 Say it Ain’t So, Floyd
By Steve Kim (April 24, 2006) Photo © HBO
 Send this page to friend Give us your feedback
Surely the best fighter since Muhammad Ali wouldn't avoid an $8 million-plus payday against a slow, ponderous, unskilled guy like Antonio Margarito, right?
Say it ain't so, Floyd!!!
"He passed on Margarito for now, whatever the reason," confirmed Bob Arum - who had reserved August 12th for that bout - to Maxboxing. "So I'm doing Rahman-Maskaev in its place and we'll revisit it later in the fall."
The reason given, according to Arum, is, "He says his hand is bad; maybe it is, maybe it isn't. I mean it was a way to get three fights in this year. Maybe the hand is bad."
Mayweather’s reluctance doesn't surprise Arum.
"No, not really. There was always in my mind that he had a great reluctance to fight Margarito," he admitted. "One thing about Floyd, he knows more about boxing than anybody and Margarito is the riskiest fight for him."
As for Margarito, Arum says as of now he plans to put him underneath Rahman-Maskaev in Las Vegas. But there could be other options for the rugged Mexican, who holds the WBO welterweight belt.
"Right now, Ricky Hatton is interested in fighting him but that can't be until the fall." Hatton makes his HBO debut on May 13th against WBA welterweight titlist Luis Collazo. Arum also mentioned Miguel Cotto as a possibility. "There are a lot of guys that would fight him, but I'm still confident that I'll be able to make a Margarito fight," he says. But perhaps that’s wishful thinking.
Maybe he should think about guys who are actually willing to get in the ring with Margarito. It seems Mayweather has his eyes on a date against Oscar De La Hoya, who makes his return on May 6th versus Ricardo Mayorga.
But Arum says that he's still promoting the ‘Pretty Boy'.
"Absolutely. Floyd's done the honorable thing and I have no problems with Floyd or anybody with him, none whatsoever."
But you get the sense that Floyd and his advisor Al Haymon just might make a deal without Arum if it meant making the fight with 'The Golden Boy'.
Discuss this Topic - Go to the forums
For Questions or Comments
E-Mail Steve Kim at k9kim@maxboxing.com
|
