Golden Boy has full slate for rest of 2010

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- A relatively slow summer season for boxing is coming to an end for Golden Boy Promotions.

Golden Boy could have five big cards before the end of the year if everything falls into place, CEO Richard Schaefer said at a media workout for Mosley on Wednesday.

The busy run starts with the Shane Mosley-Sergio Mora card on Sept 18 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, a card that also includes Victor Ortiz-Vivian Harris and Antonio Escalante-Daniel Ponce de Leon. Schaefer is working on a card for Nov. 6 featuring the return of James Kirkland and Robert Guerrero.

Juan Manuel Marquez and Michael Katsides have agreed to fight on Nov. 27 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Schaefer said. He is working on a deal to have Amir Khan fight Marcos Maidana on Dec. 11 either in Las Vegas or Detroit.

And, to cap the year, Schaefer said he’s getting the paperwork finished for a fight between RING light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal and Bernard Hopkins on Dec. 18 in Quebec City, Canada.

That doesn’t include the “Fight Night Club” cards on the last Thursday of each month in Los Angeles.

“I look at our calendar for the remainder of the year and I cannot remember having had a busier time with significant fights,” he said.

And Schaefer believes each card has its selling point.

Mosley is in a must-win situation after his one-sided loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Mora, coming off a strong victory over Calvin Green, has “everything to gain,” Schaefer said.

Saul Alvarez, the red-headed junior middleweight prospect from Mexico, is facing his first recognizable opponent on the Mosley-Mora card, former welterweight titleholder Carlos Baldomir. Schaefer, whose company has big plans for Alvarez, said he’s concerned.

“I’m a little bit worried,” he said. “Baldomir is a big, strong guy who is experienced. Alvarez had trouble with (Jose) Cotto, who was, what, a lightweight moving up? I think Baldomir hits harder and has a better chin than (Miguel) Cotto’s brother.

“I wonder whether it’s too much, too soon.”

The storyline for the Kirkland card is obvious: The former junior middleweight contender will fight for the first time since March of last year after a stint in prison, where the convicted felon was sent after he was caught buying a gun.

Golden Boy would like Kirkland (25-0, 22 knockouts) to fight for a title after a few fights.

“We’re going to see where he’s at,” Schaefer said. “We’ll give him a tune-up fight. The plan would then be to have him back in the ring before the end of the year. Hopefully he’ll be better and badder than ever.”

Schaefer believes Marquez-Katsides could be a fight of the year candidate. Khan-Maidana would be a fascinating matchup, a superb boxer with a questionable chin facing a huge puncher.

And Pascal-Hopkins would pit a young bull coming off an upset of Chad Dawson against a fighter who will be 46 in January. Hopkins is coming off a one-sided decision over Roy Jones Jr. in a horrible fight.

Schaefer has become close friends with Hopkins but said he has confidence in the old man.

“I was concerned before Bernard fought Kelly Pavlik,” said Schaefer, referring to Hopkins’ victory in 2008. “He told me to sit in my chair and enjoy the fight. I pretty much do that every time he fights now. I stopped worrying about him.

“This guy knows what he’s doing in the ring.”