Mailbag: Welterweight the money division

Let's get right to your questions and comments, as it's time once again for the reader mailbag.

My answers, as always, are in italics.

GREAT WELTERWEIGHTS

With the win by Shane Mosley over Antonio Margarito and the upcoming bout between Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquiao happening soon, do you think Floyd Mayweather Jr. will return to the ring to face any of the men mentioned? Mosley and Mayweather would be a good fight, but Pacquiao and Mayweather would be a great fight! Also throw in Miguel Cotto and the welterweight division could be the most exciting in boxing and help the sport out a lot if these men faced each other. What do you think?

Linwood Keith

Welterweight is a terrific division and there are a lot of great fights to be made, regardless of whether Mayweather returns. But if he does, as I suspect he will, I think the biggest fights he could take would be against Pacquiao, Margarito, Cotto and Mosley. A Mayweather-Pacquiao fight would be a license to print money for the promoters.

SOLIS-VILORIA FIGHT

My question has to do with a very interesting fight coming up on March 20 in Manila. There are going to be a lot of great fights on that card: Fernando Montiel vs. Nonito Donaire, and the Fight I'm really interested in, Ulises Solis vs. Brian Viloria. I became a huge fan of Solis after seeing him fight live in the AllState Arena in Rosemont, Ill. And that's not to mention he hails from the same city where I'm from. My question to you is although I've checking through many popular boxing websites, I have yet to find if these fights will be televised in the U.S., particularly in Chicago. I believe they are great fights and should be televised in the States. I know since the fights will be in the Philippines that it will be at morning or afternoon in the U.S.. Anyway I really appreciate your information. Thank you. By the way, you are the best boxing analyst in the world.

Benito Gonzalez
Chicago

Thanks Benito. I was going to mention that you're the best boxing fan in the world, but that would look a little, you know, strange. Anyway, good news: Top Rank is going to put the fight on pay-per-view, so it will definitely be available in Chicago. Top Rank has been producing its own pay-per-view shows for the last couple of years, and I think you're going to see that increase in the future.

DUCKING JOHN

After Chris John defeats Rocky Juarez when they meet Feb. 28 for the WBA featherweight title in Houston, do you think fighters will be forced to stop ducking him and face him? He dismantled Juan Manuel Marquez, though I think travel had a lot to do with Marquez's performance. No one else even mentions his name. How do you rate him in his weight division?

Brian Gross
Carrollton, Texas

John's a terrific fighter, but I don't think he's being ducked, Brian. The problem is, John has fought the vast majority of his bouts in Indonesia and there are few North American-based fighters who are willing to make that trip. If John begins to campaign in the U.S., I think you'll see him facing many of the top featherweights.

ENOUGH OF JUAREZ

When Rocky Juarez fights Chris John, I hope this will finally put an end to the endless string of title challenges Juarez gets. He is a one-dimensional fighter who has a decent but not great punch who seems to be getting this shot based on his name and an ability to do just enough to lose. This fight could be a complete whitewash for John, who is often the target of harsh criticism, much of which is true, because he fights in the comforts of Indonesia all the time. He is a very solid fighter overall. He has decent power, above average defense and a very solid chin. If he does not win 11 or the 12 rounds I will be shocked. I also want to touch on the fight between Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz. This fight could be a chess match between two of the better boxers in the sport. Look for Juan Diaz to not only win, but look sensational in doing so. I think his speed will prove to be all the difference in the world.

Joseph Furr
Stanley, N.C.

Juarez has had four title shots, two of which were close and two of which were routs. This is his fifth. If he doesn't win, I think it's time to move on and give someone else a chance. I agree with much of your characterization of the fight and of Juarez's chances. I think another reason Juarez keeps turning up in title fights is because he does come to fight as well as the fact that he is managed by Shelly Finkel. Finkel is well-connected and has kept Juarez near the top with some shrewd moves. I like Marquez in the main event that night, but I have great respect for Diaz and wouldn't at all be surprised if he pulled the upset.

MYTHICAL MIDDLEWEIGHT MATCH

Who do you think would win between Bernard Hopkins and Marvelous Marvin Hagler, when both were at their best, regardless of age?

Lavelle Gainey

I think Hagler is the better overall boxer and would have pulled away in the final third of the fight. Hagler had better power than Hopkins and better overall offense. It would have been an interesting fight, but I think Hagler would just have had too much for Hopkins and would have won a clear decision.

MOSLEY GETTING A PASS

Why does it seem like Shane Mosley gets a pass for his wins while using illegal substances? I know he's never failed a test, but isn't that the reason he was paying BALCO? None of the BALCO athletes (i.e.: Barry Bonds, Gary Sheffield, Jason Giambi, Marion Jones, etc.) failed a drug test. Yet, Mosley continues to get credit for his wins over De La Hoya.

Julian Sutton
Tampa, Fla.

I don't condone cheating and so I don't condone Mosley's steroid usage in 2003. He claims he didn't know what he was taking was a steroid and thought he was only being given legal substances. That doesn't matter, though, because it's the fighter's job to know what he puts into his body. Ignorance of the crime is no defense.

That said, Mosley has been tested after each of his fights subsequent to that De La Hoya fight and, in many cases, before the fights. He's passed every test. Now, there has been no evidence he's worked with someone who has given him masking agents to help him pass those tests. As a result, he deserves the presumption that he is, in fact, clean.

There is no mechanism in the Nevada rules to allow the fight to be declared a no-contest or the victory overturned, so it's going to remain a win on his record.

RANKING WINKY

Where do you rank Winky Wright? When does he fight again?

Donnell

Winky is one of the best boxers of his generation, but he hasn't fought since July 2007, so it's hard to rank him. He's facing Paul Williams on April 11 in a middleweight bout. No venue has been chosen, though it's likely going to be in Los Angeles or Las Vegas.

MANDATORY INSPECTIONS

With all this controversy regarding the plaster of Paris that was allegedly in Antonio Margarito's wraps, I ponder a question. Why doesn't the boxing commission make it mandatory to collect and inspect boxers' gloves and wraps after a fight? It makes no sense that they are not collected and inspected to make sure everything was on the up and up, especially since boxers already submit to mandatory drug testing, post-fight. This incident puts into question the outcomes of Margarito's previous wins. Is it possible that Miguel Cotto's face was rearranged as fiercely as it was due to plastered wraps? Is it possible that Kermit Cintron and Cotto both felt the ferocity of Margarito's body attack, more so, due to plastered wraps? If so, maybe one day guilt will set the truth free. And, maybe, in the future we won't have this type of situation anymore because boxers would be deterred from doing such antics, knowing that their equipment is going to be collected/inspected after each and every fight.

Danny
Los Angeles

When a fighter is having his hands wrapped, there is a member of the athletic commission present to watch to make certain rules are being followed. A member of the opposing camp is also invited, though they don't have to send anyone. After the wraps are done and the inspector is convinced it is legal, he signs the wraps and the gloves are pulled over the wraps. Tape is applied along the wrist and the inspector signs that, as well. That's then proof that nothing could have been tampered with. Then, in the ring before the fight, the referee feels the fighters' gloves, just to make certain. If he doesn't like the feel, he can ask the fighter to be re-gloved. That would make a post-fight inspection appear unnecessary, but perhaps it's going to come to that and that will have to be done.

• Can’t get enough of Kevin Iole’s mailbag? Then check out last week’s edition.