Floyd Mayweather, JR. Vs Manny Pacquiao & the Biggest News in Boxing
By Geno McGahee
This weekend’s Manny Pacquiao – Antonio Margarito will have some interested spectators, but none as interested as the undefeated co-pound for pound king, Floyd Mayweather, JR.
Inside and outside of the ring, Mayweather, JR., has picked his spots and he is eagerly awaiting 2011, when many of his personal problems will be behind him and he can entirely focus on Manny Pacquiao. A 2011 showdown between Mayweather, JR., and Pacquiao will most likely happen, unless Manny loses to Margarito. Don’t worry, it’s a real long shot.
The world is awaiting an announcement from Floyd as to what his next move will be. I think any name that he mentions outside of Pacquiao as an opponent will be met with anger by the masses that desperately want to see Floyd tested inside of the ring. The winner of Sergio Martinez – Paul Williams would most likely do that, but Pacquiao is the fight that we’ve all fixated on and what boxing needs to revive it.
Glen Johnson was an unlikely selection for the ever-changing super six tournament on Showtime, but he made the most of his opportunity, knocking out another replacement fighter, Allan Green, in eight rounds. Johnson, 41 years old, a sixty-seven fight veteran that hasn’t fought at 168 since 2000, looked strong and sharp, and is a live dog in the tourney. His 3 point knockout win over Green was incredibly impressive…but there is some controversy.
As in all Green defeats, there is an excuse. This time, we have a “rabbit punch” being the culprit, followed by a “quick count” by the referee. The punch landed behind the ear of a leaning Green and it rattled him to the point that when he arose, he was unable to continue. The stoppage did not appear to be quick, but Green’s career is in shambles and he is grasping at straws. I expect this protest to be over quickly.
Johnson can look forward to the winner of Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham, two very skilled and powerful fighters. It would be interesting to see what they could do with Johnson, a guy that has only been stopped once in his 14 defeats, and is used to dealing with the power of the light heavyweight division. He had no concerns about the powerful Green, walking right through him. Can he do the same to Froch or Abraham?
The 33 year old former Welterweight Champion, Zab “Super” Judah, returned to HBO in a bout against previously undefeated Lucas Martin Matthysse. Although Judah did not look overly impressive, he did get the win and has re-invented himself after several defeats at the welterweight level. The mediocre performance against Matthysse may get him what he wants in the end.
Timothy Bradley and Devon Alexander are meeting each other in January and the winner of the clash may opt to take on Judah. No matter what stage of his career he is currently at, Judah is a big name and draws a bigger crowd then Alexander or Bradley. They would do their career a service by taking on Judah.
Another big name at 140 is Amir Khan. Khan will be facing the dangerous Marcos Maidana in December, but should he win, and I expect him to, then a Khan-Judah fight would be a hot ticket. Zab Judah’s move back down in weight, regardless of end result, was a very smart move.
This Saturday, we have the WBA Heavyweight Champion, David Haye, facing off against the underachieving Audley Harrison. Harrison, at one time, got the blessing of Lennox Lewis as the next big thing in the division, for whatever that’s worth, but has had a mediocre career, losing to some journeymen along the way. He still has the name value and a following and that is why this Brit vs. Brit showdown is taking place with heavyweight gold in the balance.
Haye vs. Harrison is not the fight that the general public wants, but it’s another growth experience for the champion in the heavyweight division. He conquered the gigantic Nikolay Valuev, knocked out the tough as nails John Ruiz, and is now facing the large Harrison, a guy that could be dangerous if he has any A game left in him. Haye will have to be weary of the uppercuts on the inside and the underrated power of the challenger. Although I fully expect Haye to come out victorious, there may be a bumpy road in his future. It’s a better fight then most contend.
Juan Manuel Lopez, the undefeated WBO Featherweight Champion, showed improvements in his defense and patience as he pounded Rafael Marquez into submission in the eighth round. Lopez has had some shaky moments because of his suspect chin, but so did his idol, Felix Trinidad, and he has a rather good career.
Marquez had all the heart in the world but he didn’t have the strength to fend off the powerful and determined Lopez and now the Lopez-Gamboa showdown gets even more interesting. With Yuriorkis Gamboa holding the WBA title, there is a lot of incentive for a unification bout. Both men are undefeated and both are future stars of the sport. They may not match them this early on, but one can hope. There has been recurring talk of a showdown and it’s a genuine pick’em sort of fight. The winner would certainly be the fans that night.
Showtime picked up the last piece of the 168 pound puzzle when they inked IBF Super Middleweight Champion, Lucian Bute, to a multi-fight contract, making all sorts of attractive matches possible. With Glen Johnson, Andre Ward, Mikkel Kessler, Arthur Abraham, Carl Froch, and Andre Dirrell under the banner, there is plenty of room for Bute to prove himself as the best 168 pounder in the game. With Ward leading the pack, a Ward-Bute showdown is the most talked about, but there are plenty of other selections that will test the Canadian boxer. Showtime deserves credit for keeping the super six alive and for bringing Bute aboard. I look forward to his first bout, possibly with Kelly Pavlik, if they can work that out.
Boxing is heating up, even without Pacquiao-Mayweather. There is a lot that is happening and a lot of excitement in the months and years to come.