Miguel Cotto is showing signs that he is just being forced by Arum to accept the Pacquiao fight, Arum is force feeding the fighters with each other so Arum can collect 100% of the promotion money. As I have written in an article 2 months ago, 2009 is not the right year for a Pacquiao-Cotto Showdown, the timing is just not right because the Filipino icon is ready for a fight as early as September and is publicly saying that he wants a fight in October while Cotto still needs to heal his wounds incurred in the Clottey fight and might only be 100% ready to fight at the earliest on January 2010.

Pacquiao for a fact wouldn’t mind fighting Mosley if Arum wants it done, Pacman never pushes his choice for an opponent as he leaves that to his promoter which he always say at every post fight interview. The problem is with Bob Arum, who even announces a premature confirmation of the fight even though everything is not yet iron out as many important details has yet to be agreed on and signed. Arum obviously is banking on the idea that if he announces that the fight is on to the public, he will be able to pressure his fighters and their respective camps to just sign the contract and fight.

Cotto obviously in not excited with his showdown with Pacquiao despite the two parties giving each other ground with Cotto having his 145 catchweight and November schedule demand and Pacquiao getting his 65-35 share. Cotto is still holding back by refusing to let his WBO belt up for grabs for the fight and would even consider vacating the title just to deny Pacquiao the chance at the historical 7 division champion record, despite the fact that Arum is willing to pay the sanctioning fee for both fighters, which goes to show that money is not the reason why Cotto is refusing to risk the title.

Miguel Cotto is saying that if Pacquiao wants the belt he should fight it at the welterweight limit of 147 which I think he is right. But the thing is why would Cotto demand the extra 2 pounds for the title to be at stake when Cotto already got his wish of 145, which is also within the welterweight class and is actually just 2 pound off the limit. Cotto actually weighed 146 in his last fight with Clottey, he should consider that he is fighting a much smaller man and having Pacquiao agree to fight him at 145 already gives Cotto a big advantage so why not just give the small man a chance at the belt which he is willing to vacate anyway. Besides if he truly believes in what he’s saying publicly that he’s beating Pacquiao then whats the worry.

Personally, I believe Pacquiao should take a chance and fight Cotto at 147 just to shut the critics up, I know Pacquiao will be willing to do it if his advisers and Freddie Roach would tell him to, but we can’t blame them for protecting Pacquiao besides Pacquiao is the cash-cow in this fight so why would they give in all the way to Cotto’s demands. Cotto should remember that there are other superstars lining up to fight Pacquiao most notably Sugar Shane Mosley which is more than willing to stake his WBC crown even at a Welterweight catchweight minimum of 141, so if Miguel Cotto is having so much problems with the agreement regarding the belt then he should just backout from the fight and rest first and wait for next year to fight Pacquiao when the timing is perfect.

I believe a November fight for Cotto is too early for him due to his injuries with the Clottey fight and Cotto knows it, maybe that’s why he is willing to give up financial ground just to gain physical grounds with Pacquiao to lessen his risk of a 2nd high profile loss. Miguel Cotto should just pass up this big payday chance for now and backout as there is still next year for a Pacquiao or Mosley or even Mayweather showdown which will still be a huge payday and where he will be physically ready. Cotto should just give way to a Mosley-Pacquiao showdown this year which will probably happen in October as both fighters are ready to fight and just wait for a 2010 showdown with the winner.

by Sunday Zamuco

Many boxing writers, fans and fellow fighters didn’t even give Manny a chance saying that a drained big man will beat an overweight small man anytime, but after the embarassing defeat many of those who didn’t give Manny a chance are looking the other way and making excuses to cover their mistake in calling the fight by saying that Dela Hoya was weak and drained. They didn’t even consider that if Dela Hoya gave up weight to go to a division he once campaigned in in the past, Pacquiao was a total stranger to the welterweight division which is a two division jump for him after having only fought once at lightweight division so technically its a 3 division jump for the small man just to meet the big man half way and after Manny squeezes out a knockout he get dissed by saying the big man was drained, weak and old, all these excuses just to save Dela Hoya’s superstar face and reputation?! Unbelievable! Dela Hoya even retired just to justify that he really is weak and old when the simple reason is that Pacquiao simply just got the power of a middleweight in those fists.

Now next in line was another bigger man in Ricky Hatton this time to escape the aftermath excuse of fighting a drained old man Manny elected to fight Ricky at his natural weight which is 140 or light welterweight despite the fact that it is still 2 division above Manny’s normal division and this time Hatton is not an old man. Dela Hoya even declared Hatton will knock Pacquiao out because the circumstances are perfect for Hatton, the bigger man, in his natural division and almost same age as Manny. And what did Manny do? He demolished Hatton in 2 rounds! And what did the dissers say including Cotto? Hatton was overrated! Nice.

I can’t even imagine how Timothy Bradley can say that Pacquiao is only forcing big men to get down in weight, draining them and chopping them down in the ring when he only did that to Dela Hoya at Dela Hoya’s picking, all the others Marquez, Diaz, Barrera, Morales, Ledwaba and Hatton where beaten at their natural weight. Bradley should get his fact straight and start knocking out his opponents more often before he disses someone with a solid reputation. Maybe Bradley is talking about how Cotto and Mosley is willing to go down the scales just to fight a small superstar. You can’t blame Manny if Mosley would go all the way down to 140 just to land a fight with the current cash cow, it’s what Manny did to Dela Hoya and succeeded. I just know what the dissers will say if Mosley beats Pacquiao at 140… Mosley beat a small man.

That’s why i believe Manny Pacquiao should fight Miguel Cotto at 147 and put the WBO belt on the line to chase history and be a 7 division champion despite the odds, it shouldn’t be all about money anymore as Manny already has lots of it, Manny should also be concerned of his legacy in the sports of boxing. Cotto was right when he said if Manny wants the belt he should get it at 147 and not 145. I know Cotto is dangerous at 147 but considering the risk he went through  fighting Dela Hoya i believe adding two more pounds is a much lesser risk and will make the fight a solid welterweight fight with no excuses and as usual even though Manny is the cash cow in this fight he will be in a very disadvantageous position again like the Dela Hoya fight but i think it will be a win win  situation for Manny because even if he loses at 147 it will not dent his reputation for fighting a big man at his cozy weight despite the fact that Manny is the main man of the fight let Cotto receive his critism even if he wins as there is no glory in fighting and beating a small man in the big man’s turf.

But believe me, despite the disadvantages Pacman will have…. Manny can honorably knock Cotto out at 147.

by Sunday Zamuco

Ricky should not be retiring yet unless of course if its due to serious health issues. I think Ricky still has the goods to become a world champion again, he should consider his loss to Manny Pacquiao simply as a fight experience with an elite boxer, a fighter which could possibly be the greatest ever pound for pound and there is no shame in losing to such a fighter.

There are a lot of fighters around that he can fight to build up his image on and be considered a force to be reckoned with in boxing once again. Ricky said that he would consider fighting Juan Manuel Marquez if Marquez wins against Floyd Mayweather the question is will Marquez be interested in fighting him?! I’m pretty sure he will be going all out to land a fight with Manny Pacquiao or the least is that he would be seeking a showdown with Sugar Shane Mosley. He must consider that he just came from his worst loss in his last fight so he must understand that top billed fighters will not be interested to fight him a recent example is Sugar Shane is looking for an opponent an Ricky’s name didn’t even cross his mind.

The point is, he should not wait for the Juan Manuel Marquez vs Floyd Mayweather fight to look for a blockbuster fight he must fight thoser who are ”on the verge to stardom” fighters like Timothy Bradley or Marcos Maidana of if he wants a quick way to regain back his reputation he should square it off with the knockout king Edwin Valero which openly expressed his willingness to fight Ricky Hatton.

A fight with Valero will definitely be a high risk fight for Hatton but as they say the higher the risk the greater the reward. Or another fighter that he can challenge  and is a little safer fight is with Andre Berto. Berto might be heavier but i think Valero is more dangerous for Hatton, either way a fight with these top division fighters will be a big boost to Ricky if he wins and will be again considered as an opponent for top popular fighters who are in a win streak.

by Sunday Zamuco

Manny Pacquiao wants the fight at October 17 but because Cotto needs time to heal Arum is forcing a November 14 date which in the part of Cotto is too early and will definitely give him a disadvantage but because Manny Pacquiao is the money man, Cotto will risk it all just to be able to fight the pound for pound king.

I believe Arum is doing this for fear that Manny Pacquiao will not fight anymore after the Philippine elections in May of 2010, thats the reason why i think he’s trying to capitalize on his assets by making them face one another and collect all the money. Instead of finding Pacman a more reasonable opponent in Mosley or wait a little for Mayweather which i know Manny is looking forward to facing in the ring, but because these fighters are not under Arum Promotions,  Bob Arum is not interested.

Manny should not let himself be sweet-talked into taking this Cotto fight believing that this is the right fight for him. A fight with Cotto is more of a no-win situation for the pound for pound king. I’m not saying that Cotto is undeserving to have a shot at Manny, it’s just that Cotto’s last fight was very dismal and very controversial it was the second worst Cotto fight, a fight that i really think Miguel lost. Cotto was running away from Clottey on the later rounds of the fight and he can’t even get rid of the Clottey grin with his combination punches it simply was a fight that pulled Cotto’s name down so why will Manny fight him when Manny demolished Hatton in two rounds? 

Even if Manny will knockout Cotto in the first round it really will not be as big a deal because critics will just say that Cotto was not yet ready for the fight or because of what Cotto showed in his last fight people will say it was simply a mismatch despite Cotto being the bigger fighter. So aside from a potential upset loss to Cotto, Manny will not really gain that much if he beats Cotto. Another thing is the interest factor in boxing fans will not be that high because by basing it on Cotto’s last fight they would assume that it’s a Pacman win so why pay to watch when you think you already know the outcome.

This fight really ain’t giving any favor to Manny it’s all in favor of Bob Arum and a little to Miguel Cotto. I say Manny should face Sugar Shane Mosley, so then it will be an unpredictable fight and people will definitely pay to see it. Two fighters that had spectacular knockouts in their last fights and facing each other surely will be a match to see. Besides Mosley is even williing to go down 65-35 to Pacman just to let the fight happen so money won’t be a problem to Pacquiao besides the risk and gain ratio of fighting Mosley is much better than fighting Cotto.

I’m not totally crossing out Cotto its just that he needs to fight another impressive fighter like Andre Berto or Kermit Cintron and demolish them and then should they talk about a Pacquiao fight in 2009. Besides a loss to Pacquiao after a controversial win will spell doom to Cotto’s  career so i hope Miguel will not fall to Arum’s Money Making Plans.

by Sunday Zamuco

These names won’t rake in the money that Shane hopes to collect win or lose with a Pacquiao fight but it will do for the meantime while the pound for pound king will be focused on his nearly finalized bout with Miguel Cotto on November 14 of this year.

I just hope that a showdown with Mosley and Pacquiao will still materialize next year as it is one of the most anticipated match by boxing fans to happen in the near future. With the list of possible names that Mosley wants to face i would prefer a match with Andre Berto which i think will generate interest even from non hardcore boxing fans making the fight a possible hype increasing match for his eventual superfight with Manny Pacquiao.

Vic Darchinyan is among the few.

Darchinyan, THE RING’s No. 1-rated junior bantamweight, has defeated the top 115 pounders who were willing to face him in the past year, so now the unified titleholder has targeted one of the best bantamweights in the world.

Darchinyan (32-1-1, 26 knockouts) will challenge Joseph Agbeko (26-1, 22 KOs) for Agbeko’s IBF title on July 11 in a Showtime-televised main event from Sunrise, Fla.

Agbeko, THE RING’s No. 6-ranked 118 pounder, is skilled, durable, gutsy and heavy handed. The Bronx-based Ghanaian would be even-money or at the very least a live underdog against any of the bantamweights who are ranked ahead of him, which is precisely why Darchinyan wants to test his mettle against Agbeko in his first bantamweight fight.

“I know you are a good fighter,” Darchinyan told Agbeko during an international conference call on Tuesday. “I saw your fight against (Wladimir) Sidorenko [Agbeko’s only loss]. You were robbed in Germany. I feel you never lost. You won that fight. I love it when my opponents have never lost.”

Darchinyan burst onto the world-class scene with an 11th-round stoppage of then undefeated (30-0) Irene Pacheco in December of 2004. The victory over the tall Colombian earned Darchinyan the IBF flyweight title, which he defended six times over the next 2½ years, often brutalizing his opposition before stopping them.

However, Darchinyan’s reign of terror came to an abrupt end when he was knocked out with a single punch from Nonito Donaire in the fifth round of their title bout that took place in July of 2007. The KO was so shocking that it was voted both the Knockout and Upset of the Year by most boxing websites and publications.

But few fighters — even hall-of-fame bound elites — possess the degree of self belief of Darchinyan, who dusted himself off and invaded the 115-pound division in late 2007.

At the start of last year Darchinyan embarked on a four-bout tour de force that earned him three world titles and a place on every boxing writer’s pound-for-pound top-10 list. In an amazing 13-month span — from February of last year to this past February — Darchinyan fought RING-ranked junior bantamweight contenders Z Gorres (12-round draw in the Philippines), Dmitry Kirillov (KO 5), Cristian Mijares (KO 9) and Jorge Arce (RTD 11).

Now the 32-year-old southpaw is taking on Agbeko, a natural bantamweight who is in his prime and known for his strength and relentlessness.

The 29-year-old boxer-puncher, who impressed hardcore fans with his one-sided title win over Luis Perez and his thrilling first defense against William Gonzalez, views Darchinyan’s challenge as the opportunity of a lifetime.

“This is the fight of my life,” Agbeko said at the start of Tuesday’s conference call. “Vic chose me because he thinks he can have his way to the top of the bantamweight division, but I want him to know that (taking this fight) is the biggest mistake of his career because he’s going to get the worst beating of his career.”

Darchinyan is a surly little guy by nature. He freely admits that he refuses to respect any of his opponents going into a fight, and once the bell rings he only has bad intentions on his mind. So it doesn’t take much to set him off.

“(Agbeko’s) words are familiar to (those of) Cristian Mijares before we fought,” Darchinyan said in response to Agbeko’s opening statement.

“I’m going to knock you out very badly,” he said directly to Agbeko. “I’m punching harder at bantamweight.

“Please tell me, where do you want me to hurt you? To the body or to the head?”

Agbeko wasn’t bothered by Darchinyan’s bravado and surprisingly matched the awkward banger’s trash talking.

When Darchinyan’s promoter Gary Shaw announced that Darchinyan hasn’t vacated his three 115-pound titles to take this fight at bantamweight, Agbeko replied:

“I think it’s a good idea for him to hold on to his titles, because he’s not getting mine.”

Darchinyan said Agbeko’s confidence will last until the bell sounds for their first round.

“You are going to look to survive after the first round,” he told Agbeko. “You’ve never been hit by someone with my power, not in your fights or in sparring.”

Agbeko, who has put in two months of training in south Florida, said he’s prepared for Darchinyan’s onslaught.

“I know you can punch, I’m ready for your punch,” he said. “You have never been hit as hard as I will hit you.

“I’m going to do to you what Azumah Nelson did to Jeff Fenech in Australia.”

Darchinyan is aware of what Ghana’s greatest fighter did to the Australian hero in their rematch, but he doesn’t believe that fight can be compared to his fight with Agbeko.

“Fenech was a busy fighter, not a puncher,” he said. “I’m a puncher and I’m going to knock you out.”

“I’m not going to knock you out,” Agbeko retorted. “I’m going to punish you so bad, you’ll knock yourself out.”

At one point during their back-and-forth verbal barbs, Agbeko landed this shot below the belt:

“I’m going to beat you worse than Nonito Donaire did.”

The statement brought up the subject of Donaire and whether or not Darchinyan would ever engage in a rematch with the ultra-talented Filipino. For the past year, ever since Donaire left Shaw’s stable for Bob Arum’s Top Rank, the promoter has said he would not allow Darchinyan to seek revenge.

Shaw defended Darchinyan’s honor during Tuesday’s conference call.

“Vic is not afraid of Nonito Donaire,” he said. “Vic wants to fight the very best out there. That’s why he fought Mijares, that’s why he fought Arce, and that’s why he’s fighting ‘King Kong’ Agbeko.

“He’s been on TV, knocking these guys out. And where has Donaire been? Bob Arum doesn’t even mention (Donaire) or a fight with Darchinyan.

“Vic fights for money, not for revenge. If (Arum) wants to pay a seven-figure purse, we’ll go to the Philippines to fight (Donaire). We love the Philippines and Filipinos.”

Darchinyan was somewhat philosophical about his loss to Donaire.

“Maybe the loss was a good thing for me,” he said. “I wanted to unify titles (at flyweight) before that fight, but no one would fight me. Then I lost, and everyone wanted to fight me, and I unified titles (at 115 pounds).”

If Darchinyan beats Agbeko, he will try to unify titles at 118 pounds. If he can’t get the other titleholders to fight him, he says he’ll go to junior featherweight (122 pounds) and featherweight (126 pounds) and seek out the best fighters in those divisions.

Only time will tell whether Darchinyan will be able to make good on his plans.

Two thing are certain, he means what he says and it will be a lot of fun watching him try to make good on his goals.

“I think I represent a fighter who will go down as one of the best lighter-weight fighters in history,” Shaw said. “I’m proud to represent Vic.

“If Mosley still can’t find an opponent by the end of this year, Vic will step in.”

By Doug Fischer

www.ringtv.com

When Smith would tackle boxing, it was always a special treat because he could paint a portrait of a man few others could.

So when I learned the sad news of the great Alexis Arguello’s death at 57 on Wednesday, possibly at his own hand, I remembered the wonderfully poignant story Smith wrote about him nearly a quarter of a century ago.

In particular, what came to mind was a passage in which Smith wrote of Arguello’s love of animals.

Arguello was hunting with a friend in the darkness in his native Nicaragua when their flashlight shone upon a deer. The light caused the deer to freeze in its tracks.

“Arguello stood with his finger on the trigger, staring into those eyes,” Smith wrote. “He could not bring himself to shoot. He caught the deer with his bare hands. He cradled it to his chest. He brought it home and made it a pet, and never hunted again.”

Arguello was a gentle man in a violent sport and in a violent world. That he was one of the best boxers who ever lived was part of the contradiction that made him so loved but so difficult to understand.

He fought drug addiction and financial problems and a government that tried to kill him. But he never lost his dignity and was the embodiment of the citizen-athlete.

He was voted the best junior lightweight and sixth-best lightweight of the 20th century in an Associated Press poll in 1999. His first bout with Aaron Pryor, at Miami’s Orange Bowl on Nov. 12, 1982, remains perhaps the single greatest bout ever broadcast on HBO.

“It was an electric atmosphere,” said Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who promoted most of Arguello’s major fights. “When the fight started, you’d think, ‘Jesus, Alexis is in too tough.’ And then, he turned it around and was battling back and I thought Alexis had him and then Pryor came back. It was a great, great fight. It would go one way and then boom, back the other. It was like a little [Muhammad] Ali-[Joe] Frazier – just an incredible fight.”

Arum was stunned by the former champion’s death on Wednesday at Arguello’s home in Managua, but said he’ll always smile when he thinks of Arguello, who Arum said was the only man who would thank him after each fight for promoting him.

The first Arguello-Pryor fight came during the battle in the 1980s in Nicaragua between the Sandinistas and the Contras, the latter of whom both Arguello and President Reagan supported.

In the weeks leading up to the fight, there were concerns that Arguello might be assassinated as a political statement. There were more than 30,000 fans inside the Orange Bowl that night, most of them Latino, Arum said, and most of them rooting ardently for Arguello.

As Arguello walked to the ring, fireworks set off in what was meant to be a celebration, but few at the moment were celebrating.

“The first boom of the fireworks went off and about three-quarters of the people in the stadium went diving under their seats, thinking it was someone from the Sandinistas coming after Arguello,” Arum said.

Arguello was in control of the fight against Pryor when Pryor got a sudden and perhaps illegal boost of energy after the 13th round.

Pryor’s trainer, Panama Lewis – a man later convicted for removing the padding in Luis Resto’s gloves prior to a 1983 fight with Billy Collins – gave Pryor a drink from a bottle.

One of Lewis’ assistants handed him a water bottle, but Lewis waved it off and said: “Not that bottle. [Give me] the special one I mixed.”

A reinvigorated Pryor roared out in the 14th round and stopped Arguello, ending one of the 10 best fights I’ve been fortunate to see. Lewis has consistently and vehemently denied any illegal stimulants were in the liquid he gave to Pryor, though the contrast in Pryor’s energy in the 13th and 14th round remains stark.

Arguello had long been one of the sport’s finest technicians, but it was in his first loss that he finally gained worldwide acclaim.

He would struggle through an unbelievably roller-coaster life, coming close to committing suicide on a yacht in Miami in the mid-1980s as his young son, A.J., beseeched him not to do it.

He fell into drug addiction and sustained severe financial losses. He felt he had to make a comeback in 1994, more than eight years after he retired and, seemingly, a lifetime removed from his classic bout with Pryor.

Arguello won that first comeback fight, lost a second in Las Vegas to a boxer nicknamed “The Pink Cat” and finally retired for good.

Two years ago, I sat with Arguello at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles, not long after Oscar De La Hoya had defeated Steve Forbes. The temperature was moderate and the night was beautiful.

Arguello looked at the ring, bathed in light, where the postfight news conference would be held a few minutes later. He surveyed the stadium, where earlier about 27,000 had cheered for De La Hoya much like they had once cheered for him.

I asked what was going through his mind.

“I was thinking,” he said, smiling wanly, “what a privilege it was to do what I’d done. I owe so much to boxing and these fans for what they’ve done for me.”

The privilege was all ours, Alexis.

Thanks for everything – and rest in peace.

By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports

sports.yahoo.com

Coroners were conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Sandanista Party’s Radio Ya and other local media were reporting it appeared to be a suicide.

The La Prensa newspaper reported that Arguello—elected mayor of Nicaragua’s capital last year—was found with a gunshot wound to the chest.

The 57-year-old Arguello retired in 1995 with a record of 82-8 with 65 knockouts and was a champion in three weight divisions. He was perhaps best known for two thrilling battles with Aaron Pryor and fights with Ray Mancini, Bobby Chacon and Ruben Olivares.

“I’m kind of in a daze right now. I can’t believe what I’m hearing,” Pryor told The Associated Press. “Those were great fights we had. This was a great champion.”

Nicknamed “The Explosive Thin Man,” Arguello was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992, where flags were flying at half-staff in his honor Wednesday.

In 1999, a panel of experts assembled by The AP voted Arguello the best junior lightweight and sixth-best lightweight of the 20th century. He never lost at 130 pounds, and his popularity in his own country was so great that he carried the flag for Nicaragua at the Beijing Olympics.

“Not only was he one of the greatest fighters I’ve ever seen, he was the most intelligent fighter,” Bob Arum, who promoted some of his biggest fights, told The Associated Press. “He was a ring tactician. Every move was thought out. And he was a wonderful, wonderful person.”

Arguello turned pro in 1968 and promptly lost his first bout. He didn’t lose much more, and six years later knocked out Olivares in the 13th round to win the featherweight title.

Arguello went on to win the super featherweight and lightweight titles, his 5-foot-10 frame allowing him to move up in weight without losing his tremendous punching power. At the time, he was only the sixth boxer to win championships in three weight classes, and was considered for a while the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

“I felt sad receiving the news and still find it hard to believe,” retired boxer Oscar De La Hoya said from Los Angeles. “Alexis was my idol. When I was young, I heard so much about him and his fights and loved his style in the ring. In my opinion he was of the biggest and most influential fighters boxing has ever produced.”

De La Hoya said Arguello attended his fight against Steve Forbes in May 2008, which was De La Hoya’s last victory.

“We shared some great moments together before and after the fight,” he said. “Arguello was definitely a legend in the boxing world because of all the joy he brought to his fans with his unforgettable career and amazing personality.”

Arguello moved up in weight again in November 1982 to challenge Pryor for the 140-pound belt, a match billed as “Battle of the Champions.” More than 23,000 fans packed the Orange Bowl in Miami, and the two waged an epic battle before Pryor knocked out Arguello in the 14th round.

“It was a brutal, brutal fight,” Arum said. “That was something I will never, ever forget as long as I live. That was one of the most memorable fights I ever did.”

The bout was named “Fight of the Year” and “Fight of the Decade” by Ring Magazine, but was shrouded by controversy. Pryor’s trainer, Panama Lewis, gave him a water bottle after the 13th round that many believe contained an illegal substance—an accusation Pryor denied.

A rematch was ordered and they met again a year later at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. This time, Pryor knocked out Arguello in the 10th round.

“We always talk to each other about that first fight,” Pryor said. “I never went into the fight knowing I could beat Alexis, I just went into the fight to beat Alexis.”

Arguello announced after the fight that he would retire from boxing, but as so often happens in the sport, Arguello couldn’t stay away from the ring.

He returned to win two fights in 1985 and 1986, then didn’t step in the ring until 1994, when he made a brief comeback. He retired for good the following year.

“Alexis Arguello was a first-class fighter and a first-class gentleman,” said Hall of Fame executive director Edward Brophy. “The Hall of Fame joins the boxing community in mourning the loss of a great champion and friend.”

Arguello fought against the Sandinista government in the 1980s after it seized his property and bank account, but later joined the party and ran for mayor of the capital last November. He defeated Eduardo Montealegre, though opponents alleged the vote was fraudulent.

Arguello had returned Sunday from Puerto Rico, where he honored the late baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente. His death prompted Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega to announced he was canceling a trip to Panama for the inauguration of President-elect Ricardo Martinelli.

“We are upset,” presidential spokeswoman Rosario Murillo said. “This is a heartbreaking announcement. He was the champion of the poor, an example of forgiveness and reconciliation.”

By FILADELFO ALEMAN, Associated Press Writer

sports.yahoo.com

Ultimately, though, most arrive at the same conclusion.

“I’ll just say it … he quit. I wouldn’t have done that,” heavyweight contender Chris Arreola said after a few moments of hemming and hawing.

The response to the way the fight ended and Ortiz’s subsequent comments, which seemed to confirm that he gave up early in the sixth round of the thrilling brawl, has largely been damning. Ortiz has been called everything from a coward to a quitter.

And a damage-control statement released Tuesday, in which Ortiz states that his comments were an emotional response to the loss, isn’t going to help much.

No one who knows anything about this game would call Ortiz or any other professional boxer a coward. It just isn’t true. And few are comfortable even labeling this skillful and powerful athlete a flat out quitter.

However, many people –- inside boxing and out –-

“This is kind of unchartered territory for me,” said trainer Joe Goossen, who has no connection to Ortiz. “I’ve never had a fighter quit on me. I don’t know what to make of it; I’ve never had to taste that indignity. It must be what old-timers always say: ‘They just don’t make ‘em like they used to.’

By Michael Rosenthal

www.ringtv.com

Look at the guys currently campaigning at or around 147 pounds. Shane Mosley, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao are all locks for the Hall of Fame. Miguel Cotto is one of the best in the world. Antonio Margarito, loaded wraps or not, is hell in short pants.

Paul Williams, despite having the dimensions of Ernie Terrell, says he still can get to 147 for the right fight, and he’s probably right. There’s no one in the game tougher than Joshua Clottey, and Andre Berto and Luis Collazo are top-flight pros.

This is as formidable a class as there is in the business. But how does it compare with the last great era that included Oscar De La Hoya, Mosley, Felix Trinidad, an aged Pernell Whitaker, and Ike Quartey?

Or, for that matter, the one that featured Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran and Wilfred Benitez?

“The word ‘Golden Era’ conjures up thoughts of greatness and I throw around the word great as if it were a manhole cover,” historian and Hall of Fame promoter J Russell Peltz told RingTV.com.

“Pernell Whitaker was a great fighter, in my opinion. Pernell fought and beat the best — including (Julio Cesar) Chavez — in their primes and he did it consistently for years and years.

“People question Pacquaio’s fights with (Juan Manuel) Marquez and they question why Floyd hasn’t fought Mosley or Cotto or Margarito. Mosley shows signs but lost twice to (Vernon) Forrest and recently to Cotto. Not that losing any fight disqualifies you, but check out Pernell’s s record, in his prime, and you can see what I mean. Even past his prime some question the decision he dropped to Oscar. And he was a ghost of himself by the time he fought Trinidad.”

Peltz is right about Whitaker, who never hesitated to fight the best in his division. This is in sharp contrast to Mayweather, who last beat a natural welterweight in 2006, when he outpointed Carlos Baldomir. His next scheduled fight is against Marquez, a featherweight for most of his career.

But the rest of the top guys in the division — Mosley, Cotto, and Pacquiao especially — have never ducked anyone. And Cotto and Pacquiao have become big attractions with legions of followers. Can’t they compete with previous eras?

“I think the welterweight division is the best out there right now and has the best possibilities for big fights and the best pairings,” said HBO’s Larry Merchant, who was just inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. “For the present and the near future it looks like the most crowd pleasing in boxing.

“There’s not anyone comparable in terms of popularity to De La Hoya and Trinidad or to the guys in the Leonard-Hearns era. They were just hugely popular fighters with big followings that generated huge revenues. The test will be Cotto-Pacquiao, with the winner presumably meeting Mayweather or Mosley.”

Even with those mega fights on the horizon, it’s hard to compete against history. Clearly today’s welterweights face an up-hill battle.

“Talent-wise Leonard and Hearns were on the highest level,” Merchant said. “They were in a different class in terms of their talent and popularity. And Quartey was a very good fighter, and Oscar and Trinidad had tremendous fan bases.”

“It remains to be seen whether the potential matchups in this class can come close to that. Pacquiao-Mayweather would be huge. Cotto and Pacquiao would be big. But until this class is over we won’t know. We’ll see how it plays itself out.”

There also are doubts about the fighters in today’s group that did not apply to the previous eras. But to be fair, there were doubts then too. Details are lost to the passage of time.

“Margarito’s career is in doubt due to the hand wrap situation. He could join Mark McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, et al, in purgatory,” said Peltz. “It’s way too early to judge Berto. His level of opposition is only now beginning to rise. He may be the real thing, but it’s too early. Clottey is tough and durable, but as of now the best thing you can say about him is that he gives the top guys good, hard, close fights — but he loses.”

Like Merchant, Peltz advocates a wait-and-see approach.

“Have there been enough fights among the group to compare it to the De La Hoya, Trinidad crew? Is this another case of rushing to judgment? Let’s wait another year and see how this plays out. Will Cotto give Mosley a rematch? Will Mosley fight Pacquiao? Mayweather?”

By William Dettloff

www.ringtv.com