In Boxing News: Jeff Fenech, Jermain Taylor, Winky, Mayweather & More

Boxing Roundup For Dec. 29th

Jermain Taylor‘s promoter, Lou DiBella, said an April fight against Winky Wright at Alltel Arena in North Little Rock is a possibility: We’re not saying we are going to fight Winky next, but we are seriously exploring the possibility. It’s good news, which hopefully will get better with DiBella announcing sometime soon they are going to fight Winky next.

Bob Arum believes Floyd Mayweather is one of the best he has ever worked with: He’s really right up there with the great fighters. He’s up there with Sugar Ray Leonard, with Marvin Hagler, with Alexis Arguello. He’s one of the best. He has incredibly fast reflexes and is probably the smartest of all the fighters since Muhammad Ali. Getting back to the mooted Taylor-Wright showdown, in the same column writer Robert Morales quotes promoter Lou DiBella on the possibility of Jermain Taylor facing Winky Wright next: We are not paying step-aside money to Winky and we don’t want to get stripped. So, we are trying to work out a deal with Winky. My gut tells me Winky is not going to accept what’s there. Therefore, he is going to be the one to forfeit his chance at the title. Winky needs the fight a lot more than we do. Personally, I wouldn’t be shocked if Winky’s gut is telling him maybe he should take the short end of the stick in order to get Taylor in the ring. Just in case, DiBella said he has three alternate opponents for Taylor’s next fight should Wright decide not to sign – Sam Soliman, Howard Eastman and Felix Sturm.

All across the wire today is news that Jeff Fenech will face a Gold Coast court on Friday after being accused of shoplifting. Strange parallels between Fenech and another Jeff – Reardon – who was arrested for armed robbery earlier this week.

Dan Rafael at ESPN continues his ‘best of’ theme to round out the year, picking Allan Green’s KO of Jaidon Codrington as the knockout of the year for 2005.

British heavyweight Danny Williams is reportedly set to face the rough-and-ready Matt Skelton in yet another UK heavyyweight showdown on Saturday, February 25. Danny Williams‘ much anticipated showdown with Audley Harrison which closed out the year in the UK turned out to be a bust, though it should be said it was Harrison who received the lion’s share of the blame for what turned out to be a snorefest until the late rounds. Skelton is reportedly crude, but very tough and could provide some mild intrigue in the moribund heavyweight division during 2006 if he can get past Williams. This is assuming, of course, the fight actually happens. Williams pulled out at the last minute when the pair where scheduled to meet in July.

Finally, in the realm of the bizarre, Mike Tyson’s alleged half-brother says he is looking at making a ring comeback. Ron Kantowski of the Las Vegas Sun details the unusual tale of fighter Cliff Couser. Bizarre as it is, it’s in part characters like this that have always drawn me to follow the sweet science.

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