The Boxing Blog - Times Online - WBLG

Uncle Roger breaches the boundaries

Roger Mayweather, the uncle and trainer to Floyd, has introduced an unacceptably unpleasant element to the eve of the Ricky Hatton v Floyd Mayweather Jr fight when he said that if Hatton survives the fight, then he will be disabled nevertheless.

Such comments will upset many in the sport as they clearly breach the boundaries of traditional pre-fight hype. Mayweather's views are recorded in the final edition of the "24/7" reality show which is to be broadcast on Sky in the UK.

Diary from Las Vegas:Mum's the word

Just attended the Golden Boy Promotions end of year dinner, a charming event that was light on formality and strong on good people.

Three observations:

1) Oscar De La Hoya: what an impressive figure he cuts. Intelligent, charming and clearly driven by doing good for boxing as well as making a living from it. I don't think it is possible to deny that his promotions company has been a blessing for the sport. It just makes me wonder: why on earth, Oscar, are you so obsessed with getting back in the ring? I mean, I know in theory we are supposed to be thrilled about the possibility of a De La Hoya-Hatton fight, but Oscar, why not just stay in the suit? It clearly fits you well.

2) Bernard Hopkins has completely wrong-footed me here. I'd never seen him or met him in person before and knew only his threatening "Executioner" persona. But for two consecutive days here, he has been brilliant company: eloquent, amusing, clever. Why is he still fighting too? That's another of boxing eternal unanswerables.

3) I was sitting on a table with the splendid Carol Hatton. Now, we in the UK press have cottoned onto the fact that Ricky's Mum is a little special. But the 24/7 programme has broadcast it to the world (or to HBO viewers, at least). Thus did a number of different unknowns come and introduce themselves to her. "I've seen you on TV," they all said. Before long that lady will be hosting her own programme.

Diary from Las Vegas: Ricky's a stand-up guy

Great stuff at the head-to-head press conference today. These big pre-fight pressers have long been part of boxing's tradition but they have slipped badly in recent years; they have become a forum for 20-odd people to all stand up and say thankyou to their promoters, managers, families and (invariably) God, and have thus become unbearably tedious. The absurd Don King can occasionally bring some colour to occasions but even he drones on, ever delighted with the sound of his own decibels.

Diary from Las Vegas: the chips are down

Las Vegas never lets you down. We have arrived here to be greeted by a casino floor health scare in which the concern is whether the lead content in gaming chips may be hazardous to your health. At least that was the headline bellowing out of the Las Vegas Sun yesterday. No one seems to be concerned that maybe gaming itself is the real health issue and not the chips.