At its regular meeting on Tuesday, the Nevada State Athletic Commission appointed officials for three major upcoming world title fights that will take place in Las Vegas.
Assignments were given out for the two junior middleweight title fights at the MGM Grand on May 5, Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Miguel Cotto and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez-Shane Mosley, as well as the rematch between junior welterweight titlist Lamont Peterson and former titleholder Amir Khan, who meet May 19 at Mandalay Bay.
Mayweather-Cotto: referee Tony Weeks and judges Robert Hoyle, Patricia Morse Jarman and Dave Moretti.
Alvarez-Mosley: referee Jay Nady and judges C.J. Ross, Glenn Trowbridge and Jesse Reyes.
Peterson-Khan II: referee Kenny Bayless and judges Adalaide Byrd, Burt Clements, Duane Ford.
Assignments were given out for the two junior middleweight title fights at the MGM Grand on May 5, Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Miguel Cotto and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez-Shane Mosley, as well as the rematch between junior welterweight titlist Lamont Peterson and former titleholder Amir Khan, who meet May 19 at Mandalay Bay.
Mayweather-Cotto: referee Tony Weeks and judges Robert Hoyle, Patricia Morse Jarman and Dave Moretti.
Alvarez-Mosley: referee Jay Nady and judges C.J. Ross, Glenn Trowbridge and Jesse Reyes.
Peterson-Khan II: referee Kenny Bayless and judges Adalaide Byrd, Burt Clements, Duane Ford.
At long last, talented featherweight contender Miguel Angel "Mikey" Garcia will get a shot at a world title.
Garcia (28-0, 24 KOs) is the mandatory challenger for titlist Celestino Caballero (36-4, 23 KOs), and the WBA has called for a purse bid on the fight. The purse bid will take place May 3 in Miami if the sides don't make a deal ahead of time.
"We're trying to make this fight and [Top Rank, Garcia's promoter] is definitely going to bid on it if they don't make a deal," Cameron Dunkin, Garcia's manager, told ESPN.com. "It's the right time. Mikey is ready. We wanted to get certain fights done for him, but now I think he is 100 percent ready to go out there and win a world title. Caballero is still a good fighter and brings a lot of problems. He's a hard guy to fight, but it's Mikey's time and he's ready. He wants to take his shot."
Garcia, 24, of Oxnard, Calif., passed on a title shot against Billy Dib last summer because HBO didn't want to buy the bout. It was more important to Garcia and his team for him to be on HBO than to fight for the belt at that time, so Garcia fought (and beat) a different opponent.
The fight with Caballero will certainly land on an American television outlet. Dunkin said Top Rank told him that Showtime is interested.
"I've been told that Showtime is very interested in the fight and that HBO isn't," Dunkin said. "Showtime is very interested in Mikey, and we are very interested in Showtime."
The fight would take place in July or August, but "probably August," Dunkin said.
Caballero, 35, of Panama, is a former unified junior featherweight titlist. He claimed a featherweight belt with a decision against Jonathan Barros in an October rematch in Argentina. Caballero has made one defense, a decision against Satoshi Hosono in Japan in December.
Garcia (28-0, 24 KOs) is the mandatory challenger for titlist Celestino Caballero (36-4, 23 KOs), and the WBA has called for a purse bid on the fight. The purse bid will take place May 3 in Miami if the sides don't make a deal ahead of time.
"We're trying to make this fight and [Top Rank, Garcia's promoter] is definitely going to bid on it if they don't make a deal," Cameron Dunkin, Garcia's manager, told ESPN.com. "It's the right time. Mikey is ready. We wanted to get certain fights done for him, but now I think he is 100 percent ready to go out there and win a world title. Caballero is still a good fighter and brings a lot of problems. He's a hard guy to fight, but it's Mikey's time and he's ready. He wants to take his shot."
Garcia, 24, of Oxnard, Calif., passed on a title shot against Billy Dib last summer because HBO didn't want to buy the bout. It was more important to Garcia and his team for him to be on HBO than to fight for the belt at that time, so Garcia fought (and beat) a different opponent.
The fight with Caballero will certainly land on an American television outlet. Dunkin said Top Rank told him that Showtime is interested.
"I've been told that Showtime is very interested in the fight and that HBO isn't," Dunkin said. "Showtime is very interested in Mikey, and we are very interested in Showtime."
The fight would take place in July or August, but "probably August," Dunkin said.
Caballero, 35, of Panama, is a former unified junior featherweight titlist. He claimed a featherweight belt with a decision against Jonathan Barros in an October rematch in Argentina. Caballero has made one defense, a decision against Satoshi Hosono in Japan in December.
Gene Blevins/Hoganphotos/Golden Boy PromotionsAmong Showtime cards featuring at least four televised fights, the June 2 show may rival them all.New Showtime Sports chief Stephen Espinoza, a boxing fan since childhood, is now in a position to program the network's boxing events. And he's serving up a rare -- and interesting -- four-fight card June 2 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. It looks like there's a little bit for everyone:
• Former light heavyweight champ (and current Showtime analyst) Antonio Tarver (29-6, 20 KOs) will face Nigerian slugger Lateef Kayode (18-0, 14 KOs) in a cruiserweight bout.
• Former undisputed junior middleweight champ Winky Wright (51-5-1, 25 KOs), coming off a three-year layoff, will meet "Kid Chocolate" Peter Quillin (26-0, 20 KOs) at middleweight.
• Junior middleweight titlist Austin Trout (24-0,14 KOs) will defend against Delvin Rodriguez (26-5-3, 14 KOs).
• Bantamweights Leo Santa Cruz (19-0-1, 11 KOs) and Vusi Malinga (20-3, 12 KOs), of South Africa, will meet for a vacant title.
Amazingly, Showtime was able to get six promoters to collaborate on the card: Golden Boy, Gary Shaw, A.T. Entertainment (Tarver's company), Greg Cohen, Joe DeGuardia and Branco Milenkovic. And not only are these four solid matchups, an hour of preliminary bouts will be aired on Showtime Extreme.
It's only the third time that Showtime, which has been doing fights since 1986, has put on a card with at least four TV bouts, but the June 2 card is superior to the others, in my view.
In 1997, Don King promoted a five-fight telecast in Nashville that featured four world title fights (mostly mismatches) -- Terry Norris-Nick Rupa, Felix Trinidad-Kevin Lueshing, Henry Akinwande-Scott Welch and Khalid Rahilou-Frankie Randall -- plus Dierdre Gogarty-Debra Stroman in a women's bout.
In 2001, Main Events did a four-fight show at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., featuring Zab Judah-Reggie Green in a junior welterweight title bout, plus three prospects in four- or six-rounders: Juan Diaz, Rocky Juarez and Francisco Bojado.
"We are very proud to bring this unique night of boxing to Showtime -- eight world-class fighters, four fights, two world title fights," Espinoza said. "We have legends, rising stars, youth versus experience and world title fights. There are no easy fights on this card."
Everybody assembled Monday at the JW Marriott L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles to formally announce the card. Here's what some involved (Rodriguez and Malinga were not present) had to say:
Tarver
"When you try to constructively critique someone [Tarver has served as color commentator for Kayode fights], you hope they go back to the gym and get better. I wasn't on his bandwagon. I saw loopholes in his game, and it was my job to tell him that. He didn't want to take heed to that, and now I need to show him. I'm telling Lateef that his dream is going to come crumbling down.
"I'm standing here today to tell Lateef Kayode and everybody he's got coming to support him on June 2 that his dreams are going to come tumbling down. It's a big difference when you are in that ring by yourself and facing the heat and fire I'm going to bring, and all [trainer] Freddie Roach can do is give you water. It's a whole new ballgame. Welcome to the big time, brother."
Kayode
"I will knock you out. I will beat the crap out of you. I want to be a world champion and I want to fight world champions. I want to prove to all of you that I am better than him, that I am stronger than him. When Tarver commented on me on Showtime, he never said anything good. I never disrespected him, and I said, 'Champ, what have I done to you?' I'm going to prove myself and prove that I am ready for this man, that I am ready for the best. He has the name, but he doesn't have the heart. He doesn't have the power. The way he fights, I can get this guy.
"He doesn't have crap. Tarver is done. I never disrespected anyone in my life, but on June 2, this guy is done."
Wright
"I'm not coming back for the money. I've got money and I've got friends who have money, so it's good there. The reason I'm coming back is to make a statement. I could have fought a tuneup, but boxing is about accomplishments, and to me, that means winning another world championship.
"My last fight was a bad one for me. I probably should have taken a fight before it, but I was never retired. I could have come back a year and a half ago, but the kind of deal and opportunity we were looking for just wasn't there. It is now.
"This guy [Quillin] is hungry and he wants to win a championship. I love his enthusiasm, so I'm looking forward to fighting him. If he thinks I'm making a mistake fighting him after being off, if he thinks I'm not what I used to be, now's his chance to show it. Let's do it. I'm ready for a fight."
Quillin
"I'm just getting started. I'm still climbing the ladder, so there's no way I overlook any opponent, especially a fighter that is going to wind up in the Hall of Fame. I'm going to win this fight. I'm in fighting shape. I'm fired up. I'm ready right now to take advantage of this great opportunity.
"I don't fight for my family. I don't fight for my friends. Kid Chocolate fights for himself. If you've never been to the planet Pluto, I'm going to take you there. Pluto is where all the stars are, so if you want to go to Pluto, come out and support me."
Trout
"I'm super excited and I know my fight with Delvin will be great. Trust me, Delvin comes to fight, so this is going to be a good, hard fight for a while, but I'm working in the gym on making it easier.
"I know I'm not a household name in boxing. That's why I'm so appreciative of this opportunity and looking forward to taking full advantage of it. I'm looking to fight any of the other titleholders or the biggest names out there."
Santa Cruz
"I'm from Lincoln Heights [Calif.], so for me to be fighting in my own backyard in my very first world title fight is beyond my wildest dreams. I've been waiting for something like this, and now my opportunity of a lifetime is here.
"I know Malinga is an aggressive fighter who's waited a long time to fight for the IBF title, but I've waited my whole life. I can't wait for June 2 to show what I can do on the biggest stage at the Home Depot on Showtime."
For the past month or so, Golden Boy has been providing live boxing events to Fox Deportes.
Among those fights was Sergio Thompson's upset of Jorge Linares on a card Golden Boy promoted in Mexico as part of its deal for a monthly card on Mexican network Televisa. There was also the Edgar Sosa-Wilbert Uicab card, which Golden Boy didn't promote but secured U.S. television rights to and placed on Fox Deportes.
Those cards occured while Golden Boy and Fox Sports Media Group were in the process of finalizing a longer-term deal. That deal came to fruition Monday, and it should be a bonanza for boxing fans.
Fox Sports Media Group announced what it called "a multi-year, multimedia agreement with Golden Boy Promotions to provide live boxing content in the United States and internationally."
What it means is that Golden Boy will put on one event per month at a venue in the United States to be simulcast on Fox Deportes (in Spanish), Fox Sports' regional networks and Fuel TV. Additionally, other events taking place in cities throughout Mexico will air only on Fox Deportes.
In all, Fox Deportes is scheduled to air 44 live events in the first year of the deal and 36 live cards for each year thereafter. The Fox platforms will also have access to Golden Boy's extensive library to show classic fights.
Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com that the deal is for a minimum of 15 months but could extend to 5½ years based on the various contractual options.
"I am very excited to have been able to come to terms and sign another outlet where we can build up our young fighters," Schaefer said. "We have had talks with Fox for quite awhile, but it started to really come together in December. So we are going to stay very busy. This is great for the sport. This deal is an endorsement of the sport. We are getting paid money. This is no time buy."
As part of the deal, Fox Deportes will carry live coverage of a card from Cancun, Mexico on Saturday night that will feature a pair of world title bouts: featherweight titlist Jhonny Gonzalez (51-7, 45 KOs) against former titlist Elio Rojas (23-1, 14 KOs), and junior lightweight titlist Juan Carlos Salgado (24-1-1, 16 KOs) in a mandatory defense against Martin Honorio (32-6-1, 16 KOs).
The first U.S.-based event will take place May 4 in Las Vegas, featuring former junior featherweight titlist Daniel Ponce De Leon (42-4, 35 KOs) against Eduardo Lazcano (24-2, 11 KOs) in a junior lightweight bout and junior middleweight Ishe Smith (22-5, 10 KOs) facing Derrick Ennis (23-3-1, 13 KOs).
"Golden Boy Promotions has developed a great reputation over the last few years for putting together very exciting cards," said Bill Wanger, a Fox Sports Media Group executive vice president. "It's great that we've been able to establish what we hope will be a fruitful relationship that benefits multiple networks within the Fox Sports Media Group for years to come."
Among those fights was Sergio Thompson's upset of Jorge Linares on a card Golden Boy promoted in Mexico as part of its deal for a monthly card on Mexican network Televisa. There was also the Edgar Sosa-Wilbert Uicab card, which Golden Boy didn't promote but secured U.S. television rights to and placed on Fox Deportes.
Those cards occured while Golden Boy and Fox Sports Media Group were in the process of finalizing a longer-term deal. That deal came to fruition Monday, and it should be a bonanza for boxing fans.
Fox Sports Media Group announced what it called "a multi-year, multimedia agreement with Golden Boy Promotions to provide live boxing content in the United States and internationally."
What it means is that Golden Boy will put on one event per month at a venue in the United States to be simulcast on Fox Deportes (in Spanish), Fox Sports' regional networks and Fuel TV. Additionally, other events taking place in cities throughout Mexico will air only on Fox Deportes.
In all, Fox Deportes is scheduled to air 44 live events in the first year of the deal and 36 live cards for each year thereafter. The Fox platforms will also have access to Golden Boy's extensive library to show classic fights.
Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com that the deal is for a minimum of 15 months but could extend to 5½ years based on the various contractual options.
"I am very excited to have been able to come to terms and sign another outlet where we can build up our young fighters," Schaefer said. "We have had talks with Fox for quite awhile, but it started to really come together in December. So we are going to stay very busy. This is great for the sport. This deal is an endorsement of the sport. We are getting paid money. This is no time buy."
As part of the deal, Fox Deportes will carry live coverage of a card from Cancun, Mexico on Saturday night that will feature a pair of world title bouts: featherweight titlist Jhonny Gonzalez (51-7, 45 KOs) against former titlist Elio Rojas (23-1, 14 KOs), and junior lightweight titlist Juan Carlos Salgado (24-1-1, 16 KOs) in a mandatory defense against Martin Honorio (32-6-1, 16 KOs).
The first U.S.-based event will take place May 4 in Las Vegas, featuring former junior featherweight titlist Daniel Ponce De Leon (42-4, 35 KOs) against Eduardo Lazcano (24-2, 11 KOs) in a junior lightweight bout and junior middleweight Ishe Smith (22-5, 10 KOs) facing Derrick Ennis (23-3-1, 13 KOs).
"Golden Boy Promotions has developed a great reputation over the last few years for putting together very exciting cards," said Bill Wanger, a Fox Sports Media Group executive vice president. "It's great that we've been able to establish what we hope will be a fruitful relationship that benefits multiple networks within the Fox Sports Media Group for years to come."
A trio of televised boxing-related notes:
• If you missed last week's pay-per-view card that included Juan Manuel Marquez's lopsided decision victory against Sergey Fedchenko to win a vacant interim junior welterweight belt in Mexico City and the robbery of the year that saw lightweight Richard Abril get hosed against Brandon Rios (who failed to make weight) in a title bout in Las Vegas, you're in luck.
HBO Latino will replay both bouts on Saturday night (11 ET/PT). The commentary is in Spanish, as called by Mario Solis and Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. There will also be replays on HBO Latino on Sunday (10:45 a.m., 5:10 p.m.), Monday (12:45 a.m.) and Tuesday (12:30 a.m.).
As it relates to Rios-Abril, Keith Kizer, the executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, said Friday that Rios and Abril both passed their steroid and drug tests. Also, according to the commission, Rios-Abril generated a gate of $257,950 from 2,728 tickets sold at Mandalay Bay, with an additional 531 complimentary tickets handed out.
• There has been a little bit of a change in the lineup for the preliminary bouts that will air on Showtime Extreme on Saturday night (7 ET/PT) from the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas, prior to Showtime's world title doubleheader at 9:30 ET/PT featuring Abner Mares versus Eric Morel for a vacant junior featherweight belt and bantamweight titlist Anselmo Moreno defending against David De La Mora. Longtime super middleweight contender Librado Andrade (30-4, 23 KOs) still will face Rowland Bryant (15-1, 10 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round bout on Showtime Extreme. But added to the undercard broadcast is lightweight prospect Luis Ramos (21-0, 9 KOs), who will face veteran former title challenger Daniel Attah (26-9-1, 9 KOs) in a 10-round bout.
Time permitting, we may also see junior lightweight Antonio Escalante (25-4, 17 KOs) against Francisco Camacho (10-1, 3 KOs) in a scheduled eight-rounder and 2008 Mexican Olympian Francisco Vargas (9-0-1, 7 KOs) against Rafael Lora (11-7, 5 KOs) in a six- or eight-round junior lightweight fight.
• Thanks to Golden Boy's evolving output deal with Fox Deportes, American fight fans will be able to watch live coverage of the world title doubleheader from Cancun, Mexico on April 28, according to Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer. The card, which also will air on major network Televisa in Mexico, includes featherweight titlist Jhonny Gonzalez (51-7, 45 KOs) defending against former titlist Elio Rojas (23-1, 14 KOs) in the main event, with junior lightweight titlist Juan Carlos Salgado (24-1-1, 16 KOs) making a mandatory defense against Martin Honorio (32-6-1, 16 KOs) in the co-feature.
• If you missed last week's pay-per-view card that included Juan Manuel Marquez's lopsided decision victory against Sergey Fedchenko to win a vacant interim junior welterweight belt in Mexico City and the robbery of the year that saw lightweight Richard Abril get hosed against Brandon Rios (who failed to make weight) in a title bout in Las Vegas, you're in luck.
HBO Latino will replay both bouts on Saturday night (11 ET/PT). The commentary is in Spanish, as called by Mario Solis and Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. There will also be replays on HBO Latino on Sunday (10:45 a.m., 5:10 p.m.), Monday (12:45 a.m.) and Tuesday (12:30 a.m.).
As it relates to Rios-Abril, Keith Kizer, the executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, said Friday that Rios and Abril both passed their steroid and drug tests. Also, according to the commission, Rios-Abril generated a gate of $257,950 from 2,728 tickets sold at Mandalay Bay, with an additional 531 complimentary tickets handed out.
• There has been a little bit of a change in the lineup for the preliminary bouts that will air on Showtime Extreme on Saturday night (7 ET/PT) from the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas, prior to Showtime's world title doubleheader at 9:30 ET/PT featuring Abner Mares versus Eric Morel for a vacant junior featherweight belt and bantamweight titlist Anselmo Moreno defending against David De La Mora. Longtime super middleweight contender Librado Andrade (30-4, 23 KOs) still will face Rowland Bryant (15-1, 10 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round bout on Showtime Extreme. But added to the undercard broadcast is lightweight prospect Luis Ramos (21-0, 9 KOs), who will face veteran former title challenger Daniel Attah (26-9-1, 9 KOs) in a 10-round bout.
Time permitting, we may also see junior lightweight Antonio Escalante (25-4, 17 KOs) against Francisco Camacho (10-1, 3 KOs) in a scheduled eight-rounder and 2008 Mexican Olympian Francisco Vargas (9-0-1, 7 KOs) against Rafael Lora (11-7, 5 KOs) in a six- or eight-round junior lightweight fight.
• Thanks to Golden Boy's evolving output deal with Fox Deportes, American fight fans will be able to watch live coverage of the world title doubleheader from Cancun, Mexico on April 28, according to Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer. The card, which also will air on major network Televisa in Mexico, includes featherweight titlist Jhonny Gonzalez (51-7, 45 KOs) defending against former titlist Elio Rojas (23-1, 14 KOs) in the main event, with junior lightweight titlist Juan Carlos Salgado (24-1-1, 16 KOs) making a mandatory defense against Martin Honorio (32-6-1, 16 KOs) in the co-feature.
Junior welterweight Danny Garcia claimed a world title by outpointing Mexican legend Erik Morales on March 24 in Houston. Now Garcia will be honored by his hometown of Philadelphia.
Garcia will be recognized at a reception with Philadelphia mayor Michael A. Nutter, councilwoman Maria Quinones Sanchez and councilman Curtis Jones Jr. on Monday at morning.
"We are proud to call 'Swift' a local hero and role model for our young people," Jones said in a statement. "We need more champions in our communities who are excelling and realizing spectacular achievements like this."
Garcia, born and bred in Philly, knows the city's storied boxing history, which includes being home to great champions such as the late Joe Frazier and light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins, whom Garcia has gotten to know because they share a promoter, Golden Boy.
"I'm proud to be another Philadelphia champion, because this is a tough city," Garcia said. "I'm ready to make a historic mark as a Philadelphia fighter and make my city proud."
Garcia (23-0, 14 KOs), 24, fought off a spirited effort from Morales to claim the 140-pound belt, which had been vacated the previous day because Morales failed to make weight.
Garcia's next fight isn't set yet, but he owes a mandatory title defense to Ajose Olusegun (30-0, 14 KOs).
Garcia will be recognized at a reception with Philadelphia mayor Michael A. Nutter, councilwoman Maria Quinones Sanchez and councilman Curtis Jones Jr. on Monday at morning.
"We are proud to call 'Swift' a local hero and role model for our young people," Jones said in a statement. "We need more champions in our communities who are excelling and realizing spectacular achievements like this."
Garcia, born and bred in Philly, knows the city's storied boxing history, which includes being home to great champions such as the late Joe Frazier and light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins, whom Garcia has gotten to know because they share a promoter, Golden Boy.
"I'm proud to be another Philadelphia champion, because this is a tough city," Garcia said. "I'm ready to make a historic mark as a Philadelphia fighter and make my city proud."
Garcia (23-0, 14 KOs), 24, fought off a spirited effort from Morales to claim the 140-pound belt, which had been vacated the previous day because Morales failed to make weight.
Garcia's next fight isn't set yet, but he owes a mandatory title defense to Ajose Olusegun (30-0, 14 KOs).
Tom Hogan/Hoganphotos/Golden Boy PromotionsAdrien Broner and his father will get a break from brushing if Orlando Salido has his way.The news on Thursday night that junior lightweight titlist Adrien Broner's second title defense on May 19 on HBO would come against England's Gary Sykes was met with vicious feedback on Twitter.
Fight fans know it's likely a brutal mismatch in a 130-pound division that has very little in terms of talent beyond Broner. After I wrote the Broner-Sykes story, I got an email from Sean Gibbons, the manager of featherweight titlist Orlando Salido, who is coming off a tremendous battle and knockout of Juan Manuel Lopez in a March title defense.
Gibbons made it clear that Salido, with little name opposition to face at 126 pounds, would be happy to move to 130 to fight Broner, who is desperately looking for a legitimate opponent. Salido is that guy.
"Orlando Salido would love a shot at Broner," Gibbons wrote. Then Gibbons invoked Broner's well-known ritual of having his father brush his hair in the ring before the postfight interview.
"Salido will brush his hair all over the canvas," Gibbons wrote. "When Broner is ready for a real fight, Orlando Salido is available."
I tweeted Gibbons' remarks and immediately was inundated with responses from fans who loved the matchup.
Even the 22-year-old Broner tweeted back to me: "I will make him look like the big head lil human he already is. Salido is a good lil fighter but I'm one of a kind and if we was to fight the world will see why I'm in a different league."
I say bring it on.
Broner has no one to face at 130. He should clobber Sykes. After that, he's due to fight again in his hometown of Cincinnati in August, probably against Golden Boy stablemate Vicente Escobedo -- a solid contender but also a big underdog. Meanwhile, the 31-year-old Salido (38-11-2, 26 KOs) will fight in late July in his hometown of Ciudad Obregon, Mexico.
After those bouts are out of the way, the field should be clear for a fall showdown.
"If the money is right, Salido is looking for the biggest and best fight at 126 or 130," Gibbons told me when we spoke on the phone a little later. "There's not a lot of big names we can fight at 126. So we've been following Adrien Broner since he got beat by [Daniel] Ponce De Leon, who did not get the decision."
Gibbons is taking a crack at Broner (23-0, 19 KOs), who was quite fortunate to escape with a decision against Ponce De Leon 13 months ago.
"Broner reminds me of when they were building up Andre Berto," Gibbons said. "He fought a lot of nobodies on HBO and then got his first real challenge from Victor Ortiz and lost. Orlando Salido would love to be the first guy to beat Broner."
Don't be fooled by Salido's record, by the way. Eight of his losses were from 2001 or earlier, when he was a teenager and learning on the job. Although Broner would have a certain speed advantage, Salido has shown he can deal with speed. In September 2010, he faced Yuriorkis Gamboa in a featherweight title bout. Gamboa has maybe the best pure speed in boxing to go with considerable power. Although a big underdog, Salido acquitted himself very well. Despite losing a decision, Salido scored a knockdown and was quite competitive. There's no reason he can't be the same with Broner, who has never faced a guy with the kind of heart and pure fighting mentality as Salido.
As for Salido going to Cincinnati for the fight, no problem.
"Salido has made his living on the road," Gibbons said. "He is the Mexican Glenn Johnson, the Mexican 'Road Warrior.' After fighting in front of 10,000 people in Puerto Rico twice against Lopez, there aren't enough people in Cincinnati to scare Salido, including Broner."
Gibbons would like the fight in the fall. I believe that HBO (on which Broner has been fighting) or Showtime (on which Salido fought both Lopez fights) would be interested in it, given that neither man has many other notable options.
"That's what the fall is for, and one of us will fall -- and it won't be Salido," Gibbons said.
Although Salido has fought on Top Rank shows and he and Gibbons are close to the company, Salido is promoted by Fernando Beltran's Zanfer Promotions. Gibbons said there would be no issue having Golden Boy promote the fight, despite the Golden Boy-Top Rank cold war that has kept them from doing business.
"We have a working relationship with Top Rank, but we have no problem working with any promoter," Gibbons said. "I hope somebody's personal differences wouldn't stop one of the best fights at 130 from being made. I'm glad HBO and Golden Boy are undermatching Broner so he will not get beat before Salido has a chance to brush the canvas with his face after he knocks him out."
Those are fightin' words. Now we just need to see the fight.
As if Golden Boy isn't already deep enough in quality junior welterweights -- its stable includes titleholders Marcos Maidana and Danny Garcia, along with star and former titlist Amir Khan and top-10 contenders Lucas Matthysse and Humberto Soto -- the company recently signed another fighter in the weight class who could become a factor: Jhoan Perez.
Golden Boy matchmaker Robert Diaz first saw Perez, a 28-year-old power hitter from Venezuela, fight in November 2010 when he appeared in a four-rounder on the David Haye-Audley Harrison undercard in Manchester, England.
Diaz was there because of Haye's association with Golden Boy, but he liked what he saw from Perez as he rolled to a shutout decision against a low-level opponent.
"I was impressed with his style. He was very strong and aggressive," Diaz said. "He looks for the knockout and is not shy about engaging his opponent. He's very big for 140 pounds, too. I'm not really sure how much longer he can stay at 140. But he's very hungry. Hungry to fight and to win. He's coming from the barrio and he wants to make a statement."
Four fights later, after the bout Diaz watched in England, Perez fought to a majority draw with undefeated Alberto Mosquera in Mosquera's native Panama. In his next fight, also in Panama, Perez (15-0-1, 12 KOs) scored a fourth-round knockout of Kenny Galarza, who wasn't far removed from being regarded as hot prospect. Perez followed that victory with another fourth-round knockout, this time against Fernando Castaneda in Mexico in December to win a vacant interim belt.
All along, Diaz was keeping tabs on him and keeping in touch with the fighter's manager, Rafael Moron, because Diaz wanted to sign Perez.
Diaz also did his homework on Perez. Golden Boy promotes former featherweight and junior lightweight titlist Jorge Linares, who is also from Venezuela and who knows Perez. Diaz, who is very close to Linares, said he asked him about Perez and that Linares "spoke highly" of him.
Then in February, Diaz attended a WBA awards dinner in Panama along with Golden Boy fighters Khan and Maidana. It was there that Diaz met with Perez and Moron, who also were attending the dinner. Finally, that's when Diaz reeled Perez in.
Now Golden Boy has high hopes for Perez. The plan is to give him a tuneup fight in June and then put him into a bigger fight in August.
"I told [Golden Boy CEO] Richard [Schaefer] that I wanted one feeler-out fight for him," Diaz said of Perez, "but then in the second fight I'd like to match him with the winner of the Soto-Matthysse fight. That's how ready I think this kid is."
Soto and Matthysse hook up June 23 in a tremendous matchup on Showtime in the co-feature of the Victor Ortiz-Andre Berto welterweight rematch at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Even if Perez against the Soto-Matthysse winner can't be made for this summer, Schaefer said Perez would likely get a name opponent to face Aug. 18 on Showtime on the undercard of a proposed main event involving welterweight Devon Alexander.
Golden Boy matchmaker Robert Diaz first saw Perez, a 28-year-old power hitter from Venezuela, fight in November 2010 when he appeared in a four-rounder on the David Haye-Audley Harrison undercard in Manchester, England.
Diaz was there because of Haye's association with Golden Boy, but he liked what he saw from Perez as he rolled to a shutout decision against a low-level opponent.
"I was impressed with his style. He was very strong and aggressive," Diaz said. "He looks for the knockout and is not shy about engaging his opponent. He's very big for 140 pounds, too. I'm not really sure how much longer he can stay at 140. But he's very hungry. Hungry to fight and to win. He's coming from the barrio and he wants to make a statement."
Four fights later, after the bout Diaz watched in England, Perez fought to a majority draw with undefeated Alberto Mosquera in Mosquera's native Panama. In his next fight, also in Panama, Perez (15-0-1, 12 KOs) scored a fourth-round knockout of Kenny Galarza, who wasn't far removed from being regarded as hot prospect. Perez followed that victory with another fourth-round knockout, this time against Fernando Castaneda in Mexico in December to win a vacant interim belt.
All along, Diaz was keeping tabs on him and keeping in touch with the fighter's manager, Rafael Moron, because Diaz wanted to sign Perez.
Diaz also did his homework on Perez. Golden Boy promotes former featherweight and junior lightweight titlist Jorge Linares, who is also from Venezuela and who knows Perez. Diaz, who is very close to Linares, said he asked him about Perez and that Linares "spoke highly" of him.
Then in February, Diaz attended a WBA awards dinner in Panama along with Golden Boy fighters Khan and Maidana. It was there that Diaz met with Perez and Moron, who also were attending the dinner. Finally, that's when Diaz reeled Perez in.
Now Golden Boy has high hopes for Perez. The plan is to give him a tuneup fight in June and then put him into a bigger fight in August.
"I told [Golden Boy CEO] Richard [Schaefer] that I wanted one feeler-out fight for him," Diaz said of Perez, "but then in the second fight I'd like to match him with the winner of the Soto-Matthysse fight. That's how ready I think this kid is."
Soto and Matthysse hook up June 23 in a tremendous matchup on Showtime in the co-feature of the Victor Ortiz-Andre Berto welterweight rematch at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Even if Perez against the Soto-Matthysse winner can't be made for this summer, Schaefer said Perez would likely get a name opponent to face Aug. 18 on Showtime on the undercard of a proposed main event involving welterweight Devon Alexander.
The fight won't get a lot of play in the United States, but if you're a hard-core fight fan, how can you not be at least a little bit interested in Kazuto Ioka versus Akira Yaegashi? I, for one, think it could be a terrific fight.
Ioka and Yaegashi, who hold belts in boxing's smallest weight class, are due to meet in a strawweight title unification bout on June 20 in Osaka, Japan, Ioka's hometown.
I'm interested in the fight for a variety of reasons. First, even though they are only 105-pounders, they are entertaining fighters. That is the most important element.
The 23-year-old Ioka (9-0, 6 KOs) is a really good fighter who has scored some sensational knockouts in his brief pro career. Don't believe me? Just search YouTube for his second title defense from December, a spectacular first-round knockout of Yedgoen Tor Chalermchai. Yaegashi (15-2, 8 KOs) became something of a cult figure to boxing fans after an incredible October fight, in which Yaegashi, 29, stopped Pornsawan Porpramook in the 10th round to win a version of the title in one of the sickest action fights I've ever seen. In fact, I picked it as the 2011 ESPN.com fight of the year. This will be Yaegashi's first fight since that all-time classic.
The styles of Ioka and Yaegashi figure to mesh well because Ioka is a good counterpuncher and Yaegashi is more of a straight-ahead brawler. Both were excellent amateurs on the Japanese scene. Ioka was 95-10 with 64 knockouts in the unpaid ranks, and he barely missed making the 2008 Olympic team. Yaegashi was a Japanese amateur national champion.
Besides the likelihood that it will be a fun fight, I also dig the historical aspect of the match because strawweight unification bouts are very, very rare.
In addition, this fight also will be the first time in history that two Japanese titleholders will meet to unify belts in any weight class, according to friend and Japanese boxing historian Joe Koizumi. When you consider all of the titleholders Japan has produced over the years, that's stunning.
"I wish to prove who's the No. 1," Ioka said through a translator when the fight was recently announced.
Said Yaegashi: "Ioka will be a star player in Osaka, while I may take a supporting role. But the winner should take a stellar role in the ring."
Ioka and Yaegashi, who hold belts in boxing's smallest weight class, are due to meet in a strawweight title unification bout on June 20 in Osaka, Japan, Ioka's hometown.
I'm interested in the fight for a variety of reasons. First, even though they are only 105-pounders, they are entertaining fighters. That is the most important element.
The 23-year-old Ioka (9-0, 6 KOs) is a really good fighter who has scored some sensational knockouts in his brief pro career. Don't believe me? Just search YouTube for his second title defense from December, a spectacular first-round knockout of Yedgoen Tor Chalermchai. Yaegashi (15-2, 8 KOs) became something of a cult figure to boxing fans after an incredible October fight, in which Yaegashi, 29, stopped Pornsawan Porpramook in the 10th round to win a version of the title in one of the sickest action fights I've ever seen. In fact, I picked it as the 2011 ESPN.com fight of the year. This will be Yaegashi's first fight since that all-time classic.
The styles of Ioka and Yaegashi figure to mesh well because Ioka is a good counterpuncher and Yaegashi is more of a straight-ahead brawler. Both were excellent amateurs on the Japanese scene. Ioka was 95-10 with 64 knockouts in the unpaid ranks, and he barely missed making the 2008 Olympic team. Yaegashi was a Japanese amateur national champion.
Besides the likelihood that it will be a fun fight, I also dig the historical aspect of the match because strawweight unification bouts are very, very rare.
In addition, this fight also will be the first time in history that two Japanese titleholders will meet to unify belts in any weight class, according to friend and Japanese boxing historian Joe Koizumi. When you consider all of the titleholders Japan has produced over the years, that's stunning.
"I wish to prove who's the No. 1," Ioka said through a translator when the fight was recently announced.
Said Yaegashi: "Ioka will be a star player in Osaka, while I may take a supporting role. But the winner should take a stellar role in the ring."
No mincing words here: ESPN.com's Dan Rafael believes Richard Abril got "hosed" in a split decision loss to Brandon Rios on Saturday in Las Vegas. Agree? Disagree? Sound off in the comments section below or give us a shout on Twitter.
Showtime on Tuesday announced the lineup of fights for the Showtime Extreme undercard portion of Saturday night's world title doubleheader from the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas.
Heading up the Showtime Extreme telecast (7 p.m. ET/PT) will be longtime super middleweight contender Librado Andrade (30-4, 23 KOs), who will face Rowland Bryant (15-1, 10 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round bout.
Also, 2008 Mexican Olympian Francisco Vargas (9-0-1, 7 KOs), who signed recently with Golden Boy Promotions, will meet Rafael Lora (11-7, 5 KOs) in an eight-round junior lightweight fight.
Time permitting, junior middleweight prospect Chris Pearson (3-0, 2 KOs) will receive television exposure for his fight against Jose Martell (2-1-1, 2 KOs).
After the preliminary bouts, the action will shift to Showtime (9:30 ET/PT) for the two title bouts. Former bantamweight titlist Abner Mares (23-0-1, 13 KOs) is moving up to junior featherweight to face former flyweight titlist Eric Morel (46-2, 23 KOs) for a vacant belt in the main event. Bantamweight titleholder Anselmo Moreno (32-2-1, 11 KOs) of Panama will defend against Mexico's David De La Mora (24-1, 17 KOs) in the co-feature.
Heading up the Showtime Extreme telecast (7 p.m. ET/PT) will be longtime super middleweight contender Librado Andrade (30-4, 23 KOs), who will face Rowland Bryant (15-1, 10 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round bout.
Also, 2008 Mexican Olympian Francisco Vargas (9-0-1, 7 KOs), who signed recently with Golden Boy Promotions, will meet Rafael Lora (11-7, 5 KOs) in an eight-round junior lightweight fight.
Time permitting, junior middleweight prospect Chris Pearson (3-0, 2 KOs) will receive television exposure for his fight against Jose Martell (2-1-1, 2 KOs).
After the preliminary bouts, the action will shift to Showtime (9:30 ET/PT) for the two title bouts. Former bantamweight titlist Abner Mares (23-0-1, 13 KOs) is moving up to junior featherweight to face former flyweight titlist Eric Morel (46-2, 23 KOs) for a vacant belt in the main event. Bantamweight titleholder Anselmo Moreno (32-2-1, 11 KOs) of Panama will defend against Mexico's David De La Mora (24-1, 17 KOs) in the co-feature.
Chris Farina/Top RankMauricio Herrera wasn't quite up to the task against Mike Alvarado, but they put on quite a show.Junior welterweight Mauricio Herrera (18-2, 7 KOs) didn't beat Mike Alvarado (33-0, 23 KOs) on Saturday at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, but he took pride in being part of a fantastic action fight that will go down as a fight of the year candidate.
"I gave the fans what they came to see," Herrera said. "I stood toe to toe with the big guy and I lost a close fight. The 9-1 score discredits my performance. There is no way in hell I only got one round. I am not disappointed, because the crowd lifted me up during and after the fight. I told everyone I was going for broke and I did my best. Congrats to Alvarado, he is a gutsy guy."
It was a competitive fight all the way, but Alvarado won a unanimous decision on scores of 99-91 -- the outrageous 9-1 scorecard (in rounds) Herrera referred to -- 97-93 and 96-94.
Alvarado-Herrera stole the show, and by winning, Alvarado put himself in terrific position for a possible July fight against the great Juan Manuel Marquez. Herrera earned himself a summer vacation.
"Mauricio and Mike put on a great show," said Alex Camponovo of Thompson Boxing Promotions, which promotes Herrera. "It really was [like] the main event of the evening. Alvarado was the better man [Saturday], but I believe that it was closer than the 99-91 scorecard by one of the judges. Mauricio is a true warrior, and we are proud of him."
Showtime's June 2 quadrupleheader is rounding into shape. The top three fights at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., are set, and now the opening fight is close to being done as well.
Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, who is co-promoting the event, told ESPN.com on Monday that the bout he is working to finalize would pit Golden Boy fighter Leo Santa Cruz against South Africa's Vusi Malinga for the bantamweight belt that Abner Mares recently vacated in order to move up in weight.
"We're trying to finalize it," Schaefer said. "We've agreed on everything with [Malinga promoter Branco Milenkovic] and now we're just trying to get it signed. We made a strong offer and we've done business with Branco before. We've never had problems. We treat each other with respect."
Santa Cruz (19-0-1, 11 KOs), who is from Mexico but lives in Southern California, is one of Golden Boy's best young fighters. The 23-year-old has been fighting on Golden Boy's Televisa cards in Mexico and is developing a bit of a following in his home country, even though he hasn't been seen by an American audience. Malinga (20-3-1, 12 KOs) has won two fights in a row since his only previous title shot, a first-round knockout loss to Hozumi Hasegawa in Japan in 2009.
Cruiserweight Antonio Tarver (29-6, 20 KOs), the former light heavyweight champ and now also a Showtime broadcaster, tops the card in a fight against Lateef Kayode (18-0, 14 KOs). The co-feature is a crossroads bout between veteran middleweight contender Winky Wright (51-5-1, 25 KOs), the former undisputed junior middleweight champion returning from a three-year layoff, and rising contender "Kid Chocolate" Peter Quillin (26-0, 20 KOs).
Also on the card, junior middleweight titlist Austin Trout (24-0, 14 KOs) will defend against Delvin Rodriguez (26-5-3, 14 KOs).
It remains to be seen if Trout, whom Schaefer calls "one of the best-kept secrets in boxing," will still fight Sergiy Dzinziruk in a bout supposedly agreed to for Aug. 25 on HBO, although it seems unlikely. According to Dzinziruk co-promoters Artie Pelullo and Gary Shaw, they made a deal for the bout with Trout promoter Greg Cohen and were in the process of exchanging paperwork. However, that was before Trout signed with Al Haymon last week. (Shaw is involved with Trout for his next fight because of options he holds.)
Trout told me he would like to come right back for the HBO fight against Dzinziruk, assuming he beats Rodriguez. He said he took the June 2 fight because he didn't want to have to wait until August to fight.
"Depending on the outcome," Trout said, "I would love to come back in August."
Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, who is co-promoting the event, told ESPN.com on Monday that the bout he is working to finalize would pit Golden Boy fighter Leo Santa Cruz against South Africa's Vusi Malinga for the bantamweight belt that Abner Mares recently vacated in order to move up in weight.
"We're trying to finalize it," Schaefer said. "We've agreed on everything with [Malinga promoter Branco Milenkovic] and now we're just trying to get it signed. We made a strong offer and we've done business with Branco before. We've never had problems. We treat each other with respect."
Santa Cruz (19-0-1, 11 KOs), who is from Mexico but lives in Southern California, is one of Golden Boy's best young fighters. The 23-year-old has been fighting on Golden Boy's Televisa cards in Mexico and is developing a bit of a following in his home country, even though he hasn't been seen by an American audience. Malinga (20-3-1, 12 KOs) has won two fights in a row since his only previous title shot, a first-round knockout loss to Hozumi Hasegawa in Japan in 2009.
Cruiserweight Antonio Tarver (29-6, 20 KOs), the former light heavyweight champ and now also a Showtime broadcaster, tops the card in a fight against Lateef Kayode (18-0, 14 KOs). The co-feature is a crossroads bout between veteran middleweight contender Winky Wright (51-5-1, 25 KOs), the former undisputed junior middleweight champion returning from a three-year layoff, and rising contender "Kid Chocolate" Peter Quillin (26-0, 20 KOs).
Also on the card, junior middleweight titlist Austin Trout (24-0, 14 KOs) will defend against Delvin Rodriguez (26-5-3, 14 KOs).
It remains to be seen if Trout, whom Schaefer calls "one of the best-kept secrets in boxing," will still fight Sergiy Dzinziruk in a bout supposedly agreed to for Aug. 25 on HBO, although it seems unlikely. According to Dzinziruk co-promoters Artie Pelullo and Gary Shaw, they made a deal for the bout with Trout promoter Greg Cohen and were in the process of exchanging paperwork. However, that was before Trout signed with Al Haymon last week. (Shaw is involved with Trout for his next fight because of options he holds.)
Trout told me he would like to come right back for the HBO fight against Dzinziruk, assuming he beats Rodriguez. He said he took the June 2 fight because he didn't want to have to wait until August to fight.
"Depending on the outcome," Trout said, "I would love to come back in August."
As memorable as Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s fourth-round knockout of Victor Ortiz was in September -- when he knocked out Ortiz while he had his hands down and wasn't looking -- Mayweather's exchange with HBO commentator Larry Merchant after the fight was equally memorable.
During the instant-classic interview, Mayweather, being booed relentlessly by the crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas because of the unsportsmanlike way the fight ended, was agitated by Merchant's questioning of what can best be described as a legal sucker puncher.
Mayweather cut the interview short and began berating and cursing out Merchant, whom he said HBO should fire.
The now-81-year-old Merchant -- the best fight analyst of all time, in my opinion -- responded with the line heard 'round the world: "I wish I was 50 years younger and I'd kick your ass."
Now Mayweather has his next fight lined up, for May 5 on HBO PPV against junior middleweight titlist Miguel Cotto.
And waiting for the fighters after the bout to interview them will be none other than Merchant, who told ESPN.com that executive producer Rick Bernstein called him recently to officially assign him to the pay-per-view.
Many believed that HBO would keep Merchant off the show to appease Mayweather and instead assign Max Kellerman, who splits pay-per-view and "World Championship Boxing" broadcasts with Merchant. But HBO made the right call and put Merchant on the May 5 card. Kellerman has been assigned for the other biggie, the June 9 Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley Jr. pay-per-view.
"They told me that I will be doing the May 5 show, and I am looking forward to it," Merchant said. "Everybody knows what happened, and it seemed like the right thing to do was to put me on the fight."
Merchant tried to downplay the notion of a "rematch" with Mayweather.
"To me, it's a fight I want to see and the fight is first, second and third," Merchant said. "I understand that there is a certain fascination with the question and answers between Mayweather and me, but the fight is first.
"There have been times when there have been contentious interviews, but we try to treat it professionally, both the fighter and me. In this case [in September], there was a highly controversial ending to a fight and a volatile, explosive atmosphere in the arena. As the next part of that drama, I found myself being personally attacked and I responded spontaneously. When somebody attacks you, you can duck, take the punch or respond. Without thinking about it, I responded the way I did. I felt that it was an honest, spontaneous response and you can't second-guess that any more than you can second-guess the fans who saw what they saw with the way Mayweather knocked out Ortiz."
Merchant said he has no regrets about how he handled the interview, but he considers it to be in the past.
"I don't have any regrets, and the five minutes of fame I had afterward was a giggle and a hoot," Merchant said.
He said he was inundated with calls and messages about the interview and was amused that a TMZ camera crew was waiting for him at the Los Angeles airport when he flew home from Las Vegas the next day.
"There's TMZ, which I didn't even know what it was at the time, at the airport," Merchant laughed. "And then I got a few head waiters who gave me some good tables at restaurants, and it was over."
Certainly Merchant's presence will generate additional interest in the fight, a few extra stories and some discussion as the promotion kicks in. It will be interesting to see if Mayweather, win or lose, talks to him in the ring after the fight.
If he does, how will Mayweather react when Merchant inevitably asks the fighter not only about the fight but also his future plans, which include an 87-day jail term for domestic abuse that begins June 1?
"I'm a sidebar to the main event. I get it, and nobody has offered me a piece of the action," Merchant joked.
More seriously, Merchant added: "I will treat it as a fight. I haven't given any thought about an interview after the fight. I will go in and ask whatever questions I think the fight suggests I should ask. My job is to ask questions and question answers. It's not a popularity contest."
During the instant-classic interview, Mayweather, being booed relentlessly by the crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas because of the unsportsmanlike way the fight ended, was agitated by Merchant's questioning of what can best be described as a legal sucker puncher.
Mayweather cut the interview short and began berating and cursing out Merchant, whom he said HBO should fire.
The now-81-year-old Merchant -- the best fight analyst of all time, in my opinion -- responded with the line heard 'round the world: "I wish I was 50 years younger and I'd kick your ass."
Now Mayweather has his next fight lined up, for May 5 on HBO PPV against junior middleweight titlist Miguel Cotto.
And waiting for the fighters after the bout to interview them will be none other than Merchant, who told ESPN.com that executive producer Rick Bernstein called him recently to officially assign him to the pay-per-view.
Many believed that HBO would keep Merchant off the show to appease Mayweather and instead assign Max Kellerman, who splits pay-per-view and "World Championship Boxing" broadcasts with Merchant. But HBO made the right call and put Merchant on the May 5 card. Kellerman has been assigned for the other biggie, the June 9 Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley Jr. pay-per-view.
"They told me that I will be doing the May 5 show, and I am looking forward to it," Merchant said. "Everybody knows what happened, and it seemed like the right thing to do was to put me on the fight."
Merchant tried to downplay the notion of a "rematch" with Mayweather.
"To me, it's a fight I want to see and the fight is first, second and third," Merchant said. "I understand that there is a certain fascination with the question and answers between Mayweather and me, but the fight is first.
"There have been times when there have been contentious interviews, but we try to treat it professionally, both the fighter and me. In this case [in September], there was a highly controversial ending to a fight and a volatile, explosive atmosphere in the arena. As the next part of that drama, I found myself being personally attacked and I responded spontaneously. When somebody attacks you, you can duck, take the punch or respond. Without thinking about it, I responded the way I did. I felt that it was an honest, spontaneous response and you can't second-guess that any more than you can second-guess the fans who saw what they saw with the way Mayweather knocked out Ortiz."
Merchant said he has no regrets about how he handled the interview, but he considers it to be in the past.
"I don't have any regrets, and the five minutes of fame I had afterward was a giggle and a hoot," Merchant said.
He said he was inundated with calls and messages about the interview and was amused that a TMZ camera crew was waiting for him at the Los Angeles airport when he flew home from Las Vegas the next day.
"There's TMZ, which I didn't even know what it was at the time, at the airport," Merchant laughed. "And then I got a few head waiters who gave me some good tables at restaurants, and it was over."
Certainly Merchant's presence will generate additional interest in the fight, a few extra stories and some discussion as the promotion kicks in. It will be interesting to see if Mayweather, win or lose, talks to him in the ring after the fight.
If he does, how will Mayweather react when Merchant inevitably asks the fighter not only about the fight but also his future plans, which include an 87-day jail term for domestic abuse that begins June 1?
"I'm a sidebar to the main event. I get it, and nobody has offered me a piece of the action," Merchant joked.
More seriously, Merchant added: "I will treat it as a fight. I haven't given any thought about an interview after the fight. I will go in and ask whatever questions I think the fight suggests I should ask. My job is to ask questions and question answers. It's not a popularity contest."
Northern Ireland's Paul McCloskey (23-1,12 KOs), who lost a lopsided sixth-round technical decision in a junior welterweight title bout to Amir Khan last April, will face former titlist DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley on May 5 in Belfast, promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sports announced.
Corley will replace original opponent (and former lightweight titlist) Julio Diaz. According to Hearn, Diaz withdrew because of concerns about making 140 pounds -- the second time he has pulled out because of weight issues in recent fights. Corley (38-19-1, 22 KOs) is just 2-8 in his past 10 fights, although he is coming off an upset decision win against previously undefeated Gabriel Bracero in January.
"Corley has been in with the very best in the business and is on a high after beating Bracero, so it's a good test for me," McCloskey said.
Corley will replace original opponent (and former lightweight titlist) Julio Diaz. According to Hearn, Diaz withdrew because of concerns about making 140 pounds -- the second time he has pulled out because of weight issues in recent fights. Corley (38-19-1, 22 KOs) is just 2-8 in his past 10 fights, although he is coming off an upset decision win against previously undefeated Gabriel Bracero in January.
"Corley has been in with the very best in the business and is on a high after beating Bracero, so it's a good test for me," McCloskey said.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Dan Rafael
Dan Rafael is ESPN.com's boxing writer. Rafael began writing for ESPN.com in March 2005 after working for five years as the boxing writer for USA Today. He can be reached on Twitter at danrafaelespn.