It's Monday. Welcome back for another edition of Observe and Fight, The Boxing Observer's compilation of observations and random thoughts from the week that was in boxing. Get caught up on some of the most recent events you may have missed out on, including a potential rift within Top Rank Promotions, backup plans for both Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, Roc Nation Sports already losing some steam, and much more. Without further ado, check out the latest observations from the Boxing Observer, David Kassel.
It seems other media outlets are starting to acknowledge the elephant in the room. For weeks now, I've been saying the more you hear about negotiations for Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, the less likely the fight is to happen. Both sides have stated they need to keep discussions as private as possible. However, Bob Arum has still been spouting off to the media, which goes against everything both parties, including Arum, agreed to. Now, Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports is reporting that there is an internal rift amongst major players at Top Rank Promotions. According to Iole, who is one of the most respected journalists and writers in the world, and whose opinion is as valued and impartial as anyone's in boxing, has stated that Top Rank President Todd DuBoef is "irate" and cannot control the comments of Arum, his stepfather, when talking to the media. Hopefully, now people will start to realize that Fighthype is not "Floydhype" and Fighthype does not report any information that is not factual. Once again folks, if you read something on Fighthype (other than this column, which is the only editorial on the site) or see an interview on Fighthype, it's the truth. Plain and simple.
If the fight doesn't happen, who is next for Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao? Mayweather looks like he will face Miguel Cotto for the middleweight championship, but if that doesn't happen, Amir Khan will likely land the assignment. As far as Manny Pacquiao, Khan remains a solid option, but with Al Haymon representing Khan, that is unlikely. Jessie Vargas is a name that has been mentioned, and that is a serious possibility. Another possibility could be Kell Brook, who holds the IBF welterweight title should he beat Jo Jo Dan. Another option is Ruslan Provodnikov should he defeat Lucas Matthysse in a bout that has been rumored for March 28th.
So Amir Khan is willing to fight Miguel Cotto at 155 pounds? I love the fact that Khan is willing to fight anyone and everyone, but that might be a bit more than Khan can handle. I would love to see this fight, but Cotto would knock Khan out.
It looks like Roc Nation Sports is already figuring out how difficult it is to break into the sport of boxing. The merger with Gary Shaw Productions, although it didn't strengthen the talent roster that much, was a step in the right direction. However, that marriage ended faster than Kim Kardashian's marriage to Kris Humphries. Now, Roc Nation has one major fighter, Andre Ward. The good news is they can shop Ward to both HBO and Showtime, although HBO seems the most likely destination for Ward's return. Roc Nation should take it slow, although I wouldn't be surprised to see them sign another major player in the very near future. Word has it they are going hard after 122-lb kingpin Guillermo Rigondeaux. That would be a big signing for Roc Nation if they can pull it off.
Good for the IBF immediately taking action on stripping Jermain Taylor of his title. I know it seems like a no-brainer to strip a fighter of his title if he is incarcerated or seeking mental help, but sanctioning bodies have done far worse things in my lifetime alone. While I hope Taylor gets the help he needs, he could have made a lot of money for the IBF if he came back to fight. Taylor is still a name that draws viewers and fans, but the IBF will not allow that to happen, and that is the correct step to take.
Give Sergio Mora some credit for edging a decision against Abie Han. I know Mora was expected to roll through Han since Han was replacing Jermain Taylor, but look at this fight from Mora's perspective. Mora was expecting to fight for the IBF middleweight title before Taylor went off the reservation and was pulled from the fight. Yes, Mora made the exact same amount of money for fighting Han, but the stakes were much lower, and there is no guarantee Mora will receive a title shot. It's hard to remain focused in that situation. The IBF has stripped Jermain Taylor of the belt and has ordered a mandatory fight, for the vacant title, between Hassan N'Dam and Felix Sturm.
Call me crazy, but I believe Pablo Cesar Cano still has a bright future in boxing. He has a ton of the tools you look for in a fighter, and he's only 25-years-old. I believe he can still be a great fighter before all is said and done.
The same cannot be said for Vic Darchinyan. The former champion looked awful Saturday night and is resorting to fighting on undercards for little money. It might be time for the Armenian to hang up the gloves.
Same goes for Grady Brewer.
It's another VERY SLOW week in boxing. The Boxcino junior middleweight tournament kicks off with the quarterfinals on ESPN Friday Night Fights. Saturday night, CBS Sports Network airs a fight card featuring heavyweight Derric Rossy and light heavyweight Mike Lee in separate bouts. Don't worry though. We only have 12 more days until the return of Gennady Golovkin!
Each week, I feature an email from a fan on Observe and Fight. This week's email comes to us from Wesley R. regarding the Andre Ward's future...
"Can I ask what the deal is with Andre Ward? Why did he sign with Roc Nation? How is he going to get any big fights when his promoters have no big fighters?"
First of all, Ward signed with Roc Nation to get back in the ring. The #2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world has not been in the ring as a professional since November of 2013. He was locked in a legal battle with his former promotional company, Goossen Promotions, which prevented him from getting in the ring. Now, he has that all sorted out and Roc Nation Sports, while it doesn't have any other big name fighters, is willing to work with anyone, meaning he can fight anyone on any network. Most likely, Ward will be back in the spring time, on HBO, in a tuneup fight which may not satisfy the needs of fight fans, but could potentially setup a big fight down the road with the likes of Gennady Golovkin. Ward's signing with Roc Nation was to get him back in the ring and to work with fighters and get big fights. It's true, Roc Nation Sports has a tumultuous relationship with Al Haymon, so it's unlikely that any big fights will be made with any big fighters in Haymon's stable, but there are plenty of other fighters for Ward between 160-175lbs. This will turn out to be a better move for Ward's career, and for fight fans, because Ward's talents will actually be showcased in the ring rather than being sidelined on a shelf in a courtroom legal battle.
That's all I've got for this week. Email any questions or comments to dkassel@fighthype.com and I will answer them throughout the week. Your email may be featured in the next "Observe and Fight." Follow me on Twitter @BoxingObserver, and be sure to "Like" The Boxing Observer on Facebook.
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