Are you familiar with the name Curmel Moton? Me neither. But according to Floyd “Money” Mayweather, we all will be, and soon. Mayweather, speaking once again with FightHype, said he would match Moton with reigning WBA featherweight champion Leigh Wood right now, this despite the fact that Moton is yet to box his professional debut!
Here’s what Mayweather had to say about his latest hot prospect:
“What’s the fighter’s name at 126? Wood? He’s a champion. Leigh Wood. I got a 126 pounder, Curmel Moton…..that’d be a good match up, right now,” Mayweather said. “He’s turning pro, that’s a good match up, right now. I’m saying that’s a good match. I don’t know who his promoter is, but that’s a good match up. I’m telling you – right now. Listen, we take chances to be great. All I’m saying is this, that’s a good match up. I’m not knocking the fighter (Wood), I’m not saying nothing about him bad. I’m just saying that the guy, Leigh Wood, and Curmel Moton, would be a good match up. If his promoter is [Eddie Hearn], one thing about Eddie is, he’s a good businessman, and I’m a good businessman. So, if he [Wood] gets past his next opponent, and if he wants to match up with us, we should make it happen. If our guy is 1-0, or 0-0, we’ll take the fight – I’ll put all the money in.”
This is big talk from Mayweather, yet he does seem serious. Wood, 27-3(16) and a two-time WBA featherweight champ, will next face British rival Josh Warrington in an eagerly anticipated fight, this in Sheffield in October. But after that, if Wood wins? Who knows? History shows us that a fighter has made a challenge for a world title in his pro debut (Pete Rademacher did it, at heavyweight, back in 1957). It is almost unprecedented, however.
So, how good is Moton? Still a teenager, Moton has won numerous amateur titles (he is an 18X National Champion) and he has already sparred top names such as Tank Davis (with whom he has been compared). Naturally gifted, Moton has been under Mayweather’s wing for some time now. Moton’s listed amateur record is 135 fights, with just two defeats.
Floyd has said before that he feels Moton will become “the next Floyd Mayweather.” We will see. But Mayweather sees no problem in moving his hot prospect fast. It would be interesting to get Leigh Wood’s take on what Floyd has said! Will Eddie Hearn be interested in making a Wood-Moton fight should Wood get past Warrington?
