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 the state to watch in 2012, Floyd Mayweather's superb defensive skills at work again, Miguel Cotto's next move, and much more. Without further ado, check out the latest observations from The Boxing Observer.
- Floyd Mayweather proves once again he has the best defense in boxing. Not only is the man great defensively in the ring, but his defense is so good, he actually convinced a judge to let him box one more time before he gets locked up for 87 days. I know Floyd has always been able to dodge punches in the ring, but dodging this punch may have been his best yet. I can't think of anyone in the world who could find a way to delay a jail sentence to make another $40 million payday. Well done Mr. Mayweather! You have truly earned the moniker "Money."
- 2012 will be the year of California. Yes, I realize the state of California has a huge population, which makes for a higher possibility of great fighters, but just look at the current crop of talent and tell me Cali isn't going to rise up and take the boxing world by storm in 2012. World champions Andre Ward, Timothy Bradley, Brandon Rios, Nonito Donaire, and Abner Mares are all in the prime of their careers and on the verge of super-stardom. Super bantamweight champion Rico Ramos has a chance to make himself a legitimate pound-for-pounder if he knocks off Guillermo Rigondeaux on January 20th. Former world champion Robert Guerrero is poised to have a huge year on the comeback trail, including the possibility of a May 5th showdown with Floyd Mayweather. Former heavyweight title challenger Chris Arreola is close to getting another title shot, and prospects Luis Ramos Jr. and Mikey Garcia will be big names by year's end. By the end of 2012, we'll all be screaming out for some "California Love."
- Looks like we're headed for Pacquiao-Marquez IV. Any bets on whether or not we get an official announcement this week from Top Rank stating, "Manny Pacquiao wants nothing more than a fourth fight with Juan Manuel Marquez to prove once and for all he is the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world"? Or what about, "Pacquiao-Marquez IV makes the most financial sense at this point for Manny"? It is absolutely ridiculous for Arum to say Pacquiao's cut won't be healed in time for a May fight. The cut Andre Ward suffered in sparring while preparing for the Carl Froch fight was worse than Pacquiao's and he only needed 6 weeks to heal. Hell, Willis McGahee tore his knee completely to shreds in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, yet was on the field 8 months after the injury at full strength. Don't try and fool us by saying 28 stitches is a 6-month injury. Won't Pacquiao have already started sparring by May 5th if he is fighting in June?
- Is Miguel Cotto getting ready to sign a deal with Golden Boy Promotions? It makes perfect sense for Cotto. His promotional contract with Top Rank is finished, making him a free agent, he is still one of the highest grossing fighters in boxing, and he finally has the opportunity to get the fight with Floyd Mayweather he has been seeking for years. Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe has stated they will be announcing Mayweather's opponent sometime this week. Rumor has it that Saul Alvarez is the frontrunner to face Mayweather on May 5th, but I would not be surprised if Richard Schaefer, Floyd Mayweather, and Miguel Cotto are able to strike up a deal for the Cinco de Mayo weekend. Cotto hasn't been happy with Bob Arum for years, so what better way to get back at Arum than to make your biggest payday against Arum's #1 enemy. The fight would be ratings and pay-per-view gold for everyone involved.
- Is Showtime a legitimate threat to HBO for the rights to Mayweather's fight on May 5th? Mayweather is an HBO fighter, but his camp has acknowledged both networks will have the chance to bid for the rights to the pay-per-view. New Showtime head man Stephen Espinoza, who has serious ties to Golden Boy Promotions, would make a big splash if he could land this mega-fight. I wouldn't be shocked to see Golden Boy Promotions throw some extra dollars behind Showtime to try and get this fight on their network. After all, Showtime has already landed Victor Ortiz vs. Andre Berto II, and they are a serious threat to gain the rights to Sergio Martinez vs. Matthew Macklin in March. Watch out for "The Golden Boy Network"...I mean Showtime in this bidding war.
- Is anyone else intrigued at the idea of a Lamont Peterson vs. Robert Guerrero championship fight? Neither fighter is signed by Top Rank, which all but puts Timothy Bradley out of the mix in this equation, and both have been mentioned as possible opponents for Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather respectively. In my opinion, neither fighter has earned a chance for the payday of a lifetime against the two mega-stars. Guerrero has been sidelined in recent years by injury and personal problems, and Peterson is only the hot name right now because of his recent upset of Amir Khan. Neither have proven to be an elite level fighter or a big-name attraction. A jr. welterweight showdown between the two could give the winner enough credibility for a fourth quarter showdown with either Mayweather or Pacquiao. Because let's be honest, no matter how ready both fighters are, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is probably not going to happen in 2012.
- Amir Khan needs to stop making excuses...PERIOD! I'm sick and tired of overconfident boxers underestimating the caliber of their competition. I'll admit, I didn't give Lamont Peterson much of a chance against Khan, but he proved myself and the rest of the world wrong. My scorecard had Khan winning by one point, even after the point deductions, but I have no problem with the judges decision. Peterson was smart enough not to go to the U.K. for a fight with Khan, and Amir was far too overconfident in his skill set to think Peterson would be an easy out. That should teach Amir Khan a lesson in preparing for the task at hand and not planning the next 10 years of his career. Amir, if Peterson was such an easy opponent that you were willing to fight in his backyard, you should have knocked him out. If you just come out and say, "I underestimated Lamont Peterson," the rest of the boxing world might give you a break. Stop trying to blame your faults on the mystery man in the blue hat.
- Heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin is taking a big risk against cruiserweight champion Marco Huck. I may be in the minority with this one, but hear me out. The heavyweight division is putred at this moment. Povetkin's trainer, Teddy Atlas, has stated his fighter is not ready for the likes of the Klitschkos yet. Povetkin is not a "huge" heavyweight, and Huck has some skills that could present problems for the Russian champion. Don't get me wrong, I fully expect Povetkin to come through with the victory, but Huck has the ability to outbox the heavyweight champion, and if the fight goes to the scorecards, remember one thing: the fight is in Huck's home country of Germany, where it is almost impossible to win a decision over the hometown fighter. Isn't that right, Felix Sturm? Don't be shocked if we have a new heavyweight champion on February 25th.
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