Mandatory Eight Count - Chasing the Dragon

Yonnhy Perez to rematch Joseph Agbeko | Fight News

Perez defeated Agbeko in one of the fights of 2009.  Had the bout not been on Showtime, I'm positive that with the number of punches thrown, the fight would have shattered all Compubox records.  While there was scheduled to be a purse bid for the rematch today, it appears that the promoters have come to a deal.

Everybody's chasing somebody | Dan Rafael's Notebook

Most of the notebook this week is just fluff pieces on Juan Diaz and Joel Casamayor, but there are a few interesting bits in there.  Troy Ross is trying to get a fight with Danny Green.  Unfortunately for Ross, I doubt it will happen.  Green has been enforcing a 185 pound catchweight for his cruiserweight fights, and he's clearly interested in facing faded big names rather than dangerous up-and-comers.  Deandre Latimore is trying to get Alfredo Angulo, which seems a bit more likely, although we saw what happened last time Angulo got in the ring with a guy capable of boxing from the outside.  Finally, Arum says he is looking at Atlantic City as a venue for Pacquiao-Margarito, which is just plain hogwash.   New Jersey state taxes are higher than what two foreign nationals would want to pay, which is why neither Pacquiao nor Margarito fights there.  Also, he seems to be ignoring that Margarito is still on INDEFINITE suspension in the State of California, and that it's illegal for any state to license him under the Ali Act until that suspension is actually lifted in California.  If California lifts the suspension, the fight will be in Vegas, period.

Felix Sturm to face Giovanni Lorenzo next | FAZ

After talks that Felix Sturm's next fight would be against Ricardo Mayorga, Kermit Cintron or even Marco Antonio Rubio, this is a bit of a letdown.  Lorenzo is a proven second tier guy, and while he's no Koji Sato, he's no challenge either.  Now that Sturm is out from under the Universum banner, one would have hoped he'd start taking the tougher fights he was asking for, but that appears not to be the case.  Hopefully this is just a tune-up after a year plus layoff because of contractual disputes. 

Next moves for Saul Alvarez | Boxing Scene

Alvarez's people say that Matthew Hatton has balked at their offer for a fight, and they are now looking at former champ Carlos Baldomir or contender Delvin Rodriguez for Canelo's next bout.  At this point in his career, Baldomir would be more of a name than a step up, and while it's hard to imagine this could happen, he's lost a step or two since the last time he was on US television against Vernon Forrest, plus he's been fighting at middleweight recently.  Rodriguez could be interesting, and this could be the bigger name fight Rodriguez has been looking for.  Any deal with Rodriguez would be contingent on Rodriguez beating Ashley Theophane on tonight's Friday Night Fights.

Marquez-Diaz II weigh-in | HBO

Both HBO and ESPN will be airing the Marquez-Diaz weigh-in live at 5:45 p.m. Eastern.

Marquez still wants Pacquiao | Dan Rafael's Blog

That's a shocker.  If you're into the business side of things, one interesting tidbit is that Rafael lists out the pursees for all of the fighters on the card.  With less than $2 million in aggregate purses, Golden Boy can stand to make a killing on this card if it sells decently.

BJ Flores to face Yoan Pablo Hernandez | Figosport

Sauerland event, Hernandez's promoter, won the purse bid for the matchup for about $81,000.  We'll see if Flores actually takes the fight.  He reportedly refused a fight with Tomasz Adamek when he was Adamek's mandatory because he felt the $50,000 purse offer wasn't high enough.  Here, he wouldn't even be making that much, and while Hernandez has a weak chin, he's a smooth boxer who's a pretty good fighter.  Winner gets all the hot women.

Pavlik angling for Angulo, Dawson or Cloud | Boxing Scene

According to Jack Leow, he'd like to make Kelly Pavlik's next fight against Alfredo Angulo, Chad Dawson or Tavoris Cloud.  Personally, I think Pavlik chasing after Dawson or Cloud without having at least tested the waters at light heavyweight is a horrible idea.  Angulo might be more realistic.  Gary Shaw, who promotes both Dawson and Angulo, has publicly stated that he's happy to have either Angulo or Dawson fight Pavlik, but that he probably can't get it to happen because of Bob Arum's tendency to keep fights in house.