What does the proposed Nonito Donaire/Juan Manuel Marquez doubleheader tell us about Top Rank's plans for both men? Will Peter Quillin even appear on the undercard of Cotto/Mayweather now that Winky Wright refuses to fight? Can HBO catch tournament fever at Light Heavyweight? Find out the answers to these questions and more on this week's "From Pillar to Post!"
Marquez/Gesta and Donaire/Terazas to Headline Top Rank PPV July 14th
Juan Manuel Marquez was hoping to get a shot at Lamont Peterson or Manny Pacquiao in the Summer, but instead, Marquez will find himself headlining a Top Rank pay-per-view against "Merciless" Mercito Gesta of the Philippines, according to sources. Top Rank is trying to accomplish one of two things with this fight: build up interest for Marquez/Pacquiao 4 in the Fall or propel Gesta into a fight with Top Rank teammate Brandon Rios by years end. Of course, this is all assuming Marquez survives the ferocious fists of undefeated Cesar Cuenca, who is 42-0, with only one knockout. Where do they find these guys?
Donaire will continue his run at Top Rank's underdog filler against Victor Terrazas, but his future isn't as clear as Marquez now that Jorge Arce has pretty much come out and said he's not going to fight him. Though Donaire is in the last year of his contract with Top Rank, he was hoping for a big money fight with Arce or Japanese champion Toshiaki Nishioka somewhere down the line, but with Arce's change of heart, it isn't looking too bright for Donaire. I asked Donaire on Twitter about perhaps fighting Guillermo Rigondeaux, and here's how that went:
@filipinoflash: Ill fight whoever they put in the ring with me. None of this trash talking, call out and hide, waste of timers. Im nt gna give ANY of these fighters the courtesy of even saying their name until I see their name next to mine in a contract.
@dbhoward126: @filipinoflash well, rigondeaux would have no problem fighting you...
@filipinoflash: @dbhoward126 U know how many times Ive heard that in my career? smh
Quack, quack?
Quillin's Undercard Fight on Cotto/Mayweather in Jeopardy?
Last week, I reported about my distaste for the possible Winky Wright/Peter Quillin match on the Cotto/Mayweather card. Thankfully, that fight won't come to pass due to Wright not liking what he saw on the paycheck and bowing out. This leaves Quillin without an opponent, though there are a few fighters I have in mind if I were taxed with trying to salvage the fight. Delvin Rodriguez or Gabriel Rosado are the easy picks, as they are both Mexican, but former Contender Ishe Smith is doing his part to call out Quillin as well, and seeing that Smith is a free agent, that wouldn't be a tough fight to make.
"Kid Chocolate" may have to wait a few weeks more for a new opponent, but I would hope that whoever Golden Boy finds for him will still test him and get him one step closer to a title shot, which he'll be due for any day now. There is the chance that they blow it though and still opt to put him in the ring with someone that will make him look awful, case in point Golden Boy's attempt to match Sergio Mora with him as a backup plan. Let's hope Quillin gets a decent, watchable match for his spot on the card and not the bore-fest a Wright or Mora fight would have been.
All the Pieces Are in Place For Light-Heavyweight Tournament on HBO.
Last weekend we saw the absolute worst robbery in some time when Tavoris Cloud "won" his fight against Gabriel Campillo, causing Cloud's own mother to faint after the decision as if she saw the hands of God themselves touch her son. A rematch is absolutely necessary, but unlikely to happen being that this is boxing, after all, and logic seldom wins the day, though it is possible that Cloud and Campillo may be involved in a tournament on HBO. Though the reports are unconfirmed and speculative at this point, Ken Hershman wants to try and duplicate the success of the Super Six and Bantamweight tournaments he had on Showtime, and the Light Heavyweight division is where he'll start.
If it is a six-man tournament, then the format should be the veterans of the division against the rising stars, with the veterans consisting of Campillo, Zsolt Erdei and Jean Pascal, and the rising stars team of Cloud, Ismael Silakh and Nathan Cleverly. There is no way we'll get any of these fighters to fight each other anyway, and I have no doubt that there'd be enough action, drama and intrigue to make this a roaring success for HBO. Oh well. I highly doubt that this will come to pass, but here's to hoping, fight fans!
Danny Howard can be reached for comments or questions at dhoward@fighthype.com, Facebook, or follow him on Twitter (@DBHOWARD126). Also don't miss an episode of FightHype Radio, the baddest two hours of boxing on the planet, starting at 8pm EST.