Last week highly regarded trainer Naazim Richardson went into depth about his prospective future with his charge Shane Mosley. Coming off of a near-whitewash defeat at the hands of Floyd Mayweather, Richardson aptly noted that many people are going to be writing Shane off and warned those ahead of time that his fighter shouldn?t be slept on.
One thing Richardson couldn?t deny was the fact that Mayweather was truly dominant on May 1st when he won a decision over Shane. After surviving a rocky second round in which he was tagged with a Mosley right hand, Floyd recuperated and went on to control the fight with his speed, quickness, and sharp punching. When assessing Mayweather from a pugilistic standpoint, Richardson can?t deny his ability.
?I don?t think anybody has been able to take away anything from Floyd or his undefeated status,? Richardson said. ?I think he?s one of the best out there and I wasn?t just saying that after the fight, I always have said that. I?ve known him since the amateurs and said that he was special. There are fighters, there are champions, there are great fighters, and there are special ones. And he?s definitely a special kid. It?s easy to see.?
In the world of boxing there isn?t anything bigger than a proposed Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao clash yet there are still several questions as to whether the contest will ever become a reality. For his part Richardson believes the fight will come off simply because the public isn?t willing to settle for anything less at this point.
?I think the fight is eventually going to happen,? Richardson stated. ?Some people are trying to act like they aren?t interested but there are no more Shane Mosleys out there. There are no more Cottos and people are not going to accommodate any more Joshua Clotteys. That?s the bottom line.?
Asked for his thoughts on the stylistic matchup between the two men, Richardson?s vast knowledge and insight still leaves him at a loss. It?s simply that kind of fight, a bout that could play itself out in many different forms given the vast array of gifts and tactics that both men possess. One thing Richardson is able to hold on to is the fact that Pacquiao?s trainer Freddie Roach would have his fighter fully ready for war.
?Pacquiao is coached by one of the best guys in the game. He?s proven himself. He will formulate his own game plan to deal with Floyd Mayweather.?
If the Mayweather fight doesn?t get finalized soon it appears that Pacquiao will move forward with a different opponent on his scheduled November 13th date. One man being highly considered is three-division champion Miguel Cotto, whom Pacquiao soundly defeated last November at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Cotto revived his career with a solid 9th round stoppage over Yuri Foreman last month at Yankee Stadium that netted him the WBA Jr. Middleweight crown and he appears to have filled out well at 154 pounds.
One of the storylines heading into the Cotto-Foreman clash was the addition of legendary trainer Emmanuel Steward to the Caguas, Puerto Rico fighter?s corner. The Detroit coach was able to make a few subtle changes to Cotto?s attack and their first fight together was a resounding success. Looking at Steward from a fellow trainer?s eye, Richardson tips his hat.
?I like what Emmanuel did and the changes he made in that fight,? said Richardson. ?Emmanuel is one of the best to ever do it and I respect him for that. Especially coming from that level of work where he?s been at. He understands the dynamics of this sport. He likely has convinced us that he has rectified Cotto enough for the people that want to see another Pacquiao-Cotto. He might be able to sell that one.?
Elaborating further, Richardson notes that he had been telling people for years the best weight you would ever find Cotto at was Jr. Middle. Still, despite Cotto?s strong showing, Richardson seems to push on the breaks and not allow himself to get fully carried away.
?No disrespect to Yuri Foreman, but I never considered Yuri Foreman at that level,? Richardson said bluntly. ?I think he?s a talented kid, and a kid with skill, but I never considered him on that level. So that fight to me didn?t show a lot. I mean a lot of people think the kid from Philly beat him, Anthony Thompson. He was blessed to be in that position. When he got the belt I said ?Wow? and it was like he was holding that belt for Pacquiao.?
Another fighter who has been clamoring for a Pacquiao tussle is former champion Antonio Margarito, who is trying to ease his way back into the public?s eye after the backlash from his one-year suspension from the California State Athletic commission due to the discovery of elements of plaster of paris in his hand wraps before his January 2009 loss to Mosley. While Margarito still has a black cloud over his head from those developments, Richardson isn?t so quick to write him off considering everything he brings to the table.
?Margarito is a great, big welterweight,? Richardson claimed. ?He has a lot of determination and a chin made out of steel. It?s the kind of fight that Pacquiao has to prove to me that he can beat Margarito. I don?t consider that an easy win for Pacquiao. We don?t know what Margarito has left and we don?t know how he will shake off the rust or what else will come into play there.?
One man who definitely seems to be an outsider in the Pacquiao-Mayweather sweepstakes despite all of his talent is Paul ?The Punisher? Williams. The two-division champion has expressed his interest to face both men repeatedly in the past yet the Aiken, South Carolina native seems to have trouble landing fights with the big names of the sport. Known well for his ability to fight between 147 and 160 pounds, Richardson will never deny the ability of Williams but thinks he may be harming himself.
?I don?t say this in a derogatory manner, because I appreciate the man since the amateurs and I respect him. But Paul Williams is a freak of nature. Bottom line. He?s talented and he?s dangerous because he?s such an odd commodity. I think eventually him moving back and forth between 147 and 160 pounds is going to catch up to him. I think eventually this kid will go to Jr. Middleweight and Middleweight which is where he belongs.?
