“We’ve forgotten about Pacquiao”…”This is just speculation”…”I want 50 Cent”…all recent comments made by some of the biggest names in the sport. Looking back at this week’s key quotes of note, Boxing Scribe Vivek Wallace offers his own unique perspective, giving fight fans “a little something to think about”. Check it out!
“We’ve forgotten about Pacquiao; we know we won’t get Manny, he’s just too small. If Mayweather doesn’t want my guy, and if Arum won’t put Cotto in with him, then we’ll look to the super middleweights. Maybe between Bute and Ward, somebody comes across as a superstar, but that’s in the future. We’d need a megafight to move up like that.” – Lou DiBella speaking to Michael Marley of Examiner.com about Sergio Martinez and his potential mega-fight plans
Perspective: What a difference a few days make! It took Manny Pacquiao quite some time to climb to the top of the mythical P4P depth chart, and once he got there, his position was widely disputed based on his failure to come to terms with another man most felt was more worthy. After all the blood, sweat, and tears it took to reach the top of the mountain, in only a few weeks, the fight public has offered two names for immediate replacement in Filipino Nonito Donaire, and now Sergio Martinez, who both put on dominant performances recently.
Fair or not, we can debate all day long about who belongs in the company of Pacquiao atop the mythical P4P chart, but what isn’t debatable is that it seems Martinez appears headed for his same blueprint as he now eyes bigger opposition as the key to put him in place to make ‘bigger’ money, and subsequently a bigger splash in the sport.
With Cotto not believed to be considering him, Margarito focused in other areas, Mayweather taking his talents to the sands of sunny South Beach, and few other highly notables on the horizon at jr. middleweight, perhaps it only makes sense to see Martinez take up the task of traveling north in weight to face the likes of Lucian Bute, Andre Ward, Carl Froch, or even Andre Dirrell.
All options would present very strong matchups in the eyes of the hardcore fight fan, but for a promoter seeking mega money by way of a “mega fight”, are either one of these options realistically enough to deliver such acclaim? Froch across the pond may come the closest, but he isn’t expected to win the tournament, so there goes the biggest option. No question, Martinez deserves high praise, but thinking along the lines of his promoters biggest wish, what grand options truly await that can place him on the mega-fight level? Just a little something for us all to think about because I truly have no idea!
“We have to sit with our promoter to see what the plans are, and then we’ll determine when we’ll return [to the ring]. This is just speculation.” – Miguel Cotto speaking to Jhonny Gonzalez of Boxingscene.com about facing Antonio Margarito
Perspective: So far, we’ve heard about three different renditions of what will happen next in the career of Miguel Cotto. Not too long ago, Cotto stated that he would pursue other opportunities because he would “never allow Margarito to make any money with him”. After that was reported, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said, “Margarito is not only likely, but it will be his next fight, if not July 9th, the 16th,” referring to a showdown at the new Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey. Now, in the aftermath of Cotto’s victory over Mayorga, with all obstacles removed and a clear path, it appears things are not quite cemented in stone as Cotto’s recent statement to the media clearly establishes that any talks of a sure thing are highly speculative at best.
Even by Margarito’s admission, Miguel Cotto has improved since their previous encounter, but that hasn’t seemed to mean much in the grand scheme of things as the Puerto Rican warrior still seems a bit apprehensive in actually pulling the trigger and moving forward. Silent in stature and vocal in action, Miguel Cotto has always been the type to let his talking take place in the ring. That being said, this is one time most of us would much prefer to hear him finally speak up.
Considering the questions surrounding their initial fight, one would think Cotto would be in strong pursuit of redemption knowing that not only has he improved, but also that Margarito will enter the ring on a level playing field. This truth would make one think he’d be ready to avenge such a painful loss, but apparently that isn’t the case, leaving room for more speculation that perhaps the mental battle is already lost. Last week on FightHype Radio, trainer Emanuel Steward noted that if Cotto doesn’t attempt to avenge one of the losses he suffered, he’ll be remembered most by them, rather than the legacy he built both before and after them.
We know the Pacquiao opportunity doesn’t leave good odds for redemption. Martinez is the only other option that gives him a decent shot at regaining legacy momentum, but that isn’t a fight most would see him winning at this stage. So, when you look at current options available, there’s only one which seems truly worth fighting for. Or is it? Only Cotto can answer that right now…..and soon, time will tell. Just somethin’ to think about!
“I want 50 Cent…He has the swagger. He doesn’t look approachable, but he really is. He understands my life. It was his life also.” – Bernard Hopkins on who he would like to play his role in a movie
Perspective: When you look down the A-list of Hollywood resident African-American actors, not one could play a better Bernard Hopkins than the man he pegged to do so. Will Smith did a great job playing Muhammad Ali, but who better to play a product of the streets than a product of the streets himself? And to take it a step further, the parallels between Hopkins and rapper 50 Cent could loom no larger than the story behind the famed rappers name. Urban legend has it that the name “50 Cent” was used by the rapper (real name Curtis Jackson III) as a metaphorical way of telling the world that he was ready for “change”, setting the stage for him, like Hopkins, to use redemption as a one-way ticket from a world of hard times to a table of fine wines.
Absent are the grimy days of slingin’ rocks on the block; present are the days of making money the legal way, even if it does mean gettin’ away with a few illegal tactics…somethin’ Hopkins knows a thing or two about, depending on who you ask (can you say elbow to the forehead…..BAM). Whatever the case may be, not only did both men turn their lives around, but both did it from a basement level of sorts that once nearly left them each dead at the hands of near fatal incidents (shooting for 50 Cent/stabbing for Hopkins).
Details of this potential movie remain under wraps, but that probably has a lot to do with the fact that the story of Hopkins has one final chapter yet to be written. On May 21st, he can finish that chapter, and if he does, you can guarantee it’ll be sweet enough to close this deal. In apt fashion, I quote famed NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens: “GET YA POPCORN READY!” This would be must see TV…..and that isn’t somethin’ you have to think about!
