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Boxingtalk Interview with Floyd Mayweather, Jr!

Boxingtalk's Greg Leon conducted an interview with undefeated Pound for Pound King Floyd Mayweather, following one of his training sessions in preparation for his November 4 bout with World Welterweight Champion Carlos Baldomir. Mayweather spoke about his training, how he's getting ready for Baldomir, what he can expect, and talk of a possible fight with Sugar Shane Mosley in 2007.


Updated Pound for Pound List

Speak Boxing had not updated its Pound for Pound list since mid-July! How ridiculous is THAT?

There has been a change or two in the past few months, the biggest being Joel Casamayor's lightweight title winning victory over Diego Corrales. How does that affect the Pound for Pound list??? See for yourself:

Bryan's Top 10 Pound for Pound

Freitas coming out of retirement; wants Casamayor!

According to reliable sources at Boxingtalk, WBO Lightweight Champion Acelino Freitas, who attended to WBO Convention, apparently reported that he is unretiring and chooses to return to the ring for a unification bout with WBC Champion Joel Casamayor.

In January of 2001, Freitas defeated Casamayor by an extremely narrow yet unanimous decision. Casamayor, following his split decision victory over Diego Corrales in their rubbermatch a few weeks ago, is regarded as the legitimate World Lightweight Championship as he seized the RING Magazine crown as well as the WBC strap.

I find it extremely fitting and convenient that, so soon after Casamayor defeated Corrales, Freitas suddenly wants to come out of retirement and face Casamayor. Styles make fights. Freitas, who defeated Casamayor in 2001, was humiliated, dropped multiple times, and was forced to quit when he faced Corrales in August 2004. Casamayor, following his career-defining victory over Corrales a few weeks ago, is now the man at 135lbs! Freitas no longer has to worry about Corrales. He was just defeated, eliminated from the lightweight division as a result of his inability to make the weight any longer, and now looks to get the hell out of dodge and move up to 147lbs.

If I was Freitas, and I saw a man, whom I once defeated, beat the man who destroyed me for all of the marbles in my weight class, it would probably lure me out of retirement as well!

Popo is not leaving just yet, folks.

Countdown to Baldomir vs Mayweather!

Two weeks from tonight, at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV on November 4, Pound for Pound King "Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather will step into the ring to face WBC Welterweight Champion Carlos Manuel Baldomir.

Mayweather, now campaigning in his fourth weight class since turning pro, made his welterweight debut November of 2005 with a systematic sixth round stoppage of Sharmba Mitchell with a bodyshot.

Surely, a Judah vs Mayweather fight, for the Undisputed Welterweight Championship of the world, was bigger than ever following Mayweather's victory over Mitchell. Certainly, it was atop the lists of many boxing fans experts most anticipated showdowns. Judah vs Mayweather was perceived as boxing's biggest superfight at that time, biggest in any weight class south of the heavyweight division.

However, there was one road block (one that was not initially viewed as threatening, however) that stood in the way of the Undisputed Welterweight Champion. One obstacle that he would have to overcome, to ensure that his major showdown with Mayweather could transpire into the event it was being perceived as. This obstacle went by the name of Carlos Baldomir, an unknown Argentinian journeymen, who had not lost a fight in eight years.

Baldomir, widely perceived as boxing's modern day Cinderella Man, burst onto the scene earlier this year, when he claimed the WBC Welterweight belt by scoring a dramatic upset via unanimous decision over 18-1 favorite and then Undisputed Welterweight Champion Zab Judah at Madison Square Garden in New York, which is Judah's home turf. That victory is still in the running for the award of Upset of the Year for 2006.

In his first title defense on July 21, 2006, Baldomir would enter a ring in a favored opponent's hometown, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ, for the second consecutive time, to beat up and stop boxing's drama king Arturo "Thunder" Gatti, whom Mayweather had practically demolished almost a year and a month to the day at the exact same venue.

Two common opponents can be found on the professional boxing records of Mayweather and Baldomir. Zab Judah and Arturo Gatti. As one can see, Baldomir defeated Judah first, as Mayweather faced Judah just a few months later. Nonetheless, Mayweather stopped Gatti prior to Baldomir's destruction of him 13 months later. Two common opponents. Mayweather and Baldomir have a combined record of 4-0 with 2 KOs against those two opponents.

Such a sequence of events has led us to this moment, just two weeks before Baldomir and Mayweather. The contest, billed as "Pretty Risky," is one that carries risks of different types on both sides. Mayweather, the pound for pound king, puts that title on the line when he steps into the ring, as Baldomir looks to defend his Welterweight title against a fighter the world regards as the greatest in the sport today.

Out of all of Mayweather's previous opponents, Baldomir is definitely the biggest and strongest guy Mayweather has ever faced. It is my belief that Baldomir is Mayweather's greatest challenge in the last four years, with the last legitimate challenge of Mayweather being Jose Luis Castillo in 2002. Castillo, like Mayweather, is a strong fighter who applies constant pressure on his opponents and looks to out work them.

Baldomir possesses much of the same style as Castillo (Castillo probably has the faster hands), but his size will be something that Mayweather has never seen in a professional boxing ring. However, Mayweather's speed and skill level are certainly advantages that no other opponent of Baldomir has ever brought into the ring against the Argentinian.

The HBO Countdown to Baldomir vs Mayweather premieres Friday, October 27 at midnight. The fight, itself, can viewed Saturday November 4 live on HBO Pay Per View!

Diego Corrales signs with GBP!

According to Golden Boy Promotions, Former Jr Lightweight and Lightweight Champion Diego Corrales has recently signed a promotional contract to fight under the promotional auspices of GBP. Corrales, who lost his WBC Lightweight Championship a couple weeks ago in a rubbermatch to Joel Casamayor via split decision, looks to move up to the welterweight division and win a third title in as many weight classes.

Valuev: Inspired by Muhammad Ali!

Press Release: Imagine seven-footer Nikolai Valuev as a track and field athlete. It could have happened if a teenage Valuev didn't become inspired by watching tapes of Muhammad Ali. In an interview with a German journalist, Valuev credited the Greatest for getting him into the sweet science. "As a matter of fact, it was Muhammad Ali, who got me started in boxing," he said. "I moved away from home and into a sports boarding school at the age of 13. Back then I was in track and field. Often, my trainer would show us videos of Ali's fights in the evening – I was fascinated to the point that boxing became both my sport and my passion." The WBA heavyweight titlist also told the German interviewer about his career goal. "Any world champion naturally dreams of winning all four belts and becoming the super champion of the world. That is, of course, a question of the right management – but definitely a realistic goal from an athletic viewpoint.