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Boxing News: Gatti, Pacquiao, Mosley and more...
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Arturo Gatti: For the second time in as many weeks, the world of boxing has lost a warrior for reasons which have still yet to be defined. The sudden and tragic loss of Arturo Gatti has sent shockwaves across the world as a man known to be a brave warrior has been forever silenced, at the hands of a woman whose emotions apparently got the most of her after a heated spat. For those that new Gatti, the greatest thing about him was his patented smile, but being such a warrior in the ring, few can remember seeing it without remnants of swollen eyes or black and blue bruises, as he never left the ring without giving it his all. Some may view that remark as a slight, but actually, it's an honor, because there was no warrior in recent times who could claim the bravery medal of honor above Gatti. From Oscar, to Floyd, and a countless amount of others, he faced them all, and chose not to run from any. This unfortunate act has left not only the boxing world without a warrior, but a child without either of his parents, as Gatti is gone and his wife now facing life in prison. In the early 80's, Marvin Gaye asked the world "What's going on"? Nearly 30 years later, we still have no answer for that question, and this tragedy shines true light on that very dim subject. May he rest in peace.
Manny Pacquiao: The Manny Pacquiao/Miguel Cotto saga continues, as all details have been hashed out, with the exception of the most necessary ones. Weight and money. The money issue, relative to PPV buys is still unresolved, and word has it that neither side is willing to budge on the weight issue, with Pacquiao demanding 141lbs to 143lbs, while Cotto is dead set against anything below 145lbs. Critics of Pacquiao continue to point to the fact that he was able to face ODH at '47 without losing a step, while critics of Cotto feel he has to concede to the bigger name. Politics continue to take a grip on the sport and with promoter Bob Arum quickly running out of answers, one can only imagine what will take place in the end. Arum has recently stated that in order to get an adequate promotion going and have time for quality fight camps, the two fighters will have to come to terms sooner than later. We know Pacquiao is the naturally smaller fighter, but when it comes to putting aside the fight stalling antics, one has to wonder should Cotto be forced to infact be the 'bigger' man? If he wants the payday and opportunity to do something grand, he may not have a choice. Cotto weighed in against Clottey at 146lbs in June and that was after vigorous training. Can he legitimately get any lower? Good question. How effective he'll be if he does?...Better question. Only time will tell.
Vic Darchinyan: For those in attendance last Saturday night, it appeared that Darchinyan was clearly out-classed by a man that few had any true knowledge of. Darchinyan put in one helluva fight, but perhaps his interest in going up in weight was permanently stunted, as it was visibly clear that the power and skill level in the bantamweight and beyond sector is well outside his ability. I don't think we've seen the last of Vic, but he may want to rethink that 'moving-up-in-weight' strategy. It doesn't appear to be a good one.
David Haye: David Haye missed his opportunity to face Wladimir. Now he gets to face Vitali, the one brother of the two who most feel he has the least chance against. Unlike Wladimir, Vitali is a very rugged heavyweight with very little anxiety in the ring. Many remember him in his epic battle against Lennox Lewis that was stopped due to a severe gash above the eye. After leaving the ring for a few years, we don't quite know how well Vitali is today, considering that he has only defeated a past-his-prime Samuel Peter and a not so proven Juan Carlos Gomez. If Vitali is a fraction of what he was, this could turn out to be a bad night for Haye. He has the speed, power, and skill to make it interesting, but his stamina is an issue. Vitali has a granite chin. If it goes the distance, Haye's first real heavyweight test may be his last. Stay tuned.
Shane Mosley: The 'Sugar' man has apparently decided to stop chasing Mayweather and Pacquiao, instead locking his sights on Paul Williams, Andre Berto, and a few others in the sport. This move is perceived as a good one for Shane, as it appears his low-risk-high-reward nature has unfortunately caught up with him. A match between he and Pacquiao would have paired two classic warriors, but seeing it happen is a non-issue, as it never will. Shane's best move is to take on Berto, try to win that WBC strap, and put himself in position to have a few bargaining chips at the negotiating table against whomever he faces next. A Williams fight would be classic, especially when you consider what Williams did to one of the men responsible for conquering Mosley twice - 'Winky' Wright. Goldenboy Promotions is expected to announce an opponent for Mosley within the next few weeks.
(Vivek Wallace can be reached at vivexemail@yahoo.com, Facebook, and Myspace).
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