find out who gets whacked next on “The Sopranos.” Will it be Chris or Paulie Walnuts because you know the final show will have Tony and Phil Leotardo trying to kill each other. Me, I hope Vito’s irritating kid gets whacked this coming Sunday…
All this in less than six months, our Alexa numbers are rocking, and let me take this opportunity to credit the team: Mr. Lois; webmaster supreme Jose Martino; Jolting John Chavez, San Francisco bureau: Mark Snow in Amherst, Mass.; Preston Wada, wherever you are; Chitown interview master John Herndon; Virginia?s own inquisitive MBA, Rocking Ron Pegram; our German ace, Thomas Schlabe; our Punching Pinoy, Salven Lagumbay; Euro veteran and Emmylou Harris admirer Per Ake Persson and photogs Sumio Yamada and the brilliant Chiquilin Garcia. There is no ?I? in t-e-a-m but there there are two in ?ineptitude? and this is truly a team effort. Thanks to all, especially the young guns. As for me, the average age of many of my friends is deceased?.
Reading tea leaves: the hostess who directed me to a table in the MGM coffee shop this morning, had a name tag indicating that she is from Grand Rapids, Mich. I thought of inquiring but she just did not look like the type of middle-aged white woman who hung out with the zany Mayweather clan back in GR?
Joel De La Hoya Sr., who also has a son named Joel, is a better father than Pretty Daddy Mayweather based on this alone: when Oscar was a child, his father never got shot while holding Baby Oscar. Of course, in fairness, to Floyd Sr. I must say he may have been the victim of a mistake identity when a rival drug dealer shot him while he held L?il Floyd in his arms. I mean, come on, the shooter?s intended target may have been Uncle Roger?
I know Freddie Roach took the high road after Roger slagged him during the press conference but I wish the Boston lad had returned verbal fire. The presser was so boring that Roger?who said he was ?resting? (in the Clark County Jail for decking the grandmother of his child) when the Super Fight was signed?came off like the keynote speaker. Btw, I bet none of the Mayweathers has ever jacked up a guy at Kinko?s like Mr. Roach did one day in sunny LA. Don?t mistake kindness for weakness, Rajah?
But big props to sponsor Cazadores tequila and its rep, Brian Herlihy. I like a man who stands or staggers by his product and, right on the podium, Herlihy guzzled some of his product. In case you?re shopping for your Drinko De Mayo fight party, Herlihy reminds us that Cazadores is the only premium tequila with a deer on the label. And Cazadores is owned by Bacardi USA which a young rummy like John Chavez knows only too well?
More tea leaves: Checking into the MGM, which had a major computer breakdown at the front desk Tuesday, I ran into entertainment mogul Bernie Yuman. Back in the day, when we were both crazy white boys hanging out with the Muhammad Ali entourage and traveling circus, Youman had hippie-style long hair and wore a Davy Crocket type fringe jacket. Naturally, Ali tagged him with the nickname of ?General Custer.? Since those fun years,. Youman has made a bit more money than I have. Youman is the show biz guru who made Siegfried & Roy into superstars. Which one was that one of the white tigers mistakenly thought was sushi or sashimi,. Siggy or Roy? I always got them mixed up?
Tip of the Internet cap to ace boxing reporter Kevin Iole, who has left the Las Vegas Review-Journal to cover the boxing and MMA beats for Yahoo.com sports where ex-LA Times sports editor Dave Morgan is large and in charge?
?The World Awaits?? Oh, really. The international media contingent here is surpisingly small compared to the Mike Tyson megafights at the same property. JC Bouttier, the ex-fighter, is here from France for Canal Plus and Massimo Lopes Pegna, La Gazetta Dello Sport, is in to inform all of Italy about the fight. But the usually strong British contingent is rather thin.
Reading tea leaves: One Brit who makes all the big shows is The Boxing News? erudite editor Claude Abrams. He and I were having a boxing chat at the bar at Emeril?s Fish House (got to tell you the Fall River clam chowder does not taste the same as it does in Fall River, Mass., Emeril?s hometown). Claude it would?ve been interesting if Mayweather had compelling rivals the way Thomas Hearns, Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and Marvin Hagler all had each other. No sooner does he mention ?The Hitman? and there TH is, standing five feet away from us. We then had a bit of a chart with Tommy.
We discussed what happens if Mayweather?s slick boxing, his Plan A, does not work on Oscar and what if Oscar?s hunt him down with the left hook Plan A backfires. Hearns then gave us some real expert advice.
?Then you got to have a Plan B,? the Motown legend said. ?I had my Plan A against Juan Domingo Roldan, the tough guy from Argentina. It wasn?t working and, if I didn?t switcb up or change up, he was gonna knock me out. I changed up and I won the fight. You can?t go in the ring with just one scheme.??
Somebody told Big Five sporting goods had a run on baseball bats the other day and, quite naturally as Ray Leonard would put it, my first thought was that maybe boxing manager and Houston rap mogul J. Prince?s debt collection team was in Vegas. (Mr. Prince, be advised I am a huge Chamillionaire fan and I know what it?s like when they?re trying to catch you riding dirty, my friend)?
