Mandatory Eight Count: Your Dad Next to Challenge Floyd

Ryan Rhodes Calls For a Floyd Mayweather Jr. Shot (BoxingScene.com)
Yup. Ryan Rhodes. This is operating under the now completely dead idea that Floyd was considering Matthew Hatton, so it's a bit late to the party, but if Floyd wants to fight in the UK, I'd surely rather see Mayweather-Rhodes than some of the other ideas. Hell, I'd rather see Mayweather-Rhodes than Mayweather-Campbell as far as the fight itself goes. Still, Mayweather would toy with Rhodes, but then they've yet to come up with an opponent where that's not the obvious result.

Hey, Mayweather, why not Paul Williams? (Los Angeles Times)
Dan Goossen says he'd "go pick Paul up, and we'd be there as fast we could get there to sign the contract" if they were offered a fight with Floyd Mayweather. Lance Pugmire questions how Floyd could turn down Williams on name recognition and then possibly fight Paulie Malignaggi or Nate Campbell, but honestly Malignaggi is probably far better-known than Williams. Even now.

Pettiness, hatred ruin superfight (Yahoo! Sports)
Kevin Iole of Yahoo! talks about the collapse of Mayweather-Pacquiao, and says the fight "is likely never to happen." He also says that Richard Schaefer, Bob Arum, Al Haymon and Leonard Ellerbe "look like oafish boobs." Good read.

Pro boxing has become ring of clowns and cowards (OrlandoSentinel.com)
One great side effect of the Mayweather-Pacquiao fallout has been the slew of ignorant columns from writers who know nothing about boxing, don't follow the sport, and feel as though they just have to weigh in on this one. On the one hand, it shows how big this fight could have been. On the other, it proves how little is actually known about boxing. There are more than two fighters in the sport, guys.

Berto concerned after earthquake (ESPN)
Dan Rafael with a short feature on Andre Berto, whose thoughts are in Haiti at the moment. One post down, we list some organizations accepting donations for the relief fund, including Carma Foundation, which Berto has worked with extensively.

Zsolt Erdei Vacates Title?; Juergen Braehmer May Appeal (BoxingScene.com)
Per Ake Persson reports that Zsolt Erdei has given up the WBC cruiserweight title that he won from Giacobbe Fragomeni. This isn't official, but it seems likely. Erdei was very small as a cruiserweight, weighing in barely over the light heavyweight limit.

Funeka vs Reyes Likely Heading To a Purse Bid (BoxingScene.com)
Gary Shaw is pissed off because Ali Funeka's manager is sending Funeka-Rolando Reyes (for the IBF lightweight title) to purse bid and trying to get it in South Africa. Shaw was going to put Funeka-Reyes on the Valero-DeMarco card on February 6, and says that "I'm ready to put Ali Funeka in his third consecutive title fight, which is unheard of and highly unusual in boxing." Oh, well if it's unheard of AND highly unusual...

Boxer Winky Wright wants you to take part in the 2010 census (abcactionnews.com)
Winky Wright for the 2010 Census. ????