LONDON (May 18, 2017) – IBF Junior Lightweight World Champion Gervonta Davis, undefeated No. 1 contender Liam Walsh and promoter Floyd Mayweather got into a jarring session during Thursday’s final press conference at Landmark Hotel in London just two days before Saturday’s world title clash on SHOWTIME from Copper Box Arena.

Baltimore’s “Tank” Davis, America’s youngest world champion, will attempt to become the first American to successfully defend his title on British soil in nearly a decade*, while Walsh (21-0, 14 KOs) aims to dethrone the man that Mayweather has christened the “future of boxing.” (*Note: Paulie Malignaggi vs. Lovemore Ndou in 2008)

Davis vs. Walsh is part of a split-site, four-fight SHOWTME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast that begins on Saturday, May 20, at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. In the main event, Gary Russell Jr. will make his second featherweight title defense and long-awaited homecoming against mandatory challenger Oscar Escandon live from MGM National Harbor just outside of Washington, D.C.

The 22-year-old Davis, who has won by knockout in 16 of his 17 professional fights, will make the first defense of the IBF belt to won via KO over previously unbeaten Jose Pedraza in January. The 30-year-old Walsh has won by knockout in three of his last four bouts and will be a decided local favorite at an expected sold-out Copper Box Arena.

The pound-for-pound great turned promoter Mayweather and Walsh’s two brothers, fellow professional fighters Michael and Ryan, led the jarring during Thursday’s festivities with Mayweather claiming “I’m 40 years old and I’ll kick all three of your asses in the same night.”

Team Walsh was “not intimidated one little bit” by Mayweather or Tank, while the southpaw Davis promised “On Saturday night you’ll be on your ass. And then your brothers can get in next.”

Below are highlights of what the participants had to say on Thursday:

GERVONTA DAVIS:
“I’m just on a whole different level. I do know they built you good, but you’ve been dropped before. They’ve been protecting you from the power, so I know you have no chin. On Saturday night you’ll be on your ass. And then your brothers can get in next.

“Please don’t run Saturday night.

“I’ve just been trying to stay level-headed. Getting that belt brings me that much closer to what I want to do – to take over the sport of boxing. With the performance I put on Saturday night it will bring me a step closer to being the star of boxing and follow after Floyd Mayweather.

“Having Floyd in my corner gives me a lot of confidence. Floyd has been pretty hands on with me, he’s been getting up and training and running with me. He was my hero in the sport of boxing coming up so to just have him in my corner now is amazing.

“I won the belt and now my focus is to take over the sport.

“Growing up in Baltimore, it has a high crime rate. It’s been tough. Where I’m from the gym is in the hood. If it wasn’t for the gym I’d either be in jail or dead. That’s not what I want to be. Boxing saved my life.”

LIAM WALSH:
“I’m always confident. As I’ve said many times, his performance against Pedraza was very good. I applaud him. Tank is the best fighter I’ve come up against in my career so far, but I’m also the best fighter he’s going to come against in his career so far. So it makes for a great fight.

“He’s physically very good. He’s very fast, very powerful. He’s a good puncher and performed beyond his years against Pedraza. You can’t knock his performance whatsoever, but there’s still a lot of questions that he has to answer.

“The southpaw stance doesn’t affect me too much. I can switch between the two. I’m comfortable in both stances so that doesn’t bother me.

“I don’t think I can put it into words what it would mean to win the title. It’s been a dream of mine since I was a little child. The feeling, the emotion, I can’t put it into words. This is the biggest night of my life.

“There are definitely flaws in his game and they’re there for me to exploit. I plan to take advantage of his mistakes. When I was 22, there were definitely mistakes I made that I wouldn’t make now. So maybe it’s the perfect time to fight him.

“I’m not intimidated one little bit. Not by Floyd, not by Tank, not by anyone.

“I predict I will win the fight. I wouldn’t be shocked if I won by knockout, I wouldn’t be shocked if I won on points. You won’t see me celebrating like a mad man if I knock out Tank because I know I’m capable of it.”

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:
“It’s not just one performance. It takes more than just one performance. We truly believe that he can be a great fighter, but he came in his last fight with only 16 fights and beat the champion. We know he’s not going to lay down. This kid has dynamite in both hands. If he keeps going out there beating great fighters he cannot be denied.

“When its lights, camera, action and the bell rings, 17 times he came out victorious and 16 by way of (knockout).

“His team does a remarkable job, but it’s my job as a friend and a father figure to tell him to come to Vegas to get him the best work. We wanted him to have different looks. We want guys that were going to push him, give him different styles.

“This kid, he busts his ass day in and day out. We’re going to continue to go out there and do what we do.

“I already conquered your country once (with Ricky Hatton) and now we’re going to conquer it again on Saturday.

“I don’t miss being in the gym at all. If I can push this fighter to surpass me and break every record, that’s a goal of mine. That’s what we’re here to do. Records are made to be broken.

“I remember when I met Tank on the Canelo (Alvarez) press tour and he asked to take a photo with me. When I took a photo with him I said, ‘there’s something about that kid that looks special.’

“He came to my gym and put in some real good work and I reached out to him and said, ‘whatever it takes to work with you and get you to the next level, let’s make it happen.’ I told him, ‘if you listen to me and continue to work hard I truly believe you can be world champion within 24 months.’ And that’s just one stepping stone. As of right now he’s one of the only fighters in boxing facing back-to-back undefeated fighters.

“Frank Warren, Liam Walsh, we just want to commend you guys for stepping up to the plate and making this fight happen and giving the fans what they want to see. The fans want to see blood, sweat and tears.

“Tank is always in tremendous fights, he’s a big knockout artist. I truly believe in my man, and I want to work with him until the end of his career.”

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LONDON (May 18) – Floyd Mayweather protégé Gervonta Davis says he wants to become boxing’s next superstar but must first get past Cromer’s Liam Walsh.

The 22-year-old from the mean streets of Baltimore will make the first defence of his IBF super-featherweight world title when he steps into a British ring for the first time to take on the undefeated Walsh, live this Saturday night on BoxNation.

In his dazzling stoppage win over Jose Pedraza earlier this year to win his world title, ‘Tank’ as Davis is nicknamed, showcased all the tools needed to reach the very pinnacle of the sport and sees Walsh as just another step towards reaching that goal.

“It’s been pretty good since winning the world title. I’m actually staying level headed, staying focused. Getting the world title is a step closer to where I want to be,” said Davis.

“Having a belt is cool, but I’m trying to do more in the sport. I want to be the next star of boxing. I want to do more in the sport. This is just one more step to me,” he said.

Preparing for his fight at the Copper Box Arena this weekend, Davis has been guided in the final part of his training camp by his promoter Mayweather, who has been sharing some words of wisdom with the 130-pounder.

“When I got back to Vegas, Floyd Mayweather was hands on more than usual, working with me in the gym late nights,” he said.

“I’ve been working extra hard. Having him back in the gym gives me that extra push and has my mind on another level.

“Having him in my corner makes me feel like I have that chance. I have one of the best in the business backing me. It means a lot. It makes me work harder,” Davis said.

30-year-old Walsh is no pushover himself and has stacked up 21 wins unbeaten, with 14 of those by knockout.

The Norfolk boxer is adamant that he will keep his unblemished record intact by handing Davis his very first loss.

“He certainly has potential and star quality – that was clear to see when he beat [Jose] Pedraza. But he has to come through me first,” said Walsh

“I don’t see any other way than me winning. If he’s going to be a star in the future, it’s going to have to be with a loss after fighting me,” he said.

Walsh is sceptical about the names on Davis’ record and believes he still has a lot of questions to answer.

“I don’t think he’s completely overrated, but I think there are still a lot of questions to be asked of him. He looked very good and brilliant against Pedraza. The only other reputable fighter on his record is Cristobal Cruz. There are a lot of question marks lingering on,” said Walsh.

“I feel like I’ve been in tougher fights than him. I feel like I’ve been in longer fights. I think I have a better boxing IQ than him. He’s very powerful, very physical and very fast, but we haven’t seen him in a long fight or a dog fight or a gruelling fight though.

“I will certainly ask all these questions. I’ll do it any which way that it has to go. I’m more than confident I’ll get the job done,” he said.

Following Davis v Walsh, BoxNation will then turn its attention across the Atlantic where pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford takes on the slick Felix Diaz, exclusively live from Madison Square Garden.

WBC and WBO super-lightweight world champion Crawford is very much the man to beat at 140-pounds but against the Dominican Republic’s Diaz he will need to be at the very top of his game if he hopes to continue his dominance of the division.

Diaz, a 2008 Olympic gold medallist and with just a solitary loss on his record, has been calling out 29-year-old Crawford for months, with the Nebraska native saying he will be ready for whatever comes his way.

“Come Saturday, I will be ready for whatever Felix Diaz brings to the ring that night,” said Crawford. “It’s going to be a great experience fighting at Madison Square Garden in the big arena where all the greats have fought. I’m looking forward to that night,” he said.

Davis v Walsh will be live from 7.30pm BST on BoxNation, followed by Crawford v Diaz from 2am BST.

Davis v Walsh & Crawford v Diaz is live on BoxNation this Saturday night. Sky customers can get free registration by using the offer code MAYBOXING. Buy now at boxnation.com.

– ENDS –

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FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR became the latest boxing superstar to grace the spiritual home of British boxing tonight.

The fight legend made a shock appearance at York Hall, Bethnal Green to check out his fighter Gervonta Davis.

‘The Tank’ who defends his IBF super-featherweight crown against Liam Walsh at London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday night performed a public workout.

Mayweather, who retired with a stunning 49-0, was chased by fans when he arrived at the venue in London’s East End before relaxing with the boxer he promotes.

Moments earlier underdog Walsh had performed and is ready to cause an upset after a 16 week training camp.

Walsh said: “The intensity increased slowly. If I had a ten week camp it would have been intense from the off.

“I say I have been training hard for four months, but I train all year round. I was even running the day after Klimov and I’m ready.

“He is getting a lot of media because Mayweather says he is the future of boxing.

“Some people just think it’s true and just at follow along instead of having their own thoughts and believe everything they’re told.

“For me he looks very good and there is no doubt he’s a world class fighter, but there are still a lot of questions to be asked.”

All floor seating at the Copper Box Arena has now SOLD OUT.

Remaining tickets are available from www.seetickets.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Baltimore’s Gervonta Davis will make the first defence of his IBF Super-Featherweight crown against undefeated Cromer hero Liam Walsh at London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday 20th May, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

Davis, known as simply ‘The Tank’ for his brutal knockout power, spectacularly announced himself as boxing’s next superstar with an unforgettable seventh round stoppage win over former Champion Jose Pedraza in January and is relishing making the first defence of his crown on foreign soil.

Slick southpaw Walsh outclassed Andrey Klimov back in October to confirm his mandatory status as the number one contender and has not put a foot wrong in his career to date, winning the British, Commonwealth and WBO European belts along his 21-0 journey.

Ahead of their eagerly-anticipated World Title showdown later this month, Davis and Walsh were joined by promoters Floyd Mayweather and Frank Warren for an unmissable face to face interview.

WATCH THE EXCLUSIVE FACE TO FACE INTERVIEW HERE

All floor seating at the Copper Box Arena has SOLD OUT.

Remaining tickets priced £40 and £50 are available from www.seetickets.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk

With less than four weeks until the IBF World Super-Featherweight Title fight between Floyd Mayweather protege Gervonta Davis and challenger Liam Walsh, the tension is beginning to build.

On May 20th, ‘Tank’ Davis makes the first defence of his strap at the Copper Box Arena, where the Mayweather hype train will roll into London.

Mandatory challenger Liam Walsh is unbeaten in 21 contests, and will fancy his chances of upsetting the man billed as America’s next big star.

Ryan Walsh, brother of the Cromer hero, responded to a BoxNation tweet on Monday showing the immense speed of Davis, mocking the Baltimore man.

Walsh, who makes the third defence of his British Featherweight strap against Marco McCullough on the undercard, Tweeted: “The #speed he leaves England when my brother exposes him!!”

Davis, replied later that day, stating that he’ll beat Ryan after he becomes the first man to defeat Liam, Tweeting: “You can get in there next after I whip ya brother’s ass. Flat!”

“I’ll give you a comeback whooping if you’re still interested after Liam deals with you,” fired back 30-year-old Walsh, who also labelled the American as “chubby”.

An action-packed undercard features Light-Heavyweight knockout artist Anthony Yarde taking on Southern Area Champion Chris Hobbs for his first professional title; teenage Heavyweight monster Daniel Dubois goes in search of another big knockout; plus Southampton’s Joe Pigford and Barking’s Aaron Morgan put their unbeaten records on the line in a potential barn burner.

Local talent including Harrow’s Mitchell Smith; Hornchurch Super-Welterweight ‘Hammer’ Sammy McNess; Sikh sensation Sanjeev Singh Sahota; Chingford Super-Featherweight Boy Jones Jnr; Ilford Super-Bantamweight Lucien Reid; New Malden Super-Middleweight Lerrone Richards; Welling Super-Featherweight Archie Sharp; Chelmsford Super-Middleweight Billy Long; Croydon Flyweight Sunny Edwards; and Wycombe Ben Smith complete an unmissable card.

All floor seating at the Copper Box Arena has SOLD OUT.

Remaining tickets priced £40 and £50 are available from www.seetickets.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk

By Norm Frauenheim

It’s beginning to look as if Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor are just a few dancing bears away from reaching an agreement on whatever it is they intend to do in June, or September or, whenever.

All of the talk is creating its own momentum. Where there’s smoke, there’s cash these days and there should be enough of the latter to ensure that the spectacle will happen.

By all accounts, it’ll be a boxing match, although there are good reasons to think it’ll turn into something else.

It’s no secret that McGregor has no boxing experience, which is another way of saying he’d have no chance against the best boxer of the last decade. McGregor knows that. If he doesn’t, he’d find out soon enough.

At the very second he discovers he’s got no shot, the guess here is that he’d kick Mayweather in the head. McGregor gets disqualified and probably fined. But what would he have to lose? He’d still bank seven, maybe eight, figures and his MMA loyalists would love the crazy moment.

Yeah, it would be outrageous. But isn’t that a reason so many people are talking about it?

After all, Mayweather-McGregor wouldn’t be about sportsmanship. We aren’t talking about a gentle game of lawn croquet here, although their respective fans might watch even that. Who knows? McGregor might pick up one of those mallets and drop Mayweather faster than Victor Ortiz.

Truth is, it’s hard to know exactly what to make of Mayweather-McGregor. Neither fish nor fowl. More like fishy and foul.

From a boxing perspective, the real problem rests with Mayweather’s pursuit of legacy. It’s not about the cash. Mayweather is better at making money than just about anybody under the big top. Money is his nickname.

He’ll be remembered more for that than even his ample boxing skill. Still, legacy is important to him. If it weren’t, he wouldn’t be selling those T-shirts and caps bearing that familiar acronym, TBE – The Best Ever.

But it would be a cheap insult to history if Mayweather were allowed to go 50-0 – one victory better than Rocky Marciano’s iconic record – against a mixed-martial artist with no boxing experience.

If Nevada or New York or any other state agency sanctioned Mayweather-McGregor as a boxing match, the result – win, lose or draw – becomes a matter of record.

There’s already precedent for that. In an internet event on pay-per-view in Phoenix a year ago, Roy Jones Jr. added a victory and knockout to his record (65-9 47 KOs) in an Arizona-sanctioned boxing match against an MMA novice, Vyron Phillips, who told the AZ commission that he had boxed as an amateur.

McGregor, of course, says he will pull off a global shocker and knock out Mayweather. What else is he going to say? Other than his MMA loyalists, however, there is no argument in any language about McGregor’s chances. It’s zero, nada, bupkis.

It would be against Manny Pacquiao in a rematch, or Timothy Bradley, or Keith Thurman, or Shawn Porter, or Danny Garcia, or Errol Spence, or Kell Brook, or Amir Khan, or Jessie Vargas. Any of them would be a truer test than McGregor could ever be.

Come to think of it, all of them and more should sign a petition and deliver it to state commissions, asking that McGregor-Mayweather not be sanctioned as a boxing match.

License it for what it is: A big money-maker, but not a history-maker.

Baltimore’s Gervonta Davis will make the first defence of his IBF Super-Featherweight crown against undefeated Cromer hero Liam Walsh at London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday 20th May, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

Davis, known as simply ‘The Tank’ for his brutal knockout power, spectacularly announced himself as boxing’s next superstar with an unforgettable seventh round stoppage win over former Champion Jose Pedraza in January and is relishing making the first defence of his crown on foreign soil.

“I always wanted to come to the UK and fight,” said Davis. “Many of my fans are based there, so I’m just excited that they will be able to come see me fight in their own backyard.

“Liam Walsh is a tough contender, and I’m hoping he brings it. I will be well prepared for whatever he does, and believe me when I say that I will put on a great show.

“That IBF belt is very happy at home with me and it will be staying with me for a long, long time. To all the people that have been messaging me positive things on my social media, thank you. Keep supporting me and I’ll fight for you.”

Slick southpaw Walsh outclassed Andrey Klimov back in October to confirm his mandatory status as the number one contender and has not put a foot wrong in his career to date, winning the British, Commonwealth and WBO European belts along his 21-0 journey.

“This is a serious fight,” said Walsh. “He is going to bring his best on May 20th and I’m going to bring mine. He is a very good fighter and I’m a very good fighter. May the best man win! I 100% believe that is going to be me.

“I’ve waited a long time for this opportunity and I’m ready to seize my moment and win a World Title. Years of hard work in the gym has got me to where I am today and I’m not going to waste this golden opportunity. The Farmy Army will be out in full force to push me on to glory.”

Tickets for this unmissable showdown are available NOW from:

www.ticketmaster.co.uk

www.eventim.co.uk
0844 249 1000

www.seetickets.com

LONDON (18 January 2017) Legendary Irish boxer Peter McDonagh has blasted fellow countryman and MMA superstar Conor McGregor and told him he should fight him first before he even talks about fighting Floyd Mayweather.

Galway born McDonagh, a three-weight Irish champion and the reigning Irish Welterweight Champion, doesn’t believe that McGregor is even the best fighter in Ireland and has thrown down a challenge to UFC great ‘The Notorious’ to prove he has the right to face boxing’s former pound-for-pound king.

McDonagh, known as the ‘Connemara Kid’, has been fighting pro for nearly 17 years in a roller-coaster career with a near 50-50 record in 56 fights, but a current unbeaten run of eight wins has got boxing fans’ and media to sit up and take notice.

He’s changed his nickname to the ‘Cinderella Man’ to reflect the change in his career from outsider to contender as he targets a dream world title shot and with a new found unshakable self-belief and support from the MGM in Marbella, McDonagh’s ready to prove that McGregor’s boasts are just hot air.

McDonagh said, “I started reading about McGregor wanting to fight Mayweather and I thought to myself ‘Hang on a minute, this guy hasn’t even boxed professionally or proved himself in a pro boxing ring and he wants to fight the best pound-for-pound fighter of this generation. Yet he hasn’t even proved himself to be the best fighter in Ireland.’ So I’m coming out publicly to say fight me first and see how you do and if you beat me then start shouting your mouth off for Mayweather,”

“McGregor’s famous for saying ‘Who the F*** is that guy’ , but he will know very well who I am and what I’m all about as he came to National Stadium in Dublin to support his friend Dean Byrne when I fought him for the Irish Welterweight title in November 2015. I beat Byrne who he was cheering for loudly at ringside and after seeing me win a hard and brutal fight I could see the look on McGregor’s face that he would not want to face me in a boxing ring,”

“I respect what he’s done in the UFC and he’s a superstar in the MMA world, but I personally believe that he has no place in a boxing ring and if he comes up against even a half decent boxer he’d get beat easily. He’s making these silly statements that he’d beat Mayweather, but he would get absolutely destroyed. What I’m saying is before you go straight into a boxing ring and fight Mayweather, prove yourself against a boxer like me and if you beat me, but bearing in mind I’ve never been on my backside in my career, then you know you’ve got half a chance in there,”

“I’m the Irish Champion and McGregor’s a massive name back home so Iets do the fight at Croke Park in front of 82,000 fans and give the public what they want to see. If he says he’s the people’s champion then go out and prove it and give the fans’ what they want to see, two Irishman fighting each other on the biggest stage. If he’s proud of his heritage and what he represents then he’ll be a man and take up the challenge, if he doesn’t then it shows he doesn’t care about the Irish fans’ and its all about the money.”

McDonagh next fights in on promoter Mick Hennessy’s EuroFighter show on Saturday 11th February at the Westcroft Leisure Centre, Carshalton, headlined by the European Lightweight Championship between Lenny Daws and Anthony Yigit.

An action-packed card also features Clapham light-heavyweight Kirk Garvey, Morden super-lightweight Craig Whyatt, unbeaten Wraysbury super-welterweight prospect Tony Bange and undefeated super-bantamweight talent Thomas Kindon.

Tickets, priced at £40 and £100 can be purchased through Ticketmaster online at: http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/35005172B612815C or by phone on 0844 844 0444

Doors will open at 5.30pm, first fight is at 6pm. The last entry time for the public is 8pm.

Members of the public who have purchased tickets that have the original event date of Saturday 17th December printed on them are advised that they will REMAIN VALID for the new date and can be handed in for entry to the venue on the day.

MEDIA ACCREDITAITON
If you wish to apply for media accreditation for Anthony Yigit v Lenny Daws please CLICK HERE. The deadline for applications to be submitted is Thursday 15th December.

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CINCINNATI (January 10, 2017) — Former four-division world champion Adrien Broner hosted a press conference in his hometown of Cincinnati Tuesday as he prepares to return home to face hard-hitting contender Adrian Granados on Saturday, February 18 from the Cintas Center at Xavier University and live on SHOWTIME®.

The press conference featured Mayweather Promotions President Floyd Mayweather, who will help promote the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING card that begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by About Billions Promotions and Mayweather Promotions in association with TGB Promotions, are priced at $250, $100, $75, $50 and $30, not including applicable fees, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.

Here is what the participants had to say on Tuesday:

ADRIEN BRONER

“I’ve fought at home a lot and to come back with another fight like this is an awesome feeling. I know it’s going to be a great night. It’s going to be a great night for Cincinnati and for my career.

“We’ve brought Granados into camp for sparring before but I’m a much different fighter now. I know he is too and I think it’s going to make an exciting, explosive fight. Granados is no pushover. He’s not an opponent that anybody can just pick up a win. I knew Adrian Granados will bring the best out of Adrien Broner.

“I know that I have what it takes to take over boxing. To do that I need to focus 100 percent on boxing and crafting my skills. That’s my mindset and that’s what I’m focused on.

“I’m here to do less talking, and more fighting and smiling. I’m going to put on a great show on February 18. It’s all about putting on great performances and winning.

“I go into every fight with the confidence to be myself. If I do what I have to do, I can be victorious. Granados is coming to fight. I have to be focused because he won’t lay down.

“It’s just about me doing better. It’s about changing for the better and being as positive as can be. I’m not bringing negativity to anything I do.

“I won’t have any distractions fighting at home. I know how to block everything out and stay focused on what’s in front of me.

“I’ve been on the downside and the upside of boxing, but my name has made it through. I’m not going to take my talent for granted and I’m going to change for the better.

“It’s great to have Floyd and Mayweather Promotions involved in this event. Floyd has always supported me and I owe him a lot. He’s really been a mentor to me. He’s helped me stay level-headed throughout everything.

“Right now I’m all about my future, my kids, my team and putting on a great performance as a boxer. I’m always going to be entertaining, because I’m always going to be me.”

ADRIAN GRANADOS

“I’m confident that I’m more determined than any other fighter I’ll face. I’ll also have a few tricks up my sleeve on fight night. I haven’t shown everything in my arsenal.

“I was in camp with Adrien Broner when he fought Marcos Maidana, so I know him pretty well. I’ve been compared to Maidana, but everyone has their own style. I’m going to get this win my own way.

“I’m focused on what I have to do as a fighter. We have different weapons and we can mix it up and fight in different ways. The accumulation of my punches can wear a fighter down.

“It’s a great honor to be here and I’ve let Adrien know that I’m grateful for the opportunity. This is a great fight for boxing. There are a lot of great big fights out there and our fight isn’t as well-known, but if you know boxing, you know that I come to win.

“Adrien Broner is a great fighter. He’s a four-division champion and that’s no fluke. He’s fought everybody at the championship level. Now he’s giving me this opportunity and I’ve let it be known that the best man will win.

“We’re going to wait and see round by round. I don’t like going to the judges’ scorecard and fighting in his hometown, I’m going to try to get a knockout. I have to do anything in my power to keep the fight out of the judges’ hands.

“I’ve mostly fought at home in Chicago but I’ve always wanted a tough challenge on the road like this. I’m excited to step into someone’s backyard and be the villain who ruins the day.”

FLOYD MAYWEATHER, President of Mayweather Promotions

“These are going to be two hungry lions in the ring, and that’s what it’s all about. It’s about giving the people entertainment. Adrien Broner is flashy, flamboyant and outspoken. He’s still young and has a lot to go out there and prove. He doesn’t just want to show that he’s one of the best, but that he’s the best in the sport.

“You have to go out there every day and prove you’re the best. Adrian Granados is always in action-packed fights and he brings excitement. This is a great matchup. These guys know that they aren’t fighting pushovers. It’s the best versus the best.

“Both fighters have great trainers and great teams. I’ve helped pave the way for these guys, but so have these trainers. They’ve helped bring these men to this point. I think they both have potential to be stars.

“The sport of boxing is so interesting and there are so many great fights coming up. This is an important fight for the sport in a stretch where there are a lot of exciting matchups.

“I’m proud of Adrien Broner. He’s had a minor setback leading to major comeback. He’s going to come back better than ever. But he can’t overlook this opponent. You can look up and all of a sudden you’re down.

“No one can overlook Adrian Granados. It’s a really good matchup. This guy definitely reminds me of Marcos Maidana. I don’t know if he can punch like him, but the style and aggressiveness is there. He’s always in action packed fights.

“Adrien has speed and power, but I’m looking to see Adrien throwing combinations. That’s what some fighters lack nowadays. We think too much about ‘Money’ Mayweather, and forget about ‘Pretty Boy’ Floyd. He had a 90 percent knockout rate. I think we need to see an aggressive Adrien that will throw combinations while staying smart.

“I love being a promoter and giving back to young fighters. I didn’t become a promoter to make money. I did it because I want to make money for fighters and make their dreams come true. My company is easy to work with, because we’re only focused on the fighters.

“I want both fighters to give Cincinnati and the whole world a great fight. You’re young, hungry and dedicated. Show the world what you’re about.”

RAVONE LITTLEJOHN, CEO of About Billions

“This is going to be a great fight for the city of Cincinnati. Adrien is undefeated when he fights in his hometown. We can’t wait to do it again.

“It’s been a year since Adrien’s last fight in Cincinnati and we’re excited that the time is now. It’s going to be a tough fight. Adrien knows that Granados isn’t easy at all.

“We’ve brought Granados in as a sparring partner before so we know what we’re up against. I think this is a perfect matchup for Adrien and the fans to enjoy a great night of action.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“We know on February 18 that Adrien Broner is going to bring his best. He’s one of the top stars in the sport and I know that he’s going to put on a great show for his city.

“Adrian Granados has only lost by split or majority decision, no one has ever dominated this man. We know that he’s going to be there to make this a competitive fight.

“We’re looking forward to working with About Billions on making this a great, sold-out event. This venue is fabulous and we think it will be electric on fight night.”

MIKE STAFFORD, Broner’s Trainer

“Adrien has been training hard for this fight. This is about winning. Adrien wants to win and he wants to compete. This is a going to be an exciting and explosive fight.

“This is going to be a great fight with a great undercard. It’s going to be a fun atmosphere and we hope that everyone comes out and supports us on February 18.”

GEORGE HERNANDEZ, Granados’ Trainer

“Mike Stafford and I go all the way back to about 1978 at the Olympic training center. We’ve trained a lot of guys together and I know him very well. I’ve come here to bring fighters for sparring since Adrien Broner was a little kid.

“Adrien Broner has the big name and every fighter needs a big name so that he can take that step up. It’s a business and we’ll mean business inside the ring.”

# # #

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @AdrienBroner, @ElTigreAG, @SHOSports, @ShowtimeBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, @CintasCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions.

By Bart Barry-

Twenty months after a fight that put boxing pay-per-view in a death spiral, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao – along with their handlers and hangerson – did not reflect in their own words on the way their match ruined boxing. But here’s imagining they did.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER: Blood, sweat and tears. Hardwork and dedication. Forty-nine tried, 49 failed. You wanna see the check I got? It’s over here (motioning to a 30-foot x 45-foot hanging print of himself showing the media a check at his postfight press conference).

LEONARD ELLERBE (CEO, Mayweather Promotions): I took that pic and we got it mounted by AllPosters.com.

BOB ARUM (CEO, Top Rank): We knew what Mayweather was. We promoted him for years. An exceptional talent and just a rotten human being. We had to watch his fight with Oscar (De La Hoya) and his fight with Canelo (Alvarez), and they made all this money. And we created Oscar too. And we get nothing? Something had to be done.

MANNY PACQUIAO: I fight for the people. Especially the poor people. Seriously. Manny Pacquiao loves everyone. The fight was not happy. My shoulder hurt.

FREDDIE ROACH (Pacquiao’s trainer): After Marquez nearly killed Manny, I thought there was no way the Floyd fight would happen. I talked to Bob (Arum) and asked him if he was going to fire me. Bob said, “Maybe. Maybe not. We’ll get Manny a few heavy bags. We’ll put him in exotic places, maybe do a Bradley rematch. You just keep saying Floyd’s an easy fight. This could work.”

LA-Z THE SCRIBE (Editor in chief, FloydDaGOAT.com): Yeah, after Marquez obliterated him, I got a call from Money. He’s all, “That piss-drinker just cost me a billion!” I was the first to tweet it.

RICHARD SCHAEFER (former CEO, Golden Boy Promotions): You know, when I hear people saying Mayweather-Pacquiao ruined pay-per-view, it actually makes me kind of mad. I had a big part in ruining boxing, and a big part of that success was pay-per-view. We also got Andre Berto overpaid, over and over. It’s easy to give Ken (Hershman) and Stephen (Espinoza) all the credit today. But I’m proud of the work Ross (Greenburg) and I did to make most of that possible.

KEN HERSHMAN (former President, HBO Sports): I wish I hadn’t left Showtime. We did some really good things over there on a shoestring.

ROSS GREENBERG (former President, HBO Sports): I don’t miss anything about boxing.

STEPHEN ESPINOZA (General Manager, Showtime Sports): I miss working with Richard.

SCHAEFER: Please tell Stephen I’m back in boxing!

FLOYD MAYWEATHER SR. (Mayweather’s trainer): Listen, man, I told you I don’t know. Floyd and I allegedly wasn’t on speaking terms at that moment.

ROGER MAYWEATHER (Floyd’s former trainer): I told them motherf–kers it was a dumb idea. Shopping for a turkey? My nephew told me to do it. Them charges got dropped, OK?

PACQUIAO: They make me give the blood too much. If my shoulder happy, I win. Give me a rematch, Floyd. And half.

MAYWEATHER: VADA, ADA, USADA, DABA, DABA. All’s I know is when my dad says that power-pellet stuff all them years ago, some of you thought Manny could beat me. Then the fight happens, and it ain’t close – you tell me, ya dummies.

BRUCE TRAMPLER (Matchmaker, Top Rank): Was I surprised by the result? What do you think?

JAY Z (Founder, ROC NATION Sports): Floyd can’t read. Fifty can’t flow. Arum’s getting old. Al (Haymon) doesn’t answer calls. I’m a hustler. I told my people to find the biggest draws and sign them. Well, Dre (Andre Ward) got no charisma, and Miguel (Cotto) is ancient. I’m leaking a fortune in the fight game already. I need a word that rhymes with ‘divestiture’.

ARUM: Look, Manny’s a pragmatist. He knows there needs to be a chance of his getting killed at this point to sell his fights anywhere but the Phillipines, or he can take less money. He doesn’t want to get killed, right? The silver lining in all this is it led to our finding a continent where he hasn’t fought yet – Australia! Right now, we’re saying there’s interest on all the networks, but in a few months we’re going to decide to put it on our website again.

ELLERBE: We’re back on pay-per-view. We’re doing a three-rounder soon between two of the largest stars in the hip-hop universe. Our production company did that video of Girl Collection already. It broke the internet. Floyd’s the smartest businessman in the world.

ESPINOZA: I can’t believe we won an Emmy for a commercial either. But that’s Floyd!

AL HAYMON (Mayweather’s adviser): …

SAM WATSON (Haymon’s assistant): Be sure and thank Al Haymon for this interview opportunity.

ARUM: We knew things were going sideways when Floyd had to announce the fight with his cell phone. We covered our bases by leaking the imminent announcement to a number of journalists in case Floyd’s battery died. That kickoff press conference looked like a junior-high dance. And Machiavelli (Al Haymon) didn’t help anything by doing what he did.

ROACH: I’d never seen anything like that fight week in Vegas. I hope Manny gets the rematch (grinning widely); I think we’ll win easily next time.

OSCAR DE LA HOYA (Founder, Golden Boy Promotions): Everything I built in all my pay-per-view fights? They ruined it. We didn’t make a dime. Now K2 (Gennady Golovkin’s promoter) wants us to get Canelo knocked-out for less than I made fighting Felix Sturm. ¡Felix pinche Sturm, imagínate! We’re rebuilding right now, old school. But we need Canelo. Maybe a rematch with Floyd would sell? We’d take a fight with Manny too. Let’s stop talking about GGG.

MIGUEL COTTO (former middleweight world champion): Miguel Cotto fight next month against somebody. Pay-per-view. Miguel Cotto no promote fight because Miguel Cotto has guarantee purse.

MAYWEATHER: I killed boxing (laughing). Told ya!

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

By Norm Frauenheim-

Talk, talk and more talk about Floyd Mayweather Jr.-versus-Conor McGregor continue to light up social media these days with no end – or relief – in sight.

Not sure who to blame, but the tirelessly talkative McGregor appears to be doing what Mayweather mastered in marketing himself and then landing a huge Showtime contract that led to about a $220-million payday against Manny Pacquiao.

McGregor could generate international attention for getting a driver’s license these days. Essentially, that’s what the UFC’s mega-mouth did in acquiring a boxing license in California. It cost him 60 bucks. He had to fill out a four-page form and pass a physical. It was quick, simple and nobody asked him to parallel-park.

In no time, Twitter, Facebook, websites and even mainstream media exploded all over again with speculation about a McGregor bout with Mayweather. Stock the shelves with antacid, because there’s going to be a lot more of this stuff.

Chances appear to be slim-to-none that the bout would — could — happen. McGregor is under contract to the UFC. Meanwhile, Mayweather continues to send out mixed messages about whether he wants to come back.

If McGregor tries to get out of his UFC contract in pursuit of a Mayweather bout, a long and tangled legal battle is likely. Mayweather, who is one victory short of 50-0, has a lot of things, but time isn’t one of them. He’ll be 40 on Feb. 24.

I doubt it will happen. But I’m old, more than old enough not be included in the emerging generation of MMA fans. I also suspect that my doubts reflect an opinion shared by many in the aging crowd of fellow boxing fans. To wit: I hope it doesn’t happen. Could it? In an era when a presidential campaign is won with tweetstorms, anything can.

There’s momentum in the internet fascination. Betting odds were even posted by Westgate in Las Vegas Thursday. If the bout went from mythical to fact, Mayweather would be a 25-1 favorite in what would be a boxing match against McGregor, who began as an amateur boxer as a 12-year-old in Dublin.

Translation: Nobody thinks McGregor would have any kind of chance at all. So why is social media still buzzing about it?

There are all kinds of reasons, including a compelling one offered by Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe. Ellerbe told ESPN’s Dan Rafael that people are talking about it because of race. McGregor is Irish and white, Mayweather is African-American and boxing has a long racial history defined by The Great White Hope.

If Ellerbe is right – and I think he is, the racial component will only fuel further talk about the bout. More talk means more of the one thing that could make it happen: Money, which also happens to be Mayweather’s nickname and motivation. Speculated numbers have been all over the place. They’ve also been uniformly big, anywhere from $800 million to a billion.

That would pay a lot of McGregor’s legal bills and might be enough to lure Mayweather back through the ropes. Then, however, the global bubble of anticipation would quickly deflate. Remember the mix of disappointment and outrage over Mayweather’s decision over Pacquiao in May, 2015? Multiply that, again and again.

There’s also precedence for what might happen. Classic boxing matches between a boxer and MMA fighter have been a mixed-martial-arts mess. I sat through one in Phoenix, Ariz., last March.

That’s when aging Roy Jones Jr. scored a second-round stoppage in a made-for-pay-per-view event over a guy named Vyron Phillips, who had been fighting MMA and had experience as an amateur boxer.

Phillips got a boxing license from the Arizona State Boxing and MMA Commission, but he had no business in a ring within punching range of a boxing legend way past his prime. The event was a joke, an embarrassment not worth repeating, especially on a global stage that could be a billion times more embarrassing.

By Norm Frauenheim-

LAS VEGAS – Two-hundred-and-fifty million dollars mean all kinds of things. A quick check with Google will deliver a list of hedge finds, tax evasion, lawsuits, Donald Trump, luxury condos, good bets, lousy bets and maybe Floyd Mayweather Jr. posing next to an open suitcase full of cash.

It’s all there, except for Manny Pacquiao’s generosity. It’s mostly been a story about anecdotes. He builds homes for Filipinos. He buys a fleet of new boats for a coastal town’s fishermen. His promoter, Top Rank’s Bob Arum, has called him the Pacific nation’s one-man social welfare system.

For the first time, however, maybe a number can be attached next to an inexhaustible generosity from a guy who never seems to stop fighting or giving. Best estimate: $250 million.

“Every income I receive in boxing, almost half of it goes to the less fortunate,’’ Pacquiao said Wednesday before a formal news conference at The Wynn for his pay-per-view bout against WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas at Thomas & Mack Saturday night (6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET).

Pacquiao’s career income for purses and endorsements is at $500 million after his April victory over Timothy Bradley, according to Forbes. Half of that adds up to a lot homes, fishing boats and meals for Filipinos who need them. It also amounts to some – make that a lot – of political clout for the fighter who was elected to the Filipino Senate in May.

As a Senator, Pacquiao’s duties include membership on 15 committees, two of which he chairs, according to Arum. His life as a full-time Senator resumes on Tuesday, just a few days after at least one more fight as a full-time boxer. The question of whether he continues with full-time roles in both the political and boxing rings looms over his bout with Vargas.

“I’m sure he’s going to be known as a great Senator,’’ Vargas said during the news conference in a comment that said he intended to end the Filipino’s greatness in boxing.

Without boxing, it’s unlikely that Pacquiao could continue to give away the kind of money that is funding the current construction of 1,000 houses in Sarangani Province. All of the money for the land, homes and labor is coming out of Pacquiao’s pocket. That’s just the latest example of Pacquiao, a people’s champ in more than just one way.

“I don’t like politics,’’ he said. “I hate politics. After each fight, half of my income goes to the poor.

“But I don’t like to announce it.’’

He doesn’t like to brag, either. Not when he can give.

By Bart Barry-

Saturday at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Filipino former world champion and current senator Manny Pacquiao matches himself with American welterweight Jessie Vargas in a pay-per-view fight televised by promoter Top Rank. Pacquiao retired in April after decisioning Timothy Bradley in their third match but returns seven months later because that was always the plan. Vargas lost to Bradley a month after Pacquiao lost to Mayweather in 2015 but recently stopped Sadam Ali and got chosen for Saturday’s fight because that flash of power in March is expected to prove anomalous – if Pacquiao or Top Rank thought there were any way Vargas’d stretch Pacquiao this fight would not happen.

There isn’t much to be done but write about this spectacle however undeserving. In bygone years the hungerstrike we experienced these last howsoever many months would induce an appetite coiled as a spring and ready to leap towards a million buys after a month of promotional coverage under the auspices of reportage, but no more. There are but two types of boxing coverage that survive today in the United States: the financially selfinterested and the quixotic.

They’re easily identified. Positive coverage of Pacquiao-Vargas is financially selfinterested, the line between publicist and reporter gone to the publicists, and quixotic coverage, those who cover the sport from habit or nostalgia, is not positive. No American without financial selfinterest understood Pacquiao’s retirement and even less his comeback from that faux retirement – since declaring Pacquiao’s third match with Timothy Bradley in April the last time Pacquiao would fight did little to promote the match and according to Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum did not begin to offset the damage done the fight’s marketing by Pacquiao’s strongly worded reiteration of his strongly held beliefs about others’ sexual orientations or the lasting damage done the sport by Pacquiao’s terrible 2015 match with Floyd Mayweather.

Yes, the shoulder match. No one has forgiven Pacquiao for that halfassed performance, nor should he, but most of us have forgotten it – until Pacquiao decides to promote his match with Vargas by telling us he’s healed and ready for a second serving of Money. It’s the wrong message because it makes some of what few consumers remain interested enough in our sport to purchase a match from a promoter’s website reconsider that purchase for fear their support might launch another yearslong buildup to another terrible superfight no one asks for anymore, and Richard Schaefer just began a comeback of his own, too, in case more nostalgic dissonance were craved (incredibly he says fans approached him at fights and told him the sport needs him).

*

COMMERCIAL BREAK
Boxing’s only eight-time world champion and sitting senator returns Saturday in a match you can purchase through his promoter’s website because, in a historic show of ungratefulness, HBO and Showtime and all the terrestrial networks on which Pacquiao was possibly rumored potentially to fight for the last eight years declined to pay retail prices for what worn and defective merchandise they’re now offered.

Camera-phone footage indicates the Senator is in the best shape of his life.

“Manny’s in the best shape of his life,” reported Coach Freddie from training camp. “I know I’ve said this each of his last 12 fights, or more, but this time? The best. Unbelievable.”

*

Pacquiao looked quite good against Timothy Bradley seven months ago, better than Jessie Vargas did, but just because Vargas lost the Pacquiao sweepstakes 19 months ago does not mean Vargas lost the Pacquiao sweepstakes. Vargas did after all clip Bradley at the end of their match and may very well have . . . if only the referee . . . in an unprecedented act of interference . . . the very integrity of the sport . . . and probably deserved to win by knockout, something Vargas’ promoter was not at liberty to disclose while selling Pacquiao-Bradley 3, but now after a closer look thinks all aficionados should revisit.

Talk of Pacquiao’s milling with someone who might beat him like Terence Crawford and make Pacquiao actually retire succumbed this summer to sobriety and brought us limping to Saturday’s spectacle, possibly a tuneup for Pacquiao’s future match with middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, a rich promotional subplot given how much press Golovkin’s trainer receives for threatening the world’s best light heavyweights while trashtalking a junior middleweight and actually fighting a welterweight.

Pacquiao press releases now include airlines and flight numbers in the hopes of materializing an enormous crowd at LAX, something worthy of promotional footage on SportsCenter, alas. The American fight scene to which Pacquiao returns for Saturday’s fight is worse than the one he visited in the spring but more apparently awful to Pacquiao because, one assumes, Pacquiao’s previous purse guarantees were voided by his retirement and the dearth of interest the Pacquiao brand now generates among cable-network executives – before one considers what American consumers now know of politics in the Philippines complemented by our own fatigue with domestic politics. One begins to wonder if promoting Pacquiao as a successful Filipino politician still is the sage tact it once appeared.

Or perhaps all this is superfluous because nobody is about to discover Manny Pacquiao; those of us interested in Pacquiao enough to purchase Saturday’s fight, or heaven help us travel to it, know Pacquiao well enough to know how steadily his capacities have eroded since that 2012 encounter with the Marquez spearchisel and aren’t any longer candidates for a Pacman conversion. We know with Pacquiao we are either at the beginning or the middle part of the embarrassing stage many great prizefighters end their careers with. However extraordinary Pacquiao was in ascent, his descent is all too ordinary.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Oct. 18th, 2016) — After not training for more than a year following the final fight of his illustrious career, pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. decided to strap on the headgear one random Friday at his gym in Las Vegas for an impromptu sparring session.

Standing a few feet in front of him on the ring apron was young Providence, R.I., junior welterweight Anthony Marsella Jr., wrapping up his own training camp in anticipation of his Oct. 21st homecoming at Twin River Casino.

“Champ, where’s your gear?” asked Mayweather.

When told it was in his car outside of the gym, Mayweather replied, “Well, put it on!”

The 21-year-old Marsella couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. Here he was, training in the gym owned by his idol — the former 12-time world champion, crowned the undisputed king in five different weight classes over the span of 19 years following a flawless 49-0 career — making a mad dash to his car to grab his belongings for the chance to spar a few rounds with the greatest fighter of this generation.

“I had already trained and I had blood work that day, too, so I hadn’t even eaten yet,” Marsella recalled, “but I wasn’t going to pass up that opportunity.”

Marsella was so excited to jump in the ring he forgot to wait his turn; Mayweather had already started sparring with Thomas Dulorme, a 25-fight vet and former world-title challenger in the 140-pound division. After four rounds, Marsella would be next, except Dulorme spoiled the party by hitting Mayweather below the belt.

“Literally, at the end of the round, Dulorme kept hitting him with low blows and kept going too low and finally he cranks him with a low blow and Floyd is rolling around on the canvas,” Marsella said. “He just rolled out of the ring and said, ‘That’s good for today.'”

While Marsella missed his chance that day to trade blows with an all-time great, his experience in Vegas working at the Mayweather Boxing Club, training side-by-side with some of the best fighters in the world and, more importantly, learning what it takes to be a pro in and out of the ring, has proven to be invaluable.

Marsella is back in Rhode Island this week preparing for his first fight in front of his hometown crowd Friday night against Philadelphia’s Bardraiel Smith (0-1) on the undercard of CES Boxing’s 2016 Twin River Casino Fight Series, nearly 3,000 miles from the bright lights and glamour of Las Vegas, but much wiser and more prepared having benefitted from the lessons learned on foreign soil.

Once this week is over, Marsella (1-0) will head back to Vegas, boxing’s modern-day capital, to continue absorbing as much as he can from Mayweather and his stable of fighters, even if his heart belongs in Rhode Island.

“I don’t really care to fight out in Las Vegas, especially at this point in my career,” Marsella said. “All of my support is here. I always planned on going 10-0 in my backyard all day, having that support and knowing what I can do here and building off of my fan base here. I like the fact I train out there now because I’ve met a lot of people who are following me and helping me expand my market a little bit.

“Friday is going to be a show like we haven’t seen in a while, something for people to be excited about.”

MARSELLA’S INTRODUCTION TO Vegas just sort of happened. A year and a half ago, right around the time Mayweather was preparing for his well-publicized “Fight of the Century” against Manny Pacquiao, Marsella — facing a crossroads in his own career — headed out west to work with the legendary Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, a Brooklyn-born trainer and former pro who had roots in Rhode Island after working with former Providence standout Joey Spina.

The two had linked up through Spina’s former trainer, Jose Santos of Providence. On his first day in Vegas, Marsella sparred with current lightweight world champion Rances Barthelemey and held his own. The next day, he walked into Mayweather’s for the first time — “Just this white boy in the gym,” he said — and reunited with Mustafa.

Shortly thereafter, Marsella got his first chance to make an impression sparring against one of the gym’s regulars. No one knew what to expect.

“I started beating on this dude and everybody started going crazy,” he said. “People were going crazy like, ‘Damn, that white boy can fight!’ From there, I earned people’s respect.”

Video of the sparring session soon went viral. Mayweather himself caught a glimpse and shared it via social media. As Marsella says, “word gets around” at Mayweather’s gym, and if a fighter does something noteworthy or out of the ordinary, Mayweather will eventually catch wind of it.

Since Mayweather was so busy preparing for the fight of his life, he didn’t have much time to mingle with the regulars, and on days when Mayweather trained, the gym was typically off-limits to everyone else.

Marsella, however, had a connection on the inside. He was a close friend of fellow Rhode Islander Paul DelVecchio, also known as DJ Pauly D from the hit reality show Jersey Shore. The two got to know one another when DelVecchio used to train at Gary Balletto’s gym in Silver Lake, and DelVecchio was a friend of Greg La Rosa, Mayweather’s longtime head of security and most trusted ally.

“He told me to reach out to him if I was ever in Vegas,” Marsella recalled, “so I let him know I was training out there and he came by, kind of caught me off guard, pulling up in a Lamborghini. I said, ‘OK, Pauly, you’re doing alright for yourself!'”

Eventually, La Rosa took Marsella under his wing. Marsella flew out to Vegas six times over the next two and a half years to continue training at Mayweather’s.

“Every time I went there, I made a little bit of a statement,” Marsella said. “Everyone was like, ‘Dude, why do you keep leaving? You need to be here. You need to train here.’

“The training is a different level. The quality of training, the atmosphere alone, when I’m out here in the gym, it feels like I’m alone. I’m doing it by myself. I’m going on my runs and I’m doing it myself. Half the time I go to the gym at night by myself. Out there, you’re training with a team of people. You’ve got a different coach, you’ve got strength coaches, Tuesdays and Thursdays we go to the UNLV track at 6 a.m. We have a coach there pushing us and doing different drills with us.

“It’s not just me going to the track near my house and making up a workout regimen that I found online. You’ve got people holding your hand, making sure you do it properly. Again, you’re with a group of guys, so you’re being pushed to work that much harder. It’s not like you’re going at your own pace. You’re trying to beat the next guy.”

WHEN MARSELLA RETURNED to Vegas earlier this summer, just a few months after winning his professional debut in Connecticut, he had only planned on staying for a week. He was living with La Rosa, and since La Rosa was Mayweather’s right-hand man, Marsella got the opportunity to tag along whenever Mayweather called for his head of security.

“If he went out to go eat, I’d go with them, along with at least five to 20 other people. Whenever you’re with Floyd, there’s always an entourage of people,” Marsella said.

“I met him several times before, but we didn’t have much conversation. Greg told him I had a fight coming up, so he said to make sure I was taken care of.”

That first night back in Vegas, Marsella made another impression on “The Money Team” with an impressive sparring session against one of Mayweather’s newest protégés. As usual, word traveled to the top of the ladder.

“I saw Floyd that night and he had already heard about it. He said, ‘I heard you did your thing.’ The next thing you know, he had put me in a condo,” Marsella said. “They told me, ‘You’re good work for our guys and we like what you do and we want to make sure you have a good training camp.’ They knew why I was out there.”

Without hesitation, Marsella accepted Mayweather’s invitation and spent the next month and a half out west, learning from one of the all-time great competitors and businessmen both in and out of the ring.

“A lot of people go by what they see on TV from Floyd, but Floyd is a big-hearted guy,” Marsella said. “He takes care of everybody. He’s got a large amount of fighters he takes care of, some of their families. He’s definitely not shy with his money. He has a big heart. He’s not just doing it because he can. He’s doing it for a reason. Whenever we go out, he tips each valet $500.

“He’s got some rappers, and obviously a lot of young boxers, that he works with who hang around him and he tries to teach them. ‘Listen, this is how you need to be. This is what you need to do.’ I see him try to mentor them and they sit there with their hands crossed without listening.

“I think that’s the difference between me and the next guy,” Marsella continued. “A lot of the stuff he’s preaching, I already know. Of course, I take it in because I’m all ears. That’s how I got to this point, by listening and learning. A lot of that stuff, I already live my life that way, the way he’s trying to make sure everyone else is living. I’m not taking my purses and buying designer things. I want to make investments. He’s all about that. He made millions of dollars. Most guys would be broke by now, especially the way he’s living, but he made the right investments.”

A FORMER AMATEUR standout and four-time Western New England Golden Gloves Champion, Marsella one day hopes to follow in Mayweather’s footsteps both personally and professionally. He’ll return to Vegas following Friday’s fight to continue honing his craft alongside some of the sport’s brightest prospects.

“The first time I went out there, it was mainly for fun, curiosity and just wanting to check it out,” Marsella said. “It ended up being, ‘Wow, this is a different level of training! Where would I be if I had been doing this for the past seven, eight years I’ve been boxing?’

“When I come back home and I train the way I’m training here, I’m like, ‘This isn’t going to get me to where I want to be.’ I only planned on staying for a week. What happened, happened. Why would I leave?”

Shortly after Mayweather called off his impromptu sparring session last week, he and Marsella reconvened in the locker room. Marsella thanked him for the opportunity. Later that night, Mayweather treated several of his associates, including Marsella, with a trip to a nearby movie theater, which Mayweather rented for the evening.

“The first thing he said to me was, ‘Get ready for tomorrow. You’re getting smoked tomorrow!’ and I said, ‘Champ, you know I’m going to be on a plane tomorrow!’ I wanted to bust his balls and be like, ‘You’re lucky I’m going to be on that plane!'”

Marsella might not have the credentials to trade barbs with the 12-time world champ just yet, but he’s clearly made enough of an impression to earn his spot in Mayweather’s inner circle. The training is elite, the atmosphere is addictive and the lessons learned can be applied to all walks of life, the true definition of on-the-job training.

As Marsella himself said, why would he ever leave?

Tickets for Oct. 21st are priced at $47.00, $67.00, $102.00 and $152.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com or www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Headlining the Oct. 21st fight card is the eight-round Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) Junior Middleweight International and Northeast title bout between the champion Khiary Gray (13-1, 10 KOs) of Worcester, Mass., and the challenger Chris Chatman (14-5-1, 5 KOs) of Chicago, Ill.

Worcester middleweight Kendrick Ball Jr. (3-0-1, 3 KOs) aims for his fourth win in his fifth pro fight in a four-round bout against Oregon’s Rafael Valencia (3-4-1, 2 KOs) and Worcester super middleweight Ben Peak makes his professional debut in a four-round bout against Jose Rivera (1-0, 1 KO) of Hartford, Conn.

Worcester’s Irvin Gonzalez Jr. (3-0, 3 KOs) returns to face Providence, R.I., native Cido Hoff (1-0-1) in a four-round featherweight bout and Jamaine Ortiz (2-0, 2 KOs), also of Worcester, puts his unbeaten record on the line against veteran junior welterweight Isaiah Robinson (3-3, 2 KOs) of Durham, N.C.

New London, Conn., junior welterweight Cristobal Marrero (1-0, 1 KO) takes on Woburn, Mass., vet Bruno Dias (0-1) and junior welterweight Jonathan Figueroa (1-0, 1 KO) of Hartford, Conn., faces Florida’s Irvin Veloz, both in four-round bouts.

Visit www.cesboxing.com, www.twitter.com/cesboxing or www.facebook.com/cesboxing for more information, follow CES Boxing on Instagram at @CESBOXING and use the hashtag #ChatmanGray to join the conversation.

By Norm Frauenheim-

It’s hard to know what to make of Manny Pacquiao’s decision to fight Jessie Vargas on November 5, other than to say he never retired.

Please, don’t call it a comeback. Pacquiao never went away. He ran for office. He won, changing his Filipino title from Congressman to Senator. He wrote some legislation and apparently a lot of checks.

He said this week he would continue to fight, in part because his Senate salary just wasn’t enough, despite the $100-plus million he reportedly collected for his loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. just 15 months ago.

“Boxing is my main source of income,’’ Pacquiao said Wednesday in announcing he would fight Vargas at Las Vegas’ Thomas & Mack Arena. “I can’t rely on my salary as a public official. I’m helping the family of my wife and my own family, as well.

“Many people also come to me to ask for help and I just couldn’t ignore them.”

If it’s possible, Pacquiao gives away money faster than Mayweather spends it. At this rate, there’s a better chance Pacquiao will still be in the ring than there is Michael Phelps will be in the Olympic pool at the 2020 Tokyo Games. If nine figures can’t cover what Pacquiao spends over less than a year-and-a-half, what can?

It’s not clear how much he’ll earn against Vargas, the WBO’s welterweight champion. But it’s safe to say it won’t be the $20-to-25 million minimum Pacquiao collected over the last few years, including his last fight – a decision in April over Timothy Bradley in a second rematch.

That kind of money isn’t there any more, mostly because of a steep decline in pay-per-view numbers in the wake of the disappointing Mayweather-Pacquiao fight.

Before junior-welterweight Terence Crawford’s one-sided decision over Viktor Postol on July 23, Pacquaio promoter Bob Arum said that the Filipino understood that the business had changed. He said he could make a deal with the Senator.

“We’re not talking about those kind of crazy numbers,” Arum told the Los Angeles Times this week.

But those numbers are still a guessing game until Arum announces how and who will telecast the pay-per-view. It looks as if it won’t be HBO, the premium network that carried Pacquiao’s top-earning bouts. ESPN has been rumored. But at what price?

The decision to fight Vargas instead of the emerging Crawford appears to be a bet on a rematch with Mayweather, perhaps next May. Signs that Pacquiao would sidestep Crawford were apparent in the wake of Crawford’s blowout of Postol.

Crawford’s agile footwork and versatility surprised Postol trainer Freddie Roach, also Pacquiao’s trainer. It was evident that Crawford’s overall speed would be very hard to overcome, even at 140-pounds, perhaps Pacquiao’s ideal weight. Roach said as much.

A loss to Crawford would likely mean irrelevancy, if not a real retirement, for Pacquaio. Surely, it would badly damage any chance at a Mayweather rematch. Hence, Vargas, the safer choice, at 147 instead of 140.

But even that’s a risk. Mayweather has been mostly silent since he spent all that time talking about a big-money deal in a bout with the UFC’s Conor McGregor. There’ no indication that he is any more interested in a comeback than he was at the moment he formally announced his retirement after beating Andre Berto in September 2015.

Mayweather has said he might be interested if the money – his nickname and motivation – is right. He reportedly collected $240 million for Pacquiao. He had a $32-million guarantee for each of his bouts in a six-fight deal with Showtime.

Like Arum said, crazy numbers. But it’s also crazy to think Mayweather would ask for anything less than $32 million, even if he were interested. The guess – and that’s all it is – is that he will be. He’s still young enough. He’ll be 40 on Feb. 24. He retired at 49-0. Fifty-and-0 has to be a temptation.

The bigger question is whether there’s even an audience for an encore. The bout in May 2015 set a record for PPV buys at 4.4 million. The theory is that a rematch could do at least 1 million, meaning it would make money. But the ongoing decline only raises questions about whether anyone wants a sequel that would only remind everyone of the original.

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (July 12, 2016) — Since the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame (NVBHOF) came into existence in 2013, Floyd “Money” Mayweather has had a strangle-hold on the Nevada Fighter of the Year Award. The gifted Mayweather won the Award three straight years. However, that changes in 2016.

BADOU JACK “The Ripper,” who won the WBC super middleweight world title last year as a big underdog, dethroning undefeated defending champion Andre Dirrell. and successfully defended it twice since then, has been named the NVBHOF “Nevada Fighter of the Year.” In his first title defense, Badou found himself an underdog once again, this time to Britain’s popular slugger and two-time world title challenger George Groves at MGM Grand last September. He dropped Groves in the first round and outclassed him the rest of the way to take the decision. In April, Jack traveled to Washington, D.C. to face lethal slugger and former world champion Lucian Bute. The bout ended in a highly controversial majority draw, Jack a wide winner on one judge’s card, but the other two called it even. Media covering the fight were almost unanimous in saying Jack deserved the verdict. Jack (20-1-2), born in Stockholm of Swedish and Gambian parents, is a resident of Las Vegas.

Here is the complete list of the NVBHOF Award Winners for 2016:

NEVADA FIGHTER OF THE YEAR: BADOU JACK “THE RIPPER”

NEVADA FEMALE FIGHTER OF THE YEAR: AVA KNIGHT. Since the last NVBHOF Induction, she has fought twice, both times in Mexico. Knight fought talented 17-3 Jasseth Noriega to a hotly-contested and disputed draw in Mazatlan and then two months later, recorded an impressive unanimous decision win over Judith Rodriguez in Los Mochis. A winner of the WBC Diamond Belt, Knight has a pro record of 14-2-4.

NEVADA AMATEUR FIGHTER OF THE YEAR : JJ MARIANO. After winning a National Championship belt at 139lbs in 2015, Mariano capped off his undefeated senior year at the University of Nevada, with a second consecutive National Title, this time at 147 pounds. Mariano decisioned University of Washington’s James Porter in the Final to run his lifetime record to 23-3. Mariano made the College Boxing Nationals in all four of his years for the Wolfpack. He is a lifelong resident of the Reno-Sparks area.

NEVADA PROSPECT OF THE YEAR : DEVIN HANEY. Becoming the youngest fighter to ever compete professionally at the famed MGM Grand, the 17 year old Haney decisioned Rafael Vasquez on the undercard of the Pacquiao-Bradley 3 fight in April. The flashy Haney, already a fan favorite, followed that up with a fourth-round TKO of undefeated Jairo Vargas at the Downtown Events Center in Las Vegas and a unanimous decision victory over Clay Burns in Baton Rouge, LA, in May and June, respectively. Trained by Floyd Mayweather Sr, Haney holds a record of 7-0.

MUHAMMAD ALI “HUMANITARIAN AWARD”: MAURICIO SULAIMAN. The WBC President, who has already made his own name in succeeding his late father Jose, is honored for his generosity and compassion outside the ring.. Sulaiman has been tireless in efforts to support charitable causes, many of them sponsored by professional boxers. His support, both financial and with the weight of WBC, extends to causes such as fighting diseases, support for education, mental health causes, help for the hungry and homeless and much more. He has also made support for military causes, such as Nevada Military Alliance Services, a prime focus. He also oversees the community-oriented WBC Cares program.

NVBHOF “PRESIDENTS AWARD”: HERB SANTOS ,SR. Involved in Nevada Boxing since 1970’s as a Judge and member of NSAC 1985-88, and Chairman 1987-88. Modernized NSAC rulebook published 1989. Santos received Special WBC recognition in 2012 as one of the top judges of the past 50 years. Santos is a Reno resident whose entire family, sons and grandchildren are involved in boxing.

Award winners will be honored during the NVBHOF Induction weekend July 29-30 at Caesars Palace, receiving their plaques at the Inductees Party Friday, July 29, and then introduced at the Induction Ceremony, Saturday, July 30.

Remaining Tickets for the NVBHOF induction Gala, priced at $300, $175 and $75, are on sale now through the organization’s website at www.nvbhof.com. In addition, a day-long autograph session with inductees, honorees, champions and other boxing figures will take place Friday, also at Caesars Palace.

The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame is an IRS 501-c-3 non-profit, charitable organizations which donates to boxing-related causes. Ticket purchases, auction or raffle purchases, and donations are tax-deductible.

How will it feel fighting in Vegas for first time? PPV for the first time?

TERENCE CRAWFORD

“It is an honor to fight in Las Vegas, especially at the MGM Grand where so many historic fights have taken place and so many great fighters have made their mark. It’s the same way I felt when I headlined my first card at Madison Square Garden earlier this year. Many fighters dream of fighting on such a big stage but it’s something you have to earn. I have worked very hard to get to this point in my career — to earn the right to headline my first pay-per-view event. I can’t think of a better place to do it than in the Fight Capital of the World. It’s very exciting, but I need to keep my eye on the ball. There will be a lot of hard work to do in training camp to make my pay-per-view debut successful. This isn’t just opening night for a new phase of my career. I want this to be the beginning of a long run as boxing’s next pound for pound star and a worthy successor to Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.”

BRIAN McINTYRE:

“Fighting in Las Vegas in the main event and headlining a pay-per-view is a tremendous honor. Years ago I never imagined we would get to this point. We are representing Omaha on the biggest stage boxing has to offer and Terence is not about to let his hometown down. He is proud to represent Omaha and he will be carrying that pride in his heart and soul when he enters the ring on July 23rd and beats Viktor Postol. We know we are in this position because of hard work and more hard work. And with hard work came success, success that produced an undefeated record against the best fighters and two world titles in two different divisions. No one has ever been able to outthink or outfight Terence and that’s a lesson Postol is going to learn the hard way — in front of a very big audience.”

The HBO Sports Special, Terence Crawford: My Fight, debuts Saturday, July 9 at 11:15 p.m. on HBO.

Crawford vs. Postol takes place Saturday, July 23 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.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Showtime has sued Top Rank over lawsuits pertaining to the Floyd Mayweather – Manny Pacquiao mega fight last May.

Showtime is seeking $682,754.07 in legal fees for having to pay lawyers to defend the network against numerous civil lawsuits filed by fans upset that they shelled out a record $100 apiece for the pay-per-view telecast of a bad fight in which Pacquiao knew he was injured ahead of time.

Showtime said in its lawsuit, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN.com, that Top Rank failed to meet its contractual obligation to indemnify the network in the event it was sued in relation to the fight. Showtime, which said it was named as a co-defendant in 12 of approximately 42 suits filed after the fight, is seeking legal fees it says it paid to defend the suits, plus interest.

“Showtime Networks [on Wednesday] filed suit against Top Rank in the Southern District of New York to enforce Showtime Networks’ right to be reimbursed for legal fees incurred defending the many lawsuits filed relating to the injury sustained by Manny Pacquiao before his May 2, 2015 fight against Floyd Mayweather,” a Showtime spokesperson said in a statement. “Showtime was dismissed from those litigations which continue against Top Rank. Showtime made every effort to resolve this matter short of the courthouse, but Top Rank’s persistent refusal to honor its contractual obligations forced Showtime to take this regrettable, but necessary, step.”

Showtime said it was eventually dropped from many of the suits because while it had prefight access to Mayweather’s training camp, it did not have any access to Pacquiao’s and, therefore, had no idea he had a shoulder injury.

The suit went on to say that “under an agreement among [Showtime and Top Rank], [Top Rank] was obligated to defend and indemnify [Showtime]. But at the outset of these actions, it was manifest that [Showtime] and [Top Rank], which was alleged to have known of and concealed the pre-fight injury, had starkly different interests. … At once, [Showtime] demanded that [Top Rank] honor its contractual obligations to indemnify [Showtime] and pay for [Showtime’s] own counsel to defend it in these actions because of the manifest potential conflict between them. [Top Rank] refused.”

Top Rank chairman Bob Arum told ESPN.com that his lawyers do not believe there is a conflict and that the contract is open to interpretation.

“Our lawyers say that under the contract, they’re not entitled to any indemnity,” Arum said. “But when this came up, we made a proposal to Showtime and [parent network] CBS, and they said it was not adequate. I told them to come back with a counterproposal, and instead they filed suit. And then I told them that’s not fair. If you’re negotiating a settlement with me, you don’t file a suit. And then they said, ‘If you don’t pay this in full, CBS and Showtime will not do business with you.’ I said, ‘What the f— else is new? You haven’t done any business with Top Rank in years.’ They’re trying to bully me.

“I didn’t appreciate the threat. You sit down like normal people and you work it out.”

As part of the ongoing 30th Anniversary celebration of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®, relive the two of the most memorable and meaningful events in Mayweather’s magnificent 19-year career tonight at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

This week’s lineup of “Throwback Thursday” kicks off with the record-shattering “Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao,” followed by “INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO Epilogue,” “THE MOMENT: Mayweather vs. Maidana” and “ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Maidana Epilogue.”

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao Round 11

YOUTUBE: http://s.sho.com/1OQazST

DOWNLOAD LINK: https://we.tl/6k58i7vmeY

Mayweather vs. Maidana I: Round 7

YOUTUBE: YOUTUBE: http://s.sho.com/1T62ZA4

DOWNLOAD LINK: https://we.tl/RMx6P9b4uH

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, Mayweather vs. Maidana I, and all of the classic fights presented as part of the 30th Anniversary, are available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, SHOWTIME ANYTIME® and via the network’s online streaming service.

NEW YORK (May 5, 2016) – Universally acknowledged as the most talented fighter of this generation and one of the greatest boxers in history, now-retired Floyd Mayweather will be honored during the month of May when SHOWTIME Sports® continues its year-long salute commemorating 30 years of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® with “MAYWEATHER”.

The fifth round of a 12-month tribute will be highlighted by four of the most memorable and meaningful fights in Mayweather’s magnificent 19-year career – against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, Marcos “Chino” Maidana, Manny Pacquiao and Andre Berto.

The four fights will air on “Throwback Thursdays” all month at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHO EXTREME and are available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, SHOWTIME ANYTIME® and via the network’s online streaming service. Each fight will be wrapped with brief context and commentary from SHOWTIME Sports host Brian Custer.

Below is the schedule of SHOWTIME EXTREME premieres for the month of May
Thursday, May 5: Mayweather vs. Canelo
Thursday, May 12: Mayweather vs. Maidana I
Thursday, May 19: Mayweather vs. Pacquiao
Thursday, May 26: Mayweather vs. Berto

May Days

(Mayweather-Canelo, Sept. 14, 2013) — In a blockbuster megaevent billed as “The One,” Mayweather won an impressive 12-round decision over previously undefeated Canelo Alvarez in the then-highest-grossing pay-per-view and most profitable boxing event of all time. For the night’s work, Mayweather collected Canelo’s WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine Super Welterweight Championships.

(Mayweather-Maidana 1, May 3, 2014) — Mayweather seized “The Moment” against Marcos Maidana, but it wasn’t easy. For a stirring moment – or two, in fact – it appeared the aggressive-minded Argentine might do the unthinkable — and deal Mayweather his first defeat. But the supremely skilled and savvy Mayweather rallied convincingly in the bout’s second half to take a 12-round majority decision.

(Mayweather-Pacquiao, May 2, 2015) – Five-Division world champion Mayweather won a clear 12-round unanimous decision over Eight-Division world champion Manny Pacquiao in a record-shattering “Fight of the Century.” Regarded as one of the most anticipated sporting events of all time, Mayweather-Pacquiao demolished PPV records for buys, revenue, live gate and more. The fight nearly doubled the previous record of 2.48 million buys generated by the Mayweather-Oscar De La Hoya match in 2007 and nearly tripled the record $150 million in U.S. pay-per-view revenue generated by Mayweather-Canelo in 2013. Inside the ring, Floyd had his way throughout, winning by the scores of 118-110 and 116-112 twice,

(Sept. 12, 2015, Mayweather-Berto) – Mayweather went to 49-0, matching the record of the late heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano, with a dominant 12-round unanimous decision over Berto. In command throughout, “TBE” landed an impressive 56 percent (232/410) in punches thrown and 67 percent of his power punches (132/196) to triumph by the scores of 120-108, 118-110 and 117-111. If this was Mayweather’s last fight, as he’s said, then the maestro manufactured yet one last masterpiece.

# # #

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Apple®, Roku®, Amazon and Google. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, Sony PlayStation® Vue and Amazon Prime Video. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™, and offers Smithsonian Earth™ through SN Digital LLC. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

LONDON (April 28) – British star Amir Khan always believed that he would get the chance of a legacy fight, despite setbacks in his pursuit of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

The two-time world champion has told BoxNation that he has always been convinced of landing a superfight ahead of his eagerly anticipated showdown with Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez next Saturday night.

The pair are set to do battle at the newly built T-Mobile Arena for the lineal middleweight world title, with Khan revealing that he was certain that he would eventually get the opportunity to shine on the biggest of stages.

“I always believed that I would get the opportunity to prove myself in a historic fight, even after the disappointment of not getting Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao,” said Khan.

“I felt that an opportunity would present itself and that always kept me going and moving forward. That time has come now with Canelo and I can look to create my own legacy and take on someone who is one of the very best out there,” Khan told BoxNation.

29-year-old Khan, a welterweight who will be moving up two weight divisions to take on the formidable Canelo believes that this fight will be harder than against either Mayweather or Pacquiao.

“This is a tougher fight than against a Mayweather or Pacquiao because of the size difference but I love that sort of challenge – it’s why I’m in boxing,” he said.

“I’m going in there to give everything and to prove that this is where I belong. I’ve done some great work for this camp and will be ready to go as soon as the bell rings to start the fight.

“Canelo is a great champion, in his prime, very skilled and I will need to be at my very best to beat him. In most people’s eyes I’m seen as the underdog for this fight but I know deep down that I can win it. I’m ready to go and prove myself on this stage,” Khan said.

The fight will take place on the Mexican holiday weekend of Cinco de Mayo in which there is expected to be a large turnout of Canelo fans.

Khan, however, is undaunted at the prospect of entering into the lion’s den and expects the sizeable contingent of British fans making the trip to be just as boisterous.

“British fans are the best around,” said Khan. “They can out-sing anyone so I’m sure they’ll make their voices heard on fight night. It doesn’t worry me how many fans he has in the arena because I know there are a lot of fans travelling from Britain and their support will be incredible.

“It’s going to give me an extra boost hearing them and seeing them waving their flags. I want to do this for the UK and keep British boxing on the high we’ve been experiencing of late,” he said.

Khan v Canelo is exclusively live on BoxNation (Sky/Freeview/Virgin/TalkTalk/Online & App) next Saturday night. Go to boxnation.com to subscribe.

– ENDS –
About BoxNation

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £12* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Collazo and Mayweather vs Maidana.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV customers.

By Norm Frauenheim-

Nearly twelve years have come and gone since Andre Ward won America’s last Olympic gold medal in boxing, yet there’s a sense he’s still unknown among casual fans who know all about Floyd Mayweather Jr., know a little about Manny Pacquiao and remember Mike Tyson.

Mayweather sells cash and controversy. Pacquiao sells a naïve smile, his role as a man-of-the-Filipino people and some controversy of his own lately with comments about same-sex marriage. Tyson sold fear.

For them, it has been a business model, a way to unlock the pay-per-view vault. Through design or just dumb luck, they figured out how to achieve the kind of celebrity that makes them more than a boxer and puts them on a list a lot more valuable than any rating. Dollar-for-dollar or pound-for-pound? Any bets on where Ward would rather be ranked? Forbes or The Ring?

But he’s never been on Forbes’ annual list of the highest earning athletes, despite his pound-for-pound credentials, mostly because he’s never been a pay-per-view headliner.

Perhaps, that’s because of inactivity brought on by injuries and a promotional lawsuit, or stubborn pride, or just his unerring competency over a couple decades. He hasn’t lost a fight since he was 12 years old. Mistakes attract attention, especially these days, and Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) just doesn’t make many on either side of the ropes. He’s hard to know. Harder to beat.

Now 32 and the clock ticking on his prime, he embarks on a stage of his career defined by a last chance to become the pay-per-view star that everyone thought he would be after he stepped off the medal stand at the Athens Games.

It begins Saturday in hometown Oakland on HBO (9:45 pm ET/PT) in his debut at light-heavyweight against former Cuban amateur Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs), whose record and size suggests his welcome to 175 pounds could be a tough one.

“We did not pick him because he’s a soft touch,’’ Ward said at a media workout. “We picked him because he was going to get me ready and show me what this weight class is all about. If you look at my career, there’s a place for tune-ups, which I haven’t had a lot of. You want to fight the best and if you aren’t fighting the best, you want to fight the No. 1 contender. That’s what we’re doing.’’

What Ward is doing is testing his readiness for Sergey Kovalev, the feared holder of most of the light-heavyweight belts and a Russian fighting to get his own foothold in America’s PPV market. Kovalev, who is expected to be ringside at Oracle Arena, and Ward have an agreement to fight, perhaps in November and presumably on HBO’s pay-per-view.

It’s a projected fight that has fans more interested in combinations than celebrity drooling in anticipation. With the Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin possibility looking as if it will be placed in a Mayweather-Pacquiao-like delay because of Canelo’s continuing insistence on a 155-pound catch-weight, Ward-Kovalev is the biggest fight out there.

The question is just how big it could be. Hints at an answer will be in how Ward does against Barrera, whose promoter, Main Events, also promotes Kovalev. Ward’s singular brilliance has been absent from the ring’s stage, in part because of injuries that are surely causing some sleepless nights at HBO, Main Events and his own promoter, Roc Nation.

He fought and beat Carl Froch at 168 pounds in 2011 with a hand that was broken in two places during sparring. Surgery on his right shoulder forced the cancellation of a planned bout with Kelly Pavlik in 2013. A knee injury forced him off the PPV card featuring Canelo’s victory over Miguel Cotto on Nov. 21.

His history of injuries and his introduction to 175 pounds against someone with 12 stoppages in 17 fights add up to a reason for concern. The guess here is that his command of the ring and versatile skillset will be too much for the tough Barrera. Ward wins.

But he needs to do more than just that. He needs to emerge unscathed and able to fight on in a way that will remind fans of where he has been.

And where he is going.

By Bart Barry-

Saturday at Staples Center, Philadelphia welterweight Danny “Swift” Garcia decisioned Californian Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero by unanimous if narrow scores of 116-112. Both men adhered to sound strategies, and the spectacle was entertaining, benefitting as it did from a televised undercard stuffed with b-side quitters (jaw, tongue, hand, elbow). The match’s result enabled a hotly anticipated event of some sort in the fall, and the captain of The Money Team, Floyd “Money” Mayweather, himself, presided over about 2/3 of the main event from ringside, providing one member of the telecast an incredible opportunity for autographs.

The PBC’s struggles with authenticity continued unabated. Garcia-Guerrero, a fair and competitive fight conducted at a level three above most PBC fare, nevertheless felt somehow inauthentic – as if the combatants were in 20-ounce gloves.

Before prizefighting was scripted, back when Richard Schaefer lacked the managerial acumen to do what Al Haymon successfully did last year, Danny Garcia made a pair of matches with Mexican Erik “El Terrible” Morales, and whatever their druthers, Golden Boy executives stood by while Garcia twice beat their guy. The first fight happened in Houston, and Morales, six fights in an illadvised comeback, missed weight widely, got dropped in round 11, but nevertheless did unexpected things enough for Golden Boy to try again for their chance to promote Morales as a legendary champion (not long after Top Rank’s promotion of former Golden Boy partner Marco Antonio Barrera fizzed to its end). Garcia corkscrewed Morales in the canvas during the rematch, one that placed a blemish of unseriousness on both Golden Boy’s and New York’s PED Police badges, and that ended Morales’ career on a note sour as the meat that contaminated the many drug tests he failed till he passed one.

However obviously Golden Boy wanted a Morales victory, however comically they stretched rules in efforts that failed, the Garcia-Morales fights never felt inauthentic the way Saturday’s did, the way PBC cards ever seem to. The rounds went by – and this may speak to an interest in either fighter that does not endure – and little happened to excite viewers, and this may be an offsetting sort of reaction viewers have to the potent inauthenticity of PBC commentators, as if, in search of a mental sort of homeostasis while watching a PBC card, viewers turn down the credulousness settings on their HDTVs – or it might be something quite different actually: their eyes fatigued by squinting to see whatever the hell the commentary crew is on about through the undercard, PBC viewers’ gazes glaze during the main event and their minds go off to graze on nostalgic happenings of yesteryear, be they Garcia’s starching Amir Khan or Guerrero’s icing Martin Honorio.

It was that 2007 fight, right there, a Guerrero co-main in Tucson that preceded Juan Manuel Marquez’s undressing of Rocky Juarez, that brought a stitch of annoyance to Saturday’s viewing, when one of the commentators who was not a fighter continued to stress the talent disparity between Garcia and Guerrero. Talent was simply the wrong word, though exactly the word one might choose if he didn’t know who Guerrero was till a series of music videos preceding “The Ghost’s” 2013 match with Floyd Mayweather (who was in the building Saturday, who was in the building Saturday, who was in the building Saturday).

Before Guerrero became a popup ad for Christ and cancer survivorship, he was a very good, if somewhat overhyped, flyweight, and that is worth reiterating because it belies the apparent disparity in talent Guerrero suffered across from a career junior welterweight like Garcia: At 126 pounds, Guerrero put men to sleep faster than Garcia did at 140. Guerrero turned from boxer-puncher to brawler as he climbed weightclasses because it improved the probability of his consciousness at the ends of welterweight matches.

That was strikingly apparent Saturday, as Garcia graciously ceded large amounts of ring estate for a possibility of putting Guerrero at the end of a righthand lead. At distance, Guerrero had nothing but chin to match Garcia’s fist, and both men knew it. Guerrero was solely successful inside Garcia’s punches; if there were a miscalculation in the match, it was not Guerrero’s but Garcia’s – “Swift” overestimated the devastation his crosses and hooks would wreak when they did land and came within a round or two of needing the very homerun for which he kept swinging.

Fighters gain weight on their chins more than their fists, generally, and Garcia, while still possessed of concussive pop at 147, is not the same puncher he was at 140, a debilitation offset mostly by the experience he acquired fighting championship-caliber men in his pre-PBC years. Whatever Keith Thurman, now as much a salesman as a prizefighter, opines of his own power, the chance of his blasting Garcia before Garcia blasts him is long indeed – not because Thurman lacks talent for the trick but because, unlike Garcia who fought real men in real matches as a real underdog before the PBC pardoned him from doing very much of that, Thurman went from prospect to PBC without proving he has the wiles for unfastening another champion.

Guerrero marked a genuine challenge for Thurman, an opponent that required Thurman’s best to win a safe decision. For Garcia, Guerrero was a showcase opponent of sorts, a knownguy Garcia never worried might beat him, a Money Team-made celebrity Garcia would either look spectacular smashing to pieces or else decision without worry. Guerrero brought more violence than anticipated, and Garcia appeared grateful for it, appreciative of the reminder their 36th minute together gave him: A promotional b-side in a rigged affair who nevertheless believes he will win and fights like it – I remember that feeling!

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

By Bart Barry-

Editor’s note: For part 1, please click here.

*

The May morning of 2015’s knockout of the year, the Saturday Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez spearchiseled Texan James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland in Houston, no one was certain just yet how debasing for the sport of prizefighting 2015 would be, how mercenary, how joyless, but the previous weekend’s fare served notice to all aficionados, and the worst part, too: Mayweather-Pacquiao was what we asked for, demanded, allowed the sport to suspend itself in pursuit of, for five years that did nothing so much as hollow-out the fanbase by loitering in Las Vegas while more gymnasiums shuttered and fewer American boys explored boxing as more than a cynic’s plan-c moneymaking ruse, a trashtalking musicvideo to film after flunking football and basketball.

In March, Oscar De La Hoya promised Canelo Alvarez as a savior for the sport, and everyone applied the ironist’s filter, instantly and properly, hearing: Canelo Alvarez is the man the Golden Boy hopes will save his struggling brand. It was lost on no one how instrumental De La Hoya and “his” “promotional company” were to Money May’s ascent during the seven years De La Hoya vainly searched for someone, beginning with himself, to humble Floyd Mayweather; instrumental, in fact, is not strong enough – during the partnership years, Golden Boy Promotions was the fulcrum in Al Haymon’s lever, making De La Hoya and his former friend Richard Schaefer mechanically essential to a movement that, in 2015, changed its name from “HBO” or “Showtime” to Premier Boxing Champions, PBC, and began appearing on the same terrestrial television networks promoter Bob Arum convinced aficionados should be boxing’s rightful place (about a decade after Arum first moved boxing from terrestrial television, of course).

Very few pundits realized when Canelo fought Kirkland what an existential crisis the PBC presented, with its hostility to independent media and indifference to competitive matchmaking, and only marginally more recognize it today – choosing, symmetrically, to save such a collective revelation for the very moment their powerlessness to alter it achieves fullness and perfection (with writer David Avila a noble exception).

*

The May morning of 2015’s knockout of the year, the Saturday Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez spearchiseled Texan James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland in Houston, brought merely one concern about a tardy arrival at the ballpark: There mightn’t be time for socializing and reminiscing with writers Kelsey McCarson, a fellow Texan, and David Greisman – not a fellow Texan but doing his level best that week to be one.

My fears were misplaced. The endless and uninspired undercard offered plenty of time for chatting and sharing a photo on the grass roamed by Astros outfielders. Seated directly in front of me, too, was Welshman Anson Wainwright, once a contributor to this very site and today a regular contributor to The Ring’s always engrossing “Best I Faced” series.

The ranks have thinned since my first visit to pressrow in 2004, and in the next five years the PBC’s subversion of media access will end either the PBC or pressrow, but wherever more than a halfdozen writers are gathered at a Texas fightcard, good health and good humor shall remain the rule.

*

The May morning of 2015’s knockout of the year, the Saturday Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez spearchiseled Texan James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland in Houston, anyone who told you he was sure what to expect from Kirkland was embellishing the case a bit. Kirkland had done his preparations with San Antonio’s Rick Morones, instead of Austin’s Ann Wolfe, and while it likely made no difference to the outcome – Canelo is simply a higher level fighter than Kirkland, whatever Kirkland’s conditioning – it was not the plan in March when the Canelo-Kirkland presstour made its way to Alamo City’s historic Aztec Theatre and a pleasant and plump Kirkland confidently and ominously reported his manager was in negotiations with Ms. Wolfe.

Kirkland is a known entity in San Antonio, not quite a legend but one remembered in local gyms for having manstrength even as a boy. Kirkland was the right person to make Canelo look spectacular, a lie-detector type, rough and unrelenting, one to establish quickly the difference in caliber between a champion like Canelo and a local attraction.

Canelo had not before had a man of Kirkland’s class run across the ring at him on first bell and begin hurling punches without regard for anyone’s safety, but he managed the incident as if he had, and many times. That poise is a large reason Gennady Golovkin apologists, those who’ve amplified the Golovkin-camp line for three years, the risible assertion GGG, despite never fighting anywhere but middleweight, is ready to fight any man between 154 pounds and 168, strongly prefer 2016’s superfight happen at 160.

If that fight happens, this much will be made immediately clear: While Canelo Alvarez has fought at least one man considerably better than Golovkin, and maybe several, GGG’s reign of terror at middleweight has yet to include anyone close to Canelo’s talent.

*

The May morning of 2015’s knockout of the year, the Saturday Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez spearchiseled Texan James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland in Houston, the 200-mile eastwards drive got justified by both men’s reputations and the increasingly unfortunate realization Canelo Alvarez will be the Mexican prizefighter most remembered in our current era – despite his technical inferiority to each member of our last era’s Mexican triumvirate: Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales.

Because of Mexican television rights and other complexities, including their standard-issue dark heads of hair, the best fighters of the last era accomplished fractionally much celebrity in their homeland as Canelo did before his 25th birthday. Canelo cannot be blamed for that. He’s squandered no opportunities, whatever his limitations of speed and power, and he remains a prompt and courteous interview even when he does not need to be. He has far surpassed his only realistic competition for Mexico’s heart, “Son of the Legend” Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., and he’s done it with discipline and class.

Any aficionado seated ringside for Canelo-Kirkland and knowledgeable of Mexican prizefighting history – practically a redundancy, that – left the experience balancing a sentiment like this: An era of Mexican prizefighting could do better than having Canelo Alvarez as its standard bearer, yes, but it could also do much worse.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

By Norm Frauenheim

Bankers, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao, a handful of promoters and network executives can celebrate a year about to enter the books. Money ruled, which means it was Mayweather’s year. He fulfilled his nickname. Got most of the money, too.

But good for the business?

No way.

By definition, prizefighting is a simple enough formula. To wit: Get the biggest prize for the smallest risk. In 2015, Mayweather played that one out better than anyone ever has. As the year ends, there continues to be unconfirmed reports that receipts for his revenue-record setting victory over Pacquiao on May 2 are still being counted. Numbers are all over the place.

We read that his final purse is $220 million, then $260 million, which would rank the money for his 12 rounds of work somewhere between the Los Angeles Dodgers ($291 million) and the New York Yankees ($223 million) at the top of baseball’s last list of reported payrolls.

Hard to know what to believe. But there he is, in Dubai one day, in a new Bugati the next and always ready to make it rain by stuffing his bags with disposable cash.

Mayweather has gone from the top of the pound-for-pound list to being the face of the one percent. Let somebody a lot smarter than a boxing writer be the judge of that. But give Mayweather credit, not that he needs it. He might not have been TBE in the ring. But he ranks as The Best Earner in history and that figures to be undisputed for a while.

In the wake of a winner-take-all model that enriched him, however, there are consequences that could confront the game with a steep price in 2016 and beyond. HBO’s Jim Lampley said it best in the wake of his dull decision over Pacquiao, whose role as the junior partner in the money grab earned him north of $150 million.

Lampley called it a cynical exercise.

It was. As the year ends, coffers are filled, yet there’s an empty feeling about what was really accomplished. Does anybody other than Mayweather think the game is better for the exercise? Didn’t think so.

A sign of that emptiness is in the year-end ritual of voting for the various awards. Fighter of the Year is the biggie. But it’s a tough choice this time. On this ballot, the dreaded No Award, always a contender in a lot of categories, is an option. Yeah, Tyson Fury beat Wladimir Klitschko, but I’d cast a vote for Donald Trump before I’d vote for an okay heavyweight who reserves most of the fury for his insults.

The guess here is that Nicaraguan flyweight Roman Gonzalez wins, but his likely election looks to be more of a concession to a brilliant career (44-0, 38 KOs) ignored until HBO finally decided to pair him up with middleweight Gennady Golovkin in a couple of telecasts

An astonishing and worrisome aspect to the Gonzalez phenomenon goes back to where this column starts. Follow the money. In 2015, Gonzalez became the lightest ever to ascend to No. 1 in The Ring’s pound-for-pound rankings. He succeeded Mayweather after Mayweather’s announced retirement following a victory in September over Andre Berto.

The dollars, however, didn’t follow Gonzalez’ climb up the pound-for-pound scale. During his reign at No. 1, Mayweather earned a minimum of $32-million a fight through his six-fight deal with Showtime. In Gonzalez’ October stoppage of Brian Viloria in his second HBO appearance and in the immediate aftermath of his introduction as the pound-for-pound No. 1, he earned a career-high $250,000. Mayweather stuffs more than that into one of those carry-ons.

For Gonzalez, the pound-for-pound title represents little more than an honorarium. The Grand Canyon-like disparity on the pay scale, however, includes a more troubling aspect. It represents a lack of investment in lighter weights that have often sustained the business during periods of transition and/or trouble. HBO’s interest in Gonzalez is promising. Perhaps, it’s the beginning of an investment.

But the long-term trend is not good. Consider this: In the two-plus decades since junior-flyweights Michael Carbajal and Humberto Gonzalez earned $1-million purses for fighting each other three times in 1993 and 1994, there’s been no raise in pay for the little guys, who in some ways are to boxing what the working middle class is to an economy. There are no good undercards without them. Yet, they’re getting paid a lot less now than they did a few generations ago.

In stature and impact, they are so small that they often don’t seem to matter. But it’s the little things that often reveal a lot about a business and these days they appear to be troublesome fly in a problematic ointment.

By Norm Frauenheim

It’s hard to know where talks are headed for a Canelo-Gennady Golovkin fight, the biggest on boxing’s board of possibilities. But there are signs that Canelo will make demands, including a problematic one about a 155-pound catch weight.

Why? Because he can.

If and when the respective parties get to the table, we’ll know HBO’s pay-per-view numbers from Canelo-Cotto. At midweek after the Nov. 21 bout, it was reportedly tracking at about 900,000. That’s a long way from the 1.5 million that Canelo promoter Oscar De La Hoya had projected. But it’s still very good.

It adds up to leverage, all on Canelo’s side of the table. In Golovkin’s only PPV venture – an Oct. 17 victory over David Lemieux, the PPV number was reported to be 150,000.

The difference between 900,000 and 150,000 adds up to 750,000 reasons for Canelo to get his way, in much the same manner that Mayweather did. Mayweather bragged about the perks and power he had. Like it or not, he used them, too.

Canelo might not brag about his newfound role on the A-side. But he’d be fool not to make full use of them.

There already have been a few preliminaries. GGG’s representative, Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions, went to Canelo’s post-fight party and congratulated the World Boxing Council’s new middleweight champ Saturday after his unanimous decision over Miguel Cotto at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay.

“Gennady thought it was great performance by Canelo,’’ said Loeffler, who said GGG was in the arena for the fight.

If GGG-Canelo were to happen in May, Golovkin, first or second in pound-for-pound ratings, would be favored. With the victory over Cotto, Canelo has climbed into the debate’s top 10, but he’s in the second five.

It’s a sign, perhaps, that the 25-year-old Mexican, who won the WBC’s 160-pound title at a 155-pound catch weight, still needs more experience at middleweight.

Truth is, he has yet to face a real middleweight with first-class skill. Cotto has the skills, but he’s never been a middleweight, despite the WBC title stripped from him because he didn’t pay the sanctioning fee.

At 153.5 pounds, Cotto was half-a-pound under the junior-middleweight limit at the weigh-in. At opening bell, his trainer, Freddie Roach, said he was at 159, one pound under the middleweight limit.

As it should, GGG’s corner argues that Canelo is more of a light-heavyweight than a middleweight at fight time. He was at 170 to 175 pounds against Cotto, says GGG trainer Abel Sanchez. That’s a guesstimate, because declined at step on HBO’s scale the night of the fight. But it’s reasonable.

For now, however, the 155 mark on the day before the bout is a sure sign that Canelo is ready. Rafael Mendoza, his former advisor and manager, said that if he is a pound or two lighter, it’s a sign he weakened himself in a battle to make weight.

A pound or two heavier than 155 pounds, and he figures to be sluggish, according to Mendoza, a Hall of Famer. Canelo doesn’t have foot speed anyway. If he hits the 155 mark, however, it’s a sign that he’s in shape to move his upper body and head throughout 12 rounds. He did that, effectively and consistently against Cotto.

In the immediate aftermath of his victory of over Cotto, Canelo said he’s willing to fight GGG, yet he sidestepped the question about a 155-pound catch weight. He might have been waiting to hear the pay-per-view. That’s when he’ll really know how much power he has as boxing’s new A-sider.

LONDON (Nov 20) – Miguel Cotto’s trainer Freddie Roach wants the Puerto Rican ace to rematch and knockout pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather.

The Hall of Fame trainer believes he has the right strategy to overcome boxing’s number one fighter and wants four-weight champion Cotto to face him again should he be victorious in his middleweight blockbuster this weekend against Canelo Alvarez, live on BoxNation.

35-year-old Cotto was outpointed by Mayweather when they met in May 2012 but had not yet joined forces with the much respected Roach, someone who Cotto believes would have helped him knockout the now retired superstar.

“I would love for Miguel to win this fight [against Canelo] by knockout, call out Mayweather and then end his career,” said Roach.

“Miguel always tells me that if he had me in his corner when he fought Mayweather he would have knocked him out. He tells me that story all the time.

“I think Miguel could pull off the strategy I have to beat Mayweather. I think that would be a good fight for him. I think I could put Miguel in a very aggressive mode,” he said.

Any hopes of facing Mayweather however could be dashed this Saturday night when Cotto steps into the ring against Mexican foe Canelo.

The former unified light-middleweight champion goes in as the bookies favourite in the fight but trainer Roach says his man is in top shape and ready to expose the Latino boxing idol.

“Miguel has had a great training camp for this fight. We’re 100% ready for this fight, the biggest fight of the year. I’ve never seen Miguel better than this,” said Roach.

“We are going to box a lot in this fight. We’re not just going out there looking for a knockout. I don’t want him doing that. I want him using his foot speed and his angles. He’s a more complete fighter now than ever.

“Canelo’s defence is terrible. He follows you wherever you go. He’s like a robot. If you use angles on him, he will be lost. He cannot make adjustments well,” he said.

Flame-haired Canelo though is well aware of the threat he is up against but will be looking to continue the momentum from his last fight that saw him knockout James Kirkland inside three rounds.

“I’ve had a great preparation. I’ve worked very hard. I am patiently waiting for Saturday night to have my hand raised in victory once again. It’s going to be a difficult fight – I know that – but that is why I prepared properly, and I am ready to give a great fight,” said Canelo.

British fighter Lee Haskins is also set to feature on the undercard as he takes on Randy Caballero for the IBF bantamweight world title.

The Bristol boxer will get his chance to shine under the bright lights of Las Vegas and can’t wait to step into the ring.

“Fighting in Las Vegas, fighting in a fight of this magnitude, I never thought in my dreams I would be on an undercard like this, that’s what’s giving me the extra push. It feels absolutely amazing just to be here,” said Haskins.

“The magnitude of the fight, seeing everybody here, just up in the middle of the Vegas square, it’s incredible.

“I’m sure he’s done a lot of sparing and he’s just as ready as myself. I’m just looking forward to having a great fight,” he said.

Cotto v Canelo is live on BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD, Virgin 525, TalkTalk 415, online or app) this Saturday night. Visit boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-
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According to Dan Ran Rafael of espn.com, Oscar De La Hoya had some parting words for Floyd Mayweather in this month’s Playboy Magazine.

“You did it. You made it to the 49-0 mark, a milestone that you like to say only the great Rocky Marciano reached but that was actually achieved by others, including my idol Julio Cesar Chavez — but who’s counting,” De La Hoya wrote. “And now you’re retiring. Again. (The first time was after our fight in 2007.) This time you say it’s for real. You’re serious about hanging up the gloves. On to bigger and better things. So I’m writing to you today to wish you a fond farewell. Truth be told, I’m not unhappy to see you retire. Neither are a lot of boxing fans. Scratch that. MOST boxing fans. Why? Because the fight game will be a better one without you in it.”

“Let’s face it: You were boring,” De La Hoya wrote. “Just take a look at your most recent performance, your last hurrah in the ring, a 12-round decision against Andre Berto. How to describe it? A bust? A disaster? A snooze fest? An affair so one-sided that on one judge’s card Berto didn’t win a single round? Everyone in boxing knew Berto didn’t have a chance. I think more people watched ‘Family Guy’ reruns that night than tuned in to that pay-per-view bout. But I didn’t mind shelling out $75 for the HD broadcast. In fact it’s been a great investment. When my kids have trouble falling asleep, I don’t have to read to them anymore. I just play them your Berto fight. They don’t make it past round three.”

“Another reason boxing is better off without you: You were afraid. Afraid of taking chances. Afraid of risk. A perfect example is your greatest ‘triumph,’ the long-awaited record-breaking fight between you and Manny Pacquiao,” De La Hoya wrote, referring to the May 2 fight that set every revenue record in boxing. “Nearly 4.5 million buys! More than $400 million in revenue! Headlines worldwide! How can that be bad for boxing? Because you lied. You promised action and entertainment and a battle for the ages, and you delivered none of the above. The problem is, that’s precisely how you want it.

“You should have fought Pacquiao five years ago, not five months ago. That, however, would have been too dangerous. Too risky. You’ve made a career out of being cautious. You won’t get in the ring unless you have an edge. Sure, you fought some big names. But they were past their prime. Hell, even when we fought in 2007 — and I barely lost a split decision — I was at the tail end of my career. Then later you took on Mexican megastar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, but he was too young and had to drop too much weight.”

“I got into this business to take chances. I took on all comers in their prime,” he wrote. “The evidence? I lost. Six times.”

“The mantra of my firm Golden Boy Promotions is simple: the best taking on the best. It’s too bad you didn’t do the same,” De La Hoya wrote. “You took the easy way out. When you weren’t dancing around fading stars, you were beating up on outclassed opponents. A lot of your opponents were above-average fighters, but they weren’t your caliber. You’re a very talented fighter, the best defensive fighter of our generation. But what good is talent if you don’t test it?

“Muhammad Ali did. Sugar Ray Leonard did. You? Not a chance. You spent 2000 to 2010 facing forgettable opening acts like Victoriano Sosa, Phillip N’dou, DeMarcus Corley, Henry Bruseles and Sharmba Mitchell. There were guys out there — tough scary opponents like Antonio Margarito and Paul Williams — but you ran from them. Were you ever on the track team in high school? You would have been a star.

“Boxing will also be a better place without the Mouth. Your mouth, to be precise, the one that created ‘Money’ Mayweather. I know you needed that Money Mayweather persona. Before he and Golden Boy Promotions came along, nobody watched your fights. You couldn’t even sell out your hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Mouth made you money. More money than you could spend in a lifetime. (Wait, I’ve seen those episodes of 24/7. You probably will spend it all.) But the Mouth doesn’t have a place in boxing; save it for the WWE. Unless you’re someone like Ali, whose fights were as scintillating as his banter, the all-talk, no-entertainment model cheapens our sport. Boxers should speak with their fists and with their hearts. They don’t have to say anything to prove themselves. You’re going to have a legacy. You’ll be remembered as the guy who made the most money. As for your fights? We’ve already forgotten them.”

You’re moving on to a new phase of life now, a second act,” De La Hoya wrote. “I’m sure it will be nice not to have to train year-round. … But I’m wondering what you’re going to do. You have a lot of time and, at the moment, a lot of money. Maybe you’ll put your true skills to work and open a used-car dealership or run a circus. Or maybe you’ll wind up back on ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ It’s a job that’s safe, pays well and lets you run around on stage. Something you’ve been doing for most of your career.”