Boxing Notebook: Cotto-Pacquiao not set, Tarver and more

January 25th, 2012

By Rich Mancuso

The way Bob arum sees it a second fight with Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao has not been made. The fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. is another story, and according to Arum, Mayweather can keep his May 5 date but it won’t be with Pacquiao.

Tuesday was another day of this and that pertaining to the two biggest names in the sport. Arum was irate about an internet report, which claimed, a press conference had been set in New York City for this coming Monday that would announce the second fight with Cotto against Pacquiao. In that report there were further claims that Pacquiao continues to avoid Mayweather because Arum is afraid of Mayweather,

The matter continues to be Pacquiao, and a cut over his right eye that still needs time to heel after his third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez. Arum, who met with Pacquiao in the Philippines last week, is waiting to hear his champion about possible opponents for a June fight either against Marquez, Cotto, Timothy Bradley or Lamont Peterson.

The venue and purse split for the mega-fight with Pacquiao and Mayweather are still the main issues. Top Rank is going ahead with plans to erect a large venue on the Las Vegas strip, adjacent to the MGM Grand Hotel to accommodate as many fans as possible.

There is not enough time to put the fight together in May. And though it continues to appear that Arum and Pacquiao are looking as the bad guys in all of this, the logical explanation is that Mayweather is keeping his May 5th date, still without an opponent. Though all the reports say at some point in the next few days it will be Mayweather against Canelo Alvarez.

Arum is also incensed that reports of Pacquiao set for Cotto are coming from Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, the third man in the Mayweather picture. Apparently Schaefer, tied in with a boxing web site, is feeding information that does not get verified. And with the age of social media, with editing not as it was in the old newspaper era, anything can get published or is made to be believed.

Cotto remains in Puerto Rico and Arum is open to working with the three-time champion. Because Cotto has not re-signed his contract with Top Rank, it does not necessarily mean he will not deal with Arum. But there always is a possible scenario that Cotto could go ahead and make his own fight with Mayweather, though the more likely picture is Pacquiao will pick Cotto as his next opponent in June.

Does this mean once again that Mayweather and Pacquiao is dead? No, because Arum is open to Pacquiao fighting in November. Yes, to more drama and the mega-fight continuing to be a fantasy and more to write and discuss.

TARVER CHALLENGING B-HOP GETS SOME ATTENTION: This is a slow time for the boxing season with no major fights on the agenda for a few more weeks. So, that leaves room for continued speculation and Antonio Tarver, the Showtime analyst, and former champion made some noise on Tuesday.

Tarv er, apparently with some free time before Showtime gets busy with the upcoming Andre Berto-Victor Ortiz fight, said he could be a possible, interesting, and next opponent for light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins. Either as a cruiserweight or light heavyweight, Tarver claimed Hopkins getting in the ring with him would be more enticing than another Hopkins-Chad Dawson bout.

However, the WBC has mandated that Hopkins, once again their champion, defend the title again with Dawson. Hopkins has more interest in meeting Jean Pascal a third time, and reports from the Dawson camp in New Haven Connecticut are indicating they are prepared to meet Hopkins a second time.

Tarver created s a stir, social media again as the outlet. At the end of the day Tarver would say “Thanks for listening people. It was an interesting day.” Hopkins did not respond and could not be reached for comment. And at one point the name of Roy Jones Jr. came into the equation. Tarver made reference that he would defeat Jones again, that Pascal would have to wait in line, and he would be the perfect opponent for B-Hop.

There are discussions for Tarver to possibly step in the ring with cruiser Steve Cunningham, and he made reference to once again changing a scope of the heavyweight division. Though a challenge was not made to the Klitschko brothers who hold two-thirds of the heavyweight titles….

THROWING THE PUNCHES: Jose Sulaiman, the WBC President opened his mouth again and said that their middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is not afraid of Sergio Martinez. Now, why would Sulaiman be so defensive of the WBC middleweight champion who is mandated to defend against Martinez at some point this year?

Sulaiman is very conscious of the media, in particular Mexico City outlets that constantly monitor Chavez Jr. They believe that Sulaiman is protecting Chavez Jr, that all stems from a continued business and friendship relationship with the legendary champion Julio Caesar Chavez, father of the champion.

“With all respect to Mexican boxing fans, I inform you that Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has never said that he won’t face Martinez,”said Sulaiman in a statement. “I know Chavez. I know he has the same brave heart as his father.” Chavez defends his title against Marco Antonio Rubio, February 4th on HBO…

Arum is incensed that he has no tickets for the Super Bowl in Indianapolis a week from Sunday. Apparently, Arum, a fan of the New York Giants, who has attended every Super Bowl game, with the exception of two, got no tickets from a lottery system….

Nonito Donaire, “The Filipino Flash” reportedly is in line for a bout with the winner of Juan Manuel Lopez and Orlando Salido and will be at ringside at the Roberto Clemente Stadium in San Juan Puerto Rico for the fight on March 10th… With all due respect, why is former heavyweight champion John Ruiz discussing a comeback after a long awaited retirement that was official last year?…