Mayweather-Pacquiao Update & Info
This past week I traveled from the USA through Abu Dhabi and on to Australia. Everywhere I went I was in awe of how people were talking about the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight. The buzz is truly on a global scale it seems, and it is an eagerly anticipated event without a doubt.
This week Bob Arum guesstimated ticket prices could hit $100,000 per seat, and the PPV could do 4-5 million buys. A Philippine’s Basketball Association player named Daniel Orton (from the USA) was fined and fired for telling the truth about Manny Pacquiao’s joke of a professional basketball career and everybody and they mama seemed to be talking about the fight.
It is very refreshing to see the sport of boxing being the focus of the free world, and I hope the hype up to the fight and the fight itself gives everyone a great show.
Frampton Ready for Rigo?
Carl Frampton successfully defended his IBF super bantamweight title in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The champion scored a fifth-round TKO victory over mandatory challenger Chris Avalos. While I must say that I am impressed with Frampton and his performance, I will also say that I was very unimpressed with Avalos.
He was just a big talker that couldn’t back it up it seems. As far as Frampton fighting Rigondeaux, I say he has a very good shot to beat him. Especially in his hometown of Belfast. Rigo has great boxing skills and likes to move/run around the ring, but he also has a bad chin. With Frampton’s own boxing skills and power, I can see him beating Rigo for sure. Let’s just hope this fight gets made next, so we can all find out.
Fury toys with Hammer
Tyson Fury retained his WBO International Heavyweight Title against Christian Hammer in what was really a lackluster fight. Some of the progress that Fury had made in a dominant win over Chisora seems to have been lost. He did not look as dominant against Hammer, mainly because Hammer was levels beneath him. Does Fury still have a chance against Wladimir Klitschko? Of course he does but I seriously doubt he can beat him. Wlad just hits too hard, and Fury has a susceptible chin at times. Either way we should find out after Wlad dispatches of Jennings since Fury is the mandatory challenger to Wladimir.
Andre Ward-Carl Froch Ordered to Negotiate Per WBA
The WBA has given Andre Ward and Carl Froch 30 days to negotiate a fight for the WBA title. I am interested to see what becomes of it to tell the truth. I think it will play out with Roc Nation making some ridiculous purse bid once it goes that way and trying to make Froch come to the USA again.
I really hope that does not happen because I think that it is only fair that Ward goes to the UK to fight Froch since Froch fought him in the USA. If Ward willingly goes to the UK to fight Froch, he will have earned some respect from me for sure. Will it happen though? Who knows?
Boxing Tidbits and Talk
Cotto’s manager says his next opponent will be named soon. Rumblings of K9 and Tim Bradley are going around. While both are certainly better than a Rod Salka type of fighter, neither are in the middleweight division and will not be suitable for the lineal middleweight champion.
Andre Dirrell-James DeGale failed to come to an agreement during negotiations, so a purse bid has been set for March 10, 2015. This is a good match up so let’s hope that the purse bid goes well so this fight can happen.
Jhonny Gonzalez versus Gary Russell Jr seems to be going from California to San Antonio and now to Las Vegas. I don’t think anyone cares if this fight takes place on Mars. As long as it happens we will watch it so just get a venue already.
Lucas Matthysse versus Ruslan Provodnikov is set for April 18 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y. This has fight of the year written all over it, and if you are close enough to Verona I say go check it out live. You will not be disappointed I’m sure.
Khan is hating Mayweather-Pacquiao saying Floyd chose the easier fight and that mega fights usually turn out dull, to which Mayweather replied that he would get him a ticket so he will see it won’t be boring. What Floyd should have done is got him a ticket to the next annual Playa Hata’s Ball on the Chappelle Show cause that is exactly where Amir belongs.
Chris Arreola returns to the ring on Friday, March 13 in Ontario, California on the undercard of Andre Berto against Josesito Lopez. Chris is a good fighter to watch when he comes in shape, and hopefully we can get to see him versus a Tony Thompson type guy so he can get back on track.
Cletus Seldin took on Juan Garcia in on Friday night fights, and Seldin earned a 5th round TKO in a messy fight. Garcia was a game opponent but just didn’t have the tools to win. Let’s hope Seldin steps up the competition in his next fight.
That’s all we got for this week but that is by far not all there was to talk about. Make sure that you catch Tha Boxing Voice weekly radio show live every Thursday and Sunday starting at 7pm (EST) or catch the podcast to get more insight and opinions on the world of boxing.
