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SHANE MOSLEY EXPLAINS WHY ANTHONY MUNDINE FIGHT FELL THROUGH: "IT WAS BOOTLEG...WE WERE ABOUT TO GET STIFFED"
By Ben Thompson | October 23, 2013
"What happened was when I went out there, they were supposed to give me $700,000 before I entered the ring 10 days before the fight. So Joe, J [Prince] and Josh [Dublin] was trying to get at him [Vlad Wharton] and he couldn't be found...And by the way, they only sold 1500 seats, and that was like a day before the weigh-in, so that means that they didn't even have enough to pay me let alone Anthony Mundine, so what are they gonna pay...It was contracted that they have it 10 days before the fight. I waited 10, 9 all the way to 3 days before the fight, and they still didn't have the money. It's a breach of contract. Vlad and Millenium breached the contract. We tried; Golden Boy tried. Joe, J, Josh, they all tried, and then they're talking about a line of credit? Come on. We were about to get stiffed," stated multi-division world champion "Sugar" Shane Mosley, who explained to FightHype.com what caused the breach of contract that prompted him to pull out of his proposed matchup with Anthony Mundine just days before it was scheduled to take place. You don't want to miss what else he had to say! Check it out!
BT: What's poppin, SugarMan? I thought by this time today, we would be talking about your victory over Anthony Mundine.
SM: I know. Me too, man. They out there on some different stuff, man. They tried to be slick.
BT: So I heard. What the heck happened over there?
SM: What happened was when I went out there, they were supposed to give me $700,000 before I entered the ring 10 days before the fight. So Joe, J [Prince] and Josh [Dublin] was trying to get at him [Vlad Wharton] and he couldn't be found. He was trying to get the money, the $700,000. So what was going on is he wouldn't answer them until the last minute. They were like, "Where's he at? Go find him and put him on the find right now!" But he wasn't out there. Every now and then he'd say, "I'ma get it. I'ma get it," but then he would just take off. I think what they were trying to do was get the pay-per-view buys out there first and then pay me the money. The problem was that the contract stated that we get the money upfront. I think the reason for that was because Roy [Jones Jr.] or somebody else didn't really get paid the money they were supposed to get paid [when they fought in Australia]. They'll say, "Oh yeah, we're going to take care of it," but then it don't happen and you end up fighting for free. So he's telling me he's getting a line of credit from the bank, $500,000, and then he's giving me $200,000 cash. But I'm like, no, we're supposed to have all of it 10 days before. I waited and waited and waited and tried to let them get it, but they never got it. Even up until the weigh-in, he still didn't have the money. So when I'm at the airport, I think it was Anthony Mundine's manager who called me and said, "Don't leave. We have the money; all $700,000." So now I'm like, you know what, they getting money from all these people that are betting and stuff like that; they're trying to get money from these different people and these people basically want Anthony to win. If they want Anthony to win, then I have to knock him out to win. If I don't knock him out, then it's a wrap; I lost the fight. I didn't want a fight like that. I was going to fight him because they were going to pay me $1 million, but then, there was a chance I wouldn't get it because they're trying to pay me from the pay-per-view? Anthony's still gotta get paid too. I wasn't going to get all mine and he wasn't going to get all of his; that's why I was trying to get mine upfront because I didn't want them to say, "Well, we didn't make any money on the pay-per-view buys." And by the way, they only sold 1500 seats, and that was like a day before the weigh-in, so that means that they didn't even have enough to pay me let alone Anthony Mundine, so what are they gonna pay?
And then I found out, we didn't know this, but I think that money that I did get came from Jeff Fenech. We didn't know that. When we got there, Jeff picked us up in a limousine and he was taking us out to eat; we were like, "Oh, Jeff is cool." He was like our best friend, coming to the gym and talking to everybody, saying, "You're going to beat Anthony Mundine. You're going to tear him up." We thought he was just betting on the fight. We didn't know he had fronted the money to Vlad. At first, we weren't even going to entertain coming out to Australia unless they gave us some upfront money. They said, "We'll give you $300,000." So they got $300,000 and gave it to us upfront. I guess at first, they were going to get the other $700,000 from sponsorships, but they couldn't get nobody to sponsor the fight because they said nobody likes Anthony. So then they figured they were going to wait for the fight and get the money from the backend pay-per-view. It was crazy. They're talking about a line of credit and then Jeff threw some money up, so he has an investment in it, and then you have this other guy who's going to pay a little bit, $200,000; all these people gotta get their money back so how are they gonna do that. That's crazy. It was a whole bunch of underground bull. The end result was not going to be good. Win, lose or draw, the end result was not going to be good.
BT: Damn! It sounds like this whole promotion was pretty fucked up from the jump.
SM: Yeah, it was messed up. That's why we were trying to get my money before we got out there and 10 days before we fought. Just have my money in the account and I'll get in there and fight no problem. J and Josh were like, "You know what, Shane? Jump on the plane because they don't got it, and they ain't gonna have it either." So I'm gonna go in there and fight, and then I'ma get out and they're going to give me a check for $700,00 and the shit's gonna bounce. Then we'd have to go to court and I would've basically fought for free because there's going to be a whole bunch of bullshit. I was ready. They were supposed to have the money in there 10 days before the fight and I was going to fight, but they didn't. I wasn't nervous. I worked with Sergio Mora and I was sparring with Sam Soliman, giving him bloody noses and hurting him to the body; he'll tell you himself. Even Sergio said I had him pissing blood after sparring. I had some great sparring sessions with Sergio and Sam. I had a great camp. I was ready to fight. I was sharp as hell. I was starting to hit harder and harder. Actually, I hurt Sam to the body a couple times and I busted his nose. Sergio told me I was hitting harder, I was fast and I was sharp; he was complimenting on the speed and power. Both of them were about 172 or 175, so they were bigger than me. When I left, I was like 159; both complemented on my speed, my power and my strength. I was ready.
BT: I saw somewhere that Anthony Mundine said he was going to come out to LA and hopefully talk you into rescheduling the fight at a later date; maybe in December. Are you still open to fighting Mundine or have you decided to move on at this point?
SM: I mean, I'd rather him come out here and fight. I'm not thinking about going back out to Australia and messing with the timezone; I don't have time for that. I'm still struggling right now trying to get back to US time. If you watch the fight with Rigoberto Alvarez and Mundine, he looks like he's in slow motion. I was like, "Damn. Why he look like this?" He was jetlagged or the timezone messes you up for real if you're not used to that. You look like you're all drugged up trying to fight out there. Just watch the fight with Rigoberto and Mundine. It looked like they drugged him. That's how bad it is. So I would rather him come out here and fight on my terms and on my turf because over there, it seems like they're still behind the times with their boxing. It's almost like the mafia days. I'm hearing that people watch the judges; they're sitting behind them looking at them while they mark their scores and shit. If you don't have like the IBF or...Daniel Geale had the IBF officials out there and they went out there to Australia and actually worked the fight and judged the fight. Now, if you just have them, I don't know how it is out there because they don't really have a commission. Their commission is not really strong like ours, so it's like anything goes. That's what I kept hearing. Everybody was like, "Oh yeah, you gotta watch this; you gotta do that." I'm like, damn, it's that bad? I really gotta knock him out, and they don't got my money? Aw, naw! I'ma knock him out and not get paid; hell naw! You know what? I love to fight and I would've did it, but J was like, "Man, jump on the plane." Josh was like, "Man, they talking about a line of credit. That's a promissory not to a promise." The bank was promising that as soon as the pay-per-views come in, I get the first $500,000. Now, on top of that, how is Anthony going to get paid? It was just whack. And then the referees and judges; I don't know who they were. I think they were Aborigine refs and judges or something. It was bootleg. I was like, "Naw, y'all crazy. Y'all trippin'." So I was instructed to get on the plan and get my ass back because it ain't happening.
By Ben Thompson | October 23, 2013
"What happened was when I went out there, they were supposed to give me $700,000 before I entered the ring 10 days before the fight. So Joe, J [Prince] and Josh [Dublin] was trying to get at him [Vlad Wharton] and he couldn't be found...And by the way, they only sold 1500 seats, and that was like a day before the weigh-in, so that means that they didn't even have enough to pay me let alone Anthony Mundine, so what are they gonna pay...It was contracted that they have it 10 days before the fight. I waited 10, 9 all the way to 3 days before the fight, and they still didn't have the money. It's a breach of contract. Vlad and Millenium breached the contract. We tried; Golden Boy tried. Joe, J, Josh, they all tried, and then they're talking about a line of credit? Come on. We were about to get stiffed," stated multi-division world champion "Sugar" Shane Mosley, who explained to FightHype.com what caused the breach of contract that prompted him to pull out of his proposed matchup with Anthony Mundine just days before it was scheduled to take place. You don't want to miss what else he had to say! Check it out!
BT: What's poppin, SugarMan? I thought by this time today, we would be talking about your victory over Anthony Mundine.
SM: I know. Me too, man. They out there on some different stuff, man. They tried to be slick.
BT: So I heard. What the heck happened over there?
SM: What happened was when I went out there, they were supposed to give me $700,000 before I entered the ring 10 days before the fight. So Joe, J [Prince] and Josh [Dublin] was trying to get at him [Vlad Wharton] and he couldn't be found. He was trying to get the money, the $700,000. So what was going on is he wouldn't answer them until the last minute. They were like, "Where's he at? Go find him and put him on the find right now!" But he wasn't out there. Every now and then he'd say, "I'ma get it. I'ma get it," but then he would just take off. I think what they were trying to do was get the pay-per-view buys out there first and then pay me the money. The problem was that the contract stated that we get the money upfront. I think the reason for that was because Roy [Jones Jr.] or somebody else didn't really get paid the money they were supposed to get paid [when they fought in Australia]. They'll say, "Oh yeah, we're going to take care of it," but then it don't happen and you end up fighting for free. So he's telling me he's getting a line of credit from the bank, $500,000, and then he's giving me $200,000 cash. But I'm like, no, we're supposed to have all of it 10 days before. I waited and waited and waited and tried to let them get it, but they never got it. Even up until the weigh-in, he still didn't have the money. So when I'm at the airport, I think it was Anthony Mundine's manager who called me and said, "Don't leave. We have the money; all $700,000." So now I'm like, you know what, they getting money from all these people that are betting and stuff like that; they're trying to get money from these different people and these people basically want Anthony to win. If they want Anthony to win, then I have to knock him out to win. If I don't knock him out, then it's a wrap; I lost the fight. I didn't want a fight like that. I was going to fight him because they were going to pay me $1 million, but then, there was a chance I wouldn't get it because they're trying to pay me from the pay-per-view? Anthony's still gotta get paid too. I wasn't going to get all mine and he wasn't going to get all of his; that's why I was trying to get mine upfront because I didn't want them to say, "Well, we didn't make any money on the pay-per-view buys." And by the way, they only sold 1500 seats, and that was like a day before the weigh-in, so that means that they didn't even have enough to pay me let alone Anthony Mundine, so what are they gonna pay?
And then I found out, we didn't know this, but I think that money that I did get came from Jeff Fenech. We didn't know that. When we got there, Jeff picked us up in a limousine and he was taking us out to eat; we were like, "Oh, Jeff is cool." He was like our best friend, coming to the gym and talking to everybody, saying, "You're going to beat Anthony Mundine. You're going to tear him up." We thought he was just betting on the fight. We didn't know he had fronted the money to Vlad. At first, we weren't even going to entertain coming out to Australia unless they gave us some upfront money. They said, "We'll give you $300,000." So they got $300,000 and gave it to us upfront. I guess at first, they were going to get the other $700,000 from sponsorships, but they couldn't get nobody to sponsor the fight because they said nobody likes Anthony. So then they figured they were going to wait for the fight and get the money from the backend pay-per-view. It was crazy. They're talking about a line of credit and then Jeff threw some money up, so he has an investment in it, and then you have this other guy who's going to pay a little bit, $200,000; all these people gotta get their money back so how are they gonna do that. That's crazy. It was a whole bunch of underground bull. The end result was not going to be good. Win, lose or draw, the end result was not going to be good.
BT: Damn! It sounds like this whole promotion was pretty fucked up from the jump.
SM: Yeah, it was messed up. That's why we were trying to get my money before we got out there and 10 days before we fought. Just have my money in the account and I'll get in there and fight no problem. J and Josh were like, "You know what, Shane? Jump on the plane because they don't got it, and they ain't gonna have it either." So I'm gonna go in there and fight, and then I'ma get out and they're going to give me a check for $700,00 and the shit's gonna bounce. Then we'd have to go to court and I would've basically fought for free because there's going to be a whole bunch of bullshit. I was ready. They were supposed to have the money in there 10 days before the fight and I was going to fight, but they didn't. I wasn't nervous. I worked with Sergio Mora and I was sparring with Sam Soliman, giving him bloody noses and hurting him to the body; he'll tell you himself. Even Sergio said I had him pissing blood after sparring. I had some great sparring sessions with Sergio and Sam. I had a great camp. I was ready to fight. I was sharp as hell. I was starting to hit harder and harder. Actually, I hurt Sam to the body a couple times and I busted his nose. Sergio told me I was hitting harder, I was fast and I was sharp; he was complimenting on the speed and power. Both of them were about 172 or 175, so they were bigger than me. When I left, I was like 159; both complemented on my speed, my power and my strength. I was ready.
BT: I saw somewhere that Anthony Mundine said he was going to come out to LA and hopefully talk you into rescheduling the fight at a later date; maybe in December. Are you still open to fighting Mundine or have you decided to move on at this point?
SM: I mean, I'd rather him come out here and fight. I'm not thinking about going back out to Australia and messing with the timezone; I don't have time for that. I'm still struggling right now trying to get back to US time. If you watch the fight with Rigoberto Alvarez and Mundine, he looks like he's in slow motion. I was like, "Damn. Why he look like this?" He was jetlagged or the timezone messes you up for real if you're not used to that. You look like you're all drugged up trying to fight out there. Just watch the fight with Rigoberto and Mundine. It looked like they drugged him. That's how bad it is. So I would rather him come out here and fight on my terms and on my turf because over there, it seems like they're still behind the times with their boxing. It's almost like the mafia days. I'm hearing that people watch the judges; they're sitting behind them looking at them while they mark their scores and shit. If you don't have like the IBF or...Daniel Geale had the IBF officials out there and they went out there to Australia and actually worked the fight and judged the fight. Now, if you just have them, I don't know how it is out there because they don't really have a commission. Their commission is not really strong like ours, so it's like anything goes. That's what I kept hearing. Everybody was like, "Oh yeah, you gotta watch this; you gotta do that." I'm like, damn, it's that bad? I really gotta knock him out, and they don't got my money? Aw, naw! I'ma knock him out and not get paid; hell naw! You know what? I love to fight and I would've did it, but J was like, "Man, jump on the plane." Josh was like, "Man, they talking about a line of credit. That's a promissory not to a promise." The bank was promising that as soon as the pay-per-views come in, I get the first $500,000. Now, on top of that, how is Anthony going to get paid? It was just whack. And then the referees and judges; I don't know who they were. I think they were Aborigine refs and judges or something. It was bootleg. I was like, "Naw, y'all crazy. Y'all trippin'." So I was instructed to get on the plan and get my ass back because it ain't happening.
ALEX ARIZA QUESTIONS VADA'S TESTING PROCEDURES, BUT NOT AT ALL SUSPICIOUS OF PACQUIAO
By Ben Thompson | October 23, 2013
"They said they're not scheduled to test Manny until he gets to China...Nobody over here thinks that Manny is doing anything illegal. I for sure don't and know that he's not. Once again, it wasn't an issue until unfortunately they started opening themselves up and started talking about it. I think they just kind of disclosed a little too much information that maybe they shouldn't have. Again, what does bother me a little bit is that I did speak with a few different people and I don't know why she might lie about it," stated world-class Strength & Conditioning Coach Alex Ariza, who had a lot of questions about VADA's testing policies after they made a random visit to the gym to collect sample from Brandon Rios. Apparently, during that time, representatives of VADA revealed to Team Rios that Manny Pacquiao has yet to be tested and there were no plans to test him until he arrived in China roughly one week before the fight. Although VADA President Margaret Goodman denies that claim, there are still a lot of valid questions that Ariza brings up, so you don't want to miss what we had to say.
BT: What's up Double A? You know I had to call you to find out what the heck is going on with VADA. I heard some craziness went down when they visited the gym today. Give me the scoop. What happened?
AA: It was a big media day at Robert's gym today. Showtime was there; there was a lot of media there and VADA happened to show up. I think maybe they were just killing two birds with one stone because Nonito [Donaire] was going to be training later on that day. Anyway, they came in and they posted up shop. Brandon came in so they were doing the testing, but again, there was so much media there. I've been around WADA for awhile, not VADA but WADA, when they were testing Amir [Khan], and they always took him in the back and they did it in a private, sterile, well, as sterile as you can get area, and very rarely do they do it so openly like that. So they were exposed to all the media and everybody in the gym. Somebody made a joke and said, "Oh, they saw Mikey's picture, so they came here to start testing Brandon." You know, just make random jokes. Then Brandon says, "Yeah, this is my second time already." So then somebody from the media just shot out, "Hey, when did Manny get tested?" And then they just happened to say, "Well, we haven't tested Manny yet." So that just kicked off a firestorm of questions, and not even from us, but from everybody else. Of course Brandon is like, "What? Why hasn't he been tested?" Then Robert started asking questions about why Manny hasn't been tested, and they just kind of shrugged their shoulders and said, "I don't know." Then they said they're not scheduled to test Manny until he gets to China.
BT: Until he gets to China? When is that? Like two weeks before the fight?
AA: Well Manny gets there a week before the fight, so of course people were asking questions and this and that. Actually, I didn't even ask any questions. I was just listening when Robert started asking questions because I'm not very familiar with VADA. So it's not like any of us are casting any shadows over Manny or the team or anything like that. It was just one of those things. We all assume VADA is supposed to be impartial and unbiased and a fair company that's going to treat both sides equally. That's why I think everybody was kind of set back when they started answering the questions about it. That's all it really was. It's not like they said we're avoiding Manny or this and that. Like I told Robert, maybe they don't have the resources or who knows. Of course, what I did, you know, I know a lot of people in the Filipino press, so I made some phone call just to see and they said, "Oddly enough, no, they haven't. We've been here and obviously we're reporting all the sparring and everything that's happening, but no, Manny hasn't been tested yet." I just said, "Oh, okay." Again, it's not casting a shadow over Manny because Manny is not in control of that. It has nothing to do with him. It's just kind of odd that we're the only ones being tested.
BT: Are you surprised that they showed up and just did the testing right in front of everyone like that? It's almost as if they wanted the media to capture that moment in hopes of getting some exposure.
AA: You know what? Normally, I would say probably not, but since this is the second time that they've been there when there's been a big media turnout there, I think it's just odd. But for me, you know, I've been around this for awhile and I just found it odd that they did it so open. If you look, it's just right there next to the ring. Usually they take you in the back or they wait till you go home or they go to a sterile environment. It just seemed a lot odd, the procedures that they take. People were eating on the table, there's tape, you know, it's just not a very sterile area, so I just thought it was kind of odd that they did it right there in front of everybody, which opened themselves up to the questions. When they asked the question about when Manny was tested and they said that he hasn't been and he won't be until China, they kind of opened themselves up to that line of questioning.
BT: So they just showed up and took Brandon's blood right there next to the ring?
AA: Yeah, it was 3 or 4 vials blood and all the urine; just right there. It's kind of unusual. Even the last time, they did that right there. It's so funny because everything gets lost in translation. We really didn't think twice about it. I wasn't even thinking to ask the question about when Manny got tested because, for me, it doesn't matter if he gets tested or doesn't get tested, I know Manny's not a dirty fighter. People can say whatever they want about whatever I did with him, but I know that Manny's not a dirty fighter, so for me, it wasn't even an issue. I really didn't think about it nor do I suspect or think that anything would be going on.
BT: Regardless of what names we're talking about, it doesn't seem like it's a fair policy to test one side this early and not test the other side until a week before the fight.
AA: Again, I'm just going to play devil's advocate and say that maybe they just got caught off guard. You know how the media is, dude. I think they just shocked everybody when they disclosed that they haven't tested Manny and that there was no plan to test him until he got to China. I don't know that they realized what they had opened themselves up to. Again, you gotta think about both sides. Maybe they don't have the resources. Maybe Manny's schedule hasn't allowed it; you know, Manny's not the easiest guy to get a hold of. There could be a lot of things that we don't know. I know Margaret [Goodman] put out a statement apparently saying that he has been tested, but I know the Filipino press. I know how the press is over there, man, and Manny can't take a piss without somebody writing a paragraph about it. I find it hard to believe that nobody in the media over there has seen or heard of Manny giving any blood. You know how they cover Manny. It's impossible for them over there not to say something like, "Manny's first testing!" That's a story in itself. Manny has never subjected himself to random drug testing; he's never been involved in any of that, so that's something that would make headlines.
BT: Not to mention the whole Pacquiao/Mayweather angle. You already know a ton of articles would've been written regarding that fight if Manny would've been tested by now. Hell, as the first agency to test Pacquiao, I wouldn't even be surprised to see VADA put out a press release (laughing).
AA: Of course. I mean, you gotta also remember, that is supposedly the reason why Manny and Floyd have never fought, so if they never fought because of that one thing, then it would be a huge story that Manny is finally allowing himself to be tested, especially given his belief and the way he feels about blood being taken out of him. Believe me, I know how the press is over there. Of anything that Manny does, that would be a huge, huge story. I just find it odd that Margaret [Goodman] would go out there and say that he has been. I mean, now it draws speculation on our part. I mean, there's nothing wrong with it if he hasn't. It's random, so they can do it any way that they want. It's just weird that she would come out and say that he's been tested. Of course, it is confidential information as far as what the results are, but it's not confidential to tell us what dates he was tested. I mean, everybody knows when Brandon is tested. With Manny obviously being the bigger name and the fact that he draws so much attention, you would think that VADA would want people to know when Manny is tested. But again, we don't really care. You know, a company that talks about a level playing, you would think it would be even on both sides, but it doesn't matter to us one way or the other. Nobody over here thinks that Manny is doing anything illegal. I for sure don't and know that he's not. Once again, it wasn't an issue until unfortunately they started opening themselves up and started talking about it. I think they just kind of disclosed a little too much information that maybe they shouldn't have. Again, what does bother me a little bit is that I did speak with a few different people and I don't know why she might lie about it. I mean, there's nothing to cover up. Don't lie and make it worse. Just say, "No, we haven't gotten to the Philippines yet, but we plan on it in the next few days." You know, you could say anything and it would've been dead, but now you got everybody calling over there asking if it's true and all the reporters that I've spoken to have said no.
By Ben Thompson | October 23, 2013
"They said they're not scheduled to test Manny until he gets to China...Nobody over here thinks that Manny is doing anything illegal. I for sure don't and know that he's not. Once again, it wasn't an issue until unfortunately they started opening themselves up and started talking about it. I think they just kind of disclosed a little too much information that maybe they shouldn't have. Again, what does bother me a little bit is that I did speak with a few different people and I don't know why she might lie about it," stated world-class Strength & Conditioning Coach Alex Ariza, who had a lot of questions about VADA's testing policies after they made a random visit to the gym to collect sample from Brandon Rios. Apparently, during that time, representatives of VADA revealed to Team Rios that Manny Pacquiao has yet to be tested and there were no plans to test him until he arrived in China roughly one week before the fight. Although VADA President Margaret Goodman denies that claim, there are still a lot of valid questions that Ariza brings up, so you don't want to miss what we had to say.
BT: What's up Double A? You know I had to call you to find out what the heck is going on with VADA. I heard some craziness went down when they visited the gym today. Give me the scoop. What happened?
AA: It was a big media day at Robert's gym today. Showtime was there; there was a lot of media there and VADA happened to show up. I think maybe they were just killing two birds with one stone because Nonito [Donaire] was going to be training later on that day. Anyway, they came in and they posted up shop. Brandon came in so they were doing the testing, but again, there was so much media there. I've been around WADA for awhile, not VADA but WADA, when they were testing Amir [Khan], and they always took him in the back and they did it in a private, sterile, well, as sterile as you can get area, and very rarely do they do it so openly like that. So they were exposed to all the media and everybody in the gym. Somebody made a joke and said, "Oh, they saw Mikey's picture, so they came here to start testing Brandon." You know, just make random jokes. Then Brandon says, "Yeah, this is my second time already." So then somebody from the media just shot out, "Hey, when did Manny get tested?" And then they just happened to say, "Well, we haven't tested Manny yet." So that just kicked off a firestorm of questions, and not even from us, but from everybody else. Of course Brandon is like, "What? Why hasn't he been tested?" Then Robert started asking questions about why Manny hasn't been tested, and they just kind of shrugged their shoulders and said, "I don't know." Then they said they're not scheduled to test Manny until he gets to China.
BT: Until he gets to China? When is that? Like two weeks before the fight?
AA: Well Manny gets there a week before the fight, so of course people were asking questions and this and that. Actually, I didn't even ask any questions. I was just listening when Robert started asking questions because I'm not very familiar with VADA. So it's not like any of us are casting any shadows over Manny or the team or anything like that. It was just one of those things. We all assume VADA is supposed to be impartial and unbiased and a fair company that's going to treat both sides equally. That's why I think everybody was kind of set back when they started answering the questions about it. That's all it really was. It's not like they said we're avoiding Manny or this and that. Like I told Robert, maybe they don't have the resources or who knows. Of course, what I did, you know, I know a lot of people in the Filipino press, so I made some phone call just to see and they said, "Oddly enough, no, they haven't. We've been here and obviously we're reporting all the sparring and everything that's happening, but no, Manny hasn't been tested yet." I just said, "Oh, okay." Again, it's not casting a shadow over Manny because Manny is not in control of that. It has nothing to do with him. It's just kind of odd that we're the only ones being tested.
BT: Are you surprised that they showed up and just did the testing right in front of everyone like that? It's almost as if they wanted the media to capture that moment in hopes of getting some exposure.
AA: You know what? Normally, I would say probably not, but since this is the second time that they've been there when there's been a big media turnout there, I think it's just odd. But for me, you know, I've been around this for awhile and I just found it odd that they did it so open. If you look, it's just right there next to the ring. Usually they take you in the back or they wait till you go home or they go to a sterile environment. It just seemed a lot odd, the procedures that they take. People were eating on the table, there's tape, you know, it's just not a very sterile area, so I just thought it was kind of odd that they did it right there in front of everybody, which opened themselves up to the questions. When they asked the question about when Manny was tested and they said that he hasn't been and he won't be until China, they kind of opened themselves up to that line of questioning.
BT: So they just showed up and took Brandon's blood right there next to the ring?
AA: Yeah, it was 3 or 4 vials blood and all the urine; just right there. It's kind of unusual. Even the last time, they did that right there. It's so funny because everything gets lost in translation. We really didn't think twice about it. I wasn't even thinking to ask the question about when Manny got tested because, for me, it doesn't matter if he gets tested or doesn't get tested, I know Manny's not a dirty fighter. People can say whatever they want about whatever I did with him, but I know that Manny's not a dirty fighter, so for me, it wasn't even an issue. I really didn't think about it nor do I suspect or think that anything would be going on.
BT: Regardless of what names we're talking about, it doesn't seem like it's a fair policy to test one side this early and not test the other side until a week before the fight.
AA: Again, I'm just going to play devil's advocate and say that maybe they just got caught off guard. You know how the media is, dude. I think they just shocked everybody when they disclosed that they haven't tested Manny and that there was no plan to test him until he got to China. I don't know that they realized what they had opened themselves up to. Again, you gotta think about both sides. Maybe they don't have the resources. Maybe Manny's schedule hasn't allowed it; you know, Manny's not the easiest guy to get a hold of. There could be a lot of things that we don't know. I know Margaret [Goodman] put out a statement apparently saying that he has been tested, but I know the Filipino press. I know how the press is over there, man, and Manny can't take a piss without somebody writing a paragraph about it. I find it hard to believe that nobody in the media over there has seen or heard of Manny giving any blood. You know how they cover Manny. It's impossible for them over there not to say something like, "Manny's first testing!" That's a story in itself. Manny has never subjected himself to random drug testing; he's never been involved in any of that, so that's something that would make headlines.
BT: Not to mention the whole Pacquiao/Mayweather angle. You already know a ton of articles would've been written regarding that fight if Manny would've been tested by now. Hell, as the first agency to test Pacquiao, I wouldn't even be surprised to see VADA put out a press release (laughing).
AA: Of course. I mean, you gotta also remember, that is supposedly the reason why Manny and Floyd have never fought, so if they never fought because of that one thing, then it would be a huge story that Manny is finally allowing himself to be tested, especially given his belief and the way he feels about blood being taken out of him. Believe me, I know how the press is over there. Of anything that Manny does, that would be a huge, huge story. I just find it odd that Margaret [Goodman] would go out there and say that he has been. I mean, now it draws speculation on our part. I mean, there's nothing wrong with it if he hasn't. It's random, so they can do it any way that they want. It's just weird that she would come out and say that he's been tested. Of course, it is confidential information as far as what the results are, but it's not confidential to tell us what dates he was tested. I mean, everybody knows when Brandon is tested. With Manny obviously being the bigger name and the fact that he draws so much attention, you would think that VADA would want people to know when Manny is tested. But again, we don't really care. You know, a company that talks about a level playing, you would think it would be even on both sides, but it doesn't matter to us one way or the other. Nobody over here thinks that Manny is doing anything illegal. I for sure don't and know that he's not. Once again, it wasn't an issue until unfortunately they started opening themselves up and started talking about it. I think they just kind of disclosed a little too much information that maybe they shouldn't have. Again, what does bother me a little bit is that I did speak with a few different people and I don't know why she might lie about it. I mean, there's nothing to cover up. Don't lie and make it worse. Just say, "No, we haven't gotten to the Philippines yet, but we plan on it in the next few days." You know, you could say anything and it would've been dead, but now you got everybody calling over there asking if it's true and all the reporters that I've spoken to have said no.
Props:
bigface
Alvarado-Provodnikov fight draws 1.2 million views on HBO
October 23rd, 2013 | Post Comment - 13 Comments
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Alvarado Provodnikov Alvarado vs. Provodnikov mike alvarado By Dan Ambrose: Last Saturday night’s bout bout between former WBO light welterweight champion Mike Alvarado (34-2, 23 KO’s) and Ruslan Provodnikov (23-2, 16 KO’s) drew an impressive 1.2 million viewers on HBO. The totals equals the amount of viewers that tuned in to watch Alvarado’s previous fight against Brandon Rios last March on HBO.
What this means is that there’s a good possibility that HBO will be televising an Alvarado-Provodnikov rematch in the future or they’ll at least continue to televise Alvarado’s fights despite him quitting after the 10th round.
There’s no question that HBO will continue to show Provodnikov’s fights because he’s really impressed the network with his performances in the Tim Bradley and now the Alvarado fight.
What’s not known is if HBO will continue to show Alvarado’s fights if he’s not paired with Provodnikov or someone like Rios, Manny Pacquiao or Juan Manuel Marquez.
HBO needs guys like Provodnikov to help pump up their ratings because a lot of the good fighters are now being shown on Showtime rather than HBO now. Floyd Mayweather Jr., Danny Garcia, Adrien Broner, Marcos Maidana, and Lucas Matthysse all have their fights on Showtime and they’ve really helped out the network with their exciting fights. HBO has fighters like Pacquiao, Provodnikov, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Sergio Martinez, Rios, Alvarado, Bradley, Miguel Cotto. In other words, Top Rank fighters. However, Pacquiao, Cotto and Sergio Martinez are getting kind of long in the tooth and it’s difficult to imagine any of them still fighting at a high level in three years from now, if they’re fighting at all.
HBO will need to find new blood to beef up their Boxing telecasts unless they’re cut back. It might help if HBO starts showing more of Golden Boy’s fighters because they seem to have a lot of young fighters with a lot of talent. You don’t want HBO to end up with inferior quality fights involving a small stable of house fighters that they show over and over again.
Cotto’s recent fight against Delvin Rodriguez brought in 1.55 million views, but that was largely due to Cotto’s popularity rather than the Cotto-Rodriguez fight being seen as an appealing one. It wasn’t. The fight was a terrible mismatch on paper and a mismatch in reality. But Cotto is so well known among casual boxing fans that it doesn’t matter who he fights. He still draws good ratings even when he’s fighting lesser quality opposition. HBO’s problem is Cotto’s advancing age. He’s not going to be able to keep fighting for too much longer against the best fighters without him taking more losses.
Cotto looks great against an average fighter like Rodriguez, but if you put him in with Austin Trout or Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, you’re going to see Cotto get clowned or destroyed by them. I don’t think Cotto or HBO will be satisfied by facing Delvin Rodriguez type opposition indefinitely, so that means he’s going to have to step it up once again to the top level fighters and when that happens, we’re probably going to see him getting beaten repeatedly. HBO won’t be able to count on Cotto for long, and unless Top Rank expands their stable by adding good fighters that the boxing public cares about then HBO could end up getting beaten by Showtime in the ratings war in he future.
Read more at Alvarado-Provodnikov fight draws 1.2 million views on HBO
October 23rd, 2013 | Post Comment - 13 Comments
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Alvarado Provodnikov Alvarado vs. Provodnikov mike alvarado By Dan Ambrose: Last Saturday night’s bout bout between former WBO light welterweight champion Mike Alvarado (34-2, 23 KO’s) and Ruslan Provodnikov (23-2, 16 KO’s) drew an impressive 1.2 million viewers on HBO. The totals equals the amount of viewers that tuned in to watch Alvarado’s previous fight against Brandon Rios last March on HBO.
What this means is that there’s a good possibility that HBO will be televising an Alvarado-Provodnikov rematch in the future or they’ll at least continue to televise Alvarado’s fights despite him quitting after the 10th round.
There’s no question that HBO will continue to show Provodnikov’s fights because he’s really impressed the network with his performances in the Tim Bradley and now the Alvarado fight.
What’s not known is if HBO will continue to show Alvarado’s fights if he’s not paired with Provodnikov or someone like Rios, Manny Pacquiao or Juan Manuel Marquez.
HBO needs guys like Provodnikov to help pump up their ratings because a lot of the good fighters are now being shown on Showtime rather than HBO now. Floyd Mayweather Jr., Danny Garcia, Adrien Broner, Marcos Maidana, and Lucas Matthysse all have their fights on Showtime and they’ve really helped out the network with their exciting fights. HBO has fighters like Pacquiao, Provodnikov, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Sergio Martinez, Rios, Alvarado, Bradley, Miguel Cotto. In other words, Top Rank fighters. However, Pacquiao, Cotto and Sergio Martinez are getting kind of long in the tooth and it’s difficult to imagine any of them still fighting at a high level in three years from now, if they’re fighting at all.
HBO will need to find new blood to beef up their Boxing telecasts unless they’re cut back. It might help if HBO starts showing more of Golden Boy’s fighters because they seem to have a lot of young fighters with a lot of talent. You don’t want HBO to end up with inferior quality fights involving a small stable of house fighters that they show over and over again.
Cotto’s recent fight against Delvin Rodriguez brought in 1.55 million views, but that was largely due to Cotto’s popularity rather than the Cotto-Rodriguez fight being seen as an appealing one. It wasn’t. The fight was a terrible mismatch on paper and a mismatch in reality. But Cotto is so well known among casual boxing fans that it doesn’t matter who he fights. He still draws good ratings even when he’s fighting lesser quality opposition. HBO’s problem is Cotto’s advancing age. He’s not going to be able to keep fighting for too much longer against the best fighters without him taking more losses.
Cotto looks great against an average fighter like Rodriguez, but if you put him in with Austin Trout or Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, you’re going to see Cotto get clowned or destroyed by them. I don’t think Cotto or HBO will be satisfied by facing Delvin Rodriguez type opposition indefinitely, so that means he’s going to have to step it up once again to the top level fighters and when that happens, we’re probably going to see him getting beaten repeatedly. HBO won’t be able to count on Cotto for long, and unless Top Rank expands their stable by adding good fighters that the boxing public cares about then HBO could end up getting beaten by Showtime in the ratings war in he future.
Read more at Alvarado-Provodnikov fight draws 1.2 million views on HBO
IBF pours Golden Boys plans down the drain for Molina-Ortiz fight
October 23rd, 2013 | Post Comment - 10 Comments
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Ortiz Molina Ortiz vs. Molina IBF Golden Boy victor ortiz By AJ Betancourt: I submitted an article last week talking about the December 14th fight between WBA welterweight champion Adrien Broner and Marcos Maidana card and how Victor Ortiz was getting an immediate title shot on the undercard with newly crowned IBF junior middleweight champ Carlos Molina. I thought it was fishy that Ortiz was getting a title shot after a long layoff.
No disrespect to Ortiz but I think we can all agree a fighter with 2 consecutive losses, both by knockout, does not deserve a title shot, especially from being laid back for awhile from a 18 months of inactivity. Ortiz was originally supposed to be fighting this September, but instead he chose to be starred in the New “Expendables 3″ movie. Well, the IBF was on the same page as me and others and refused to sanction the bout, referring to Ortiz inactivity and losses.
If it were the WBA, WBC or the WBO, they likely would have sanctioned the bout without a problem. But the IBF actually follows its rules and doesn’t hand out Super, Regular, and Interim titles left and right. So instead of Carlos Molina possibly beating Ortiz and ruining Golden Boys plans, the IBF crashed their party by ruining their fight plans. Golden Boy is now forced too add a different fight or find another opponent for either Molina or Ortiz.
It’s unknown which fighter will stay on the card and which one will go. I’m assuming Ortiz will stay on the card due to Golden Boy possibly favoring him over Molina and set him to fight to get him on track to another world title. But don’t be surprised if Ortiz beats his next opponent, Golden Boy will immediately try and get him a fight with Molina again in 2014. I think Golden Boy is hoping Ortiz beats Molina and takes his title that way they can set up Ortiz vs. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez to possibly be on Floyd Mayweather Jr’s undercard on Cinco de Mayo weekend on May 3rd. But I wouldn’t count on Ortiz beating Molina easily because no one looks good fighting Molina due to his awkward style. Molina is a fighter who’s been robbed quite a few times. Examples are against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in their first fight, Erislandy Lara and Mike Alvardo. I also believe Molina was schooling James Kirkland until the disqualification in the 10th. But expect Ortiz and Molina will fight soon, but that’s if Ortiz beats his next opponent.
Read more at IBF pours Golden Boys plans down the drain for Molina-Ortiz fight
October 23rd, 2013 | Post Comment - 10 Comments
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Ortiz Molina Ortiz vs. Molina IBF Golden Boy victor ortiz By AJ Betancourt: I submitted an article last week talking about the December 14th fight between WBA welterweight champion Adrien Broner and Marcos Maidana card and how Victor Ortiz was getting an immediate title shot on the undercard with newly crowned IBF junior middleweight champ Carlos Molina. I thought it was fishy that Ortiz was getting a title shot after a long layoff.
No disrespect to Ortiz but I think we can all agree a fighter with 2 consecutive losses, both by knockout, does not deserve a title shot, especially from being laid back for awhile from a 18 months of inactivity. Ortiz was originally supposed to be fighting this September, but instead he chose to be starred in the New “Expendables 3″ movie. Well, the IBF was on the same page as me and others and refused to sanction the bout, referring to Ortiz inactivity and losses.
If it were the WBA, WBC or the WBO, they likely would have sanctioned the bout without a problem. But the IBF actually follows its rules and doesn’t hand out Super, Regular, and Interim titles left and right. So instead of Carlos Molina possibly beating Ortiz and ruining Golden Boys plans, the IBF crashed their party by ruining their fight plans. Golden Boy is now forced too add a different fight or find another opponent for either Molina or Ortiz.
It’s unknown which fighter will stay on the card and which one will go. I’m assuming Ortiz will stay on the card due to Golden Boy possibly favoring him over Molina and set him to fight to get him on track to another world title. But don’t be surprised if Ortiz beats his next opponent, Golden Boy will immediately try and get him a fight with Molina again in 2014. I think Golden Boy is hoping Ortiz beats Molina and takes his title that way they can set up Ortiz vs. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez to possibly be on Floyd Mayweather Jr’s undercard on Cinco de Mayo weekend on May 3rd. But I wouldn’t count on Ortiz beating Molina easily because no one looks good fighting Molina due to his awkward style. Molina is a fighter who’s been robbed quite a few times. Examples are against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in their first fight, Erislandy Lara and Mike Alvardo. I also believe Molina was schooling James Kirkland until the disqualification in the 10th. But expect Ortiz and Molina will fight soon, but that’s if Ortiz beats his next opponent.
Read more at IBF pours Golden Boys plans down the drain for Molina-Ortiz fight
damn R.I.P.
FF to the 40:00 mark
Reports from San Diego are indicating that Mexican fighter Francisco Leal passed away due to severe injuries suffered during Saturday's knockout loss to Raul Hirales in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. After getting knocked out by Raul Hirales, the boxer appeared to be in bad condition and he was transfered to a hospital Cabo San Lucas, where he fell in a coma. The doctors discovered the boxer had brain clots from the damage sustained in the contest and he was transferred for further treatment in La Paz and then to San Diego. Leal, who made his debut in January 2005, was 26-years-old and had a record of 20 wins, 13 by knockout, 8 losses and 3 draws.
FF to the 40:00 mark
Reports from San Diego are indicating that Mexican fighter Francisco Leal passed away due to severe injuries suffered during Saturday's knockout loss to Raul Hirales in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. After getting knocked out by Raul Hirales, the boxer appeared to be in bad condition and he was transfered to a hospital Cabo San Lucas, where he fell in a coma. The doctors discovered the boxer had brain clots from the damage sustained in the contest and he was transferred for further treatment in La Paz and then to San Diego. Leal, who made his debut in January 2005, was 26-years-old and had a record of 20 wins, 13 by knockout, 8 losses and 3 draws.
Deontay likes his chances against Wladimir
October 24th, 2013 | Post Comment - 13 Comments
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Klitschko Wilder Klitschko vs. Wilder wladimir klitschko deontay wilder By Scott Gilfoid: Undefeated heavyweight Deontay Wilder (29-0, 29 KO’s) feels he’s ready to face IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko right now and he thinks he has a good chance of beating him due to his speed, power and athleticism. Deontay says he learned a lot about Wladimir’s fighting style during his time as his sparring partner last year, and he learned from that experience how to beat the 6’6″ Ukrainian fighter.
The 6’7″ Deontay thinks that Wladimir will have problems with him because he’ll be fighting someone at the eye level as him, and he won’t be able to keep him at bay by using his jab that way he does against his shorter opponents. In fact, Deontay has a three inch reach advantage and a one inch height advantage over Wladimir. That would be a definite shocker for Wladimir to be facing someone with a longer reach, better speed and better power than himself.
Wladimir wouldn’t be able to crab Deontay with clinches as much as he does against his shorter opponents because Deontay fights on the outside and he won’t need to get real close in order to throw his shots. Wladimir would would only have a chance to grab Deontay in a clinch after he’s thrown one of his big power right hand shots, and by then it might be way way too late to grab.
What could be the downfall for Wladimir is that Deontay is an excellent inside fighter on the level of someone like Lennox Lewis. I mean, he’s able to generate huge power in close, even when being held by his opponents. If you watch Deontay’s fight against the 6’7″ Kelvin Price last December, you’ll notice that Price grabbed Deontay in a clinch while the two of them were near the ropes.
Deontay then exploded two with several clubbing right hands to the side of Price’s head causing his feet to almost go out from under him. I’ve never seen a heavyweight generate the kind of power that Deontay did with those three short punches.
I’ve seen Lewis throw single uppercuts with amazing power while in close, but it was always one shot at a time and they never thrown in rapid fashion the way that Deontay throws his. The punches that Deontay landed against Price were like three consecutive Lewis uppercuts within just a little over a second. Price was staggering after Deontay nailed him with those shots. Deontay then finished him with an overhand right to the head.
Deontay told the Atlantic Weekly “I have been in there with him [Wladimir], and I already know what to expect…If the shorter guy gets in, he can hold onto them…thing is no one knows that I have a great inside game that people have never seen. I have sparred with him and I know how to beat him.”
Wladimir would be in a real tough situation against Deontay because a lot of things that he’s learned from in his years with his late trainer Emanuel Steward, they wouldn’t work against Deontay. If Wladimir clinched Deontay, he’d get brained with clubbing right hands to the side of the head. Wladimir wouldn’t be able to lean on Deontay because he’s bigger than he is and he’d nail him with shots while Wladimir is trying to hold him. The only way that Wladimir could beat Deontay is in a traditional stand up fight where he tries to bomb him out from the outside with right hands and left hooks. If Wladimir falls into one of his clinches, he’ll get finished quickly by Deontay just like he was in his loss to Corrie Sanders in 2003
Read more at Deontay likes his chances against Wladimir
October 24th, 2013 | Post Comment - 13 Comments
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Klitschko Wilder Klitschko vs. Wilder wladimir klitschko deontay wilder By Scott Gilfoid: Undefeated heavyweight Deontay Wilder (29-0, 29 KO’s) feels he’s ready to face IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko right now and he thinks he has a good chance of beating him due to his speed, power and athleticism. Deontay says he learned a lot about Wladimir’s fighting style during his time as his sparring partner last year, and he learned from that experience how to beat the 6’6″ Ukrainian fighter.
The 6’7″ Deontay thinks that Wladimir will have problems with him because he’ll be fighting someone at the eye level as him, and he won’t be able to keep him at bay by using his jab that way he does against his shorter opponents. In fact, Deontay has a three inch reach advantage and a one inch height advantage over Wladimir. That would be a definite shocker for Wladimir to be facing someone with a longer reach, better speed and better power than himself.
Wladimir wouldn’t be able to crab Deontay with clinches as much as he does against his shorter opponents because Deontay fights on the outside and he won’t need to get real close in order to throw his shots. Wladimir would would only have a chance to grab Deontay in a clinch after he’s thrown one of his big power right hand shots, and by then it might be way way too late to grab.
What could be the downfall for Wladimir is that Deontay is an excellent inside fighter on the level of someone like Lennox Lewis. I mean, he’s able to generate huge power in close, even when being held by his opponents. If you watch Deontay’s fight against the 6’7″ Kelvin Price last December, you’ll notice that Price grabbed Deontay in a clinch while the two of them were near the ropes.
Deontay then exploded two with several clubbing right hands to the side of Price’s head causing his feet to almost go out from under him. I’ve never seen a heavyweight generate the kind of power that Deontay did with those three short punches.
I’ve seen Lewis throw single uppercuts with amazing power while in close, but it was always one shot at a time and they never thrown in rapid fashion the way that Deontay throws his. The punches that Deontay landed against Price were like three consecutive Lewis uppercuts within just a little over a second. Price was staggering after Deontay nailed him with those shots. Deontay then finished him with an overhand right to the head.
Deontay told the Atlantic Weekly “I have been in there with him [Wladimir], and I already know what to expect…If the shorter guy gets in, he can hold onto them…thing is no one knows that I have a great inside game that people have never seen. I have sparred with him and I know how to beat him.”
Wladimir would be in a real tough situation against Deontay because a lot of things that he’s learned from in his years with his late trainer Emanuel Steward, they wouldn’t work against Deontay. If Wladimir clinched Deontay, he’d get brained with clubbing right hands to the side of the head. Wladimir wouldn’t be able to lean on Deontay because he’s bigger than he is and he’d nail him with shots while Wladimir is trying to hold him. The only way that Wladimir could beat Deontay is in a traditional stand up fight where he tries to bomb him out from the outside with right hands and left hooks. If Wladimir falls into one of his clinches, he’ll get finished quickly by Deontay just like he was in his loss to Corrie Sanders in 2003
Read more at Deontay likes his chances against Wladimir
Lightweight Loses, Celebrates Anyway By Standing On His Fist..
The laughing lightweight you see in the background is Scott Jenkins, who went to 10-0 with his five-round takedown of Antonio Rodriguez (5-8-4) in Sheffield, England, on Saturday.
The guy doing the fist-plant — that's Rodriguez. I believe the phrase is, "bloodied but unbowed."
The laughing lightweight you see in the background is Scott Jenkins, who went to 10-0 with his five-round takedown of Antonio Rodriguez (5-8-4) in Sheffield, England, on Saturday.
The guy doing the fist-plant — that's Rodriguez. I believe the phrase is, "bloodied but unbowed."
