Wladimir Klitschko is expected to face Alexander Povetkin in August. (Nadine Rupp/Bongarts/Getty Images)

• In a shocker, Russian promoter Vladimir Hryunov won a purse bid for the right to promote Wladimir Klitschko’s future heavyweight title defense against Alexander Povetkin with a whopping $23.3 million bid, far more than K2 Promotions ($7.1 million) or Sauerland Event ($6.01 million) put up. Assuming both Klitschko and Povetkin make it through their upcoming bouts, the fight will take place August 31 in either Moscow, Berlin or Las Vegas. Under the terms of the bid, Klitschko would receive $17.5 million with Povetkin entitled to $5.8 million. As big as Hryunov’s bid was, it falls well short of the $32.1 million Las Vegas businessman Steve Wynn put up to secure the rights to Buster Douglas’s title defense against Evander Holyfield in 1990.

The obvious question: Can Hryunov come up with the cash? Occasionally, a promoter will come in and submit an outlandish bid for a fight, and then default. Don King has done it twice in the last year, first with a $1.1 million bid for the right to promote a heavyweight fight between Cris Arreola and Bermane Stiverne and later with a $1.5 million bid for Marco Huck and Ola Afolabi. King would default on both, losing the ten percent deposit he was required to put down. Sources involved with the bid told SI.com that Hryunov, who is being backed by a Russian-based businessman and real estate developer, will spend the next few weeks exploring ways to monetize the fight.

• Some numbers from a busy boxing weekend: Last Saturday’s Showtime-televised fight between Saul Alvarez and Austin Trout peaked at 734,000 households and 1.061 million viewers, a modest increase from the 1.031 viewers Alvarez attracted for his September fight with Josesito Lopez. Meanwhile Saturday afternoon’s fight on NBC, headlined by heavyweights Tyson Fury and Steve Cunningham, did a strong overnight rating that translated to 1.2 million viewers. Expectations are that when the full numbers come in later in the week, peak viewership will exceed 1.8 million.

• I love Juan Manuel Marquez-Tim Bradley. Like most, I was surprised that Marquez didn’t take a fifth fight with Pacquiao. Despite all the rhetoric, I figured Marquez would go for the biggest check. But in fighting Bradley, Marquez can still cash a big check and give himself a chance at history by becoming the first Mexican to win titles in five weight classes. And if he beats Bradley — and Pacquiao gets past either Mike Alvarado or Brandon Rios — a Pacquiao fight will still be there.

• I don’t think I’ve ever been less interested in a notable fight than this Saturday’s heavyweight bout between Deontay Wilder and Audley Harrison. It’s another absolute joke of a fight for Wilder, a 2008 bronze medalist whose résumé as a pro is pathetic.

• If Danny Garcia beats Zab Judah on Saturday, I think he becomes the favorite to face Floyd Mayweather in the fall. Mayweather clearly isn’t overly interested in facing Saul Alvarez; if he were, he would have agreed to face him already and fought together on the May 4th pay per view. I’ve been told that during negotiations with HBO and Showtime Mayweather’s representatives mentioned Garcia often as a possible opponent.

• Ishe Smith-Carlos Molina: The very definition of not-made-for-TV.

• Golden Boy’s ability to get Bernard Hopkins’ upcoming title defense against Karo Murat on premium television could get interesting. The fight stinks. Murat (25-0-1) is not a particularly big puncher and a complete unknown in the U.S. And everyone knows that at this stage of his career Hopkins (53-6-2) needs a certain type of opponent (Tavoris Cloud, Jean Pascal) to look impressive. I’m told Showtime is interested in showing the fight, but will require a strong co-main event to make it worth their while.

• There is still nothing to make me think that a fight between Nathan Cleverly and Bernard Hopkins will be anything but dull.

– Chris Mannix

Ross Greenburg speaks with Bill Russell at SI’s 2010 Sportsman of the Year party. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

If you are familiar with the boxing industry, the following sentence will sound strange: Ross Greenburg is working for Showtime.

Greenburg, of course, was the President of HBO Sports from 2000 to 2011 — and an executive producer at the network for nearly two decades before that — before being forced out in the summer of 2011. With Showtime, Greenburg will produce a one-hour documentary that will air on CBS chronicling the last year in the life of Floyd Mayweather, including his time in prison. In addition, Greenburg will work on Showtime’s All Access reality show, a carbon copy of the the 24/7 series Greenburg created at HBO in 2007, that will air in the weeks leading up to Mayweather’s fight against Robert Guerrero on May 4th.

“This has always been in my blood,” Greenburg told SI.com. “I have always been a producer at heart. I love telling stories. It’s refreshing. There are not a lot of headaches. I didn’t have to put out too many fires. I really enjoyed the people I work with.”

Since leaving HBO, Greenburg has worked closely with NBC, producing documentaries on Earl Campbell (which was nominated for a Sports Emmy), the 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union, the 1952 U.S. Open and the 1991 Ryder Cup. Greenburg also worked on Costas Tonight on NBC Sports Network — including Mayweather’s appearance on the show last year — and consulted for the NHL, Discovery Channel and Under Armour.

Now, Greenburg is back in boxing, working with the archrival of the network that he had a big hand in turning into a powerhouse.

“I guess I feel like [Kevin] Youkilis and [Johnny] Damon going into the [Yankees] locker room,” Greenburg said. “I’m just interested in helping [Showtime Executive Vice President] Stephen [Espinoza] as much as I can. It’s been very easy for me. They have welcomed me like family. It’s like Jeter putting arm around Youkilis. I’m back doing what I want to do. I have to take care of my family. I’ll always remember and cherish the glorious past. I had a wonderful 33 years [at HBO].”

It’s been comfortable for Greenburg to work with Mayweather, who he maintained a close relationship with during his time with HBO. And despite the fact that since Mayweather became a star on 24/7 in 2007 his story has been told repeatedly, Greenburg believes the events of the last year have left a rich tale to tell.

“There is the evolving relationship between Floyd, Roger [Mayweather] and Floyd Sr.,” Greenburg said. “Floyd himself spent 62 days in solitary. It changed his whole point of view on life. We spent the last three or four days with Floyd in the gym. Floyd and Roger are both there. Floyd Sr. is very involved. It’s an interesting evolution of that relationship. Floyd and his father are very close. The time he spent in prison did change him.”

Greenburg wouldn’t say if his relationship with Showtime could last beyond this fight (“We’ll see,” Greenburg said) but said he had no regrets about his time at HBO.

“No, not at all,” Greenburg said. “I did my job. The HBO sports department is something I will always remember. I think we built a hell of a franchise and a brand. The boxing program when I left it was as strong as it ever was. I have no regrets whatsoever. I took a lot of criticism, most of it unwarranted, but that is OK. I’m a big boy. I’ll pick myself back up. I have so many great memories. All fond memories.”

Well, almost all. Greenburg admits he still wishes he could have made the mega fight between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

“It’s funny, there weren’t that many times that I couldn’t make a fight,” Greenburg said. “I tried twice and got very close. To this day, I’m not going to put the blame on anyone because I couldn’t figure out why it didn’t happen. But I think boxing can recover. It didn’t happen, and it was not meant to be. It’s unfortunate because it probably would have been an epic buildup, even though I’m not sure it would have been a good fight. I know Floyd has moved on. He continues to be asked about Pacquiao and his attitude is much like mine, that if it was meant to be, fine. He believes his third act, over the next couple of years, is going to be special.”

– Chris Mannix

Rising star Adrien Broner, right, will no longer be featured on HBO after Monday’s announcement. [Richard Vogel/AP]

For the last year, HBO has watched as Golden Boy Promotions has moved many of its top fighters from HBO to Showtime. On Monday, HBO struck back: The network announced that it would no longer buy any fights from Golden Boy Promotions.

“In order to achieve our goal of the best fighters in the most compelling matchups we’ve decided to focus our efforts and resources on those strategic relationships where we better share common goals and business philosophies,” HBO Sports President Ken Hershman said in a statement.

The decision is a decisive move from HBO to strike back at Golden Boy. Since Stephen Espinoza — a former Golden Boy attorney — took over as the head of the sports department at Showtime, Golden Boy has pulled several of its top fighters including Danny Garcia, Amir Khan, Canelo Alavarez and Andre Berto off of HBO and onto Showtime. Last month, Floyd Mayweather — who works closely with Golden Boy —announced he was leaving HBO, his broadcast partner for virtually his entire career, to sign a lucrative deal with Showtime.

Among the casualties of HBO’s decision is Adrien Broner, a rising star who has been a staple on HBO. HBO sources made it clear that it was nothing against Broner, but they will not put him on the network as long as Golden Boy represents him. Likewise for Bernard Hopkins, a longtime HBO fighter who last week became the oldest man to win a major title when he defeated Tavoris Cloud on HBO.

The decision to stop doing business with Golden Boy is being called indefinite.

Golden Boy CEO called the decision “retaliation” and “ill advised.”

I’m not really surprised,” Schaefer told SI.com. “I have not had a conversation with Ken Hershman since last November or December. They are upset at me, I’m sure they are upset at Al Haymon. But the ones getting hurt are the subscribers. Whether you like Golden Boy or you don’t, our stable is second to none. I wished them well. (HBO Vice President) Kery Davis, (VP) Mart Taffet, (CEO) Richard Plepler, I consider them friends. But there are people making decisions in the HBO sports department that don’t know the difference between Floyd Mayweather and Jessie Vargas.”

— Chris Mannix

Robert Guerrero (right) last fought in November 2012, when he defeated Andre Berto. (AP)

Pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. will defend his WBC welterweight title against Robert Guerrero on May 4, Mayweather announced on Tuesday. The fight will be televised on Showtime Pay Per View.

Mayweather’s deal with Showtime is a comprehensive, groundbreaking agreement that requires Showtime to collaborate with parent company CBS to promote Mayweather’s fights. The agreement provides opportunities for Mayweather to fight as many as six times over the next 30 months.

The deal with Showtime ends a 23-fight run for Mayweather fighting on HBO.

– Chris Mannix

MANNIX: With Showtime getting Mayweather-Guerrero, what happens to HBO?

GALLERY: Floyd Mayweather’s greatest hits

It is still unclear who Floyd Mayweather will be facing in May. (AP)

Some quick jabs …

• Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said no decisions have been made regarding opponents for Floyd Mayweather and Saul Alvarez in May. While Robert Guerrero continues to be a leading candidate to face Mayweather, Schaefer indicated that Austin Trout, who is coming off an upset win over Miguel Cotto in December, isn’t a likely candidate for Alvarez.

“[Trout] is one of the names being considered,” Schaefer said. “But at this point, I don’t think it will happen.”

• The shoulder injury that will sideline Andre Ward for at least the next few months could turn out to be a blessing for Kelly Pavlik. Pavlik, of course, was scheduled to face Ward later this month. Few people in the industry — myself included — gave Pavlik little more than a puncher’s chance against Ward, a physically stronger and more skilled fighter who has been campaigning at 168-pounds for most of his career. With Ward out, Pavlik has plenty of options in the super middleweight division. A fight with Lucian Bute has been dangled and a long-awaited matchup with Arthur Abraham could be a possibility. One name I’ve heard linked with Pavlik: Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., who could still be contemplating a move up to 168-pounds.

• So Mariusz Wach says he has lost his passion for boxing. I would too if I took the beating Wladimir Klitschko gave him.

• Heavyweight contender Kubrat Pulev’s promoter, Chris Meyer of Sauerland Event, told me on Monday that he will begin negotiations with Main Events CEO Kathy Duva this week about a matchup between Pulev and Tomasz Adamek this year. Pulev-Adamek would be an IBF eliminator, with the winner guaranteed a shot at IBF titleholder Wladimir Klitschko. Meyer said he hoped to have a tentative plan settled in the next 10-14 days.

• Credit junior middleweight Gabriel Rosado for refusing to fight middleweight titleholder Gennady Golovkin at a catchweight of 158-pounds. I like Golovkin to win that fight but Rosado — who has never backed up from anyone — will make Golovkin fight. Could be an early candidate for Fight of the Year.

• NBC reported that the ratings for its December 22nd card headlined by Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham averaged 1.6 million viewers (a 1.2 rating), peaking at 3.2 million viewers (2.2 rating). On the heels of a successful show on CBS a week earlier, I think it’s safe to say boxing will be back on network TV. Soon.

• Count me among those concerned about Manny Pacquiao after his devastating knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez last month. But I don’t think doctors who have never examined him — like Filipino neurologist Dr. Rustico Jimenez, who last week said he saw early signs of Parkinson’s disease in Pacquiao — have any right to go public with that kind of accusation. That’s staggeringly irresponsible.

- Chris Mannix

Bernard Hopkins (above) could return to action in March in an attempt to break his record as the oldest boxer to win a major world title. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

Some quick jabs …

• All indications are Bernard Hopkins — who will celebrate his 48th birthday next month — will return to the ring in March against IBF light heavyweight titleholder Tavoris Cloud at the Barclays Center. Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer told SI.com that Hopkins, who was wiped out by Chad Dawson last April, called him “out of the blue” a few months ago and told him, “I know I can still fight, I know I can still win.”

“Cloud-Hopkins is an interesting fight,” Schaefer said. “He’s a young, undefeated guy going up against legend like Bernard Hopkins. Bernard feels like it [Cloud] is the perfect style for him. He feels confident he can beat his own record and win another title. Stylistically, it’s an interesting matchup.”

According to Schaefer, the last remaining obstacle in making the fight is the IBF. Cloud has a mandatory title defense due against Karo Murat. Schaefer says he has submitted a request to the IBF, with the blessing of Sauerland Event (which promotes Murat) and Don King (Cloud), that outlines a scenario where the winner of Hopkins-Cloud will defend the title against Murat in the next fight.

• Wondering why Sergio Martinez is fighting Martin Murray in Argentina next month? Money, a truckload of it. According to sources familiar with the situation, the Argentine government is paying Martinez $5 million to hold his next fight in his home country. Martinez’s popularity in Argentina has grown exponentially in recent years, but monetizing a fight there, where a live gate wouldn’t generate much income, has been considered problematic. With the government offering that kind of guarantee, it becomes worth it.

• Schaefer said he hoped to resolve the futures of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Robert Guerrero by the first week in January. Both Alvarez and Guerrero are candidates to face Floyd Mayweather in May. Recently, Alvarez, on his official Facebook page, posted that a Mayweather fight was close to being completed.

“Canelo is very much pushing for a Mayweather fight,” Schaefer said. “I’m working on it. I have to see what i can deliver for Canelo. There is a lot of work still to be done.”

The most appealing option, from Golden Boy’s perspective, is to match Mayweather with Guerrero, Alvarez with Austin Trout or Alfredo Angulo and if both win make Mayweather-Alvarez in September.

• The California State Athletic commission is reaching out to boxers who may be eligible for a $5.1 million pension fund. To qualify, a boxer must be at least 50 years old, have fought at least 10 rounds a year for four years without more than a three-year break, and had a minimum of 75 scheduled professional rounds without a break of three years or more.

“The Athletic Commission wants to locate eligible boxers in order to pay them the benefits they have rightfully accrued,” said State Athletic Commission executive officer Andy Foster. “Any assistance in getting the word out would be greatly appreciated and would be a service to the athletes who gave so much to entertain the people of the State of California.”

• The assault on Getty Images photographer Al Bello by two members of Manny Pacquiao’s team — advisor Michael Koncz and assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez — was despicable. Photographs clearly show Bello, carrying two cameras, being grabbed and kicked by Koncz and Fernandez while in a precarious position outside the ring. Getty Images has requested further action be taken against Koncz and Fernandez, and I agree with them. A fine and/or a suspension is in order. What I don’t agree with is Getty seeking sanctions against Pacquiao, who had just been knocked out when the assault happened and clearly had nothing to do with it.

• Don’t be surprised if Andre Ward’s super middleweight title defense against Kelly Pavlik gets pushed into early or mid-March. Indications I’m getting are that Ward’s shoulder, while not torn, is pretty bad and could require extended time to heal.

• Farewell, Larry Merchant. For 35 years you were a credit to the sport. Here’s hoping you stay in it, in some capacity.

• As long as Nonito Donaire is represented by Top Rank and Abner Mares by Golden Boy, that fight will never, ever happen.

• Schaefer said he spoke to promoter Frank Warren again on Monday and that negotiations continue for a February matchup between lightweights Adrien Broner and Ricky Burns. Schaefer called the talks with Warren “promising.”

• On the undercard of Broner-Burns, Schaefer said, would be the rematch between Seth Mitchell and Johnathan Banks. Last month, Banks knocked out the undefeated Mitchell in the second round. When I asked Schaefer if there had been internal discussions about taking Mitchell easing his way back into the ring, he indicated the decision to take the immediate rematch was Mitchell’s decision.

“Seth and his team pushed for the rematch,” Schaefer said. “It’s obviously not an easy fight. For Seth, it’s do or die. He needs to show he can beat a guy like Banks. if he can’t win against Banks, it tells you a lot.”

• Schaefer confirmed that 41-year old Shane Mosley — who has not won a fight since 2009 and has been retired since taking a lopsided beating from Alvarez last May — is a candidate to face WBA welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi. If that fight is made, it shouldn’t come anywhere near a television network.

• Boxing’s return to network TV last Saturday was a success. According to Golden Boy, the CBS card headlined by Leo Santa Cruz’s bantamweight title defense against Alberto Guevara did an overnight rating of 1.3, retaining 90 percent of the audience that watched Butler’s overtime win over Indiana before it. Boxing will be back on network TV this week, this time on NBC, with the rematch between Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham.

– Chris Mannix

Austin Trout (above) staked his claim for supremacy in the 154-pound division with Saturday’s win over Miguel Cotto. So Canelo Alvarez next, right? Probably not. (AP)

Some quick jabs …

• Count Austin Trout among those not surprised that Golden Boy may try to move forward with plans to match Saul Alvarez with Miguel Cotto next year. In the aftermath of Trout’s lopsided decision win over Cotto, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer would not rule out an Alvarez-Cotto fight.

“It’s flattering,” Trout told me on Sunday. “They obviously want no part of Austin Trout. But at some point, they are all going to have to face me.”

Trout told me that he knew he had Cotto after the third round, when he noticed that Cotto was moving a lot after getting hit.

“That’s not Cotto,” Trout said. “He boxed with Manny Pacquiao when he was in trouble. Against me, he was starting to move, bouncing around on his toes. When I was watching film the only time I saw him do that was when Pacquiao had him hurt.”

• British heavyweight David Price — who knocked out countryman Matt Skelton in the second round last weekend — says he wants his next fight to be in the U.S. And he already has an opponent in mind: Tony Thompson, the former title challenger who was knocked out by Wladimir Klitschko last July. According to Thompson’s trainer/manager, Barry Hunter, no one from Price’s team has contacted him about the fight. However, Thompson came back to Hunter’s Washington D.C. gym two weeks ago and mentioned an interest in fighting Price.

Hunter told me he still wasn’t sure he was interested in continuing to work with Thompson. He said he was very disappointed with Thompson’s effort against Klitschko and needs to see him work for a few weeks in the gym to see if he still has it.

• Hunter says one of his other fighters, Lamont Peterson, is in the gym and is only a couple of pounds off the 140-pound limit. Peterson has a mandatory IBF title defense against Kendall Holt, but that fight has yet to be scheduled. Hunter says he is hoping he and Holt’s promoter, Gary Shaw, can schedule Peterson-Holt for late January, preferably in the D.C. area.

• Buckle up for Gabriel Rosado-Gennady Golovkin on Jan. 19 in NYC. It’s going to be a war.

• Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said welterweight Victor Ortiz — last seen getting his jaw broken by Josesito Lopez last June — is recovering well and will be ready to return to the ring early next year. ”He’s doing much better,” Schaefer said. “He had some infections to deal with but the swelling has gone down and he is going to be ready to go in March or early April.”

Schaefer said Ortiz “did not want any tune-up fights” and in addition to a rematch with Lopez said a fight with WBA welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi at the Barclays Center was a possibility.

• The more people I talk to, the more I think Floyd Mayweather’s next fight will be against Robert Guerrero. I don’t get the feeling Mayweather wants to fight at 154 — Alvarez’s weight class — and Guerrero is a marketable fighter coming off an impressive win on HBO. It just seems like the right fit.

• Boxing press conferences are a joke. On Saturday, I attended a presser to announce the Feb. 9 fight at the Barclays Center between junior welterweight titleholder Danny Garcia and Zab Judah. During the press conference Garcia’s father/trainer, Angel — a known agitator — took some shots at Judah. Judah took offense and before long a melee broke out, with members of Judah’s entourage (who should not have been there in the first place) storming the dais. The brawl effectively ended the press conference and prevented several reporters from speaking to the fighters.

And this fight needed as much local press as it could get: Though plenty of lip service was paid to Judah’s Brooklyn roots, he has never been a draw at the box office. By popping off like that, Judah and Garcia essentially cost themselves money.

• Had a chance to catch up with U.S. Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields this weekend for a story that will run later this month in Sports Illustrated. Shields told me she has not made a decision yet on making another Olympic run, and had an interesting reason why.

“I’m not really recognized,” Shields said. “I got a lot of credit for being the first woman Olympic gold medalist. I feel like if one of the men won gold they would have these endorsements or a huge signing bonus. It’s just different for the women. We weren’t showcased like we should have been. A lot of people who were watching couldn’t find me on TV. I think I should get more credit. I have already done the hard work, I shouldn’t keep doing it without reaping the rewards. So I have not decided on what I am going to do. I’m going to do what is going to help keep food on the table.”

• Shameless plug time: Pick up SI this week for my column on why fighters’ unwillingness to seek out the biggest challenge has created a watered-down era in boxing.

– Chris Mannix

Lucian Bute (right) showed little in Saturday’s points win over Denis Grachev (left) that suggested a rematch with Carl Froch would go any differently. (AP)

Some quick jabs …

• Lucian Bute needed a win to regain his confidence after last May’s devastating knockout loss to Carl Froch. But nothing I saw in Bute’s unanimous-decision win over Denis Grachev on Saturday convinced me Bute will beat Froch in a rematch, tentatively scheduled for next March. Bute looked tentative at times, was backed up way too often and looked clueless when forced to fight on the inside. Put it simple: If that Bute shows up against Froch, it will be lights out again.

• A quick thought on Grachev: I believed he was a good fighter when the Bute fight was made, and I still do. The fight was close — the 118-110 card submitted by Canadian judge Claude Paquette reeked of hometown scoring — and Grachev was the aggressor throughout. The super middleweight division is loaded and I would have no problem seeing Grachev in a big fight next year.

• Maybe it’s just me, but I’m really looking forward to Wladimir Klitschko’s fight against undefeated 6-foot-8 challenger Mariusz Wach. I think it has the potential to be a pretty good fight.

• Count me among the many disappointed that Tyson Fury’s fight against Denis Boytsov has been called off. Fury-Boytsov was just the kind of fight the heavyweight division needs: a matchup between two undefeated, would-be contenders that would bolster the resume of the winner and weed the loser out of the division rankings. What’s worse, Boytsov pulled out because, according to his promoter, he wasn’t going to be in shape for the fight. Not in shape? Then why did he agree to the fight in the first place?

• Marco Huck’s entertaining cruiserweight title defense over 42-year old Firat Arslan was fun to watch but provided incontestable proof that Huck should not go anywhere near Wladimir Klitschko. Huck is young (27) but is showing the wear and tear of a fighter who doesn’t know how to duck. A matchup with Klitschko — which Huck has publicly pleaded for — would be criminal.

• Hey, look, Jean Pascal is coming back. That is until Pascal — inactive since losing to Bernard Hopkins in May 2011 — finds a reason not fight. Between Pascal and Andre Dirrell, I’m not sure who has wasted more prime fighting years.

• Almost four pounds over the light heavyweight limit. Way to be professional, Allan Green.

• This 50 Cent-Floyd Mayweather feud is pretty entertaining, and it only figures to get better. History suggests that 50 will soon release a track bashing Mayweather and Mayweather will use the press tour for his next fight to verbally smack 50 around all over the country. Still, in a battle for the boxing industry, my money is on Mayweather. Floyd is a marketing genius with the biggest draw in town — himself — in his stable. 50 Cent has an unwatchable fighter in Billy Dib, an inactive one in Andre Dirrell and another, Yuri Gamboa, who may be on his way back to Top Rank. 50 is a gifted recording artist but he doesn’t seem to have a clue about how to make it in boxing.

• Memo to Tom Loeffler: Keep Gennady Golovkin away from the super middleweights. The latest intel has Golovkin returning in January against either Edwin Rodriguez or Thomas Oosthuizen, two 168-pounders. Golovkin is powerful and seriously skilled but he is not a particularly big middleweight (5-foot-10) and it makes no sense for him to be moving up. I admire Golovkin’s willingness to take on all comers, but a better fight — with the understanding that neither Daniel Geale or Peter Quillin will face him — is Matthew Macklin. Golovkin-Macklin would sell a lot of tickets at the Madison Square Garden theater and be a pretty good fight.

– Chris Mannix

Gabriel Rosado (right) won’t wait for his mandatory title shot against Cornelius ‘K9″ Bundrage, preferring to take a keep-busy fight in the meantime. (AP)

Junior middleweight Gabriel Rosado, the mandatory challenger for IBF champion Cornelius “K9″ Bundrage, will return to the ring on Dec. 8 against Elvin Ayala. Rosado-Ayala will be the co-main event for the card headlined by heavyweights Bryant Jennings and Bowie Tupou on NBC Sports Network.

In September, Rosado (21-5) earned the IBF’s No. 1 contender spot, knocking out Charles Whittaker. Rosado had hoped to land a shot at WBC 154-pound titleholder Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. However Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer told the Los Angeles Times this week that Alvarez preferred to sit out until May, and then would only fight Miguel Cotto, Floyd Mayweather or Sergio Martinez.

While Bundrage does not have a fight scheduled, he is not required to face Rosado until Mar. 30. Rosado — who has already fought three times in 2011 — did not want to wait until then for his next fight.

“It’s about staying busy,” Rosado told SI.com. “I don’t feel K9 is going to give me a shot right away. He is looking for a big payday. I prefer to stay active. Each fight I am getting better and better.

Said Rosado’s promoter Russell Peltz. “Gab could sit around and wait until March when Bundrage has to fight him, but that’s not in Gab’s DNA. He’s a fighter and fighters want to fight. It’s that simple.”

Because Ayala (26-5-1) has campaigned primarily as a middleweight, the fight will be at a catchweight of 156 pounds. Even though the fight is at a catchweight, IBF chairman Lindsey Tucker told SI.com that if Rosado loses, he would not retain his top-rated status.

Rosado says he is not concerned with fighting a bigger opponent.

“It doesn’t bother me,” Rosado said. “He might be a little bigger but I’m a strong 154-pounder. I’m probably the biggest 154-pounder in boxing. I’ve sparred with Bernard Hopkins when he weighed 190. I don’t think his size will be an advantage.”

– Chris Mannix

A federal judge has ordered Floyd Mayweather to pay more than $113,000 to Manny Pacquiao for skipping a series of court-ordered deposition dates in 2011, Courthouse News reported Tuesday afternoon.

The deposition dates in question are related to a defamation suit filed by Pacquiao, claiming Mayweather told journalists the Filipino fighter uses performance-enhancing drugs.

When Mayweather was supposed to sit for deposition between June and October last year, he never showed. In a demand for sanctions last year, Pacquiao told the court that Mayweather was photographed at nightclubs across the country, dancing, drinking and burning money, all while claiming that he was too busy training.

“Mayweather decided that he, not the court, would determine if and when his deposition would take place,” according to the motion. “Busy living the ‘luxurious lifestyle non-stop,’ ‘pour[ing] champagne for [his] friends,’ and keeping the company of ‘attractive women,’ Mayweather refused to be deposed. He disobeyed properly served deposition notices, filed specious ‘emergency’ motions, openly defied this court’s order directing him to appear, and serially misrepresented his whereabouts to Pacquiao and this court. Exposing Mayweather’s untruths was a massive — and expensive — undertaking.”

The complete court order can be found here.

– SI.com staff