Exclusive Interview: Top Rank President Todd duBoef.

“Ideally, Cotto – Mayweather in the future could be like Leonard – Duran. The same kind of ingredients, the Latin fighter, the darling kid, it really has that type of possibility.”–Top Rank President Todd duBoef on Floyd Mayweather’s future fights.

I had the good fortune to speak with Top Rank President Todd duBoef in Atlantic City after last weekend’s magnificent Mayweather – Gatti fight card at Boardwalk Hall. Despite his

very busy schedule, Todd generously took the time out for SaddoBoxing.com and spoke about Top Rank promoted fighter Floyd Mayweather’s future along with the exciting light welterweight division.

SaddoBoxing: Can you tell us about your feelings concerning tonight’s card?

Todd duBoef: “I think that tonight’s card changed the landscape of the 140-pound division. I remember being on a conference call with Miguel Cotto and everyone was asking ‘what’s going to happen?’ concerning the 140-pound division, and I said that on June 26th, we’ll talk about what’s going to happen. Who would have thought that Vivian Harris would get knocked out by Maussa? And Mayweather looked like Superman tonight.”

SaddoBoxing continues to deliver the best interviews out there. Top Rank President Todd duBoef discusses the possibility of a Hatton-Mayweather fight. Don’t miss it.

SB: Did you expect Mayweather to look as dominant as he was tonight?

TD: “Yes, because I know Floyd. We’ve been with him for ten years and he knows his own abilities while also being very aware of what abilities another fighter has. Arturo Gatti has always been a tough kid but not the quickest kid. Floyd in the ring is going one hundred and fifty miles an hour. If you can’t get up to at least one hundred miles an hour, you don’t have a chance with Floyd. So the guys who can deliver the quick punches, that equalizes the pendulum and the swing of the fight.”

SB: You’re saying that it takes a very quick fighter to keep Mayweather from running roughshod over them.

TD: “Yes, for example, after Floyd won his first title and he met Manfredy, he destroyed him. With his father and uncle’s background of being fighters, Floyd’s pedigree is unbelievable. He started boxing from just about birth and these guys who’ve started off in the gym like everyone else, they don’t have the pedigree yet.”

SB: I know that Floyd has just fought, but where would you like to go next with him?

TD: “I think he wants big fights and we’re going to look for something with a November date. We’ll look to see what’s out there, what big fights can be generated. Floyd has never backed down from anyone so it’s all about someone wanting to fight him, too.”

SB: Would the big fights you’ll be looking for be at 140? I ask because traditionally Floyd wins the WBC belt in a division and doesn’t unify before moving up. Would you like him to unify?

TD: “What you’re talking about there is a Hatton fight, a Maussa fight but I think that Maussa now has a mandatory with M’baye, and then you’re talking about Cotto. Ideally, Cotto – Mayweather in the future could be like Leonard – Duran. The same kind of ingredients, the Latin fighter, the darling kid, it really has that type of possibility. But I don’t think that fight is ready yet. I think it probably needs to create that swell of attention, probably twelve months. Two or three fights for each and it would be ready to go.”

SB: What about Hatton – Mayweather?

TD: “We’d love to do it.”

SB: Would you go to England though? Floyd has said that he won’t go.

TD: “I think he would go.”

SB: Because of the money?

TD: “It’s not even the money, I think he…listen, he was here with a hostile crowd and he was fine.”

SaddoBoxing.com wishes to thank Todd duBoef, Carl Moretti, Frank Maloney, Ray Hatton and Paul Speak for making this article possible.

Curtis McCormick can be reached at thomaspointrd@aol.com