“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.
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
“…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
“On this day, April 15th, 1947 Jackie Robinson engineered the integration of professional sports in America by breaking the color barrier in baseball. He overcame numerous obstacles in his 10 year career to become one of baseball’s most exciting and dazzling players. His enormous talent helped lead the Brooklyn Dodgers to six pennants and one World Series Championship. The ultimate honor was bestowed when Jackie was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, his first year of eligibility.”
“However, Jackie Robinson’s contributions go far beyond the baseball diamond. Upon retirement from baseball, Jackie fought tirelessly to improve the quality of life not only for African-Americans, but for society as a whole. By becoming the first black vice president of a major American corporation, Robinson continued to open doors for African Americans.”
To the man whose bravery and persistence helped to make integration and equal opportunity a social requirement, we simply say: “…Thank You.”
Bio courtesy of: www.jackierobinson.com
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.
The catchphrase “greatest upset in the history of boxing” just doesn’t do Mike Tyson vs. James “Buster” Douglas justice. When you consider the unfortunate truth that Tyson was never the same again; the fact that a fighter whose reputation was built on intimidation & power could be countered by sheer heart & purpose was like David’s slingshot piercing through biblical air; almost seems like something from script text rather than from history logs. What was once considered inconceivable crept into reality amidst a lightening right-hand, a defenseless expression, and a reckless scramble for a dislodged mouthpiece. The youngest World Heavyweight Champion in history; younger than Muhammad, crowned king sooner even than the ‘Brown Bomber’; cemented his Hall of Fame career before he ever set foot onto Japanese soil. Regardless of the outcome, history shines favorably on Mike’s troubled career, and although he didn’t officially lay down his weapons of choice until some 15 years later, (in a loss to a fighter who in the “true” Tyson era would’ve been put away faster than drinks at club Pure in Caesars Palace) he’s still admired as perhaps the last, truly dominant American Heavyweight.
But this one fight represented much more than Buster Douglas’ opportunity to live out his childhood dream of being world champion (and more importantly fulfilling a promise to his mother who passed away just days prior to the fight). The referee’s 10-count was the catalyst that jumpstarted a chain of events that will forever leave us wondering: “What if”. Imagine if there wouldn’t have been any jail time, if Tyson’s trainer Kevin Rooney wouldn’t have been replaced by the Nation of Islam, or if Don King hadn’t monopolized the entire division. What if Mike Tyson had been granted his contractual rematch with Douglas, then faced Lennox Lewis while both were in their prime? What if it were Tyson instead of Holyfield facing Riddick Bowe as “fan-man” descended upon the Vegas strip? Quite possibly, Mike Tyson’s history of violence could be recognized today as the greatest pro career of any Heavyweight in the history of licensed combat… but instead, we simply look back onto 1990 with tremendous respect for the seemingly destined victor, and wonder what boxing would be like today if the Tyson era wouldn’t have been cut short in the land of the rising sun.
T.J. Breeden
www.iblmedia.com
ESPN.com released information Friday evening that according to Team Mayweather advisor Leonard Ellerbe, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Shane Mosley have come to “terms” on the proposed May 1st Welterweight Title defense in Las Vegas, NV.
According to the report: “Shane [has gone through] every provision of the contract and he signed,” says [Judd] Burstein, Mosley’s attorney. “He is excited to move forward with the bout.”
Perhaps more importantly, “Mosley has [also] agreed to undergo random blood and urine testing, as has Mayweather, Ellerbe said.” This is significant as Manny Pacquiao had refused to conduct himself any level of blood testing within a 30-day window of the fight, which in turn was the main reason why the (proposed) fight was cancelled.
I’ll chime in later; but I just wanted to spread the exciting news!!
Visit ESPN.com for the full report//
–T.J. Breeden
www.iblmedia.com
It was announced today that Andre Berto has decided to withdraw from his scheduled January 30th bout with Shane Mosley due to “physical & emotional exhaustion” suffered by both he and his family in wake of the tragedy in his native Haiti. Berto, a Haitian-American who represented the small island country in the 2004 Olympics, plans to focus his efforts and energy to support those suffering as a result of last week’s earthquake which has claimed thousands of lives, including 8 members of his own family.
In a statement released today, he goes on express the emotional toll the devastation in his home country has had on him. “Since the 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti on Tuesday evening, I have been focusing on my family and the Haitian people who are facing an inconceivable battle for survival while still trying to continue to prepare for an opportunity I have dreamt of since childhood.” He goes on to say: “I lost several family members to the earthquake and, after two days without word, was relieved to learn that my sister, Naomi, and her daughter, Jessica, survived, but were left homeless. I have seen the pain in my parents’ eyes as they attempt to understand what has happened to our homeland and recognize a place they once called home.”
Read Jemele Hill’s full article here, at ESPN Boxing.
Also, read Dan Rafael’s report at ESPN.
T.J. Breeden
www.iblmedia.com
“Many believe that ‘reasonable men’ (perhaps not the fore mentioned) would have been able to put aside their negotiable differences for the betterment of a sport that has afforded them both the elevated riches and celebrity they enjoy… a sport that has appoints the kind of international stardom that prevents simple privacies, but conversely tends to handsomely compensate several million for your troubles. Most would agree that ‘reasonable promotional teams’ (perhaps not Top Rank & Goldenboy) would have taken advantage of the free mass-media coverage and used the excess publicity as fuel to insure that the deal-flow between “Pac-Man’s” & “Money’s” respective camps went through like tax-cuts in the Bush Administration. After all, this was an opportunity for boxing to demonstrate that it had matured beyond the era of Don King, where good business sense and fan appreciation would generate too high a dividend to allow ego, trash talk, & spooky superstitions to disrupt the business cycle. Besides, ‘reasonable fans’ (perhaps not the skeptical casual viewer who doesn’t care one-way or the other) would assume that such an opportunity would be too great for anyone to pass up… whether you are a tattooed champion with a very suspicious fear of needles, or an undefeated superstar who has been accused of being too defensive & safe not only in the ring, but in his opponent-selection. Either way, up until about a week ago there existed nothing beyond a reasonable doubt that this fight would happen…“
“I mean come on, there was just too much money on the table!! Professional fighters are groomed with a mentality to continue until you are “physically incapable.” So, why would two fighters in their prime venture past each other on the principle of pride, or an unwillingness to compromise when there is so much to gain? There is no way Manny Pacquiao would permit the biggest payday in boxing history to escape him because he felt insulted by a mischaracterization of what he has achieved… nor would a man who garners an intellectual capacity that would make him a viable candidate for public office in the Philippines, pass on an opportunity to earn the kind of payday that would feed several million hungry mouths in his native country. There is no way that Floyd Mayweather Jr., a man who changed his moniker to reflect his obvious love for ‘dead presidents’, would allow his father’s suspicions to prevent him from becoming one of the year’s highest paid athletes, and further cementing his bid for the Boxing Hall of Fame.“
“It appears that for Pacquioa, there is no deposit worth the humiliation of allowing someone else the air to diminish what he has achieved. Perhaps for “Money”, no amount of zeros is worth him withdrawing from the principle of fighting to enhance “transparent, clean, & fair” competition, where a father’s suspicion (whether reasonable or not) and his opponent’s unwillingness to draw blood has left the negotiation empty.“
to be continued…
T.J. Breeden
www.iblmedia.com
Dan Rafael of ESPN.com said that if fight doesn’t happen, they might as well “throw a nuclear bomb on the sport of boxing…” It appears that last night, both camps selected their explosive of choice and ignited a public relations disaster onto the sport of boxing, where (unless both Goldenboy & Top Rank are willing to reinsert the clips to prevent the grenades from destroying the sport) the two great fighters of this generation would rather file suit & hate each other from afar than to settle their issues with gloves.
Each is now is presented with huge a PR problem. For Floyd Mayweather Jr., the court of public opinion will label him as an all-time great fighter whose unwillingness to compromise at the point of mediation is confirmation that he never truly wanted this fight, regardless of its financial marker. This label contradicts his alias (“Money”), which would suggest that a prospected payday of this magnitude would be reason enough for him to basically sign anything Goldenboy Promotions puts in front of him! Admittedly, as a fan I too find it a bit odd that someone who frequently sprays TAO nightclub & crowds of vacationing onlookers with $100 bills… and prides himself in being a talented sports-book investor… would let something as simple as a drug test stand in the way of him quite possibly becoming the highest paid American athlete of 2010 (considering Tiger Wood’s absence). Fans are aware of his undefeated record, but without a name like Manny Pacquiao on his resume’, who has surpassed him in terms of global name recognition and overall fan-fair, how much is 40-0-0 really worth?
As for Manny Pacquiao, fans will ask themselves “why is there an apparent fear of having blood taken within 2-weeks of the fight?” Sure, this week he’s demonstrated a willingness to compromising, pulling back from his 30-day limit & opening up his camp for possible testing 24-days before the fight… but with a Wall Street bonus check on the line, what fighter would honestly allow a dislike of a simple doctor’s instruments to influence one’s regard for Economic wellbeing? Truth be told: he has every right to the benefits of personal privacy, and no one should be forced through unreasonable testing requirements; nor should Pacquiao be required to do anything that he feels works against the physical and psychological routine that has helped make him perhaps the greatest fighter of this generation. However, in an era where every sport is clouded by an overcast of steroid suspicion and what seem like monthly Congressional Hearings on performance enhancing drugs, fans will not quite understand his hesitation to take necessary steps to prove that his achievements have come as a result of hard work… and not some unknown stimulant.
If this fight doesn’t happen, one guy will be regarded as one of the greatest technical fighters of the era, who unfortunately carried his defensive abilities outside the ring and “ducked” the great fighters of this generation (Mosley, Cotto, Margarito, Pacquiao). The other, will (perhaps unjustly) be forever accused of a massive “cover-up,” where his unwillingness to approve simple drug testing robbed a generation of fans of the opportunity to witness the reincarnation of classic boxing rivalries like “Foreman-Ali,” or “Leonard-Hearns.”
Fact is, both of these fighters NEED this fight. Without it, many believe that Mayweather will not be considered among ranks of great technical speedsters who fought EVERYONE there was to fight, even if it meant acquiring a few digits in the loss column. Pacquiao on the other hand will go down as one of the great fighters of all time, but the level of suspicion raised, regardless of whether or not they are incorrect, will be further magnified by his claimed fear of needles (even if he has a fondness for tattoo art.)
The bomb has been lit… and unless both parties can agree to come together and quickly disarm their differences, it appears that it’s only a matter of time before there is a mushroom cloud over the sport of boxing.
To be continued…
T.J. Breeden
www.iblmedia.com
