The Square Ring

The unusually magnanimous Bob Arum of Top Rank has said that there could be many reasons for Floyd not to put is John Hancock on the dotted line. One of those reasons is not any drug testing  policy.

That has been put to rest as Pacquiao has agreed, we’re told, to random testing.  Arum suggests that Mayweather jr. after his big payday for his fight against Mosley , reportedly  40 million, doesn’t need another fight in 2010.  Then there is the case of trainer Roger Mayweather who has a court date coming up in October.  If convicted  a scholarship at a state institution not of his choosing might be in the offing.

TSR is not usually a big fan of UFC President Dana White although there are exceptions. As the saying goes even a stopped clock is right twice a day. White was “spot on” when he was quoted recently in saying “boxing will die” or words to that effect. It ‘s on life support in the USA with the fat lady licking her lips. Would Mayweather jr.-Pacquiao help ? Don’t be silly of course it would help as White points out it’s the fight “everyone wants to see.”  In stead we get this crazy mating dance that can only cause more people to be turned off. Mayweather jr. may not want to fight because of the tax bite. Yea all us out of work people that are struggling can relate to making too much money.  The alternate is a fight in Mexico/Texas, some say “same-same”,  with Pacquiao and the thoroughly  disgraced “cheater’

Tony Margarito“. Good let’em fight then ban Pacquiao for fighting a boxer that is suspended in the USA.

 Antonio Margarito-Manny Pacquiao, both promoted by Top Rank,  will probably take place in Dallas on November 13. Las Vegas? OUT. “Por Que?  “Top Rank has asked the state (Nevada) to expedite their decision (on a license).” When they  didn’t act in a “timely manner” (a week) Top Rank moved the fight.  Margarito has filed an application to have his license reinstated in California.  OK let me get this straight. Margarito gets caught cheating, denies any wrong doing, sues the state of California  then asks them to hurry up and return his license so he can fight in Texas. The California State Athletic Commission ought to pass the application on to the DMV. They know how to expedite.

Promoters and their shills (boxing writers) are convinced that boxing fans don’t rank too high on the IQ meter.  We do remember that the Texas Commission refused to license Margarito to fight under card of the Pacquiao paid work-out at the Cowboy’s Stadium on  March 13th.

What will change ? Texas head honcho “Dickie” Cole will approved the reinstatement, the fight will go on and the referee will be ? Yea too easy his son  Larry “The Clown” Cole.

There has always been an argument  that boxing commissioners should not be political appointee’s. A case for that view would be supported in the words of the “Chairperson” Pat Lundvall  of the Nevada Commission. The Chairperson was the lone vote to ‘maybe” give Margarito a license. Lundvall said when the fight was moved. "I'm very disappointed that the state of Nevada didn't have the opportunity to bring a fight of this magnitude and this caliber to Las Vegas. Las Vegas is where this fight should have been held." You twit it’s not about “bringing a fight of this magnitude” to Las Vegas. It’s about someone that cheated and might have caused a boxer’s death. Sports Editor of the Las Vegas Review Journal Ed Graney, writing in Sunday’s paper,  has a different opinion. “.but the only person looking good in any of this is chairperson Pat Lundvall, the lone dissenter in the vote who understood what Pacquiao-Margarito could mean here.” Point well taken except the Nevada State Athletic Commission is not an arm of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau. They are in place to protect a sport that dam sure needs all the held it can get.

Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada Commission, showed both class and knowledge. "What happened in California was horrible, regardless of who was to blame for it -- whether it's one guy, two guys, or more than both guys -- it's a horrible situation. That's why he got the stiffest penalty possible by the California commission.

This isn't something that's going to go away. This is going to haunt him the rest of his career -- as it should.."

BACK IN THE DAY

When Jeeves and his Master that would be “Moi”, first came to Las Vegas Friday night fights at the Orleans casino were the order of the day. After the fight the “usual suspects”  would gather at the bar just off the escalator for a refreshing beverage and a good chin wag.

Most were drinking orange juice or other non “power” beverages. Among the “usual suspects” was the late Jack Walsh, Roger Mayweather, great former boxer Hedgmon Lewis(53-7) along with the Lord of the Manor and his trusted manservant Jeeves.  Many times Mayweather would be the center of the gathering as Roger dispensed his view of all things boxing.  Once Walsh had to leave for a visit to the room with three letters on the door. On the way back he stopped to “think” about placing a bet on the next day’s Kentucky Derby at the Sportsbook. He didn’t bet and of course the horse he would have  backed won and paid $30.00 plus dollars to win.

“What’d I miss”, he asked after a 30 minute absence during which Maywearther held court.  “No idea.” “No idea ?” “Yep he talked and talked and talked. I have no idea what he said when one eliminates the expletives deleted.”  Mayweather has a court date  to face battery charges against a former female boxer he trained. More Ed Graney  who serves up a darn good column. He recently scribed about the Roger Mayweather situation.  “Maybe, as many have surmised, he (Floyd jr.) is awaiting the fate of his trainer and uncle, Roger, who is set to stand trial  on battery charges. Which, of course, has a chance to be better than even a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight. On the small chance an attorney would allow Roger Mayweather to take the stand in his own defense given it's not sure how often court reporters can type (bleep) without losing focus, we could be talking the greatest cross-examination since Vincent Gambini scorched the eyewitness who lost track of time when cooking his grits. This would be standing-room only stuff.”

TUAMAN…FLOPOLA

Ok so “Flopola” may be a bit harsh but as Joe Friday use to say, “Just the facts.”  David Tua (51-3-2) was fighting Monte “No Guns” Barrett (34-9-1) who in his last two fights kissed canvas. The Tua pattern for years was that he would tire if a fight went beyond 6 rounds. In fact TSR suggested that if new trainer Roger Bloodworth was to be successful he would have to extend Tua’s ability to put in quality rounds late in a fight.  Barrett seemed to be the perfect opponent as he came in losing three on the trot with 2 of those being Ko’s.  Funny things happen after the first bell rang. Not only didn’t Tua win or score a knockdown he found himself on his backside in round 12. Tua escaped with a majority draw at 113-113. The Tua camp would later claim that he had a “sore left shoulder” during some training sessions. How that would make him tire is the question.

One judge, Joseph Pasquale,  guessed it was 115-111 for Tua. “Guessed?’ Tua got penalized a point in the 12th by referee Randy Neumann for tossing Barrett to the canvas which followed by Tua kissing canvas for the first time in his career.  Now get out your pen and pencil.  Round 12 is even when Tua loses a point. A 10-10 round is now 10-9 Barrett. Then comes the knockdown so 10-9 Barrett is now 10-7 in his favor.  So Judge Joe, using brail, scores it 115-111.

10 COUNT

One of the boxers from the past Denny Moyer took the 10-count at the age of 70. Moyer was known as a boxer that while never pretty could maul his way to victory as he did more often then not  winning 97 times in 140 plus fights. Jeeves remembers his 1962 win in his hometown of Portland  Oregon over Joey Giambra for the light-middleweight title. He held the title only a year before losing to Ralph Dupas. Moyer fought them all  Sugar Ray Robinson, Carlos Monzon, Benny “Kid” Paret, Vito “Elbows” Antuofero, Tony DeMarco and Nino Benventui. He was no palooka beating the likes of Robinson, Paret, DeMarco Emile Griffith and Johnny Saxton.

Mac Foster is a heavyweight name from the past when heavyweights were heavyweights. Their accomplishments pale with those of today who take only “safe” fights against guy’s that probably wouldn’t have been allowed in the gym “back in the day.”  His passing recently was almost unnoticed. For the record Foster, from Fresno California, had a record of 30-6 with his last 4 loses coming at the very end of his career. In 1972 he took Ali the distance in a non-title affair.  His first loss came in June of  1970 against Jerry Quarry at Madison Square Garden.

Foster came into that fight at 24-0.  he would get Ko’d in 6 for his first loss.  Once in a Palm Springs restaurant Foster yelled at Quarry, “I want a rematch.” “'  "Jerry paused for a long time, takes out his front teeth and yells back, 'I want the world to know, they don't make enough money to fight you again. I've never been hit that hard in my entire life.' " A champion without a title.

JEEEVS TIME

Your Lordship with Manny Pacquiao set to fight Antonio Margarito my pal at the Las Vegas Review Journal Columnist Ron Kantowski sums up my thinking.  “The fight that everyone wants to see apparently isn't going to happen because the cat has Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s tongue or he doesn't do deadlines. And now the fight no one wants to see, Manny Pacquiao vs. Antonio Margarito, might not happen, either, because no one wants to give a license to a guy who dips his fists in plaster to form cinder blocks -- which is frowned upon, even in boxing. Now you know why Dana White (UFC President) starts every day with a belly laugh.” Still break out the lager, a nice cigar and some good old fashion country music because Cheewit dee khrup.