You never know where you are going to find Harold Lederman on any given week. Serving as HBO?s unofficial ringside scorer, the affable New Yorker?s life consists of heavy traveling and much interaction with the boxing world. This past weekend Lederman could be found in Las Vegas, Nevada as he covered the Juan Manuel Marquez-Juan Diaz II pay per view event in its entirety.
The weigh in for the event was a crowded scene as such luminaries as Bernard Hopkins, David Haye, Amir Khan, Shane Mosley, Sergio Mora, and Michael Katsidis were all nestled in between a sea of media members and fans alike. Shortly after the festivities Lederman broke free to feed his appetite but still was gracious enough to speak with the Examiner for a few minutes.
Lederman was among those dying to see a November 13th clash between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather but unfortunately the bout is just an afterthought for the moment. Former champion Antonio Margarito will be filling in against Pacquiao instead and despite the criticism that has come from the matchup, Lederman is apparently all for it.
?Antonio Margarito is a great fighter,? Lederman said. ?Let?s face reality. We all saw the Miguel Cotto fight. He was sensational. At that point we never thought there would be a welterweight that could beat him. Then he had a downturn with Mosley. But the problem with Mosley is that he had this whole psychological mess. When he left the dressing room obviously in his own his head he believed he was going to be suspended for what happened before the fight. Really he was fighting at a disadvantage when he fought Shane. So he got beat up and it?s a shame.?
Shameful indeed but perhaps even more embarrassing was the one-year suspension placed upon Margarito by the California State Athletic Commission that Lederman was referring too. The Tijuana fighter was caught with elements of plaster of paris in his gloves before the Mosley battering and has had a black cloud hanging over his head ever since. His image has taken a hit but Lederman is far less harsh than others when giving his take on Antonio.
?Whether that was the real Antonio Margarito or not, I don?t know,? Lederman continued. ?Certainly he?s a great fighter and I would love to see him fight Manny Pacquiao. Manny Pacquiao of course is a little guy who beats up big guys. Antonio is a much bigger guy but I think he would give him a very good fight. I?m very anxious to see it. It?s a tremendous shot in the arm for boxing. It?s exciting; I think it will be great fight.?
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PHOTOS: Antonio Margarito’s ring persona Images of Manny Pacquiao
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Lederman was adamant about his wishes to see the Pacquiao-Margarito fight land in Las Vegas but those hopes were dashed as Margarito is still banned from fighting in the U.S. while it was also announced that Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has given up on appealing for a one-fight license for his fighter in Nevada. If the fight can?t ultimately be made then Lederman would love to see one of the game?s finest champions at 140 pounds get a crack at the Filipino fighter.
?If they can?t make it in the United States I would love to see Manny Pacquiao fight Timothy Bradley,? Lederman said with conviction. ?I think it would be really great for the simple reason that if they fight at 140 at least Manny Pacquiao will be fighting a guy who is the same size as he is. Manny?s a smaller guy. Tim Bradley deserves it. He?s a tough guy, he puts on a good show every time. He deserves a shot at a real good fighter and I think he would do terrific November the 13th.?
Asked for his thoughts on the pending future of Mayweather, Lederman revealed that he only knows as much as he reads in the papers and that perhaps Floyd?s accountant told him it would be a better financial move to fight in 2011. Asked if he feels that Mayweather still wants a fight with Pacquiao, Lederman is beyond adamant.
?Floyd is too good,? Lederman claimed. ?He will never turn his back on a fight like that. If you go back in history do you remember when he fought ?Chicanito? Hernandez? We all said that he wasn?t ready and that Hernandez was going to kill him. Chicanito was a great champion and Floyd Mayweather wiped the floor with him. He fought so many guys that people thought he wasn?t ready to fight and he just did great. But Floyd is a great fighter, he really is. He?s a terrific talent.?
Lederman went on to note that many of Mayweather?s struggles in the past have been due to his hands being damaged but that it simply doesn?t seem to be a problem anymore. Before disappearing between the halls of the Mandalay Bay Lederman emphatically stated that there is too much at stake for Floyd to just turn away.
?He?s not going to walk away from Manny Pacquiao. He has too much pride. If you paid him twenty dollars he would take the fight. The reason being it is a guy who everybody thinks can beat him up. Floyd is a great champion, great person, and I know very well he is going to do well in the Pacquiao fight.?
