MORALES MORE RESPECTED THAN BARRERA First Name : Duma Last Name : Msongelwa Country : South Africa Your Question : Do you think Eric Morales has gained the same respect in the boxing world that a guy like Barrera has? I am a big El Terrible fan, I believe he is a better boxer than Barrera and has beaten more credible opponents. He will outclass Pacman this weekend.
ANT EVANS ANSWERS: I’m with you Duman. Even though Barrera is 2-1 in the series, I think Morales has achieved that tiny, little bit more in terms of his career… it is a close one though… discuss! Morales is easily the most exciting and popular fighter, though, as his PPV receipts dwarf Barrera.
BEN COHEN ANSWERS: I don’t think Erik Morales has gained the same respect in boxing that Barrera has Duma. I don’t think he is as good a boxer either. Morales has gone into several world title fights without preparing properly, something Barrera would never do. He took Barrera lightly the third time they fought, Zahir Raheem, and Pacquiao the second time they fought. Barrera is a more intelligent boxer than Morales too, as ‘El Terrible’ too often relies on raw aggression to win fights. I also doubt Morales will beat Pacquiao this weekend given he should not be fighting at 130.
PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: You can make a case for Morales having the better overall record, but his losses to Barrera will always count against him in any direct comparison. In a way, it is unfair to try to lessen his achievements. Both Barrera and Morales are greats. The closeness of all three of their battles showed they weren’t too far away from each other.
CLIVE BERNATH ANSWERS: Hi Duma, I believe you have a point about Morales being a better boxer than Barrera. I certainly think he was in the early part of their respective careers. As for outclassing Pacquiao this weekend, sorry I do not agree.
**** OSCAR V MAYWEATHER WON’T BE THRILLER First Name : L.C. Last Name : Banks Country : USA Your Question : I read Clive Bernath’s article on the upcoming De La Hoya vs. Mayweather fight in May and although Clive proclaims that it is “guaranteed to be an exciting and evenly matched bout”, I am not so sure it will turn out that way. Judging by the way Mayweather looked against Baldomir, and De La Hoya’s history of sometimes retreating rather than coming forward against such foes as Trinidad and Mosley, this potential extravaganza could well turn out to be an extravagant bore. I would like to know what the editors have to say about this match-up. Will it be worth the pay per view price or should I make plans to put a new muffler on my Oldsmobile that evening instead?
ANT EVANS ANSWERS: I understand that some fights are not toe-to-toe slugfest but, for me, I also enjoy highly skilled and scientific battles. Whether Oscar and Floyd got at it tooth and claw I am not so sure but I think the skills and speed of the two men – plus the ultra high stakes etc – will make this an incredible hour of entertainment!
BEN COHEN ANSWERS: I think Clive is spot on with his prediction. Both men will prepare like demons for this fight, and the styles will guarantee some very good action. DeLahoya will be the aggressor in the fight, and will probably be throwing most of the punches, while Mayweather will look to counter. Mayweather will not have an easy fight, as he will be dealing with someone with big advantages in size and weight who can also bang with either hand. DeLaHoya is also a highly skilled fighter, and there should be no doubt that he will hit his target at some point during the bout. If I’m not at the fight, I’ll certainly buy it on PPV given how accomplished both men are. This will be one of the highest ‘skill’ fights you will ever see and if you won’t pay for this fight, I’m not sure what you would pay for.
PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: Like most fans, I am really excited about De La Hoya-Mayweather. It is a genuine superfight with the outcome debatable. The first thing that hits me is that Mayweather is going to moving up again in weight to 154lbs. De La Hoya is not what he was, but he is still damn good and he wouldn’t be coming back for this fight unless he knew he could win. You have the story line of the trainers, brothers in fact with Floyd Sr. and Roger. How will the Mayweather family relationship play into it all? It is so intriguing with many story lines. I love it and can make a case for both men winning. That’s why we want to watch. We don’t know for sure who will win. We need more fights like this.
CLIVE BERNATH ANSWERS: L.C. buy the ppv it will be worth it. I stand by what I said in the article and I’ll tell you why. For me De La Hoya was excellent against Mayorga. Ok Mayorga is no Mayweather but Oscar fought with more focus and desire than I have seen him for a long time. I think he has got his appetite for the sport back and I think Mayweather will bring the best out in him, I really do. Mayweather for his part will also want to produce the goods against a man that is reportedly being paid twice as much as him. Also if Mayweather does a job on Oscar then guess who takes Oscar’s crown as the ppv king at HBO? Oh and don’t forget Floyd snr will also be in Oscar’s corner. I believe the fight will live up to the hype and one to remember for years to come.
**** SKY’S CLOUDED OVER! First Name : Chris Last Name : M Country : United Kingdom Your Question : Why aren’t Sky Sports showing Morales/Pacquiao. They showed the first and second so it would make sense if they showed the third. Their fight selection is crazy and never offer explanations. Where can I watch the fight in the UK?
ANT EVANS ANSWERS: You can’t watch it, Chris. Sky aren’t showing it and ITV only show fights promoted by men named Frank. All I can stay is you have to telephone/email/write to Sky, ITV and BBC telling them you are pissed off with the lack of boxing. I, for one, do not watch the BBC and don’t pay my licence fee (sod em and their Nazi tax on telly!!!!) so I think it isn’t my place to complain to them. However, as a boxing and MMA fan, there is not enough fights on Sky Sports for me to justify ?100plus per year on their three football channels. It is utter crap they are serving up; 10pm on a Friday? What the hell is that about? What on Earth are some of these fights even doing on TV? Why are they paying less to promoters in 2006 than they were years ago? What happened to the excellent Ringside show? Has the girlfriend sport of “soccer” with it’s homoerotic traditions and unmanly diving finally taken over the world??????
**** GREEN HAS GREEN BELT??? First Name : paul Last Name : vassallo Country : Australia Your Question : As a Mundine/Green supporter and i follow both closley,it bothers me that www.dannygreen.com. au has that he is the WBC world champion. Unless I’m mistaken he lost the fight or did I miss something, or is it a misprint. Could you please find out if he is the WBC world champion. Maybe I am wrong
PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: You are correct to a point Paul. Danny is no longer WBC champion. In fact, he only ever held the WBC Interim world title. But it is a perception of words. If you were a WBC world champion, even if you lose the title, you are still a champion of the WBC, just not a current one.
*** LARRY MAKES ME SICK First Name : jay Last Name : dehmalo Country : USA Your Question : Oh my God.. I just read your column on Larry Merchant it made me a little sick. Listen, Mr. Merchant is very arrogant and does not have even the basic understanding of Boxing, or the fundamentals. In other words he’s never been in a Gym or had a pair of gloves on in his life.! He is a disrespectful old man. He’s too white collar, and too white. Why doesn’t he report on Wine Tastings or Women Sports? Tha’s where he should be. Sorry about this, But I used to fight my friend, and he is bad for the sport of Boxing. .Really. Thanks for reading this.
ANT EVANS ANSWERS: I like Larry; he deliberately tries to be edgy and, as a result, sometimes goes over the edge. But I think he’s dead wrong about Mayweather. Do Larry and the rest of the HBO crew seriously think a one-handed fighter – no matter how talented – should or even could go toe-to-toe with a fighter 14lbs bigger? Get real! “Mayweather didn’t close the show?” If that is honestly what Larry thinks then maybe someone should close his show and get someone younger and less jaded to don the headgear.
BEN COHEN ANSWERS: For $40 million, De La Hoya should get 25, and Mayweather 15. De La Hoya is the draw, so should be paid accordingly. Having said that, if there was any real justice, it should be the other way around given the added risk Mayweather is taking going up to 154, and the fact that he has never lost. You could argue that De La Hoya has really lost 3 out of his 4 last fights, so shouldn’t be allowed to take the lions share. However, this is capitalism at its best, and the draw gets the pay regardless of how good he is.
PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: The judge at the Supreme Court handed down his verdict of guilty to the accused. The murderer asked, “how could you find me guilty?” and the judge replied, “yeah, funny about that. I’ve never even killed someone either.” The point being, you can be a knowledgeable critic without having done it yourself. I like Larry Merchant. That doesn’t mean I agree with everything he says. He is giving a performance on television, but he also has a good knowledge of the sport, even if some people don’t agree with him all of the time. Like all of us, Larry is entitled to his opinion.
**** SPOT ON, GANG! First Name : Gary Last Name : Wilson Country : USA Your Question : You know Ant your analysis of the Mayweather- Baldomir fight along with the rest of the gang, really shows you guys knowledge of the sport of boxing. I thought I was the only one left who appreciated the Bernard Hopkins, and Joe Calzaghe’s…With that being said I really want to put you guys to the test…Play chief negotiator and tell us how you would split 40 million between two hard line ego maniacs in PBF and Oscar De La Hoya….who get’s what, and how much do they get, and why do they get it, and lastly do you think it has any chance of being pulled off? Thanks and keep up the great work!!
ANT EVANS ANSWERS: Wow. That’s the first email I’d had in ages congratulating me on a good pick; usually I get at least an email a week cooing that I got such and such a fight (usually Calzaghe v Lacy) wrong. As for the fantasy negotiator, I think Floyd should get around $15 and Oscar the rest… Oscar is the bigger draw and fair is fair. That’s pretty much what the pair are getting for real, too.
BEN COHEN ANSWERS: Spot on Robin. I think Mayweather should be given full credit for his performance against Baldomir, and those who criticise him should keep their opinions to themselves. The man fought a brilliant technical fight, half of it with one hand. So what if he didn’t go for the knockout? His job is to win, not do stupid things to put himself at unnecessary risk. I totally agree, Mayweather will fight anyone out there, and he should be given a great deal of respect for that.
PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: I think they’ll be splitting more than US$40 million Gary once all the revenue is counted. It could be De La Hoya US$40 million and Mayweather US$15 million.
CLIVE BERNATH ANSWERS: Gary, as far as I’m aware the money has pretty much been agreed between the two camps. As I said in an article earlier this week Oscar is reportedly getting the lion’s share of around $25million while Mayweather has settled for between $10 and $12. Without being privy to the negotiations I can only presume Floyd has agreed to the shorter end due to the fact that in their last respective fights on HBO De La Hoya registered 925,000 ppv buys compared to Mayweather’s 325,000. That’s a big difference. Floyd can’t argue with those figures. As far as I know the fight is all but been made official
**** LAY OFF FLOYD! First Name : Robin Last Name : Fearnley Country : United Kingdom Your Question : with regard to the flak Mayweather is receiving about his so called “negative” performance against Baldomir. I think it is unfair to be criticising someone who is so obviously committed to the sweet science as demonstrated by his work ethic in the gym and his faultless skills demonstrated between the ropes. We should remember that mr Merchant is a puppet of a large commercial organisation and his comments don’t necessarily have the sports best interests at heart. In my mind Mayweather is a great ambassador of the sport as is demonstrated by his fighting only for top class belts and continually seeking out greater challenges. It is not the likes of Mayweather who are marginalizing our sport but the confusing array of so called champions and the unwillingness of them to face each other which is turning off the mainstream audience.
PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: Robin, I’ll go with you on the seeking out greater challenges aspect, but many will disagree with you about Floyd being an ambassador with his behaviour out of the ring over many years. Some of his critics will drag him down for not fighting Margarito, but I’m pleased to see him fight Oscar. I don’t think Larry Merchant is anyone’s puppet. He says what he believes. The fact is and Larry was pointing it out, that while Mayweather’s fighting style is supreme to his opponents, it doesn’t translate to great fights. In my opinion, you can’t penalise a guy because he is so much better than his opponents and wins easy. But that doesn’t mean the crowds will stream in to see it.
CLIVE BERNATH ANSWERS: I do agree that Floyd is an excellent fighter, no question and he does have incredible skills. I believe he is the best fighter in the world at the present time. As for Larry Merchant being a puppet I think your wrong. I have said many times on here we all have different opinions as to how good a fighter and about the sport of boxing in general. Larry has one of the best and toughest jobs in boxing and I think he handles the hot seat very well week in week out.
**** JOE WILL SHOW PETER NEW “REALITY” First Name : Chazz Last Name : Miska Country : USA Your Question : So Freddie Roach thinks Manfredo has something for Calzaghe, eh? He needs to stop smoking his namesake. If Manfredo takes more than three rounds, I’ll stop my weekly watching of Marco Antonio Barrera’s humiliation of Naseem Hamed and stop petitioning HBO to take Larry to the assisted living home. What’s up with Joe, fellas or, more to the point, what’s up with Frank Warren? The non-boxing-fanatic public are already forgetting Calzaghe’s name after the Lacy fight (Sakio who?) You have to strike while the iron is hot. Mikkel Kessler is right there, Joe. Put a deposit on the MEN, sell it out in three hours and get 800,000+ PPV’s world wide, or fight Manfredo on Friday Night Fights for 200 grand and first class air fare home. Did Calzaghe really lose that much confidence in his ability that he feels the need to take on a TV celebrity before Kessler?
ANT EVANS ANSWERS: Hi Chazz, Calzaghe v Kessler is not a PPV fight in the US, and probably never will be. No-one cares about Calzaghe in the US, and even fewer care about Kessler. Joe is in his mid-30s and even now has yet to fight in the US, if he was going to crack the US PPV market, as a non-American he needed to be fighting in New York or Vegas years ago. I agree that Calzaghe has wasted much of his momentum from the Lacy fight; however, from a promotional point of view, I can see the logic of having Joe fight an exciting, well-known American for HBO viewers to get introduced to the best version of Joe Calzaghe.
BEN COHEN ANSWERS: I think you’re right that Calzaghe will give Manfredo a beating. While I like the charge of Freddy Roach, he hasn’t been tested properly, and taking such a huge step up in class might be a big mistake. I do think Joe should be fighting another big name, but Kessler is too much of a risk for too little reward. If Kessler can beat Jeff Lacy, I think a fight with Calzaghe is a no brainer.
PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: Fighting Manfredo is a way of crashing the USA TV market, but it is still not the huge fight that many people want to see Calzaghe in. If Calzaghe retires undefeated one day and is only able to point to Jeff Lacy as his biggest and best win, the critics will forever be calling him an underachiever. I’ve said this before in ATE. Calzaghe showed us all what a great talent he is against Lacy. Why waste such ability?
CLIVE BERNATH ANSWERS: Chazz, HBO see Calzaghe fighting Manfredo as a way of introducing him to the American market by virtue of Manfredo’s popularity on ‘The Contender’. From a boxing fans point of view Calzaghe vs Kessler is the only fight out there. But from a business point of view it makes sense for HBO to showcase Manfredo. I’m only guessing here but Kessler vs Calzaghe is a massive fight in Europe and both are far and away the best 168lbs in the world. And both men will rightly want career best paydays, probably a lot more than US based HBO are prepared to pay. You tell me, would Americans pay good money to see two Europeans fight in Europe? And you can forget 800,000+ PPV’s, if HBO thought they would get anywhere near that sort of figure the fight would have been signed and sealed a long time ago.
**** IF MORALES LOSES, SHOULD HE GO? First Name : James Last Name : Hill Country : United Kingdom Your Question : While many peoples focus has been on the modern ledged Floyd Mayweather, and rightly so id like to add, id just like to bring some attention back to another modern day legend in the shape of Erik Morales, who if he loses to the Pacman, may well be thinking of or have actually decided on hanging up his gloves given his recent performances in his last 4 fights, maybe there things I dont know, but i cant see where he has left to turn after this fight, should he win lose or draw, who would he fight and for what purpose? After so many battles i hope he manages to come through the Pacquiao fight without getting beat up severely. But what a fighter, who has been in some outstanding contests with outstanding fighters , Barrera, Chi, Pacman, Chavez, Jones, Zaragoza etc to name but a few, with his rivalry with Barerra set to go down in boxing folklore. He will be a major loss to boxing should he decide to quit leaving many of us with great, unforgettable memories. Should he win of course we should see him box again, i certainly havent ruled him out of pulling off what would in the circumstances be a shock win going by most experts opinions. I just wanted to run this by you guys and see what your thoughts are, since most headlines seem to be on Mayweather’s retirement at the moment, i feel this subject hasnt been fully discussed. I think most people agree he has given his best, the wars have finally caught up, in a similar way they have with Gatti I think. If he loses his next contest would you guys at SecondsOut like to see him retire with all his marbles intact?
BEN COHEN ANSWERS: I’d like to see Morales at 140lb for a couple of fights before retirement. I don’t think he should be hurting himself by forcing his weight down to 130. It’s unnatural and unhealthy. I can understand why people have not been discussing him, seeing as he has lost 3 of his last 4 fights. He is a legend and should always be remembered that way, and I think he should certainly be ready to hang the gloves up very soon after this fight.
ANT EVANS ANSWERS: I don’t want to see Erik become merely a name to feed to 15-0 kids looking to get a rep. If he loses this weekend, he has to retire. Please, please, please no.
PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: Well said James. Morales has had a Hall of Fame career even if he loses this weekend. Maybe the brutal battles have caught up with him. But the final few fights of his career should never take away from what a star he has been and the enjoyment he has given fans all over the world.
**** OSCAR HAS BEATEN BETTER MEN THAN MAYWEATHER First Name : Chris Last Name : Lewis Country : United Kingdom Your Question : Hello guys. Just following up on a challenge that Ant Evans issued out in a previous ATE when he stated that Mayweather has “fought better opposition since winning his first world title than ANY other active fighter and I challenge you to prove otherwise.” Well I would like to say Oscar De La Hoya. He has fought numerous fighters since his first world title but just to select some of the better opposition if I may: Rafael Ruelas, John John Molina, Genaro Hernandez, Jesse James Leija, Julio Cesar Chavez(twice) Pernell Whitaker, Ike Quartey, Felix Trinidad, Shane Mosley (twice) Arturo Gatti, Fernando Vargas, Yory Boy Campas, Bernard Hopkins and Ricardo Mayorga. Just below those he has also fought Hector Camacho, Oba Carr, Javier Castillejo and Felix Sturm. He has fought some average fighters in between and he has lost some but that happens when you fight the best in the world in their respective divisions. Like you Ant I do admire Mayweather and his skills greatly and he is undoubtedly the number 1 p-4-p, but there is no way the boxers on his record match up to De La Hoya’s in terms of quality and until he puts Hatton, Cotto, Winky Wright or De La Hoya on his record, many observers will still say great fighter but where is the fight against a fellow great that will put the final touches to his career.
PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: Good point Chris, but maybe Ant was talking about more recent times. De La Hoya did have a formidable run. Which is why him fighting Mayweather is all the more special. The current P4P King versus one of the past.
ANT EVANS ANSWERS: Hmmmm… yes, Oscar is perhaps the only one I would agree measures up to Floyd in terms of opposition. However: 1) Oscar has lost more big fights than he has won, while Floyd has barely lost a round, period 2) Oscar also ‘lost’ to Pernell Whitaker but never gave him a rematch, while Floyd set the record straight with an immediate rematch – and battery – of Castillo after having his one close fight.
So, I still put Floyd ahead; however, I believed Oscar and Mayweather are each the best man the other has ever faced.
**** SUPER-FIGHTER First Name : Max Last Name : Poole Country : Australia Your Question : Hi guys. I have got my ticket for the superfighter tournament as I live in Melbourne at the moment. I am looking forward to it, but wonder what you guys think about the whole tournament format. Is this a new type of fight scenario we are going to see on a regular basis?
PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: The bad news is Superfighter is off again. It seems to be impossible to get eight good heavyweights together all at the same time. I was really looking forward to it as well.
ANT EVANS ANSWERS: I was also looking forward to it – if it happened. I guess to organisers tried to run before they could walk… I hope they can do something in 2007 but, at this stage, I am not holding my breath.
**** First Name : Elie Last Name : Ajaka Country : Australia Your Question : ANT EVANS no need for the swearing in the recent ATE column!
ANT EVANS ANSWERS: Sorry mate. I just get excited sometimes….
BEN COHEN ANSWERS: Too f#@$*!#g right Elie. CLIVE BERNATH ANSWERS: Elie, Ant knows my feelings on this subject.
**** FLOYD WILL BUTCHER THE GOLDEN BOY
First Name : Ed Last Name : Saito Country : USA Your Question : Why do boxing pundits clamour for a fight between De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr? Floyd is all wrong for Oscar and would win that contest decisively, if not with ease. Watch Oscar’s last few fights. His punches are getting wider and wider. Floyd would simply chop him up with hard, quick, and short shots, then he’d be out of there. Not much fun to watch. No, the better fight would pit Floyd versus Shane Mosley. Shane has faster feet and faster hands than Oscar and still throws very straight accurate punches. Shane versus Floyd would be the real fight to watch. By the way, forget about Antonio Margarito being Floyd’s “boogeyman”. Want to know th outcome of a Margarito vs Floyd fight? Simply replay Floyd versus Diego Corrales.
PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: Why can’t we have both Ed? If Mayweather does beat Oscar, Shane can then step up for the challenge. I think you make a good point. Look what the speed of Zab Judah did to Floyd in the first couple of rounds in their fight. Maybe Oscar will find a way to win. He is too smart not to have a plan. But if he fails, that’s the next fight I want to see – Floyd vs. Shane. Now wouldn’t that be a huge 2007 for Mayweather
