After prevailing in a ten-round war with Michael Katsidis on Saturday night, Cuban legend Joel Casamayor next wants a big-money bout with Manny Pacquiao or Marco Antonio Barrera, despite engaging in a war of words with WBA/IBF/WBO champion Nate Campbell in his post-match press conference.
Although Casamayor only holds the interim version of the WBC and WBO lightweight title, he has a claim to be a world champion due to the fact that he also owns the Ring Magazine belt.
After adding Juan Manuel Marquez’s WBC crown to his Ring magazine super featherweight belt with his controversial victory last month, Pacquiao will next face WBC lightweight champion David Diaz but a battle with Casamayor could appeal afterwards.
Although he may have beaten Katsidis more comfortably early in his career, the manner of his victory will have helped his own marquee value – after he was unimpressive in his previous bout against Jose Santa Cruz, a fight many thought he lost.
There has been talk of a bout with Hatton for Pacquiao, but with Casamayor turning 37 in July, he may see him as a low risk stepping-stone bout, despite his stellar display and devastating stoppage of the Australian fighter in California on Saturday night.
As for Barrera, he has made it known to his Golden Boy promoters that he would consider a return to the ring and is likely to see Casamayor as a route to a rematch with Pacquiao.
When Campbell challenged Casamayor in his post-match press conference, the Cuban said the fight did not interest him as he had already beaten him in a controversial non-title bout in 2003.
“I’ve already beaten Nate Campbell and I did it on just three weeks of training,” Casamayor said. “Now I want to fight other guys, like Pacquiao or Barrera.”
Although Campbell, also 36, is generally considered the best fighter in the division after his victory over highly-rated ‘Baby Bull’ Juan Diaz – a bout setantasports.com readers are voting as their upset of the year – The Ring magazine continue to rate Casamayor as their champion due to their policy of not changing their number one unless they move to another weight class, retires or loses a championship bout.
Campbell understandably questions this policy feeling that Golden Boy Promotions’ ownership of the magazine taints its legitimacy, especially when it tends to pit fighters from the same promotional group against each other.
?The day has come in boxing when guys that say they are going to do what?s right for boxing, stop making excuses and distorting this sport they say they love,” Campbell told Doghouse Boxing.
“De La Hoya says that he cares about boxing. That he cares about what happens to fighters in boxing.
“Then why would he do what he is trying to do? Making a Diaz or Barrera fight instead of a Campbell fight. How can that be good for boxing?
“He owns the magazine. He owns the belt. They can say ?Linear this. Linear that.? The best fighter is the champion. I am the best fighter.?
What do you think about The Ring magazine title? Is it the best way to decide the best fighter in each weight division? Or does its regulations allow fighters who own the belt to avoid the best fighters in their weight division and allow it to be manipulated?
