The way this wholesale treachery was supposed to play out when it was arranged last spring, Sergio Martinez would be relieved of his WBC middleweight title (for fighting Sergiy Dzinziruk instead of Sebastian Zbik), but promoted to ?champion emeritus,? Zbik would be elevated from ?interim? to ?regular? champion but obliged to defend that title against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., with the winner then to face Martinez, allowing Martinez to get his belt back somewhat seamlessly. In practice, it hasn?t quite worked out that way.
Promoter Bob Arum, having worked this hard to get Chavez a title, would like a chance to make a little money out of the deal before putting him in with a dangerous opponent (read: just about any top middleweight you could name). Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito, each of whom Arum had been dangling as alternative opponents for Martinez, have for all intents and purposes been withdrawn from the equation and now appear headed for a fall rematch with each other.
Lest the 2010 Fighter of the Year become even more the odd man out, Martinez promoter Lou DiBella and advisor Samson Liewkewicz moved last week to line up unbeaten two-time European champion Darrel Barker of England for an Oct. 1 fight for Martinez? Diamond Belt, one that would take place in either Atlantic City, Las Vegas, or possibly even Arlington, Texas. (The latter would make even more sense if DiBella is able to make his proposed co-feature ? Ireland?s Andy Lee in a rematch against the only man to have beaten him, Texan Bryan Vera for that night?s undercard. HBO has yet to approve either bout, but DiBella says the show will go ahead regardless.
Macklin in title shot
Matthew Macklin, another Irish middleweight (and former European champ) who had frequently been mentioned in connection with Lee could insert himself in the picture when he challenges WBA champion Felix Sturm in Germany next Saturday. That bout will be carried by Epix, and that fledgling network will once again make its pitch for exposure to a more mainstream audience by beaming it live in New York?s Times Square. …
That day will also serve as the homecoming for former junior welterweight champion Devon Alexander?s return to the ring following a somewhat humiliating loss to Timothy Bradley in their Jan. 29 fight. Alexander will face Argentina?s Lucas Matthysse in a nontitle bout atop Don King?s HBO-televised card at the Family Center in St. Charles, Mo., just 20 miles outside Alexander?s hometown of St. Louis. There will be three world title fights ? Guillermo Jones vs. Ryan Coyne (for the WBA cruiserweight belt), Tavoris Cloud vs. Yusef Mack (IBF light heavyweight), and Cornelius Bundrage vs. Sechew Powell (IBF junior middleweight) on the undercard, as well as a nontitle bout pitting another St. Louis former champion, Cory Spinks, against journeyman Shakir Ashanti.
Golden Boy spiteful
Just when you were hoping Golden Boy Promotions might emerge from Oscar De La Hoya?s rehab visit with a dose of humility, company CEO Richard Schaefer threatened last week to sever all ties between GBP and Britain?s Sky TV. Upset that Sky had no interest in showing Amir Khan?s July 23 fight against Zab Judah as a pay-per-view fight, Schaefer told London?s Telegraph, ?We are a family. Cut ties with Khan and you cut ties with the entire group of [Golden Boy] fighters.?
What may have been a more immediate byproduct of De La Hoya?s soul-and-body cleansing trip to rehab may have been his sober decision to head off what could have been expensive litigation by reaching an out-of-court settlement with Manny Pacquiao. This in turn left the Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Sr. hanging in litigation limbo. It would be purely speculative to suggest that Money Boy?s decision to return to the ring against Victor Ortiz was indirectly influenced by Pacquiao?s defamation suit, but in Las Vegas Wednesday, Judge Robert Johnston, a federal magistrate denied a Mayweather motion and ordered Money Boy to begin his sworn deposition, under oath, beginning Thursday.
?I don?t know if it?s me or if they don?t enjoy my boxing,? Khan told the British paper of Sky TV?s disinterest. ?They showed my fight with Dmitri Salita. I?d have thought this was a better contest than that.?
Of course, in almost the same breath Khan charged that Sky had rejected a proposed unification fight against Timothy Bradley, which simply isn?t true. Bradley, in fact, rejected him before Sky ever got a chance to voice its opinion.
Ring: ?Sho? must go on
By promoting England?s Carl Froch to the No. 2 spot in its super middleweight rankings by virtue of his win over 42-year-old Glen Johnson, The Ring appears to have positioned itself to plant its seal of approval on Showtime?s Super Six tourney by awarding its presently vacant ?title? to the winner of the Andre Ward-Froch finale. Problem is that by so doing, the magazine will effectively freeze the man many consider the top 168-pounder, Lucian Bute, out of the title picture for as long as the Ward-Froch survivor can duck him. …
The modest Phil B. Jay, writing in the World Boxing News, on Froch-Ward: ?Victory for the ?Cobra? (Froch) would put him above Mikkel Kessler as the number one super middleweight in the world, although many boxing writers and pundits, including myself, already have him above the former champion.? Just wondering, but where, exactly, does Phil B. rate himself in the pantheon of boxing pundits? …
In his 25 years with HBO, Harold Lederman has sometimes blurred the lines between his official position as ?unofficial judge? and what might more properly be considered the analyst?s role by critiquing strategy and technique. Last night in Mexico, Lederman got a chance to make it official: With Roy Jones Jr. recusing himself from the analyst?s chair for the Adrian Broner-Jason Litzau co-feature owing to his promotional relationship with Litzau, Lederman served as Bob Papa?s sidekick for that fight. Jones then assumed his usual role for the Saul Alvarez-Ryan Rhodes main event.
A rumble in Holyoke
Holyoke journeyman Derreck Whitley meets Worcester?s Adam Harris in the main event of a non-televised card at the Holyoke Boys & Girls Club Saturday night, with a dozen local prospects and suspects slated for action in four- and-six-rounders underneath. For more information, phone 413-534-7366. …
Presumably with a boost from ?The Fighter,? this year?s edition of Micky Ward?s annual charity golf tournament (July 11 at Meadow Creek Golf Club in Dracut) sold out almost the moment it opened for entries, but tickets remain available for the grand prize in the raffle: The ?Ultimate New England Sports Package? ? four premium-seat tickets to see the Red Sox [team stats], Patriots [team stats], Celtics [team stats] and Bruins [team stats] ? valued at $3,000. Tickets are $10 each and can be obtained by mailing a check to: Team Micky Ward Charities, 158 Shawsheen Road, Andover, MA 01810. Include your name, address and phone number with payment. .
