Mean Papi Green Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 Gatti: It's Mayweather's fault By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com Dan Rafael Archive When Floyd Mayweather Jr. settled his sticky legal situation in Grand Rapids, Mich., last month -- pleading no contest and getting a suspended sentence for his alleged role in a bar fight -- it was expected to pave the way for a major pay-per-view fight against junior welterweight titlist Arturo Gatti on June 11 in Atlantic City. Now, however, the fight is off. Gatti announced Friday that he was no longer considering Mayweather as an opponent because Mayweather had missed numerous deadlines to sign for the fight, including Friday's 5 p.m. ET final deadline. "Promotion for this fight should've started a long time ago," Gatti said. "I should've been in camp already preparing for it. He's killed the whole promotion. I was happy after he resolved his legal problems and didn't have to go to jail, but then he didn't sign the contract. I kept waiting and waiting and extending the deadline, but it still never came." Bob Arum, Mayweather's promoter, said Gatti bailed because he and promoter Main Events didn't really want the fight. "By Friday we had complete agreement," Arum said. "[Mayweather adviser] Al Haymon told me we would have everything signed and he would fax it to my house [sunday]. I told that to [Main Events attorney] Pat English but he said, 'No, it's too late. The deadline was Friday.' I told him I thought that was unreasonable and he said they had made their decision. Once I told them that Floyd had agreed they pulled out. I told them I would have proof of a signed contract on Pat's desk before he got to the office Monday morning. It's obvious they don't want the fight." Mayweather and Gatti both scored impressive wins in back-to-back weeks in January. The hope was that following Gatti's victory against James Leija that Mayweather would join him at the podium to announce their fight, thus kicking off a major promotion. However, it didn't happen because Mayweather was busy working out legal problems stemming from a December 2003 misdemeanor assault charge. After not showing up for the trial in mid-December -- a move that angered the Gatti camp -- Mayweather pleaded no contest Feb. 7 and was given a 90-day suspended sentence, probation and a fine. Mayweather was due to earn at least $3 million for the fight, with Gatti due closer to $4 million. Although Gatti will retain his June 11 date, he'll make much less and the fight will go on HBO instead of HBO PPV. Possible replacement opponents include Acelino "Popo" Freitas or Joel Casamayor. "Maybe after June 11 he'll have his [act] together and we can try and sit down again because I want the fight," Gatti said. "But I'll find someone else for June 11. He can talk all he wants, but it's his fault this fight isn't happening." Said Arum, "We put a lot of work into this so it's too bad to see it blow up like this." Arum said he'd try to get Mayweather a fight with title holder Vivian Harris or 2000 Olympic gold medalist Muhammad Abdullaev and then to try to make a big fight with Mayweather against his other young star, junior welterweight belt holder Miguel Cotto. Wright vacates It comes as no surprise, but Winky Wright has finally made it official. The first undisputed junior middleweight champ in almost 30 years has vacated his WBC 154-pound belt. The reason: He'd rather make about $4 million to fight middleweight star Felix Trinidad on May 14 than remain at junior middleweight and be forced to fight interim titlist Javier Castillejo for far less. In announcing that Wright had vacated, the WBC said it was considering making Trinidad-Wright an elimination bout for the right to fight undisputed middleweight champ Bernard Hopkins. Castillejo, despite inactivity and a low-level opposition in recent years, has had his interim titlist tag removed. He is supposed to defend against former welterweight champ Ricardo Mayorga on May 21 in Chicago on the HBO undercard of a heavyweight bout between Lamon Brewster and Andrew Golota. Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smizzy Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 Just more proof Mayweather can't get his act together. Gotti would have beat him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoFlaJets Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 yea missing scheduled court dates is not very bright.What I don't get and WHO I blame are his handlers-the guy has dough his people do if he don't and all the cash they lose by not dragging him to Detroit and show face in front of the judge.Stupid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gainzo Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 I have the ultimate respect for Gatti. I saw the Mickey Ward/Gatti fights and those two beat the living snot out of each other. The first Ward/Gatti fight might have been the best fight I have ever watched. I agree with Smizz. Gatti would have kicked Mayweather's ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mean Papi Green Posted March 10, 2005 Author Share Posted March 10, 2005 I agree with Smizz. Gatti would have kicked Mayweather's a$$. not so sure about that, Floyd is hella fast and is super hard to hit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gainzo Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 Good point about Mayweather's speed but Gatti is tough as nails. He can take one hell of a beating and inflict one as well. Too bad boxing has gone down the tubes. So hard to see the fights we want to see nowadays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mean Papi Green Posted March 10, 2005 Author Share Posted March 10, 2005 Good point about Mayweather's speed but Gatti is tough as nails. He can take one hell of a beating and inflict one as well. Too bad boxing has gone down the tubes. So hard to see the fights we want to see nowadays. middleweight and down is still solid with alot of talent and guys actually fighting each other too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gainzo Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 middleweight and down is still solid with alot of talent and guys actually fighting each other too I agree. I'm a big fan of Kostya Tyszu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mean Papi Green Posted March 10, 2005 Author Share Posted March 10, 2005 I agree. I'm a big fan of Kostya Tyszu. ther you go...Tszu vs Gatti forget Floyd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gainzo Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 I watch a Gatti vs Tyszu PPV. I haven't watched a PPV in a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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