Leonard Ellerbe: Floyd Mayweather didn't know about rematch clause with Shane Mosley
By David Mayo | The Grand Rapids Press
April 14, 2010, 1:35PM
The rematch clause demanded by Floyd Mayweather’s camp for his upcoming fight against Shane Mosley has hearkened debate ranging from the possibility that the Grand Rapids native fears his first defeat, to a musing this week by Mosley’s trainer that it might be designed to soak out two paydays once his man takes control.
Leonard Ellerbe responded pointedly this week that the clause “as a whole, is a normal piece of business� and Mayweather himself did not know about it until the contract was complete for the May 1 fight at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
"Operating at this level, if you don't have the procedures in place to protect your fighter, you shouldn't be operating at this level, because there are variety of issues that arise during the course of a fight that can cause you not to be declared the winner, such as an injury, a cut, a no contest or a disqualification,� Ellerbe said. “Those are unforeseen circumstances that can happen in a fight and you have to be able to protect against those kinds of things."
Ellerbe said “understandings have been in place� for past Mayweather bouts that rematches would occur in the event of certain unsatisfactory conclusions.
Naazim Richardson, Mosley’s trainer, this week was quoted in the Los Angeles Times as saying Mayweather might find himself falling back on the rematch clause in mid-fight, once the bout became unwinnable.
“We could get through five rounds of this thing up 5-0. ... At that point, Mayweather may just say, ‘Forget it, I've got a rematch guaranteed. Try again next time,’” Richardson was quoted as saying.
Tuesday, Ellerbe and trainer Roger Mayweather scoffed at that assertion, and Richardson denied making the statement.
Ellerbe said the rematch clause isn’t designed to protect against defeat, but against an aborted outcome.
"Floyd could slip and fall in the corner in the first round, get injured, and it could be a no contest,� Ellerbe said. “He could get head-butted in the third round, need 35 stitches, the bout could be declared no contest, and Shane Mosley could go on and do whatever he wanted, if an agreement wasn't in place."
Ellerbe acknowledged several weeks ago that a rematch clause was included in the contract, at the Mayweather camp’s insistence, and outlined the reasons for it in an off-the-record conversation.
He said he felt compelled to go on the record because he believes the purpose of the clause has been misinterpreted.
"I just want it clear because there obviously are a lot of uneducated people when it comes to the business of boxing,� he said. “It’s just a piece of business. Floyd didn't know about the rematch clause when the fight was made, nor did he have to. He takes care of what happens inside the ring."
By David Mayo | The Grand Rapids Press
April 14, 2010, 1:35PM
The rematch clause demanded by Floyd Mayweather’s camp for his upcoming fight against Shane Mosley has hearkened debate ranging from the possibility that the Grand Rapids native fears his first defeat, to a musing this week by Mosley’s trainer that it might be designed to soak out two paydays once his man takes control.
Leonard Ellerbe responded pointedly this week that the clause “as a whole, is a normal piece of business� and Mayweather himself did not know about it until the contract was complete for the May 1 fight at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
"Operating at this level, if you don't have the procedures in place to protect your fighter, you shouldn't be operating at this level, because there are variety of issues that arise during the course of a fight that can cause you not to be declared the winner, such as an injury, a cut, a no contest or a disqualification,� Ellerbe said. “Those are unforeseen circumstances that can happen in a fight and you have to be able to protect against those kinds of things."
Ellerbe said “understandings have been in place� for past Mayweather bouts that rematches would occur in the event of certain unsatisfactory conclusions.
Naazim Richardson, Mosley’s trainer, this week was quoted in the Los Angeles Times as saying Mayweather might find himself falling back on the rematch clause in mid-fight, once the bout became unwinnable.
“We could get through five rounds of this thing up 5-0. ... At that point, Mayweather may just say, ‘Forget it, I've got a rematch guaranteed. Try again next time,’” Richardson was quoted as saying.
Tuesday, Ellerbe and trainer Roger Mayweather scoffed at that assertion, and Richardson denied making the statement.
Ellerbe said the rematch clause isn’t designed to protect against defeat, but against an aborted outcome.
"Floyd could slip and fall in the corner in the first round, get injured, and it could be a no contest,� Ellerbe said. “He could get head-butted in the third round, need 35 stitches, the bout could be declared no contest, and Shane Mosley could go on and do whatever he wanted, if an agreement wasn't in place."
Ellerbe acknowledged several weeks ago that a rematch clause was included in the contract, at the Mayweather camp’s insistence, and outlined the reasons for it in an off-the-record conversation.
He said he felt compelled to go on the record because he believes the purpose of the clause has been misinterpreted.
"I just want it clear because there obviously are a lot of uneducated people when it comes to the business of boxing,� he said. “It’s just a piece of business. Floyd didn't know about the rematch clause when the fight was made, nor did he have to. He takes care of what happens inside the ring."
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