Welterweight

The war of words between Amir Khan and Kell Brook reached a boiling point on Friday as the pair became involved in a war of words on Twitter.

Khan was first on the social media website, suggesting his British rival was dodging him:

Brook's promoter, Eddie Hearn, came back at Khan by suggesting his comments were false and that he was to blame for the fight not taking place already:

That left Special K to open the door for a superfight with Kahn at Wembley, suggesting June 4 as a possible date for the showdown:

Is it really that difficult? Let's get it on, gentlemen.

[Twitter]

The confirmation that welterweight Kell Brook will defend his IBF title against Canadian Kevin Bizier on March 26 has revealed the world champion's short-term future.

After that, however, things are as clear as mud.

Like getting the first two numbers to come up on your lottery ticket, Brook and Amir Khan had British boxing fans believing the jackpot was heading their way.

The dream of a summer showdown between the two rivals looked set to become a reality. Khan had tried and failed to get a fight with Manny Pacquiao, just like he had tried and failed to get a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. With those options exhausted, Brook suddenly became more appealing.

Promoter Eddie Hearn even booked a venue—Wembley Stadium—for June 4.

However, just as it seemed, Brook and Hearn had a grasp on the winning ticket, their luck changed.

It seems Khan is not going to be tempted to take the carrot that has been so obviously dangled in front of him. Instead, the boxer from Bolton, England, is looking to go in a different direction.

The 29-year-old has been confirmed as the mandatory challenger for whoever wins the fight between Danny Garcia and Robert Guerrero for the vacant WBC belt on January 23.

Garcia is the heavy favourite—Odds Shark have him at 1-9 for victory. He’s also the opponent Khan would most like to face out of the two, as it would offer the chance to avenge a stoppage loss he suffered at the hands of Swift in 2012.

Per Nick Parkinson of ESPN.co.uk, Khan has outlined his future plans—and Brook wasn't mentioned:

I'm training for hopefully the end of March, that's when I want to fight next.

Opponent wise we don't know any names, we're looking at a few at the moment.

I've got a few options. Danny Garcia is fighting for the WBC title. Even though I'm the No.1 [ranked], he's got the opportunity to fight for it, him being the No 2.

I think I'll get my chance to win that title against him and have that rematch which I've been looking forward to him for a long, long time.

Khan fancies another crack at Garcia. That's understandable, even if it financially it may not be the best move, and the WBC has just paved the way for him to get his wish.

While his path has been cleared, Brook and his team will have to work out which way to turn next if, as now appears to be the case, their hopes of a big domestic defence with King Khan have hit a dead end.

But before they can consider anyone else for a summer date, The Special One must first see off Bizier.

The 31-year-old earned his shot at the IBF belt by beating Fredrick Lawson in an eliminator on November 7, 2015. He has a 25-2 (17 knockouts) record that contains only one real name of interest—Ionut Dan Ion (or Jo Jo Dan, as he is better known).

Dan was the man the unbeaten Brook (35-0, 24 KOs) faced in his first defence of the IBF belt he had snatched away from American Shawn Porter in August 2014.

Dan was the man who was a sacrificial lamb for a hungry champion. Back in action for the first time since being stabbed in the leg while away on holiday in Tenerife, Brook marked his homecoming in Sheffield, England, by dismantling his Romanian opponent inside four rounds.

Worryingly, for those wanting to see a contest, Bizier has lost twice to Dan. Both times it was by a split decision on the scorecards, but still—Bizier has failed to beat a man Brook brushed aside with ease.

The challenger at least said the right words in the official Matchroom Boxing press release: "I know I will be the underdog once again, but I guarantee you I will give the fight of my life. I am optimistic and I already fought in England as an amateur. Having the crowd against me does not bother me at all."

As for Brook, he could be forgiven for feeling he’s stuck playing Bill Murray’s character in the boxing version of the film Groundhog Day.

Phil Connors, who Murray played in the motion picture, was a TV weatherman stuck in a time loop, repeating the same day over and over again. Brook, meanwhile, is going have to repeat the same fight.

When he steps into the ring to take on Bizier, it will be just shy of a year since he dismissed his last mandatory challenger in Dan.

In the period since, he’s seen off Frankie Gavin—a domestic rival pushed up to the top level ahead of schedule—and seen a fight in which Diego Chaves fell through due to a rib injury. It is not his fault things haven't gone to plan, nor is it his fault the IBF have ordered him to face Bizier.

Perhaps Chaves could come back around later in the year. Perhaps there are other options out there who will emerge once the picture in the welterweight division becomes a little clearer.

Per Sky Sports, Keith Thurman has talked up a unification bout, but he has Porter on his plate. The two American fighters are scheduled to meet on March 12. He also has the cushion of a Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) deal. There is no need to travel abroad to make money when you can line your pockets at home.

Errol Spence Jr.—who is ranked second by the IBF, according to FightNews.com—would be a great opponent. But he too has PBC connections through Al Haymon.

Konstantin Ponomarev is a high-ranked Russian whose name hardly creates a ripple at world level just yet, while Brook and Devon Alexander tried and failed on three occasions in the past to meet in the ring.

Alexander was a world champion back then. But his standing has slipped, following three defeats in his last four outings.

Ever the optimist, Hearn still remains hopeful he can get Brook his money-spinning showdown against Khan. The promoter wrote in his column for the Daily Mail:

Amir Khan remains the target and it seems he will have a choice of what to do next—he is mandatory for the winner of Danny Garcia versus Robert Guerrero, who fight for the WBC title this weekend, or fight Kell. Either option would lead to a great fight, with the difference being he would make twice as much for fighting Kell in one of the biggest bouts in British boxing history.

Khan might yet take the bait. Money tends to talk in boxing.

But, despite holding a world title, Brook doesn’t hold all the aces when it comes to negotiations.

Eventually, like Phil the weatherman who Murray brilliantly portrayed in Groundhog Day, Brook may get what he wants. For now, though, all he can do is focus on beating Bizier in his own back garden.

Boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather comes to the United Kingdom in February for a nationwide tour, and it's safe to say his backstage requirements are fit for a champion.

The undefeated Money will visit eight locations across the country including Cardiff, Manchester and London, as he looks to cash in on the retirement he announced after defeating Andre Berto in Las Vegas in September. 

Unsurprisingly, Mayweather is fairly particular about the food and refreshments that will follow him in his rider. The substantial order includes a large tray of Nando's chicken wings (mild), 30 bottles of water at a variety of different temperatures and a diverse selection of snacks and sweets.

The full list reads like so:

Drinks

Bottles of cold water: 20

Bottles of room-temperature water: 10

Bottles of Gatorade: 10

Bottles of Coca-cola: 10

Selection of fruit juices

"Premium" coffee

Hot green tea

Hot black tea

Snacks

Mint gum

Smoked almonds

Gummy Bears

Honey roasted peanuts

Red Twizzlers

Chicken

A large tray of Nando’s mild hot wings

Or mild buffalo wings with French fries

Sandwiches

Turkey breast

Cheddar cheese

American cheese

Wheatbread

Lettuce

Tomato

Doritos and assorted chips

Fruit

Green seedless grapes

Whole apples

Oranges

Bananas

That's quite a food shop.

[h/t WalesOnline] 

Floyd Mayweather Jr. knows how to make a tidy profit.

And the man with the nickname "Money" isn't about to miss the opportunity to cash in on his champion status, having announced plans for an extensive—and expensive—UK tour, starting in February.

Mayweather will appear for eight dates at locations including Cardiff, Manchester and London on the tour, with tickets to the nights costing as much as £500.

But if you want the "platinum" option, the opportunity to "meet and greet" the recently retired welterweight boxing champion will set you back a staggering £2,000 for Manchester.

The full tour dates are below, with the nights hosted by television presenter Jonathan Ross in London and former cruiserweight world champion Johnny Nelson elsewhere.

February 1: Cardiff

February 2: Bristol

February 4: London 

February 5: Glasgow

February 7: Sheffield

February 11: Manchester

February 12: Birmingham 

February 14: Bedford

Mayweather retired with a 49-0 professional record in September after beating Andre Berto on points in Las Vegas.

[h/t the Mirror]

Juan Manuel Marquez could make an imminent return to action against Miguel Cotto despite his long-term absence from the ring, according to the Mexican's trainer, Nacho Beristain.   

Marquez, 42, last fought in May 2014, beating Mike Alvarado by unanimous decision to take his professional record to 56-7-1.

Cotto (40-5) lost his lineal middleweight title to Saul Alvarez in his last fight in November, and Beristain believes Marquez could make a good fight with the Puerto Rican, despite his recent inactivity, per Fox Deportes (via Elisinio Castillo of BoxingScene.com):

[Marquez] has never closed the door [on fighting again] and he's made no decision to retire from boxing. I have not spoken with Juan Manuel for three months, but I know him and he's never had any problems with inactivity. He can still return straight to training.

I do not rule out [this version of Marquez] being capable of fighting against Cotto. If [Marquez] returns to the ring, I don't think it is unreasonable to do it with an opponent of that level. It would be a good fight, given their styles.

Cotto's trainer, Freddie Roach, recently said he would like to see his man drop back down to welterweight—the Alvarez clash was fought at a catchweight of 155 pounds—in order to face Marquez, per Boxing News' George Gigney.

Despite losing to Canelo by unanimous decision, the 35-year-old put in a decent performance, as can be seen below:

He most certainly still has plenty left in him, and a clash with four-weight champion Marquez has the potential to be a fantastic fight.

Cotto himself has won world titles at four different weight classes, but he has not fought at welterweight since his 12th-round knockout defeat to Manny Pacquiao in 2009.

Per Castillo, Marquez has never weighed in higher than 144.5 pounds in any of his welterweight fights, including his various clashes with Pacquiao.

They are both accomplished, exciting fighters who have no problem with being aggressive when necessary.

If, as Beristain insists, Marquez is ready to make a quick return to the ring to face Cotto, boxing fans could be in for a treat in 2016.

Eddy Reynoso, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez's coach, had some strong words for Miguel Cotto's trainer, Freddie Roach.

Alvarez beat Cotto via unanimous decision on Saturday, and though Reynoso admitted the judges' scores of 119-109, 118-110 and 117-111 were slightly harsh on the Puerto Rican, he believes Cotto's insistence he was the rightful winner is because of Roach.  

According to Miguel Rivera of BoxingScene.com, he told ESPN Deportes:

Freddie Roach has already polluted [Cotto's mind], because both of them are not saying anything other than they won. Critics at the highest level have said it was a close fight, and I've also said that, but the fight was clearly won by Saul.

He didn't need to win by 40 points. He only needed the three judges to give him the victory. For my taste, he won by 3 to 4 points, but what Freddie has done is contaminated [the thoughts of] Cotto. [Roach] rarely admits defeat and invents things. The correct card was 116-112, because you have to be realistic.

Roach also received criticism from now-retired boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the aftermath of the bout. The undefeated fighter seemingly suggested Roach's belief that Cotto was winning prevented him from adequately or appropriately advising his charge.

The coach was left to do the talking in the post-fight press conference in Cotto's stead, as the fighter apparently refused to talk to the media, and he admitted he believed the judges chose the wrong winner, per ESPN's Dan Rafael:

Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix believes that despite the poor scoring on the night, the ultimate result was correct:

Further, Mannix noted Cotto has form for his reaction after the contest:

While Cotto is naturally disappointed with the defeat and the highly questionable scoring of the fight will compound his sense of injustice, his opponent was ultimately the better fighter on the night and deserved to win.

With that being the case, it would be better for Cotto to simply move on in order to better focus and prepare for his next fight. He doesn't have many left, so he should be considering his legacy both in and out the ring. And his refusal to accept defeat in this instance isn't likely to help either.

Miguel Cotto lost a Las Vegas prizefight early Sunday morning.

He was in against a talented foe 10 years younger while operating on the fringes of a weight class in which he’d frequently claimed he’d barely belonged and rarely felt comfortable.

Nevertheless, he was still on his feet after 36 minutes of competition, and even though the three scorecards deemed him a loser in all but six of a composite 36 rounds, it was hardly as if he’d been battered from pillar to post from opening bell to close.

He didn’t win. But he didn’t embarrass himself either.

And if his hasty exit from the post-fight interview scene was illustrative of a permanent departure from the occupation he’s held for 14 years, he’ll still leave with no less honor than he arrived.

In other words, if you thought he was Canastota-worthy going in, that perspective needn’t change.

In fact, when his swan song is compared to others whose credentials are without question, he comes off looking particularly exceptional.

Just a quick glance across a list of International Hall of Fame inductees reveals a laundry list of all-timers whose inglorious ends hardly justified their legendary reputations.

Mike Tyson, whose titillating run included exactly zero wins against in-prime Hall-worthy heavyweights, lost by stoppage in three of his final four fights—and was instantly enshrined five years later.

Arturo Gatti, also a stoppage loser in three of his last four fights, and also a winner over precisely no one whose credentials leap off the page—was also enshrined the second he became eligible.

And even Terry Norris, whose most remembered feat remains a 12-round whitewash of a past-vintage Sugar Ray Leonard, was given a plaque in 2005—seven years after ending with a three-fight skid.

So if your logic for questioning Cotto is that he’ll finish with an L instead of a W, you’re just wrong.

The Puerto Rican’s affirmation was complete long before the Mandalay Bay came into view, probably more so around the time he shook off a brutal welterweight loss to Manny Pacquiao in 2009 and climbed back to grab a belt at 154 pounds—his third—with a TKO of a gimpy-legged Yuri Foreman.

He’d already defeated multi-belted guys with names such as Paulie Malignaggi, Zab Judah and Shane Mosley, but the mettle he showed with yet another reinvention exceeds that which many with higher reputations ever achieved.

He stopped perpetual troublemaker Ricardo Mayorga in defense No. 1 nine months later and then scored his most satisfying personal win with a tactical hammering of Antonio Margarito in December 2011.

History will record him as just a .500 fighter (three up, three down) from that point forward. But when you study the record and see the stretch-run foes were the Mayweathers, Sergio Martinezes and Saul Alvarezes—not the Kevin McBrides, Carlos Baldomirs and Dana Rosenblatts—of the world, it’s clear that the version of Cotto who's exiting in 2015 is not all that competitively diminished from the one who peaked years before.

He fought everyone. And even though he might have lost the ones that mattered the most, he won more than enough of the others to even the slate.

That’s the sort of career that deserves recognition, no matter how the story ends.