Former two-time Welterweight title challenger Harold Weston has been in the ring with the likes of Thomas Hearns, Wilfred Benitez (twice), Pipino Cuevas, Vito Antuofermo, Rocky Mattioli, Bruno Arcari, and Saoul Mamby. He currently works as a promoter for Panther Promotions based in South Florida.
Weston has a keen understanding of the inner workings of the sport as well as the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather situation. ?Manny Pacquiao comes to fight, he?s gutsy. He doesn?t turn down nobody,? says Weston, who retired after detaching a retina vs. Hearns in 1979. ?And the bottom line is that he shows his skills. And that?s what I like about the guy. And there?s no excuses with him, Let?s just fight. I saw him since he was 106 pounds, coming up and seeing what he?s been doing, I respect that. I respect guys like that.?
When I suggest that the sport of boxing needs more men like Pacquiao nowadays, Weston agrees. ?It needs quite a few more guys like him. The company I?m working with now ? Panther Promotions ? is now doing that. We?re putting a lot of fights together. Next year we?re gonna do 100 shows. So we?re really gonna be a busy group.?
I can?t resist to ask Mr. Weston about if he thinks Pacquiao will beat Mayweather. Without having to ponder the situation, ?Baby Harold? has his answer ready like a counter left hook. ?Yeah, because Mayweather doesn?t have the heart. I mean, he?s talking the talk but he doesn?t really walk the walk. He finds all kinds of excuses not to do what he thinks he can do. I mean, if he can talk, I mean, he fights good but all he is is a copycat of his father and uncle. And that?s all it is.?
Weston boxed Pipino Cuevas for the WBA Welterweight title in 1978 in Los Angeles, losing on points with a broken jaw over 15 rounds. Weston fought Wilfred Benitez the following year in 1979 in Puerto Rico for the WBC title, coming up on the short end of a 15-round decision. Weston (27-9-5, 7 KO?s) retired from boxing in 1979 after he suffered a detached retina vs. Thomas Hearns.
