Publisher note) Effective as of this email bag our Lead Writer, George Diaz Smith has taken over the RSR Email Bag. As I have always done and will continue to do, I will answer stuff that readers email into me as well to my account. I figured with the amount each week growing and growing for George who is doing an outstanding job of answering your questions, this should be his bag and now, it is.
With that said, this week is full of questions for George about his Miguel Cotto piece that was featured on HBO and for the second week in a row, still has email coming in about it. Of course we always have the diehard Pacman fans ringing in with their questions and true to a bag with George, there are other questions as well.
George,
Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn’t shane mosley the wbc champ then winky wright beat him. I don’t recall winky wright losing, how is the title vacant if w.wright said he is going to keep fighting at 154. Sounds like oscar de la hoya want’s to come back and fight at 154 so of course he’s going to fight someone he can beat. There is no way he will fight winky wright the TRUE champ at 154.
Oscar
Oscar,
Technically Winky was the unified champion once. That was when he fought Sugar Shane on March 13th 2004, but was relieved of the IBF scrap for failure to defend their contender thereafter. November of that same year therefore when he fought Mosley again, and beating him, they fought for the 154 WBA-WBC titles. What happened afterward last May was the bout that he took with Tito was for a WBC Middleweight eliminating crossroads, not at the 154-pounds you seemed to be not clarifying on.
Wright lost his junior middleweight belts by default. You can relinquish something like a championship title by not meeting up to standards with it.
My most earnest guess would be that they’d make him the runner up at Super Champ at 154 LBS., though the only real person to ask that to is Wright himself should he accept either by waiting for a big bout like that one with DLH, or perhaps stand by a fight with WBC titlist Ricardo Mayorga. Not to mention Ferocious Fernando Vargas is in the running also, a guy who beat Winky in the last four championship rounds convincingly.
George,
I understand what you’re saying about Cotto’s raw power. I think he’s a lot better than most champions that have come out of my country Puerto Rico.
But Gatti came in to the ring with raw power and was beaten from pillar to post. I think a better fight for Mayweather would be Zab Judah.
Judah is possibly just as fast as Mayweather and definitely more powerful. I think Judah and Mayweather would be probably the most challenging fight of both their careers.
Jose
Jose,
I could not agree more on what is currently the most talked about matches between three of the sport’s most prolific junior welterweights.
However, those questions on speed equaling power, and adding the other equation into the mix about raw-power going uncontested, which Miguel Cotto possesses an extreme amount of – is exactly on how you expressed it yourself.
In reference to Arturo, you know he was not in that fight with PBF, and judging it from the second round onward; it became more apparent to everyone that he didn’t have a plan. What I could guarantee concluding is that MAC would not make that top of his priorities for following that in a similar prototype.
George, I just read your column on mayweather vs cotto and i enjoyed it and thought it was well written. I think if cotto has any chance he has to put pressure on mayweather like castillo did against mayweather and attack, attack.
I thought castillo won the first fight with mayweather, but got robbed. Cotto i think can hit harder than castillo and he can’t let mayweather get into his groove and establish his jabs it will be a long night for cotto. I think right now mayweather might be a little too strong for cotto right now.
Eduardo
Eduardo,
The way I see this battle it’ll be a real will imposer. It’s all about pressure, something Miguel Cotto fans seems to know a great deal about. A sustained pace is the real answer that is key in measuring what kind of fight we’re going to see.
I’ll give PBF the highest marks for agility and style, in that in the talent-wise arena ranks an A+. However, Cotto’s report card for Power Punching has to be acknowledged right up there with today’s heavy hitters, so I wouldn’t be too adequate comparing Floyd’s strength being along sides stronger than MAC.
George,
You are truly a great historical aficionado. Cotto vs. Judah/Floyd will be what I grave for. I leave it at that…From P.R
Carlo
Carlo,
Buying power collected over time will tell whether we get to have at least one of those mega fights by mid next year. Thanks for your support, and remember to join the RSR board for a chance to win an autographed Ken Norton glove.
George,
Cotto/Mayweather was an Excellent article. I enjoyed it thoroughly. What is the likelihood of this fight happening? Which of the fighters do you think wants it more? Thank You!
Eli Rivera
Eli,
If the fan’s base gets just as interested, then both parties should equally want it. I don’t think the concept is marginalized to just a few people who’d like to see.
Now that the Winky Wright fight doesn’t seem to be headed for Floyd, interest can gather substantially for each fighter to gain momentum in that direction.
A good deck in Mr. Arum’s hands would be his free card, having both Floyd and Miguel stacked up against Don King’s Ace card in Zab Judah. Glad you enjoyed the piece.
George,
September 10 is fast approaching. do you think less than a month is manny’s needed to be in tip top shape for this fight. I’m worried.
Min Kjaere
Min,
It’s a fair argument you bring. Some fighter’s train anywhere from six to eight weeks, tapering down off to the few days remaining for relaxing and energizing themselves. If you were to ask every fighter, they’d each tell to have a different method.
George,
Why did Morales seclude himself in the mountains in his training in preparation for the Pacquiao fight? Other great fighters don’t do this.
Gabriel
Gabriel,
My guess is because of less distraction. Other fighters have done that before.
George,
Do you think that manny can beat erik morales for 2nd time around?
Blue
Blue,
Only if he gives himself a better chance in learning from the first fight can he.
Hi George,
Do you think Bobby Pacquaio has a chance in beating Famoso Hernandez? I don’t know Bobby. Or is it just part of big brother Manny mania? Thanks!
Sherwin Putian
Sherwin,
He actually did beat a pretty decent fighter in Carlos Navarro already last June, so he does carry some punch. However, I still think he’s just a tad late and a few fights short to defeat Hernandez at this speculation. I’m leaning toward the more experienced here.
George,
For what I’ve heard Pacman just started training this month after doing movies and attend cockfight derbies for four months after the morales fight. George do yah think that one month of intensified training will condition pacman for fighting velasquez pacman lacks discipline.
Fritz
Fritz,
As for any of the cockfights, gambling, or shooting dice that a few athletes may undertake, they’re only ways in having a good time. Many people do it.
I know it may not sit too well with some people, but when you’re in that kind of environment all your life believe it or not there’s no harm done.
George,
I really like the way you respond to the mail you received, im an avid boxing fan so i can relate from your reply to your sender’s. if you don’t mind sir, i would like to ask for website where i can bet on my favorite boxers, i really love boxing, and i can would like to earn extra money from my hobby, which is watching boxing, i would like the website that is simple and easy to make a bet and deposit, thank you sir, i hope you could help me and more power, good job.
Alex James Meyer
Alex,
I could address your question about as much as I can help someone who is an alcoholic to be my drinking buddy at a local tavern and lead them blamelessly into it. Worse habits have yet to be broken. With all my preaching I just did, I would recommend you look on the net and to find a site to gamble on because they have plenty of them I’m sure. Sorry, I can’t help because I am not into losing my bucks.
George,
Is Velasquez a threat or not? Do you guys think this will be a walk in the park for Manny or does Velasquez have a lot of chance of beating Manny? And will the rematch push through? I’m not sure if it will but I’m hoping so since I know the second fight will be much better but I feel like Erik wouldn’t like to have a second fight. What’s your thought on this?
PJ Loyd
PJ,
It’s a lot on the table. If Erik wants to move up like he intends to break JC Superstar’s (Chavez) record, then he does what he must. But I will tell you that Erik Morales has not ducked anybody.
Anything else could be negotiated at a Catch-Weight.
George,
Hi sir good day, do u think a pacquiao vs barrera rematch will happen or a possibility of a barrios vs pacman?
Lionfred
Lionfred,
I believe Marco Antonio Barrera Vs Manny Pacquiao is a classic. Jorge Barrios would be just under the Pacquiao and Barrera one.
Look, honestly speaking, I’ve quit seeing into most of these matches purely from the perspective that there’re rarely made when they should be.
If it were a matter of a year, no problem, but the mechanics aren’t the same fluffing up the extravaganzas years later like some nostalgic category in revamping what passed several years back. I’m not so cynical.
George,
How would Pipino Cuevas do today?
Thomas
Thomas,
Minus a Tommy Hearns or a Wilfred Benitez in there with him, I like his chances today.
Did you know that Jose Cuevas broke the supporting brackets off of speed bags? The only other guys I ever knew to ever equal that feat was Big George Foreman and Earnie Shavers!
