Kelly Pavlik Versus Paul Williams In The Works

It looks like a Kelly Pavlik versus Paul Williams middleweight show down is in the works. If it does happen in the fall as is being discussed it would be a huge fight for both fighters. Paul Williams could add significantly to his fan base and popularity as a fighter with a victory. On the other hand, Pavlik could get back into the picture as a top pound for pound fighter after a devastating loss to Bernard Hopkins.

It will be great to see this fight get made especially after Pavlik versus Arthur Abraham didn't get done despite teasing boxing fans for some time. If the fight doesn't happen it will be another frustrating missed opportunity for Pavlik. Or, maybe his handlers lack confidence in him? Quite possible after his loss to Hopkins. Nonetheless, Pavlik needs to beat someone relevant to get back into the picture. Unless his handlers can get him such a fight he's never going to be the top ten pound for pound fighter he once was. Arthur Abraham and Paul Williams both fit that bill. Let's hope the Williams fight gets made for the sake of the fans.

Vernon Forrest Shot to Death at 38

Vernon Forrest was shot 7 or 8 times last night after chasing down to assailants who tried to steal his Jaguar at an Atlanta gas station. Forrest was filling air in his tire when the two men tried to steal his car. Vernon Forrest was a former junior middleweight and welterweight champion who was best known for his two victories against Shane Mosley. This is a sad day for boxing as we lose a truly great fighter in a month where we also lost Arturo Gatti and Alexis Arguello.

The senseless violence that killed Forrest is extremely frustrating but at the moment we have mourn the loss as we try to move forward.

Affliction Finished: Fedor Emilianenko and Dana White May Finally Join Forces

Josh Barnett tested positive for steroids ending the possibility of a Fedor Emilianenko versus Josh Barnett heavyweight clash at Affliction's next event. They were the top two heavyweights in the world and the end of their fight resulted in the cancellation of the entire event when a suitable replacement could not be found for Fedor. It also seems like this will be the end of the entire promotion. Affliction looks to be shutting down shop. This may finally mean that Fedor will go to the UFC to work with Dana White.

There are some great fights for Fedor in the UFC. Primarily, with Brock Lesnar and potentially Randy Couture. Who knows - maybe even Bobby Lashley in the future. Those are all huge box office fights and will earn more money then Fedor can make elsewhere. The problem is whether or not Dana White can seal the deal. Fedor and White have had problems negotiating a deal in the past and those issues probably remain. However, financially this makes perfect sense for both parties more so then ever before. I think a deal will get made now because of the financial gorilla in the room. The huge draw in potential Fedor-Lesnar and Fedor-Couture fights should be all that is needed to make this deal a reality. Lets keep our fingers crossed.

Manny Pacquiao versus Miguel Cotto Official

Bob Arum has finally officially inked the Manny Pacquiao - Miguel Cotto fight for November 14th. The fight was pretty much made just a few last terms needed to be sorted out. Mainly weight as Pacquiao wanted the fight at 143 pounds but eventually settled for 145 pounds which is three pounds under the welterweight limit.

The hottest division in boxing at the moment is just in between welterweight and junior welterweight. Manny Pacquiao is the main reason for that with this fight and the Floyd Mayweather versus Juan Manuel Marquez fight being the two biggest fights in the second half of the year.

It will be interesting to see if Cotto can rebound from a tough loss to Antonio Margarito and a more recent tough fight against Joshua Clottey to beat Pacquiao at 145 pounds. Pacquiao seems to be invincible right now but Cotto has the size and ability to give him a greater challenge than either Oscar De La Hoya or Ricky Hatton could give him in his last two fights. As a result, this will be a very interesting fight and great benchmark for Pacquiao before going into a potential Floyd Mayweather showdown.

Prospects of Amir Khan Versus Ricky Hatton

The prospects of a Ricky Hatton versus Amir Khan fight are uncertain at the moment. Khan's trainer, Freddie Roach, said that he would take that fight in a heartbeat. Khan indicated that he thinks the fight would be massive in Britain and who could argue that. However, Frank Warren, promoter of Khan and former promoter of Hatton, said that Ricky should consider retirement after his brutal knockout loss at the hands of Manny Pacquiao in May. Hatton may not yet have fully recovered and another tough fight against a guy like Khan could seriously damage the fighter. The fight is so big, however, that if Ricky does decide he wants to continue fighting it makes total sense for both fighters to get in the ring.

Regardless of what Ricky decides to do, Khan will certainly move on to bigger and better things. If not a fight with Ricky Hatton then likely a big fight in the US. It would be Khan's first in America. It's unclear as to who he may face but there is plenty of talent in and around the 140 pound division. Khan will now take it easy for a few weeks and then re-group for his next big fight.

Khan Victorious Against Kotelnik

Amir Khan boxed magnificently against Andreas Kotelnik to win the WBA junior welterweight title via a unanimous decision. Khan was extremely disciplined and used his jab effectively against Kotelnik. Neither fighter was seriously hurt in the fight but Khan simply landed more shots by staying busy and moving brilliantly around the ring to avoid being hit. Even Kotelnik appreciated and acknowledged Khan's effective game plan.

Khan clearly has the right team around him now to harness his phenomenal talent. Beginning with Freddie Roach who has guided him well through the last year. It will only be bigger and better things now for the 22-year old. Possibly a fight with Juan Manuel Marquez or Ricky Hatton coming soon. Only time will tell where he goes from here as he is still young and growing as a fighter.

Breidis Prescott Loses!

Breidis Prescott lost a split decision to unheralded Miguel Vazquez. Vazquez had faced little or no competition in his career but stepped up big time on Friday night to take on Prescott. Prescott knocked him down in the first round but Vazquez got up and survived. He eventually started to pummel Prescott in the later rounds. When all was said and done Vazquez pulled off the upset by beating Prescott via a split decision.

Amir Khan will be fighting on Saturday for a world title against Andreas Kotelnik. Khan's only previous loss was to Prescott. It will be interesting to see if Khan ever goes back to avenge that loss especially now that Prescott has fallen himself.

Amir Khan and Breidis Prescott Fighting This Weekend

On Saturday Amir Khan will go for a junior welterweight title belt against Andreas Kotelnik. This is a major step up for Khan as he takes on a guy ranked number 3 at junior welterweight by ESPN writer Dan Raphael. It's also Khan's first fight at junior welterweight as he has exclusively fought at lightweight in the past. Kotelnik has demonstrated very little knockout prowess in his career but has solid decision victories against top ranked fighters. His level of competition has been far superior to Khan's to date. Certainly this is not a fight that Amir Khan wants to take lightly.

In other action, Breidis Prescott will take on unheralded Miguel Vazquez tonight on ESPN2 Friday Night Fights. This is a huge step down for Prescott as Vazquez is largely untested throughout his career. Prescott has struggled to secure a big fight since his victory over Khan last year but he will soon need to step up his level of competition to keep the momentum from that big win going.

Is Brock Lesnar the new Poster Child for MMA?

Brock Lesnar has posted some incredible results recently within the UFC by beating Randy Couture and Frank Mir soundly back to back. He insulted the event sponsor and disrespected his opponent and the fans after the fight in a show of random egocentricity. Dana White, however, made sure he apologized immediately and got back on track to being UFC's big ticket. The problem for White is that the undisputed champion of the heavyweight division is Fedor Emelianenko and he is not in the UFC. Brock may be able to do good numbers without Fedor but undoubtedly this will become a huge problem for White very soon. Fans are not stupid and want to see the best fight against the best. The proposed fight with the winner of Shane Carwin and Cain Velazquez is hardly going to stir up a storm at the gate. It will simply be carried by Brock's appeal. The only fight out there at the moment that can generate super attention and take MMA to another level is Fedor Emelianenko versus Brock Lesnar. Dana White has to step up and make that fight happen. Even if the UFC clause to stay in the UFC if you hold a title is mandatory why not make the fight a non-title fight? I'm sure Fedor wouldn't mind fighting in the UFC on at least a one fight contract to take on Lesnar.

The only other fight with good draw power is Bobby Lashley versus Brock Lesnar. Lashley is also a former WWE wrestler (just like Brock) and college wrestler. The fight would definitely generate interest but Lashley is still developing and may need some more time.

Floyd Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao

Let's face it if Floyd Mayweather beats Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao beats Miguel Cotto everyone will be asking for a Pacquiao - Mayweather showdown. There are significant negotiation hurdles, however, in order for that fight to take place. For one, Manny wants a 50-50 split and Floyd said he will never fight for a 50-50 split of the purse. Bob Arum manages Manny Pacquiao and doesn't get along with Floyd Mayweather at all which will make the negotiations extremely painful. Floyd claims that Arum takes a 27% cut of Pacquiao's purse and is the biggest rip off in boxing. The other problem is that Floyd Mayweather is convinced that he is the bigger draw and bigger star when in reality they are pretty close overall. 50-50 would probably be a fair split depending on how much business and how well both fighters do in their next fights.

Realistically, no matter what the percentages both fighters will earn a lot more fighting each other than anyone else. As long as they realize that and are willing to compromise this fight should happen. Unfortunately, that is a big IF. I think there is a realistic chance this fight will never happen while the two are still in their primes. Mayweather will probably have to bend if Pacquiao beats Cotto convincingly. Manny will remain number one on every pound for pound list no matter what Mayweather does. The problem is that I don't see Mayweather caving at all and If negotiations break down then they both still have the Shane Mosley option and that fight would do solid business. I don't see any other fight being nearly as lucrative though. For boxing fans' sake lets all hope this fight gets made soon.

Tidbits on Pacquiao, Mayweather, Khan and much more

Just a few quick news tidbits for everyone:

• It turns out the Manny Pacquiao - Floyd Mayweather negotiations are struggling in part due to Manny wanting a 50-50 split of the purse while Mayweather thinks he deserves more. Given that Floyd was retired and Pacman is the current king of boxing, I think 50-50 is fair.
• Floyd Mayweather won't say how he injured his rib but did indicate it wasn't related to training. Juan Manuel Marquez took some time off due to the fight postponement to spend with his kids before he starts training again.
• Amir Khan is super pumped for his fight with Andreas Kotelnik on Saturday. He said this is the biggest fight of his career and a victory will take him to the next level. He's probably right!
• Andreas Kotelnik thinks Amir Khan is looking past him with whispers of a possible Khan-Hatton fight. Given that Kotelnik recently defeated Victor Ortiz' conqueror Marcos Maidana I don't think Khan will be taking him lightly!
• It looks like David Haye may get a second chance with a Klitschko as Vitali seems to be close to finalizing a fight with Haye.
• It looks like undefeated knockout artist Edwin Valero is getting picky about who he fights. I suspect a fight between him and Breidis Prescott would have been fairly big given the level of action that fight has potential for ... not sure why it didn't get made.
• There is a 6 man super middleweight round robin tournament in the works to revive that division. The tournament would include the likes of WBA titleholder Mikkel Kessler, WBC champion Carl Froch, and former middleweight champs Arthur Abraham and Jermain Taylor. Kelly Pavlik, however, is no where to be found.
• In other sad news, it looks like the wife of slain boxer Arturo Gatti is a suspect in his murder. With the investigation pending we'll have to wait and see how things turn out there.

Brock Lesnar and Georges St. Pierre Dominate at UFC 100

Brock Lesnar overpowered and battered Frank Mir last night at UFC 100 earning a huge redemption victory. Lesnar was able to take Mir down and get his massive body on top of him to control the fight on the ground. Once he had Mir down, Lesnar applied some heavy duty ground and pound until the referee stopped the fight in the second round at 1 minute, 48 seconds. Brock will now move on to bigger and better things. The best fight out there is Lesnar versus Fedor Emelianenko but that fight can't happen under the current circumstances since Fedor is not in the UFC. Another interesting option is Bobby Lashley, however, he is still new and learning the ropes. Lashley's potential is huge and a fight between them could do huge box office numbers as both he and Lesnar were professional wrestlers in the WWE. Both Lashley and Lesner were also accomplished amateur wrestlers in the college ranks.

In other action last night, Georges St. Pierre dominated the solid Thiago Alves in winning a unanimous decision and solidifying his place as the top welterweight. Next up for St. Pierre could be pound for pound king Anderson Silva at middleweight. St. Pierre said if he took that fight it would be for the challenge versus going for a title since he is a true welterweight and not a middleweight.

Arturo Gatti Found Dead

Arturo Gatti was found dead on Saturday morning in a Brazilian hotel. Arturo Gatti was 37 years old and with his wife and one year old son. There were no signs of injury on the body when it was found in the posh resort, Porto de Galinhas. There was some blood on the floor. Gatti was a Montreal boy who made it big in the fight game primarily due to his all out action style. Specifically, he fought a tremendous action filled trilogy with Micky Ward between 2002 and 2003. Gatti held the WBC junior welterweight title at one point which he lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in June 2005. Gatti was since retired and living in Montreal with his family.

Heavyweight Future Lies With Two Smaller Men

The near future of the heavyweight division still seems to rest with the Klitschko brothers Wladimir and Vitali. However, we've recently seen a glimmer of hope in smaller fighters Eddie Chambers and Alexander Povetkin. Eddie Chambers is 6'1 and fights at a weight of around 220 pounds. In his last fight, Chambers beat the previously undefeated 6'7, 253 pound Alexander Dimitrenko. Chambers only weighed a minuscule 208 pounds for that fight and still won a clear decision. Povetkin stands 6'2 and weighs around 225 pounds for most of his fights. Povetkin's most recent victory came against 240 pound Jason Estrada.

When you compare Povetkin and Chambers to the massive Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko (both stand around 6'7 and weigh over 240 pounds) it seems like they are in the wrong weight division. Somehow, despite their size, both Povetkin and Chambers have succeeded with only one loss between them despite solid competition. Their only loss was when they faced each other and Chambers lost a decision to Povetkin. In fact, they've consistently beaten guys bigger than them and in most cases significantly bigger. It reminds me of when Chris Byrd was fighting at heavyweight during the start of the Klitschko era.

These smaller heavyweights have managed to succeed with there speed, solid fight tactics and preparation. I always hoped the heavyweight division wouldn't become a 6'7 250 pound minimum weight division. It seems that will not happen but lets see how things shape up over the next few years. I'm actually interested to see if Povetkin and Chambers can grow in the division and eventually challenge the Klitschkos. If nothing else, it generates a little bit of interest in a slumping division.

Welterweight Supremecy

These days it seems the welterweight division is the only reason mainstream fans are watching boxing. Manny Pacquiao, although not a true welterweight, has been fighting in and around the welterweight division recently and drawing huge numbers. Floyd Mayweather was doing the same while campaigning as a welterweight before he retired and now that he is back we can expect his fight against Juan Manuel Marquez to be huge. Oscar De La Hoya was the biggest draw in boxing before he retired and he fought most of his career around the welterweight division. Pacquiao, De La Hoya and Mayweather are the three biggest boxing stars of the last decade and all have fought at welterweight. In addition to those three, Shane Mosley and Miguel Cotto have been very popular in their fights at welterweight. Ricky Hatton has also campaigned at the weight division to huge fan responses while maintaining his base at junior welterweight. There is something about that weight division that draws a lot of attention from fans. I suspect a lot of it was due to the attraction of Oscar De La Hoya who pulled in the likes of Pacquiao and Mayweather to the weight category. But the appeal seems to go beyond De La Hoya as the division continues to thrive without him. It's probably a bit of luck too since we've had heavyweight dominance for a long time and now it seems the talent pool at welterweight is relatively much stronger than any other division. When that happens fighters in and around that weight will converge to make the biggest most profitable fights.

Looking at the other divisions there isn't nearly as much talent. Heavyweight has the Klitschkos but that's it. Light heavyweight has only Bernard Hopkins who at 44 is still the king of the division. The middleweight and super middleweight divisions have Paul Williams, Kelly Pavlik, Arthur Abraham and Mikkel Kessler. Only Paul Williams is a super talent and only Abraham may have the potential to get there. In the lighter weight divisions you have solid talents like Israel Vazquez, Rafael Márquez, Nonito Donaire, Vic Darchinyan and Celestino Caballero but none of them are huge box office draws. Certainly, none of these divisions have the depth of talent that we see converging in the welterweight region. Whatever the reasons, lets enjoy the division and the matches yet to be made in it.