Boxing

Upset slightly alters Wright's future plans

By JOHN C. COTEY
Published July 17, 2005

LAS VEGAS - Almost lost in the hoopla of Bernard Hopkins- Jermain Taylor was a shocking loss by Kassim Ouma on Thursday a few blocks over at the Orleans Casino.

Ouma lost his IBF junior middleweight bout to 154-pound Roman Karmazin, getting knocked down twice in a lopsided unanimous decision.

Count St. Petersburg's Winky Wright among those disappointed. Wright had his eyes on Ouma if Hopkins or Taylor bypasses him.

Wright's promoter, Gary Shaw, said while Ouma was on his radar, he still believed he wasn't seasoned enough to give Wright a good fight. Thursday's result proved him right.

"Ouma was just one guy of many," Shaw said. "If he can't beat Karmazin, then he's obviously not ready for Winky."

Wright kept a low profile in Las Vegas, skipping the media room and saying he wouldn't attend the postfight news conference. "I just want a big name. Someone will come along," Wright said.

UNDERDOG: It probably will never happen, but you can actually place a bet on a potential Wright-Hopkins fight. Wright is a+

COMEBACK KID: Former welterweight champion Vernon Forrest returned to the ring for the first time since consecutive losses to Ricardo Mayorga in 2003, scoring an easy second-round knockout of overmatched Sergio Rio (17-2, 15 knockouts) in a junior middleweight bout on the undercard.

Forrest has been beset by injuries since he won the WBC title from Shane Mosley in 2002 and had two shoulder surgeries. Though he fought at 154 pounds, he said he is likely headed back to 147, arguably boxing's hottest, and most profitable, division.

GROWING (GOLDEN) BOY: Oscar De La Hoya announced Mosley and Marco Antonio Barrera were joining his company, Golden Boy Promotions.

The two are the latest high-profile stars to join Golden Boy Promotions. Hopkins was hired last year as head of the company's East Coast division,

Barrera, the WBC 130-pound champion, will be the president of Golden Boy Mexico while Mosley will be president of fighter relations.

Mosley's position will involve scouting amateurs and finding new fighters.

[Last modified July 17, 2005, 01:07:03]