The coldly anticipated farce between Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and Brian Vera delivered us yet another fraudulent decision this weekend.
Anyone who does not think the sport of boxing is crooked, then well, I mean does anyone actually not think it's bent? Anybody?
Chavez Jr were scheduled to fight at 160lbs when the fight was announced. The fight was eventually moved up a full weight class to Super Middleweight at 168lbs, as fight drew closer. By the time the fight started on Saturday night in Carson, California, both men had 'agreed' to a 173lb weight limit.
There were swathes of empty seats, which was pointed out by the commentators on the telecast. The reasons are obvious. When you have a fighter who began campaigning at super featherweight, who is now a full 40 lbs or more heavier, you question the validity of the event your seeing. Can it be elite level sport with such indiscipline?
The answer is no. Boxing is not elite, it's a niche sport that manages to throw up a couple of monstrous events a year from the fighters at the pinnacle. Below that, its a weird mixture of tough guys willingly surrendering their long term health for a few grand, and a hyped up chosen few who get to trouser 6 figure pay checks and win fights without winning them.
Vera was meant to lose, so he lost. That is the story of this fight. There's little point in analyzing it any deeper than that. Chavez was unconditioned and fought like it, throwing hard single shots every minute or so, while Vera jabbed and puffed up his already oversized face.
I dont understand. If they're going to rig a fight, then why not use a little bit of brain power and arrange the cards to be at least close. One of the fraudulent, corrupt judges managed to award Chavez 8 out of the 10 rounds. And this was a majority decision, with all 3 judges giving the nod to boxing's most famous and favoured son.
The excellent Bobby Hunter collated the media scorecards from this bout. There were 56 cards. 53 people picked Vera. 3 picked the draw. Nobody picked Chavez, he was 0 for 56. As opposed to 3 out of 3 from the professionally employed boxing judges.
Monday 30 September 2013
Sunday 29 September 2013
Stevenson v Cloud
Another weekend, another robbery. I'll write on the Chavez Jr farce later, let's start with a proper fight from the previous weekend.
Adonis Stevenson continued his fine form, handily beating down Tavoris Cloud over 7 one sided rounds.
It was an impressively simple display of one-two punching, as Stevenson maintained his sideways stance ingrained in him from his days under the late Manny Steward at the Kronk Gym. He was disciplined, patient and chose his shots, but was equally quick to jump on Cloud when he was hurt; Stevenson damaged Cloud's eye early and unleashed an impressive barage as soon as he smelled blood, whether following up a thudding shot up top or taking advantage of a crumbling Cloud who was hurt to the body at several points.
Stevenson is never going to be a hugely popular, crossover star. Firstly he is 36, and though he looks in fine shape and has taken little punishment over the years, his only loss coming via quick KO from the mythical gatekeeper Darnell Boone, he is enjoying potentially a few years of relevance in the Light heavyweight division.
Secondly, his more than chequered past is not going to do him any favors either; but after watching the fight take place at the Bell Center in Montreal, and seeing how vociferously eager the crowd were to chant out 'Superman! Superman!' it reminds me that literally any sin can be forgiven, as long as you are good at throwing a ball, singing a tune, or punching a guy in the face.
Since the Golden Boy - Top rank feud split into the Showtime - HBO battle we are currently reaping the rewards of, HBO Boxing has taken a hit and it has invested a lot of time and money in someone like Andre Ward, who is currently endearing the fans with his arrogant, paint drying turns as a color commentator as opposed to any kind of fistic genius. Once Mayweather, Broner et al jumped across to Showtime, HBO has been left looking for stars. They've found some from outside North America, like Golovkin and Kovalev, but Adonis Stevenson is as exciting as any other world champion on their roster right now.
He fights with the right balance of patience and risk, and hopefully will continue dispatching opponents to set-up a unification fight with Sergei Kovalev in front of the fans in Montreal again. That would be one of the bigger events of late 2014 if it's promoted correctly.
Adonis Stevenson continued his fine form, handily beating down Tavoris Cloud over 7 one sided rounds.
It was an impressively simple display of one-two punching, as Stevenson maintained his sideways stance ingrained in him from his days under the late Manny Steward at the Kronk Gym. He was disciplined, patient and chose his shots, but was equally quick to jump on Cloud when he was hurt; Stevenson damaged Cloud's eye early and unleashed an impressive barage as soon as he smelled blood, whether following up a thudding shot up top or taking advantage of a crumbling Cloud who was hurt to the body at several points.
Stevenson is never going to be a hugely popular, crossover star. Firstly he is 36, and though he looks in fine shape and has taken little punishment over the years, his only loss coming via quick KO from the mythical gatekeeper Darnell Boone, he is enjoying potentially a few years of relevance in the Light heavyweight division.
Secondly, his more than chequered past is not going to do him any favors either; but after watching the fight take place at the Bell Center in Montreal, and seeing how vociferously eager the crowd were to chant out 'Superman! Superman!' it reminds me that literally any sin can be forgiven, as long as you are good at throwing a ball, singing a tune, or punching a guy in the face.
Since the Golden Boy - Top rank feud split into the Showtime - HBO battle we are currently reaping the rewards of, HBO Boxing has taken a hit and it has invested a lot of time and money in someone like Andre Ward, who is currently endearing the fans with his arrogant, paint drying turns as a color commentator as opposed to any kind of fistic genius. Once Mayweather, Broner et al jumped across to Showtime, HBO has been left looking for stars. They've found some from outside North America, like Golovkin and Kovalev, but Adonis Stevenson is as exciting as any other world champion on their roster right now.
He fights with the right balance of patience and risk, and hopefully will continue dispatching opponents to set-up a unification fight with Sergei Kovalev in front of the fans in Montreal again. That would be one of the bigger events of late 2014 if it's promoted correctly.
Saturday 14 September 2013
Mayweather v Canelo - Prediction
Don't have time to write extensively on this unfortunately as I would have loved to, but I'll stick my neck out for what it's worth.
Prediction - Mayweather is just too far above Canelo's level of competition. Trout was good, but he is the true standout name on a deceptively thin resume. That's not to say Canelo is not a legitimate talent. It's a case of far too soon, and at the wrong weight
After seeing how dried out Canelo appeared at the weigh-in, I'm increasingly tempted to suggest Mayweather could force a late stoppage, probably due to an accumulation of shots and Canelo just being too damn tired due to weight drain, and the mental and physical fatigue of his straight right hand not landing all night. But Canelo is younger, and will go out on his shield before quitting and his corner does not seem like the kind to throw in the towel, so Mayweather by a clear UD, pulling away after a few tense opening rounds.
Prediction - Mayweather is just too far above Canelo's level of competition. Trout was good, but he is the true standout name on a deceptively thin resume. That's not to say Canelo is not a legitimate talent. It's a case of far too soon, and at the wrong weight
After seeing how dried out Canelo appeared at the weigh-in, I'm increasingly tempted to suggest Mayweather could force a late stoppage, probably due to an accumulation of shots and Canelo just being too damn tired due to weight drain, and the mental and physical fatigue of his straight right hand not landing all night. But Canelo is younger, and will go out on his shield before quitting and his corner does not seem like the kind to throw in the towel, so Mayweather by a clear UD, pulling away after a few tense opening rounds.
Thursday 12 September 2013
Garcia v Matthysse - Prediction
"Everyone has a plan, until they get punched in the mouth." Mike Tyson
While 'The One' is the fight most sports fans are looking forward to this weekend, the B-side of this PPV card is probably the one that has hardcore boxing fans salivating.
We have that rare fight, where the two best guys in a weight division are actually fighting each other. I know, I can't believe it either.
Whoever has their hand raised after that Garcia Matthysse fight will be undoubtedly the best fighter currently operating at 140 lbs, and will also be in prime position for a career high payday as one of Floyd Mayweather's next opponents.
Garcia is making the right noises. He says he's going to take away Matthysse's power. This is exactly how Matthysse will be beaten in the future. Think of Bernard Hopkins fighting Kelly Pavlik, or Antonio Tarver, or anybody. He works out a way to win, taking away his opponents strength with movement and footwork and spoiling and fouling.
As previously noted, in the first round of Matthysse's last fight, Lamont Peterson was doing a very good job of making Lucas miss by wide margins with his power shots, and making it look rather easy. If he could've kept up such a performance for more than 3 minutes, Matthysse would've undoubtedly begun to tire from wasting energy on thin air.
Danny Garcia has a dynamite counter left hook, that waxed Amir Khan and finished off Erik Morales in their rematch. Other than that, nothing about Garcia is flashy.
He is slow. So slow that in their first fight, a frankly fat and old Erik Morales took some time out at the start of the 9th round to make fun of him.
He gets hit. Amir Khan tagged Garcia repeatedly near the start of their fight and was pitching a shut out until Danny changed things with the left hook counter he had been committing to all night.
Such a strategy would be far too risky against the hard punching Argentine. Garcia cannot absorb these punches, and I don't think Garcia can even risk trading punches with Matthysse. There is just too big a differential in their power. Matthysse's medium range, lunging and looping hooks are Tyson-esque in their power, if not their accuracy.
Prediction: Having written on this subject a few weeks ago, it should be of no surprise that I'm going for Lucas Matthysse by KO. I just don't see Garcia being disciplined or slick enough to stay away from the big shots for 12 rounds, and if he decides to go to war early, expect an early finish. Garcia is smarter than that, so I would expect a finish somewhere in the middle rounds, 4-6.
Bet: The over-under total rounds to be Under 8.5 at odds of 4/5 with some bookmakers. Both fighters can bang, with Matthysse having a 86% KO percentage, and all but one of his 32 KO victims having been taken out inside 9 rounds. Similarly, all but 1 of Garcia's 16 KOs have occurred inside 9 rounds.
Tuesday 10 September 2013
De La Hoya Back in Rehab, Won't Be Ringside for Mayweather v Canelo
A paradoxical story broke today, with the shockingly unpredictable news that Oscar De La Hoya, Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez' promoter and chief hype man has been checked into rehab today, meaning he will miss being present at the fight that will probably break his own PPV record from many years ago.
Oscar has an unfortunate history of substance abuse problems that he talked about frankly the first time they were revealed, that were present in his later career and during the years since Manny Pacquiao sliced and diced him into retirement in 2008.
This is a boxing blog, so I have no wish to go into great detail on the issues of addiction and substance abuse. But, the timing of this, so close to the fight, would suggest to me that Oscar is having some very real and very serious problems; the cracks and fissures of his addiction couldn't be papered over for 4 or 5 more days and so the Golden Boy goes back into treatment once again.
This is a massive fight to miss. In a sport where promotion will always err on the side of outrageous hyperbole, the fight's moniker of 'The One' is fairly deserved right now. It's undoubtedly the biggest fight of this young decade, and it hasn't even happened yet. As my blog struggles along with 1 or 2 views a day in its infancy, I can tell you the pages that receive actual views invariably have Mayweather v Canelo in the title.
This is not a decision that could've been taken lightly, or perhaps even willingly.
It's an ongoing battle that blights the lives of many of the sports most illustrious fighters after they have finished their careers.
If boxing is heroin, then the methadone substitute for fighting usually involves becoming a promoter, or trainer, or pundit, or all three. If these morsels of reflected glory do not surfice, then take lots and lots of drugs.
In the UK, Ricky Hatton had a cocaine expose. Joe Calzaghe also. Frank Bruno was sectioned at one point, and was sleeping in his back garden in the ring that he had retained from one of his previous title fights. Only last week, Mike Tyson claimed to be on the brink of death and declared his recent 6 days of sobriety a miracle.
It raises questions to which I have no answer. Are these men risk takers for life? Searching for another high? Damaged by the sport? Or always damaged, and looking for more? Numbing the pain? I don't know.
These men were superstars, and once they have stepped (or have been carried) out of the ring for one last time, they don't suddenly become nobodies overnight. Iron Mike must have people talking boxing with him every hour of every day he is out in public. There's only so many photos you can take with a clinched fist raised robotically beneath your chin.
Which makes you wonder how the journeymen get on once they have hung up the gloves. If you are a tomato can, an opponent hired to be knocked unconscious on a monthly basis , how do you feel when it's all over? Relieved? Probably not.
Tooposhtopunch wishes Oscar a speedy recovery, and hope he will be back at ringside with his unique blend of off-the-wall pre-fight hype as soon as possible.
Oscar has an unfortunate history of substance abuse problems that he talked about frankly the first time they were revealed, that were present in his later career and during the years since Manny Pacquiao sliced and diced him into retirement in 2008.
This is a boxing blog, so I have no wish to go into great detail on the issues of addiction and substance abuse. But, the timing of this, so close to the fight, would suggest to me that Oscar is having some very real and very serious problems; the cracks and fissures of his addiction couldn't be papered over for 4 or 5 more days and so the Golden Boy goes back into treatment once again.
This is a massive fight to miss. In a sport where promotion will always err on the side of outrageous hyperbole, the fight's moniker of 'The One' is fairly deserved right now. It's undoubtedly the biggest fight of this young decade, and it hasn't even happened yet. As my blog struggles along with 1 or 2 views a day in its infancy, I can tell you the pages that receive actual views invariably have Mayweather v Canelo in the title.
This is not a decision that could've been taken lightly, or perhaps even willingly.
It's an ongoing battle that blights the lives of many of the sports most illustrious fighters after they have finished their careers.
If boxing is heroin, then the methadone substitute for fighting usually involves becoming a promoter, or trainer, or pundit, or all three. If these morsels of reflected glory do not surfice, then take lots and lots of drugs.
In the UK, Ricky Hatton had a cocaine expose. Joe Calzaghe also. Frank Bruno was sectioned at one point, and was sleeping in his back garden in the ring that he had retained from one of his previous title fights. Only last week, Mike Tyson claimed to be on the brink of death and declared his recent 6 days of sobriety a miracle.
It raises questions to which I have no answer. Are these men risk takers for life? Searching for another high? Damaged by the sport? Or always damaged, and looking for more? Numbing the pain? I don't know.
These men were superstars, and once they have stepped (or have been carried) out of the ring for one last time, they don't suddenly become nobodies overnight. Iron Mike must have people talking boxing with him every hour of every day he is out in public. There's only so many photos you can take with a clinched fist raised robotically beneath your chin.
Which makes you wonder how the journeymen get on once they have hung up the gloves. If you are a tomato can, an opponent hired to be knocked unconscious on a monthly basis , how do you feel when it's all over? Relieved? Probably not.
Tooposhtopunch wishes Oscar a speedy recovery, and hope he will be back at ringside with his unique blend of off-the-wall pre-fight hype as soon as possible.
Monday 9 September 2013
Sergio Martinez to return in April or May 2014, in Argentina once more.
With the announcement that he plans to return with another fight in his homeland, don't read this any other way; the writing is on the wall for Sergio's career. We are entering the end days,
How does Sergio want to check out of the sport? He led a nomadic career from Argentina, to the UK, to Spain before finally seeing his star rise in the US
Sergio will be 39 years old the next time he laces up his gloves. He's coming off of surgery, after coming off of surgery. His body is betraying him, and with a unique style that is based upon awesome reflexes, a dodgy knee is a death knell for Martinez' ability to compete at the top level.
The speculation has been that Sergio could end with one last megafight. He is contracted to neither Top Rank or Golden Boy, so has leeway in picking hiss opponent. Although he has built a career on HBO, if he were to jump ship to Showtime for a final farewell that would not be a massive surprise, nor one that many could begrudge him. Fighters primetime, moneymaking years can usually be counted on one hand.
A rematch with Chavez Jr? I don't think so. Martinez remains a small middleweight, whereas Chavez looks set to move up to 160lbs and be fed to Andre Ward at some point in the not too distinct future.
Floyd Mayweather? Martinez has claimed in the past he would drop weight for that fight, but at 39 years old, with all he's been through in the ring, will he be willing to drain himself for one last admittedly huge payday, on top of the surgeries he is trying to overcome? I doubt it, though I'm sure would like that fight more and more these days.
The most realistic option is Gennady Golovkin, who has hardcore boxing fans drooling with his shuddering power; even his jab looks like it hurts his opponents. Does 39 year old Sergio Martinez want to end his career being KO'd by the new top dog in the division? As merely a stepping stone in piling a few more passengers onto the Golovkin hype train? Probably not.
If he fights in Argentina again, don't expect much in terms of an opponent. Last time out, Martin Murray was chosen as the lamb to the slaughter, but he forgot to read the script and knocked down Martinez and arguably won the fight. Expect a much safe pick this time.
Presuming comes through that unscathed, I would see his career ending with a title fight, with the weakest challenger available. Darren Barker just won his first world title against Daniel Geale, and would be a tempting pick for Martinez and his promoter Lou DiBella if he can defend his belt.
Enjoy it while you can, as 2014 will be the last in Sergio's career.
How does Sergio want to check out of the sport? He led a nomadic career from Argentina, to the UK, to Spain before finally seeing his star rise in the US
Sergio will be 39 years old the next time he laces up his gloves. He's coming off of surgery, after coming off of surgery. His body is betraying him, and with a unique style that is based upon awesome reflexes, a dodgy knee is a death knell for Martinez' ability to compete at the top level.
The speculation has been that Sergio could end with one last megafight. He is contracted to neither Top Rank or Golden Boy, so has leeway in picking hiss opponent. Although he has built a career on HBO, if he were to jump ship to Showtime for a final farewell that would not be a massive surprise, nor one that many could begrudge him. Fighters primetime, moneymaking years can usually be counted on one hand.
A rematch with Chavez Jr? I don't think so. Martinez remains a small middleweight, whereas Chavez looks set to move up to 160lbs and be fed to Andre Ward at some point in the not too distinct future.
Floyd Mayweather? Martinez has claimed in the past he would drop weight for that fight, but at 39 years old, with all he's been through in the ring, will he be willing to drain himself for one last admittedly huge payday, on top of the surgeries he is trying to overcome? I doubt it, though I'm sure would like that fight more and more these days.
The most realistic option is Gennady Golovkin, who has hardcore boxing fans drooling with his shuddering power; even his jab looks like it hurts his opponents. Does 39 year old Sergio Martinez want to end his career being KO'd by the new top dog in the division? As merely a stepping stone in piling a few more passengers onto the Golovkin hype train? Probably not.
If he fights in Argentina again, don't expect much in terms of an opponent. Last time out, Martin Murray was chosen as the lamb to the slaughter, but he forgot to read the script and knocked down Martinez and arguably won the fight. Expect a much safe pick this time.
Presuming comes through that unscathed, I would see his career ending with a title fight, with the weakest challenger available. Darren Barker just won his first world title against Daniel Geale, and would be a tempting pick for Martinez and his promoter Lou DiBella if he can defend his belt.
Enjoy it while you can, as 2014 will be the last in Sergio's career.
Arreola v Mitchell
So the American Heavyweight match-up between life-long boxer and ex collegiate football player ended in a KO-1 demolition to the boxer. Who'd have thunk it?
The perennially "re-focused" "serious" "no more messin' around" Arreola showed up, and patiently went to work at removing Seth Mitchell's head from his shoulders. Mitchell was saved from that fate by good refereeing, as it immediately became clear that the gulf in skills was so large that there was only one possible outcome.
I feel for Mitchell. Some people online seem to treat him with only disdain; how dare this man have dreams? How dare this man work hard and want to achieve a seemingly impossible dream of transitioning to another sport? How dare he try?
Offensively, he looked sharp enough in the few combinations he let go in the first minute. Solid jab and straight fight, it's what you would expect of a recent convert just trying his best. Mitchell's problems, and there are many which cannot be addressed now in this 30s, are a complete lack of defence, compounded by a near inability to take a punch.
Heavyweights hit hard. We know this. Any heavyweight can get knocked out by nearly any other heavyweight. Just look at the early KO losses on Wladimir Klitschko's resume and you'll see that he reacts the same way to any human who gets hit very hard by guy weighing 200-250lbs. He gets put to sleep.
But whereas a world class fighter like Wlad has experience and skills to fall back on to get him through the moments of doubt following another destruction, Seth Mitchell does not. He just has an emptying dressing room and his thoughts to comfort him as he ponders whether getting badly KO'd every few months is going to be a good way to make a living. Hopefully, he will see the light and forge a successful career elsewhere, in a sport that does not require him to have perfect knees (the reason for the demise of a promising Football career) or a resilient chin.
Arreola found himself yet again at a crossroads in his career, and he passed the test. He will fight on, and if he fights regularly he will be all the better for it. A rematch with Stiverne has been mooted, and one I would be happy to see. That was a legitimately good heavyweight fight the first time round; the sport could do with a few more of those.
The perennially "re-focused" "serious" "no more messin' around" Arreola showed up, and patiently went to work at removing Seth Mitchell's head from his shoulders. Mitchell was saved from that fate by good refereeing, as it immediately became clear that the gulf in skills was so large that there was only one possible outcome.
I feel for Mitchell. Some people online seem to treat him with only disdain; how dare this man have dreams? How dare this man work hard and want to achieve a seemingly impossible dream of transitioning to another sport? How dare he try?
Offensively, he looked sharp enough in the few combinations he let go in the first minute. Solid jab and straight fight, it's what you would expect of a recent convert just trying his best. Mitchell's problems, and there are many which cannot be addressed now in this 30s, are a complete lack of defence, compounded by a near inability to take a punch.
Heavyweights hit hard. We know this. Any heavyweight can get knocked out by nearly any other heavyweight. Just look at the early KO losses on Wladimir Klitschko's resume and you'll see that he reacts the same way to any human who gets hit very hard by guy weighing 200-250lbs. He gets put to sleep.
But whereas a world class fighter like Wlad has experience and skills to fall back on to get him through the moments of doubt following another destruction, Seth Mitchell does not. He just has an emptying dressing room and his thoughts to comfort him as he ponders whether getting badly KO'd every few months is going to be a good way to make a living. Hopefully, he will see the light and forge a successful career elsewhere, in a sport that does not require him to have perfect knees (the reason for the demise of a promising Football career) or a resilient chin.
Arreola found himself yet again at a crossroads in his career, and he passed the test. He will fight on, and if he fights regularly he will be all the better for it. A rematch with Stiverne has been mooted, and one I would be happy to see. That was a legitimately good heavyweight fight the first time round; the sport could do with a few more of those.
Thursday 5 September 2013
Will Floyd Mayweather ever lace up his gloves on British shores?
Floyd Mayweather talks as good a game as he plays. So once more, the usual 'I would love to fight in the UK!' quotes are being touted around, the opponent usually nominated is Amir Khan, the venue an outdoor stadium such as the new Wembley in London.
This will never happen.
Just in case you missed it. This will never happen.
Firstly the MGM Grand has been a rather comfortable home for Floyd. He lives in Las Vegas. He trains in Las Vegas. His cars, his clothes, even his smile, they're all Las Vegas. He trousering a cool $41.5 million Las-Vegas sized check for his upcoming bout with Canelo.
Go take a look at Floyd's boxrec. Floyd's last fight was at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. As was the one before that. And so on. Floyd's last fight not in the MGM grand was a few hundred yards up the street at Madalay Bay Casino. You have to go back to 2006 to Oregon and the Sharmba Mitchell fight for his last venture away from The Strip.
Mayweather's nickname is Money, and it is his preferred moniker for a reason.
The UK introduced some very wacky, non-friendly tax laws back in the 2000s, that not only taxed the income that was generated by the athlete in the UK, but also taxed a percentage of the income that athlete made around the world during the rest of the year.*
That's right, the UK taxman decided it would be a good idea to tax foreign athletes, plying their trade in foreign countries, for having the nerve to bring their world class abilities to the UK and bring entertainment and happiness to the general public.
Andre Agassi tried to stand up to this boneheaded law. He lost. Usain Bolt avoids competing in the UK because of it, as I'm sure numerous others do. Top athletes see potential millions being flushed down the drain, and the middling professionals could see a career high payday in another country reduced after deciding to have a crack on the court at Wimbledon, on the course at The Open, or on the track at Crystal Palace.
Floyd has 4 fights left on his deal with Showtime after he has disposed of Canelo in a couple of weeks. Is there a possibility he may fight in another location. I would say the chances are remote, but it's not impossible.
But Money goes where money is. Dubai or Macau, or any other tax-free haven is your only shot of seeing Pretty Boy ply his trade outside of the New World. If I was Amir Khan or on his team, I'd start crunching the numbers and adding '...in Dubai' to the end of his monthly reminded that his marquee fight is just around the corner.
He lives there. He trains there. His family and friends live there. He gambles there. He makes insane amounts of money there. You don't have to be a bookie to work out the odds of where his next 4 fights will be taking place.
---
*The UK tax law is in relation to endorsements, which is a major source of most athlete's income. When last year Forbes listed Mayweather as the top earner in all of sport (which they will surely do again this year) his endorsement earnings were listed as $0.
Related Articles
Floyd to fight in the UK? - http://www.boxingscene.com/floyd-mayweather-consider-uk-shows-fight-2014--69297
Great account from British fighter Ashley Theophane, recently signed to TMT promotions, about what goes on in the Mayweather gym. -http://boxingnewsonline.net/latest/feature/ashley-theophane-delivers-fascinating-insight-into-life-inside-the-floyd-mayweather-gym and http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/latest/feature/ashley-theophane-the-floyd-mayweather-gym-diaries
This will never happen.
Just in case you missed it. This will never happen.
Firstly the MGM Grand has been a rather comfortable home for Floyd. He lives in Las Vegas. He trains in Las Vegas. His cars, his clothes, even his smile, they're all Las Vegas. He trousering a cool $41.5 million Las-Vegas sized check for his upcoming bout with Canelo.
Go take a look at Floyd's boxrec. Floyd's last fight was at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. As was the one before that. And so on. Floyd's last fight not in the MGM grand was a few hundred yards up the street at Madalay Bay Casino. You have to go back to 2006 to Oregon and the Sharmba Mitchell fight for his last venture away from The Strip.
Mayweather's nickname is Money, and it is his preferred moniker for a reason.
The UK introduced some very wacky, non-friendly tax laws back in the 2000s, that not only taxed the income that was generated by the athlete in the UK, but also taxed a percentage of the income that athlete made around the world during the rest of the year.*
That's right, the UK taxman decided it would be a good idea to tax foreign athletes, plying their trade in foreign countries, for having the nerve to bring their world class abilities to the UK and bring entertainment and happiness to the general public.
Andre Agassi tried to stand up to this boneheaded law. He lost. Usain Bolt avoids competing in the UK because of it, as I'm sure numerous others do. Top athletes see potential millions being flushed down the drain, and the middling professionals could see a career high payday in another country reduced after deciding to have a crack on the court at Wimbledon, on the course at The Open, or on the track at Crystal Palace.
Floyd has 4 fights left on his deal with Showtime after he has disposed of Canelo in a couple of weeks. Is there a possibility he may fight in another location. I would say the chances are remote, but it's not impossible.
But Money goes where money is. Dubai or Macau, or any other tax-free haven is your only shot of seeing Pretty Boy ply his trade outside of the New World. If I was Amir Khan or on his team, I'd start crunching the numbers and adding '...in Dubai' to the end of his monthly reminded that his marquee fight is just around the corner.
He lives there. He trains there. His family and friends live there. He gambles there. He makes insane amounts of money there. You don't have to be a bookie to work out the odds of where his next 4 fights will be taking place.
---
*The UK tax law is in relation to endorsements, which is a major source of most athlete's income. When last year Forbes listed Mayweather as the top earner in all of sport (which they will surely do again this year) his endorsement earnings were listed as $0.
Related Articles
Floyd to fight in the UK? - http://www.boxingscene.com/floyd-mayweather-consider-uk-shows-fight-2014--69297
Great account from British fighter Ashley Theophane, recently signed to TMT promotions, about what goes on in the Mayweather gym. -http://boxingnewsonline.net/latest/feature/ashley-theophane-delivers-fascinating-insight-into-life-inside-the-floyd-mayweather-gym and http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/latest/feature/ashley-theophane-the-floyd-mayweather-gym-diaries
Sunday 1 September 2013
All Access Mayweather vs. Canelo Episode 2 - Review
"I'm not a fucking sparring partner...I'm Floyd Mayweather and I can fight. Boxing is an art. I don't have to be the strongest, I don't have to be the fastest, I don't need to have the best footwork, but I got the best mind. Like I always say, it's chess. I know how to win"
I will always enjoy a solidly put together piece on an upcoming fight. 24/7 on HBO, or All Access on Showtime - They are what they are. Essentially a 30 minute advert to try and convince you to spend an extra fifty or so bucks on a few hours of entertainment on a Saturday night. As I live outwith the US, I'm not their target, but I enjoy them all the same. The formula has begun to tire at times, but if you have a good fight with interesting and different characters, these shows serve their purpose well.It opened with the smooth beats of I Need a Dollar by Aloe Blacc, which must've made its fair share of cash through ads and soundtracks. I hear it on shows multiple times every year.
As fight time approaches, Floyd has gone all-in on his 'Money' persona to best sell the fight and increase the buys. It will always be his default pitch when it comes to the crunch; and why shouldn't it be?
He's stacked an inordinate amount of bills since he switched from his Ali-esque 'Pretty Boy' Floyd days. Which tells me that people are much more likely to part with their hard-earned cash for the chance to see the richest man in all of sports suffer his first loss, than see an Adonis have his looks transfigured.
Canelo went off to Big Bear to "ready his body and soul" for the upcoming fight. I would personally prioritise the body, as the shedding of the final 2lbs to make the 152lb catchweight will probably be shed by some good old fashioned road work as opposed to some quiet meditation time.
Mayweather's weak hands got a showing, as he damaged his right hand in the Guerrero fight resulting in a nasty contusion between his knuckles. On his recent media workout, Mayweather was barely touching the bag and pads as he worked out in front of the cameras but I can't read too much into this. Come fight night he will let his hands go until they break again, which is why we see his rare stoppage victories come due to the demoralization of his opponents, not from any single jarring blow.
Meanwhile in Big Bear, Canelo the unstoppable machine is ripping the heads off his sparring partners and discarding of their carcasses somewhere in the woods, or something of that ilk. Of his 3 training partners, only 1 remains standing. One has fractured ribs (possible) and another a dislocated shoulder... (Come on! Anybody remember a fighter having their shoulder dislocated by a blow in any recent fight? There's been some notable heroics, but by a blow? Anybody?)
As the episode drew to a close, Mayweather parties with uncountable bottles of Rose, while Team Canelo sit and watch last week's shocking Jhonny Gonzalez victory over Abner Mares. The implication being, underdogs can win with just one shot.
Overall it was a solid episode that stuck to a tried and tested formula. This fight is not a hard sell to anyone. It will be the biggest fight of the year.
Related Links
Official link to the episode - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTRWXNd8ZJI
This is unofficial, for those like me outside the US who can't access the Showtime youtube channel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6QFpWJuo5A
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