Hello sportstalkbuzz nation, welcome to the latest edition of the Furious Five. We will touch on a wide variety of issues around the boxing world today, so let’s get started.

1) If there was anyone in the boxing industry that still had doubts about the superstar potential of Kelly Pavlik before last weekend, those apprehensions should have been erased by his dominating third round knockout of Gary Lockett on Saturday night. The knockout ensured yet another successful defense of the WBC and WBO middleweight belts by the undefeated champion, giving him nine knockouts in his past ten fights. Although Pavlik dominated his opponent like he was an amateur fighter, Lockett was actually the number one contender for his belts and had won fourteen straight fights during the past six years. The future now becomes relatively uncertain for Pavlik, who could end up fighting 168-pound champion Joe Calzaghe or opt for a unification bout within his weight class. Either way, Pavlik certainly looks ready to challenge for the now vacant title of the best pound for pound fighter in the world.

2) There was also another entertaining match this past Saturday between two well known fighters, as former Contender star Sergio Mora upset defending WBC welterweight champion Vernon Forrest in a close majority decision. The victory improved the record of the former Contender champion to 21-0-1, while providing him with the first title win of his career. Meanwhile, the fight represented one of the low points in the career of Vernon Forrest while raising questions about his desire to continue in the sport. Albeit Forrest is a proven former champion, one can’t help but question his preparation and conditioning as he became extremely tired during the final rounds of the fight. The conditioning of Forrest became such an issue towards the end of the fight that his trainer Buddy McGirt had to help him off the stool before the beginning of the final round. Who knows what this means for the future of Forrest or if he will have the opportunity to regain the title in the rematch, but the name of Mora is already surfacing as a possible opponent for numerous big name fighters (see point #4 for an example)

3) Boxing fans across the world were saddened to learn about the sudden retirement of Floyd Mayweather Jr. this week, despite this being the third time he has announced his retirement in the past few years. Although I might be a little skeptical, I think his most recent retirement is far from certain and a return to the ring in the next few years is still a realistic possibility. Despite being the most talented fighter of our generation, Mayweather has recently shown little interest in solidifying his legacy as one of the best ever in the sport and has instead opted to try and maximize his earning potential. It wouldn’t surprise me if this most recent announcement is yet another tactic designed to maximize profits when he does inevitably return to the ring, possibly against De La Hoya, Hatton, or the winner of the upcoming Cotto/Margarito fight. If this latest retirement announcement is actually permanent, it’s truly a sad day for the sport as we have lost one of the most talented fighters in its history.

4) The recent retirement announcement from Floyd Mayweather Jr. has confused the entire boxing community, most of all Oscar De La Hoya who was scheduled to fight Mayweather this upcoming September. The abrupt change of plans by Mayweather has resulted in De La Hoya being forced to look for a new opponent, and he is currently considering a wide range of options. Although big name fighters like Hatton, Cotto and Pacquaio have all been mentioned as possible future opponents, right now the early favorite appears to be new WBO super welterweight champion Sergio Mora. This fight wouldn’t quite have the appeal amongst the mainstream public as the other potential matches, but it makes sense from the perspective of De La Hoya. For one, De La Hoya wouldn’t be required to evenly split the revenue from the match like he would with the other fighters being considered. Second, from a strategic standpoint Mora would probably be the easiest victory out of the fights available. We will now see De La Hoya struggle with the same question that has been guiding the career of Mayweather during the past few years, do you want to cement your legacy in the sport or just earn some easy money?

5) We are just a couple weeks away from one of the more intriguing fights of the summer, as boxing superstar Manny Pacquaio will move up a weight class to challenge WBC lightweight champion David Diaz on June 28th. If Pacquaio can defeat Diaz it will be the fourth different weight class he has won a title in, a rarity in modern boxing. For Diaz, the fight presents yet another opportunity to score a major upset victory, the kind upon which he has established his career. The success by Diaz as an underdog began in 1996 when he outperformed a heralded young prospect named Zab Judah for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, and culminated last year when he successfully defended his title against the heavily favored Erik Morales. It should also be a highly entertaining fight in the ring, as both boxers like to come forward and exchange power punches in flurries. Make sure to stay tuned to the Furious Five during the days leading up to the fight, as I will be sure to provide more analysis and offer my prediction.

Alright everyone, that’s all for now. If you have any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to join in the discussion. I’ll see you all again for the next edition of the Furious Five.

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Tags: Cotto, David Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Gary Lockett, Kelly Pavlik, Manny Pacquaio, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Sergio Mora, Vernon Forrest