Muhammad Ali (b. Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., January 17, 1942, Louisville, Kentucky) is an American boxer. He is one of the world’s greatest heavyweight boxers, as well as one of the world’s most famous individuals, renowned the world over for his boxing and political activism.

He began boxing at age 12, initially tutored by policeman Joe Martin. After a glittering amateur career including six Kentucky State Golden Gloves titles, two National Golden Gloves titles, and two National Amateur Athletic Union titles, he won the gold medal in boxing’s light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome on September 5.

He turned professional under the tutelage of boxing legend Angelo Dundee, and quickly became famous for his unorthodox style, his spectacular results, and his tireless self-promotion. He made a name for himself as the “Louisville Lip” by composing poems predicting in which round he would knock his opponent out. He boisterously sang his own praises, with sayings like “I am the greatest” and “I’m young, I’m pretty, and I can’t possibly be beat.”

In Louisville on October 29, 1960 Cassius Clay won his first professional fight.

In 1964, Clay managed to get himself an opportunity to fight heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. He stunned the world by upsetting the heavy favorite Liston, who refused to leave his corner for the eighth round, claiming he had injured his shoulder. Clay was duly crowned the heavyweight champion of the world. He would confirm his abilities in 1965, when he knocked Liston out in the first round of their rematch, albeit controversially as few observers saw the “phantom punch” that floored Liston.

In between the two matches, he also became famous for other reasons: he joined the Nation of Islam, and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. In 1966, he refused to serve in the American army in the Vietnam War as a conscientious objector, famously saying that he “got nothing against no Viet Cong. No Vietnamese ever called me a nigger.” He was stripped of his championship belt and his license to box, and sentenced to five years in prison (this was overturned on appeal three years later).

In 1970, granted a license to box once more, he began a comeback, but suffered a setback when he lost his 1971 title fight, a bruising 15 round encounter with Joe Frazier at Madison Square Garden. He split two bouts with Ken Norton before beating Frazier on points in 1974 to earn another title shot.

The incumbent, George Foreman, was a large, hard-hitting, undefeated young fighter who had previously demolished Frazier, KO’ing him in the second round of their championship fight, and was the heavy favorite. The fight was held in Zaire and promoted by Don King as “The Rumble in The Jungle.” In the bout that would cement his reputation as “The Greatest”, Ali boxed his best tactical fight. Leading with his “wrong” hand and playing “rope-a-dope” by leaning far back on the ropes (that had supposedly been loosened by Dundee), Ali absorbed everything Foreman could throw at him, whilst only occasionally throwing counter punches. By the end of the sixth round, Foreman had punched himself out and Ali was able to attack a little more. Foreman kept advancing, but his blows were much less effective and near the end of the eighth, Ali’s right hand finally sent the exhausted Foreman to the floor.

In 1975, Ali defeated Joe Frazier once more in the Thrilla In Manila in the Philippines. Along with the “Rumble”, his fights with Frazier are widely considered among the greatest in boxing history.

He would retain his title until a 1978 loss to Leon Spinks. He defeated Spinks in a rematch, becoming the heavyweight champion for the record third time. He vacated the title and retired.

That retirement was short-lived, however, and on October 2, 1980, he challenged Larry Holmes for the WBC’s version of the world Heavyweight title. Looking to set another record, as the first boxer to win the Heavyweight title four times, he lost by technical knockout in round eleven, when Dundee would not let him come out for the round. The Holmes fight, promoted as The Last Hurrah, was a fight many fans and experts view with disdain, because of what many viewed as a deteriorated version of Ali. Holmes was Ali’s sparring partner when Holmes was a budding fighter and because of that, some viewed the result of the fight as a symbolic passing of the torch.

Ali retired permanently in 1981 with a career record of 56 wins, 37 by knockout, against 5 losses.

Ali had a highly unorthodox style for a heavyweight boxer. He carried his hands at his sides rather than the orthodox boxing style of carrying the hands high to defend the face. Instead, he relied on his extraordinary reflexes and reach to keep him away from his opponents’ blows. Ali punched to the head much more than most boxers — a high-risk strategy since over the duration of a long fight punches to the body can be much more effective in tiring an opponent out.

A friend of Malcolm X’s, Clay converted to Islam, joining the Nation of Islam. Though both he and Malcolm eventually parted ways with the Nation of Islam, he remained a vocal and eloquent advocate on black civil rights issues. The English journalist Tony Parsons described him as a hero because “no white man could look at him or listen to him and feel superior”.

Ali Center:

He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1982, following which his motor functions began a slow decline. Despite this, he remains a hero to millions around the world. In 1985, he was called on to negotiate for the release of kidnapped Americans in Lebanon; in 1996, to light the Olympic flame in Atlanta, Georgia. At the same Olympics, Ali was also presented with a replacement gold medal. He had thrown the previous one, won in 1960, in the Ohio River after he had been refused service in a restaurant because of his race.

www.SubstanceCollectables.Com specializes in autographed sports memorabilia.  We only sell sports memorabilia from the most respected sports companies in the world which includes Mounted Memories, Highland Mint, Upper Deck, Steiner, and others.  Most of our boxing memorabilia are also signed in front of our staff members and pictures are taken of the fighter durring the signing to insure authenticity. Our autographed sports memorabilia also includes a certificate of authenticity and tamper-proof holograms.  www.SubstanceCollectables.com  Memorabilia guarantees all autographed memorabilia to be authentic.

Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. later known as Muhammad Ali, was a black boxer, and was proud of it. Many African Americans were ashamed of their color, but Ali was different. He was the first boxer to win the Heavyweight Championship 3 different times. He had a great personality and was liked by the people. During his life, he made big decisions that changed the course of his life completely. Muhammad Ali’s journey through life was a great inspiration for African American people, but Ali himself inspires admiration to everybody.

Muhammad Ali was a man made to box. He had a great career before him since he made his first professional fight under President Eisenhower presidency. His Professional Career was really impressive. His had a great balance and was able to move his hands and feet in great speed and coordination. Ali was said to dance in the ring while destroying his opponents. Ali started fighting at a very short age, and his first teacher was Joe Martin (Hauser 18). Through hard work and discipline, he became a professional fighter and eventually the Heavyweight champion of the world. Although he lost the title twice, he regained it three times, putting him in the history books. His boxing career was put to an end when he started suffering from Parkinson’s disease. This was the end of his boxing, but his greatness will never die.

Muhammad Ali was not the kind of person that gets taken away with fame and money. He is a simple, unsophisticated person with a very loving heart, and very determined (Hauser 186). He did not care much about himself, he enjoyed making people happy. While training, he let people come and see him, charging them to see the show. Doing so, he earned about $1000 a day. After the training was over, he went home and gave away every cent to needy people, especially kids (Hauser 149). This was the kind of person Ali was. His big dream was to see peace in the country, racial peace. Also, he was not totally convinced with the idea of segregation because it is not good to make people be together against their will. This way of thinking and qualities is what Malcolm X saw in Ali, and therefore thought Ali could be a great messenger for the African Americans (Hauser 110). Ali’s ideas and actions distinguished him from the rest, he was an inborn leader.

During his life, Ali was forced to make some tough decisions, and always made them his own way. At the time of Ali’s fighting, the United States were involved in the Vietnam War. As a result, young Americans were been drafted to serve in the military. When political figures saw Ali fighting, they decided to stop the hurting of our own and draft him, so he hurts the people in Vietnam. Ali was not pleased with this decision, because ha had just won the Heavyweight Championship and because he said, “I ain’t got no quarrel with them Vietcong”(Hauser 144). His final decision on the issue was that he would not go to war. He was not willing to go and kill people, while his own are in bad conditions at home. In the same way, he was forced to decide if he wanted to become a billionaire and sell his people, or to become poor and not sell his people (185). For this rebel action, his Heavyweight Title was taken away and he was put in jail. This did not matter to him because he h!

ad followed his beliefs and obeyed Allah. He has taught his people a lesson, and that is what satisfies him. Ali’s strong beliefs cut his uprising career and took away his greatest years as a person and as a boxer.

A very important quality that shapes Ali’s personality is his faith in religion. Ali risked his whole career in making a choice, right or wrong. To his eyes, the correct action was to stay and face the consequences, but not go and kill innocent people. He did not agree with discrimination, and said, “People are people: God created us all.” Ali was Muslim. He followed his beliefs strongly and without hesitation. He went to jail because he preferred to follow Allah’s laws than the land laws (Hauser 167). His actions were greatly criticized, but also greatly supported.

The country was divided in two during the time Ali and the Vietnam War were alive. The Civil Rights divided the country in two. The first group was those people that did not have an opinion on the War, so they approved it. This people thought that Ali was bad, they even feared the champion. They thought he was manipulated by his religion, and was dangerous to the society. In the other hand, the second group of people that thought the war was wrong and wanted to put a stop to it. They viewed it as a waste of time and resources. This people supported Ali and liked him. Ali was different. He had such a strong personality that he did belong to the anti-war group, but, did not participate in the organizations. He stood alone and this made him stand out (Hauser 186). His ability to unite people under one cause made him very special and liked by most people.

Muhammad Ali was different from other African Americans because he saw himself as equal to a white man. He did not think of himself as less or inferior, he even considered himself, “The Greatest” (Hauser 15) Muhammad Ali had a very high self-esteem and this gave him the motivation and confidence to do what he wanted. In his opinion, Black people wanted a country of their own, a country they could run and look for. Black people deserve this, because African Americans will never be free in this country, a change has to occur. The white people have brainwashed all African Americans in thinking only white is good. This kind of thought makes black people feel inferior and therefore are inferior (Hauser 187). Ali had a good control over young kids because they looked up to him. He told this kids that the primary key for his successful career and victory in fights was that he won intellectually first, and then fought. To have this intellectual skill, go to school and get edu!

cated, then, African Americans may start rising.(Bingham 5) Ali tried to make it possible for more and more blacks to succeed in life.

Muhammad Ali had never visited South Africa due to the fact that the white government of that country was racist. The black people were treated really unfairly and without compassion. Finally, he decided to make a twelve-day visit to this country. People still regard him as the greatest and many people listen to him (Bingham 4). Ali is just glad that at least in some places, discrimination is decreasing, but he is still fighting to solve it in other places. Muhammad Ali gave speeches, visited places and met people. At the time he visited the country, assassinations, riots, and violence were taking place. Ali had the power to and influence with his presence to keep the peace and change the behavior of millions of Blacks (Bingham). He is a positive image and example to many people, his only presence influences and impacts people greatly.

Ali has been deteriorated physically by Parkinson’s Disease. Although he was a great athlete and in great shape, nothing can be done with nature. Ali sees this as nothing, and wants to help people that share his same misfortune. His goal is now to help everybody who needs it, so he is backing up a research on the disease to try and find a cure (Newsmakers). He is hoping his name will inspire people to unite for this cause and help in the research. Also, many people would think that Ali is now defeated and finished, but for him, boxing was the introduction to his life. He views that boxing introduced him to life and now it is when he has to live. He has to act to stop discrimination, especially racial, worldwide. Also, the world is filled with crime and hunger. He wants to help this people and stop these wrong actions. With the support and image Ali has, he may be able to help current leaders, as he helped his black brothers, solve this threatening problems.

Muhammad Ali is a man of class, honor and intelligence. He has taught not only his Black brothers, but also everybody in the world we are all equal. To African Americans he is very important for his support. Muhammad Ali’s journey through life was a great inspiration for African American people, but Ali himself inspires admiration to everybody. His ideas and actions give us all an example of what it is to really believe in something and risk loosing it all for doing what is right. Ali’s actions and decisions showed us he was not afraid of failure. His tranquility and determination made some people admire him. He made his decisions and stuck to them. Like he said, “And now the whole world knows that, so far as my own beliefs are concerned, I did what was right for me” (Hauser 172).

Muhammad Ali Autographed Boxing Glove

www.SubstanceCollectables.Com specializes in autographed sports memorabilia.  We only sell sports memorabilia from the most respected sports companies in the world which includes Mounted Memories, Highland Mint, Upper Deck, Steiner, and others.  Most of our boxing memorabilia are also signed in front of our staff members and pictures are taken of the fighter durring the signing to insure authenticity. Our autographed sports memorabilia also includes a certificate of authenticity and tamper-proof holograms.  www.SubstanceCollectables.com  Memorabilia guarantees all autographed memorabilia to be authentic.

Duran, originally from Mexico, now living and training in Albuquerque, NM is looking to close the final chapter on Camacho’s storied career early.

Camacho, however, has other plans.

“This is the first step in closing my career the way I want to end things,” said the charismatic champ from his training camp in Tampa. “I want to fight maybe four to five more times, around the country and overseas. I’m talking to some European promoters, and would like to have a chance to perform for my fans around the world before I move on to the next phase of my life.”

As an active partner of Reyes-Macho Time Productions, Camacho brings a lot to the table, having done a remarkable job of promoting himself nearly his entire career.

“I became a household name not only because of my boxing ability and the level I fought at, but because of who I am,” explained Camacho who was one of the most widely recognized boxers from the 1980’s right through the early 2000’s.

In addition to the legendary Camacho, the show will feature several of the area’s top young prospects, all excited to share the stage with a living legend.

The top supporting bout will feature one of the world’s best female boxers, Jenna Shiver (10-4-1) facing the rough Liliana Martinez, (8-9, 5 KOs) of NY via Santa Domingo in a six-round junior featherweight bout. Shiver, who is also a well-known stunt-person, brings an exciting style and charisma into the ring, a perfect opener for the Macho Man!

Another rising star in female boxing is four-time New York Golden Gloves Champ Patricia Alcivar (1-0) facing the experienced Ana Gomez (3-1) of Sonora, Mexico in a special attraction four-round bantamweight contest.

In a very intriguing four-rounder, undefeated prospects with identical records are pitied against each other. Both 4-0, Rances Barthelemy of Miami will face James Owens of Milwaukee, WI in a four round jr welterweight battle. Both fighters have outstanding amateur backgrounds, having represented their regions in the National Golden Gloves. An interesting side note, Owens lost a close decision to Barthelemy’s brother Yan Barthelemy, who represented Cuba in the Olympics, in an international competition several years ago.

Kissimmee’s local favorite Danny Pastrana (1-1) will face Carmelo Amodovar of nearby Spring Hill in a four round middleweight bout. Amodovar is making his pro debut in the ring but he is 4-0 as an MMA fighter.

Orlando’s popular Roger Rosa (1-1) will face Sarasota’s Adrian Perez (4-2-1, 1 KO) in a four round jr welterweight encounter. Perez’s teammate Cesar Cisneros (0-1) will try to pick up his first professional win against debuting Jesus Lule of Ft. Meyers in a four round lightweight bout. Lule is trained and managed by the affable veteran trainer Steve Canton.

Also appearing on the show will be former Argentine amateur kick-boxer Paul Marfort making his boxing debut against Nathan Ortiz of nearby Lakeland (who is also making his debut).

Doors open at 6:30p and the first bout is at 7:45p. Tickets are $32.75 for general admission or $82.95 for reserved ringside and available at the box office.

www.SubstanceCollectables.Com specializes in autographed sports memorabilia.  We only sell sports memorabilia from the most respected sports companies in the world which includes Mounted Memories, Highland Mint, Upper Deck, Steiner, and others.  Most of our boxing memorabilia are also signed in front of our staff members and pictures are taken of the fighter durring the signing to insure authenticity. Our autographed sports memorabilia also includes a certificate of authenticity and tamper-proof holograms.  www.SubstanceCollectables.com  Memorabilia guarantees all autographed memorabilia to be authentic. 

Hector “Macho” Camacho autographed boxing glove

For the Hall of Fame Autographed Boxing Glove from the one and only Hector “Macho” Camacho click on the photo above.

Five-weight world Champion Manny Pacquaio says he will have one last fight:

“I asked my mom, can I please fight one more time? She said ‘okay’,” Pacquiao told the ABS-CBN news portal.

Pacquiao’s chief financial adviser Michael Konzc added that 6 November and 13 November had been set aside as potential dates for his next fight.

“There is no named opponent yet, but that is certainly when we will fight,” said Konzc.

The boxing world is desperate for a clash between Pacquiao and 33-year-old American Mayweather, who are not only the two best welterweights, but widely regarded as the two contenders for the unofficial title of pound-for-pound champion.

A planned fight between the pair fell through in March when the Filipino champion refused Mayweather’s demands for random blood and urine tests in the run up to the fight.

“If Mayweather wants to fight Manny, then no problem, provided he doesn’t try to bully us into terms and conditions,” said Konzc, who added that the 31-year-old would fight under the rules of the commission hosting the bout.

Konzc also said Pacquiao could fight whoever wins the 4 June bout between Israeli Yuri Foreman and Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto, whom Pacquiao defeated in November.

Pacquiao last fought in March when he defeated Ghanaian Joshua Clottey to retain his WBO welterweight belt for a 12th consecutive victory. Mayweather earned a unanimous points victory over American Shane Mosley earlier in May.

After that fight, Mayweather said: “If Manny takes the [blood] test, we can make the fight happen.”

The Philippines star has lost just three times in 56 fights, drawing two and winning 38 of his 51 victories by knockout. Mayweather has won all of his 45 contests – 25 by knockout.

Koncz added that Pacquiao was now resting following a night of monitoring results from the congressional race in Sarangani province that pitted him against businessman Roy Chiongbian, 61, scion of a politically powerful and wealthy family.

‘Pacman’ was roundly defeated when he first ventured into politics in a run for the House of Representatives in 2007.

Campaigning last month, Pacquiao described his platform as “very simple, very basic” – giving small boats to fishermen and financial support to neighbourhood stores so people can build livelihoods, plus offering free education and medicine and medical care to the poor.

Unbeaten Floyd Mayweather or Mexican Antonio Margarito are likely opponents.

The Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas is set to hold the fight, though Konzc added that negotiations with potential opponents have yet to begin.

www.SubstanceCollectables.Com specializes in autographed sports memorabilia.  We only sell sports memorabilia from the most respected sports companies in the world which includes Mounted Memories, Highland Mint, Upper Deck, Steiner, and others.  Most of our boxing memorabilia are also signed in front of our staff members and pictures are taken of the fighter durring the signing to insure authenticity. Our autographed sports memorabilia also includes a certificate of authenticity and tamper-proof holograms.  www.SubstanceCollectables.com  Memorabilia guarantees all autographed memorabilia to be authentic. 

Manny Pacquiao Glove Sale at:  www.substancecollectables.com

LOS ANGELES (AP)—Promoters for Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. are trying to keep expectations low while they prepare for another round of negotiations for what could be the richest fight in boxing history.

Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum says he’ll soon start talking to Mayweather’s camp about putting together the world’s top two welterweights for a Nov. 13 bout in Las Vegas or Texas.

“That’s the fight people want to see, and that’s the fight I’m going to do my darnedest to make happen,” Arum said. “My first goal is to make that fight happen, but we’re not going to negotiate this thing in the press, because if we do, given the egos (involved), it’s never going to happen.”

Arum returned Tuesday from the Philippines, where he proudly attended Pacquiao’s apparent victory in a congressional election. The former Justice Department lawyer in the Kennedy administration described the trip as a landmark event in his life, and predicted Pacquiao eventually will be his nation’s president.

Yet even during the final days of Pacquiao’s campaign, Arum only heard one question from hundreds of Filipino fans: When will Manny fight Money?

“People want to see it, there’s no question about it,” Arum said. “I have no idea whether it’s going to happen or not.”

Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, who represents Mayweather, also refuses to predict success after the camps’ first negotiations fell apart over drug testing disagreements. Schaefer said no formal talks are scheduled, and Mayweather is busy spending time with his family and watching the NBA playoffs.

Schaefer, in New York promoting Amir Khan’s bout with Paulie Malignaggi this weekend, echoed Arum’s desire for a calm, private negotiation out of the media spotlight.

“Is it the fight everyone would like to see? Yeah, it is,” Schaefer said. “But everyone would like to see as well LeBron James against Kobe Bryant in the NBA finals, or Federer against Nadal in the Wimbledon final, or now that World Cup soccer is coming up, the Brazilians against the Italians in the World Cup soccer final.

“Does it always happen? No, it doesn’t. But I don’t think the success of one event is really the beginning or the end of a sport.”

Pacquiao’s next fight definitely will be in early November, with Arum hoping to match Pacquiao against former welterweight champion Antonio Margarito if talks with Mayweather fall through. Margarito hasn’t been licensed to fight in the U.S. after getting caught with a plaster-like substance in his gloves in Los Angeles in January 2009, but Arum believes he could get a license in Texas.

As for the budding congressman, who will be sworn in June 30, Arum said Pacquiao still can train for a fight while handling his new duties. Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, echoed that belief.

“He’s a multitasker,” Roach said. “He’s been doing this such a long time, making movies, he’s a singer. He likes keeping busy. Congressmen don’t do much anyway.”

Arum also said Pacquiao led him to believe he wants to fight three more times before retiring.

But Arum didn’t indicate whether Pacquiao would be willing to budge on his objections to the stringent drug testing demanded by Mayweather, including blood tests in the weeks leading up to the fight. Mayweather and Sugar Shane Mosley went through the same tests before Mayweather’s one-sided victory May 1.

Arum also isn’t certain whether Pacquiao would consider dropping his defamation lawsuit against several members of Mayweather’s camp after they suggested Pacquiao has used performance-enhancing drugs. Schaefer hasn’t commented on the litigation as a sticking point.

“As a fight fan, I agree with all the fight fans out there: this is a fight people want to see,” Schaefer said a day after HBO reported 1.4 million homes bought Mayweather-Mosley, likely meaning Mayweather made about $40 million from the fight. “If it’s going to happen or not happen, I don’t know. … If it happens, great. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. It’s not the end of the world.”

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is eager to put the megafight in Cowboys Stadium, which hosted Pacquiao’s victory over Joshua Clottey in March.

“What are the rules about knocking down a congressman?” Jones cracked Wednesday during a Cowboys golf outing in Grapevine, Texas. “Is that against the law?”

“I wouldn’t want to comment on what might be in store in the future for the fights,” Jones said. “But boy, I’d like to have that Pacquiao back in that stadium. And of course a fight like that, there’s no doubt in my mind we’d break every record of attendance that anybody has ever seen for boxing. I think it’d be a real plus for boxing to be able to expose that many people live to a great fight like that. … I think we might approach 120,000 (fans) for that fight.”

Arum appears to have softened his adamant desire to hold the fight in the Dallas area. Mayweather is thought to want the fight at the MGM Grand Garden, essentially the Las Vegas resident’s home arena.

“I’m not married to Dallas,” Arum said. “I’m a New York Giants fan. I’m going to advocate putting any fight of Manny’s in the place where it’s going to do the best and make the most sense, and that’s not necessarily Dallas.”

AP Sports Writers Dave Skretta in New York and Stephen Hawkins in Grapevine, Texas, contributed to this report.

www.SubstanceCollectables.Com specializes in autographed sports memorabilia.  We only sell sports memorabilia from the most respected sports companies in the world which includes Mounted Memories, Highland Mint, Upper Deck, Steiner, and others.  Most of our boxing memorabilia are also signed in front of our staff members and pictures are taken of the fighter durring the signing to insure authenticity. Our autographed sports memorabilia also includes a certificate of authenticity and tamper-proof holograms.  www.SubstanceCollectables.com  Memorabilia guarantees all autographed memorabilia to be authentic.

By Coach Tim Walker - According to reputable sources (Pacquiao’s official website, mpboxing.com) Manny Pacquiao, WBO welterweight champion, is considering accepting the cutoff request for random Olympic style blood test in order to fight Floyd Mayweather Junior.

A fight between the two superstars was all but done when, at the urging of Mayweather, the two sides could not agree on the test and it’s cutoff date.

Mayweather held out for a 14-day cut-off on the tests, while Pacquiao was not willing to accept the random protocol unless the cutoff was no less than 24-days prior to the fight. Now Pacquiao is willing to meet Mayweather’s number..

“I am willing to help the sport for the future of the sport. I do not want to see anyone cheat or cheat this sport. For that reason I am willing to consider taking blood as close as 14 days prior to the fight, as long as, my opponent does the same, and it is not a lot of blood, just enough to test.”

“I do not want anyone having an unfair advantage where someone may get hurt. I am willing to do my part to help this sport out.”

Pacquiao, in a statement on Philstar.com, “If I hit Mayweather like that (second round against Mosley), I will finish him off.”

I expect that the 14 day cutoff might not be possible now considering that Mosley agreed to the blood test up to the day of the fight. Still, anything is possible in boxing.

Manny Pacquiao promoter, Bob Arum, is refuting the statements concerning his willingness to take the Olympic style blood test. According to an official statement from Bob Arum, Manny Pacquiao quotes from yesterday were not genuine. Arum contends that Pacquiao is not willing to do any testing within a 24 day window froma fight date. Further, he refuses to bend from the originally agreed upon 50/50 purse split.

It should be noted that the statements were in fact on Manny Pacquiao’s website though they are not there today. Just wanted to let you know.

www.SubstanceCollectables.Com specializes in autographed sports memorabilia.  We only sell sports memorabilia from the most respected sports companies in the world which includes Mounted Memories, Highland Mint, Upper Deck, Steiner, and others.  Most of our boxing memorabilia are also signed in front of our staff members and pictures are taken of the fighter durring the signing to insure authenticity. Our autographed sports memorabilia also includes a certificate of authenticity and tamper-proof holograms.  www.SubstanceCollectables.com  Memorabilia guarantees all autographed memorabilia to be authentic.

photo credit: http://www.tiff.shovine.com

So we did some polling. From fans, film festival volunteers, official (and non-official) celebrity photographers, and most importantly the personal and professional autograph collectors who run tirelessly after film festival stars. By collective opinion tiff.shovine.com presents…

THE BEST & WORST Celebrity Autograph Signers during the 2008 Toronto Film Festival

THE BEST:
1. BENICIO DEL TORO – The Che star was almost everywhere during his few days in Toronto – late nights and early mornings. But Del Toro never refused to sign. When one autograph collector mentioned that Benicio did 21 photos in a row at one stop for him – he was crowned our TIFF ‘08 signing champ.
2. VIGGO MORTENSEN – Viggo does have a dislike for the professional autograph guys and the blue pens. But we can’t deny this guy goes out of his way to please his fans and sign lots of autographs.
3. ROSE McGOWAN – Star in pop art stuff for Tarantino and the upcoming comic adaptation Red Sonja and your sure to be chased hard for autographs. And Rose certainly was. But McGowan did not disappoint and signed anything and everything put in front of her.
4. GERARD BUTLER – The 300 star was a man-about-town during the Toronto festival attending many premieres and parties. Gerard was always willing to sign and pose for picture with fans (and he was asked. A LOT.)
5. KATE BECKINSALE – The BEST list continues to be filled with BRITS. And KATE was more than willing to sign autographs at most occasions she was stopped. And Beckinsale certainly looked beautiful in the process.
6. JIM STURGESS – The white-hot British actor is riding the success of 21 and Across the Universe and could not have been more like the regular guy out and about in Toronto during the Festival. Jim never refused an autograph or photo request from fans and collectors. A true gentleman.
7. DAKOTA FANNING – Dakota is only 15 but already a festival veteran when it comes to Toronto with many appearances here over the years. While the requests for her autograph can be a bit much at times – Dakota always seemed willing to sign – even when the powers around her have had enough.
8. ZAC EFRON – Another white-hot actor fresh from the High School Musical phenomenon that was surprisingly very good when it came to autograph requests. Zac signed up a storm at his premiere.

HONOURABLE MENTION (BEST) – TIM ROBBINS, MATT DAMON, ANTON YELCHIN
BIGGEST SURPRISE (BEST) – ED NORTON

THE WORST:
1. JIMMY PAGE – Disappointing for many, considering Page was the one autograph everybody wanted. Jimmy was at least nice and did explain to collectors – from the moment he landed in Toronto that he “was not doing the autograph thing anymore. Kind of finished with that.” For his three days in Toronto – he basically stuck to his word and signed nothing. At least, almost nothing.
2. KEVIN ZEGERS – Kevin did sign a little here and there. But it was his curt, rude remark, “I’m not here for autographs” to some waiting fans that zoomed Zegers to #2 on our worst signers list.
3. THE EDGE – A little surprising considering The Edge is generally known to willingly sign autographs for fans when on tour with U2. But on this occasion at the Toronto Film Festival, The Edge was following Jimmy Page’s lead and signing nothing.
4. JESSICA BIEL – She seemed to make herself available enough to the paparazzi as Biel would regurarly walk on popular Toronto streets during the festival. But ask Biel to sign an autograph? and you will get no response back (and no autograph.)
5. JENNIFER ANISTON – Aniston did scribble a few signatures for the cameras at her TIFF premiere – but in any other circumstance fans or collectors saw Jennifer in during her few days in Toronto, she just would not touch pen to paper (or photo.)
6. QUEEN LATIFAH – As the Queen migrates fully from music star to movie star – Latifah has also slowly moved from the Best signers list to the worst. She was terrible about signing autographs in Toronto. Just would not do it.
7. ALAN ALDA – No real surprise here. According to long-time autograph collectors, Alda has been a tough signature for years. Even with two movies in the Toronto Festival and numerous opportunities to ask Alda – he would just give the same reply, “no thanks.”
8. JOHN MALKOVICH – Just look at his performances on the screen. Are you really surprised to hear that Mr. Malkovich is not a nice man and refuses to sign for the collectors? Con Air? In the Line of Fire?

HONOURABLE MENTION (WORST) – KIERA KNIGHTLEY, RENEE ZELLWEGER, BRAD PITT
BIGGEST SURPRISE (WORST) – PARIS HILTON

photos: BEST & WORST autograph signers list taken during the 2008 Toronto Film Festival

 (photo credit: www.tiff.shovine.com)

www.SubstanceCollectables.Com specializes in autographed sports memorabilia.  We only sell sports memorabilia from the most respected sports companies in the world which includes Mounted Memories, Highland Mint, Upper Deck, Steiner, and others.  Most of our boxing memorabilia are also signed in front of our staff members and pictures are taken of the fighter durring the signing to insure authenticity. Our autographed sports memorabilia also includes a certificate of authenticity and tamper-proof holograms.  www.SubstanceCollectables.com  Memorabilia guarantees all autographed memorabilia to be authentic. 

Autographed boxing collectibles and memorabilia

Several factors go into determining the price of an autographed item. The content of the photo (is this person known for his/her role shown in photo) and how difficult it is to obtain the autograph. Condition and market are also factors considered in pricing. Demand also has to be considered, especially if the celebrity has become more popular and the demand has increased suddenly. Examples recently include celebrities such as Johnny Depp, Hilary Duff, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom and Bruce Springsteen. Each has either had a very successful film, tour or CD. Here is a breakdown for determining value.

1) Who has signed the autograph? The key words here are “demand” and “scarcity.” If a particular person’s autograph is in high demand and it happens to be a scarce autograph, then you can expect it to have good value. This is why an autograph of Marilyn Monroe sells for over several thousands of dollars. She remains popular and her signature is in great demand. Her autographs are scarce when compared to those of entertainers George Burns, Jimmy Stewart or Joan Crawford, all of whom were around many decades longer to sign autographs for fans.

2) What item has been signed? A simple signature on an album page, menu, airline ticket or piece of paper is normally worth less than a signed document, signed photo, typed or handwritten letter. This is because it is the most common type of autograph. All things being equal, a handwritten signed letter demands a premium since not only does it have a name signed at the end but may also reveal something interesting, historical, or personal about the writer. Thus, you’re getting more than just a name signed on paper.

3) Is the signature in ink, pencil or otherwise? Ink is worth more than pencil. Pencil can fade over time and usually isn’t as dark and bold as a nice ink signature. Many collectors prefer and will pay more for ink signatures. But don’t take this to mean pencil signatures don’t have value. The great Apache Indian chief Geronimo signed pencil autographs at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Today those pencil signatures on small cards can sell for at least $5,000. Today, most collectors prefer that photos and non-flat items be signed in sharpie or paint pen.

4) What is the condition of the autograph? Any damage to the autograph, photo or paper will lower value. Smears, stains, creases, smudges, fading, tears, holes or other damage will always drop the value of an autograph. To get top dollar and maximum value autographs must be in excellent condition. There are several other small variables that can come into play when attempting to place a value on an autograph, but these four important questions are regarded as the most basic factors that determine an autograph’s value.

www.SubstanceCollectables.Com specializes in autographed sports memorabilia.  We only sell sports memorabilia from the most respected sports companies in the world which includes Mounted Memories, Highland Mint, Upper Deck, Steiner, and others.  Most of our boxing memorabilia are also signed in front of our staff members and pictures are taken of the fighter durring the signing to insure authenticity. Our autographed sports memorabilia also includes a certificate of authenticity and tamper-proof holograms.  www.SubstanceCollectables.com  Memorabilia guarantees all autographed memorabilia to be authentic. 

By Conor Ward – If I’m not completely mistaken, it’s exactly a year to the day since Floyd Mayweather Jr. announced his return to boxing after a layoff of almost eighteen months. He had called that a “retirement”, though few boxing analysts had believed he would part company with the sport permanently in the wake of his December 2007 victory over Ricky Hatton.

On the day of the big light-welterweight clash between Manny Pacquiao and Hatton, Floyd strutted into the MGM Grand wearing a black leather jacket and woolly hat. He looked a bit like a bank robber if truth be told (wasn’t that the chosen profession of the original “Pretty Boy Floyd”, way back in the day!). Except he was not about to relieve anyone of any loot on that particular day. He was more interested in robbing the limelight, knowing his financial rewards would come a few months down the line..

Announcing his return to the ring to face Mexican lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez, “Money” Mayweather proclaimed that he was back to “fight and reclaim what is mine”. Nothing he said on that day, however, could steal the attention away from the Pacman after the Filipino great produced a quite amazing display to send Hatton packing (probably for good, as it has transpired) in about the same time it takes to fry an egg.

So one year and two fights on, how has Floyd fared? Has he succeeded in usurping Pacquiao and returning to the top of the mythical pound–for-pound pile? Well, that’s still open to debate, a debate which will lay ultimately unresolved until such time as Floyd and Manny can agree terms and face off in the ring. But the ’0′ remains and there are two more very respectable names on Floyd’s resume.

Even looking at where we are now, hopefully a few months out from that Mayweather-Pacquiao megafight, Floyd has made quite a strong case for retaking his place at the top, despite Pacman continuing his streak of stunning victories, arriving at welterweight and convincingly beating both Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey. No mean feat.

Floyd’s landslide win over Marquez in September was impressive, but against a naturally smaller man, he was expected to take care of business, and that performace was considered somewhat run of the mill. When he signed to fight Shane Mosley in the wake of the failed negotiations with Pacquiao, this was greeted with a degree of excitement, as all were agreed that Floyd was at least now testing himself for real in the welterweight division by taking on another Hall Of Fame fighter and an established champion at the weight.

The anticipation around the fight led many to predict a first loss for Floyd, though one wonders if those sentiments were grounded more in hope than genuine expectation. At least Floyd did show that he is human, which for us mere mortal observers was refreshing to see. Mosley managed to stagger him and back him up with a couple of hard right hands in round 2. In terms of spectacle, that was probably the high point of the fight.

That’s where Floyd’s lesson in human frailty ended (more of a mini-tutorial as it turned out) as he did what smart fighters do and hung on to survive that storm, retreated to his stool for a minute’s pause and sound advice, then went back out to let his boxing skills take control of the action and win every round thereafter.

He also answered any questions about his chin by withstanding those shots, and erased doubts about his ability to compete physically with strong welterweights by going toe-to-toe at times and pressing the action on the front foot as he saw fit. In short, it was real classy stuff. Smarts, skills, strength, willpower, defence – they were all there in abundance. Mosley was left bewildered, demoralised and looking somewhat foolish by the later rounds. That was sad for his sake, because he is a top class champion himself.

But Mayweather is really something else, possessing such a sublime set of qualities as to allow him stand comparison to the all-time greats of this dark art. The result was a formality in the end, a lopsided unanimous decision.

Larry Merchant of HBO wasted little time in broaching the subject of the proposed mouthwatering clash with the Pacman, though the obstacles seem to remain the same as before. It really is the fight all boxing fans now crave to see, would be a bonanza in terms of cash and an enormous event. No one else in or around the division stands a realistic chance against Mayweather, and even at that, I only give Pacquiao a very slim chance if the fight comes off.

Lots of Floyd’s critics have fallen silent after lastnight.

To quote from that comedy gem Wayne’s World – “This guy is good…He’s very good.”

www.SubstanceCollectables.Com specializes in autographed sports memorabilia.  We only sell sports memorabilia from the most respected sports companies in the world which includes Mounted Memories, Highland Mint, Upper Deck, Steiner, and others.  Most of our boxing memorabilia are also signed in front of our staff members and pictures are taken of the fighter durring the signing to insure authenticity. Our autographed sports memorabilia also includes a certificate of authenticity and tamper-proof holograms.  www.SubstanceCollectables.com  Memorabilia guarantees all autographed memorabilia to be authentic.

By Andreas Hale and Francisco Salazar at ringside

Unbeaten boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs) scored a one-sided twelve round unanimous decision over WBA welterweight champion Shane Mosley (46-6, 39 KOs) on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Not many connects in round one, but Mosley rocked Mayweather with some hard shots in round two. It was all Mayweather after that. Floyd boxed well in round three and four as Mosley was unable to catch him. A lot of feinting but not much fighting in round five – advantage Floyd. Mosley was unable to deal with Floyd’s speed as Floyd picked him apart. Knowing he’s down on the cards, Mosley tried to force exchanges, but Floyd’s counters did more damage. Floyd was able to hit Mosley at will down the stretch as Shane was just unable to figure him out. Scores were 119-109, 119-109, 118-110. After the fight, Mayweather said he would not fight Pacquiao unless Pacquiao agrees to blood testing. It is believed Mosley’s WBA belt will be vacated as Floyd was not fighting for the WBA title. This leaves little known Vyacheslav Senchenko as WBA champion.

May 2nd, 2010

On Friday, January 29, 2010

Twenty boxing gloves signed by Muhammad Ali are among items of sports memorabilia valued at more than £30,000 stolen in a burglary in Essex.

Sport and Star Autographs 2000 Ltd in Basildon was broken into at 1300 GMT on Wednesday.

Essex Police said the gloves are signed “Muhammad Ali aka Cassius Clay” and together are worth £17,000.

Worn and signed football shirts valued at £9,500 and 178 celebrity-signed photos worth £7,290 were also stolen.

Det Con Rob Lewis said: “This break-in took place in the middle of the day when there must have been people in the area so I would urge anyone who has seen any suspicious behaviour to call.

“Indeed it is important that anyone who is offered any signed merchandise at a knock-down price contact me as soon as possible.

“Some of these items are quite rare and very distinctive so I ask people to be on their guard and contact me with any information they may have.”

beforeitsnews – Dude is getting desperate. Jon Gosselin is now charging $10 for his autograph. OK, OK, so the money isn’t for him– it’s for a college sports team– but still. Will anyone really part with $10 for a Jon Gosselin autograph? We’d hand the $10 over to the team and say “no thanks” to the autograph.

But if you’re one of the few who would die for a Jon Gosselin autograph, you need to head to The Green Turtle Sports Bar in Frederick, MD, this Thursday. Jon will be there signing autographs for $10 a pop. Whose brilliant idea was this? Well, the money will go to support the women’s soccer team at Mount St. Mary’s University, which Jon’s brother Thomas coaches.

Nice that Jon is helping out his brother, but sad that his life has come to making public appearances at a charity event for a soccer team. And sad that the team needs money this badly that they think having a Jon Gosselin appearance is a good idea. Of course, the university doesn’t seem to be a fan of Jon and they want everyone to know they’re not actually sponsoring the event.

According to the school’s director of communications, “We are a Catholic university and we don’t sanction infidelity… Well, at least his heart is in the right place in wanting to help his brother… Thomas is a great coach. We have a terrific soccer team.” Ha! We love that she just basically assumed reports of Jon cheating on Kate Gosselin are true.

But can you believe Thomas actually wants brother Jon at this event? Maybe he loves his soccer team so much, he’ll just do anything for them. How much money do you think Jon will make for the team? Maybe he’s just hoping to land himself a rich soccer mom.

Apr 22, 2010 – LAS VEGAS — XYIENCE, makers of Xenergy, the official energy drink of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), announces that its team fighters Wanderlei Silva, Matt Serra and Dan Hardy will sign autographs at the XYIENCE booth (#1129) during the upcoming UFC Fan Expo, which will take place on Memorial Day weekend (May 28–29) at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. XYIENCE will provide fans with a limited edition poster featuring the three fighters, which fans can have signed at the event.

Appearances are scheduled as follows:

Friday, May 28

Wanderlei Silva: Noon – 1 p.m.
Matt Serra: 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Dan Hardy: 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Saturday, May 29

Dan Hardy: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Wanderlei Silva: Noon – 1 p.m.
Matt Serra: 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Silva has been a brand ambassador for XYIENCE since 2008. The Brazilian-born fighter is currently based in Las Vegas, where in addition to training he runs a 10,000-square-foot MMA training academy. Silva started training at the age of 13, holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Carlinhos Gracie and turned professional in 1996. He’s held several titles, including PRIDE Middleweight Champion and IVC Light Heavyweight Champion. In February 2010, while wearing the XYIENCE logo on his fight shorts, he defeated Michael Bisping in UFC 110.

Serra has been a brand ambassador for XYIENCE since the spring of 2009. The 35-year-old Long Island resident is a favored son of the East Coast MMA community, with an extensive fan base. In 2000, he became the first American promoted to black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under the legendary Renzo Gracie. Later, in 2006, he appeared on Spike TV’s hit reality television series “Ultimate Fighter 4: The Comeback,” and was the Welterweight Tournament Champion. He also defeated the current Welterweight Champion, Georges St. Pierre, for the title in 2007. Earlier this year, XYIENCE celebrated Serra’s win over Frank Trigg in the UFC 109: Relentless event.

Hardy, a 27-year-old British welterweight, was signed as a brand ambassador for XYIENCE earlier this year. He has been fighting professionally since 2004 and has held titles with Cage Warriors, including Light Welterweight and Welterweight World Champion. In 2008, Hardy signed with the UFC, and now has an overall mixed martial arts (MMA) record of 23-7-0 (1 NC). The former personal trainer began studying traditional martial arts at the age of six, and became interested in training for MMA in 2002. Close to finishing his degree in contemporary art, Hardy left the Nottingham Trent University in his final year to devote himself entirely to his MMA training. He is known, however, for spending a great deal of time with his sketchpad and has even been referred to in British newspapers as the Picasso of Pain.

Autographed Boxing memorabilia and sports collectibles

Hundreds of people came to the movie premiere in hopes of getting a glimpse of Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson and Gwyneth Paltrow. While the actors and actresses did pose for pictures at the photo call, the one actor that really pleased the fans was Robert Downey Jr. He went out to the fans to sign autographs for the fans and take a few snapshots making the event special even more.

According to that script, the day of May 1st has been officially reserved for the first professional loss of undefeated welterweight Floyd Mayweather jr. Quite an interesting proposition coming from a man who’s 38 and returning from his longest career layoff. Some may choose to question the credibility of such a proposition, but where things become intriguing is that when you look at the level of opposition Floyd Mayweather jr. has faced, although his resume is far from weak, most would argue that none of his opponents were quite on the level of the one he now stands in front of. That one caption makes for a very intriguing subplot, as both men realize that despite a very decorated history filled with several titles and accolades, their individual paths to supremacy led them to the same stage which they will now share..

That stage has been set for quite some time, and despite the politics and monetary issues that separated them over the years, fight fans are being reminded that there’s no bad time for a good fight. In Shane Mosley, you have one of the most prolific fighters of this era, and arguably the history of the sport. His speed, power, heart, and tenacity have made him a fan favorite for years. His nickname ‘Sugar’ is one that holds a lot of weight in the sport, but his wide shoulders have carried the load quite well, earning him the right to bear the name. In Floyd Mayweather jr., the plot thickens. In talent, you have virtually every attribute one could ever seek in a fighter, capped off with a few extra trimmings that many could do without. Mayweather has proven to be one of those dynamic personalities that you’ll only see grace the sport once per generation.

Years ago it was Mike Tyson with the bad boy image and transcendent personality. Prior to him, it was Muhammad Ali. Although Mayweather wears that new-age swagga quite well to represent for this era, there’s one major difference between he and Ali that doesn’t always sit too well. At his best, Ali was known to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. Mayweather, on the other hand, chooses to use his words outside the ring to sting like a bee, but in the heat of the battle is where he typically opts to float like a butterfly. This often leads many to wonder how good that self-proclaimed “best” boxer in the history of the sport really is.

On Saturday night, this question could very well be answered when Shane Mosley enters the one place in his life that has been a sanctuary, literally shielding him away from a string of personal problems that continue to haunt him. Legal battles in the family and criminal court division’s do little for him but occupy space in his mind. Such a combination of concerns can’t be too helpful standing across from a man known to play mind games, yet the possibility also exist that those troubling concerns could subsequently catapult him to greater heights, allowing him to find stability in a world that remains shaky at best.

For one man, the mission is solely about re-establishing recognition he felt should have never been taken away. For the other, it’s a matter of earning the respect of those who simply never gave it. Despite the constant facades, these two truths make it safe to say that neither man truly likes the location of his legacy. For the one more eager to change that place in history, the opportunity to seize the moment will come this Saturday night.

Stay tuned.

Come down and bring your photo’s or your gloves and watch and wait to have your items signed. Paulie is pretty good with signing memorabilia!

Here are some pictures of me and Paulie:

SubstanceCollectables.com website owner Mlton Luban with Paulie Malignaggi

If you don’t have the time to come down and want to buy his Autographed boxing glove click on the banner below and it will take you directly to our signed glove for sale of the Champion, comes with photo of signing:

Autographed Boxing memorabilia and sports collectibles

BY Tim Smith

If Floyd Mayweather Jr. had a handlebar mustache, it’s a good bet that he would be twirling the ends while sneering. Mayweather loves to play the villain – at least when it comes to boxing.

Because Mayweather considers himself an entertainer, it is a role that he plays with relish. It is also a role that has made him the biggest pay-per-view attractions in the sport today.

Once again Mayweather has donned the black hat in the build up for his 12-round welterweight showdown with Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on HBO PPV on Saturday night. Mayweather has needled Mosley about the fighter’s relationship with his ex-wife, Jin; tweaked him about revelations that he once used steroids and belittled Mosley’s business partnership with Oscar De La Hoya, whom Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) beat twice.

“Somebody’s got to be the bad guy and somebody’s got to be the good guy,” Mayweather said. “I might as well be the bad guy.”

In his case Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) knows that being the bad guy pays huge dividends. As he points out Mosley, one of the
most congenial men in boxing, has played the good guy his entire career and what has it gotten him? The role of second fiddle to De La Hoya and Mayweather, whom he now faces in one of the most lucrative boxing PPV shows in the non-heavyweight divisions.

In Mayweather’s mind being the villain insures that as many people will tune in to see him get beaten as will watch to see him win. It doesn’t matter to him whether he wins friends as long as the cash register keeps on ringing. It is an age old formula that was perfected by the wrestler Gorgeous George, whom Muhammad Ali generously borrowed from when he was first starting out. There was a reason Ali was known as “The Louisville Lip.”

In six HBO PPV fights Mayweather has generated 5.5 million buys and $292 million in revenue, according to figures from HBO Sports. While Oscar De La Hoya has generated the most total buys and revenue of anyone in history due to fighting 19 times on PPV, Mayweather’s average revenue per PPV fight is the highest of all time (over $48 million per fight).

“Floyd is a pay-per-view phenomenon,” said Mark Taffet, HBO PPV guru. “With his six fights having generated $292 million in pay-per-view revenue, there’s a reason he is called Money Mayweather.

“His prolific performance has been the result of a few factors which simultaneously created a perfect storm – his crossover from boxing to sports to entertainment star, the explosive growth in internet and social media, and the spillover across all demographics from the surge of interest in the large urban centers across America.”

Mayweather helped gain mainstream exposure in a turn on “Dancing With the Stars” and was involved in a plot line for Wrestlemania and the WWE.

Just when it appeared that Mayweather’s star outside of boxing was on the rise, he retired from the sport in 2008. But even that brief hiatus from boxing worked in Mayweather’s favor. While he was gone, Manny Pacquiao ascended to the throne of No. 1 Pound-for-Pound, setting the stage for a lucrative showdown with Mayweather. The first attempt was scuttled when Pacquiao refused to agree to pre-fight testing for performance enhancing drugs. But if Mayweather beats Mosley, the demand for a fight with Pacquiao will go through the roof.

Nothing seems to have bolstered Mayweather’s star power more than his appearances on “24/7″ HBO’s boxing reality documentary. The lead up to his fight against Mosley was Mayweather’s fourth appearance on the show and each time Mayweather and his family are the most riveting characters.

But this might be the first time that the fight inside the ring will match the drama presented on the boxing reality show. Mosley, who holds the WBA welterweight title, is one of the best 147-pounders of this generation and arguably the best boxer that Mayweather has ever faced. The anticipation in this match is that Mosley will force Mayweather to raise the level of his game or risk suffering the first loss of his career.

“As far as the fight goes, Mayweather-Mosley is a true PPV megafight,” Taffet said. “It’s a classic all-American showdown between two superstars who boxing fans have seen nearly 50 times over the past 15 years on HBO.  It is a Super Bowl in the urban centers across America, and it will be one of the biggest non-heavyweight fights in pay-per-view history.”

Many of them will tune in to see if the good guy, Mosley, can bring down the villain, Mayweather.

Maybe boxer “Sugar” Shane Mosley is trying to change his nickname to “sugarcoat.”

In a conference call Tuesday to publicize his May 1 fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Mosley said he had “always been a clean fighter,” even though he has long admitted to using BALCO‘s drugs, most recently admitting as much last fall in a deposition for his libel suit against BALCO boss Victor Conte.

“It’s ridiculous now that the media wants to make me the poster boy of steroids, when I don’t even know nothing about all that stuff,” Mosley said.

But in a sworn deposition last Oct. 27, one of the very first questions Mosley faced was about the performance-enhancing drugs Conte sold him on July 26, 2003, a few months before Mosley beat Oscar De La Hoya in 12 rounds.

“Would it be fair to say in the weeks prior to that fight you took steroids?” asked Conte’s attorney, Tom Harvey.

“The weeks, yes,” said Mosley.

“Okay,” said Harvey. “And would it be fair to say that you took performance-enhancing drugs in the weeks prior to the fight with Oscar De La Hoya in September, 2003?”

“Yes,” Mosley testified.

Mosley in fact used BALCO’s designer drugs “the clear” (the then-undetectable steroid THG) and “the cream” (a masking substance), and took a tutorial from Conte on how to self-inject EPO, a potent endurance booster. But unburdened by any oath Tuesday, Mosley denied it.

“I never did that stuff,” he said. “I never was on it really like that. I’ve always been a clean fighter.”

Mosley also pointed out he never tested positive (the drug regimen Conte put him on was designed for exactly that purpose). 

The vast gulf between Mosley’s contradictory statements is the battleground of the $12 million suit that the fighter filed against Conte two years ago, right after Conte said he planned to publish a book that would prove Mosley knew exactly what he was getting that day at BALCO.

Their bitter legal war exploded last week after Conte left a failed settlement conference and posted to YouTube a video of Mosley’s deposition showing Mosley admitting he knew the substance Conte sold him was EPO.

Mosley seemed annoyed by drug questions Tuesday. Asked if it felt different to fight without BALCO’s drugs, Mosley said it was a “stupid question.” His answer was gentler on Dec. 11, 2003, when he appeared before the grand jury investigating BALCO. A transcript of that testimony reviewed by the Daily News shows Mosley was asked the same question by a grand juror.

“I wasn’t bruising a lot,” Mosley answered. “And the impact of the punches were – I really didn’t feel the impact of his punches.”

Judd Burstein, the attorney representing Mosley who was present on the conference call, said that the quotes in Conte’s video posting were taken out of context, but other video segments that Burstein himself posted the next day don’t seem to alter the message much.

“There’s no point in talking about this,” Burstein said, echoing Mosley’s claim that the issue was seven years old.

Mosley, however, is the plaintiff in the case, and Burstein has helped him pursue it for two years, successfully derailing Conte’s promised tell-all.

“The objective, the entire time, in my opinion, has been to drain me financially,” says Conte. “Is that what justice is about? That he who has the deepest pockets wins, despite who’s right and who’s wrong?”

Floyd Mayweather Jr. loves to talk trash before a fight. Getting under the skin of his opponent before they get in the ring is one of his major weapons. He’s very good at it.

Before he fought the late Diego Corrales, Mayweather tweaked Corrales about assault charges that were pending against the boxer, stemming from his having punched his pregnant wife in the stomach. Mayweather said he was dedicating the fight to all abused women and even offered to have Corrales’ estranged wife seat ringside as his guest to watch him beat up Corrales.

Corrales said it didn’t have any effect on him. But Mayweather did drop him five times before stopping Corrales on a TKO.

Shane Mosley is more than aware of all the chatter coming from Mayweather in advance of their welterweight showdown at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 1. As much as Mosley would like to avoid it, he can’t. They spent a significant amount of time together on the promotional tour before heading to their respective training camps last month. And the two boxers and their camps are the subject of the HBO boxing reality series “24/7″ and Mosley said he had seen the first episode. Mayweather spends most of his time tweaking Mosley, who said he has ignored the trash talking.

There is one thing that Mosley can’t ignore and that is the subject of his past involvement with steroids, which is a major part of Mayweather’s verbal harassment fodder.

And for that, Mosley has only himself to blame. As great a boxer as Mosley is and whatever his legacy becomes, he will forever be haunted by his decision to get involved with BALCO and its founder, Victor Conte, before he fought Oscar De La Hoya in 2003.

That point was driven home when Conte released a video tape on YouTube of a 2009 deposition in the defamation lawsuit Mosley filed against Conte of Mosley admitting that he used EPO provided by Conte. Mosley had already admitted in federal grand jury testimony that he used the designer steroids “the clear” and “the cream” from BALCO. Mosley maintains that he was an unwitting dupe of Conte and his former strength and conditioning coach Daryl Hudson.

Maybe Mosley was naïve. Maybe he was duped. Whatever the case, Mosley must realize that he caused all this by agreeing to use something that he knew nothing about. Now he has to live with the consequences for the Mayweather fight and beyond.

Perhaps that is why he bristles at any questions involving his past association with Conte and BALCO and steroids. During a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, Mosley snapped at a reporter who asked whether he felt any different than when he trained and fought on steroids in 2003. He said it was a stupid question because he has always been a clean boxer, because he has never tested positive for steroids.

Does he not realize that was the purpose of Conte concocting designer steroids and masking agents for the various athletes who beat a path to his door?

This is not to make Mosley a villain. This is merely a suggestion that he take ownership of his role in all this and stop trying to make us think that he’s some kind of innocent. He made a mistake. If that mistake was trusting those around him, then so be it. If it was a mistake of trying to gain an illegal advantage, then so be it.

As much as Mosley would like to move away from what happened in 2003, he won’t be able to do it. Ever.

People are always going to question his behavior. Some opponents, like Mayweather, will always seize upon it as a way to get under Mosley’s skin before a fight. Until Mosley realizes that and takes ownership of what he has done, then it will continue to be a source of consternation for him.

PUNCHLINES …

I’ve never been a big fan of the Super Six tournament. I thought it was a contrived tournament that took too long (three years) to determine the best 168-pound fighter in the world. And originally it didn’t include Allan Green.

But it is growing on me and Green has been added, replacing Jermain Taylor, who suffered a devastating and career-threatening KO by Arthur Abraham in the opening round of the tournament. I’m still not a fan of the length of the tournament, but some of the fights have been compelling.

Carl Froch of Nothingham, England will defend his WBC 168-pound title against Mikkel Kessler in Herning, Denmark in a Group Stage 2 match on Showtime on Saturday night. The undefeated Froch may be familiar to U.S. boxing fans for knocking out Taylor in a match outside of the tournament. May favorites to win the thing are Andre Ward and Andre Dirrell, teammates on the 2004 U.S. Olympic boxing team. Ward won gold and Dirrell brought home bronze. The other major boxing match this weekend involves a couple of heavyweights that have designs on being champions. Cris Arreola will take on Tomasz Adamek in a 12-round match in Ontario, Calif., on Saturday night on HBO’s “Boxing After Dark.” Arreola came up very small in his first heavyweight championship fight against Vitali Klitschko. Arreola never laid a glove on Klitschko and his corner stopped the fight after 10 rounds. Adamek is trying to make his mark at heavyweight after winning world titles at light heavyweight and cruiserweight. When Arreola is in shape he can be an action fighter. Adamek is an all-action fighter no matter the occasion. Adamek has fought twice at heavyweight, stopping former contender and fellow Polish boxer Andrew Golata by knockout and taking a 12-round decision over Jason Estrada. Early on I thought Arreola had the temperament to be a serious contender for the heavyweight title. After the loss to Klitschko, I’m not to sure. Adamek certainly has what it takes to contend. The question is whether he can handle the power at the higher weight.

Federal investigators crashed the National Sports Collectors Convention in Rosemont, Ill., on Thursday and Friday, delivering subpoenas to several hobby executives to appear before a grand jury that is hearing evidence about fraud in their industry.

Agents from the FBI and United States Postal Service also questioned other dealers and authenticators at the National, the hobby’s largest annual memorabilia show.

“This is part of an active federal investigation,” said a source familiar with the probe. “I think they came to the National because they knew everybody would be here, all under one roof. It’s like shooting ducks in a barrel.”

As the Daily News first reported in July 2007, the Chicago division of the FBI, whose “Operation Foul Ball” smashed a multi-state autograph forgery ring during the 1990s, last year initiated an investigation into Illinois-based Mastro Auctions, sports memorabilia’s largest auction house.

“The FBI has been walking the convention floor,” said American Memorabilia president Victor Moreno. “You can feel the tension.”

The visits from federal agents came as Mastro Auctions officials were preparing for the big live auction the company conducts in conjunction with the National.

“No more business as usual,” said Chicago collector Michael Gidwitz, who was interviewed by the FBI several months ago. “An unregulated business like this, it brings in a lot of unscrupulous people. This needed to be done a long time ago.”

Gidwitz, who became the first person to sell a baseball card for more than $1 million when he sold a T206 Honus Wagner once owned by NHL legend Wayne Gretzky to collector Brian Seigel in 2000 for $1.27 million, said he was victimized several times by one-time friend Bill Mastro, Mastro Auctions chairman. Those allegations first appeared in “The Card,” a book about the T206 Wagner by two Daily News reporters that was published last year.

The Gretzky T206 Wagner, known in hobby as “the Holy Grail,” was “discovered” by Bill Mastro in the 1980s. It was graded PSA-8 (on a scale off 1-10) by Professional Sports Authenticators, a card-grading service, even though one of the original authenticators acknowledged the company knew the card had been altered, a major violation of vintage card protocol. The book apparently hasn’t affected the price: The Wagner was sold to an anonymous collector last year for $2.8 million through SCP Auctions, which owned a minority stake in the card. SCP, however, has never produced evidence that a transaction actually took place.

Mastro and auction house president Doug Allen did not return phone calls for comment. Nor did Randy Mastro, Mastro’s brother and attorney who was a deputy mayor under Rudy Giuliani. A Justice Department spokesman in Chicago said he could not confirm or deny an investigation had been initiated.

Hobby executives who have talked to the agents in the past year say the agents have asked about “shill bidding,” when an aucton house or a consignor enters fake bids on an item in order to drive up the price.

Investigators have also expressed interest in a North Carolina warm-up shirt sold at the live auction Mastro’s company held at the National last year. The shirt was advertised as a Michael Jordan-owned item, even though Memorabilia Evaluation and Research Services, a leading authentication firm, concluded another player’s name – Ranzino Smith – had been ripped from the back and repaced with “JORDAN.”

The shirt sold for $11,000 and although Mastro Auctions eventually voided the sale, it renewed calls for greater regulation of the dog-eat-dog world of sports memorabilia and attracted attention from the FBI.

Investigators have also questioned Bill Brandt, the president of Development Specialists Inc., the company hired by the state of Ohio to liquidate coins and collectibles purchased with state money by Tom Noe, the Republican Party official convicted in 2006 of stealing from a $50 million workers compensation fund and sentenced to 18 years in prison. Noe had purchased thousands of dollars worth of memorabilia from Mastro, Brandt and Ohio law-enforcement officials have said. Mastro Auctions repurchased the memorabilia back from the state of Ohio in December for $2.5 million.

Leon Luckey of Brockelman and Luckey Auctions said he is believes allegations of wrongdoing have unfairly bruised what he calls “a good hobby.” Luckey, who also moderates Network 54, a popular vintage card Web forum, said he hosted a dinner Thursday night for 135 collectors and dealers attending the show.

“We had a great time, laughing and telling stories,” Luckey said. “If someone has done something wrong, they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law but it is a shame that it casts a negative light on the hobby. I love baseball and I love cards, but this hobby is all about the people you meet.”

I’m putting my money on Mayweather for the fight. Anybody wanna put something on Hatton?

What can you say, Mayweather lives it up and we can only dream to live the life style that he has!

If  your a Boxing Fan or lets say your a Floyd Mayweather Jr. Fan then log into:

www.SubstanceCollectables.Com specializes in autographed sports memorabilia.  We only sell sports memorabilia from the most respected sports companies in the world which includes Mounted Memories, Highland Mint, Upper Deck, Steiner, and others.  Most of our boxing memorabilia are also signed in front of our staff members and pictures are taken of the fighter durring the signing to insure authenticity. Our autographed sports memorabilia also includes a certificate of authenticity and tamper-proof holograms.  www.SubstanceCollectables.com  Memorabilia guarantees all autographed memorabilia to be authentic. 

Autographed Boxing glove sale, Floyd Mayweather Jr. $179.99

Looking for total knock-out Authentic Muhammad Ali Memorabilia and Muhammad Ali Boxing Gloves and at Knock-out prices. Not only do we have the best prices but we also carry an extensive selection of Muhammad Ali Autographs for you to choose from. We carry a great selection of Muhammad Ali Boxing Memorabilia for all Boxing collectors or fans. If Muhammad Ali was your favorite boxer and you liked his Muhammad Ali Collectibles you won’t want your collection to be without, Be the proud owner of a pair of hand signed Muhammad Ali Autographed Trunks  or a Muhammad Ali Autographed Robe. These items look great when framed with photographs from our unsigned Ali photos section. All of the items related to Muhammad Ali have designed to meet the highest standards. Whatever your Boxing related need, we will far surpass your expectations.

Collecting Boxing Memorabilia. Take a moment and experience the superior quality of Autographed Boxing Gloves From Joe Frazier, to Larry Holmes and the “pretty face” of  Sugar Ray Leonard. We also feature Authentic Boxing Memorabilia of other greats such as Jake LaMotta, Larry Holmes, Oscar De La Hoya and Roy Jones, Jr., among others. SubstanceCollectibles.com has an extensive selection of Boxing Memorabilia that can’t be beat, whether you’re a novice or a seasoned collector. Many Signed Boxing Memorabilia are waiting for you. If you’re looking for Signed Boxing Gloves of Boxing Hall Of Fame iductees such as Mike Tyson, Larry Holmes, or Joe Frazier, among many others, you can be sure we have them all here! It’s only at SubstanceCollectibles, your all-in-one source for genuine sports memorabilia.

Sports boxing collectibles autographed memorabilia