Thread: more on mayorga's pre fight threats about the fight and money

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May 4, 2006

By Victor Perea

Photos: Rick Guzman



Hard hats and DANGER! signs adorned the Hollywood Theater inside the MGM-Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, where Ricardo Mayorga and Oscar De La Hoya met for the final press conference to Saturdays WBC Championship bout labeled DANGER ZONE.

However the Championship belt seems to be the least important aspect of this fight, as rumor has it Oscar De La Hoya is using Mayorga as a tune up for a grand finale to his career facing Pretty Boy Floyd Mayweather Jr. on September 16th in Las Vegas. Mayorga the unapologetic smoker did not take much of a liking to being used as the sacrificial lamb, his words and even slaps one point during the press tour have made this bout a bit more personal for the Golden Boy.

Nearly an hour behind schedule it was announced that "Mr. King was having some trust issues with his fighter, a contract dispute," which apparently was the reason for the much longer than usual delay. Mayorga apparently asked to speak with Oscar De La Hoya and his promoter in private before the press conference; delaying the press conference for over an hour.

When the press conference finally began it was without the WBC Light Middleweight Champion Ricardo Mayorga; Oscar De La Hoya looked visibly disturbed from whatever occurred behind closed doors. After buying as much time as possible in hopes of Mayorga or Don King coming out it was obvious that the press conference would be a one man show- just then Mayorga emerged from the adjoining cocktail room, alongside his trainers and WBC Belt; a few short minutes later he was joined at the podium by his promoter Don King.

Out of character Don King was very brief and seemingly at a loss of words when he first took the podium quickly introducing Moyarga's trainers.

Mayorga took the podium visibly upset at Don King, "I love you so much Mom I'm going to represent all Nicaragua and my whole family. I will beat him. I WILL BEAT HIM!"

During the hour and a half that Mayorga was present most thought that the mysterious "contract dispute" was over weight, Mayorga quickly dispatched that rumor saying "I'm a pound and a half over 154 right now. I'll be 18 pounds over 154 come Saturday night."

By the time Oscar De la Hoya took the podium he was smiling and no longer looked nervous possibly convinced that the earlier issue had been ironed out between his opponent and his promoter.

"I've been walking around at151lbs for three weeks…We've done the talking. I feel ready, I feel strong, I feel fast." Don King addressed the issue of De La Hoya's time off, an issue Oscar said does not exist. "During the first three weeks, month of training there was a difference. My punches weren't coming out as fast as I wanted. I wasn't punching as strong as I should. But after that I've been feeling great…fast and strong, they're not going to see the same Oscar from the Sturm fight."

After De la Hoya's final comments and the conference was officially over, as the fighters headed for one on one interviews, Mayorga grabbed the mic and yelled out, "I'm thinking about not fighting because I'm not getting paid what I deserve. I'm not scared of Oscar but I'm not getting paid what I want."

Moyarga's comments sent the room into a frenzy as everybody rushed to the podium to listen to what else Mayorga had to say.

Hesitant to give actual numbers at first, Mayorga eventually said, "I wanted to fight for 8 million. I'm not gonna fight for free you know. I signed the contract for X amount. Only to lure Oscar. I think it would change back to what I originally wanted once Oscar agreed to fight."

Mayorga closed by saying, "If I don't get my 8 million, I wont fight." Adding "You can meet me in the hotel lobby in an hour and a half and I'll tell you if they gave me my 8 million or if I'm not fighting."

Mayorga never made an announcement. The De La Hoya camp believes the incident is a psychological ploy to distract Oscar and a team member stated in any event it is an issue between Mayorga and King.

Let me just say this...FUCK RICARDO MAYORGA!!!

Don't be a bitch...fight the fight & get the win that you so easily say you can.

Wouldn't want to have to see him in a skirt instead of bloodied up in the ring.

He's scared...he knows he's gonna get his ass kicked so he wants more cash.

im pretty sure the fight will go ahead....but this is some weird shit he's pulling up...

mayorga is giving contradictory signs for sure....if he thinks he's gonna win then go in there and do it and pick up the bigger paychecks on down the road...

Originally Posted by wacko3205

Let me just say this...FUCK RICARDO MAYORGA!!!

Don't be a bitch...fight the fight & get the win that you so easily say you can.

Wouldn't want to have to see him in a skirt instead of bloodied up in the ring.

He's scared...he knows he's gonna get his ass kicked so he wants more cash.

*cough* its a mind game *cough*

or basically he's just looking for an excuse before he already looses

i dont think mayorga is scared, he's playing up because he can....

im sure mayorga has every belief that he can stop oscar, whether he does it or not is a different matter, but i think he has a realistic chance....

I agree that it's a strategy...but it's pretty weak coming into the last 3 days of the fight...come on.

can mayorga really be worrying about his share of the purse only 3 days before the fight though? i mean a contract is a contract and im sure mayorga knows what that means....what is signed is done...

as weak as it may seem, it does seem to point to mayorga continuing to try and get inside oscar's head in some way...

only the fists can do the real talking though...

i really feel mayorga does have some doubt in his mind--maybe not all out fear, but theres something going on..i think hes tried the intimidation tactics and has not seen any fear or trepidation in oscars eyes and thats concerning him

same type of thing u saw in tyson v lewis