DETROIT (Feb. 21, 2013) – Undefeated Eight-Time World Champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather joined Cornelius Bundrage, Ishe Smith, J’Leon Love and Derrick Findley on Thursday at the final press conference for Saturday’s SHOWTIME event from the Masonic Temple Theatre in Detroit, Mich., which his company, Mayweather Promotions, will co-promote with Golden Boy Promotions.

In the main event, IBF Junior Middleweight World Champion Cornelius “K9” Bundrage will defend his title against challenger Ishe “Sugar Shay” Smith, live on SHOWTIME® (9:00 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast). In the SHOWTIME co-feature, undefeated middleweight contender J’Leon Love (14-0, 8 KO’s) of Detroit will risk his perfect record against veteran Derrick “Superman” Findley (20-8, 13 KO’s) of Gary, Ind. in a 10-round fight.

Mayweather, already the highest paid athlete in the world (Forbes, 2012), also discussed the groundbreaking contract he recently inked with Showtime Networks Inc. and its parent company, CBS Corporation. The deal, a unique revenue-sharing arrangement between SHOWTIME PPV and Mayweather, will enable him to fight up to six times over a period of 30 months, with the first mega-event taking place on May 4, 2013 when Mayweather will fight Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero.

Here’s what the participants had to say on Thursday:

CORNELIUS BUNDRAGE:

“This cat right here [Smith], the last time he came to Detroit, he was scared to death. I could see a fear in him. He went home and started Tweeting. He’s a Facebook gangster and now he comes back to my city with The Money Team and all of a sudden he’s hard. I bark outside the ring, but I bite inside the ring. They can’t fight for him. I’ll give him the business and hopefully his boss [Floyd Mayweather] will step up.

“K9 is in the house. The dog is coming. I’m just excited. I’m fighting Ishe Smith, so I’m not worried about The Money Team. I’m not worried about Floyd. We have to do battle. Ishe, you’re not leaving here with that belt. The only think you’re going to have is that Twitter belt.

“He’s a pillow puncher. He’s going down. The only person I fear is God. Him [Smith], I’ll put him down. The thing is, 39-years-old for me is like 21 because I didn’t have an amateur career. I’m coming with everything. It’s going down. May the best man win.”

ISHE SMITH:

“I want to thank SHOWTIME. It’s been over 10 years now since my first fight on SHOWTIME and to think that my first world title shot is coming on SHOWTIME is unbelievable. It’s an unbelievable feeling to be on network TV so many times, even when some of the times I knew I was going to be on the ‘B’ side, they always had my back. It’s 10-plus years of a great relationship and it’s only fitting that this first world title shot to try to become the first-ever Vegas born champion is on this network.

“What can I say about Eddie Mustafa. I hadn’t fought in 18 months and I didn’t know if I even wanted to fight anymore. He told me to come to the gym. He would call me and make sure I was OK. I grew up fatherless so he was like a father-figure.

“This crowd here is full of K9 supporters and that’s great. If you guys came to Vegas, it would be full of Ishe Smith supporters. This isn’t football, this isn’t basketball. You can’t yell at a quarterback and have him hear you. It’s just me and him in the ring. He has to fight and I have to fight too. The one thing about it is he’s going to get touched. I’ve had almost 30 pro fights and I’ve never been down, never stopped. Bottom line is, it’s one-on-one. We’re going to strictly box hard. I’m coming to fight and I’m taking that title back to Vegas. That’s the way it’s going to be.

“It’s like my boy Chico (Diego Corrales) used to always tell me, it’s a war of attrition. You have to go out on your back. I’d rather go out on my back than leave without that title. He can question everything about me, but come Saturday night we’re going to see who’s the real champion.”

“I need to thank Floyd for everything he’s done for me. I’ve had a lot of different promoters in my 13 years as a professional and no one has treated me the way he does. I did communicate with him when he was incarcerated and I carry this letter that he wrote me whenever I fight. He said, ‘You are a champion. Thank you for helping me get ready for the most important fights of my career – Miguel Cotto and Shane Mosley. Have that same attitude when you spar and that same determination and no one can stop you. I’m proud of you. Always continue to think about your family when you’re training and push yourself to the limit.’ That’s just half of what he wrote me. At the end he said, ‘I promise I’m going to get you a world championship fight when I get out of jail.’ So we went 18 months without a fight and in less than a year we are fighting for a world championship. I don’t see how anybody can say anything bad about Floyd Mayweather or Mayweather Promotions. I’m not going to do any of that damn barking. I don’t need to do that. This Saturday it’s going to be a good show, it’s going to be a good fight.”

J’LEON LOVE:

“I’m a Detroit native. I love Detroit. This is where I’m from. This is where I caused trouble, did good, did bad. Detroit runs in my blood. I’m going to come out Saturday and do what we do best and that’s fight and put on a good show. We want to put on more shows out here in Detroit, so this is the time to show that we’re ready for whatever. We’re ready for Derrick Findley, whatever he comes with. He’s going to rush, do whatever he has to do, so we’ll be ready for it.

“I come from the dog house. This is where we put all our hard work in. We’re in Vegas putting in the work, running, doing everything we have to do. We have the best trainers and there’s nothing we’re not ready for. We train hard. It’s another day and we’re going to put on a good performance.”

DERRICK FINDLEY:

“I just want to thank J’Leon and Floyd Mayweather for giving me this opportunity. I’m used to going into the lion’s den; I’m used to fighting guys in their backyards, but that stuff doesn’t matter to me. I just got to give it everything I got in the ring. Take advantage of the opportunity and get the win in his hometown. I’ll definitely be ready and I can’t wait until Saturday.”

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:

“I’ve got love for the whole Midwest, and Detroit has embraced me with so much love. Detroit is a great city and the Midwest has produced nothing but a lot of legendary champions. It is great to be here in Detroit and Mayweather Promotions is happy to be here putting on this fight.

“It is going to be a great fight this Saturday night on SHOWTIME. I am telling everyone right now, if they don’t have SHOWTIME already, they have to go out and get it. You can’t miss Floyd Mayweather or Mayweather Promotions fighters who are fortunate to be fighting on this network. For the next 30 months I will give you excitement. You can believe that.

“I promised Ishe a title fight and I lived up to my side of the bargain. Now he has to go out there, perform and get the job done. It’s great to showcase J’Leon Love too, a local Detroit fighter who now trains out of the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas. He is a very exciting fighter and I am looking forward to seeing him fight too.

“Ishe Smith is not a walk in the park for K9 Bundradge. Ishe Smith is not Cory Spinks and he [Bundrage] needs to understand that. K9 is world champion and I give him credit for being in this fight, but he is going in against a great fighter in Ishe Smith and I think Ishe and Mayweather Promotions will prevail Saturday night.

“Saturday night is going to be a great night for Mayweather Promotions, so tune in this Saturday. It’s SHOWTIME coming to you live from the Motor City.

“Emanuel Steward was an icon in the sport of boxing and a legendary trainer. He is truly missed. I actually work with J’Leon Love on a daily basis, so I feel like I am getting my experience as a trainer too.

“I am happy to be the face of boxing and give the fans the excitement they are looking for. It is all about hard work and dedication. I do that every time I prepare for a fight and Mayweather Promotions’ goal is to do that too.

“My career is not over yet. I have done it my whole life and I have always worked hard to be the best. That was my goal from the very beginning. To have my name mentioned with the likes of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson and Tommy Hearns, so many legendary champions that paved the way for me, I am appreciative.

“I get motivated just by watching the young fighters, going to the boxing matches and watching these young guys come up. Even though it is hard for me to go out to a boxing match, as it does get a little crazy when I show up, I have been doing it lately and being around the sport. Watching the fights is exciting and helps me stay motivated.

“SHOWTIME and CBS, I’ve got to take my hat off to them. They did a tremendous job and I am happy to be a part of this family. It’s not just SHOWTIME. It’s CBS too. I have to give everyone their just due and credit. They are partners, came together and gave me a great deal and one I couldn’t refuse. I couldn’t ask for a better deal.

“I am comfortable in this new relationship and my team is happy too. It’s like a new marriage and I feel good about it. I will be ready to go May 4, Cinco de Mayo. It’s going to MayDay and May-Per-View.

“Robert Guerrero is a champion. For this guy to be mentioned with some of the top fighters in today’s time, he must have done something right or correct in his career. This is a guy who I know I can’t overlook; I have to push myself to the limit. I have to dedicate myself and I have to do what it takes to stay at the top.

“Guerrero is a very aggressive fighter. I am starting to train. As a matter of fact, this week I was out on the basketball court with some young kids working on my cardio. I have to build my cardio up to fight Guerrero. I will not overlook him. I don’t overlook anyone. I know that everyone who fights me is gunning for me, so I have to be ready for what they are ready to give me.

“I am absolutely excited about fighting more. It’s about staying active and that means a lot more of me. Before my career ends, that’s what I am going to give the fans-a whole lot more of me. It’s SHOWTIME baby!

“I am a veteran in the sport. I have been in the sport of boxing for 17 years and I am still doing record-breaking numbers. Boxing isn’t going anywhere as long as Floyd Mayweather is here. The sport is here to stay.

“People don’t understand that I just didn’t wake up overnight and become pound-for-pound champion. My legacy is not based on any one fight and if that was the case, I didn’t need to fight 43 fights. I’ll continue to strive for the best no matter who it is that I’m fighting.

“I don’t think people give me the credit that I’m due for dealing with the drug issues in our sport. I’m the pioneer when it comes to making sure fighters have an equal playing field when we fight. We need to take random blood and urine tests to make our sport fair and safe.

“I am really happy right now. SHOWTIME let’s do it.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA:

“We at SHOWTIME are extremely happy to be back here in Detroit – it’s our first time back since 2010 when we featured Andre Dirrell and Arthur Abraham. Detroit is a city rich in boxing history, for my money probably the deepest in boxing tradition of any city in the U.S. I’d also like to acknowledge Thomas Hearns, one of the legends of the sport, and also a dear friend who you can’t really talk boxing or say anything about Detroit boxing without mentioning, Emmanuel Steward.

“At SHOWTIME we like to do big things, we like to make history. We’re proud to be the first championship boxing event at the Masonic Temple Theatre. Those of you who watch our shows know that last year we had the first boxing event ever at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

“As you all know this event is being co-promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Floyd Mayweather. As you also know, Mr. Mayweather has been in the news this week as the result of a little announcement he made about a deal with SHOWTIME and CBS, which we are very, very proud of. We look forward to a very long relationship.

“Today we’re here because of a different deal, a deal that didn’t quite get as much attention, a deal that was done several months ago when we scheduled this event. It was Floyd’s wish to come to Detroit and bring a high-quality fight card here. So I’d like to acknowledge Floyd and Leonard for doing just that.

“In our main event we have two of the most successful fighters ever to come out of ‘The Contender.’ Two action fighters who have fan-friendly styles. K9 Bundrage is a really dangerous fighter with proven knokcout power and he’ll be fighting Ishe Smith, a veteran who has faced and beaten some of the best fighters in the world. I think this will be an action fight, something you will not want to miss whether you’re in the arena or at home.

“In our opener we’ll be seeing, once again, J’Leon Love. J’Leon is fast becoming one of our SHOWTIME guys. We featured him earlier this year, he’s a very entertaining fighter with an outstanding amateur background, and I think he’s one of the future stars of the sport. At SHOWTIME we match our fighters tough, we like challenges, we like entertaining fights, and that’s why we asked Derrick Findley to be the opponent here. I guarantee that will be an entertaining fight.”

ABOUT “BUNDRAGE VS. SMITH”:

Bundrage vs. Smith, a 12-round fight for Bundrage’s IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, February 23 at the Masonic Temple Theatre in Detroit, Michigan. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, sponsored by Corona and MGM Grand Detroit and will be televised live on SHOWTIME beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). The co-main event will be a 10-round middleweight bout between Detroit’s undefeated rising star J’Leon Love and Derrick Findley of Gary, Indiana.

Tickets priced at $200, $125, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges are on sale now and are available for purchase at the Masonic Temple box office, online at www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling 800-745-3000.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.mayweatherpromotions.com and www.themasonic.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/MayweatherPromo, www.twitter.com/K9Boxing, www.twitter.com/IsheSugarShay, www.twitter.com/JLeonLove, www.twitter.com/BadouJack, www.twitter.com/LuisCubaArias, www.twitter.com/TerrellGausha, www.twitter.com/stevegeffrard, www.twitter.com/SHOsports, follow the conversation using #BundrageSmith become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook

February 21, 2013 – Four-Division and Six-Time World Champion, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KOs), and pound for pound king Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. (43-0, 26 KOs) are finally going to step in the ring on May 4, 2013. The contracts were signed by both Guerrero and Mayweather after months of anticipation. Both fighters are perennial pound for pound champions and fans around the world can expect to see an action packed showdown. This mega-million dollar global event will be one the fans will remember for years.

Undefeated in his Hall of Fame career, Floyd Mayweather is no stranger when it comes to fighting on Cinco de Mayo weekend. The Mexican-American holiday is one of Floyd’s favorite dates to do battle. His conquests against Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley and Oscar De La Hoya generated huge PPV numbers, making Mayweather the highest paid athlete in the world. In 2007, Floyd Mayweather vs. Oscar De La Hoya set the record for the most PPV buys in boxing history, which still stands today.

Mayweather who is at the apex of sports, is one of the most recognized face’s on the planet. Fighting Guerrero will present Mayweather with his most difficult challenge since his fight with Oscar De La Hoya, being that Robert is a decorated multiple world champion in his prime. Guerrero, like De La Hoya, is one of the most accomplished Mexican-American fighters of this generation.

Guerrero gained international recognition when he made the leap from Lightweight to Welterweight to win a world title. Guerrero joined an elite class of fighters who have jumped up two weight classes to win world championships which include Roberto Duran, Roy Jones Jr., and Sugar Shane Mosley. In addition, Guerrero became the third fighter in boxing history to win a world title at featherweight and welterweight, uniting with legend Henry Armstrong and future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao. Finally, Guerrero joined all-time great Oscar De La Hoya becoming the only Mexican-American fighters to win world titles across four divisions.

Leading up to his showdown with Mayweather, Guerrero defeated five Olympians in a row, winning multiple world championships along the way. Guerrero’s dominating victory against No. 1 contender Selcuk Aydin (23-1, 17 KOs), a fighter who was the mandatory challenger to face Floyd for over three years, proved he’s one of the best fighters in the welterweight division. “The Ghost” followed that impressive feat with another spectacular performance, dominating former two-time welterweight world champion, Andre Berto (28-2, 22 KOs) in a “Fight of the Year” candidate. Guerrero’s performance against Berto also garnered him “Fighter of the Year” by some boxing pundits. Both wins came by wide 12-round unanimous decisions.

When asked about fighting Floyd Mayweather on the biggest stage in sports, Guerrero stated, “First I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for all his blessings. Without him I am nothing. Next I want to give thanks to my team for all their hard work, dedication and loyalty. It’s been a long road with many trials and tribulations but we’ve stuck together though the fire.”

“Floyd Mayweather is a great fighter, one of the best to ever lace up the gloves, but on May 4th I’m going to end his reign as pound for pound king,” said Guerrero. “I believe God has put me in this incredible position for a reason. This is bigger than boxing. It’s about humbling a man everyone perceives is unbeatable. When I come out victorious on May 4th, everyone will know that if you put Jesus Christ first in your life, anything is possible.”

“I’m dedicating this fight to knocking out blood cancer with Be The Match. This organization saves lives by finding matching donors for patients who need a bone marrow transplant. My wife had leukemia and needed a marrow transplant — and she found her donor through Be The Match. Now she’s cancer free. I want to use my platform as a fighter to help Be The Match save even more lives by getting more people to join the Be The Match Registry like I did. You could be someone’s cure. Find out how at BeTheMatch.org.”

Will the seasoned veteran Mayweather be able to tame the young hungry lion Guerrero? Mayweather vs. Guerrero will be an epic battle of boxing’s best fighters facing off against one another. Get ready for the fight of the year in the ultimate David vs. Goliath super-fight.

Detroit (February 20) – Eight-Time World Champion and Mayweather Promotions President Floyd “Money” Mayweather landed in his home state of Michigan today to promote this weekend’s Cornelius “K9” Bundrage vs. Ishe Smith world championship fight taking place at Masonic Temple Theatre in Detroit live on SHOWTIME beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Mayweather is in Detroit to participate in promotional activities leading up to Saturday night’s fights including the official weigh-in at the Masonic Temple Cathedral Theater on Friday at 1:00 p.m., which is open to the public. Fans are encouraged to attend and arrive early.

Eight-Time World Champion and Mayweather Promotions President Floyd Mayweather lands in Michigan ahead of Saturday night’s Bundrage vs. Smith world championship fight at Masonic Temple Theatre in Detroit which will be televised live on SHOWTIME.

# # #

Bundrage vs. Smith, a 12-round fight for Bundrage’s IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, February 23 at the Masonic Temple Theatre in Detroit, Michigan. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, sponsored by Corona and MGM Grand Detroit and will be televised live on SHOWTIME beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). The co-main event will be a 10-round middleweight bout between Detroit’s undefeated rising star J’Leon Love and Derrick Findley of Gary, Indiana.

Tickets priced at $200, $125, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges are on sale now and are available for purchase at the Masonic Temple box office, online at www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling 800-745-3000.

In a move that will change the television landscape in boxing, pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather has signed a lucrative deal with Showtime, this ending his 16 year relationship with HBO and will fight Robert Guerrero on May 4th according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“Floyd has signed a record-breaking deal with Showtime PPV/CBS, and Floyd is ecstatic,” Leonard Ellerbe, one of Mayweather’s top advisers, told ESPN.com. “This historic deal reflects a global superstar who is head and shoulders above his peers. HBO, they made a great offer, but the Showtime PPV/CBS offer was substantially greater in every facet, from top to bottom.

“So bottom line, HBO was outgunned. They came to a gun fight with a knife. At the end of the day, it’s business. Floyd has had a fantastic relationship over the last (16) years with HBO but he’s moving on. He made the decision based on what was best for him and his family. Showtime/CBS really stepped up and made it crystal clear that they wanted Floyd Mayweather. This is a tremendous platform, and Floyd’s looking forward to putting his talents in front of a much larger worldwide audience.”

“The first fight is Guerrero, ‘The Ghost,’ the boogey man,” Ellerbe said. “Floyd’s going to line all these guys up and he’s going to whup their asses one by one.

“It was a very detailed process,” Showtime Sports head Stephen Espinoza told ESPN.com. “We put forth a very aggressive offer, and I know Floyd spent a lot of time with (adviser) Al Haymon poring over the details. Ultimately, I was able to bring a lot of the (Showtime and CBS) assets to the table, and with so many of our platforms stepping forward to support it, this was a deal he couldn’t refuse.

Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer, who promotes Guerrero and has promoted all of Mayweather’s fights since 2007 on a fight-by-fight basis, told ESPN.com that the kickoff news conference for the fight, which hasn’t been scheduled yet, will be nationally televised on CBS on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, when the network televises most of its sports fare.

“This will redefine the way boxing press conferences are done,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, who has worked on Mayweather’s fights since 2007 said. “The traveling to different cities maybe was the most effective thing at a time when you had in each city a half dozen writers. Now it’s driven by different platforms and we are looking at putting together a press conference similar to the way you see a presidential debate — a moderator, a live audience and journalists can submit questions that will then be read and it will televised nationwide on CBS.

unior middleweight titleholder Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (41-0-1, 30 KOs), the 22-year-old Mexican star and a big draw for the card on Cinco de Mayo weekend, is expected to fight on the undercard, possibly in a unification fight with Austin Trout (26-0, 14 KOs), who upset Miguel Cotto in a December title defense.

But Schaefer said that deal is not done.

“First we needed to get (Mayweather-Guerrero and the TV deal) done and now, within the next 24 or 48 hours, I am trying to see if in fact we can get a fight done between Canelo and Trout,” he said. “It is not done, it is not signed. There are other possibilities we are looking at for Canelo.

“But as I have said all along, we have every intention to have Canelo fight on this card. As for the matchup, that is my next task.”

“I think it’s a fantastic matchup. Robert is one tough competitor,” Schaefer said. “He hasn’t lost (since 2006) and that loss was to a fighter (Orlando Salido in a featherweight title fight) who tested positive for steroids after the fight (and the decision was changed to a no contest). He’s a multiple-weight world champion. He actively campaigned for this fight, and a lot of media people say he has earned the fight if you look at what he’s done in the last 12 months.

“He’s young, he’s been active, he’s coming off the biggest wins of his career and he showed he is a real welterweight against Berto and Aydin. This is a hell of a challenge for Floyd, and Robert as well. At 147, he is the most dangerous opponent Floyd could have picked, end of story.”

Said Ellerbe: “Guerrero thinks he’s a badass and come May 4, Floyd is going to show him why he is the top dog and why he’s been world champion for 15 years.”

“We made an aggressive and responsible pay-per-view offer,” HBO said in a statement given to ESPN.com. “Now we move on. We are focused on the best boxing franchise in the television business. We are proud of the roster of superstar fighters and emerging stars who are scheduled to appear on the multiple HBO television platforms this year.”

“Robert can box, he can punch, he has a chin,” Schaefer said. “He has a hell of a chance to win this fight. When you look at Floyd Mayweather, he’s the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He’s the most skilled fighter out there, but at the same time he’s getting older and hasn’t fought for a year. Not fighting for a year when you are in your 20s is one thing, but in your 30s, fighting once a year is not the best setup.

“His body went through a grueling fight with Cotto, and he was in jail. Who knows what all that has done to him? There are a lot of interesting aspects which make this fight high-stakes.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Floyd Mayweather will be trained by his father Floyd Mayweather Sr. for his May 4th bout against a still unnamed opponent.

Mayweather and his father have had many differences in the past but appear to be back on the same page.

Me & my trainer [my dad] back working together getting ready for May 4th,” Mayweather tweeted. Mayweather also included a link of a photo of them together, presumably at his gym.

LOS ANGELES, December 21 – This holiday season, get ready for a gift all boxing fans will love, as Golden Boy Promotions teams up with FOX Deportes to re-air classic fights for four days and nights of epic fights featuring current and future Hall of Famers, world champions and rising stars engaging in some of the most pivotal bouts of their careers.

Included in these marathons are “The Golden Boy” Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, Julio “JC” Cesar Chavez, Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker, Erik “El Terrible” Morales, Marco Antonio “Baby Faced Assasin” Barrera, Miguel Cotto, Sugar Shane Mosley, Canelo Alvarez, Abner Mares, Ricky “Hitman” Hatton and Danny “Swift” Garcia, just to name a few.

The action begins this Saturday, December 22 at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT with the following lineup:

Oscar De La Hoya vs. Pernell Whitaker – 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT

Manny Pacquiao vs. Marco Antonio Barrera I – 4:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. PT

Oscar De La Hoya vs. Shane Mosley I – 5:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. PT

Erik Morales vs. Pablo Cesar Cano – 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT

Israel Vazquez vs. Rafael Marquez III – 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT

Miguel Cotto vs. Shane Mosley – 8:00 p.m.ET/5:00 p.m. PT

Floyd Mayweather vs. Victor Ortiz – 9:00 p.m.ET/6:00 p.m. PT

Oscar De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad – 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT

The next day of classics begins on Tuesday, December 25 at 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT with 10 more bouts:

Oscar De La Hoya vs. Ike Quartey – 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT

Shane Mosley vs. Ricardo Mayorga – 2:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. PT

Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Oscar De La Hoya – 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT

Floyd Mayweather vs. Ricky Hatton – 4:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. PT

Oscar De La Hoya vs. Fernando Vargas – 5:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. PT

Israel Vazquez vs. Rafael Marquez II – 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT

Oscar De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad – 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT

Amir Khan vs. Marcos Maidana – 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT

Canelo Alvarez vs. Ryan Rhodes – 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT

Canelo Alvarez vs. Mathew Hatton – 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT

On December 29, it’s a Saturday night doubleheader featuring:

Abner Mares vs. Vic Darchinyan – 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT

Danny Garcia vs. Nate Campbell – 11:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. PT

Finally, on Saturday, January 5, it’s another marathon of elite level boxing action with the following bouts:

Rigoberto Alvarez vs. Austin Trout – 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT

Lamont Peterson vs. Victor Ortiz – 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT

Amir Khan vs. Paulie Malignaggi – 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT

Floyd Mayweather vs. Shane Mosley -9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT

Oscar De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad – 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT

For more information on Golden Boy Promotions, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxingor visit us on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page. For more information on FOX Deportes visit www.FOXDeportes.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FOXDeportes or visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Pound for Pound King Floyd Mayweather will look to get back in the ring on May 4th and then again on September 14th which are the two most desirable dates on the boxing calender as they fall on Cinco De Mayo and Mexican Independence Day.

“Floyd has told us that he is fighting twice in 2013 with the first date being May 4 — Cinco De Mayweather — and the second date being Sept. 14,” said Maweather’s adviser Leonard Ellerbe.

“Mayweather Promotions is looking forward to these two gigantic Floyd Mayweather events in 2013, and we are in ongoing discussions with our promotional partner, Richard Schaefer (chief executive of Golden Boy Promotions) in finalizing the opponent and other aspects of the upcoming promotion.”

Ellerbe said Mayweather told him and fellow adviser Al Haymon in a recent telephone conversation to begin planning the May fight.

“He told me and Al this is what he is doing,” Ellerbe said.

“He’s been in the gym. Floyd is always keeping his body in shape doing something because he’s a great athlete and that’s what great athletes do,” Ellerbe said.

No announcement on Mayweather’s opponent but the article painted a scenario where Mayweather could possibly face Robert Guerrero on the May 4th date and a showdown with Canelo Alvarez on the September date. That sceario could possibly see Alvarez fight as the chief support bout on May 4th

“That is still to be determined,” Ellerbe said of the weight and opponent. “He is just looking to come back in two gigantic fights in 2013 and continue to show why he is the best in boxing.”

“Floyd Mayweather has a plethora of options,” Ellerbe said. “Who doesn’t want to fight Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather and make the most money they ever made in their career? You hit the lottery once you’ve become a Floyd Mayweather opponent.”

One loss, perhaps a single punch, might be all that separates Manny Pacquiao from a full-time political career.

If – and it’s a very big if – he prevails for a fourth time against Juan Manuel Marquez on Dec. 8, however, the Filipino Congressman figures to fight two more times.

“Yes, I will continue to fight through next year,’’ Pacquiao said during a conference call a couple days before the Thanksgiving holiday.

Without any unforeseen changes in a schedule that has included one bout in spring and another in autumn, Pacquiao might be retired a year from now on a day when he can say thanks for no more questions about Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The Mayweather question was there, as it always is, during the international call. There’s not much more that Pacquiao can say. His quick response about his plans for 2013 with or without Mayweather, however, left little doubt. If victory continues to elude Marquez in a third rematch, chances at Mayweather-Pacquiao are down to two. The blueprint for boxing’s version of a fiscal cliff is there.

It looks as if Pacquiao, who already offered to take the lesser share of a 45-55 split, has two options if Mayweather finds another reason to say no. Amend that. Mayweather hasn’t said much of anything lately.

Miguel Cotto and Brandon Rios look to be the leading candidates for Pacquiao’s farewell year. Like Pacquiao, Cotto also has to win. He faces a problematic fight with Austin Trout, who could derail hopes for a rematch of his TKO loss to Pacquiao.

“Yes, there is a chance,’’ Pacquiao said of the rematch possibility with Cotto, whom he picks to beat Trout on Dec. 1 at New York’s Madison Square Garden. “I think Cotto will win the fight. Not sure if by decision or knockout. Better chance for knockout, but not sure.’’

Then, there’s Rios, whose energy and go-for-broke style in his victory over Mike Alvarado in the likely Fight of the Year moved him to the front of the line. It also would be an easy one to make. Bob Arum promotes both Rios and Pacquiao.

Another option might be there if Pacquiao-Marquez IV at Las Vegas MGM Grand ends in more controversy, which might be the best bet of all. Anybody ready for a fifth? Arum called it unlikely, yet did recall that Sugar Ray Robinson and Jake LaMotta fought six times.

“I don’t know,’’ Pacquiao said. “It’s hard to imagine a fourth one.’’

But not as hard to imagine as Pacquiao-Mayweather.

LAS VEGAS (July 12, 2012) – Three-time world champion Anthony “The Man” Mundine (43-4, 25 KOs) makes his United States debut Saturday night (July 14), headlining the “When Worlds Collide” pay-per-view event, live from Pearl Theater at Palms Resort Casino in Las Vegas.

Mundine takes on tough veteran Bronco “Superman” McKart (54-9-1, 32 KOs), a two-time world champion, in the 10-round main event for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) North American Middleweight Championship.

The WealthTV PPV co-feature matches a pair of world-rated light heavyweights, Russian invader Dmitry Surkhotsky (18-1, 13 KOs) and Cornelius “Da Beast” White (19-1, 16 KOs), in a entertaining 12-round bout for the vacant IBF International title.

The “When Worlds Collide” PPV, presented by Millennium Events, Inc. in association with WealthTV, for live viewing at 9:00 PM/ET – 6:00 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via Comcast, Time Warner Cable, AT&T U-Verse, Cox Communications, Verizon FiOS TV, Charter Communications, DirecTV, and many other carriers for a suggested retail price of only $29.95.

The Mundine vs. McKart fight started from a simple question asked earlier this year, in-house by WealthTV’s boxing staff, regarding a viable opponent who could defeat Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

“After much debate with boxing experts and insiders,” explained Charles Herring, president of WealthTV, “Mundine’s name kept coming up. In late March, we aggressively pursued the WBA purse bid for the Mundine vs. Trout fight. Our representative went to Panama City with a substantial check in hand but the bid never went through. Our second attempt, however, was successful and we’re pleased to be the network that is bringing this three-time world champion to the boxing capital of the world, Las Vegas, for his United States boxing debut.

“Mundine has to get past a highly-skilled boxer and proven veteran, Bronco McKart, before he starts thinking about a fight with Mayweather. McKart’s in the best shape of his life and ready to take on Mundine. McKart’s skills and legendary work ethic are quite impressive and we believe this has all the makings to be a Fight of the Year candidate. It’s going to be war in the ring Saturday night as both fighters try to make strong statements.”

Demonstrating its commitment to becoming a powerhouse in world-class, live professional boxing, the Mundine vs. McKart card represents WealthTV’s fifth major live boxing event in the last nine months and its first pay-per-view event in the U.S.

“We’re committed to providing top quality championship boxing to our viewers,” WealthTV CEO Robert Herring commented. “We’ll air exciting cards live on the network for free, yet when the purses get too large, we’ll feature pay-per-view events. Our staff is quickly gaining boxing expertise and is focused on showcasing a major boxing event about once a month.”

Mundine vs. McKart on WealthTV PPV

Fighting out of his native Australia, Mundine first captured the World Boxing Association 168-pound title in 2003, taking a unanimous 12-round decision from Antwun Echols. The dangerous Australian recaptured the WBA super middleweight title in 2007, stopping in-country rival Sam Soliman in the ninth round. In his last fight on October 19, 2011, Mundine became the Interim WBA light middleweight champion by way of a 12-round unanimous decision over Rigoberto Alvarez.

Mundine’s impressive resume includes victories against other even more notable opponents such as bitter arch-rival Danny Green, a former WBA light heavyweight champion, and current IBF middleweight world title-holder Daniel Geale. Three of Mundine’s four career losses have been to world champions Mikkel Kessler, Manny Siaca and Sven Ottke.

McKart, fighting out of Munroe, Illinois, won the World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight crown in 1996, registering a ninth-round technical knockout of Santos Cardona. McKart added the International Boxing Association (IBA) title belt to his collection in 1997. The battle-tested McKart has defeated world champions Raul Marquez and Aaron Davis, as well as world title challengers Enrique Ornelas and Alex Bunema during the course of his 20-year professional career.

Bronco “Superman” McKart

Sukhotsky lost his only world title shot to WBO champion Juergen Braehmer by decision in 2009. The rugged Russian and former European 175-pound champion has battled his way back to the top of the world ratings at No. 3 in the WBO, No. 5 in the WBA and No. 12 in the IBF.

White, rated No. 11 by the World Boxing Council (WBC), has relocated in Houston from Chicago to work with his highly-respected head trainer, Ronnie Shields. White’s most impressive win to date was a 2011 decision over 2004 Cuban Olympian Yordanis Despaigne.

All fights and fighters are subject to change. Go online to www.wealthtv.com for additional information or follow on Twitter @wealthtv.

Judges have been tough during the last week on the only two fighters the general public knows.

First, three judges score against Manny Pacquiao in a split decision met by unanimous outrage. Then, Melissa Saragosa, a Las Vegas justice of the peace, hands down a judgment denying Mayweather’s motion to finish his 87-day sentence at home instead of jail, the Big Boy Mansion instead of the Big House.

A controversial boxing decision and an attempt to escape jail time might be as comparable as Pacquiao’s suite at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay and Mayweather’s lonely cell at Nevada’s Clark County Detention Center. There weren’t any mints on Mayweather’s pillow to console him on the night after Saragosa said no Wednesday to his attorney’s emergency filing 10 days into his sentence for domestic abuse.

Nevertheless, I can’t help but think that the way each behaved in the face of recent adversity says something about how they are perceived — at least this week — by all of those judges in the court of public opinion.

Pacquiao won.

Mayweather lost.

Pacquiao exhibited Ernest Hemingway’s definition of courage – grace under pressure. While saying he thought he won, Pacquiao also said he did his best. His best, he said Saturday night, just wasn’t good enough for the judges. Accept it, use it as motivation and move on.

A couple of days later, Mayweather’s attorney files a motion that makes him sound like Paris Hilton. He has to drink tap water instead of bottled water. The jailhouse menu doesn’t include any of the meals his personal chef prepares. What did Mayweather expect? Twenty-four-hour room service?

It’s impossible to really know how Mayweather would have reacted to the split-decision that went against Pacquiao in his loss to Timothy Bradley. But it’s fair to wonder. The guess in this corner is that he would have raged into the night with bursts of profanity and perhaps tears. We’ve seen both, especially in his up-and-down relationship with Larry Merchant of Home Box Office, which will replay the controversial fight Saturday night as part of a telecast featuring the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.- Andy Lee bout in El Paso, Tex.

There’s a lot to like about Mayweather. In early May, it looked as if he was winning his fight with Pacquiao in the court of public opinion, which might be the only place we’ll ever see them fight.

He beat Miguel Cotto in an admirable, bruising confrontation. He apologized to Merchant and conducted a civil interview in the middle of the ring after the bout. Mayweather looked and acted like a grown-up. At the time, Pacquiao’s reputation was taking a beating for issues involving taxes and customs at home in the Philippines.

After the last week, however, it’s hard to know whether Pacquiao or Mayweather is the overall leader in the court of public opinion, which might be the only way to decide who deserves to be the pound-for-pound champ. You be the judge.

NOTES, QUOTES
For the record: In a freelance gig for the New York Times, I quit scoring Pacquiao-Bradley after seven rounds. I had Pacquiao leading, six rounds to one. I thought it was over. I started writing a story about a Pacquiao victory. Rookie mistake. After deleting the lead and re-writing in Usain Bolt time, I watched a replay. I scored it 116-112, — eight rounds to four – for Pacquiao.

Just when you think you’ve seen it all: Bradley, tough and admirable, has to be the first fighter to show up at a post-fight news conference as a winner in a wheelchair. He suffered injuries to both ankles in the early rounds while scrambling to get away from a lethal left thrown by Pacquiao, who emerged from the fight unmarked. Those Pacquiao lefts might be boxing’s version of basketball’s ankle-breaking moves.

AZ NOTES
Junior-welterweight Azriel Paez (2-0) is featured in the main event Saturday night at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix against Michael Salcido (1-3) of Eloy, Ariz. Paez’ dad is the entertaining ex-featherweight champ Jorge Paez, who is expected to be at ringside. Roger Mayweather, Floyd’s trainer and uncle, also is expected to work the corner for fighters he trains in Las Vegas.

The card is scheduled for 10 fights, including David Benavidez — the younger brother of unbeaten Phoenix junior-welterweight prospect Jose Benavidez Jr. — in one of two amateur bouts. First bell is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather’s request for an early release from prison was denied by judge Melissa Saragosa.

“While the physical training areas and times provided to (Mayweather) may not be consistent with his prior regimen, he is indeed provided sufficient space and time for physical activity if he so chooses,” Saragosa wrote.

A mere 10 days after Mayweather turned himself in to begin his three-month sentence, his legal team filed an emergency motion Monday asking the court to put him under house arrest or move him into the general jail population — something that jail officials had avoided to protect the celebrity fighter. The motion claimed the undefeated champion might never fight again because he was getting out of shape in solitary confinement.

Mayweather’s legal team told the court this week that his personal physician, Dr. Robert Voy, visited the jail Friday and determined the fighter had lost muscle tone. Voy estimated Mayweather was consuming fewer than 800 calories a day instead of his usual 3,000 or 4,000 calories. Mayweather also wasn’t drinking enough because he wasn’t allowed bottled water and doesn’t enjoy tap water.

Prosecutor Lisa Luzaich scoffed at the complaints during a court hearing Tuesday.

“It’s jail,” Luzaich told the court. “Where did he think he was going? The Four Seasons?”

The May 5th Floyd Mayweather – Miguel Cotto megafight was just that as it amassed 1.5 Million Pay Per View buys which equated to $94 Million.

“The 1.5 million number is actual reported numbers,” Golden Boy Promotions Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com. “The final number will definitely be bigger than what it is now.”

“Floyd Mayweather’s numbers are getting bigger and bigger and this number shows you the kind of draw he is,” Schaefer said. “He’s a superstar and able to capture the interest of a large audience. He has broken out of the boxing following and now has a mainstream following that is unmatched in the sport. The numbers keep getting bigger and bigger.”

The bout is the second biggest non heavyweight bout of all time behind Mayweather’s bout with Oscar De La Hoya

SAN ANTONIO – Suspended above a bullring on a wire-mesh floor below a cinema-size screen, one story and 50 yards from where Cowboys Dancehall’s dancers danced, 75 or so aficionados gathered to look up to a gigantic image of Floyd Mayweather looping right crosses off Miguel Cotto’s left temple. They had arrived round 6:00 PM and sat through seven local-talent fights co-promoted by Jesse James Leija, and a pay-per-view co-main as well.

Although their view was front row of a movie theater that made customers stand, these aficionados enjoyed certain uncommon benefits: they were in a lively if respectful group comprising more serious observers than the folks downstairs keeping one eye on the Spurs game, there was instead of HBO’s audio feed the odd musical assortment that explodes from cowboy-bar speakers – Sir Mix-A-Lot opening for Garth Brooks – and there was the unexpectedly good event that went off above them.

Floyd Mayweather decisioned Miguel Cotto by unanimous scores, Saturday, in MGM Grand. The scorecards, while wide, were about what prognosticators expected, when in a reflection of bookmakers’ opinions, they favored Mayweather nine or so to one – with the one in that ratio usually having an ethnic or financial stake in picking the loser. Writers at ringside had the fight closer than the official judges, and ringside writers and official judges composed the matter’s sole authorities.

Nobody sincerely believed Cotto would win Saturday’s fight, and he did not. But Cotto made a fight more satisfying for spectators than any he had made since Manny Pacquiao stopped him 30 months ago. And make no mistake, it was Cotto who made Saturday’s fight. In round 2, he put Mayweather on the ropes – and Referee Tony Weeks left him there – and it led to a heap more abuse than Mayweather expected, all postfight protestations to the contrary.

In implying afterwards that his initial trip to the ropes was voluntary, that allowing Cotto to whale on his arms and sternum was plan A, Mayweather struck a curiously familiar note; those were Roy Jones’ words immediately after he sneaked past Antonio Tarver in 2003: I went to the ropes to entertain my fans. But in actuality, as the world soon learned, Jones went to the ropes because his diminishing reflexes and footwork allowed Tarver to put him there.

A similar hollowness accompanied Mayweather’s words because his fans, like Jones’ before them, generally want no part in a competitive spectacle. They do not watch a Mayweather fight to see their guy endangered or struck on the face a hundred times. They watch for a transcendent display, for proof that super heroes happen off the pages of their comic books.

What little vocal reaction happened above the bullring at Cowboys Dancehall, Saturday, came just as the bell rang to end round 8, Cotto’s best.

“He ain’t doing nothing!” somebody barked.

“He ain’t nothing!” agreed a second voice, its volume proportionate to its nervousness.

Then Mayweather gave them a rebuttal that was articulate (since that word has come out of hiding): I am a fighter, not an entertainer. It was what Mayweather said in the third round of his match with Shane Mosley, when he put his hands in a classic, high position and attacked the older man. It was a phrase he spoke in his fourth round with Victor Ortiz when he exploited the younger man’s weakness to cut his consciousness. And it was what he said for 30 of Saturday’s 36 minutes with Miguel Cotto. I am this, primarily this, and not what most of you think I am.

Something often missed by Mayweather’s detractors and ever missed by his devotees: Before he was “Money May,” master of the era’s race-baiting nuances, before he made pundits who should know better assign unprecedented import to his undefeated record, he was a fighter – a man who collected blows for a living.

There was a touch of requited love in the way Mayweather handled Cotto’s head on a break in round 4, something almost tender about it. Another man was speaking to him fluently in their first language – not hip hop’s Ali-copycat speak, not the cloyed and serenaded words the mercenaries sing to Money, not those adverbial clauses everyone spits at video cameras – but the language of professional combat in a proper tongue. It betrayed for a moment what most observers do not realize: Other fighters genuinely adore Floyd Mayweather because he is, at root, exactly as they are.

But other fighters also know what historians will uncover: There is a reason you must fight the fights. Mayweather beat Cotto, yes, but does any knowledgeable observer think he is, today, a stronger man for doing it? He is not. Mayweather was brutalized, softened, his health compromised, his life likely shortened some, in those 12 rounds with another professional puncher. It was what both men signed up for, of course, and if Mayweather was not enthusiastic about paying the tariff, he was still, and absolutely, good for it.

Historians, those plodding, careful men who assess records not hand speed, will note Mayweather never fought or beat, in his prime, a man who was favored over him. It’s too late to change that, and subsequently Mayweather’s legacy is for the most part settled. But then, respectfully, so is this: Floyd Mayweather was and is more of a fighter than he was or ever will be anything else.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

Follow all the action from the MGM as Miguel Cotto defends the WBA Super Welterweight championship against Floyd Mayweather. The action begins at 7pm est/4pm Pac with a FIVE fight undercard featuring Canelo Alvarez defending the WBC Super Welterweight championship against the Legendary Shane Mosley. Jesse Vargas takes on former world champion Steve Forbes as well as DeAndre Latimore battling Carlos Quintana. Also bouts involving prospects Keith Thurman & Omar Figueroa Jr.

12 Rounds–WBA Super Welterweight title–Miguel Cotto (37-2, 30 KO’s) vs Floyd Mayweather (42-0, 26 KO’s)

Round 1 Trading body shots..Cotto lands a combo inside..Mayweather lands a couple body shots at the bell…10-9 Mayweather

Round 2 Right from Mayweather…Right from distance..Right from Cotto…Right from Mayweather…20-18 Mayweather

Round 3 Hard right from Mayweather…Right to body and head from Cotto..Jab..Counter right from Mayweather..lead right..Hard jab from Cotto..29-28 Mayweather

Round 4 Hard right from Mayweather…3 more sweeping rights…another right…2 shots from Cotto..39-37 Mayweather

Round 4 Great combos from Mayweather..Straight right hand…Right from Cotto..Mayweather lands a solid ..49-46 Mayweather

Round 6 Good right from Mayweather…jab from Cotto..another Jab..Left hook..Good right from Mayweather…58-56 Mayweather

Round 7 Uppercut from Cotto..2 body shots…3 punch combo from Mayweather…Left to the body for Cotto…67-66 Mayweather

Round 8 Body head combo from Mayweather…Cotto lands a right..Right to body..Uppercut from Mayweather…big uppercut..Good left from Cotto..Great action in the corner…77-75 Mayweather

Round 9 Right from Mayweather…Left hook and jab from Cotto,..Mayweather lands a body shot..87-85 Mayweather

Round 10 Cotto lands a left…right from Mayweather..left..Good uppercut from Cotto…97-94 Mayweather

Round 11 Straight from Mayweather..Good combination..quick left hook…107-103 Mayweather

Round 12 Hard combination from Mayweather…Huge upper cut wobbles Cotto another huge shot…117-112 Mayweather

117-111; 117-111; 118-110 FLOYD MAYWEATHER

12 Rounds–WBC Super Welterweight Saul Alvarez (39-0-1, 29 KO’s) vs Shane Mosley (46-7-1, 39 KO’s)

Round 1 Alavrez lands a body shot..Mosley lands a body…Jab from Alvarez..Left hook..Body shot…another body shot..Left hook…Mosley lands a right..Left hook from Alvarez…10-9 Alvarez

Round 2 Jab…left.Hook body then upstairs…body..20-18 Alvarez

Round 3 Good right from Alvarez..Headbutt causes cut over left eye of Alvarez…30-27 Alvarez

Round 4 Hard 3 punch combination from Alvarez…Hard right..40-36 Alvarez

Round 5 Hard left from Alvarez, snapped Mosley’s head back..50-45 Alvarez

Round 6 Right from Alvarez..Ripping 3 shots for Alvarez…60-54 Alvarez

Round 7 Hard head combo from Alvarez…70-63 ALvarez

Round 8 Mosley lands a combination on the ropes…Alvarez landing hard punches..79-73 Alvarez

Round 9 Short right from Alvarez…Hard body and head shots…right from Mosley..Wicked left from Alvarez…89-82 Alvarez

Round 10 Hard right drives Mosley back…4 punch combination…99-91 Alvarez

Round 11 Big Left hook from Alvarez…109-100

Round 12 Mosley trying…too little too late..Alvarez 3 punch combo…119-109

119-109; 118-110; 119-109 SAUL CANELO ALVAREZ

10 Rounds–Welterweights—Jessie Vargas (18-0, 9 KO’s) vs. Steve Forbes (35-10, 11 KO’s)

Round 1 Vargas lands a jab…10-9 Vargas

Round 2 Vargas lands a good left hook..20-18 Vargas

Round 3 Good combination work form Vargas…30-27

Round 4 Forbes sneaks in a right,,,39-37 Vargas

Round 5 vargas back to boxing…49-46 Vargas

Round 6 Good right from Forbes… 58-56 Vargas

Round 7 Trading body shots…Vargas lands a body shot and lead left hook…68-65 Vargas

Round 8 Forbes lands a looping right …Vargas 77-75

Round 9 Vargas landing good jabs,,,87-84 Vargas

Round 10 Vargas lands a jab…..97-93 Vargas

100-90; 97-93; 98-92 for Jesse Vargas

10 Rounds Super Welterweights–DeAndre Latimore (23-3, 17 KO’s) vs Carlos Quintana (28-3, 22 KO’s)

Round 1 Battle of Southpaws…Quintana working the body…10-9 Quintana

Round 2 Latimore lands a low blow…Right hook from Latimore..Latimore bleeding over left eyelid…20-18 Quintana

Round 3 Left from Latimore…Quintana lands a hard right..hard shots from Quintana against the ropes…30-27 Quintana

Round 4 Quintana lands a hard shot...40-36 Quintana

Round 5 Quintana lands hard shots on the ropes…50-45

Round 6 HARD STRAIGHT LEFT AND DOWN GOES LATIMORE….KENNY BAYLESS STOPS THE FIGHT

10 Rounds–Lightweights–Omar Figueroa (15-0-1, 12 KO’s) vs Robbie Cannon (12-6-2, 6 KO’s)

Round 1 Figueroa going to the body…BODY SHOT HURTS CANNON AND HE TAKES A KNEE…Nice 1-2…10-8 Figueroa

Round 2 Good body shot from Figueroa…Jab..Hard left..HUGE LEFT AND DOWN GOES CANNON…UP AT 9 AND FIGHT IS STOPPED BY RUSSELL MORA

8 ROUNDS–Super Welterweights–Keith Thurman (16-0, 15 KO’s) vs Brandon Hoskins (16-0-1, 8 KO’s)

Round 1 Thurman lands a left…right lead to the body…jab..Left hook to the body..Hard jab hurts Hoskins..Good body and head combo..Nice 1-2…10-9 Thurman

Round 2 Hoskins is hurt AND TAKES A KNEE…Nice left hook from Thurman..Left hook..Good right..20-17 Thurman

Round 3 BIG RIGHT HAND AND REFEREE RUSSELL MORA STOPS THE BOUT

LAS VEGAS – Floyd Mayweather Jr. generated cheers, boos and even a reaction from the stoic Miguel Cotto after a stare down Friday that lasted longer than anybody can remember in a ritual that has followed weigh-ins for as long as there has been an opening bell. For 70 seconds, they looked into each other’s eyes, maybe looking for a weakness or maybe looking for another clue to the outcome of Saturday night’s junior-middleweight fight at the MGM Grand.

Those dangerous eyes stayed locked, without a single blink, like lasers onto a target in a break from expectation and perhaps a sign that the Mayweather-Cotto fight will end in a surprise.

The biggest, of course, would be a Cotto victory. That’s the most unlikely outcome. Mayweather leaves very little to chance. Proof of that is in his unbeaten record (42-0, 26 KOs). He picks his opponents these days. In fact, he hires them, which helps explain why he will collect a $32 million before anybody even begins to count his cut of the pay-per-view revenue, concessions and ticket sales. According to contracts filed with the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Cotto (37-2, 30 KOs) will get $8 million. Not bad, but it’s a fraction, a quarter, of the record guarantee that further confirms Mayweather’s nickname, Money.

Maybe, that’s why Mayweather has been acting as cool and calm as any CEO with Wall Street-like wages already in his wallet. For him, there have been no worries. He weighed in at 151 pounds, his heaviest ever and one more than his official weight before his victory over Oscar De La Hoya in 2007.

“I feel comfortable at any weight,’’ Mayweather said.

Cotto was three pounds heavier at 154, the junior-middleweight mandatory.

No matter what the scale, the hired help is never supposed to have an advantage, no matter how minimal. From Mayweather’s perspective, Cotto looked as if he had struggled to make weight.

“He looked kind of dry, kind of drawn to me,’’ he said.

If anything, Cotto looked out of character after stepping off the scale and onto a side of the stage for a stare down that almost lasted past sundown. He started talking at Mayweather. From a man whose meals outnumber his words over any given day, it was unusual.

“I told him, he has never faced anybody like Miguel Cotto,’’ the Puerto Rican said. “That’s the reason he’s undefeated and that’s the reason I will win on Saturday night.’’

The unusual stare down was punctuated by a backstage controversy that erupted behind curtains that hid the scale from the weigh-in crowd of about 6,000. Mayweather and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, who faces Shane Mosley on the undercard, will have to get new gloves for Saturday night’s fight. The gloves they had planned to wear included thumbs made in plastic. Mosley trainer Nazim Richardson said that plastic cuts more easily than leather. Richardson spotted plaster-like inserts in the gloves Antonio Margarito tried to wear before he lost to Mosley in 2009. When Richardson complains about gloves, regulators listen. The Nevada Commission ordered that Mayweather and Alvarez get gloves with thumbs made in leather. New Grant-made gloves are expected to arrive in Las Vegas from New York some time before Saturday night’s card.

What else can happen? Anything.

Everything, said Cotto, who was asked whether his best chance at upset rested with his proven arsenal of body punches.

“I can’t just go to the body,’’ he said. “I have to be on top of everything.

“If he wants to fight, I’m ready. If he wants to run, I’m ready for that. I’m ready for everything.’’

Mosley (46-7-1, 39 KOs) wasn’t ready for the scale. At least, not the official one. He was a half-pound heavier than the mandatory 154 for his shot at the World Boxing Council junior-middleweight title held by Alvarez (39-0-1, 29 KOs). After a run, he returned to the scale an hour later and made weight.

“I was on weight, but on a different scale,’’ Mosley said. “I ran, sweated it off. No problem.’’

The 21-year-old Alvarez, who is 19-years younger than Mosley, had no problem in his first trip to the scale. He was 154 pounds.

In a welterweight bout on the HBO telecast, Jessie Vargas (18-0, 9 KOs) of Las Vegas weighed 146 pounds. Steve Forbes (35-10, 11 KOs), also of Las Vegas, was 146.5. In the first bout on the pay-per-view telecast, junior-middleweight DeAndre Latimore was 154.5 pounds and Carlos Quintana (28-3, 22 KOs) was at 154.

LAS VEGAS – It was a different day and a very different Floyd Mayweather Jr.

About twenty-four hours after Mayweather played the bad cop in an impassioned rant at Manny Pacquiao, Bob Arum, drug cheats and unfair media, the good cop showed up Wednesday at a news conference armed with only polite respect for Miguel Cotto and not a single word of profanity for anyone.

It was a surprise for just about everybody other than perhaps Cotto at the MGM Grand.

“He has been a gentleman with me all the way,’’ said the granite-faced Cotto, whose body language is impossible to interpret because there is so little of it. “I have been a gentleman to him all the way. That’s the way it has to be.’’

But it’s a way not expected from Mayweather. Ask his dad, Floyd Sr., how often he sees the gentleman in his son. Ask Larry Merchant, who should have received a Boxing Writers award for Comeback of the Year in the aftermath of the crazy climax to Mayweather’s victory over Victor Ortiz in September when the HBO broadcaster told him he would have kicked his butt if he had been 50 years younger.

But the unexpected is also part of the Mayweather attraction, which some predict will break the pay-per-view boxing record with more than 2.4 million customers Saturday night for his junior-middleweight fight with Cotto. There is no drama without surprise. Mayweather seems to understand he can’t be ho-hum predictable. He’s not selling appliances. If you’re shopping for reliability, buy a warranty. Mayweather is selling himself, selling show biz, which means he has to play a different role for different crowds.

“When it’s all said and done, I’m making smart business decisions,’’ Mayweather said during a conference call 10 days ago. “I understand when I’m on 24/7 it’s about the viewers; it’s about ‘You Must Watch TV’.

“When I’m on TV I want to keep people glued to the television, because that’s what it’s about. So even people that aren’t boxing fans are going to say, ‘You know what, we got to tune in and watch this guy. He’s very, very interesting. He has a great story.’ ‘’.

Mayweather doesn’t care if the audience likes the story, or hates it. Silence is worse than boos. Mayweather wants to hear them as much as the cheers, just so long as he hears them as loudly and as often as possible.

“I don’t ever go out there and talk about how many things I have done for the people less fortunate, those things me and my team have done,’’ Mayweather said. “But that’s not important. I do it for myself. I do it because I feel it’s the right thing to give back to certain public schools, give back to children less fortunate, Habitat for Humanity, Three Square Meals. It’s very, very important.

“But on 24/7 we don’t always talk about those things or on TV we don’t always talk about those things, because a lot of time the feedback we get is that that’s not entertaining, that’s boring. We want to see the Floyd Mayweather with the flashy money; we want to see Floyd Mayweather with the diamond necklace; we want to see Floyd Mayweather with the nice cars. And the response we get from that it is that they love it, they love it. We get more viewers. But then on the flipside, they say, ‘All the guy does is show off.’

“So it’s a Catch 22. It’s like damn if I do, damn if I don’t.’’

It also means being a villain one day and a gentleman the next.

After his official arrival to the MGM Grand Tuesday, Mayweather met with a handful of reporters and unloaded familiar vitriol, mostly at Arum and Pacquiao. He called Arum “a professional liar.’’ He said again that Pacquiao isn’t a clean fighter and he challenged anybody in the media who thought otherwise.

Wednesday in a room appropriately named the Hollywood Theatre, he played the good guy. There was only one testy exchange. But it didn’t involve Mayweather. Instead, it was initiated by his advisor, Leonard Ellerbe who chided Cotto trainer Pedro Diaz. First, Diaz said that talking doesn’t win fights. Then, he predicted a Cotto victory.

“You’re right,’’ Ellerbe said as he looked at Diaz. “Talk doesn’t win fights. Fighters do. Last I checked, Miguel Cotto is fighting Floyd Mayweather Saturday night, so keep your opinion to yourself.’’

It was a moment to turn up the volume, fill the speakers with trash talk that has long defined boxing news conferences. But Mayweather didn’t.

Cotto “has done something to get this far” the understated Mayweather said as he and Cotto sat in red-and-gold thrones that looked as if they were discarded stage pieces from the set of Excalibur, a 1981 film.

In a session with reporters after the news conference, Mayweather remained low key. He was asked about jail. On June 1, he is scheduled to report for a 90-day sentence at Las Vegas’ Clark County jail for domestic abuse. No worries, at least not for Mayweather.

“I’m here to fight,’’ he said in a matter-of-fact tone. “Me going to jail is just another day, another day.’’

So is Thursday, another day for still another Mayweather.

TAMPA, FL, May 2 – With the training camp for his June 2nd SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING main event against unbeaten Lateef Kayode heating up, former light heavyweight champion and current IBO Cruiserweight champion Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver took time out from his busy schedule to check in with his thoughts on another high-profile matchup – the May 5th meeting between Floyd Mayweather and Miguel Cotto,

“I think that Mayweather’s coming in with all the natural God-given ability and talent, and Cotto comes in with the physical game,” said Tarver, who also doubles as a ringside analyst for SHOWTIME. “But we’ve seen Cotto beat, and beaten bad on two occasions. He was outclassed against (Manny) Pacquiao, and he took a beating against (Antonio) Margarito. We haven’t seen that with Floyd Mayweather yet. I think he (Mayweather) is at the top of the game right now, and he’s gonna have more options to do the things that he does in the ring.”

Yet despite the odds, Tarver doesn’t count the 154-pound world champion from Puerto Rico out against the unbeaten “Money” Mayweather, even though he believes Cotto will have to throw the boxing equivalent of a perfect game in Las Vegas.

“Cotto’s gonna have to be perfect,” said Tarver, who upset 5 to 1 odds in his most recent bout, knocking out Danny Green in the ninth round last July. “Cotto’s gonna have to be physical, have his defense intact, and he’s gonna have to match Floyd. When Floyd opens up, he’s gonna have to punch with him. That’s how you negate speed, and that’s a big risk, but his reward is so gigantic that’s he’s gonna have to be willing to lay it all on the line and if has to go out on his shield, go out trying to get that victory.”

As for Mayweather, Tarver is looking forward to seeing what his teammate on the 1996 United States Olympic boxing team has in store, not just on May 5th, but in the future.

“Floyd’s gonna have to keep doing what he’s doing, and in two or three more fights, he can ride out into the sunset,” he said. “Hopefully Pacquiao’s in the scheme of things and we can see that fight eventually. That would be great if he could pull that off. If he beats Pacquiao, he’s one of the greatest of all-time and not too many people can say that.”

The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calf., hosts a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING quadruple header on Saturday, June 2 (9:00 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Current IBO Cruiserweight Champion and former Light Heavyweight World Champion Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver (29-6, 20 KO’s) faces unbeaten Lateef Kayode (18-0, 14 KO’s) in a

12-round cruiserweight fight. In the co-feature, former undisputed junior middleweight kingpin Winky Wright (51-5-1, 25 KO’s) returns to the ring to meet undefeated Peter Quillin (26-0, 20 KO’s) in

a middleweight bout. In two world championship fights on the telecast, Austin Trout (24-0, 14 KO’s) risks his perfect record and WBA Super Welterweight belt against Delvin Rodriguez (26-5-3, 14 KO’s) and IBF number one rated bantamweight contender Vusi Malinga (20-3, 12 KO’s) faces top Golden Boy Promotions prospect and IBF number five rated contender Leo Santa Cruz (19-0-1, 11 KO’s) for the vacant IBF bantamweight title.

Tickets for the June 2 bout are on sale now and are available as low as $25, with VIP floor seats priced at $200. Other tickets in the 8,000-seat outdoor stadium at The Home Depot Center are available at $50 and $100. Fans can purchase tickets at www.axs.com or by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849, as well as The Home Depot Center Box Office (open Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available for purchase by calling 1-877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 1-877-234-8425.

This night of world class professional boxing is presented by A.T. Entertainment, Golden Boy Promotions and Gary Shaw Productions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. Trout vs. Rodriguez is presented in association with Greg Cohen Promotions and Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and Malinga vs. Santa Cruz presented in association with Branco Sports Productions.

BRONX, NY (April 26, 2012) – Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing will celebrate Cinco de Mayo with an exciting pro boxing card featuring a legitimate star-in-the-making, undefeated 2008 U.S. Olympian Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade, on Saturday night, May 5 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Light middleweight contender Andrade (16-0, 11 KOs) faces The Contender, Season Two participant Rudy Cisneros (12-3, 11 KOs) in the 10-round main event, which will air live (10-11 PM / ET) as an ESPN Boxing: FNF Special Edition presented by Corona Extra.

After the live boxing concludes, fans in attendance will have the added enjoyment of watching a closed circuit showing of the Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Miguel Cotto fight on Mohegan Sun Arena’s jumbo screen.

“Demetrius Andrade has clearly graduated from prospect to contender,” Star Boxing president Joe DeGuardia said. “He’s getting close to a world title shot. We’re very happy to be back at one of the best venues in boxing, Mohegan Sun Arena, where Demetrius has become a genuine house favorite. Fans there can watch an entertaining live card, plus Mayweather-Cotto without leaving the comfort of their seats. I think ESPN showcasing Demetrius on a special Saturday night broadcast is a strong indication of how highly he’s respected in the boxing world as a potential star.”

The 24-year-old Andrade has been rising in world light middleweight ratings, recently moving to No. 6 in the World Boxing Organization (“WBO”) and No. 7 in the International Boxing Federation (“IBF”), as well as No. 15 in the World Boxing Council (“WBC”) and World Boxing Association (“WBA”).

Fighting out of nearby Providence, Andrade was a 2007 World amateur champion who will be fighting at Mohegan Sun for the sixth time. The gifted Cape Verdean boxer is co-promoted by Star Boxing and Banner Promotions

Andrade has been favorably compared to a younger, heavier, left-handed Mayweather due to their similar boxing styles, featuring lightning-quick feet and hands, incredible defensive reflexes and strings of dominant victories. “Boo Boo” has stopped of 11 of 16 opponents, collectively winning 57 of 61 rounds fought on the judges’ scorecards.

In his last fight February 10 at Mohegan Sun, Andrade absolutely smoked Angel Hernandez (30-10), stopping the former world title challenger in the second round, coming on the heels of solid back-to-back victories against former world title challenger Saul Duran (TKO3) and veteran Grady Brewer, winner of The Contender II television reality series.

The subject of a feature story in the current edition of The Ring Magazine, Andrade is a multi-gifted southpaw who is co-promoted by Star Boxing and Banner Promotions.

The May 5th supporting fights will include some of New England’s most popular boxers. The eight-round co-feature marks the long-anticipated return of Hartford fan favorite Addy Irizarry (8-5, 2 KOs), who has been sideline since November 20, 2010, after suffering a fractured ankle during a first-round loss to former International Female Boxing Association (“IFBA”) World welterweight champion Jill Emery. Irizarry faces Victoria Cisneros.

Undercard fighters include Hartford super featherweight Joseph “Chip” Perez (7-1, 2 KOs) vs. Juan Jaramillo (8-9-2, 3 KOs) in a six-round bout, as well as Hartford light heavyweight Tylon “Shadow Boi” Burris (1-0, 1 KO vs. pro debuting Robert Jackson, Springfield (MA) light heavyweight Reinaldo Graceski (1-0) vs. Borngood Washington, and Windsor (VT) light middleweight Chris Gilbert (3-0, 2 KOs) vs. TBA in four-round matches.

Tickets are $75.00, $40.00 and $30.00 (plus $5.00 facility fee for all tickets) and are on sale now through Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge By Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets are also available at the Mohegan Sun Box Office, subject to availability, or by calling Star Boxing at 1.718.823.2000 and online via www.StarBoxing.com.

For more information go online to www.starboxing.com or www.mohegansun.com.

LOS ANGELES, April 26 – With Alfonso Gomez forced to withdraw from his scheduled May 5 bout against undefeated rising star Jessie Vargas on the “Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto” pay-per-view undercard due to a back injury, the call went out for someone willing to step up and face the unbeaten rising star on short notice. Former World Champion Steve “2 Pounds” Forbes answered the call without hesitation, ready to step into the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas to face Vargas in a 10-round welterweight bout.

“I am so excited to have been given the opportunity to fight on the May 5th fight card,” said Forbes. “It is an honor to be on the same card with such great champions. I am not going to overlook Jessie. We both have a lot riding on this fight and I look forward to showing him what I have in the ring.”

22-year old Las Vegas product Jessie Vargas (18-0, 9 KO’s) has long been on the media’s top prospects list thanks to wins over Arturo Morua, Walter Estrada and former World Champion Vivian Harris, but on the Mayweather vs. Ortiz undercard last September, he moved from prospect to contender with an exciting 10-round split decision victory over fellow young contender Josesito Lopez. Eager to keep the momentum going, Vargas scored a near-shutout win over Lanardo Tyner in February, and now he’s hoping to add Steve Forbes to his list of high-profile vanquished foes.

A veteran of over 15 years in the sport, Steve “2 Pounds” Forbes (35-10, 11 KO’s) has been in with the best of the business, including world champions Oscar de la Hoya, Cornelius Bundrage, Carlos Hernandez and Andre Berto. A former IBF junior lightweight world champion and star of the hit series “The Contender,” the 35-year old Forbes hopes that a win over the unbeaten Vargas will kick start an exciting run for him in the 147 pound weight division.

# # #

“Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto,” a 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBA Super Welterweight World Championship and the vacant WBC Super Welterweight Diamond belt, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions. Also featured will be Canelo Alvarez vs. Sugar Shane Mosley, a 12-round fight for Canelo’s WBC Super Welterweight World Championship which is presented in association with Canelo Promotions and Sugar Shane Mosley Promotions and a 10-round welterweight fight featuring undefeated rising star Jessie Vargas and former World Champion Steve Forbes. Opening the pay-per-view broadcast will be a 10-round bout between super welterweight contender DeAndre Latimore and former World Champion Carlos Quintana which is presented in association with DiBella Entertainment. The mega event is sponsored by Corona, Hatfields & McCoys on HISTORY™, DeWalt Tools, AT&T, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Puebla – Cinco De Mayo and will take place Saturday, May 5 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Limited tickets for “Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto” are still available, with a total ticket limit of ten (10) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Three Las Vegas MGM Resorts, Mandalay Bay, Monte Carlo and The Mirage, will host live closed circuit telecasts of “Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto.” Advanced purchased tickets for the closed circuit telecasts are priced at $75, not including handling fees. All seats are general admission and are on sale now at each individual property’s box office outlets or by phone with a major credit card at (866) 799-7711.

Episode three of HBO’s all-access reality series 24/7 MAYWEATHER/COTTO debuts on Saturday, April 28 (9:45 p.m. ET/PT), with the finale debuting Friday, May 4 (8:00 p.m. ET/PT), the night before the high-stakes super welterweight title bout. All four episodes will have multiple replay dates on HBO®, and the series will also be available on HBO On Demand® and HBO GO®.

NCM Fathom will broadcast “Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto” in high definition LIVE to more than 440 movie theaters nationwide. Tickets to see the fight on the big screen are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that Welterweight Alfonso Gomez was forced to withdraw from his May 5th bout with Jesse Vargas that was scheduled for the Floyd Mayweather- Miguel Cotto PPV undercard.

“Alfonso developed some serious back spasms (last week) and at first I thought he would just take a day off and rest. So we canceled sparring one day. But then we had to cancel a second day of sparring,” Saod Gomez manager Gary Gittelsohn. “And he never got much better.”

“But we gave Alfonso the weekend off to see if he’d feel any better,” Gittelsohn said. “The orthopedist said he didn’t think Alfonso was in any condition to do any running or strenuous activity. So that put him out of commission in critical moments of his training. So we canceled officially (Monday night) and I alerted Eric, who was disappointed as we all were. But these things happen. I’m so bummed.”

“I really felt like this was the perfect resurrection opportunity for Alfonso (coming off the loss to Alvarez) on the biggest showcase of the year,” Gittelsohn said. “We’re taking it day by day. I told Eric that I really want this fight for Alfonso and we hope it can be rescheduled down the line.”

“We were informed (Monday) night about this and we’re looking at some replacements,” Schaefer said. “I’m confident that Eric and Team Vargas will find a suitable replacement.”

“Makes fun of the Easter Bunny / Reunites with dad / Goes to pololoco for chick . . . plays basketball; crosstraining? Hungry again, narrator says: more fried chicken”

Those are the writer’s notes on Saturday night. It’s preliminary sketching for a piece he has to write for one of the wire services, about the marketing of boxing pay-per-view attractions. They were supposed to be out of this business of network advertising after the last one went so terribly, but then a reader used the word “hater” in an email to the editor, and now the writer has to redeem the service. Coincidences abound, thinks the writer, as he edits what he will record about what he is watching because his editor is a goaltender who doesn’t take to combat sports and holds it against every article that treats them, and so he’s going to have to shoot for the corners if any of this story will make it to print.

The writer sits on the opposite side of a couch from his girlfriend’s son, who is 15 and typical. He says he is a fan and an athlete; he attends the boxing gym – when his dad takes him – but mostly goes upstairs and plays basketball, as that is where the girls, and so the better athletes, congregate. His mom says he is a JV player on Mayweather’s “Money Team,” forgetting the captain for about half of each year.

“Floyd’s right, you know?” the kid says to the room. “The Easter Bunny laying eggs is dumb.”

The writer makes a note about Floyd’s grasp on the obvious, wondering if the obvious vulgarly expressed was as alluring when he was 15. He decides it was. Floyd’s primary appeal may lie in his saying things others won’t. It resonates with a teenager who sees conformists getting invited to parties that snub nonconformists.

“‘Floyd and I’s bond is unbreakable’?” the writer notes, transcribing what Mayweather’s fiancée says on the first of two HBO programs about Mayweather. “Loyalty?”

“Even women want to stay on the Money Team,” the kid says to the room. “Ms. Jackson knows she’s got it better with Floyd.”

“‘Ride-or-die’?” the writer notes with an asterisk, to remind himself to see what that means later, or maybe think of a gentle way to ask his girlfriend’s son.

“I’m still going strong!” Mayweather shouts at the camera. “I still look good and young. Feel strong. Still got big muscles. Still flamboyant. Still shit-talking. Fly whips, big mansions!”

The kid smiles at the television and thinks Floyd had to say that, cued by the producer. Like a switch. For the haters. It makes white people, the Republicans, buy fights to see Floyd get beat up. But Floyd never loses. He’s too smart.

“There’s 50!” the kid says to the room. “He’s a genius.”

The writer changes his posture, instantly defensive. This derelict “a genius”? Isn’t he the guy who got rich singing it was somebody’s birthday? “WTF?” the writer scribbles in large letters.

“That’s crazy,” the kid says. “I thought 50 was out, like, every night.”

The writer’s previous posture returns. “Curtis Jackson as an introvert and artist . . .” he writes. Actually hadn’t crossed his mind.

“Floyd’s got’em again,” the kid says. “How you gonna call yourself ‘loyal’ and fire your own uncle, Cotto? Floyd’s real. He can only act like he doesn’t care a little. Then he brings the truth.”

He’s not a good actor either, the writer thinks. A pro shouldn’t get tired while on set. “Half-assed villain,” the writer notes.

“Hey, it’s the nerdy dude from the Tupac movies!” the kid says. “I didn’t know they were doing two ‘24/7s’.”

“‘On Floyd Mayweather’,” the writer puts at the top of a new page in his notebook, and underlines it.

The kid watches Floyd yell at his father and throw his ass out of the gym. That’s what you get. You show up, now, when your boy is famous, and you try to take over his gym for the cameras, and you dis your own brother by saying you did everything? Throw his ass out.

“Mayweather’s dad / cussing him out / says he’s nothing / former drug dealer / comes back for control,” the writer notes, wondering how much of Floyd’s point, here, would be lost in exposition.

The kid checks his cell. He’s bored. The nerdy dude is making Floyd look weak.

“King and Malcolm X!” the writer says to the room. “You’re no civil rights hero for going to jail, Floyd!”

“Malcolm wasn’t what y’all would call a ‘civil rights hero’ when he went to jail, either,” the kid says. “Was he?”

“No one would never understand me,” Mayweather says to Michael Eric Dyson.

“I understand you,” the kid says. “Because nobody understands me.”

No 15 year-old thinks anyone understands him, the writer thinks. He gives others what Oscar Wilde called the benefit of his own inexperience. “‘Nobody understands me’ / same thing Tyson said,” the writer notes; “they capture the disconnectedness of the American teenager”

“Floyd’s making the professor the student,” the kid says. “The nerdy dude just said Floyd was intelligent and well-spoken. Put him on the Money Team, Floyd.”

“‘School will always be there’?” the writer notes. How can he say that to a college professor? how can he be so dismissive? how can the professor just sit there and take it, smiling? “wtf?” the writer scribbles again.

“That’s what a man does, dude,” the kid says. “Floyd had a family to take care of. He made the man’s choice.”

Mayweather leans over and shakes Dyson’s fingers, and the camera swoops upwards.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com.

Centennial, Colo. – April 10, 2012 – This Cinco de Mayo, boxing superstar and seven-time World Champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather will take on current WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Miguel Cotto in the big screen event, Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto Fight Live on Saturday, May 5 at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Broadcast in high definition to nearly 440 movie theaters nationwide from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the highly anticipated match-up will give fans a ringside seat as Mayweathersteps up in weight to challenge Cotto for the super welterweight championship. Also featured on this blockbuster card, will be young superstar Canelo Alvarez facing six-time World Champion Sugar Shane Mosley.

Tickets for Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto Fight Live are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the NCM Fathom website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

Presented by NCM Fathom Events, Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions, Miguel Cotto Promotions and O’Reilly Auto Parts, Rings Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto Fight Live is the latest boxing event to be broadcast live in select movie theaters across the country through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network. Fathom Events, Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions first teamed up in September of 2009 to bring the highly successful presentation of Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez fight to theaters. Fathom Events, Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy also presented live boxing on the big screen in 2010 and 2011 including Star Power: Mayweather vs. Ortizlast Mexican Independence Day weekend.

“I love the fact that people can see my fights in movie theaters across the country,” said Mayweather. “Everyone knows when I fight it is nothing but lights, camera, action. Seeing it on the big screen is going to give fans a great experience. I say buy some popcorn, candy and a soda and enjoy the show because they are definitely going to get their money’s worth.”

Mayweather (42-0, 26 KO’s) is recognized worldwide as one of the best fighters of this generation and is always a major attraction when he steps in to the ring. In his last ring appearance, Mayweather took on the younger Victor Ortiz and showcased his boxing skills, taking Ortiz to school in the first three rounds before knocking him out in the fourth. Throughout his extraordinary career, Mayweather has faced boxing’s best including Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo, Arturo Gatti, Zab Judah, Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Juan Manuel Marquez and Sugar Shane Mosley, yet remains an undefeated, seven-time world champion in five weight classes.

“This is the first time one of my fights will be shown in movie theaters in the United States. We have done it in Puerto Rico in the past, with great success,” said Cotto. “This gives my fans across the country a new way to watch me in the ring. It is exciting. Now there is no way to miss this great fight.”

Cotto (37-2, 30 KO’s) is Puerto Rico’s most exciting fighter, one of its greatest of all time and defined by his warrior spirit. He has held a world title every year since 2004 and has won 16 of the 18 world championships bouts in which he has fought. Capturing the WBA Super Welterweight title in June of 2010, Cotto took on then undefeated defending champion Yuri Foreman at Yankee Stadium, handing him his first defeat. He is coming off of the second defense of his title, which he defended with a spectacular tenth-round knockout of Antonio Margarito. With this knockout, he also avenged his July 2008 loss to Margarito.

“This fight card is going to be so electrifying with the action from both Mayweather vs. Cotto and Alvarez vs. Mosley that anyone watching it on the big screen in movie theaters across the country will have a fantastic experience on Cinco de Mayo weekend,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO Golden Boy Promotions. “We are pleased to have NCM Fathom as partners in this event and thank them for bringing championship boxing to the big screen for an unparalleled level of entertainment.”

With his ferocious and fan-friendly style in the ring, at just 21 years of age Alvarez (39-0-1, 29 KO’s) is Mexico’s latest boxing superhero. After turning pro at just 15 years old, Alvarez tore through the local competition in Mexico and to date has only one blemish on his record – a four round draw with Jorge Juarez (which took place in 2006). Since then no one has come close to beating him. Alvarez took home his first world championship in 2011 and defended it with knockouts of Ryan Rhodes, Alfonzo Gomez and Kermit Cintron respectively later in the year. On May 5, he faces his most significant opponent to date in Sugar Shane Mosley.

Having defined the word “fighter” for nearly two decades, Mosley is one of the most revered boxers of this era. A stellar amateur that just missed out on the 1992 Olympics, Mosley has gone on to strike gold as a professional. With his stunning defeat of Oscar de la Hoya in 2000, Mosley jumped to the top of the list of the best pound for pound fighters in the world. He held that position until losing his belt to Vernon Forrest in 2002 but has since climbed back to the top by being a regular in boxing’s biggest super fights from 2005-2011. With this fight against Alvarez, Mosley looks to win his seventh world title at 40 years old.

“Over the past few years, boxing fans have filled movie theaters across the country to see Mayweather take on the best fighters in the world,” said Shelly Maxwell, executive vice president of NCM Fathom Events. “This bout promises to be as exciting as the first time Mayweather appeared on the big screen in 2009 as he now moves up in weight to challenge Cotto for the super welterweight championship.”

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About National CineMedia (NCM)

NCM operates NCM Media Networks, a leading integrated media company reaching U.S. consumers in movie theaters, online and through mobile technology. The NCM Cinema Network and NCM Fathom present cinema advertising and events across the nation’s largest digital in-theater network, comprised of theaters owned by AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK), Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) and other leading regional theater circuits. NCM’s theater advertising network covers 177 Designated Market Areas® (49 of the top 50) and includes over 18,600 screens (approximately 17,700 digital). During 2011, nearly 671 million patrons (on an annualized basis) attended movies shown in theaters in which NCM currently has exclusive, cinema advertising agreements in place. The NCM Fathom Events live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is comprised of over 700 locations in 167 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). The NCM Interactive Network offers 360-degree integrated marketing opportunities in combination with cinema, encompassing 42 entertainment-related websites, online widgets and mobile applications. National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI) owns a 48.7% interest in and is the managing member of National CineMedia LLC. For more information, visit www.ncm.com or www.FathomEvents.com.

About Golden Boy Promotions

Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions was established in 2002 by Oscar de la Hoya, the first Hispanic to own a national boxing promotional company. In 2007, in its fifth year of promoting, Golden Boy Promotions set a record by selling over 2.5 million in pay-per-view homes in a single night. Also in 2007, Golden Boy Promotions established the record for highest grossing pay-per-view homes in a single year with more than 4 million total. Golden Boy Promotions is one of boxing’s most active and respected promoters, presenting shows in packed venues around the United States on networks such as HBO, SHOWTIME, TeleFutura, Fox Sports Net and ESPN.

About “Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto”

“Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto,” a 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBA Super Welterweight World Championshipis promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions. Also featured will be Canelo Alvarez vs. Sugar Shane Mosley, a 12-round fight for Alvarez’s WBC Super Welterweight World Championship which is presented in association with Canelo Promotions and Sugar Shane Mosley Promotions. The mega event is sponsored by Corona, Hatfields & McCoys on HISTORY™, DeWalt Tools, AT&T, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Puebla-Cinco De Mayo and will take place Saturday, May 5 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

LOS ANGELES, April 9 -The “Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto” pay-per-view card is set and some of the toughest competitors in boxing today will be featured when undefeated rising star Jessie Vargas faces-off against perennial contender Alfonso Gomez and, in the opening pay-per-view bout, exciting 154 lb. contender DeAndre “The Bull” Latimore takes on former World Champion Carlos “El Indio” Quintana. The two 10-round bouts will take place prior to the WBA Super Welterweight Championship between Floyd Mayweather and Miguel Cotto and the Canelo Alvarez vs. Sugar Shane Mosley WBC Super Welterweight title bout Saturday, May 5 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Bet on this great fight

Twenty-two-year-old Las Vegas resident Jessie Vargas (18-0, 9 KO’s) is one of boxing’s fastest rising stars with notable wins over Arturo Morua, Walter Estrada and former World Champion Vivian Harris. Last September on the Mayweather vs. Ortiz card, Vargas proved that he is one of boxing’s top contenders with an exciting 10-round decision victory over fellow contender Josesito Lopez. Eager to keep his momentum going, Vargas scored a near-shutout win over Lanardo Tyner in February and is now hoping to add Alfonso Gomez to his collection of high-profile wins.

As a member of the cast in the hit boxing reality series “The Contender,” Alfonso Gomez (23-5-2, 12 KO’s) became the fighter to beat as he defeated the show’s top contenders, as well as other top-tier opponents such as Ben Tackie, Jesus Soto Karass and World Champions Arturo Gatti and Jose Luis Castillo. A two-time world title challenger who faced Miguel Cotto in 2008 and Canelo Alvarez in 2011, the 31-year-old from Guadalajara begins another quest for the title on May 5.

Twenty-six-year-old St. Louis-native DeAndre Latimore (23-3, 17 KO’s) now resides in Las Vegas and the change of scenery has done wonders for the aptly nicknamed “Bull.” As a former super welterweight title challenger who lost a highly controversial split decision to Cory Spinks in 2009, Latimore is looking to regain momentum and battle his way back into title contention. With three consecutive wins, including a memorable 10-round victory over Milton Nunez in February, he is closing in on another shot at 154-pound gold.

Moca, Puerto Rico’s Carlos Quintana (28-3, 22 KO’s) is a southpaw like the St. Louis native Latimore; however, “El Indio” is more matador than bull, with his excellent boxing skills, which led him to a world welterweight title win in 2008 over a then-unbeaten Paul Williams. With wins over top contenders including Joel Julio, Francisco Campos and Nurhan Suleymanoglu, the 35-year-old Quintana has won three of his last four bouts, most recently stopping Yoryi Estrella in nine rounds in February of 2011.

Latimore vs. Quintana is presented in association with DiBella Entertainment.

“Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto,” a 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBA Super Welterweight World Championship is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions. Also featured will be Canelo Alvarez vs. Sugar Shane Mosley, a 12-round fight for Canelo’s WBC Super Welterweight World Championship which is presented in association with Canelo Promotions and Sugar Shane Mosley Promotions. The mega event is sponsored by Corona, Hatfields & McCoys on HISTORY™, DeWalt Tools, AT&T, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Puebla-Cinco De Mayo and will take place Saturday, May 5 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Limited tickets for “Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto” are still available, with a total ticket limit of ten (10) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Three MGM Resorts International properties, Mandalay Bay, Monte Carlo and The Mirage, will host live closed circuit telecasts of “Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto.” Advanced purchased tickets for the closed circuit telecasts are priced at $75, not including handling fees. All seats are general admission and are on sale now at each individual property’s box office outlets or by phone with a major credit card at 866-799-7711.

HBO’s Emmy® Award-winning all-access series “24/7” premieres an all-new edition when “24/7 Mayweather/Cotto” debuts Saturday, April 14 at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. The four-part series will air for three consecutive Saturday nights before the finale airs the night before the super welterweight championship showdown in Las Vegas.

Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank

Puerto Rico

NEW YORK

LOS ANGELES

On the 41st anniversary Thursday of the first Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier fight, random reflections and recollections while wondering if there will be ever be a Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao anniversary:

· Sorry for wondering at all, but at least I didn’t have to wonder for long. Chances aren’t good that history will repeat itself with a fight remembered in the next century.

· Thursday’s anniversary of Frazier’s epic decision over Ali in 1971 at Madison Square Garden is the first since Frazier died in November. On the 25th anniversary, I sat with Frazier in Indianapolis at a luncheon sponsored by the U.S. Olympic Committee during 1996 swimming trials. Film of the bout played on screens in every corner of the room. I asked Frazier about Ali’s terrible fight with Parkinson’s. “You see that right hand, you see that left,’’ Frazier, a 1964 gold medallist, said as he pointed at the screen with the right he had landed that night. “That’s why he has problems.’’ Frazier never forgot. Rest in peace, Joe.

· Some Puerto Rican history is at stake Saturday night at Roberto Clemente Stadium in San Juan. For two decades, Puerto Rico’s proud boxing heritage has been sustained, first by Felix Trinidad and then by Miguel Cotto. Juan Manuel Lopez has been the designated successor. But that uninterrupted line of succession is in danger in a Showtime-televised rematch with Mexican Orlando Salido, who in April knocked out Lopez. Lopez has talked about distractions – marital strife and weight problems – before the loss. Safe to say, Puerto Ricans don’t want hear about any more distractions. At home, all of the pressure is on Lopez. The pick here: Lopez, in a late-round stoppage.

· Pacquiao is suing an Asian journalist for libel in a story that linked him to a carjacker, is thinking about running for the Filipino presidency and is facing a complaint from Filipino tax authorities, who have questions about his documentation. Those are the headlines, all within a couple of days and each with only passing reference to the Congressman’s June 9 fight against dangerous Timothy Bradley. Distractions have always followed Pacquiao. But these aren’t about singing, or basketball, or movie-making. They are the kind that dog and define prominent politicians. Fulltime ones, too.

· Just when I thought Missing was a new ABC series starring Ashley Judd as a mom searching for her son, Yuriokis Gamboa doesn’t show up. Gamboa went missing, not one but twice, first in Miami and then in Los Angeles for news conferences scheduled to hype what now appears to be a tentative – very tentative – bout with Brandon Rios on April 14. Rumor is that Gamboa is unhappy with Bob Arum’s Top Rank and wants to jump to Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s promotional company. If true, that will be another reason for Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, to detest Mayweather and just another reason to think that Pacquiao-Mayweather won’t happen.

AZ NOTES
Another chapter in Arizona’s comeback from the immigration controversy, SB 1070, will happen this spring, first on March 23 at Tucson’s Casino del Sol with a ShoBox-televised card featuring Las Vegas super-featherweight Diego Magdaleno.

It’s intriguing, in part because Antonio Margarito’s brother-in-law, bantamweight Hanzel Martinez, is scheduled for the undercard. Martinez got interested in boxing when he used to run with Margarito. The March 23 card might set the stage in May for a Margarito fight in Arizona, his first since his loss in a December rematch to Miguel Cotto.

On April 21, Iron Boy Promotions plans to be back in Phoenix for an encore of its Feb .17 debut in front of near capacity crowd at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix. On May 4, Michelle Rosado, who took the lead in re-opening the Phoenix boxing market, will promote in southern Arizona for the first time on May 4 with a card at Desert Diamond Casino, where Golden Boy Promotions had a good run before leaving because of the cost and license restrictions brought on by SB1070.

Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer talks about all things Golden Boy including the May 5th showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Miguel Cotto

Pound for Pound King Floyd Mayweather talks to reporters about his May 5th showdown with WBA Super Welterweight champion Miguel Cotto

Pound for Pound King Floyd Mayweather and WBA Super Welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather meet the media at the Famous Apollo Theater to announce their May 5th showdown

For the congregation that still prays for Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr., pray a little harder that the born-again Pacquiao isn’t struck by a head butt from Tim Bradley that ruptures old wounds above a right eye with scars that might as well look like a target.

A perfect storm of circumstances are aligned for just such a collision in the Bradley-Pacquiao fight on June 9 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand. Head butts are already more likely in a bout between a southpaw and an orthodox fighter. Between the left-handed Pacquiao and the orthodox Bradley, one and more are an even better bet than a Pacquiao victory.

Start with each fighter’s past. Start with Bradley’s head. It has become a weapon, notorious and dangerous. Accidental butts led to cuts that resulted in his last victory, a 10th-round technical decision, over a bloodied Devon Alexander last winter in Detroit.

Pacquiao has suffered cuts above the right eye repeatedly, once in a decision last year over orthodox Shane Mosley in May and again in November with a gash deep enough to expose bone in the 10th round of his controversial decision over orthodox Juan Manuel Marquez. It was caused by – you guessed it – a head butt. Twenty-eight stitches were needed to close that one.

The lengthy healing process was mentioned as a reason Pacquiao couldn’t fight Mayweather on May 5. The real truth might be more about money than stitches. The danger now, however, is that there won’t be any argument left about Pacquiao-Mayweather next November if Bradley’s head lands all over again.

Remember this: A cut over that same eye appeared to the biggest factor in Pacquiao’s last loss by unanimous decision to orthodox Erik Morales in 2005. The cut was sustained in the fifth round from a clash of heads. Then, it was called accidental. If it happens again, it won’t be called coincidental. It will be remembered as an avoidable obstacle standing in the way of the one fight the world has wanted to see.

Gonzales wants to fight on
Jesus Gonzales of Phoenix plans to continue fighting despite a loss that, at first glance, appeared to be a career-ender Saturday when Adonis Stevenson dropped him with left hands 99 seconds after the opening bell in Montreal.

The 27-year-old Gonzales (27-2, 14 KOs) wants to move back down in weight, from super-middle (168 pounds) to middle (160), according to his promoter, Canadian Darin Schmick of FanBase.

Stevenson (17-1, 14 KOs) overwhelmed Gonzales, perhaps because he was the bigger, stronger fighter, although Gonzales never even attempted to circle away from the known power in Stevenson’s left . He simply walked right into it, almost as if he were walking into an oncoming locomotive.

Gonzales also has talked about finding a new trainer. He has mentioned Robert Garcia, who is already busy with Brandon Rios, Nonito Donaire and Antonio Margarito. A revolving corner has been a problem for Gonzales, who took the Stevenson fight on late notice.

In Montreal, Gonzales father, Ernie, was back in his corner. His dad, his trainer for the first part of his pro career and throughout his brilliant days as an amateur, had decided to step away. But he worked with him for nearly four weeks of training in Calgary.

Gonzales’ plans, however, hinge on an MRI to determine if he suffered head trauma, Schmick said. Gonzales, who lost by TKO in 2005 to Jose Luis Zertuche in his only other loss, was knocked out for the first time in his career by Stevenson. The KO means he’ll need a clean MRI to get licensed, said Schmick, who was trying to put Gonzales in position for a shot at Andre Ward. Ward’s last loss was to Gonzales when both were amateurs.

NOTES, COUNTERS
Alexander tries to put his career back on track against dangerous Marcos Maidana Saturday in St. Louis, Alexander’s hometown. He said he’d like another shot at Bradley, although he also said something in a conference call that might serve as a warning to Pacquiao. “You can’t train for head butts,’’ Alexander said. “You can’t train to get head-butted and to get your eye all messed up.’’

And there’s no truth to the rumor that the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation – the Lone Star State’s boxing commission — conducted the drug testing for Milwaukee Brewers slugger Ryan Braun, whose 50-game suspension was overturned Thursday. Apparently, protocol wasn’t followed. In San Antonio, the Texas commissioners forgot to test Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. after he beat Marco Antonio Rubio on Feb. 4. Details, those pesky details.