Marquez In Vegas Or Mosley At Staples? Tough Call For Boxing Fans On Sept. 18 » Shane Mosley’s return from his Floyd Mayweather Jr. loss — in which he’ll square off against fellow Southern Californian Sergio Mora on Sept. 18 at Staples Center — would be a natural stop for L.A. boxing fans. • But there’s likely a better fight across the Mojave Desert in Las Vegas that same night: the world featherweight title bout airing on Showtime pitting unbeaten champion Juan Manuel Lopez against Rafael Marquez at MGM Grand Garden Arena. The pair appeared in L.A. Tuesday at the downtown Biltmore hotel… Lance Pugmire, latimesblogs.latimes.com

Mayweather Ensures Pacquiao Negotiations Descend Into Farce » Floyd Mayweather is a bully, one neatly wrapped in a cut 5-foot-8, 147-pound package. Like most bullies, Mayweather is intimidating. He sends promoters, managers and networks cowering in the corner with the mere threat of withholding his services. He holds the boxing world hostage by saying he will take his gloves and go home unless the fight isn’t when he wants, where he wants and at what weight he wants. He perpetuates a lie — like the one about his advisor, Al Haymon, not being involved in negotiations with Manny Pacquiao — because he is confident in the fact that no one in the industry will stand up to him… Chris Mannix, sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Juan Manuel Marquez: Mayweather Better Than Pacquiao » Manny Pacquiao is good. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is better… Brett Okamoto, www.lasvegassun.com

Five Key X-Factors Hang Over Floyd Mayweather As Clock Ticks On Comeback Fight » As Floyd Mayweather’s comeback bout against Juan Manuel Marquez hits its 30-day countdown, here are the five most important things to watch… David Mayo, www.mlive.com

“Baby Bull” Diaz Prepared For War » It’s an all-too-familiar story, really. • A young boxer goes from prodigy to prospect, from prospect to contender, from contender to champion. • When his career is over, however, whether or not he has fulfilled his aspirations in the ring, he often ends up going somewhere else: From paycheck to paycheck. Or worse, penniless and out on the street. • Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz is not going out like that… Patrick Gutierrez, insidefights.com

Instant Replay OK’d For Boxing, MMA • NAC Approves Using Technology To Confirm Calls » The Nevada Athletic Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to institute instant replay on a limited basis for boxing and mixed martial arts events… STEVE CARP, www.lvrj.com

By Lamar Clark

Call me a hater, because I wish I owned and published The Ring magazine, but can anyone explain to me why Floyd “Money” Mayweather is placed behind Juan Manuel Marquez on the August 2009 cover?

You may think I’m petty for even noticing the placement, but I’ve worked in the publishing industry for over 10 years, and the mission has always been to sell as many magazines on the newsstand as possible. You do that by placing a recognizable star to lead (left to right) on your cover.

Mayweather may not be the self proclaimed ‘Pay-Per-View Cash-Cow’ he boast about in his infamous ESPN interview with Brian Kenny, but there’s no denying his worldwide popularity. He’s not the ‘PPV King’, but I’m sure he can sell more magazines on the newsstand than Juan, a glimmer next Floyd’s star power.

“The Bible of Boxing” was purchased in 2007 by Sports and Entertainment Publications, a company under the umbrella of Golden Boy Enterprises, Oscar De La Hoya’s holding company whose assets include Golden Boy Promotions who promotes Juan Manuel Marquez. The August cover is a total flip-flip in presentation from the original HBO/Golden Boy promotional poster (see above.) Why the switch-a-roo? Has the boss’s influence rubbed off or did The Ring’s editorial team simply like this set up better? Remember the mission…

De La Hoya said he understood the skepticism that would come when he purchased The Ring, “We’ll have no say over the editorial content of the magazine. We’re promoters who are going to be fair to everyone. That’s the responsibility we carry. I’m sure we’re going to read the magazine one-day and we will be criticized. Our fighters won’t be on the cover every month. You’ll be seeing Top Rank fighters on the cover.”

We all know and understand why Floyd was placed in the forefront of this boxing promotion. But why is he placed in the background on The Ring?

Part 1 »

» Tickets «

Clash Of Lightweight Titans  Boxing’s first must-see fight of the fall goes down tomorrow night on HBO, in a lightweight battle between two action fighters of the first order – Juan Diaz and Michael Katsidis… —Dave “Large” Larzelere, www.sportingnews.com