Boxing Notebook: What's Next, Winky?

Boxing Notebook: What's Next, Winky?
By Carlos Guzman
Posted: 9:00 am PDT 2006-07-01

The rumors have been floating around all week: Winky Wright vs. Floyd Mayweather. Promoter Bob Arum finally tried to make it happen by dangling a whopping $4 million paycheck in front of Winky. NO BITE. It's the biggest guaranteed purse Winky has ever seen. So why is he turning it down? In an interview with the Tampa Tribune, Winky explained:

"People can say I don't want the fight, and hell no I don't want the fight. If you're going to offer Floyd Mayweather $8 million and offer me $4 million, I don't want the fight. I can make $4 million fighting here in Tampa. Why should I take that fight?" Wright said.

Follow the money! Winky is looking for a mega payday in Europe against super-middleweight king Joe Calzaghe. It's the better move. If he beats Calzaghe he also gains a title; against Floyd, it's only about the money.

You can read the full story here: http://www.tbo.com/sports/MGB4BOYZ1PE.html

Can Spinks Jinx Karmazin?

On July 8 in St. Louis, Cory Spinks and Roman Karmazin will battle for the IBF light middleweight title. Karmazin took the title from Kassim Ouma in 2005, but all eyes will be on Spinks.

In 2003, Spinks, son of former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, pulled off an upset by derailing hard-hitting Ricardo Mayorga over 12 rounds. Although Spinks was already a champion, it was his coming-out party.

The wild slugger from Nicaragua had deposed solid fighters like Vernon Forrest and Andrew "Six Heads" Lewis -- Spinks didn't have the recognition to make him a betting favorite. Spinks boxed rings around Mayorga and restored the Spinks name to glory.

Spinks continued his climb to stardom by beating former junior welterweight champion Zab "Super" Judah, but in their 2005 rematch Cory faltered. In his own hometown, he was embarrassed and stopped in nine. Over a year later he tries to put his life back together. Former amateur boxer and writer Karl Hegman favors Spinks:

"I will pick Spinks here to slide on him, outbox him, and steer him around into his shots and out of the pocket and win a decision. If Spinks decides to trade, he is getting ko'd, but I think Cory is too smart a boxer for that against this guy at least."

Sportsbook has Roman Karmazin -175 Cory Spinks +145

Mosley-Vargas II

On Saturday, July 15 "Sugar Shane" Mosley and "Ferocious" Fernando Vargas will continue what they started on Feb. 25 when fight fans watched these two gladiators fight with "Corazon."

Vargas is of the mind-set that the first fight was marred by an unintentional clash of heads which caused Vargas' left eye to swell. By the seventh round, it was Mosley vs. a one-eyed fighter:

"I am ready," said Vargas. "I am going to show the world that Mosley can be stopped. I have him figured out. The last fight was a fluke because of the eye."

What makes it more painful for Vargas is that although Mosley was ahead by one point on two judges' cards, Vargas was ahead by a point on the other.

"After the fight, I looked at the scorecards and saw that Shane started strong" said Vargas. "I began to win rounds in the middle of the fight and when my eye began to swell, I felt an urgency to fight harder and I took those rounds. I was bringing up the heat, and I could tell Shane was tiring when they stopped the fight. I wanted to keep going and I knew I could keep going, but I understand why they did what they did."

Sportsbook has Mosley -200, Vargas +160. It's hard to go against Mosley here, but Vargas is a strong guy with a considerable amount of skills. They are both slightly over the hill, but Shane's speed is still in tact. I think Vargas will tie the score and secure the rubber match.

10 seconds

Jermain Taylor signing with Golden Boy Promotions? Joe Rein thinks so:

"Stretching through the ropes for Emmanuel Steward at ringside -- before his rout of Tarver was announced -- the head of acquisitions for Golden Boy, with words worthy of Camp David for Jermain Taylor, put designs on the middleweight king and planted the seeds of insurrection without leaving a fingerprint."

There is no love lost between Hopkins and Lou DiBella, Taylor's promoter. In December 2001, Hopkins accused DiBella of demanding and receiving a $50,000 bribe to put him on HBO at a time when DiBella was still employed by HBO. DiBella immediately filed a lawsuit and won a $610,000 libel judgment. It would be the ultimate revenge for Hopkins. If you can't beat 'em, steal 'em.

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