By Mike Indri
Retired Boxers Foundation
(New Jersey State representative)
May 19, 2004

Photo courtesy of Rich Schneidenbach/RBF Photographer

New York - With Roy Jones's (still stunning) knockout loss to Antonio Tarver and Juan Manuel Marquez recently surviving Manny Pacquiao's 1st round, three knockdown, onslaught to valiantly earn a split-decision draw by out-working and out-boxing the "Pac-Man", Floyd Mayweather Jr. now feels he sits alone at the top of the "pound-for-pound" championship food chain.

"All these great champions have tasted defeat (Jones, Wright, Hopkins, De La Hoya & Tarver), not me - I'm still going strong. Can't nobody beat me, I'm the best" stated the two-time world champion Mayweather (31-0, 21 KO's).

Sitting up on the dias at the ESPN Zone press conference for his May 22nd (Saturday) Super Lightweight eliminator bout against mega-tough former champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley, the extremely confident Mayweather didn't appear too concerned. Joking, taking pictures with his own camera and even signing autographs, Mayweather was quick to dispel any notions of an upset, "I'm no Roy Jones Jr.-and he (Corley) isn't Antonio Tarver" stated "Flamboyant Floyd", adding "I'm going to take him into deep waters and drown him".

Corley, fighting for the first time since his July 12th, 2003 split-decision loss to Zab Judah, has trained hard and appears ready to take on boxing's new pound-for-pound king.

"Floyd says he is the truth-I don't believe it," stated Chop-Chop. "He was at 130 and 135, not at 140lbs."

Corley's trainer, veteran Don Turner, also likes his fighter's chances, "Every fighter is beatable. Floyd is a great fighter-but he is beatable" stated the long time trainer of former World Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum states the Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall is almost completely sold-out for this fightcard which also features unbeaten Jewish welterweight prospect Dmitry Salita (17-0, 11 KO's), Philadelphia's rising star Anthony "The Messenger" Thompson (15-1, 12 KO's) as well as local favorites Victor Paz from New York and Bayonne's Dennis Sharpe.

"The return of an elite champion like Mayweather, fighting the top-ranked contender Corley, and a world-class evening of boxing will make May 22nd a night to remember" stated Ken Conden, President of Bally's Atlantic City.

Top Rank, in association with Ceasars Atlantic City & Bally's Atlantic City will promote the event. The 12 round Mayweather/Corley WBC title elimination bout will be televised live on HBO.

Tickets are still available at the Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall Box office, by calling Ticketmaster at 1(800)736-1420 or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com.