In Boxing News: Taylor-Wright Closer, Mayweather, Valuev

In Boxing News: Wright-Taylor, Mayweather, Valuev & More

Winky Wright will fight champion Jermain Taylor within the next four months, reports Tampa Bay Online today. Lou DiBella, Jermain Taylor‘s promoter, said, we are looking to fight Winky next. We’re not running away from anybody. We will make him an offer and it will be up to Winky to accept it. In keeping with the usual cut and thrust of negotiations, Winky Wright is holding out for a 50-50 purse split: We will see what [the offer] is. If it’s good, then cool. If it isn’t, we ain’t doing it. I can’t pay bills with belts. If the money is right, we can do it. This fight needs to happen for the good of everybody concerned, and it now appears it will, posturing aside. (Fingers crossed.)

The World Boxing Council chose Floyd Mayweather as its boxer of the year on Tuesday, one of several annual awards announced by the WBC. Jermain Taylor received honorable mention and Corrales vs. Castillo I was voted fight of the year.

Tim Smith of the New York Daily News says that although Judah-Baldomir is the main event, the real fight of the night will occur between Jean-Marc Mormeck and O’Neil Bell. Bell is using the Holyfield ‘Six Degrees of Separation’ angle and his underdog status to help fuel him for his match against Mormeck, says Smith.

Nice column on the late Eddie Futch at itv.com. ITV says Eddie Futch is perhaps the greatest boxing ‘teacher’ the game has ever known. A list of his pupils seems to support the claim: ITV lists Bob Foster, Ken Norton, Larry Holmes, Alexis Arguello, Michael Spinks, Marlon Starling, Riddick Bowe and Joe Frazier amongst the fighters Futch trained. Futch, of course, may be best remembered for his part in the Thrilla In Manilla.

Since Nicolay Valuev defeated John Ruiz, readers of TheSweetScience.com have been looking for info on the giant heavyweight. Today Robert Mladinich interviews Showtime’s Steve Farhood and trainer John Scully (both who have seen Valuev close up) about the new WBA champion. It’s worth checking out to see what Farhood and Scully have to say about The Beast from the East.

Speaking of the readers of the this website, there are clearly readers of TheSweetScience.com who are interested in mixed martial arts, kick boxing etc. as well as boxing … so today Luca De Franco provides an account of some kick boxers who have tried their luck in the sweet science. He even asks the readers to contact him and let him know if you would like to see a match between a kick boxer and a boxer. Luca – put me down as a NO.

(More Boxing News Links at TheSweetScience.com)