By Clive Bernath: Naazim Richardson, the respected trainer of ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley does not want to hear any excuses whatsoever when his fighter shocks the world and defeats Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night.

By Clive Bernath: Shane Mosley may be pushing 40 years old and rapidly approaching his boxing sell by date but pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao has prepared to face a peak ‘Sugar Shane’ and is excited and fully motivated about facing the future Hall of Famer at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on May 7.

By Clive Bernath: If you’d asked me a year ago who would win the battle between bitter amateur rivals James DeGale and George Groves I’d have to edge towards 23 year-old Groves.

By Clive Bernath: Despite being 39 years old Vitali Klitschko says he is in the best shape of his life. After 15 years as a professional boxer and 38 ko’s from 41 wins the Ukrainian born WBC heavyweight champion is fast approaching the end of a very successful career.

By Clive Bernath: If ever there were a world championship event for hurling insults and tasteless comments Ricardo Mayorga would be crowned world champion every time.

By Clive Bernath: Just a few days ago it appeared as though there was more chance of hell freezing over than Wladimir Klitschko and David Haye ever facing each other in a heavyweight unification battle.

By Clive Bernath: Despite having fought above the 154lb limit just once in his 47 fight career European welterweight champion Matthew Hatton somehow finds himself challenging for the vacant WBC junior-middleweight title against undefeated Mexican Saul Alvarez at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California on Saturday night.

By Clive Bernath: Adam Booth, the manager/trainer of WBA champ David Haye has hit back at Wladimir Klitschko’s statement earlier today that he is ready to face him in a heavyweight unification match on July 2.

By Clive Bernath: Between them Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko have dominated the heavyweight division since Lennox Lewis retired back in 2003. And if you believe some of the comments made by readers on this site part of the reason they have dominated for so long is because they have hand picked their opponents in arguably the weakest weight division in boxing.

By Clive Bernath: The good news is that now, after years of preliminary negotiations and some very personal insults, it looks like Wladimir Klitschko and David Haye will finally face each other in the ring in 2011. According to reports both camps seem to have agreed the financial split(50-50 on everything), leaving the way clear for the heavyweight encounter of the year to take place

By Clive Bernath: world heavyweight champion brothers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko have issued a joint statement concerning the possibility of facing Britain’s David Haye in a unification fight in 2011.

By Clive Bernath: It is fair to say that Amir Khan has improved immeasurably since being knocked out so ferociously by Breidis Prescott in September 2008. Many experts and knowledgeable hardcore boxing fans were at the time of the opinion the former Olympic silver medallist was just another hyped up British prospect falling apart when faced with their first serious test.

By Clive Bernath: Despite only throwing one punch and folding like a pack of cards from the first barrage of punches from David Haye on November 13 and receiving worldwide criticism, Audley Harrison has decided to continue boxing.

By Clive Bernath: European super-bantamweight champion Rendall Munroe was named Boxer of the Year at the British Boxing Board of Control annual awards dinner at the Grand Connought Rooms in Covent Garden in London on Sunday Afternoon.

By Clive Bernath: Even before the fight was officially announced the pr hype machines of camp David Haye and Audley Harrison were under starters orders and chomping at the bit to begin publicising the most eagerly awaited all British showdown since Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank clashed in the early 90’s.

By Clive Bernath: Commonwealth Games light-heavyweight Gold medallist Callum Johnson was in two minds on whether to stay amateur and go for Gold at the London Olympics in 2012 or turn professional.

By Clive Bernath: Carl Froch has branded Armenian boxer Arthur Abraham a ‘loser’ ahead of their Super Six clash in Helsinki, Finland on November 27. The battle of the former world champions was to have taken place in Monte Carlo on October 2 but Froch was forced to postpone that date after injuring his back in training.

By Clive Bernath: Lets be honest, David Haye has heaped an enormous amount of pressure on his broad shoulders ahead of his November 13 clash with bitter rival Audley Harrison.

By Clive Bernath: He certainly took his time but HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg finally issued a statement on Monday insisting that negotiations between himself and promoter Bob Arum had taken place for Manny Pacquiao to face Floyd Mayweather Jr on November 13.

By Clive Bernath: Floyd Mayweather Jr has announced that he is in no rush to face Manny Pacquiao to decide who is the world’s No.1 boxer.

By Clive Bernath: About three weeks ago I got a call from a very reliable source informing me that IBF/WBO and IBO heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko had offered WBA champ David Haye a 50%/%50 split and no options to face him in a heavyweight unification fight in September.

By Clive Bernath: Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao may not have swapped punches in the boxing ring just yet but the undefeated American has struck the first knockout blow (financially at least) by leaving Pacquiao standing when it comes to earning a pile of the green stuff.

By Clive Bernath: One could quite easily argue, and be well justified in doing so, that Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and John Duddy are two of the most over hyped boxers fighting today. Both men have been built up by their respective promoters and both men’s pr and matchmaking machines have excelled in building them up into championship contenders.

By Clive Bernath: At just 21 years old Canadian middleweight prospect David Lemieux is slowly but surely starting to punch himself into potential world title contention and the attention of the world‘s top 160lbs boxers. Fight fans from Montreal, where Lemieux reside have been singing his praises to anyone that will listen for quite a long time now and why shouldn’t they? After all the ’Canadian Kid’ has won all 23 of his professional fights inside the distance, and a mightily impressive 19 in

By Clive Bernath: World title contender Albert Sosnowski believes Vitali Klitschko will regret giving him the opportunity to fight for his WBC heavyweight title. The 31 year-old Polish fighter challenges arguably the world’s No.1 heavyweight at the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany on Saturday (May 29), and understandably feels he will be the one celebrating victory.

By Clive Bernath: As soon as Breidis Prescott rendered Amir Khan unconscious with a thunderous left hook in September 2008 it looked as though the Olympic silver medallist’s highly promising career was pretty much over before it had even started.

By Clive Bernath: The two main talking points being discussed by boxing fans the world over following Floyd Mayweather Jr’s win against Shane Mosley last weekend is should he now be ranked above Manny Pacquiao as the pound for pound No.1 boxer on the planet, and will he and Pacquiao face each other in the ring anytime soon?

By Clive Bernath: To say I was shocked last weekend’s heavyweight title clash between Wladimir Klitschko and Eddie Chambers was not broadcast LIVE on American tv would be an understatement.

By Clive Bernath: Prior to Nathan Cleverly unanimously out-pointing the vastly more experienced Tony Oakey to claim the vacant Commonwealth light-heavyweight title in October 2008 the undefeated Welshman, who turns 23 on February 17 has moved up in class, improved with each performance and matured in equal measure.

By Clive Bernath: Regardless of which way you look at the situation it is very difficult to put a case together for any boxer other than Manny Pacquiao to be named SecondsOut’s Fighter of the Year for 2009.

By Clive Bernath: Ricky Hatton has indicated in countless interviews that he has not yet made up his mind whether to fight again. The popular Manchester boxing legend has always chosen his words carefully when the subject is broached-until now that is.

By Clive Bernath: Art Hafey is one of life’s nice people. In fact being such a nice down to earth humble guy may have cost him a shot at the world featherweight title.

By Clive Bernath: Following Matthew Macklin’s excellent 10 round points win over the durable Rafael Sosa Pintos on Saturday(Dec 5) night his confidence is understandably at an all time high.

By Clive Bernath: If the bookies are to be believed David Haye is just 24 hours away from dethroning WBA heavyweight king Nikolay Valuev.

By Clive Bernath: If you are looking for the perfect present for a boxing mad relative this Christmas then look no further than Oliver Jarrett’s excellent and very informative biography of boxer Kirkland Laing.

By Clive Bernath: Two Clichés come immediately to mind when reading David Haye’s latest interview about his November 7 heavyweight title clash with giant WBA titleholder Nikolay Valuev-‘Be careful what you wish for’ and ‘Patience is a virtue’.

By Clive Bernath: It appears that Audley Harrison is not the only person deluded about his ability to become the heavyweight champion of the world.

By Clive Bernath: Frank Maloney, the promoter of Friday night’s English heavyweight title fight between John McDermott and Tyson Fury, wants the British Boxing Board of Control to hold a public enquiry following Fury’s controversial 10 round points.

By Clive Bernath: Regardless of whether you are one of boxing’s top pound for pound superstars or a fledgling prospect taking that all important step up in class, preparation, peace of mind and a harmonious training camp is vital in preserving a fighter’s focus and mindset in the build up to a big fight.

By Clive Bernath: Promoter Frank Maloney has been forced to cancel today’s press conference in London to publicise Friday’s (Sept 11) English heavyweight title fight between John McDermott and Tyson Fury after the challenger refused to attend.

By Clive Bernath: Even though he never officially retired I always felt I knew the real reason Naseem Hamed never fought again after out-pointing Spaniard Manuel Calvo in May, 2002.

By Clive Bernath: One would have to think back a good few years in order to relive the last exciting and entertaining match-up in the heavyweight division. In this writer’s opinion the last time an exciting and evenly contested match-up took place was on June 26, 2003 when Lennox Lewis defeated Vitali Klitschko via six round tko.

By Clive Bernath: According to the Los Angeles Daily News WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko is set to defend his title against unbeaten American Chris Arreola at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on September 26. The fight will be broadcast by HBO.

By Clive Bernath: There may not be an official announcement as yet but it looks like Vitali Klitschko will defend his WBC heavyweight crown against David Haye in Frankfurt, Germany on September 12.

By Clive Bernath: Promoter Dan Goossen has served notice on Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, insisting that their reign on the heavyweight division will come to an end when his two rampaging heavyweights, Chris Arreola and Eddie Chambers finally clash with boxing’s most famous brothers.

By Clive Bernath: There are two views one can take when you hear WBC super-middleweight king Carl Froch attempt to entice and ridicule the retired Joe Calzaghe back into the ring.

By Clive Bernath: David Haye looked visibly dejected when he apologised to both his fans and Wladimir Klitschko for having to pull out of his heavyweight title fight in Germany on June 20 because of a back injury.

By Clive Bernath: Whilst Ricky Hatton is undecided whether or not to retire following his devastating second round knockout at the hands of pound for king Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas last weekend there was a slight indication that maybe at the back of his mind he has already made a decision.

By Clive Bernath: Nobody can accuse British fighters David Haye and Carl Froch of failing to publicise their respective upcoming world title fights or lacking in self confidence.

By Clive Bernath: Chris Finnegan, the former British, European and Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion, has died at the age of 64. His death comes just four months after his younger brother Kevin was found dead at his Hillingdon home.