It’s Down To Baldomir And Spinks For Mayweather
By Michael Woods August 8th, 2006PBF not fighting Margarito any time soon
You’ve been waiting with baited breath and are a dark shade of blue. But soon you will be to draw a breath, because Floyd Mayweather will be releasing the details of his next bout very shortly…
Leonard Ellerbe, PBF’s advisor, said on Monday that Nov. 4 would be the target date, and that the identity of an opponent for the pound-for-pound king should be chosen this week, the Grand Rapids Press reports.
Carlos Baldomir and Cory Spinks are apparently the lone possibilities at this juncture, as Floyd’s turn-down of a fat payday against Antonio Margarito is set in stone, it appears…
Baldomir dismantled Arturo Gatti to retain his welterweight championship (147 pounds) last month, while Spinks beat Roman Karmazin for the International Boxing Federation junior middleweight title (154 pounds) on July 8…
“We’ll have an announcement this week … on a major pay-per-view event for Nov. 4, just like we’ve said all along,” Ellerbe said to the Press. “Some people may think we’ve lost momentum, or that we’re running out of choices, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
“Every fight Floyd fights is a big fight. That generates a lot of speculation, some warranted, some not warranted. But the truth remains that everybody in the world wants to fight Floyd Mayweather, and they’ll all get their turn.”
Me too? Sign me up, Ellerbe, I need a down payment for a house…
August 8th, 2006 at 1:33 pm
Would be a good fight for Baldomir. He does not seem afraid to face Mayweather. Win and he sits on top of the welterweight pile, loose and he makes a big haul anyway.
Imagine if he were to defeat Floyd this year, he would surely be the fighter of the year…or the last 5 years to be sure.
August 8th, 2006 at 1:55 pm
What a surprise…. Spinks or Baldomir. If either of these fights is free, then I guess I’d be OK. To say this is a disappointment is an understatement. I know that Baldy is the linear champion but he beat a Zab Judah, who was ill prepared mentally and Gatti, who as much as I love, is facing the winter of his career. Although Mayweather would need to bring a hammer in the ring to hurt Baldy, his skill set should slice him over the course of 12 rounds. And we all know Mayweather is too smart and too fast to get caught with a lucky bomb, besides Baldomir doesn’t have one punch power.
Spinks would be a posing match between the two and although it might be entertaining in spurts, I can see Mayweather breaking down Spinks late or winning a UD 116-110. I do love those Spinks ring entrances though!!
Either way, I’m not surprised.
The end.
August 8th, 2006 at 2:20 pm
I think the fight should be made with baldy. I think cory is pretty much at the end of his career and although baldy has been fighting for a while, He currently has the spot light.
With Floyd just beating gatti and judah as baldy did, This should be an exciting fight. I think Floyd will knock him out though. Floyd’s skill and power will be too much for Floyd.
August 8th, 2006 at 2:35 pm
Safe fights, Baldomir 35 years old has beaten two Junior Welterweights and Spinks got his clocked cleaned when Judah who lost easily to Mayweather knocked him out. I would love to see him fight Kermit Cintron, Joshua Clottey or even Carlos Quintana. He turned down 8 Million
because Margarito is not a well known fighter yet he will fight Baldomir or Spinks for probably less money. He just wants to stay safe and busy so he can fight De La Hoya in May. Mayweather vs Margarito on PPV I would buy it.
August 8th, 2006 at 3:51 pm
Baldomir or Spinks, huh? Carlos is too slow for PBF, right! Can’t knock him out, eh? I don’t know , but he DID beat Judah, who for all his ring flaws, does hit harder than Mayweather does. Oh, and did you happen to catch a glimpse of the man walking through Arturo Gatti’s Sunday punches? As for Son of Leon, the real question is at what weight would he and Floyd meet? At 154, Jinx, due to Mayweather being a natural Jr. Welterweight, has a real chance of beating the PFP king. 7 lbs means ALOT, and with Mayweather’s lack of power and fragile hands, Cory will not be an easy win by any means! Also, Floyd will be that much slower. Plus, Spinks is a southpaw, and we saw how Zab got to him early in their fight. It appears to me that Mayweather wants no part of Margarito and that’s fine. I just hope he doesn’t think that Baldomir or Spinks is a step down. We’re talking about World champs and Floyd may not have to worry about Margarito should he lose. He can watch Cory or Carlos make that 8 mil!!!!!
August 8th, 2006 at 5:34 pm
PBF is a coward. Of course he’d settle for a tough, ageing and limited fighter and a former champ who seems past his best. Floyd’s doing what he does best: Ducking people.
First, he ducks Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley, Oscar De La Hoya, Kostya Tszyu, Miguel Cotto…Now Margarito! He may be the most skilled guy out there, but other people such as Gatti would beat him hands down in terms of courage.
And isn’t it also funny how he is now allegedly chasing De La Hoya now that De La Hoya’s past his prime?
August 8th, 2006 at 7:34 pm
you know i love to see great champs in there day and see how they react to challenges and up and downs. But I am still wondering why people want to see Floyd loose so bad. I have been boxing for about 16 years and Ive seen PBF fight twice in person and almost all of his other fights on tv. I was telling one of my gym buddies i never thought id see another guy who may be better than Ray, but im seeing it now. but anyway, margairto, please. I have see him fight about five times and i cannot even see him being in the same class as floyd. I believe that Floyd would expose him for the overated contender he is. I mean dont get me wrong. Tony is good but anybody who can look at his last few fights and think he can even compete with Floyd is silly. hes too slow. and he has a mound of fundamental Flaws. Everyone calls floyd a coward but honestly, people just want to see someone who is on Floyd’s level and beat him. Hey id love to see him come across a great chanlenge too but Tony margarito is not the answer. They said the same thing about gatti, lol and they dont even play that fight on Tv anymore lol. Oscar would be be a big event sure. but he probably cant beat floyd either. everyone said he looked good in his last outing but all i saw was an in shape Oscar beat a guy with not one ounce of boxing skill what so ever. Shane mosley too. they make a big deal out of the Vargus win but he has a such a speed advantage on Fernando that its almost unfair. what do you do with someone who is faster and actually a better boxer. Almost everyone who faces FLoyd has to deal with that sad truth. There was one guy who was amlost as quick as Floyd and if it werent for a diliberate low blow. He would have stopped him(ZAB). And Oscar, well. i think the world would not be able to take it if Floyd beat his a**. but thats what would most likely happen. He will only loose if he fights someone would who is very big a strong and a very good boxer. maybe Winky Wright or someone like that. but anybody else between 140-154………FUGET ABOTIT!!!!
August 8th, 2006 at 9:55 pm
Brian, it’s not that we want to see PBF lose. It’s that we want to see him fight the best fighters available! Right now that’s Margarito. Oscar and Shane have said that they weren’t fighting again this year and 8 mil was on the table for Floyd to beat up Margarito as you think he would! I believe he’s a better fighter than Antonio, too. That’s why it’s AMAZING to me that he wouldn’t take a quick, easy payday and then beat up a fading Oscar or Shane! If it’s THAT easy, he should have done it!!! There’s no way he’ll make that much on Baldomir or Spinks, so what is the problem? Furthermore, Oscar may be slower, but he knows how to fight and is THE VERY BEST FINISHER IN THE GAME. If he lands a clean shot(and he is heavy-handed) he will knock Mayweather out! Mosley is even better than De La Hoya. He is quicker afoot and has faster hands. And he hits just as hard. Add that to the fact that Mayweather couldn’t hurt either of them if he hit him with brass knuckles and you’ve got a serious problem! There are fights to be made, and for all his talent (PBF’S a BAD MF, no doubt about it) he refuses to make them.
August 8th, 2006 at 9:59 pm
P.S., Brian, there once was a better fighter than Ray. His name is Roy Jones, Jr.
August 8th, 2006 at 11:07 pm
Mayweather needs to stick with Spinks because Baldomir is a load. He’ got a granite chin and would press him the entire 36 minutes. Actually, that’s the much better fight between the two so I hope it goes down. It would finally test Floyd (somewhat). Besides, Spinks would get KO’d in 3, at most.
August 8th, 2006 at 11:41 pm
dissapointing. yea yea yea, i know wat yall are gonna say cuz i already know the deal myself. mayweather should be fighting the best and these guys are not the best. all the real fighters are gone, well almost lol, but im not buying these fights… i might just so if mayweather looses… yea right.. i can say i saw it happen, plus i love everything boxing. 147 div. is loaded with crazy talent….. floyd is killin me.
August 9th, 2006 at 8:44 am
Paul - You are the biggest clown that has ever posted anything on this site. Ever person (except Margarito) that you mentined up top are people he tried to make fights with and THEY turned him down. Check it out and let us all know how you were wrong and Hatton, Mosley, Cotto, DLH all turned him down to fight. Also when he was at 140, he would always call out Tszyu but I’m not sure why that never happend. Either way out of the 5 guys you say he’s “ducking” 4 of them turned him down with the excuses that “they are not ready” (except mosley…he has some trips planned with his wife..)
August 9th, 2006 at 8:46 am
Spinks or Baldy, I’m not buying!
I really think that Mayweather can beat Margarito but it will be a challenge! I can certainly see Antonio give Floyd all kinds of fits, if he stays at the long range.
PBF has being giving all sorts of excuses because he knows he’ll be in for a tough fight against the Tijuana man.
he’s too quick for Baldomir, it’s going to be an ugly fight. please don’t be fooled into thinking that it will be competitive. Spinks has more of a chance of catching PBF.
August 9th, 2006 at 9:00 am
Mayweather is doing the right thing. Everyone said that Ray Leonard was ducking the Hitman, but he was just waiting until it was a bigger fight, and made more money for both of them - which it did. Why would PBF fight Margarito, and maybe lose his chance at huge fights with both Mosley and DLH? That would just be stupid. Of course we, as fans, want to see him fight Margarito, and we will - but later on, when PBF is more of a household name, and it’s a much bigger fight.
August 9th, 2006 at 9:28 am
I bet anything he picks Spinks. It’s the safest fight and one he can justify with Cory’s belt. But it will be a boring fight. I’ve never seen one guy talk so much about his legacy and do so little to build it. Like Diggy said, true boxing fans don’t want PBF to lose, just fight the top fighters. It’s really THAT simple.
August 9th, 2006 at 9:36 am
Since PBF is intent on ducking Margarito, the WBO belt AND $8 million, his only option is Baldy. Why would he fight Spinks when Judah, who he beat, knocked Spinks out? Spinks would be a step back for Floyd. Might as well fight Baldy. But watch out boxing fans…Floyd can’t ko Baldy b/c Baldy’s chin is pretty good. PBF over Baldy by decision. In the meantime, Margarito, stay busy because eventually if Floyd keeps winning, he’ll have to fight you or risk his legacy being stamped as “business man” instead of “fighter.”
August 9th, 2006 at 1:07 pm
JayWall, Ray Leonard WAS ducking the Hitman, and the thorough BEATING Hearns was laying down before “Sugar” got to his chin illustrates my point. Ray NEEDED that knockout!! And he had to retire because of that fight. Why would PBF fight Margarito? I can think of 8 million reasons!!!!Also, if Margarito beats PBF, SO WHAT?? He’s talked himself into a fight with Shane, who can’t wait to get his hands on him at 147 where Mosley’s at his best, quickest, and most powerful!!!THE MONEY’S THERE FOR HIM.The fight everyone wants to see is Shane vs Floyd, and Margarito’s credible enough to lose to and still get it done! We paid to see Zab vs PBF after Judah was dismantled by Baldy, didn’t we? He’s taking a bigger risk with Spinks at 154 or Baldy with that granite chin of his and that relentless style, because those are both losable fights, and for less money! That’s not only bad for a legacy, IT’S BAD FOR BUSINESS!
August 9th, 2006 at 1:24 pm
How about Mayweather vs. Klitchko? Awsome! Ha HA! Just kidding! Mayweather is a punk and a puss! He is ducking the real fighters and is greedy! I pray for the day he gets his ass knocked out!
August 9th, 2006 at 2:01 pm
ahhh (diggy), i have to say that you make very valid points. but the zone that floyd is in right now i think is a little above that of Shane and Oscar. I think that Floyd doesnt want to fight Tony because well, he sees what you and i see. Everyone including myself believes that he should be having career defining bouts and i dont think he sees that in Margarito, but hey maybe he should fight him anyway. but if he does the media will only say he beat up another guy he was better than, and he wont get any credit. And about him not being able to hurt Shane or Oscar.. well. I dont believe that. neither one of them has ever faced a Floyd Mayweather and i know he doesnt have one punch power but he is very underated when is comes to how he breaks fighters down. he makes up for brute power with precision punching. And we all know once he figures you out, its all ubut over. Not to mention he is a very good body puncher, but now one talks about that. but look at all of his recent wins. hes broke his opponents down to the body. i just wish he could have fought Oscar and Shane in there prime because i think he still would beat them. But i garentee when or if he fights them and wins. People will say that he beat guys past his prime lol, ………HATERS lol
August 9th, 2006 at 2:35 pm
Floyd Mayweather is a great fighter no doubt. However, boxing is a business and I think he understands that very well. Although I would love to see him fight Margarito, he understands that this would be a great risk. Margarito has VERY heavy hands (just ask Kermitt Cintron among others) and is very unorthodox. I don’t know if he can really take a punch because nobody I’ve seen has tested him, but he is a big strong guy. I think FM knows this and before he takes the 8 million and the possibility of losing to AM, he will take on possibly lesser fighters for less money until he comes to an agreement ODLH who by the way I think is taking too long to firm something up with Floyd…Again, DLH is a businessman and he understands that he and Floyd can hype this up where next year they can break all kinds of records with this fight, much more than the 8 million Floyd will make with Margarito. Plus, I think DLH would be an easier fight for Floyd, he’s not as big, strong, young as Margarito and he does not hit as hard, in other words as much as I am a fan of DLH, he is definitely on his way down, but he can still make tons of money and that’s what is all about for all these guys. As a boxing fan the fight I want to see is Baldomir against Margarito, THAT would be the fight to see!! Two big strong guys that I believe are very evenly matched….The problem is neither is really a household name and except for true boxing fans, not too many people would pay to see that fight. Advantage: Probably Margarito as I feel he has a bigger punch. The winner of that fight could be a load on anyone, including Mosely, DLH and Floyd.
August 9th, 2006 at 3:52 pm
Only one word for PBF: CHICKEN!!!!!
August 9th, 2006 at 8:23 pm
Brian, if there is a guy that everyone thinks you are afraid of and you’re offered 8 mil to fight him and you turn it down for NO apparent reason to face less credible opponents for less money, you ARE defining your career. The definition is COWARD. If Margarito is the BUM you seem to think he is(I know I’m exaggerating) he could LOSE and mess up further money down the line! Again, bad for his legacy and bad for business
August 10th, 2006 at 1:46 am
wohhhhhhhhh, did Jaun just say that Atonio MArgarito is a bigger stronger guy that Dela hoya, a nd he hit harder. lol im sorry Jaun but umm. if the two were to fight Oscar would easilly dispatch the guy. hes not even in the same class as Oscar. When MArgarito gets exposed i want you all to remember who told first. i see the same thing with him as i saw with Lacy. When he faces a good fighter, which he really has not, then you will see how good he is. And i thing Baldy would beat his ass myself, and Baldy isnt that great either. but you guys will see. And people keep talking bout this coward stuff. it sounds like alot of haters to me. Floyd has always stepped up to the challenge with pride. I dont want to seem like im on his Jock but the guy has earned a lil respect. And to call him a coward is a lil well, dumb. There been a couple fights where Floyd was in where people were saying that he would be beat, and folks would make up reasons why he would be beat. Corales lol, alot of people said he was to tall, strong, to big lol. he didnt even belong in the same right. Gatti was supposed to go to his body and break him down. Instead he got the worst beating of his life. I cant wait till he fights some big name soon. i think the fight with Shane will be an easier fight than Oscar. Shane always tries to use his athletic ability to overwealm fighters and when it doesnt worj, him and jack are dumbfounded. Floyd would open a clinic on Shanes lack of head movement and the wideass punches he throws. Like i said before, he looked good in his last fight, but is was a slow, over th hill Vargus. Not arguable the best technical fighter in the world( maybe Winky is also) Just wait as see guys. And diggy, you are right. but i just think it would be a walk in the park with Floyd and Margarito. I just havent see that hes that good. ohh , and Who the hell isKermitt Cintron jaun ?!?!?! lol
August 10th, 2006 at 9:21 am
Is there any doubt that the choice is going to be Spinks?? NO WAY is Mayweather picking the larger, dangerous Baldomir. PBF will be fighting Cory Spinks this fall. And if Fraud does pick Baldomir, I’ll give him some credit - thats a decent fight.
August 10th, 2006 at 9:23 am
Also, Mayweather/Mosely would be great, but the best fight you can make in boxing would be Hatton vs Mayweather.