Low Blows: Berbick found dead, Freitas unretires, Miguel Cotto, and November Fight Schedule

Columns, News


Trevor Berbick 1954-2006

– Former Heavyweight Champion Trevor Berbick was found dead outside a church courtyard near his home in Jamaica. Police have arrested a 20-year-old man in connection to the murder. Berbick was found with chop wounds in the back of his head. Berbick had a troubled life outside of the ring. Inside of the ring, he had a record of 50-11-1 (33 KOs) and was the last man to fight Muhammad Ali. Berbick may best be remembered for losing his world heavyweight title to a 20-year-old Mike Tyson in 1986. He was also an Olympian in 1976. Trevor Berbick was 52 years old.

– Miguel Cotto vacated his WBO Light Welterweight title. Cotto is moving up to welterweight and will be facing Carlos Quintana for the WBA Welterweight title. As a result of the vacant title, the upcoming bout between Ricardo Torres and Mike Arnaoutis on Nov.18 will now be for the WBO Light Welterweight belt. The fight is on the undercard of the Pacquiao/Morales III pay-per-view.

– Both Carlos Baldomir and Floyd Mayweather Jr took part in a mandatory weigh-in one week prior to their Nov 4th showdown. They are fighting at the welterweight limit of 147 lbs but they each had to be under 154 lbs for this weigh-in. Baldomir weighed in at 153 whereas Mayweather hit the scales at 150. There shouldn’t be a problem for anyone to make weight for this fight.

– When I said don’t be surprised if Acelino Freitas returns from retirement, I didn’t expect it to be so soon. Freitas is negotiating a fight with new WBC Lightweight champion Joel Casamayor. Freitas won a unanimous decision over Casamayor in 2002 and a rematch is now rumored. Casamayor has since been running his mouth about Freitas, but Casamayor talks junk about just about everyone. HBO is interested in the fight and hopes to have it on their schedule for April of 2007.

– Juan Manuel Marquez was taken off of last week’s Mexican Glory PPV when his opponent, Jimrex Jaca, had visa problems. Marquez is now set to fight an opponent to be named on HBO’s Boxing After Dark on Nov. 25. Jaca is still a possibility as an opponent given his visa problems are cleared soon.

– Buyrates for the Mexican Glory PPV as well as Mike Tyson’s World Tour are not being released. That means the numbers sucked but that should have been known prior to the events. Industry insiders predict less than 20,000 buys for each show.

November Fight Schedule

Nov. 4 – Carlos Baldomir vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr WBC Welterweight Title (HBO PPV)

Nov. 4 – Sergei Liakhovich vs. Shannon Briggs WBO Heavyweight Title (Showtime)

Nov. 10 – Evander Holyfield vs. Fres Oquendo (Fox Sports PPV)

Nov. 11 – Wladimir Klitschko vs. Calvin Brock IBF Heavyweight Title (HBO)

Nov. 18 – Manny Pacquiao vs. Erik Morales III (HBO PPV)

Nov. 25 – Jesus Chavez vs. Julio Diaz IBF Lightweight Title (HBO)

Nov. 25 – Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Jimrex Jaca WBO Featherweight Title (HBO)