I have recently read interviews where some of my favorite boxers are firing off shots pretty much claiming that Golden Boy Promotions are keeping their black fighters on the shelf.
I could see why it would seem that way, but at the same time some of these fighters shoot themselves on their own foot and then look around to blame somebody else.
In the case of Shane Mosley, Mosley could have already had a fight under him against a Clottey or Berto much sooner than now, but Mosley was holding out in hopes of landing a bigger catch. Mosley went fishing in hopes of catching a whale and in return he ended up catching a piranha.
Bernard Hopkins could have tangled with Adamek but the ticket wasn’t large enough. Winky Wright could have fought Grady Brewer, which by the way would have been a fun scrap, but a promoter in Puerto Rico pulled the plug on that.
Winky should be fighting Kelly Pavlik, but it’s not Golden Boy keeping Pavlik away, it’s Bob Arum keeping Pavlik the F away from another slick fighter. Been there done that.
Sometimes you are just too good for your own good. Hopkins looked like a real Executioner when he executed Pavlik, so after seeing that artwork, many promoters said F that. I aint taking my guy anywhere near the Executioner. If my young lion is to be clowned by this old master, I will then have to rebuild my young lion all over again.
Even though Winky had a real off night against Williams, the very same can be said about Winky. Not many promoters out there will risk putting their guy in against a scientist like Winky. Golden Boy would love to pin Winky in against Pavlik, but do you really think that Top Rank will gamble with that call? Winky’s best bet at this point would be to move on to 168 and challenge Lucian Bute.
Mosley also looked to good for his own good when he took apart Margarito last January. Promoters after watching that beatdown, became shook, thus freezing Shane out. After the Margarito fight, it seems that both fighters got suspended for a year. Margarito for the alledged loaded wraps, and Mosley for looking too damn good.
Manny Pacquiao right now is the fighter that can get any fight on any date that he chooses. Last I saw, Pacquiao wasn’t Latino or White. Pacquiao would get any fight on any date regardless on who promotes him because networks would love to have him for the simple fact that he is exciting as it gets.
Sometimes it boils down to self promotion. Money Mayweather is a master at this. Mayweather doesn’t come close to being as exciting as Mosley, but Mayweather can get the dates because he talks up a storm. The man knows and has a full understanding on how to sell a fight.
It doesn’t matter if one is black,white,brown,purple, or blue. The only color that matters is Green. The lesson here is to strike while the iron is hot, if you don’t strike and find yourself on ice, well hey, that’s just the way the cookie crumbles.
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