BOXINGTALK'S DAILY BREAD
By Stephen Edwards

B, I consider myself a damn good writer & your article on subject matter was simply beautiful journalism. It was impartial, unbiased, and left no stone unturned.  "Uncle Bob" has always been suspect. He really thinks the masses want to see a second Cotto fight? Or a fight with Margacheato? If he's using them as bargaining chips, either he thinks the boxing public is dumb...or even worse, "they" are because I'm not a part of "they" in this scenario. More than the trivial back and forth about the fight, you hit a key point about the "power of the consumer". If the oppressed/poor black people of Montgomery Alabama in the mid 1950's can ban together, say "keep your fucking bus ride" and start the "change of a nation", why can't we boycott & change the idiotic politics of a sport? They'd be kissing our asses and handing out free ringside seats if we'd just say "I'm not drinking the kool-aid anymore." Imagine MGM fight night, Floyd and Manny getting it on with 100 people in the damn joint. Now, that would be an "OJ" and "Tiger Woods" wake up call SQUARED. To be honest, I can give less than a damn if they fight. Do these assholes realize we're in a recession & have turmoil going on from coast to coast? People need ways to escape from their daily grind/issues and sports "used to be" a nice 1-3 hour refuge. Just rapping brah, this was too raw to post anyway!  Again, nice article playboy.

Bread’s Response: Thanks Sarge. We can change the sport if we DEMAND that the promoters SUPPLY us with certain things, or else we simply don’t BUY. EVERYBODY has to do their part. Nothing is too raw for my mailbag as long as it’s well thought out and respectful as your comments always are.
 
 
What's going on, Bread? I know how disgusted you are - and I would imagine every other boxing fan - with this whole Manny/Margacheato scenario. The fact that it is looking like it will be for the vacant WBC trinket just adds to the stench. I won't even attempt to go into what disgusts me about Sulaiman's cartel, as we both know that would take up pages. I find it much easier to just not pay any attention to the alphabet boys and their machinations. The thing is, some people and outlets still give these belts credence. And as long as that happens, fighters will still jump through hoops and be beholden to much of the nonsense that these organizations dictate. Unfortunately, for a great many boxers, winning one of these so-called belts does
hold a certain cachet and may allow for some more high profile bouts. So, it's a catch 22 scenario here. If more networks just ignored these bandits, I would like to think this mess may be purged a bit. I know this has been going on for decades now, but with the advent of interim titlists when the regular champion is healthy and has been making his defenses coupled with the advent of "super" champions and silver or platinum or whatever the hell belts is sickening. Oh, well. I'll just keep doing what I have been doing and that's watch the fights and ignore whichever strap may be up for grabs. Can't let you off the hook without some more what-ifs. Prime Supermiddle Toney against the "Bronx Bull" LaMotta (who later said he would have been more comfortable at Supermiddle)? Prime Zale (pre-WWII) vs Ketchel? In Toney and Jake, we have two craftsmen who did not always go full tilt ahead. I think this may be more of a technical, infighting scrap. Jake had vastly underrated boxing skills. I find it
more even than historical weight may suggest. Whoever brings more on a certain night may get the nod. I will go with them splitting two and the third up for grabs. The man of steel was from a breed apart compared to the battlers of today. The times and conditions of that era can't be replicated. Ketchel may have excelled in an even tougher time. Two old school middleweights standing ring center and throwing heat. Ketchel may have had the better one off punch, but Zale was more refined and had the better body attack. I'll go Zale by 15 rd decision or later tko. Mike from Tampa

Bread’s Response: I am disgusted. These vacant and interim titles are just so asinine. The biggest problem boxing has, is not enough people who have power care. John McCain helped us a lot with the Muhammad Ali Act but we need more. If this country cared about boxing as much as it does baseball, football and basketball , it would be cleaner. It’s going to take a guy like Mark Cuban to put his hand in the mix, someone who understands a positive sports structure to get this sport we love together.
 
Toney vs. Lamotta. You have two of the best chins ever. When I think about this fight , I think about the two chinks in Toney’s armor. One is fast foot movement. Toney likes for his opponents to come to him and stay in the trenches. Secondly, Toney can be out hustled. Jake is not a quick mover but he can out hustle Toney. I want to pick Toney but I will agree with your pick and say they split a pair of great fights.
 
Ketchel was probably not advanced enough to beat Zale. If you notice I always note that boxing changed to the modern style in the 1930’s. Ketchel was a beast and a real puncher but very few men of his time could compete against the modern style. I would take Zale.
 
 
Breadman, Sorry to bug you again. But I'm afraid I have to admit that you know your sh*t... Lol! Speak that knowledge! To the following: It’s funny and hypocritical to me that Floyd’s backers, writers and fans a like still defend him. It’s not that Roger is not training him. It’s not that he needs a rest. It’s the animal from the Philippines with the lung capacity of a shark. If 40 million was on the table to fight Berto , do you guys think Floyd would want to chill and relax for another year? Hopefully Manny struggles against Margarito so the fight can get made. Floyd Mayweather is not a coward, but he has a less than noble make up, and somebody like that will never crack my all time top 10. You guy can have him. He is doing the same thing he did after the Ricky Hatton fight. Waiting for the smoke to clear.  I have to agree 110%. While I believe that there is some BS with Arum, the above depicts Floyd's side of the bargain acturately in my humble opinion. My sixth sense is telling me the same thing. DC Stretch

Bread’s Response: You never bother me with your comments. There is plenty of Arum BS in the mix ,but Floyd is not doing his part ,everyone must be held accountable. Some call it criticism, I call it the truth. All you have to do is study human behavior to understand what’s going on. Fighters by nature manipulate reality to satisfy their egos. Just look at their patterns. They change trainers as soon as they lose. They also change where their training camps were held. It’s just their way, not right or wrong. Cus D mato said, “squares don’t die round.” People are what they are. Great quote. Just look for a minute. How many times have we heard De La Hoya say he is in the best shape of his life , to still slightly gas around the 8th or 9th round? How many times have we heard Holyfield or Gatti say they are going to “box” but as soon as they get hurt, they turn into animals? Most people and especially fighters need an excuse if things don’t go their way.
 
Now we have Floyd. Floyd will not be able to deal with a “legitimate” clear loss. It will ruin him mentally. He already started with the built in excuse of PED’s, early in the deal. He needs that to justify, god forbid if things don’t go his way. Now he wants to take off and rest. Well many of his supporters claim he “carried” Marquez to get rounds in. Ok fine. Well why be counter productive and rest again. Floyd knows too much rest will lead to RUST. He’s been in the game too long to think otherwise. He just beat Mosley 11 out of 12 rounds and made easy work out of him, taking minimal punishment. How much rest does he need? Goodness gracious!
 
Floyd needs an excuse. He will be 34 in February. Middle 30’s. Usually the time for slippage. If he becomes inactive, and older , if he were to ever lose he can always use that as an excuse.
 
Sometimes fighters do counterproductive things subconsciously and consciously. I am not sure which is the case for Floyd. But my sixth sense, guts and what ever other mechanisms we use to feel the truth, tell me he never really wanted to fight Pacquiao and if he does, he needs an built in excuse if things don’t go his way.
 
A source  close to this negotiation told me that Floyd would not fight Manny in March. They also told me after the Mosley fight, that Manny’s camp was so sure he would KO Floyd, that were going to play mind games with Floyd and accept most of these blood test demands quickly just to get him in the ring. I always give credence when someone tells me something beforehand then it happens. They also said that Floyd would come up with something else to not make the fight right away. He still needs more assurance he will win.
 
They were right about everything!
 
One more thing. I want to be fair to Bob Arum. While I place a good deal of blame on him in this situation for many reasons that I already stated. I will say this. I do believe that some sort of negotiations were taking place. Now Arum may have been disingenuous with the extent of the negotiations, but in my opinion some sort of correspondence was going on. Why? The rules of logic tell me so. How could a GAG ORDER be put in place if no one, no where, was doing any talking? It would not be logical to tell everyone involved to shut up, if no one was talking in the 1st place. I have a sense of fairness about me and I always explore the totality of circumstances. I liken this to Panama Lewis, telling the assistant trainer in Pryor’s fight with Arguello, “get me the bottle I mixed.” Well if water is the only liquid allowed to be consumed in a corner, then I would assume , something else was in the bottle. You don’t mix, water with water. And you don’t tell people to shut up, that are not talking.
 
 
i have a couple of questions for you. first how would a fight between roy & sugar ray robinson play out @160. i think there are few hypothetical matchups that could match this one. remember roy never seemed to have any flaws until he was 35 & came down from heavywwieght. i now a certain "inactive" fighter is a no no with you but your source tell you that the other fighter agreed to all blood testing demands but sr & jeff said that was not true & manny wants parity. according to sports illustrated yearly top paid athletes list, he made more $ vs shane than manny made all of last year. the total is 60 pbf &38 for manny. they both had 2 fights. manny had 1.9 ppv buys while floyd did 2.4. the gate for may mosely was 2x as much as manny vs clottey and the attendance was 50k in cowboy stadium vs 15k in vegas. also correct me if im wrong but if they got 100 million to split and it was 60 40 pbf 40% of that is way more $ than he could make anywhere else. vivek wallace said that arum knew floyd wasnt fighting anymore in 2010 & thats why he "went public" with his bs deadline etc

Bread’s Response: Boxers earnings are always something to be skeptical about. There are too many variables. I will say that Floyd nets way more money than Manny does. In my opinion Floyd has better business people around him and he is more well versed on the business side of the game. I have said many times, that in my opinion Manny gets taken advantage by all his handlers etc. Manny getting jerked has nothing to do with the fight getting made. That’s Manny’s problem not Floyd’s. If Floyd does not want to fight for the rest of the year, what difference does it make if Manny wants or does not want parity? Floyd has said he is on vacation! What else would you expect to hear from Floyd’s camp? Of course they are going to say something different than what Arum is saying.
 
As far as Floyd not wanting to fight for the rest of the year. This stuff just came up. I personally heard him say he told Ellerbee to get him Pacquiao so he can beat his ass. I also heard him say that if Manny agreed to the blood test then they would fight. Oscar who has been really partial to Floyd over the last couple of years came out with a statement saying, everything was going good with the negotiations and they were close to a deal. Remember that? Floyd makes it hard for his people to publicly back him.
 
I shouldn’t be saying this but I don’t care anymore. A source told me that during the 1st negotiations Ellerbee and Haymon went after Floyd as he left the mediation room trying to get him to take the fight. If that is true, all I can say is boy of boy. Those negotiations were supposed to be kept quiet. I have never seen so much secret squirrel shit involving a fight. You would think they were applying for a job with the FBI. I’m sure no one will admit that but in this case no one ever does. We are forced to form our opinions based on the actions of the involved parties.

Robinson would have his hands filled with Roy at 160. Roy is probably 10-15lbs naturally bigger. Remember after Roy beat Bhop he only defended his 160lb title once. He fought a couple of non title fights at 168 during his reign. Robinson became spotty at 160 because of age and wear n tear. So we would have to take the Robinson of lets say 1949 or 1950. I would take Robinson because I know he is physically and mentally tougher. He is the harder puncher and he jabs more. It would be very difficult but I believe he would shade Roy. Roy made a statement after the 3rd Tarver fight, that still does not sit well with me. He indirectly said he lost the fight on purpose to get back at his dad, or to not give his dad. Something crazy of the sort. I love Roy and I think he is top 15 ever but his mental state would prevent him from beating the best fighter ever. Everything else is just about even but Robinson is much tougher and I think it would show in enough spots for him to win.
 

What's up Bread, I'm loving that your not taking any Pacquiao/Mayweather questions until their respective camps figure it out! Anyways, Who do you think Cotto wiLl be fighting next at 154lbs?  You have Angulo, who I think can beat Cotto, he's stronger, younger takes a good punch will probably be able to walk Cotto down like Margarito did. Also have Kermit I like to jump out the ring Cintron. Also have Paul williams and Sergio Martinez Who do u think will be his next fight and why? Keep up the good work
Jorge from LA.

 

Bread’s Response: I’m not taking any comments about their fight because they are not fighting. I will field good questions about them however. Especially now since Pac is probably fighting Margarito. If I were managing Cotto I would take another B guy, but I would make sure he was viable. Maybe the kid who won on his undercard Matrysan. He has some HBO exposure, Roach trains him and he is undefeated. Cotto deserves that. Plus he could use another fight with Steward before he gets pushed. After that I think he should go after Berto. Maybe in Miami. Large Haitian a and Puerto Rican community. Maybe the night before a big Miami Heat game. The promotion would be sick. Angulo is another viable guy, but he may give Cotto flashbacks of Margarito. Angulo is red hot. I’m not sure if things will play out the way I say because who knows what kind of money HBO will dangle. Angulo seems to be a favorite.  I don’t think Miguel will face Cintron. Cintron may NEVER get back on HBO again. Williams and Martinez are probably a little too much but Miguel never shies away from tough comp.

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