The Neutral Corner

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has stopped fighting. Unfortunately for us, he's still talking.

In his first published interview since announcing his retirement, Floyd essentially accused the HBO broadcast team of racism. He told The Grand Rapids Press that the network “is great,” but ...

“They talk about Kelly Pavlik, a white fighter, like he’s the second coming. Or they go crazy over Manny Pacquiao. But I’m a black fighter,” Mayweather said. “Is it racial? Absolutely. They praise white fighters, they praise Hispanic fighters, whatever. But black fighters, they never praise... I’ve noticed it for a long time but I couldn’t say anything because I had to do business with them. I’ll still do business with them, but I’m done holding my tongue.”

Mayweather Jr. happens to be speaking about the network that has made him a very, very rich man. It is the network that gave him a platform, not only to showcase his ring talents, but to showcase himself, with its much-heralded 24/7 series. He also once described a long-term, multi-million dollar HBO deal as a "slave contract."

He particularly cited the broadcast team of Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant and Emanuel Steward, who happens to be African American.

Mayweather Jr. was clearly the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world when he retired. And because of his tremendous talent, his fights were rarely competitive. That is the reason that the HBO broadcast team goes overboard when talking about Kelly Pavlik or Manny Pacquiao. They participate in action fights. And while it's not his fault, all too often, Floyd does not. He was simply that much better than the competition. A shutout or no-hitter can be compelling in a baseball game. Not so much in boxing.

The Grand Rapids Press then followed that story up with former champ Winky Wright defending Mayweather's statements, alluding to the fact that it has to do with style and race.

"Black fighters, we have different styles," Wright told the paper. "But the announcers, they want someone that just walks out there face-first. Boxing is supposed to be an art. Black fighters, we've got style, we've got pizzazz. All they want is for us to just go out there and slug."

I disagree. They don't want you to slug, they want you to win. Pernell Whitaker, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr., Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, George Foreman, Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns were all televised regularly on HBO. Some of them slugged, some of them boxed. Sometimes they were criticized, sometimes they were praised. At the end of the day, the only thing that mattered was that they won. Keep winning and you fight on HBO.

I think the more valid point that Mayweather Jr. made during the interview was this:

"Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant, Emanuel Steward, they're always talking about the negative things in my life," Mayweather said. "But I've seen Jim Lampley in the same strip club as me before. They always want to talk about me going to strip clubs, but they don't want to talk about that."

Here is a link to the entire interview in The Grand Rapids Press.

-- CASSIDY

BY MARCUS HENRY

If we've learned anything about boxing, it's that boxers rarely leave the sport on top or on their own terms. (Apologies to Rocky Marciano and Lennox Lewis). If Floyd Mayweather is indeed done with the sport, I'm not mad at him. He's made enough money for his grandkids to live on. And let's face it, too many boxers leave the sport broke and in poor health. If he isn't finished and makes a comeback within the next 10 to 12 months, I wouldn't be surprised either, because money talks. If Top Rank or Golden Boy Promotions comes forth with a $30-plus million offer for Mayweather to return to the ring, could he say no to that? Few of us, if any, could turn down that kind of money.

Assuming Mayweather is really retired it will open the door for top spot in the sport. WBC and WBO middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik, who had no problems taking down Gary Lockett last Saturday, is primed for a big-ticket event in the near future. Joe Calzaghe (a bout which could be announced in the coming weeks, if not days), Roy Jones and Bernard Hopkins (yeah, I know, wishful thinking) are the likely candidates for Pavlik. No, Jermain Taylor fans, the boxing world doesn't want to see Pavlik-Taylor part III. I know I don't.

A Pavlik-Calzaghe fight would draw big viewership and big money. A Pavli-Jones or Pavlik-Hopkins fight could, too, but to a lesser extent. A Pavlik-Calzaghe matchup would bring in the big European audience and big European dollars that Jones and Hopkins couldn't. To be honest, Calzaghe, fresh off his defeat of Hopkins, is the hottest fighter of the three.

Miguel Cotto is also on the short list of fighters who could emerge as the next big name in the sport. If he can get by Antonio Margarito, Cotto will have his choice of who to take on next. Oscar De La Hoya is probably on the top of his wish list. Top Rank hasn't made any official announcements regarding Cotto's future since Mayweather's announcement, but any reasonable boxing fan can assume that Bob Arum and his crew will work hard behind the scenes to set up a Cotto-De La Hoya thriller. While I wouldn't necessarily call that fight the passing of the torch in terms of popularity (Cotto doesn't have the charisma, charm or crossover appeal De La Hoya has), it would cement Cotto as one of the top two fighters in the world.

The winner of that fight could lure Mayweather out of his so-called retirement. Stay tuned.

A very, very busy boxing weekend.

It all kicked off with the news Friday that Floyd Mayweather Jr. has announced his retirement from boxing ... again. Floyd says that he no longer has the passion to fight. If that is true, then good for him. Boxing is a sport that you can't approach half-way. If you do, you get hurt. But, in boxing, no retirement is ever permanent. So we'll wait and see.

Here is an AP story about Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s retirement.

It will be curious to see which fighter Oscar De La Hoya selects to replace Mayweather on his September card. The picks here are either Shane Mosley, Ricky Hatton or Miguel Cotto. Hatton and Cotto already have fights lined up, but when Oscar calls, plans change.

In Atlantic City, middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik stopped Gary Lockett in the third round. The result is no surpise. Here is a recap of the Pavlik-Lockett fight, courtesy, again, of AP.

What was a surprise is what took place at Foxwoods. 'The Contender' reality star Sergio Mora upset Vernon Forrest to win the WBC super welterweight title. He is the first Contender alum to capture a world title after appearing on the show. (Several had been champions prior to their participation on the ESPN series.) Mora won a majority decision. Here is a fight report on Mora-Forrest from TheSweetScience.com

I was waiting for the weekend to pass before writing the "Contenders are merely pretenders" blog entry. When you watch Alfonso Gomez, Stevie Forbes and Peter Manfredo Jr. get dominated by world-class fighters, it puts the show in it's proper perspective. Not that Mora beating Forrest was unthinkable at this stage of Forrest's career, but it does give the series a shot of credibility. We'll revisit this topic soon.

And finally, Larry Holmes, Eddie Perkins, promoters Frank Warren and Mogens Palle, writer Joe Koizumi and the great New York Times sports columnist Dave Anderson are being enshrined in the International Boxing Hall of Fame today in Canastota, New York. Congrats to the class of 2008.

-- CASSIDY

The Neutral Corner battles The Steel Cage over this boxer vs. wrestler debate.

So maybe you haven't heard yet, but Newsday now has a professional wrestling blog. A sad day for journalism indeed. But that's another matter. This becomes relevant over here in our corner because Floyd Mayweather will take on The Big Show in yet another "classic" boxing-wrestler match.

The last time I was this excited about pro rasslin' came when I was 23 years old and landed a job at The Ring magazine. The company also put out Pro Wrestling Illustrated and Bill Apter, the famed photographer, occupied the desk infront of me. Sitting next to Apter for five years I was able to meet Cactus Jack (before he was really famous), Sting and one of my all-time favorites, Mil Mascaras. And yes, he wore his mask to the office. I loved going to work every day. OK. So those years of my life were a bit dull, but that's another matter.

Let me get back on point, or to the point -- Floyd Mayweather will beat Big Show when they face each other at WrestleMania 24, Sunday, March 30, at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida.

I'm sure my colleagues over at the Steel Cage blog will defend the honor of rasslin' and select the 7-foot Big Show to win. Let me tell you why they're wrong.

First, let's look at the tale of the tape.

Weight: Mayweather 159, The Big Show, 441
Height: Mayweather 5-8, The Big Show, 7-0
Reach: Mayweather 72 inches, The Big Show, 84
Biceps: Mayweather 16, The Big Show, 21
Fist: Mayweather 9, The Big Show, 15
Chest: Mayweather 42, The Big Show, 67
Wasit: Mayweather 32, The Big Show, 50
Shoe Size: Mayweather 9, The Big Show, 18 6E

A formidable matchup for Mayweather (wink). But as they say in boxing, it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog. In Mayweather's case, it's actually the speed of the dog. Watch this hysetical video below of Mayweather bustin' Big Show's nose at a wrestling event.

Did you see that? I'm actually starting to like Floyd. Back to the point. You can't hit what you can't catch. And with Mayweather scheduled to make upwards of $20-million fighting Oscar de La Hoya in the fall, Big Show will never catch him. He won't even come close.

But, as Mayweather said, it will be entertainment. Floyd doesn't have to try too hard to play the heel. So it oughta be fun. The last time I was this excited about pro rasslin' -- aside from my location to Apter's desk -- was when I was 12 years old and caught the athletic tape that Superstar Billy Graham ripped off his wrists and flung into the crowd at Nassau Coliseum.

I will gladly award that sweaty swath of tape to the first person who can tell me why a respectable news outlet like Newsday now has a wrestling blog? -- CASSIDY

Read The Steel Cage's take on this debate.

BY MARCUS HENRY

Just when I thought boxing was getting its act together...It had to come back with Mayweather-De La Hoya II. What a waste.

According to ESPN.com's Dan Rafael, Floyd Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya will hook up for the second time on September 13 or 20. The venue has yet to be determined.

Boxing had a great 2007. The matchups were excellent and the fights were great. Cotto-Mosley, Cotto-Judah, Pavlik-Taylor, Mayweather-Hatton, Calzaghe-Kessler, Vazquez-Marquez (twice) and Williams-Margarito were just a few of the great fights we saw in '07.

Floyd Mayweather-Oscar De La Hoya was a great event. The fight was okay, but the atmosphere surrounding it was incredible. All of that notwithstanding, I covered their fight on May 5th, and as a fight fan, I can think of at least five other matchups in the welterweight division I'd rather see. This doesn't mean I don't like the fighters. I've always been a fan of both fighters. But it's difficult to believe the outcome of the next fight would be any different. Mayweather is too quick, too elusive and too young for De La Hoya.

If the first fight was an epic battle that kept me on the edge my seat (and laptop) for 12 rounds, that's one thing. But I just don't see De La Hoya being able to hit Mayweather. That doesn't mean I wouldn't want to cover it if given the opportunity. (I know, shameless self promotion).

That fight pretty much dashes any hopes we had of seeing Cotto-Mayweather or even Cotto-De La Hoya this year. Making matters worse, it throws everything off for 2008. Talented welterweights like Paul Williams, Kermit Cintron, Antonio Magarito and junior welterweights like Paulie Malignaggi and Ricardo Torres will have to wait a bit longer for big fights and big pay days.

Mayweather-De La Hoya II will make headlines and money. But that's about it.

BY MIKE ROSE

It appears Floyd Mayweather Jr. possibly jumping to mixed martial arts will have to wait.

ESPN.com's Dan Rafael is reporting that Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya are close to a deal for a rematch sometime in September.

It makes a lot of sense for Mayweather. The first fight, which Mayweather won, broke all sorts of records (total gross, pay-per-view subscriptions, pay-per-view gross and live gate).

The rematch probably won't do as well financially as the first fight, but I expect the numbers will be very good.

Rafael reports that the fight could take place in Los Angeles, maybe in Dodger Stadium.

Apparently, Mayweather is exhausted from a very busy 2007 and is taking time off. So this will be his only fight of 2008.

While this fight is great news for boxing fans, it leaves the sensational Miguel Cotto out of the equation, at least for this year.

BY MIKE ROSE

Dan Rafael and Marc Stein of ESPN.com have a story about WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. making a possible jump to mixed martial arts.

Is it possible?

According to the story, yes it is.

Rafael and Stein report that Mayweather developed a friendship with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban during their participation on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars." The story goes on to say that Cuban also owns HDNet Fights, an MMA promotional company that airs its bouts on Cuban's HDNet. Mayweather and Cuban even met on Thursday.

I'm taking this story seriously. MMA is wildly popular and the money potential for Mayweather is great. Mayweather is always looking for challenges and this would be a great one.

Plus, I'm convinced that Mayweather is bored with boxing. He shattered boxing and television revenue records in 2007 in fights against Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, both wins.

What other challenges are left?

Well, Mayweather needs to fight Miguel Cotto in a mega fight in 2008 before he makes a jump to MMA. That's the one fight out there that would be a major challenge, and the fight boxing fans want to see. But there's no deal in place for a Mayweather-Cotto fight -- at least not at this moment. I believe a Mayweather-Cotto fight will take place, probably in late spring or early summer. And if Mayweather beats Cotto, I believe he'll give MMA a try.

What do you think about Mayweather making a possible jump to MMA?

* WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto is the next obvious choice as an opponent for Floyd Mayweather Jr. But don’t be surprised if Cotto is lured into a fight against Oscar de la Hoya in May at Dodgers Stadium. It would bring more money to him because Oscar always brings in more money. If the winner faced Mayweather Jr., it just might eclipse all the financial records set by De la Hoya-Mayweather.

* Every great fighter has something they get away with. Greg Long, boxing aficionado at Newsday, reminds us that Ali grabbed opponents behind the neck. Tyson used his elbows and Holyfield led with his head. With Floyd, his left elbow and forearm are an integral part of his defense. It was more obvious in this fight because Hatton pressed Floyd more than any previous opponent. Nonetheless, referee Joe Cortez did a lousy job of getting Mayweather to stop. He threatened to take points, but never did.

* HBO’s 24/7 series is the best marketing tool to hit boxing since the explosion of the Internet. Fans that would otherwise ignore boxing are familiar with Mayweather and Hatton because of that series. And most that I’ve spoken with actually watched the fight because the series piqued their interest.

* One thing I can do without, though, when it comes to 24/7 is uncle Roger Mayweather’s excessive use of “m-----f-----er.” I cringe every time I hear him say it. He said it an awful lot in the corner on fight night too.

* It is boxing tradition that the referee stands at ring center, between both fighters, and raises the winner’s hand once a decision is announced. A variation on that theme still exists, even after knockouts. But somehow, the image of Mayweather, one arm slung around the shoulders of Cortez, after the fight seemed inappropriate. Both men were beaming for the cameras. Does the umpire pose with the winning pitcher after a game? Does the referee stand at the 50-yard-line and hand the game ball to the star running back?

* Nice to see a departure from Floyd’s 24/7 persona after the fight. He is as humble in victory as any athlete I can recall. Couple that with the emotional bear hug he threw around his three children after the fight and it makes you wonder which is the real Floyd?

* It was revealing that Hatton said Floyd was a bigger welterweight than he expected. Floyd's first title came at 130 pounds. Hatton has never fought under junior welterweight (140). That would presumably rule out Hatton ever fighting De la Hoya, who walks around as a middleweight. You got the sense from Oscar last month in New York that he was angling for a match with Hatton.

* To me, one indicator of greatness is a fighter’s ability to adapt. Floyd has been able to defeat any style he encounters. No matter what the opponent does, Floyd has an answer.

* So Floyd spoke about a “long vacation,” after this bout. I never thought I’d say this, but please Floyd, not too long. -- CASSIDY

BY MARCUS HENRY

To be honest, what Floyd Mayweather does next is anyone's guess. He's proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. Miguel Cotto backers will certainly protest that last statement. And rightfully so. But right now, it's Mayweather. There isn't a fighter in the game that makes people miss like Mayweather. And no one does it as effortlessly as he does. He also showed some power in his 10th TKO victory over Ricky Hatton.

The question is what is next for him. Believe or not a rematch with Oscar De La Hoya is not out of the question. Not sure why either fighter would even entertain that idea. I covered the May 5th tilt between them. And Mayweather is too young and too elusive for De La Hoya, who would be pushing age 36 by time the fight is made. A more logical slate of opponents would be Antonio Magarito, Miguel Cotto, Paul Williams, Shane Mosley or even Kermit Cintron. Truthfully, a fight against one of the aforementioned five fighters would be better for boxing.

The only fighters amongst them who has enough of a name to draw big money are Cotto and Mosley. But some boxing experts will argue that Cotto might be too big for Mayweather. And Mosley's age (he's 36) would be a big issue.

The bottom line is money talks. Mayweather got $20 million for the De La Hoya fight. If De La Hoya came calling again and the money is right, don't be shocked if you see the two mix it up again. I'd be lying if I said that fight wouldn't be a waste of time.

RIP longtime boxing writer and historian Hank Kaplan. He will be missed.