Mayweather – Mosley Vol. 3: “Easy Money”

1.4 Million in domestic pay-per-view buys…
Over $78 Million in HBO revenues generated…
Recorded as the 2nd biggest non-heavyweight PPV fight in history…
740,000 cable buys, 660,000 satellite subscriptions…
and a reported $50+ Million dollar purse.

Beyond the bank figures and accounting points, Floyd Mayweather may have done more than simply solidify his place as this generation’s PPV box-office king… he may have stripped the naysayers of any reason to believe that anyone at 147 pounds… including Manny Pacquiao… has much of a chance of beating him. 

Outside of 2 clean right hands in the 2nd round, it’s tough to argue that May 1st wasn’t “Easy Money” for Floyd Mayweather.  Boxing fans wanted to see how he’d respond once Shane connected with his right hand… all he did was spend the next 40 minutes cleaning the scorecard, as he proceeded to technically sweep Shane right out of the fight.  The public wanted to know how he would respond to true speed, and if his defense was really as good as “24/7″ publicized… all he did was make Shane look uncertain and jittery; unwilling to pull the trigger out of worry for Mayweather’s counter punching skills.  We wanted to know if Floyd could stand up to a true Welterweight with ‘pop’ comparable to Manny Pacquiao… today, there’s no argument that he can; he adjusted, and never allowed himself to be hit with that same shot again!  He looked physically bigger and stronger (which to many was unexpected considering Shane’s power & build.)  He was obviously faster, smarter, craftier, better conditioned… and most importantly he was more relaxed (which was perhaps the most surprising measure considering Mosley’s resume).

Plain and simple, there are no holes in his game… which makes the prospect of Manny/May an even BIGGER draw now than a few months ago when promoters where shooting for them to fight at the top of 2010!

…The word around town is that Pacquiao has reserved a room at Dallas Cowboy Stadium for either November 6th and 13th… wonder if Mayweather will be checking in on that evening as well.

  
T.J. Breeden
www.iblmedia.com

Mayweather – Mosley: Post-fight Press Conference

“Last night’s fight was an amazing display of skill and heart… Perhaps the first time that Floyd Mayweather’s chin has been tested, and he responded the way Champions do; with a decisive unanimous decision victory over Sugar Shane Mosley.” 

The following link has been provided by the Las Vegas Sun//  
Click Here to view video.

More videos curtousy of mlive.com//
Visit. www.mlive.com/mayweather for a video blog of post fight commentary.

Mayweather – Mosley Vol. 2: “Conflict and Pressure” (writer’s notes)

There’s something to be said about the pressures of conflict… the courage it takes to stand in front of a man who by all accounts is equally equipped in terms of skill, strength, heart, determination…  It is justice according to a lost society, where conflict is settled face-to-face; when tables would be pushed away to clear a makeshift ring and bookies began accepting in-prompt-to wagers.  No judicial theory or congressional hearing… no cross-examination or jury breaks.  You couldn’t just make accusations without proof, or spew ridiculous insults without anticipating some sort of physical consequence. 

Sounds a bit archaic, I know; but it is our natural history: both of violence and settlement; of war and peace… just as we embrace peaceful resolution as a demonstration of our social tolerance, we also welcome the challenge of physical confrontation to show our muscle.

…It’s what we do.

Boxing offers that same ‘peaceful tolerance’ within its own ‘violent settlement’… for as much as the insults sting and the HBO nonsense sells tickets, eventually the tables are once again spread throughout the room and conflict is cleared with muscle, speed, power… not legal rhetoric & case studies.  Because in the ring, words don’t matter!  Floyd Mayweather won’t have a public defender to ward off Sugar’s angry right-hand; and Shane Mosley can’t look to his prosecution team to Object to Money’s clever defensive strategy.

This is pressure… justice in its purest form…  and tomorrow, conflict will reach its verdict.
 

T.J. Breeden
www.iblmedia.com

Mayweather – Mosley Vol. 1: “The Moment” (writer’s notes)

“…It’s what we’ve been waiting for.  Something worth the cost of PPV, worth the red-eye transit into McCarren International on the south strip… worth the “Ticket Master” price of admission and scalper increases… worth cheap suites at Monte Carlo, Twitpic bragging rights, and Saturday night table reservations at Tao!“

“This generation has been waiting for our “Leonard v. Hearns” moment, where 10 years from now we can turn to ESPN Classic and silently reminisce about the weekend we experienced sports history… even if it does come at the cost of on-the-spot losses at the blackjack table and over drafted checking accounts.  We want the: “Yeah, I was there,” or “I remember watching it LIVE” because there’s much more than just a belt on the line… much more than an undefeated record and a 10 year rivalry.  This fight has the potential to revive a sport that has consistently found itself at odds with the growing popularity of its Vegas counterpart: an MMA alternative that draws higher attendance numbers and has a distribution deal with network cable!“

“But beyond the fandamonium, this is the moment for Floyd Mayweather to solidify his unbelievably boisterous claim that he is not only the best fighter of this generation, but that he is the greatest fighter to ever wear vaseline… better than Ali, better than Sugar Ray (Robinson & Leonard), ”the Brown Bomber,” and all others who have paved his sure-fire route to the Hall-of-Fame.   This is the moment that Shane Mosley can move beyond this sort of second tier, executive suite level of super stardom.  As great a career as he’s had, he’s always been recognized as the #2/#3 guy in the division… He’s the Utah Jazz who would’ve won 2 rings if it weren’t for MJ’s Bulls, Atlanta Braves teams who won 10-times as many pennants as World Series Championships, Phil Mickelson who would be the biggest star in golf if it weren’t for a guy named Tiger… He’s great and he’s always been “right there”, but he’s never quite been the guy that draws fans to the gate.“

“Either way this is the moment… this is the time… AND MAN, THIS IS GONNA BIG!“

T.J. Breeden
www.iblmedia.com  

Andre Berto: Next in Line

With all of the Mayweather-Mosley talk… with Manny Pacquiao campaigning for Congress in the Philippines and Miguel Cotto shanking hands in Yankee Stadium… with all that Antonio Margarito has managed to stir up with his looming return, and Pauli Malignaggi’s Twitter trash talk… HBO’s “24/7″ program premiering tonight, and the May 1st hype pumped on ‘roids like the PDA’s the Olympic-Style Drug Officials tested Shane & Floyd for on tonight’s series premier episode…. 

…amidst all of this, did we somehow ‘forget’ about Andre Berto? 

If so, he reintroduced himself to the masses in explosive fashion with a devastating Knock Out victory over Carlos Quintana.

He’s shown great character in his humanitarian efforts as he forewent his scheduled January 30th fight versus Shane Mosley to volunteer in his native Haiti… tonight, it was Quintana who was in need of rescue and relief efforts as Berto seemingly picked him apart in route to maintaining his undefeated streak.

ESPN’s Dan Rafael’s full report here//
HBO.com’s report//

Mayweather – Mosley “FACE-OFF” for HBO.com

HBO.com preps for the networks month-long “Mayweather-Mosley: 24/7″ program with “FACE-OFF” hosted by Max Kellerman.  It’s a confrontational short feature, where Mosley & Mayweather let their true feelings known in anticipation for their upcoming May 1st mega-fight. 

If there was any question as to whether or not these two guys like each other, it was answered in this joint interview!  Irrespective of personal feelings however, there’s no doubt that they respect the other’s true skill… This is gonna be one hell of a fight!  (Click the pic to view, or go to HBO.com/Boxing.)

Manny Pacqui-Who?! | Making the Case for the UFC’s George St. Pierre

“Anyone who says that Manny Pacquiao is the most dangerous, ferocious, and athletic fighter in the world has been sleeping under a rock…… and admittedly (perhaps until about a few months ago) we shared a bunk, because I was beginning to believe the hype too!!”

Disclaimer: Manny is a once in a lifetime talent whose gloves will one day be hanging alongside the likes of Sugar Ray Leonard & Lennox Lewis!  But, with all that he’s achieved… 7 World Titles, classic fights with Marquez, the honor of finishing off the Goldenboy… an internationally supportive fan base,  undeniable box-office drawing power, wealth beyond many generations… and perhaps most importantly respect and admiration from the people of the Phillipines… He is not, (and I repeat) HE IS NOT the best fighter in the world!  That honor goes to a man who in my estimation is more dominant, more highly skilled, has faced more dangerous competition, has a more diverse professional skill-set… and no, his name isn’t Floyd Mayweather Jr. 

The fighter I’m talking about  is George “Rush” St. Pierre… and if you’re just waking up, I suggest you make you’re way from beneath that rock and pay attention… because this guy is by far the most exciting and talented fighter in the world… PERIOD. 

I’m a boxing fan, and I’m not here to make the case that comparing UFC-apples to WBC-oranges is a fair draw.  The two sports couldn’t be more different… and until the day that an athlete is able to successfully crossover from one sport into the other, while simultaneously holding titles in each (or at least top-10 divisional rankings), we’ll never know which competitive discipline deserves more noise.  But even boxing fans can appreciate a guy like St. Pierre who arguably has trigger quickness and technique that would make him a prospect for HBO’s “Boxing After Dark”, combined with conditioning that is on par with Lance Armstrong & Michael Phelps… Olympic wrestling ability, and a will-to-win like Tiger on Sunday. 

Don’t believe me?… Check his stats!  He’s done nothing but beat the best in his weight class, and manages to improve physically with each fight.  He’s not fighting a drained De la Hoya, Ricky Hatton (who was never the same after Mayweather exposed his lack of defense), a mentally beaten Miguel Cotto who was still suffering from the effects of being MUGGED by Margarito’s stone-wrapped hands, and “the replacement” Josh Clottey.  Instead, “Rush” has been in with Hall-of-Famers Matt Hughes (whom he forced to verbally scream “Tap!” from an arm bar) and BJ Penn (who was being dominated and expired from his corner stool), guys that you’ve probably heard of even if you don’t follow the game.  He’s cleaned them all, and surprisingly he keeps improving. 

So yeah, I’m still a boxing loyalist and to date I have not chosen a UFC LIVE event over an HBO Pay-Per-View… But I dusted my pride off along with the debris from these rocks I’ve been under, and can admit that there’s a few guys who comes close to measuring GSP as the greatest fighter in the world…….. and by the way, one of those guys is in the UFC too!! 

…his friends call him the ‘Spider’.
… Google ‘em.

TJ Breeden
www.iblmedia.com 

“Mayweather agrees to (tentative) March 13th bout with Pacquiao!!”

Dan Rafael brings MORE good news to the world of boxing!!

“The proposed super fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather is getting closer.  Mayweather agreed to terms for the welterweight title bout on Tuesday, multiple sources with knowledge of the negotiations told ESPN.com.  The proposed date is March 13, although there is a chance it could move to May 1, sources said. Mayweather, according to a source close to him, is OK with either date.  Pacquiao and Mayweather have fought recent bouts at catch weights. However if they complete their deal, the bout would be contested at 147 pounds, the maximum for a welterweight fight, a source said……“

Visit ESPN.com to read the full report.

“DEMOLITION MAN”

…We haven’t seen this level of excitement in boxing since Tyson rolled through 1st-rounders like it was NBA draft night in New York City!!!  The boy is bad, no questions about it!  Admittedly as a fan who shrugged at Pacquiao’s size in comparison to his much bigger opponent, I took his strength for granted; assuming that the much bigger Miguel Cotto would stomp the six division speedster with “the greatest of ease,” which would put Cotto back on top after being mugged by Antonio Margarito… I figured this fight would then set up a face-off with Mayweather (maybe March ’10); a fight that should’ve happened after De la Hoya & before Ricky Hatton put #38 and #39 on Floyd’s undefeated record…

But you can scratch that now!!  Cotto will ‘maybe’ fight Andre Berto, or perhaps take a rematch with Shane Mosley after they complete their January business with each other… Unfortunately for the event planners at Madison Square Garden who were looking to book Miguel the night of the “Puerto Rican Day” Parade, there doesn’t seem to be many options for him.  Pac-Man on the other hand has solidified himself as one of  (if not the) greatest southpaw of this generation; a resume which includes titles in 7-different weight-class, putting him amongst the most internationally fan-friendly & ferocious closers in the history of boxing!

BUT… there’s another guy out there who’s also fighting for his place in history… I’m not going to dive to deep into that, in the interest of saving space for a later blog post, but most will agree that this is perhaps the most exciting era of boxing in the welterweight division since the 1980′s.  Perhaps 2010 will give us Cotto versus the winner of Mosley &  Berto, probably Mayweather vs. Pacquiao early Spring, then maybe Mosley/Mayweather, or Pacquaio/Mosley… Throw in Joshua Clottey vs. Berto, maybe De la Hoya/Mayweather II late Fall… The possibilities are endless!!

I’ll expand on this later, but the scope of the division is continuously evolving.  There’s no question that all roads lead through Floyd Mayweather… But right now, Team Pacquiao is something like demolition crew!!

Just a thought; more later this week.

–T.J. Breeden
www.iblmedia.com

 

Money!!!

So, I took some time off……. I sat back the past few weeks and watched the sports highlight-reels develop; even traveled to cover a few events on the East Coast (which included my first experience at Yankee Stadium).  But anyway, lets get some “real talk” going………. 
 

Floyd “Money” Mayweather returned to the ring a few weeks ago, and over the past few days I’ve been reading some of the sports-wires with their biased Pacquiao fans who hate anything Mayweather and love everything PacMan.  As a fan of the sport and (not some fanatic-follower who youtubes highlights of any one particular fighter), I’ve found the one-sidedness out there to be bit disingenuous, so for those who haven’t been introduced to “Money,” and only know him from HBO’s 24/7, allow me the privilege to do so. 

“Money: not just because he pays everything in cash, lives a Hip-Hop lifestyle, or is the “over” on EVERY betting line to which his name is attached, but because the boy is good!!”  Over his Career, Mayweather has won 6 belts in 5 different weight classes, has held a title 10 of his 11 yrs as a pro, is undefeated as a professional (and by the way his amateur profile is just as impressive, which includes a Bronze in the ’96 Games in ATL), and he has NEVER won a vacant title (meaning he beat the top guy to win each strap he’s championed)… and he is by far the most dedicated athlete in the sport, as its been well documented that you can sometimes find him in the gym running sprints at 4am. 

I’ll admit, lately his fights have become more predictable, and who could blame him for chasing the Euros considering how GoldenBoy Promotion is hungry to feed him whoever he wants from their roster (even De la Hoya himself would get back in there for a $20M payday).  And as much as people want to blame Floyd for not posting a KO every time he fights, it cannot be disputed that he’s still the greatest defensive fighter of this generation!  Not only has he never been knocked down, but he’s never been in any serious trouble… not one round, ever!! 

Speaking of money, he’s by far the biggest PPV draw in the sport, hence the bullseye he wears as an accessory to his flashy lifestyle.  So now, everybody wants to fight him; some to make a statement, while others like Shane Mosley just want to bankroll their retirement… And to discuss this further, there’s this “misconception” that ”Money’s” been avoiding Shane Mosley… Could be true, but one has to also address the fact that Shane hasn’t been in too much of a hurry to fight Floyd either (until now, ala “bankroll”)!!  Let’s be frank, Shane avoided Floyd in ’06 around the time Floyd beat Baldomir & Juda, talking about he wanted to go on vacation with his family. Now that Sugar’s 38, he wants to retire having fought everybody… so he’s anxious, and perhaps rightfully so.  Now, I can’t blame these guys for wanting to preserve their careers, and take time when necessary to get things straight in their personal lives; “Money” did the same thing 2 years ago when a fight between him and Cotto was Primetime TV.  I personally don’t think a fight between these two will ever happen, (ala Roy Jones & Bernard Hopkins)….. 

I realize most fans want to see head banging action, and don’t particularly have an appreciation for pure boxing skills… for those fans, allow me introduce you to the UFC!!  Fact is, Floyd isn’t that kind of fighter…. never has been, never will be.  His defensive technique will overwhelm & frustrate any fighter in the division (including Manny Pacquiao, whom I have great respect for)…. Which leads to another point: The Lack of Appreciation// 

Reality for “Money” is, unfortunately it doesn’t matter WHO he beats, the critics will always create an excuse for his opponent: Gatti had issues with the weight (RIP), Oscar was too old, Hatton wasn’t disciplined enough, Marquez was too small, etc.  Next it will be: Shane was over the hill, Pacquiao was the smaller man, Cotto was never the same fighter after Margarito, and it was too early in Berto’s career (if that fight ever happens).  The truth is, in 2 years he (quite possibly) will have beaten every big name between 144 and 150 lbs, and hold a record of something like 44-0; which again will get chopped up by those who drop $50 on PPV just hoping to see him lose. 

But if he ‘Windexes’ the division, what will the critics have to say about “Money” then?  Nothing really, they’ll continue to take shots at his career… But the truth is, if he chops up the division by 2011, he could go down as one of the greatest Welterweights of all times!!   

That post will read something like: “Hall of Fame, allow me to introduce you to Money!”    

 

T.J. Breeden
www.iblmedia.com