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Seth Abraham: Floyd Is His Own Best and Worst Advisor
“Money” arrives in Vegas on Tuesday; as always, he generates debates and emotions in fight fans, and vast amounts of copy from writers who remain fixated on what makes him tick, and why he doesn't seem so keen on making a fight all boxing fans want to see.
A Twitter friend asked me on Tuesday why I continue to perseverate on The Fight when it is obviously dead on pre-arrival.
A good question, I had to give it to him.
Why indeed write about a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight when Mayweather is set to fight in a real-deal scrap, not a theoretical one, in just a few days. That excellent and pointed query got me thinking: why am I spending time and energy writing about Mayweather-Pacquiao when Mayweather-Cotto is at hand?
Here's why: because it's a mystery, and I like mysteries, and am an intellectually curious soul who is often moved to try and solve mysteries, or at least make enough sense of them so they don't stay lodged in my brain, bugging me. Yeah, this one bugs me. I just don't get it. And I'm not inclined to shrug it off, and move on. You can call that persistent, or mule-ishly stubborn. Why can't the parties involved give the fans what they want, what they've wanted for a few years?
Now, it can be argued that this is a business, and the customer isn't always right, so to hell with the customers. Believe me, boxing fans are quite used to this line of thinking. But, if the fans do not matter all that much, shouldn't the money matter? Shouldn't the fact that about a quarter billion dollars be grossed from this superfight spur the involved parties to get it done? One would think…but since conventional wisdom hasn't been adhered to, and a no-brainer of a fight hasn't been made, we are left to wonder why. I ponder it on a daily basis, right or wrong, because I have a fundamental dislike for situation where rationality is tossed out the window. I spend too much time why voters vote for politicians who craft and adhere to policies which leave them poorer on a daily if not hourly basis, and why The Fight hasn't been made almost as often.
So…forgive my long winded prologue to part two of my discussion with ex HBO boxing chief Seth Abraham, who I had the pleasure of chatting with a short time ago. He now runs a consulting shop, Starship, and teaches part-time.
Abraham told me he thinks Mayweather-Pacquiao won't happen–“The percentage chance of the fight happening, today, is zero”–and it's not because of money.
At various times, I've thought that it is about “Money,” that Floyd's pride won't let him be party to a situation which will enrich Pacquiao, who has a lawsuit against Mayweather, for defamation, pending. I mean, wouldn't you think that Floyd could get past his enmity for the Filipino if it were to mean he'd net double or triple the amount he's ever made for a fight? I would…But Abraham says money isn't the sticking point.
“I believe it's not about money,” Abraham told me. “I don't think it has anything to do with blood work or money. Both fighters would make vast sums.” No, the ex HBO head thinks that Floyd is more concerned with legacy, not money. He wants to be lumped in with the Sugars and Ali, as an all-time fight god, and he thinks that retiring undefeated will go a long way in helping that legacy be achieved. (He's probably right…as years pass, fewer and fewer folks would be inclined to dig down on Floyd's record, and examine if in fact he fought the best and brightest of his era, when they were freshest and most dangerous, or not. They would and will reach for the most tantalizing, low-hanging fruit of statistic: that zero. That lack of a loss. That will speak louder and louder as the decades pass, IMO.)
Abraham told me that back in 2000, when HBO was trying to nail down an extension with Floyd–he'd been making about $800,000 a fight, and the new deal would pay him about $4 million per bout–he tried to argue that fighting and beating the best was more important for his legacy than that “0.”
“He didn't buy it,” Abraham said.
Furthermore, Abraham said if Pacquiao loses, to Tim Bradley, then The Fight for sure doesn't happen. “Then Floyd feels vindicated. He will fight you, me and Larry Merchant. He'll get as many victories as he can.”
Regularly, fight fans or even casual sports fans will ask me if Floyd is smart, or dumb. I tell them he is not dumb, for sure. Now, can he be ignorant, and insensitive and engage in speech and behaviors that suggest he has racist tendencies? Just look at his recent history, on Ustream, and the fact that he seems casually use language that many would term hurtful, words which play up differences in sexuality or ethnicity. Would some folks determine that anyone that fixates so much on money, and seems to believe that net worth equates to self worth and indicates a certain status in society is “stupid?” They would; but I don't think “stupid” is the correct designation at all. Abraham agrees: “Floyd is very much his own man. He has his advisors. But Floyd is his own man, for better or worse.”
The man who spent hundreds if not thousands of hours doing deals with Don King and Bob Arum at their apex in the 80s and 90s does think that advisors will lobby Floyd to make The Fight. (Remember, while wealth hasn't trickled down to the masses in the last 40 years in America, we can assume dough from The Fight would enrich members of the Mayweather and Pacquiao teams, so if you are rooting for The Fight to happen, I guess you have to hope that Al Haymon holds more sway over Floyd than some think he does.) Back in 2000, Abraham sat in his office in NY with Floyd and Arum, then his promoter. He pre-arranged with Arum to get the promoter to step out of the meeting, when things bogged down. Abraham said he asked Floyd why he wouldn't sign a deal that would increase his purses almost five times.
“He couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation,” Abraham said. “That told me he is his best and worst advisor. He is a great, great talent in the ring. But I don't know why he doesn't listen more to his advisors.”
I'd offer that maybe it is because, historically, advisors are quite often in it to enrich themselves first and foremost, and do not actually give a tinker's damn about the boxer they represent. So…maybe this indicates that Floyd is actually far smarter and craftier than most if not all pundits have given him credit for.
Well, I could go on for another few thousand words. I'm quite sure that in the very near future, I will delve into elements of The Fight Seth Abraham Thinks Will Not Happen we didn't touch on, like, just what the heck is it about Pacquiao, and his style, or his training regimen, which puts the fear of the legacy-smearing loss in Mayweather, in depth. I leave you, if you are tired of pondering the issue, with a muted apology, and if you still hunger to see The Fight, a promise to keep on examining the matter, helping if at all possible to shed light on the subject, and in some small way, helping push the event towards fruition.
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Canelo vs Berlanga Battles the UFC: Hopefully No Repeat of the 2019 Fiasco
If one happens to be fan of both traditional boxing and MMA, then one has a choice to make this Saturday. Canelo Alvarez will be in action at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas defending his lineal 168-pound world title against Edgar Berlanga and two miles away in a competing Pay-Per-View card, the first-ever sporting event will be staged inside The Sphere, a UFC card bearing the title Riyadh Season Noche 306.
This won’t be the first time that a boxing card featuring the red-headed Mexican superstar went head-to-head with a UFC event. On Nov. 2, 2019, Canelo Alvarez fought Sergey Kovalev at the T-Mobile and 2,500 miles away, MMA stars Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal locked horns at Madison Square Garden. Both cards were PPV. Alvarez vs Kovalev was live-streamed on DAZN; Diaz vs Masvidal on ESPN+.
We don’t know which event generated the most profit, but the way things played out, this was a symbolic win for the UFC. On this night, the venerable sport of boxing and its adherents were reduced to a second-class citizen.
The fault lay with the nitwits at DAZN. They thought it prudent to postpone the start of Alvarez-Kovalev until the Diaz-Masdival fight was finished. What resulted was an interlude that dragged on for a good 90 minutes after Ryan Garcia knocked out Romero Duno in 98 seconds in the semi-wind-up. Then came the ring walks, the National Anthems (there were three), and the long-winded introduction of the combatants. When the bell finally sounded to signify the start of the bout, it was 10:18 inside the arena and 1:18 am for the bleary-eyed folks tuning in back in the Eastern Time Zone. The backlash was fierce.
The competing shows this coming Saturday coincide with Mexican Independence Day Weekend. One might assume that this will give the PBC promotion at the T-Mobile a leg up as Canelo Alvarez is a must-see attraction within the Mexican and Mexican-American communities. However, the UFC card has something going for it that T-Mobile lacks. The venue is itself an allurement. The newest addition to the Las Vegas skyline, The Sphere has the WOW factor. Even long-time Las Vegas locals, supposedly jaded by a surfeit of architectural wonders, are mesmerized by the constantly changing light show on the exterior of the big globe. Inside, visitors will find the world’s highest resolution LED display.
Customizing the interior for UFC 306 was an expensive proposition. UFC honcho Dana White has pegged the cost at $20 million and concedes that without Saudi money it would not have been feasible. He says that Saturday’s show will be “one-off,” not merely the first combat sports event at The Sphere, but also the last because it would be too expensive to replicate. If that be true, attendees are advised to keep their ticket stubs. Years from now, they might command a nice price in the sports memorabilia marketplace.
The T-Mobile has Canelo, but The Sphere has Alexa Grasso who, akin to Canelo, hails from Guadalajara. Ms. Grasso, 31, just may be the second-most-well-known fighter in Mexico. In addition to holding the UFC flyweight title, she is an analyst for the UFC’s Spanish-language broadcasts.
Grasso will be defending her belts against Russia’s Valentina Shevshenko in the co-main. In the featured bout, bantamweight belt-holder Sean O’Malley will defend his title against Merab Dvalishvili.
The T-Mobile card on Prime Video comes with a suggested list price of $89.99 for U.S. buyers without a Prime Video account. That tab has been widely assailed as a rip-off. “It’s gouging fight fans, plain and simple,” says Kevin Iole who covered both boxing and MMA for Yahoo. (For the record, the UFC show on ESPN+ comes with a list price of $79.99, $10 cheaper if bundled with an ESPN+ subscription. The UFC folks are holding their breath that the event can be translated to the small screen without compromising the clarity of the picture. The logistics are daunting.)
The main bouts on the UFC card will be far more competitive based on the prevailing odds, but when it comes to combat sports, this reporter is a traditionalist. Agreed, that can be interpreted as an old fuddy-duddy stuck in his ways, but in my eyes boxing, a sport that rests on a far more arresting historic foundation, trumps the Johnny-come-lately that is the UFC.
Check back later this week as TSS West Coast Bureau Chief David A. Avila offers up a closer look at Alvarez vs Berlanga and some of the supporting bouts.
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Niyomtrong Proves a Bridge Too Far for Alex Winwood in Australia
Today in Perth, Australia, Alex Winwood stepped up in class in his fifth pro fight with the aim of becoming the fastest world title-holder in Australian boxing history. But Winwood (4-0, 2 KOs heading in) wasn’t ready for WBA strawweight champion Thammanoon Niyomtrong, aka Knockout CP Freshmart, who by some accounts is the longest reigning champion in the sport.
Niyomtrong (25-0, 9 KOs) prevailed by a slim margin to retain his title. “At least the right guy won,” said prominent Australian boxing writer Anthony Cocks who thought the scores (114-112, 114-112, 113-113) gave the hometown fighter all the best of it.
Winwood, who represented Australia in the Tokyo Olympics, trained for the match in Thailand (as do many foreign boxers in his weight class). He is trained by Angelo Hyder who also worked with Danny Green and the Moloney twins. Had he prevailed, he would have broken the record of Australian boxing icon Jeff Fenech who won a world title in his seventh pro fight. A member of the Noongar tribe, Winwood, 27, also hoped to etch on his name on the list of notable Australian aboriginal boxers alongside Dave Sands, Lionel Rose and the Mundines, Tony and Anthony, father and son.
What Winwood, 27, hoped to capitalize on was Niyomtrong’s theoretical ring rust. The Thai was making his first start since July 20 of 2022 when he won a comfortable decision over Wanheng Menayothin in one of the most ballyhooed domestic showdowns in Thai boxing history. But the Noongar needed more edges than that to overcome the Thai who won his first major title in his ninth pro fight with a hard-fought decision over Nicaragua’s Carlos Buitrago who was 27-0-1 heading in.
A former Muai Thai champion, Niyomtrong/Freshmart turns 34 later this month, an advanced age for a boxer in the sport’s smallest weight class. Although he remains undefeated, he may have passed his prime. How good was he in his heyday? Prominent boxing historian Matt McGrain has written that he was the most accomplished strawweight in the world in the decade 2010-2019: “It is not close, it is not debatable, there is no argument.”
Against the intrepid Winwood, Niyomtrong started slowly. In round seven, he cranked up the juice, putting the local fighter down hard with a left hook. He added another knockdown in round nine. The game Winwood stayed the course, but was well-beaten at the finish, no matter that the scorecards suggested otherwise, creating the impression of a very close fight.
P.S. – Because boxrec refused to name this a title fight, it fell under the radar screen until the result was made known. In case you hadn’t noticed, boxrec is at loggerheads with the World Boxing Association and has decided to “de-certify” the oldest of the world sanctioning bodies. While this reporter would be happy to see the WBA disappear – it is clearly the most corrupt of the four major organizations – the view from here is that boxrec is being petty. Moreover, if this practice continues, it will be much harder for boxing historians of future generations to sort through the rubble.
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Avila Perspective, Chap. 295: Callum Walsh, Pechanga Casino Fights and More
Super welterweight contender Callum Walsh worked out for reporters and videographers at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, Calif. on Thursday,
The native of Ireland Walsh (11-0, 9 KOs) has a fight date against Poland’s Przemyslaw Runowski (22-2-1, 6 KOs) on Friday, Sept. 20 at the city of Dublin. It’s a homecoming for the undefeated southpaw from Cork. UFC Fight Pass will stream the 360 Promotions card.
Mark down the date.
Walsh is the latest prodigy of promoter Tom Loeffler who has a history of developing European boxers in America and propelling them forward on the global boxing scene. Think Gennady “Triple G” Golovkin and you know what I mean.
Golovkin was a middleweight monster for years.
From Kevin Kelley to Oba Carr to Vitaly Klitschko to Serhii Bohachuk and many more in-between, the trail of elite boxers promoted by Loeffler continues to grow. Will Walsh be the newest success?
Add to the mix Dana White, the maestro of UFC, who is also involved with Walsh and you get a clearer picture of what the Irish lad brings to the table.
Walsh has speed, power and a glint of meanness that champions need to navigate the prizefighting world. He also has one of the best trainers in the world in Freddie Roach who needs no further introduction.
Perhaps the final measure of Walsh will be when he’s been tested with the most important challenge of all:
Can he take a punch from a big hitter?
That’s the final challenge
It always comes down to the chin. It’s what separates the Golovkins from the rest of the pack. At the top of the food chain they all can hit, have incredible speed and skill, but the fighters with the rock hard chins are those that prevail.
So far, the chin test is the only examination remaining for Walsh.
“King’ Callum Walsh is ready for his Irish homecoming and promises some fireworks for the Irish fans. This will be an entertaining show for the fans and we are excited to bring world class boxing back to the 3Arena in Dublin,” said Loeffler.
Pechanga Fights
MarvNation Promotions presents a battle between welterweight contenders Jose “Chon” Zepeda (37-5, 28 KOs) and Ivan Redkach (24-7-1, 19 KOs) on Friday, Sept. 6, at Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula. DAZN will stream the fight card.
Both have fought many of the best welterweights in the world and now face each other. It should be an interesting clash between the veterans.
Also on the card, featherweights Nathan Rodriguez (15-0) and Bryan Mercado (11-5-1) meet in an eight-round fight.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. First bout at 7 p.m.
Monster Inoue
Once again Japan’s Naoya Inoue dispatched another super bantamweight contender with ease as TJ Doheny was unable to continue in the seventh round after battered by a combination on Tuesday in Tokyo.
Inoue continues to brush away whoever is placed in front of him like a glint of dust.
Is the “Monster” the best fighter pound-for-pound on the planet or is it Terence Crawford? Both are dynamic punchers with skill, speed, power and great chins.
Munguia in Big Bear
Super middleweight contender Jaime Munguia is two weeks away from his match with Erik Bazinyan at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. ESPN will show the Top Rank card.
“Erik Bazinyan is a good fighter. He’s undefeated. He switches stances. We need to be careful with that. He’s taller and has a longer reach than me. He has a good jab. He can punch well on the inside. He’s a fighter who comes with all the desire to excel,” said Munguia.
Bazinyan has victories over Ronald Ellis and Alantez Fox.
In case you didn’t know, Munguia moved over to Top Rank but still has ties with Golden Boy Promotions and Zanfer Promotions. Bazinyan is promoted by Eye of the Tiger.
This is the Tijuana fighter’s first match with Top Rank since losing to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez last May in Las Vegas. He is back with trainer Erik Morales.
Callum Walsh photo credit: Lina Baker
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