Boxing Notebook: More Mayweather, Showtime, Tyson, and Miguel Cotto

So Floyd Maywether Jr. at the Los Angeles press conference to promote his fight with WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz topped what he said about Manny Pacquiao the day before in New York City. He called out Pacquiao and said, “Victor will be now, then Pacquiao is next.”

Mayweather definitely upstaged and out-performed himself from the day before. The steroid testing issue is over and supposedly passed on. Now it is about Mayweather and Ortiz, and hopefully Pacquiao after that. But as stated here previously, Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum may have the final say. And until then, who is to know where Mayweather stands after the Ortiz fight.

Again Mayweather catered to his many fans, as he did in New York signing as many autographs as he could outside the Staples Center. It is part of the Floyd Mayweather publicity campaign to put him back in the good graces of boxing fans. However, on the same day more legal issues surrounded the talented, yet troubled, as they say, best pound-for-pound fighter.

A United States District Court judge denied Maywetaher an emergency appeal to prevent his court ordered regarding defamation statements about Manny Pacquiao. Mayweather is refusing to show up for his side of the story. But there is one sign of hope and it comes from Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, co-promoter of the Maywether-Oriz fight.

And Schaefer did say Tuesday to this observer, “The fight has to get done and it will,” regarding Mayweather and Pacquiao in the next year. He can influence Floyd to stop the nonsense, and Schaefer, who apologized to Pacquiao about the drug testing war of words, is finally at peace with Arum. Stay tuned…

Undefeated WBA lightweight champion Brandon Rios (27-0-1, 19 KO’s) defends his title against Urbano Antillon next Saturday on Showtime. He is another of the upcoming and rising stars in the sport that Arum has in his stable, along with undefeated welterweight Mike Jones who is often in discussion with the Pacquiao mix.

He will be fighting in California for the first time since 2005 and is looking forward to his homecoming. “We were supposed to fight a year ago and unfortunately I got hurt in sparring,” said Rios in a Thursday conference call with the media. This was an anticipated fight because both Rios and Antillon can punch with the best. Now it will finally happen, but Rios does have his problems with the challenger.

“He was running around saying I didn’t want to fight him,” said Rios, “and that I was chicken. He was just running his mouth and after a while he just started to get to me. And then when this, fight started he was doing it again, just running his mouth and taking all types of smack.”

There were derogatory references to Rios’ wife. “Fighters shouldn’t bring families into it,” he said. But those comments motivated Rios, as he said, “I love it when I have a beef with an opponent. I needed something in the gym because lately it’s gotten a little boring. I have to have that little excitement.”

Said Antillon, (28-2, 20 KO’s) about his remarks: “It’s kind of mine boggling the way he’s taken it. I did mention his wife but never in a way that should upset him. I know what I said and I know my intentions behind it. He could take it personal be he’s nothing special.” Fighting words that will no doubt carry into the ring next week, or does it add to what can be a fight of the year candidate?…

Another sad day for boxing as we get news about the passing of legendary trainer James “Bouie” Fisher best known for being a major part in the career of current light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins. In Philadelphia, Bouie was a father to one or more fighters. Old school at its best and during a week when boxing said goodbye to Nick Charles and former champion Bill Costello, we toll the 10-count again…

Where has the time gone? Belated birthday wishes to the champion,”Iron” Mike Tyson who turned 45 the other day. Was that a heavyweight division when Tyson was King, as we reflect and see how the most prominent division in the sport has become the mediocre laughing stock of the sport…

Showbox, celebrates 10-years of memories and great fights this week. Now, how many fighters have gone on to super stardom with a concept that at one time had many fight experts doubting if there would be enough juice to survive? And it all started with the late Nick Charles at ringside calling the fights, in what he said recently was a highlight of his broadcast career…

Make it official. Miguel Cotto looks like he has his redemption fight with Antonio Margarito, defending his WBA junior middleweight title at Madison Square Garden in New York City, December 3rd. We hear Cotto asked his promoter Bob Arum to stage the fight at the Garden, a place where Cotto has had much success. Arum would have preferred Dallas and Cowboys Stadium due to the tax structure and it is more economical for the fighters…

Tomorrow what to expect as David Haye tries to dethrone Wladimir Klitschko and make some sense of the heavyweight title picture.

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