Talk Tough 1-13-05

INSIDE BOXING (January 13, 2005) - Floyd Mayweather Jr. (32-0) is in trouble with the law again. He is already on probation for assaulting two women last year and now he gets charged with kicking a bouncer after his friend hit him over the head with a bottle. Floyd really needs to clean up his act and grow up. He is one of the best in the world pound for pound and he behaves like a common thug. I hope his upcoming court date and legal problems don’t distract him from his training for his upcoming cake walk with Henry Bruseles (21-2-1) January 22 on HBO. If Mayweather beats Bruseles and Arturo Gatti beats Jesse James Leija the following week (also on HBO) the two are expected to meet up for a "Super Fight" this summer.

Speaking of the Gatti vs Leija fight, it is sure to be an explosive night! If you are not fortunate enough to see it live in the soon to be sold out Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City you better get a good seat in front of the big screen. This bout is sure to be another blood and guts war for Gatti. Leija (47-6) is no push over either, being a former WBC super featherweight champion. He has worked his way back to a title shot by getting off the deck in the second round to win a tough split decision victory over Francisco Bojado last July. This was the same night Gatti (38-6) stopped Leonard Dorin in the second round with a vicious body shot in the main event. Gatti’s WBC light welterweight belt will be up for grabs in this soon to be “fight of the year” candidate.

I'm also looking forward to the Wayne McCullough (27-4) vs Oscar Larios (54-3-1) championship bout Thursday, February 10 on FOX Sports Network's "The Best Damn Sports Show." McCullough will be battling for Larios' WBC super bantamweight belt. This is the "Pocket Rocket's" sixth attempt at a world title. He won the WBC bantamweight belt in 1995 and moved up to challenge for the super bantamweight belt in 1997. All four of his loses came by way of decision in championship fights. The two share similarities in height and reach but Larios seems to have almost twice as much professional experience with 58 total bouts compared to McCullough's 31. Two things McCullough has in his favor is the quality of his professional opposition (Prince Naseem, Erik Morales, Scott Harrison) and the fact that he was a highly decorated amateur boxer compiling an impressive 308-11 record on his way to winning a silver medal at the 1992 Olympics. One other very important thing McCullough has in his favor is his chin. He was chosen by Ring Magazine to have one of the best chins in the sport. Larios on the other hand has been stopped twice. The bout will be the main event at the Palace Indian Gaming Center in Lemoore, California. McCullough informed me that he has been training with Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym in West Hollywood since August. McCullough also stated “ I’m getting great work. I know Larios is a great fighter but I am coming to take his title. I have worked too long and hard to walk away empty handed this time.”

Atlantic City’s Levander Johnson (33-4-2) will have his hands full when he challenges Julio Diaz (30-2) for his IBF lightweight belt February 11 at the Coors Amphitheater in Chula Vista California. This will be his fourth attempt at a world lightweight title. Unfortunately for Johnson he comes up short in big fights, being stopped in his previous three attempts. Diaz on the other hand seems to be at the top of his game right now. USA Today has him ranked #8 and Ring Magazine has him #4. The bout will be televised on Telefutura. (Since I am from the Atlantic City area, I will be rooting for Johnson of course, but I wouldn’t bet on him this time out.)

Finally the wait is over! David Tua (42-3-1) is back and will face Talmadge Griffis (22-5-3) on March 31 in Auckland, New Zealand. This will be his first fight in two years. He was last seen in the ring getting a close draw against Hasim Raham March 29, 2003 in an IBF title eliminator. Since then Lennox Lewis has retired and the heavyweight division is wide open. I’m sure if Tua gets back in top condition he can make another run at the title.