What's Next for Manny Pacquiao?

Arum: Pacquiao-Valero possible, but...

2010-02-16T02:30:00.001+08:00

By Roy Luarca

AN EXPLOSIVE BOUT BETWEEN FILIPINO pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and knockout artist Edwin Valero is on the drawing board with promoter Bob Arum doing the preliminary sketching.

The name of Valero resurfaced as a possible Pacquiao opponent after the Venezuelan stopped Mexican Antonio Demarco in nine rounds Saturday to keep his World Boxing Council lightweight title in Monterey, Mexico.

Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, however, clarified that it won’t happen right after the Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight on March 13 for the World Boxing Organization welter crown.

Though the 28-year-old Valero holds a fearsome 27-0 record, all by knockout, Arum feels he still needs some more quality fights and more poundage before getting a crack at the 31-year-old Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs).

“He (Valero) wants to fight Manny, but to fight Pacquiao he has to prove himself at 140,” Arum told BoxingScene on Sunday.

“The (Valero) plan would be to go up to 140 ... fight some good light welterweights.”

Arum added Valero also needs to secure a United States visa (revoked due to drunken driving) and a license to fight in Nevada.

Meanwhile, Arum told BoxingTalk.com Sunday that ticket sales for the Pacquiao-Clottey battle at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, have exceeded 30,000.

Source

Floyd Mayweather continues his 'Anti-Pacquiao' campaign

2010-02-16T02:26:00.001+08:00

Floyd Mayweather is continuing his one man crusade against the drug problem in boxing one interview at a time, and predictably never misses an opportunity to bring Manny Pacquiao into the discussion.

Rather than concentrating on his upcoming fight against Shane Mosley, all Floyd seems to be doing lately is talking about Pacquio and how he backed out of the fight and wouldn't take what he called a '$20 million dollar drug test'.

Before Floyd makes anymore impassioned speeches about cleaning up boxing he should remember two things.

Firstly that Pacquiao has never tested positive for anything so continuously bringing him up and accusing him of backing out of the fight is rather moot.Secondly if anything Mayweather should be keeping quiet about drug use in the sport when he himself has been using a widely banned drug for most of his career.

Perhaps Mayweather thinks that by repeating the same answers over and over again to each interviewer he talks about, he can somehow turn public opinion in his favor. Clearly his baiting is having little effect on Pacquiao and his team, who appear to be making quick progress in preparing for Joshua Clottey.

Along with his recent comments about not caring about the fans and claiming that Manny needed him and not the other way around, Floyd just seems to be digging himself ever deeper into unpopularity.

Billy Rios, Baltimore, Maryland: "If Floyd is overlooking Shane with all this talk about Pacquiao he's in for a shock. I didn't have Shane winning this fight, but if Jr. doesn't focus and take is seriously he's in for a hiding"

I agree to an extent Billy, in that Floyd should drop all the Manny talk now that he has a fight on the horizon. I can't see him coming into the fight out of shape or not focused on the day though. All this talk about Pacquiao is probably just a weak attempt to get people to believe his accusations about Pacquiao.

There isn't any question that Floyd is a great fighter but he isn't going to convince anyone that he's better than a more exciting fighter willing to take on all comers with words alone. He can claim whatever he wants about Pacquiao, but until eh starts backing up his words in the ring there aren't many who will believe him. Even some of Mayweather's most ardent.

Darren Thorpe, Pittsburgh PA: "Why is Fraud (Floyd) so obcessed with Pacquiao, every interview all he talks about is Pacquiao, Shane Mosley barely gets a mention, seriously Floyd, let it go"

Also back by popular demand, I talked to that irascible rogue Bernie Walker again:

Bernie Walker, Pittsburgh PA: "I heard what everyone had to say, and I'm still right. Mayweather has the right to tell everyone how he got ducked by Manny. Notice nothing comes back from Manny? He knows he ducked Mayweather and thats all there is to say about it"

Source

Roach: Paulie 'little stiff'' for Pacquiao

2010-02-16T02:09:00.001+08:00

by Dennis Gasgonia

MANILA, Philippines -- Manny Pacquiao’s outspoken trainer Freddie Roach took a swipe at Italian-American boxer Paulie Malignaggi, who slammed the Filipino champ for allegedly using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs).

In an interview with FightFan.com, Roach threw a verbal jab against the “Magic Man” while explaining Pacquiao’s decision to face challenger Joshua Clottey of Ghana.

“We have to fight challengers out there. [Floyd] Mayweather [Jr.] didn't happen and we couldn't pick Paulie Malignaggi… you know he's a little ‘stiff’,” said the American trainer.

Pacquiao was supposed to face Floyd Mayweather Jr. to defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title. But when talks collapsed between the two camps, the Filipino decided to take on Clottey.

Roach said he never considered Malignaggi as a “quality opponent”.

“[Malignaggi is one of] those little guys with big mouths but can't fight. We have to fight a quality opponent,” he said.

Malignaggi has been echoing Mayweather’s allegation that Pacquiao’s recent victories might have been helped by PEDs.

In an interview over Boxing Truth Radio with Ricardo Lois and John Chavez, Malignaggi claimed that Pacquiao is too small to crush “world-class killers.”

“He gets a broken eardrum [after Miguel Cotto] and yet, he is walking around afterwards like he was dodging spit balls. There are things out there that can do that,” said the Italian-American.

“You’re hiding under a rock if you can’t see what I am talking about. This is a guy who was life and death with Juan Manuel Marquez at 120 pounds and now, he’s got 15 to 17 pounds of muscle on him. Look at how short he is. He didn’t get taller, did he?” Malignaggi added.

Although he won his last bout over Juan Diaz via a unanimous decision, Malignaggi has lost 2 of his last 4 matches.

The Italian-American boxer lost to Britain’s Ricky Hatton by technical knockout (TKO) in 2008 before winning over Christopher Fernandez of the US in 2009. Four months later, he lost to Diaz by points before exacting revenge on the Mexican-American late 2009.

In contrast, Pacquiao has demolished his last 4 opponents.

Before beating Miguel Cotto by TKO last November, Pacquiao knocked out Hatton in 2 rounds. The Filipino also outpunched boxing great Oscar de la Hoya in 2008 after stopping David Diaz 6 months earlier.

Source

Manny Pacquiao says Peñalosa was real winner

2010-02-16T02:04:00.000+08:00

WBO welterweight champion and Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao believed Cebuano veteran slugger Gerry Peñalosa, was the real winner in the fight against Eric Morel at the Hilton in Las Vegas.

“Gerry won that fight. Gerry was the winner,” Pacquiao told journalist following the announcement of a very close split decision.

Morel controlled most of the action in the first half of the fight but it was Peñalosa who mauled Morel in the next half, despite cuts on his both eyes that was caused by an accidental headbutt.

Source

Mayweather: Pacquiao should get less if fight pushes through

2010-02-16T01:59:00.001+08:00

By NICK GIONGCO

Here goes Floyd Mayweather again.

The trash-talking former holder of the mythical title of pound-for-pound king went on the offensive over the weekend, expressing his wonder to his hometown paper – the Grand Rapids Press – why Manny Pacquiao would not agree to “a $25 million drug test.”

Still resentful about the collapse of the lucrative bout with Pacquiao, Mayweather said that if their camps revive talks about a matchup in the next few months, the Filipino will have to agree to get less of the money at stake especially if his May 1 fight with Shane Mosley fares better than Pacquiao’s March 13 bout with Joshua Clottey.

“Instead of 20 or 25 (million dollars), he may have to drop to 15 or 17 and you know me, they have to throw that extra 5 or ten on mine and we can rock and roll. Take it or leave it,” said Mayweather.

Pacquiao and Mayweather appeared on their way to agreeing on a deal but Mayweather demanded that Pacquiao undergo random blood testing to level the playing field even though Pacquiao has never failed a drug test ever.

While Mayweather insists that he is not accusing Pacquiao of somebody who uses performance-enhancing drugs, the American fighter sounds off that the current pound-for-pound king is guilty.

“The thing is this: I’ve never seen a guy who didn’t want to take a $25 million drug test. If you’re clean, take the drug test.”

Mayweather lamented the fact that he had agreed to an unheard-of demand by Pacquiao on the issue of penalties on excess weight.

“In my clause, he told me if you would weigh over 147 I had to pay him $10 million for each pound. I agreed but he didn’t agree to my terms and we both would have had to take tests. It wasn’t just steered toward him. It was both me and him.”

Stung by Mayweather's nasty accusation, Pacquiao has filed a defamation lawsuit against him as well as the Oscar De La Hoya-owned Golden Boy Promotions.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, is right on track in his preparation against Clottey even though he took a break when he traveled to Las Vegas to throw his support behind the Filipino fighters who fought there.

Pacquiao told a Manila-based station covering the fight at ringside that he didn’t find it hard to regain his old fiery form because he was coming off a big fight.

Over at Clottey’s training camp in Fort Lauderdale in Florida, the Ghana banger is said to be awesome as well during sparring sessions, his chief handler Vinny Scolpino told ace fight scribe Mike Marley.

“He’s on target, he’s beating the crap out of people in sparring and I would say he is definitely on his A game,” said Scolpino.

Source

Manny Pacquiao: Violently Graceful

2010-02-16T01:55:00.000+08:00

Boxing is a very violent sport, bloodshed is a common scene in a boxing match. Most of the time, boxers seem to be like wild, hungry beasts release to unleash horror. Pain in inevitable. Danger is always around, but just like any other sport, boxing is also a display of the extremes of human body's performance. Boxers are poets in action. Even though it is a bloodied sport, it is a sight to be hold.

A lot of boxers can punch hard, be agile and tireless. But only a handful have all of the three. One of them is Manny Pacquiao. Skills mesmerize the fans. From the die hard boxing fan to the casual boxing viewers, most people who watch boxing want to see something amazing. Something out of the ordinary. Something that can take your breath away and keep you at the edge of your seat for the whole 12 rounds. That is where Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao comes in.

Manny started in the lower divisions in his native country (The Philippines). Since boxing was his way of living, he didn't have enough resources to give him an advantage. He used his determination and hard work to survive in a cruel sport. He has come a long way since then, but one thing stayed consistent. Since the bell rang in his first ever match as a professional boxer, Manny has captured the attention of those who watched him. He defied the odds of poverty to be the best that he can be. He didn't mind being cheated as long as he plays the game with all his heart and believing that God is with him.

Read more...

The Final Score: Pacquiao is NBA All-Stars’ Choice

2010-02-16T01:46:00.001+08:00

BY MICO HALILI

DALLAS, Texas - The stars came out for the Lone Star State for the 59th NBA All Star Game last Sunday (Monday morning in Manila). Celtics legend Bill Russell, hip-hop mogul P. Diddy, comedian Chris Tucker, rapper Drake, Knicks die-hard Spike Lee and actress Gabrielle Union dotted the glitzy landscape. During the game, another star quietly entered Cowboys Stadium. He strolled with his entourage and looked for his VIP seat.

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. made a nondescript entry into the scene. Cowboys Stadium was set aside for Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao. Mayweather said, “No thanks." Then, those who wanted to watch Floyd and Pacman in the ring, including many of the 2010 NBA All-Stars, retorted, “No way."

“Oh, I was very, very disappointed that the fight didn’t push through," West All-Star Chauncey Billups, a fan of Pacquiao, admitted. “I love Manny Pacquiao. He’s one of the greats. I love his heart. I love his passion out there and he fights to the end."

Many of the 2010 NBA All-Stars believe Pacquiao knocks out opponents the way LeBron James slams the ball. Successful athletes, after all, recognize skill and resolve the way Simon Cowell identifies talent. They also recognize a missed opportunity for Mayweather to test his greatness against Pacquiao.

“Pacquiao’s just tenacious," West All-Star Brandon Roy said. “I mean he goes in there and not only gives a great show but a great fight, that’s why you really want to see him in boxing. He’s just a great athlete, a great competitor and he fights at a high level every night."

“I’m very impressed with Manny Pacquiao," 1st time All-Star Deron Williams added. "He’s arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter and the way he has been beating people has been ridiculous."

Read more...

No Margarito return on Pacquiao card

2010-02-16T01:44:00.000+08:00

By Dan Rafael

Top Rank has scrapped its plan for disgraced former welterweight titlist Antonio Margarito to make his comeback March 13 as the co-feature on the Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey pay-per-view undercard at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Last month, Top Rank signed Carson Jones to a contract to face Margarito in a planned 10-round bout at 155 pounds, pending Margarito being licensed in Texas. That fight has been canceled, Jones manager Bobby Dobbs told ESPN.com.

"[Top Rank] said the fight is off. It's dead. I didn't ask exactly why," said Dobbs, who said Top Rank told him not worry about Margarito being licensed when they signed the contract. "I don't know if Texas made a public announcement or just told Top Rank, but Margarito isn't going to get a license and he's not going to fight Carson at this time. I don't care about the specifics of why, I just know he's not fighting.

"We're heartbroken. Carson has been training for five week for the fight and didn't even get any training expenses for it," Dobbs said. "He was trying to get in the best possible shape for a fight that isn't going to happen now."

Although Top Rank did not mention Margarito, it announced on Friday that Humberto Soto and David Diaz would meet for a vacant lightweight belt in the March 13 co-feature.

Top Rank president Todd duBoef said the company had no comment regarding the change in plans or on Margarito.

Read more...

Joshua thinks he can beat ‘PacMan’

2010-02-16T01:41:00.001+08:00

By JUN MEDINA

DESPITE being at least a 5-1 underdog, challenger Joshua Clottey thinks he has the tools and the strategy to defeat Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao in their March 13 title fight at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas.

“One thing I’m sure, I know how to handle southpaws,” Clottey said in a video interview courtesy of the Hart Krystal Show that was posted on FightFan.com. “Pacquiao is faster, let’s see if I can handle him.”

Clottey defeated former three-time world welterweight champion Zab Judah to win the International Boxing Federation welter title in 2008.

The iron-chinned slugger from Ghana said he respects Pacquiao’s power and explosiveness and that he intends to keep him at bay with his jab and tight defense.

“I have a stiff jab and I will throw it a lot against Manny Pacquiao. He will be coming to me and you’ll see what I can do,” said Clottey (35-3, 21 knockouts), a native of Accra, Ghana, now fighting out of the Bronx in New York City.

“I will stay in front of him with my tight guard using a stiff jab. He’s going to get hit some while he’s traveling in.”

Clottey also said he has been training very hard for what he called the biggest fight in his career, which assures him a purse of at least $1 million.

“I’m running a lot and I’m training hard. I’ve beaten welterweights for years. If you look at me from head to toe I’m a big guy and I need to train hard to make the welterweight limit. In the past I may have over-trained but I feel comfortable now at 147,” he said.

As of Monday (Sunday night in Manila), Pacquiao was a 5-1 betting favorite in SportsBetting.com. This means to win $100, a Pacquiao die-hard must wager $500. A $100 bet on Clottey, however, wins $350.

Clottey, 28, said he would not fall in the same trap that led Pacquiao’s bigger opponents to suffer knockout losses to the only fighter to win seven world titles in as many weight classes.

“Pacquiao’s opponents did not respect his power [and they paid for it],” Clottey said.

Source

Clottey: Pacquiao in for a tough fight

2010-02-16T01:39:00.001+08:00

DESPITE internet reports that he has been cramming in his training for his March 13 fight against Manny Pacquiao, Ghanaian Joshua Clottey has expressed confidence he has what it takes to beat the Filipino boxing star.

In a report carried by Fightfan.com, Clottey was quoted as saying: "I have a stiff jab and I will throw it a lot against Pacquiao. He will be coming to me and you’ll see what I can do. I will stay in front of him with my tight guard using a stiff jab. He’s going to get hit while he’s traveling in."

Pacquiao’s camp has repeatedly noted that Clottey is bigger and has never been stopped in his past fights but trainer Freddie Roach is confident his ward can handily win.

Clottey is training in Florida but recent internet reports have claimed he has not been focused in his regimen. Roach, meanwhile, has even ordered Pacquiao to slow down in his training.

In a recent interview on the Krystal Hart Show, however, Clottey said: "I’m running a lot and I’m training hard. I’ve beaten welterweights for years. If you look at me from head to toe I’m a big guy and I need to train hard to make the welterweight limit. In the past I may have over-trained but I feel comfortable now at 147."

Pacquiao took time off from his training at Roach’s Wild Card Gym last Saturday (Sunday in Manila) to watch five Filipino fighters, led by Nonito Donaire Jr., take on Latin opponents.

Source

Fight odds soar for Pacquiao

2010-02-16T01:36:00.000+08:00

MANILA, Philippines - Not even Freddie Roach’s statement that he sees the fight going the distance could keep the fight odds from sky-rocketing in favor of Manny Pacquiao.

The other day, the four-time Trainer of the Year told fightfan.com that he’s not looking for a knockout. Instead, he said he sees a 12-round battle with Joshua Clottey.

But no one seemed to listen as oddsmakers for the March 13 showdown at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas remained convinced it’s going to be one-sided.

At least four online betting stations in the United States have placed Pacquiao as the overwhelming favorite, and the only way he could lose if he doesn’t show up on fight night.

Sportsbook, which has control of the betting stations in Las Vegas, has the 31-year-old Filipino superstar at -500 and Clottey, the hungry challenger from Ghana, at +300 with less than a month left.

It’s so huge that you need $500 to win a hundred bucks if you’re rooting for Pacquiao, and that a $100 bet on Clottey gives you $300 in return in case he pulls off the upset of the century.

At sportsbetting.com, Pacquiao was at -500 and Clottey at +350. Bookmaker.com was a little more conservative with its -440 for Pacquiao and +350 for Clottey while sportsinteraction.com has it at -556 and +300.

Clottey having problems in training makes it easier for oddsmakers to point at Pacquiao as the favorite.

Read more...

Ticket sales booming for Manny Pacquiao fight

2010-02-02T01:24:00.000+08:00

More than 20,000 tickets have been sold for Manny Pacquiao's March 13 fight against welterweight Joshua Clottey at Dallas Cowboys Stadium, and officials say there could be close to 60,000 in attendance on fight night.

"The first days of sales for boxing events can be about 25% of the total," said Texas boxing publicist Lester Bedford, who's assisting Top Rank and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in the Pacquiao-Clottey fight promotion. "There'll be a heavy Hispanic undercard that has yet to be announced, and that could trigger more sales.

"With the fight being in this new stadium there's no history to predict how a boxing event will do. It could go to 50,000, 60,000."

Jones originally arranged a seating plan to accommodate 40,000, and tickets went on sale Saturday through Ticketmaster.

The undercard could feature the return of former world welterweight champion Antonio Margarito, who had his boxing license revoked by the California State Athletic Commission February 2009 after officials removed plaster-caked inserts inside wraps on both of his hands before being defeated by Shane Mosley last January at Staples Center.

Margarito is planning to apply to get his license restored in Texas next month, and promoter Bob Arum said if Margarito wins the super-welterweight undercard fight against Carson Jones, he'd strongly consider making a Margarito-Pacquiao bout at Dallas Cowboys Stadium later this year.

Bedford said former lightweight world champion Jose Luis Castillo will also appear on the Pacquiao-Clottey undercard.

Source

Wild Card saddles up for Pacquiao training

2010-02-02T01:23:00.001+08:00

By NICK GIONGCO

LOS ANGELES — Manny Pacquiao was given the green light Thursday by trainer Freddie Roach to spend what was supposed to be his first day of training with his friends after the two arrived here close to midnight from a two-city promotional tour in Dallas and New York for the March 13 fight with Joshua Clottey.

“See you on Friday, Manny,” Roach told his prized pupil late Wednesday night at a private hangar near LAX International, fresh from a six-hour flight from Newark, New Jersey that made a brief refueling stop in Denver.

“Just take the day off. Rest,” said Roach.

Pacquiao had wanted to show up at the Wild Card in Hollywood on Thursday as originally planned but because of their late arrival back from the tiring tour, the Filipino had no choice but to skip training.

“Okay, coach, I will do that,” said Pacquiao, who was joined in the press tour by Canadian adviser Mike Koncz, lawyer Franklin Gacal and training assistant Roger Fernandez.

At the Wild Card on Vine Street, security chief Rob Peters was already on hand to enforce rules, knowing that Pacquiao would start his workout but he will have to wait for another day.

When Pacquiao goes to the gym Friday, nobody will be allowed in except of course for members of Pacquiao’s team from 12 noon until 4 p.m. until March 8.

Despite missing one day, Team Pacquiao is not worried.

Conditioning coach Alex Ariza said there is still enough time to whip Pacquiao into his old fiery form, stressing that he is the most hardworking athlete he has seen.

“We’re still okay and you know Manny, when he starts training it would be impossible to tell him to stop,” said Ariza, who has the major role of making sure Pacquiao reaches peak form in time for the 12-round welterweight clash set at the Cowboys Stadium.

Since Pacquiao and Clottey are slugging it out at the welter limit of 147 lbs, Ariza said Pacquiao will tip the scales exactly at 147 but will not allow him to bloat.

“He’ll weigh 149 lbs by the time he enters the ring.”

Source

Pacquiao expects close fight vs Clottey

2010-02-02T01:08:00.000+08:00

abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines – It will be tough and it will be close.

World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champ Manny Pacquiao said he expects his March 13 date with challenger Joshua Clottey to turn out just like the Ghanaian boxer’s match against Miguel Cotto.

“Sa tingin ko pa nga, close ang labang iyon at puwede ring si Ginoong Clottey ang nanalo,” Pacquiao said, referring to the June 2009 fight between Clottey and Cotto.

Cotto got a split-decision win, but many fans felt it could have been gone either way.

“Ganyan din ang dapat kong asahan sa laban namin sa Marso 13,” he added.

Pacquiao said the size and ability of Clottey, who has won 35 fights against 3 losses, makes the Ghanaian fighter a very dangerous foe.

Pacquiao has 50 wins against 3 losses.

Clottey stands 5-feet-8 and is a full welterweight, while Pacquiao, the only boxer to win 7 world titles, is 5-feet-6.5 and last fought at a 145-pound catch weight.

“Naniniwala akong isa siyang mapanganib na kalaban,” said Pacquiao, who has started training at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, California.

Still in good condition

Pacquiao’s physical conditioning expert, Alex Ariza, meanwhile, said Pacquiao is still in good shape two months after his 12th round TKO victory over Cotto last November.

“He is looking sharp already,” Ariza said in a report by InsideSports.ph.

Trainer Freddie Roach agreed that the Filipino boxer is in “pretty good shape” at 148 lbs.

“We’re gonna start sparring one day earlier than normal and get the rounds in,” Roach said. “We'll have the game plan down by next week.”

Not giving up on Pacman-Floyd

Meanwhile, boxing promoter Oscar de la Hoya said that despite the bitter feud with the Pacquiao camp, he hasn't given up on trying to convince Pacquiao to fight his client Floyd Mayweather.

"That fight has to happen," De la Hoya said Tuesday of the proposed bout, which fell apart earlier this month over a drug-testing procedure dispute. "It's too big not to happen. We just have to cross one hurdle."

Speaking at a news conference Tuesday to promote a non-title junior welterweight fight, de la Hoya said Mayweather and Pacquiao will fight sooner than people think.

Pacquiao, boxing's pound-for-pound king, was already scheduled to square off against Mayweather on March 13, but they couldn't agree on a 10-day gap in the timing of the pre-fight drug tests.

"The public will hopefully make him change his mind," de la Hoya said. "Why would you not want to earn 40 million dollars? Why would you not want to show the public that all this speculation is nonsense? Be the one to stand up and say it."

De la Hoya also said Mayweather and Shane Mosley are in talks for a possible bout on May 1 which will likely be in Las Vegas. With a report from Agence France-Presse

Source

Manny wins twin ‘Fighter’ honors in US

2010-02-02T01:04:00.001+08:00

By Roy Luarca
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANNY PACQUIAO is last year's top boxer—and the decade’s finest as well. Taking into account the Filipino superstar’s awesome knockouts of his last two foes en route to a record seventh world title in as many weight divisions, the Boxing Writers Association of America on Sunday (Monday in Manila) chose Pacquiao as its 2009 Fighter of the Year and Fighter of the Decade.

The twin honors further buttressed Pacquiao’s reputation as pound-for-pound king and mirrored his earlier selection by ESPN.com and Ring magazine as 2009 Fighter of the Year.

Pacquiao, who will receive his fourth Sugar Ray Robinson trophy at the BWAA’s 85th annual banquet on June 11 in New York, topped the balloting among boxing chroniclers.

The vote noted the impact of his second-round demolition of Briton Ricky Hatton on May 2 and his 12-round annihilation of Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 for the World Boxing Organization welterweight crown.

Also nominated for Fighter of the Year were WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine, WBA super middleweight titlist Andre Ward of the United States, former two-time welterweight champion Paul Williams, also of the US, and Armenian-German super middleweight Arthur Abraham.

Pacquiao, who will stake his 147-pound title against Ghanaian Joshua Clottey on March 13 in Arlington, Texas, was also voted Fighter of the Decade (2000-09). The Filipino ring icon won six crowns in that span while taking over from Oscar De La Hoya as the face of boxing.

Other than De La Hoya, other sure future Hall of Famers who fell prey to Pacquiao’s punches were Mexicans Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez.

Bested by Pacquiao for the decade’s fighter honors were Bernard Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe, who retired last year, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Shane Mosley, Marquez and Barrera.

For turning Pacquiao from a one-dimensional boxer into a wrecking machine, Freddie Roach will be honored as Trainer of the Year.

Like Pacquiao, Roach is no stranger to the award having won it in 2003, 2006 and 2008.

WBA-WBO lightweight titlist Marquez, beaten by Mayweather last year, and former 135 lb titlist Juan Diaz will share the Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier award for Fight of the Year.

Source

Mayweather blames Pacquiao for fight's collapse

2010-02-02T01:00:00.001+08:00

abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines – Undefeated fighter Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has found a new opponent in fellow American Shane Mosley, but he still has a mouthful to say about Manny Pacquiao, whom he was supposed to fight in March until negotiations crumbled.

“The question that people want to know is why didn’t Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather fight? It wasn’t my fault! I’m not duckin’ and dodgin’ nobody. 40 have came and 40 have came up short,” Mayweather said in a RadioPlanet.tv interview as quoted by Andre Zurbrug of FightHype.com.

Pacquiao and Mayweather were slated to fight on March 13 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Their blockbuster bout, however, did not push through as they disagreed on the drug testing procedure.

The Filipino boxing sensation will instead face Ghanaian Joshua Clottey on March 13 at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas while Mayweather will fight Mosley on May 1 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The Mayweather vs Mosley deal is reportedly final, as Mosley already signed the contract, according to ESPN.com. Mayweather’s signature was to come “in the next few days.”

It is uncertain if Mosley, the World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight super champion, will defend his title.

Mosley was supposed to take on Haitian Andre Berto in January but Berto pulled out because some of his family members died in the devastating magnitude-7.0 earthquake last January 12.

Drug testing issue

Mayweather and Mosley have reportedly agreed to undergo Olympic-style drug testing.

“Shane is fine with Olympic-style drug testing,” Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer told Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “He welcomes more stringent testing. He has nothing to hide.”

The drug testing spelled the end of the Pacquiao vs Mayweather blockbuster bout.

“So all I was saying is I’m just trying to clean up sports period. I’m saying that he’s not the only one that has to take a random drug test, I do too. That’s the only thing I was saying. I never met nobody in sports history that didn’t want to take a 25 million dollar drug test,” continued Mayweather.

“The thing is, what people don’t know about the sport of boxing, in a fighter’s career, a fighter starts off good and he be good all the way to end of his career or a fighter starts off good and goes downhill towards the end of his career. A fighter doesn’t start off like Manny Pacquiao, just ordinary, and then once he gets over the age of 25, he becomes an extraordinary fighter.”

Reade more...

Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather: What Can We Really Say?

2010-01-29T02:30:00.000+08:00

by Kevin White

By now we've all heard about the cancelled bout between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. The question now is "where do we go from here?" If something as simple as a drug test can prevent a fight like this, then what's to keep huge fights in the future from suffering the same fate?

Floyd Mayweather and his camp, for whatever reason, assume that Manny Pacquiao may be taking Performance Enhancement Drugs. As a result, they request random blood testing in preparation for the bout. Pacquiao and his camp refuse and, you know the rest of the story.

Fact is, the ball was in the Pacquiao camp's court and they dropped it. Pacquiao and his camp used various reasons for not wanting to take the test including fear of needles, superstion, weakness, etc. If they stuck to one reason consistently it would has been more believable.

Pacquiao's promoter continued to make premature declarations saying the fight was off weeks before it was official. It raises the question whether he really planned on fighting Mayweather in the first place.

Surprisingly many boxing analysts, media, and ill-informed fans blamed Floyd for the cancellation saying he is a coward for making the request. The smear campaign against Floyd has overshadowed the real question of "Is Manny Pacquiao taking PEDS?"

For those of us who disregard Pacquiao's indecisiveness and continue to use Floyd as the scapegoat, what can we really say about him for sure?

Can we honestly say that we're 100 percent sure Pacquiao is clean? No, the only thing we can do is declare to ourselves and others that he's clean. The fact he's passed urine tests is irrelevant considering prior PED users have passed those as well.

The next couple months we will see a barrage of Pacquiao support and Mayweather criticism. However, this more of a defense tactic used to sweep the steroid accusations under the rug.

My advice is don't let hype and ill-informed people keep us from the truth. If we refuse to question certain boxers simply because they are "The people's champ", and simply use the "Villian" as the scapegoat, regardless of the facts, the sport of boxing will continue to be damaged.

Source

Pacquiao's Weights vs. The Greats

2010-01-24T08:22:00.001+08:00

By Avi "Shoefly" Korine

A few weeks ago I argued that the basis for charges that Manny Pacquiao is using steroids - his success moving from super featherweight to welterweight in only 18 months - was built on a faulty premise. While it is true he has moved up in weight very quickly this is largely the result of no longer losing massive amounts of weight before the weigh-in and then rehydrating before the fight. I argued that while this doesn't prove Pacquiao isn't using steroids, it does mean that critic's arguments that he has undergone some radical physical transformation in an impossibly short period of time are simply not true.

Some readers offered that while my point was valid I was only looking at the most recent part of Pacquiao's growth. If we go back to his pro debut, they say, he has moved up from an impossible to believe 106 lbs. This, one might argue, is definitive proof.

To test their argument I decided to compare Pacquiao's movement up the weight classes to some other notable weight jumpers in boxing history. I am using notable points in each fighter's career. For title fights I am not using the official weight, but the weight limit. Partially inspired by a post on boxingtalk, here's what I found.

Manny Pacquiao:
Age 16: Pro Debut: 106 lbs
Age 19: Flyweight title vs. Sasakul: 112 lbs
Age 22: Super bantamweight title vs. Ledwaba: 122 lbs
Age 24: Featherweight title vs. Barrera : 126 lbs
Age 26: Super featherweight title vs. Morales: 130 lbs
Age 29: Lightweight title vs. Diaz: 135 lbs
Age 30: Welterweight tile vs. Cotto: 147 lbs
Weight gained from earliest competition: 41 lbs
Weight gained from early 20s: 25 lbs

Pacquiao's growth has been truly incredible. He has won titles in more divisions than any other fighter in boxing history. Moving from a 106 lbs to the welterweight championship is a breathtaking accomplishment.

This is mitigated by the fact that Pacquiao began his career at the incredibly young age of 16. Many accomplished fighters haven't even had significant amateur experience by that point. At 19 Pacquiao won the Flyweight title. While incredible, this was something of an aberration for Pacquiao. He was losing that fight to Sasakul before he scored a shocking come-from-behind knockout. He would lose his title on the scales months later and immediately move up three weight divisions. Pacquiao's early career, while impressive, is a bit misleading. I would compare it to saying that a bruising NBA power forward was the point guard for his high school team. Interesting, but not particularly relevant after he grew into a more natural body.

By the age of 20, when most fighters are just starting their professional careers, Pacquiao was fighting at 122 pounds. Moving from super bantamweight to welterweight is also incredible, but comparable to what we will see in other fighters.

Floyd Mayweather:
Age 16: first amateur fight: 106 lbs
Age 19: Pro debut: 130 lbs
Age 21: Junior lightweight title vs. Hernandez: 130 lbs
Age 25: Lightweight title vs. Castillo: 135 lbs
Age 28: Junior welterweight title vs. Gatti: 140 lbs
Age 29: Welterweight title vs. Judah: 147 lbs
Age 30: Junior middleweight title vs. De La Hoya: 154 lbs
Weight gained from earliest competition: 48 lbs
Weight gained from early 20s: 24 lbs

Pacquiao's accuser, Floyd Mayweather, has also been an incredibly successful weight jumper. While his growth has been more steady than Pacquiao's his performance has been just as spectacular. Of particular note is that both Mayweather and Pacquiao weighed 106 lbs at sixteen years old.

Tommy Hearns:
Age 18: Amateur: Light welterweight 141 lbs
Age 19: Second pro fight: 144 lbs
Age 21: Welterweight title vs. Cuevas:147 lbs
Age 24: Junior middleweight title vs. Benitez: 154 lbs
Age 26: Middleweight title vs. Hagler: 160 lbs
Age 29: Light heavyweight title vs. Andries: 19 - 175 lbs
Age 30: Super middleweight title vs. Kinchen: 30 -168 lbs
Age 35: Cruiserweight title vs. Ward- 35 - 190 lbs
Weight gained from earliest competition: 49 lbs
Weight gained from early 20s: 43 lbs

The great Tommy Hearns was one of the most exciting fighters in history. Known for his tremendous power and unusual physique he was a very successful weight jumper.

Henry Armstrong:
Age 17: Pro Debut: 120 lbs
Age 23: Western featherweight title vs. Alton Black: 126 lbs
Age 25: Welterweight title vs. Barney Ross: 147 lbs
Age 26: Lightweight title vs. Ambers: 135 lbs
Age 27: Middleweight title vs. Garcia (draw): 160 lbs
Weight gained from earliest competition: 40 lbs
Weight gained from early 20s: 36 lbs

Henry Armstong is widely considered one of the greatest fighters ever. Pacquiao has often been compared to the three division champion over recent years because of his success in multiple weight classes. These statistics are a little misleading because Armstrong would often come into a fight well under the weight limit. It was a different sport back then. Fighters were made to weigh-in just hours before the bout and rarely drained such massive amounts of water weight.

Roberto Duran:
Age 16: Pro Debut: 119 lbs
Age 21: Lightweight title vs. Buchanan: 135 lbs
Age 29: Welterweight title vs. Leonard: 147 lbs
Age 31: Junior Middleweight title vs. Benitez: 154 lbs
Age 32: Middleweight title vs. Hagler: 160 lbs
Age 38: Super Middleweight vs. Leonard: 168 lbs
Weight gained from earliest competition: 49 lbs
Weight gained form early 20s: 33 lbs.

The fierce Duran took on all comers during his decades long career. He started as a bantamweight before becoming one of the greatest lightweights in history.

Roy Jones:
Age 17: Golden Gloves National: 139 lbs
Age 20: Second pro fight: 155 lbs
Age 24: Middleweight title vs. Hopkins: 160 lbs.
Age 25: Super middleweight title vs. Toney: 168 lbs
Age 27: Light heavyweight title vs. McCallum: 175 lbs
Age 34: Heavyweight title vs. Ruiz: 193 lbs
Weight gained from earliest competition: 54 lbs
Weight gained from early 20's: 33 lbs

Roy Jones had an outstanding amateur career, culminating in a shocking robbery at the Olympics. At the age of 17 he won the golden gloves at 139 lbs. Pretty unbelievable when you see his incredible physique against John Ruiz when he challenged for the heavyweight title.

Above is a look at all of these remarkable fighters' career paths. When we look at it we discover something we already knew; they are all great champions. Pacquiao's growth does not stand out as aberrant when compared against these other notable fighters. Indeed, the only path that seems particularly unusual is that of Henry Armstrong; a testament to the different era he fought in and his unquestioned place as a boxing immortal. I fear to imagine what abuse he would endure if he had similar succes today.

Perhaps a more telling comparison would have been to look at the different times when these men fought. During Armstrong's time and into the 1980s there seemed to be a willingness to trust in athletes, to believe in heroes. When someone did something remarkable it was looked at with amazement, but rarely skepticism.

We live in different times. Perhaps it's a good thing, but athletes will never be seen in the same way. We live in an age of skeptics and doubters, where accomplishment is not only worthy of praise but also of investigation.

Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, and Roy Jones may all be steroid users (in fact Jones did once test positive, though the circumstances were somewhat dubious.) We will never know for certain. I happen to give them the benefit of the doubt but I can understand those who don't.

We do, know, however, that they, along with the other men on this list, were some of the greatest fighters in history. Hopefully we can all agree on that.

Source

Manny still hoping to fight Floyd

2010-01-23T08:17:00.001+08:00

By Francis T.J. Ochoa

REIGNING POUND-FOR-POUND KING Manny Pacquiao is confident a ring date with Floyd Mayweather Jr. will still happen, even as the replacement foe for his Mar. 13 bout, Joshua Clottey, made plans to fly to Ghana to address a big trainer problem.

In a report by CNN.com, Pacquiao said: “I’m still hoping a fight with Mayweather will be pushed through, maybe by summer time.”

Meanwhile, Clottey’s trainer was denied a United States visa, throwing off the fighter’s training schedule.

Trainer Godwin Nii Dzanie Kotey and assistant trainer Daniel Clottey were stuck in Ghana after encountering visa problems.

“An officer looked into the documents I had with me and he wrote something that they (were) going to do investigations and give me a call,” Kotey told Joy Sports’ Nathaniel Attoh.

In a separate interview with Eastsideboxing.com, Kotey said: “We are very disappointed. Now, Joshua is all alone in the US and even if he’s training, there’s no supervision.”

Clottey was a replacement for Mayweather when the bout between the last two boxers to hold the mythical pound-for-pound throne collapsed because of disagreements over drug-testing protocols.

Pacquiao has said the negotiations cast him in a bad light and he’d try to prove he doesn’t use performance-enhancing drugs.

“I want to clear my name because I'm a very honest person,” the reigning WBO welterweight champion told CNN. “I’m very disappointed for what he accused me of. I’m clean. I’m not cheating. I’m a very honest fighter.”

Source

Manny Pacquiao is confident he will fight Floyd Mayweather Jr

2010-01-22T02:35:00.001+08:00

• Filipino says rival had been trying to avoid fighting in March
• Says much-anticipated bout could be staged in the summer

Manny Pacquiao, who will fight Joshua Clottey on 13 March, said today that Floyd Mayweather Jr had been looking for a way out of fighting him and that "maybe Mayweather is scared to lose."

The biggest fight in boxing fell apart because of the drug testing protocol, with Pacquiao refusing to have blood drawn more than 24 days before the fight. Mayweather wanted testing done two weeks before the fight.

Pacquiao will defend his version of the welterweight title against Clottey at the new Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, where promoters are hoping to attract 40,000 fans. The fight will be televised on pay-per-view.

Pacquiao says he will eventually fight Mayweather Jr.

"I believe the fight will happen some other time," he said. " I'm still hoping the fight will be pushed through, maybe by summer time. It would be a good fight if it happened."

Source

Pacquiao is clean - test

2010-01-19T04:51:00.001+08:00

By Abac Cordero

MANILA, Philippines - The results of Manny Pacquiao’s urinalysis, done last Dec. 30 as required by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, are out. He’s clean.

“The tests came back to us last Monday and it’s no surprise to us that they’re negative,” said Pacquiao’s adviser, Mike Koncz, in a hastily called press conference last night at the Hyatt Hotel in Manila.

Koncz said Pacquiao, who was in a separate meeting when Koncz faced the media, hardly reacted to the results of the tests because “he always knew he was clean and that there’s nothing to react to.”

The NSAC recommended the urinalysis, as part of its requirements for the boxers’ annual licenses although Koncz said it might have something to do with the blood-testing controversy involving Flyd Mayweather Jr.

Koncz said the papers that came back with the results from Malaysia said “both tests” proved negative, meaning Mayweather could have taken the same test.

Pacquiao and Mayweather were supposed to figure in a superfight on March 13 but disagreements on the blood-testing procedures got in the way. Instead, Pacquiao will face Josh Clottey in Arlington, Texas.

“This is the last time we will comment on these results. What’s important with the results being made public is for us to clear Manny’s name after being tarnished by Mayweather and the Dela Hoya people,” said Koncz.

Koncz said Pacquiao is scheduled to leave for Los Angeles tonight along with trainers Nonoy Neri and Roger Fernandez, lawyer Franklin Gacal and his brother Bobby Pacquiao.

Then Pacquiao flies to Dallas on Monday for a press conference, to New York the following day and back to LA the following day. He begins his seven-week training at the Wild Card Gym on Thursday.

“But Manny asked to take his gear along because he wants to run in Dallas and New York,” said Koncz.

Pacquiao is also scheduled to host a benefit dinner for fellow boxer Z Gorres who’s been released from a Nevada hospital two months after undergoing a brain surgery.

Gorres collapsed after a fight in Las Vegas on Nov. 13 and had been in the hospital since, with bills reaching almost $500,000.

“Top Rank will take care of the $50,000 and the state the rest. We got some criticism why Manny had to wait before stepping for Z but there’s a reason.

“Had we done this earlier, it would have gone straight to the medical bills, and he’ll have nothing when he comes home. We knew the bills would be paid for by the state. We had a plan for Z but waited up to this point.”

Koncz said they plan to hold the benefit dinner three weeks from now and intend to raise as much as $500,000.

He said the other camp saying Pacquiao is into illegal performance enhancers has been proven wrong, and that Mayweather’s ridiculous demands regarding the blood testing is his only way out of the fight.

“We said we can take the blood tests right after the fight and still they wouldn’t agree. If there was anything that would help enhance Manny’s performance during the fight, then it should still be in his system 30 minutes after the fight,” Koncz added.

Source

Parents as true heroes in ‘Wapakman’

2010-01-17T01:04:00.000+08:00

By JUDE THADDEUS L. BAUTISTA

The value of appreciating parents is underlined in the film “Wapakman,” starring our Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao.

Indeed, this film could’ve been just an action flick with a few laughs here and there, but the producers, wisely, ensured it was more than that. Plus, Manny’s close relationship with his own mother, now christened ‘Mommy D’ by the press, also proves the boxing champ walks the talk; more so, if one thinks that Manny in real life forgave his father who abandoned them to start a new family.

That said, fans who expect a slam-bang action movie with exciting fight scenes will love this film. The fight scenes were very professionally choreographed and a lot of kung fu moves were incorporated. You’ll see Manny Pacquiao kick, do somersaults, and throw a few punches in the course of battling giant crabs and other super nemeses.

A lot of families will also relate to the experience of Magdo Meneses’ (Manny Pacquiao) family. Ruffa Mae Quinto plays Magda, the sexy wife of Magdo who is an OFW working in Italy. She communicates regularly with her brood of five through webcam. The film is able to capture how technology is shaping family relationships.

That although they are able to see each other and talk, the distance between them puts a strain on the marriage. Magdo is left to fend for the kids, giving them baths, cooking, and washing their clothes. At the same time, he works hard as a plumber specializing in toilet drainage. His job is a source of embarrassment for his kids, especially during a ‘Parents Career Day.’

Magdo is part of a team much like the ‘Ghostbusters.’ Their boss is a Michelle Obama look-alike and their company is called the United Septic Association (U.S.A.). PBA superstar turned actor Benjie Paras is a wonderful addition to the cast as the wise and funny co-worker. Ditto with Onyok Velasco who is cast as a member of the U.S.A. team.

The film has the best child actors of today: Mica Torre, Edinburgh Kyle Balili, Jairus Aquino, Miguel Magalong, and Chacha Cañete. John Vladimir Manalo, especially, shone in playing the rebellious son trying to cope with the absence of their mom.

Bianca King who usually tackles dramatic roles shows her versatility in the action sequences as Agent Mystika. The controversial Krista Ranillo is the teacher who gains powers as Octavia. The handsome face of Polo Ravales was mostly hidden in the amazing visual effects as the human torch nemesis, Combust.

Any fan of Manny the fighter would enjoy watching “Wapakman,” even as anyone whose mom or dad works hard for the family will relate to the film’s message.

Source

From $2,500, Pacquiao premium tickets to cost just $700 – Arum

2010-01-16T01:02:00.000+08:00

By NICK GIONGCO

LOS ANGELES — Tickets to the March 13 welterweight war between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey will be priced reasonably, Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum said on Sunday night after returning to Las Vegas from a weekend visit in Dallas, Texas.

The premium ringside seat will cost $700, while the cheapest at $50, said Arum with the Cowboys Stadium to be reconstructed to sit 50,000, stressing that in case a demand is felt in the days leading to the fight, it would be easy to add more seats.

“Manny will enter a new realm with this fight in Dallas,” said Arum, whose promotional outfit Top Rank is staging the show in close partnership with Texas billionaire and Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones.

Weeks ago, when it appeared that a deal had been made for Pacquiao against Floyd Mayweather at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Arum said the top seat would be sold at an unheard of $2,500, higher than the $2,400 that was retailed when Lennox Lewis faced Mike Tyson in June 2002 in Memphis.

All it took for Arum to make a deal with Jones was pay him a visit as the Cowboys were playing the Philadelphia Eagles Saturday night.

The next morning, Arum and Jones easily dotted the Is and crossed the Ts and Arum hurriedly hopped on a plane bound for Sin City with the frame of mind of a boy who found himself inside a candy store.

“The arena is just magnificent. I’ve been to a lot of venues but the Cowboys Stadium is unbelievable. I have no doubt this show is going to be a huge success,” said Arum.

Arum was compelled to look elsewhere for an opponent for Pacquiao after a falling out with Mayweather and his promotional team last week.

Even though Clottey’s popularity is not as immense as Mayweather, the New York-based Ghana native has a solid reputation of being a tough customer in the ring, something that Pacquiao will have to contend with once they finally get it on.

Source

Dallas welcomes Manny Pacquiao title defence against Joshua Clottey

2010-01-15T00:59:00.000+08:00

The Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has welcomed the opportunity to host world championship boxing at the new Cowboys Stadium after Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey's welterweight clash was confirmed for 13 March in Texas.

In the wake of the collapse of the proposed Pacquiao megafight with Floyd Mayweather Jr on the same date, the Filipino has opted to defend his WBO title against Clottey of Ghana.

Jones was convinced the fight would sell the 40,000 tickets necessary for a capacity crowd once his stadium was configured for boxing.

"I have wanted to bring a major boxing event to north Texas for many years, so why not bring in the biggest and the best?" Jones said. "Manny Pacquiao is boxing's number one pound-for-pound attraction and the world champion.

"Manny defending his title against Joshua Clottey is not just a great fight, it's a great event, and one we can showcase to the fullest in Cowboys Stadium. We're going to promote this like it was the Super Bowl."

The Top Rank chairman and Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum said Jones had convinced him Cowboys Stadium, which on Saturday hosted more than 100,000 fans for the NFL play-off victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, was an ideal fit.

"Jerry Jones knows exactly how big and important this event is which is why it was so easy to put this deal together," Arum said. "If Jerry could sell me on Cowboys Stadium and the North Texas market, you know he is going to have no problems selling out Cowboys Stadium.

"We are ready to roll up our sleeves and promote Manny's debut as world welterweight champion."

Pacquiao cemented his status as the best pound-for-pound fighter when he won the WBO welterweight title with a 12th-round knockout of Miguel Cotto, who was also Clottey's last opponent. New York-based Clottey lost a split decision to the Puerto Rican at Madison Square Garden last June.

Pacquiao's victory over Cotto in Las Vegas last November set up a proposed encounter with the unbeaten Mayweather Jr, but the two camps failed to agree terms for a 13 March bout following a row over pre-fight blood testing and Arum moved quickly to secure an alternative fight.

Source

Pacquiao named Athlete of the Decade

2010-01-14T00:47:00.000+08:00

Freddie Roach could meet a boxer for the first time, shake his hand, peer into his eyes, and see the future.

In Manny Pacquiao, the renowned trainer saw the makings of a world champion, a glittering gem from an uncut, unpolished stone.

But something else escaped Roach’s ring clairvoyance: A crowning beyond the alphabet titles nobody foresaw.

“I didn’t see this coming,” said Roach, recalling the first time he worked the mitts with the boxing icon early in 2001 at the Wild Card gym in Los Angeles. “I never thought he’ll be this great.”

Roach was in the same boat as everyone else.

In typical Pacquiao fashion, the former bread vendor and construction worker turned boxing superstar defied the odds, stunning the boxing world with a sixth round technical knockout of fearsome South African Lehlo Ledwaba to win the International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-bantamweight title, his first.

The win began Pacquiao’s meteoric rise to the top. The world would later recognize him as the top pound-for-pound boxer, considered one of the best – if not the best – southpaw fighters in prizefighting history.

Pacquiao is the first and only boxer to win seven world titles in seven different weight classes (flyweight, super-bantamweight, featherweight, junior lightweight, lightweight, junior welterweight, and welterweight), and among the few who made a lasting imprint in a sport teeming with stars and heroes.

Pacquiao, indeed, has come a long way from a struggling, skinny teenager who first fought as a pro in the mid-90s, to the electrifying sports icon who has become the face of boxing today.

The Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) is not one to deny Pacquiao his achievements, and will confer on him Athlete of the Decade honors during its traditional annual Awards Night set March 1 at the historic landmark, Manila Hotel.

Having been elevated by the country’s oldest media organization to the Hall of Fame last year, Pacquiao is no longer eligible for the coveted Athlete of the Year award, but remains a major part of the year’s top achievers’ list on account of his Hall of Fame exploits in the first 10 years of the new century. He was named Athlete of the Year five times – in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2008.

During that span, Philippine sports saw Jennifer Rosales and Dorothy Delasin score breakthrough wins in the LPGA Tour, CJ Suarez ruling bowling’s World Cup, Team Philippines winning a historic first overall championship in the Southeast Asian Games, Miguel Molina emerging as the Best Male Athlete in the SEAG for his four gold medals in swimming and Ronnie Alcano reigning as a double world champion in billiards.

Source

Clottey a dangerous opponent for Manny

2010-01-13T00:38:00.000+08:00

by Josef T. Ramos

OUTSPOKEN trainer Teddy Atlas said Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao will have a hard time against Joshua Clottey when the two clash on March 13 at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas.

Atlas told boxingscene.com that compared to World Boxing Association junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman, Clottey ranks higher in terms of durability, strength and physicality.

“I think it’s a mistake for them to go with Clottey instead of Foreman. I know [Pacquiao] is looking at the size [of the 5’11”] Foreman but sometime it’s not about size,” said Atlas. “If Clottey would have kept the pressure on [Miguel] Cotto [when they fought on June 13], I think he would have stopped him [Cotto].”

Clottey, who stands 5’8”, has never been stopped and even survived 12 rounds with former welterweight champion Antonio Margarito. Many believe Clottey could have beaten the 5’11” Margarito if he did not break his hand in the fourth round.

“They are wrong when they assume this will be an easier fight because Foreman is one weight class up and Clottey is one weight class down,” said Atlas.

Atlas also mentioned that Foreman doesn’t fight a physical fight and Clottey has enough strength to hurt Pacquiao.

“He’s [Foreman] bigger but doesn’t use his size in a way that is dangerous, which is how Clottey uses his size one weight class below,” said Atlas.

“At 147 pounds, Clottey is much more physical and much more dangerous in this fight than Foreman.”

The camp of Pacquiao may have chosen Clottey because the New York-based fighter is also exciting inside the ring.

“I wanted an action fight, I don’t want Manny in a boring fight,” Roach said.

Atlas was the assistant of the late Hall-of-Famer trainer Cus D’Amato when the latter trained former heavyweight king Mike Tyson. He also trained former heavyweight king Mike Moorer and is currently the boxing commentator of ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights.

Atlas gained notoriety for pointing a gun at Tyson after the fighter tried to force himself on Atlas’ young niece.

Source

Pacquiao-Clottey fight booked for March 13

2010-01-12T00:41:00.000+08:00

By Jun Medina

It’s final—Manny Pacquiao will defend his World Boxing Organization welterweight title against former welterweight champion Joshua Clottey on March 13 at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao will be named the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Athlete of the Decade during its traditional annual Awards Night set on March 1 at the Manila Hotel. Pacquiao has been named PSA Athlete of the Year five times this decade—from 2002 to 2004, then in 2006 and 2008.

Already elevated by the country’s oldest media organization to the Hall of Fame last year, Pacquiao is no longer eligible for the coveted Athlete of the Year award, but remains a major part of the year’s top sports achievers’ list on account of his Hall of Fame exploits in the first 10 years of the new century.

Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum announced he has reached a deal with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to host the fight at the modern arena, which will be configured to seat 50,000 or more.

Arum told the Los Angeles Times that Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 by knockouts) stands to earn $10 million to $20 million from the fight against the hard-punching Clottey (35-3, 20 knockouts).

A press conference announcing the fight is scheduled for January 18 at the Cowboys home turf, also known as Jerry World, in Arlington, Texas. This will be followed by another press conference in New York the next day.

According to Matt Stalow of Dallas Boxing Examiner, March 13 is a firm date because the March 20 fight date being considered by Top Rank is already taken by a motocross event at the $1.2 billion arena.

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer, said his prized Filipino fighter is scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles Sunday from Manila and will immediately plunge into training at Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.

Read more...

Five Fighters Who Can Beat Manny Pacquiao Today

2010-01-11T13:33:00.000+08:00

By Lester Salvador

I really hope that Bob Arum, Freddie Roach and Manny Pacquiao can drop their stubbornness and work in a sane manner tomorrow, when Arum and Golden Boy promotions CEO Richard Shaeffer who represents Floyd Mayweather Jr. go through mediation to help save the Floyd Mayweather Jr. Vs. Manny Pacquiao fight.

If the fight doesn’t go through and they don’t come to terms then Arum has already has two guys lined up for Manny Pacquiao they are Paulie Malignaggi and 154 pound champion Yuri Foreman and they are two guys no one wants to see Pacquiao fight basically hand picked opponents once again and with no punching power.

Here is my list of the 5 fighters today that have a good shot at beating Manny Pacquiao if the Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight doesn’t happen.

Here it goes:

5. Nate Campbell (33-5-25-1)- Nate Campbell was avoided like the plague by Pacquiaos team when Manny went up to look for a title at 135 pound lightweight division, instead of fighting Nate Campbell or another slick boxer like Joan Guzman they chose the slow methodical paper champion David Diaz for his WBC belt. David Diaz was getting beat up by a super old washed up Erik Morales and got the gift decision in that fight. Nate Campbell is an oldschool throwback fighter he has a great chin and some underrated power. He is a crafty old fox that would out fox Pacquiao at 135 or 140 if Pacquiao decides to go back down in weight instead of facing guys at catch weights.

4. Sugar Shane Mosley (46-5-39) – Shane Mosley is the true welterweight king, he destroyed the man who beat the man in Antonio Margarito. Mosley knocked out a Margarito who was convicted of trying to use plaster leading up to the fight. Mosley is another old throwback fighter who would out muscle and out power Pacquiao and take all of Pacman’s best shots and probably knock Pacquiao out if Pacquiao decided to trade with him. Freddie Roach said himself that Mosley is too dangerous and he would only let Manny face him if Mosley drained himself to 142 pounds which is very typical trend in the Pacquiao camp, make the guys come down in weight or face them when they look weak.

3. Edwin Valero (26-0-26)-This is one tough undefeated Venezuelan who is willing to die in the ring and only wants to destroy his opponent. The man is more exciting than Manny Pacquiao and has more courage and power than Pacquiao. Valero has been chasing Pacquiao all over the place and even willing to fight him at any weight just to get a shot to knock out Pacman. Freddie Roach is smart not to allow Valero to face Pacquiao, Roach knows the Latino is too dangerous and a high risk fight. Not to mention that every single one of Valero’s fights have ended in a knockout or TKO.

2. Timothy Bradley (25-0-11)- The junior welterweight champion is my choice for fighter of the year 2009. He accomplished more than Pacquiao against prime dangerous fighters like Kendall Holt, Nate Campbell, and Lamont Petersen. Bradley would school Pacquiao with his speed and timing, Bradley was even willing to step up regardless of steroid blood tests and face Pacquiao in March. Pacquiao’s camp became silent and refused the offer. Timothy Bradley is one of the most complete boxers in the game he has faster hands and faster footwork than Pacquiao something Pacman has never faced in the ring before.

1. Paul Williams (28-1-27)- The 6 foot 2 inch modern day Henry Armstrong and most exciting boxer today is Paul “The Punisher” Williams. The man is so brave that he was even willing to fight Kelly Pavlik at 160 pounds and even had Pavlik pulling out of the fight several times and shaking in his boots. Williams notable wins are against Antonio Margarito, Sergio Martinez and Winky Wright. Paul Williams has been the most avoided boxer in the game today. If a fight between him and Manny Pacquiao happens at 147 , Pacquiao will not make it past the first round. Paul Williams would be on Manny Pacquiao like white on rice and not stop throwing punches in bunches on the small Filipino southpaw.

There you have it my list of the 5 fighters that could beat Manny Pacquiao should the Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight falls through for good.

Source

Malignaggi Keeping Fingers Crossed For Pacquiao Clash

2010-01-10T13:12:00.000+08:00

By Ryan Songalia

These past holidays were much happier for Paulie Malignaggi than last year's.

Not that Malignaggi had trouble buying gifts for anyone on his list in 2008. Quite the contrary, as he was coming off the biggest payday of his career against Ricky Hatton. The Brooklynite was full on cash but low on pride.

You just can’t put a price tag on some things.

After being thoroughly outclassed and stopped in 11 rounds by Hatton a day before his 28th birthday, Malignaggi was faced with a number of tough decisions regarding his future as a prizefighter.

"I had made a very good payday with Hatton so I knew if I made the right investments with that money I could go on without fighting," says the former IBF junior welterweight champion Malignaggi, 27-3 (5 KO).

"My mind is in a much better place this year than it was last year. Last year I was wondering if my career was gonna go on and if it was gonna go on would I be an opponent or get to where I want to be. I had a lot of question marks and decisions to make. It was really stressful.

"I have a lot of opportunities on the horizon now."

Malignaggi's poor performance against Hatton left him on the verge of becoming a high-profile gatekeeper. His first major assignment following the Hatton fight saw him head to Juan Diaz's hometown of Houston last summer, conceding a weight limit of 138.5 and a smaller ring.

Read more...

Manny Pacquiao may go Roberto Duran on Mayweather

2010-01-09T13:00:00.000+08:00

by Glenn Wilson

Everybody has that one little kid in their neighborhood that feels compelled to run his mouth to everyone else, including mouthing off to the adults. It is usually that same kid that you see routinely aggravating your fenced in dog. When you finally confront the boy he lets you know that he isn't scared of your dog. Of course not, the dog is in a fence. But suppose I open the fence, my money is going to be on the dog in a fair fight.

But the boy continues running his mouth, disrespecting you and your dog. And as he walks away all you can think is, "one day that dog will get loose and then heaven help you."

Much has been my thought process every since we found out that the Manny Pacquiao-Bob Arum phone call showed Manny in a new light. The angry Manny. The Manny that has been waiting to get out.

It got me thinking, what fighter would the angry Manny fight like. It was simple, my boxing idol, Roberto Duran. Not the Duran of later years, but the 135 pound Duran who was considered one of the best fighters of all time. Also, possibly the one who most enjoyed inflicting pain on opponents.

What made Duran different was the shear hatred that he had for opponents. After stopping Ray Lampkin and sending him to the hospital, Roberto replied, "Next time, I'll put him in the morgue."

This was a man that even Mike Tyson idolized.

Read more...

Manny Pacquiao destroys career without random blood tests

2010-01-08T09:55:00.000+08:00

by Michael Marley

He’s been in the foxhole fighting alongside Manny Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum.

Butch Lewis, the Svengali who got light heavyweight champion Michael Spinks $13.5 million for a 1987 one round KO loss to then dominating Mike Tyson, was a Top Rank VP many years ago.

Later, he fought against Arum on various fronts.

Lewis also had a brief but explosive promotional partnership with the legendary Arum archrival Don King. Their short-lived company was known as Dynamic Duo.

He also adroitly handled the talented but not dedicated Neon Leon Spinks.

So Lewis, now mainly a music business honcho who pals around with BET founder Bob Johnson and actor Denzel Washington, knows the ins and outs of the boxing boardroom.

Or, as Lewis would put it, he’s been “down in the trenches.”

Lewis said Monday that he thinks the embattled Arum is fighting on two sides in the twisting saga of making or not making the Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather mega bout.

Read more...

2009 Year in review starring Pacquiao, Cotto and Mosley Part 2

2010-01-07T12:42:00.001+08:00

by Glenn Wilson

The yearly publications continue to announce their best of and reviews for 2009. And we will do the same as we recap the year that was 2009. We will continue to look back at the fights and events that made 2009 so special. So here are a few of the events and fights that took place between July and December.

July

1st- The great Alexis Arguello is found dead of an apparently self inflicted gun shot wound. The hall of famer was known as much for his kindness and sportsmanship as he was for his incredible ring accomplishments. He will also be remembered for the war he had with Aaron Pryor in their first fight. A fight many recognize as one of boxing's best ever.

11th- Joseph Agbeko beats Vic Darchinyan by a 12 round unanimous decision to retain his IBF bantamweight crown.

11th- IBF cruiserweight titlist Tomasz Adamek defends his title with a 4th round kayo of outgunned Bobby Gunn.

11th- Fan favorite Arturo Gatti is found dead in a Brazilian hotel. Gatti's wife is intially charged with murder, but authorities later reversed their findings and say Arturo commited suicide. Family and friends say that Gatti would never have taken his own life and are pursuing other avenues to reverse the Brazilian government's findings.

14th- Showtime announces the formation of it's Super Six super middleweight tournament. The network mysteriously decides not to invite three of the top seven super middleweights in the world.

15th- Former heavyweight Ken Norton receives a statue of himself in his birthplace of Jacksonville, Illinois. It is located in front of the Pathway Service United building. The company helps the developmentally disabled.

25th- Former welterweight and junior middleweight champion Vernon Forrest is shot and killed during a robbery attempt. Vernon was considered one of the real good guys in boxing and helped start Destiny's Child. An organization that helped mentally challenged adults.

July- Former Miguel Cotto trainer, Evangelista Cotto, sues his nephew for torturous acts. The two had been at odds for years and the feud came to a boiling point when Miguel fired his uncle.

July- Former junior lightweight champion Rocky Lockridge is reported to be homeless and living on the streets of Camden, New Jersey for the last ten years.

Read more...

2009 Year in review starring Pacquiao, Mosley and Cotto, Part 1

2010-01-06T09:34:00.000+08:00

by Glenn Wilson

The media and the sports publications are announcing their 2009 best of awards. They are reminding us of the reason our sport is so great. But sometimes some of the things that made the year so great are lost or forgotten.

The year passes quickly so here are some of the events that you may remember or possibly forgot about in 2009. Included are some of the upsets, slugfests and mega fights of the first half of 2009.

January

10th Karoly Balzsay wins a 12 round decision over Denis Inkin to win the WBO super middleweight title.

17th Andre Berto and Luis Collazo put on one of the best fights of the year. Each man is hurt during the fight. Berto holds on to win a decision.

19th Jose Torres dies of a heart attack at the age of 72. Torres was the former light heavyweight champion who was inducted into the hall of fame in 1997. As an author he wrote biographies on Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. Truely one of boxing's class acts.

24th Shane Mosley stops Antonio Margarito in a huge upset. The fight was proceeded by Team Mosley finding Margarito wearing illegal handwraps before the bout. Margarito was subsequently suspended for one year.

30th Former heavyweight champion Ingemar Johansson dies of Alzheimers at the age of 76.

February

5th Legendary cutman Chuck Bodak dies at the age of 92. Bodak worked with Muhammad Ali, Julio Caesar Chavez, Thomas Hearns and Evander Holyfield. to name a few.

7th Vic Darchinyan stops Jorge Arce in 11 rounds. Arce's trainer didn't help matters by not knowing how to fight a southpaw. Arce was continually going to his right which put him right in the line of fire as Darchinyan constantly landed straight lefts.

Read more...

Roach defends ‘clean’ Pacquiao

2010-01-05T11:56:00.000+08:00

Steve Luckings and Ahmed Rizvi

The trainer of seven-weight world champion Manny Pacquiao has slammed what he called “railroading” tactics by the camp of Floyd Mayweather Jr and insisted in the strongest possible terms that his charge is “clean” after rumours surfaced he had used performance-enhancing drugs.

The message emanating from inside Mayweather’s camp yesterday was that they were prepared to walk away from what could be the richest fight in history unless the Filipino pugilist is prepared to bow to their demands of Olympic-standard drug testing in the weeks leading up to the bout.

“My fighter is clean, I have trouble giving Manny protein shakes and vitamins, let alone steroids,” fumed Roach. “He will pass the drug test, because my fighter is clean. We never flunked a urine test, and there is no reason to think my fighter is dirty.”

Mayweather’s camp claim the “Pac Man” is uneasy about having to have his blood tested within 30 days of a bout because of personal superstitions, while Mayweather’s trainer and father, Floyd Sr, said he suspected after Pacquiao’s last bout, in which he beat Miguel Cotto, that the WBO and IBF middleweight champion was using performance-enhancing drugs to move up weight classes and still retain his devastating speed and power.

However, Roach, who has been in Pacquiao’s corner since he first walked through the doors of his Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles in 2001, dismissed the American’s tactics and accused Mayweather of looking for a way out of the fight.

He defended Pacquiao’s integrity and clean record and said they would abide by the rules of the boxing authorities in the build up to any fight, not the whim of Mayweather, who returned to the ring in September after a 21-month lay-off to defeat the Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez.

“This guy [Mayweather] isn’t going to walk all over us, he’s not railroading us.

This is b*******, we will go by the rules of the commission, and that’s it. We’ll go on to other things, and he can make no money fighting some bum.

“We have passed every test ever given to us. We go by the commission rules, not any rule Mayweather puts out there.”

Boxing fans will hope that the latest spat is simply a case of tit-for-tat in negotiating the finer details of a fight that would easily be the biggest this century, with both fighters estimated to net around US$25 million (Dh91m).

A deal was widely expected to be agreed this week with an official announcement coming early in the new year about a possible March date for the titanic battle.

However, neither fighter has signed a formal contract and there have been disputes between representatives of the two fighters ever since Mayweather’s promoter pulled out at the last minute of a trip to Texas, where Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was to make a proposal to host the bout.

But Mayweather’s promoter, Richard Schaefer, said other issues around the fight are settled and all that is left to be agreed is the blood testing issue.

“The good news is we have agreed on all the other points,” he said. “Depending on what Manny Pacquiao decides to do we either have a fight or we don’t have a fight.”

Should a compromise be reached it will be more than just Pacquiao’s belts on the line. The mythical, and in some quarters, more lauded, pound-for-pound title will also be up for grabs. Opinion is split right down the middle on which fighter holds the folkloric mantle, and unless both can find a way around the latest impasse, it may never be known.

Pacquiao has never failed a post-fight urine test in Nevada, including his last fight when he stopped Cotto. Mayweather has also passed urine tests in the state.

Fighters, though, are not routinely tested before bouts for performance-enhancing drugs, and there are no blood tests done for those drugs.

Source

Roach wants Khan as Manny sparmate

2010-01-01T10:02:00.000+08:00

By Abac Cordero

MANILA, Philippines - Freddie Roach, wanting to give Manny Pacquiao the best training for his blockbuster fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. next year, has lined up a couple of topnotch fighters who will serve as the Filipino boxing icon’s sparring partners in his build-up for their March 13 duel.

Roach said he wants Amir Khan, the reigning WBA light-welterweight champion, as their main man in sparring, whether or not Pacquiao trains in Baguio City for a month or stays in Los Angeles the whole time.

Roach is also looking at Tim Bradley to be part of the training team.

Someone close to Pacquiao yesterday said he’d heard of plans for Pacquiao to skip Baguio and train at the Wild Card Gym in LA for seven weeks and move over to Las Vegas on the week of the fight.

“Other than Amir Khan as Pacquiao’s main sparring partner, I like to include Timothy Bradley in my list,” Roach told philboxing,com.

Khan, who won the silver medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics when he was just 17, is 5-feet-10 and can give Pacquiao a lot in sparring, while Bradley, the top contender at 140 lb, is 5’6” and has the orthodox stance of Mayweather.

Roach thinks these two boxers will be very instrumental as he prepares Pacquiao for the biggest fight of the decade.

“And I have the keys to break down Mayweather even in the earlier rounds. Mayweather will have no more excuses. We’ll catch him early, if not it’s going to be Pacquiao by unanimous decision,” Roach was quoted as saying.

“Pacquiao will strike on at unexpected angles that Mayweather will become frozen from taking too many shots.”

Meanwhile, except for the formal announcement, everything seems to be in place for Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao will stake his WBO welterweight title he won over Puerto Rican champion Miguel Cotto last month at 147 lb. Both boxers will use 8-ounce gloves, and have agreed to random drug testing in the weeks leading to the fight.

Bob Arum of Top Rank, for Pacquiao, and Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy, for Mayweather, are expected to make an announcement on Monday regarding some fight details although the formal press conference takes place Jan. 6 in New York.

Reports said both fighters have agreed to an even 50-50 split and could end up with close to $40 million each in the bank after the fight, whatever happens, whoever wins.

Source

Stellar fighters lined up as Pacquiao’s sparmates

2009-12-31T10:00:00.000+08:00

By Salven Lagumbay

When superstar Manny Pacquiao plunges into deep training for his monumental showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr, expect him to once again win the battle of sparmates as a stellar line up of fighters are being put into consideration in Baguio City and Los Angeles.

Pacquiao, who is slated to begin training in the second week of January in the country's summer capital, is expected to benefit from a 'dream team' of champions who will be tapped to spar with the world's best pound-for-pound fighter.

World renowned trainer Freddie Roach, who has guided Pacquiao's career with wins over the biggest names in boxing in this generation, will be recruiting quick-fisted and skillful fighters to assist the Filipino icon in his first WBO welterweight defense.

WBA junior welterweight Amir Khan, coming off an impressive title defense over Dmitri Salita, is already a sure sparring partner, and already branded by Roach as the Pacman's chief sparmate for the fight. Another big name being put in consideration is Andre Berto if he doesn't get cut or injured in his January duel with Shane Mosley.

According to Philboxing.com, Roach would also love to have WBC junior welteweight champion Timothy Bradley on the sparring partner list.

“Other than Amir Khan as Pacquiao’s main sparring partner, I like to include Timothy Bradley in my list,” Roach was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, the WBO president is expected to personally award Pacquiao the new belt he won over Miguel Cotto.

Sources from Puerto Rico have said that Valcarcel is slated to meet with Pacquiao in one of the media appearances in the United States, where the WBO top honcho will award the belt to Pacquiao.

Source

Politics Doesn’t Need Manny Pacquiao But Boxing Does

2009-12-30T08:41:00.000+08:00

By Erwin Lastimosa

Rumors have it that Manny Pacquiao is thinking about retiring after his upcoming super fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. on March 13th. I have no problem with Manny retiring, after all he’s had a long and storied career and if he beats Mayweather Jr. he can retire on top.

I honestly believe Manny has a good heart and is a one of a kind fighter and human being. In my opinion he should not divulge in Filipino politics. In politics your opponent will try to run a disgusting smear campaign against you to ruin your image. Many poorer Filipinos do not have access to computers and if they read something in the paper or see it on the news they will automatically believe what they see. In Politics the people can love you one moment and hate you the next because of smear campaigns from the opposition.

Manny Pacquiao seems to be mislead by his advisers and those politicos who have their own agenda. Manny Pacquiao is more important than any politician, he is an international icon he doesn’t need to be a congressman to help the people, look at Muhammad Ali he was the peoples champion and he did more to touch lives and influence people without running for office.

Manny has brought an entire country together when he fights and if he gets involved with politics now he is dipping his hand into something he is not familiar with.

Many politicians are trying to use Pacquiao’s fame and global name to garner them a vote or some media attention towards their campaign.

Manny Pacquiao is a man of the people unlike other Filipino celebrities he doesn’t come off with this fake, snobby personality. The sad reality is some of those celebrities and politicians who are rubbing elbows with him are the same people who would arrogantly look down upon him if he was not the most famous Filipino in the world.

Pacquiao needs better advisers not some “YES” men who are there just to collect a check but people who really will guide Manny in the right direction.

He can do more for the people and the sport by being an Ambassador for boxing. Many people around the globe can relate to his story not just the poor Filipinos who were born on the same dirty streets he once roamed as a young child but every walk of life that aspired to be something from nothing and dreamed of the impossible.

Source

Pacquiao: I had a talk with God

2009-12-29T08:27:00.000+08:00

By Edwin Fernandez
Inquirer Mindanao

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—This is something that the Mexicans Juan Manuel Marquez and Marco Antonio Barrera, the American Oscar De La Hoya, the Briton Ricky Hatton and the Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto—proud warriors who have fallen before Manny Pacquiao’s fists—could not have prepared or trained for.

For the first time, the Philippines’ most famous athlete and the world’s pound-for-pound boxing king has revealed the secret of his success: He had a conversation with God who promised him “strength and power.”

“In my 31 years here on earth, God appeared to me once and told me to have unconditional faith in Him,” the seven-time ring champion said in the vernacular before 1,500 guests during his birthday bash on Thursday night at the KCC Convention Center here.

“That is true,” Pacquiao—named “Boxer of the Decade” by Reuters news agency Monday—quickly added after the audience burst with applause.

“I was not yet very popular and world champion when our God appeared to me and assured me of strength and power,” he said.

Pacquiao gave no hint about where or when the apparition occurred.

Like a politician

As Pacquiao spoke, the audience sat quietly. Their excitement picked up when he told them of the secret behind his ring exploits.

He said: “This is the first time I reveal this ... although I was asked many times what are the secrets that made me very popular and world champion.”

Sounding more like a politician than a prizefighter who lets his fists do the talking for him, Pacquiao asked the crowd: “Would you like to know where I get my strength and power?”

The crowd yelled, “Yes,” then fell silent to catch every word he was saying.

He said God told him: “Just trust me, I will not leave you, I will not abandon you.”

Win or lose

Every time Pacquiao said that he drew his strength from God, the audience responded by saying, “Amen.”

He said this was why in every fight he fought, he would kneel and pray in his corner—to seek Divine Guidance.

“Win or lose, I will pray at the corner to thank God for all the blessings” he said.

“What about you, did you count your blessings?” he asked the crowd. “Remember to thank God for all that He has done. He will give you your needs.”

With the help of his catering partner, Pacquiao fed some 2,000 street children while holding a concert at the mall. He performed with singer-composer Lito Camo, entertaining his local and international guests.

In an expression of gratitude, he also held raffle draws, the smallest prize being grocery items and the grand prize a car.

Dionisia, Pacquiao’s mother, said she was very proud of her son, noting that, despite his worldwide fame and the fortune he had earned in boxing, he “still remembers God as his creator, protector and inspiration.”

Dionisia does her number

“My son is very humble, he was like that while he was young, I am very proud of you, Manny,” Dionisia told her son.

“Thank you, ma,” he responded.

Dionisia performed a dance number despite what she said were her aching feet as a result of wearing high-heeled shoes.

Pacquiao said he had other secrets that helped bring him to where he was and this would be read in a book he was writing, which would be released once he retires.

Another accolade

As if the honors he has reaped were not enough, Pacquiao Monday won another title: Reuters named him Boxer of the Decade.

The accolade might have had Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s name written all over it after he stepped out of the ring at the end of 2007 with a 40-0 record and five titles in five different weight classes.

Instead, it went to the Filipino southpaw so popular that he is now running for the congressional seat of Sarangani province in Mindanao in the May elections—under the banner of the Nacionalista Party.

Two Mannys

Sen. Manny Villar, NP standard-bearer, on Monday said the entry of Pacquiao into the party emphasized its campaign slant that focuses on success through hard work.

“We have very similar backgrounds,” Villar said.

“We both struggled and succeeded... This is the start of a long partnership,” Villar said at a political party meeting held in Mandaluyong City. With reports from Cathy Yamsuan and Reuters

Source

Drug-testing row leaves bad blood between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr camps

2009-12-28T11:03:00.002+08:00

The season of goodwill was not evident last night as the biggest bout in history threatened to implode.

Manny Pacquiao’s meeting with Floyd Mayweather Jr had seemed set for the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, on March 13, until a disagreement over drug testing raised tensions between the camps. Yesterday, Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, said the bout was “dead”. But with a potential $80 million (about £50 million) purse it is hard to believe that things will not be sorted out.

Negotiations were supposed to be confidential, but a press release was circulated late on Tuesday night from Mayweather’s team, saying that the bout would be in jeopardy unless Pacquiao agreed to drug testing by the United States Anti-Doping Agency, which meant blood tests.

Soon after Pacquiao demolished Miguel Cotto last month, Mayweather’s father, Floyd Sr, shared his belief that the Filipino’s incredible move up the weight divisions had been with the aid of unfair methods, despite a complete lack of evidence to back this up.

Pacquiao said he would have a blood test after the bout and 30 days before the bout, but would agree only to urine tests in the weeks leading up to the bout, as outlined by Nevada State rules. Yesterday, no one in Pacquiao’s team was backing down, saying that a blood test before the bout could weaken their man. “As far as I’m concerned, the fight is off,” Arum said.

Arum is Mayweather’s former promoter and there is no love lost between the pair. He was in favour of the bout being held at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium, where six times as many fans would have been able to watch, only for Mayweather to insist on Las Vegas, where he lives.

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer, said that the drug testing is a front for Mayweather. “There is no reason to think my fighter is dirty,” Roach told the website 8CountNews. “We have passed every test ever given to us.”

Source

Blood remains issue for Pacquiao-Mayweather

2009-12-27T11:00:00.000+08:00

By TIM DAHLBERG

LAS VEGAS — Manny Pacquiao has always been willing to spill blood to win a fight. He's not nearly as eager to give blood to get a fight.

The fate of Pacquiao's planned March 13 megafight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. hangs in the balance. Both sides traded jabs Wednesday over Mayweather's insistence that the two submit to Olympic-style drug testing amid indications that both were open to a possible compromise.

With time running short, though, Pacquiao's promoter said he's not willing to negotiate much longer to make the fight.

"I think it's over tomorrow and we're going to another opponent if there is no agreement," promoter Bob Arum said. "It looks to me like they want a way out of the fight. Mayweather doesn't want to take a chance of losing."

A day after Mayweather's camp threatened to scuttle the fight unless the boxers were subject to random blood tests, Arum said his fighter would agree to just three blood tests. One would be done in January during the week the fight is formally announced, a second would be done no later than 30 days before the fight, and a final test would be done in the locker room afterward.

Arum also said the tests should be done by companies used by major sports leagues, like Major League Baseball and the NFL, something that so far is a major sticking point in the talks. Mayweather's camp wants the tests done by the United States Anti-Doping Agency, which operates under much stricter rules that include random blood tests.

Arum accused Mayweather of trying to play mind games with Pacquiao, saying that the Filipino sensation has never failed urine tests for performance-enhancing substances.

"They want to put it in Manny's head that they can come in any time and take blood," Arum said. "Manny believes taking blood will weaken him. This is absolutely outrageous. Who does Floyd Mayweather think he is, the commissioner of boxing?"

Mayweather's promoter, Richard Schaefer, said he was willing to try and reach a consensus between the two sides. He cited comments by Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, that Pacquiao would agree to blood tests up to five days before the fight as possible middle ground.

"If we could agree to a 3-day cutoff I would try to sell that to my side," Schaefer said. "If Arum wants to walk away then he is going to be the one responsible for this fight falling apart."

Roach told The Associated Press on Tuesday night that he would not allow Pacquiao to be tested the day before the fight, but would agree to giving blood if there was a cutoff date.

"If they give me a 5-day window or something like that I have no problem with it," Roach said. "When they've drawn blood from Manny in the past he feels weaker for three or four days. It may be mental, but it's there."

The standoff over drug testing is the only issue still in the way of a fight that could be the richest ever. The two fighters earlier agreed to take equal purses, and earlier this week Mayweather's camp agreed to pay Pacquiao $10 million for each pound or fraction of a pound if the fighter does not make the 147-pound welterweight limit.

If the fight is held, it will be at the MGM Grand hotel in Las Vegas. But with the magnitude of the fight's promotion and the need for the fighters to set up training schedules, there isn't a lot of time left to reach an agreement.

The demand by Mayweather for the USADA to administer an Olympic-style testing program for the two fighters beginning with the contract signing goes far beyond any testing done by the Nevada Athletic Commission. Boxers have their urine tested before and after fights and occasionally in training, but there are no blood tests for things like human growth hormone that can't be detected in urine.

Schaefer, who with former boxer Oscar De La Hoya runs Golden Boy Promotions, said that if Mayweather was trying to get out of the fight he would have walked when Pacquiao's camp demanded the $10 million weight clause in the contract. He said he didn't think 8 to 12 urine tests and 3 to 5 blood tests before a fight was unreasonable.

"Manny Pacquiao probably thinks it's going to be some nurse with a big needle sucking out a gallon of blood and leaving him lying on the floor for a week," Schaefer said.

Nothing could be further from the truth, said USADA executive director Travis Tygart, who promised that any testing his agency did would not affect the outcome of the fight.

"What we do and have been doing in no way impacts any athlete's ability to compete," Tygart said.

Source

Floyd Mayweather's Adviser Wonders What Manny Pacquiao Has to Hide3

2009-12-26T10:53:00.000+08:00

By Lem Satterfield

"Why?"

That's the question Floyd Mayweather's adviser, Leonard Ellerbe, has for Manny Pacquiao.

As in, why won't the seven-division world boxing champion from the Philippines allow his blood to be randomly tested for performance enhancing drugs by the United States Anti-Doping Agency before taking the ring on March 13 against Mayweather?

If it is not called off due to the negotiations impasse related to the drug-testing issue, Mayweather-Pacquiao is slated for the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, whose Nevada State Athletic Commission requires bloodwork to be submitted before issuing year-long licenses to fighters.

The NSAC tests urine for performance enhancing drugs, usually after a fight, but does not require blood testing for illegal drugs.

NSAC chairman Keith Kizer said Pacquiao's urine tests have always been clean, adding, "I don't have any reason to believe" that Pacquiao is on steroids.

It had appeared that Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 knockouts) and Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) were in agreement in principle with all of the fight deal's negotiation parameters, including a 50-50 financial split, competition at the 147-pound limit, eight-ounce gloves, and an Olympic-style random drug test at the request of Mayweather's camp.

But recently, Pacquiao, believing that giving blood so close to fight time would weaken him, has told his handlers that he would supply blood only 30 days out or beyond from the fight or directly after the fight, according to his promoter, Bob Arum.

"We're not going to be harassed into taking blood tests the day of the fight, or, even the week of the fight," said Pacquiao's adviser, Michael Koncz.

"I'm not accusing Manny Pacquiao of anything. However, if he doesn't have anything to hide, then what is the problem?" asked Ellerbe, adding that Pacquiao's refusal to adhere to USADA standards is "a deal-breaker."

"If Pacquiao is representing that he is superstitious of needles," said Ellerbe, "then how does he have tatoos all over his body?"

Travis Tygart, chief executive of the United States Anti-Doping Agency, could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. But his organization is the one contracted to execute the blood-testing procedure.

"The USADA is the gold standard for administering this type of testing, and neither Top Rank, Mayweather Promotions, nor Golden Boy Promotions will determine when and how often the USADA will be conducting their tests," said Ellerbe. "That's the whole objective of doing random-testing. You don't get a chance to prepare."

Tygart told the Los Angeles Times recently that blood screening can allow testers to detect use of "a number of potent performance-enhancers not detectable in urine."

But Arum told FanHouse that even the methods used by professional baseball, basketball and football would be preferable than the spot-check blood-testing procedures he sees with USADA.

"The conventional thinking by most groups involved in the Olympics is that you can do everything with urine analysis. That's the way it's done in football, that's the way it's done in basketball, that's the way it's done in baseball," said Arum. "And Mayweather, in order to disconcert Pacquiao, can't turn things on its head. I won't allow it."

Tygart said, however, that Pacquiao's request to be tested only 30 days and beyond was "unacceptable to any effective anti-doping program," adding, "with a [30-day] window like that, you could dope to the gills and get away with it."

"Testing will not interfere with the competition," said Tygart. "It's unreasonable to believe that it would."

Pacquiao has fought in Las Vegas 11 times, including his past six bouts -- decisions over Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez, and knockouts over David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto.

The NSAC does require blood testing for AIDS and other blood-related diseases. Urine tests are screened for performance enhancing drugs, alcohol and marijuana, Kizer said.

"Talking to the experts, they are very confident in the drug-testing that we do. And if they weren't, we'd change it. But we're confident in how we do drug-testing, and we'll continue to do it that way," said Kizer. "That being said, if a fighter or fighters want to do additional drug-testing, more power to them. We have no problem with that."

Pacquiao weighed 134, 142, 138, and, 144, respectively, against Diaz, De La Hoya, Hatton, and, Cotto, scoring knockouts in nine, eight, two, and, 12 rounds.

Pacquiao's ability to carry power into all of those bouts has raised questions in the eyes of Mayweather's camp, and his father, Floyd Sr., in particular.

Arum has said that the fight is off, and that he has begun to look for other opponents for Pacquiao.

Asked if he believed that the fight will still occur, Ellerbe said, "I do believe that it can still happen."

"I believe that Pacquiao, being who he is, that he'll step up and take the test," said Ellerbe. "These are the two best fighters in the sport, and entire world is watching. We have a chance to show, with two of its best athletes, that boxing is a clean sport."

Source

Pacquiao, Cory Aquino top local Yahoo searches

2009-12-25T14:00:00.000+08:00

abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao, former president Corazon Aquino, actress Maricar Reyes and the late rap artist Francis Magalona were among the most searched persons on Yahoo Philippines this year.

According to Yahoo Philippines' 2009 Year in Review, Pacquiao continued to cement his reputation as the most popular athlete in the country after topping the list of most searched topics for Yahoo Philippines this year. Pacquiao made history this year by winning his seventh world title after defeating Puerto Rican boxer Miguel Cotto last November.

Pacquiao is followed closely by the late president Aquino who died last August 1 after a year-long battle with colon cancer. Aquino's funeral march lasted 10 hours and was witnessed by millions of Filipinos who mourned the death of the freedom icon. Pacquiao and Aquino hold the distinction of being among the few Filipinos to grace the cover of the Asian edition of Time magazine.

King of Pinoy Rap Francis M also dominated local Yahoo searches after he succumbed to leukemia last March. He placed number 3 on the Yahoo Philippines overall search terms in 2009.

Filipinos also turned to Yahoo to search for news about tropical storm Ondoy (Ketsana),which struck the country last September. Other search terms that made it to the top 10 list are Dionisia Pacquiao (5), Shalani Soledad (6), Eraserheads (7), University Athletic Association of the Philippines (8), Mar and Korina (9) and Philippine Basketball Association (10).

In Yahoo’s celebrity search rankings, actress Maricar Reyes beat out more established stars such as Angel Locsin and Kris Aquino to become the most searched celebrity in 2009. Reyes' profile shot up after a series of sex videos between her and celebrity doctor Hayden Kho were leaked onto the Internet.

The top celebrity searches in the Philippines are:
1. Maricar Reyes
2. Angel Locsin
3. Sandara Park
4. Pamela Bianca Manalo
5. Kris Aquino
6. Marian Rivera
7. Michael Jackson
8. Coco Martin
9. Anne Curtis
10. Judy Ann Santos

In a market where mobile penetration is more than 68%, Filipinos are definitely spending a lot more time searching and surfing the Internet on the mobile. The top mobile searches for Philippines include:
1. NBA
2. Katrina Halili
3. Manny Pacquiao
4. Marian Rivera
5. Hayden Kho
6. Francis Magalona
7. Citigroup
8. Michael Jackson
9. Cory Aquino
10. PBA

Source

Manny Pacquiao lives up to "Mexicutioner" name with La Bamba performance

2009-12-24T07:40:00.000+08:00

By Craig Newmanon

While promoter Bob Arum continues to work with Manny Pacquiao in the Philippines to come to terms on the heavily anticipated bout with Floyd Mayweather, Jr., it seems the pound-for-pound most feared man in boxing is passing his time in stride.

Pacquiao has earned a reputation as the man where Mexican fighters go to die. As his dominance has grown, he's bested Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales and Mexican-Americans Oscar de la Hoya and Chicago's own David Diaz. If that weren't enough, now he takes on Richie Valens with this karaoke take on "La Bamba," caught at TMZ.

Of course, the seven-time champion and Filipino national hero hasn't just been singing as the Mayweather booking develops. He's also in the midst of his second run for Congress. filed his candidacy to represent the southern province of Sarangani under his own People's Champ Movement, the local Commission on Elections office said. He'll run against Roy Chiongbian, brother of the incumbent who due to term limits can't seek re-election.

In a country that literally shuts down when Pacquiao fights, it's a wonder he lost the first time.

And about Pacquiao-Mayweather? March 13 is the date everyone's circling after Roy Jones' stunning loss in Australia to Danny Green as the Vegas date is now open.

Source

Paulie Malignaggi and the Pacquiao Steroids Nonsense

2009-12-23T08:18:00.000+08:00

By Steve Lewis

Junior welterweight contender Paulie Malignaggi, who has an upcoming rematch against Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz this coming Saturday in Chicago, IL, has made some noise again all over the internet over his “speculation” and “opinion” that WBO Welterweight Champion Manny Pacquiao is under the influence of performance enhancing drugs, despite numerous reports that Pacquiao had tested negative after his Nov. 14 bout with Miguel Cotto.

During an interview on the Boxing Truth Radio with Ricardo Lois and John Chavez, Malignaggi stated, after being asked about Manny Pacquiao:

“Look at what Manny is doing. He is absolutely crushing world-class killers. And here he is, this little midget.”

“He gets a broken eardrum and yet, he is walking around afterwards like he was dodging spitballs. There are things (drugs?) out there than can do that.”

“You’re hiding under a rock if you can’t see what I am talking about. This is a guy who was life and death with Juan Manuel Marquez at 120 pounds and now, he’s got 15 to 17 pounds of muscle on him. Look at how short he is. He didn’t get taller, did he?”

Now, I am not a chemist or a biologist, but I have seen and heard of the various symptoms and side effects of someone who is on steroids or performance enhancing drugs. Does Pacquiao fir the profile? Here are the typical signs:

* Unusually greasy hair or oily skin (Pacquiao does not appear to be any more greasy or oilier than Malignaggi).

* Acne breakouts in the shoulder and back area (even watching on HD, I don’t recall seeing any on Pacquiao).

* Hair loss or receding hairline (if anything, Pacquiao’s hair seems to be getting wilder and bushier).

* Increased thickness and length of body hair (other than Pacquiao’s scraggly beard, I don’t see much body hair on him).

* Abnormally excessive development of the breast tissue (Pacquiao’s never really been noted for his pecs, but rather for his massive calves and those shark-like gills underneath his chest).

* Increased aggression or irritability (other than in the squared circle, Pacquiao is as nice as they come, signing autographs for hours, etc. He’s not exactly noted as being a “snarler.” He smiles, waving at the crowd when he marches into the ring, for crying out loud.)

* Disrespectful or abusive behavior (Pacquiao never trash talks and always remains diplomatic, even towards his opponents).

* Extreme mood swings (Pacquiao is known to be a happy-go-lucky kind of guy).

* Almost cartoonish muscle growth (Pacquiao has never been considered a “big” guy. The guy is cut like hell, but he does not have a crazy bodybuilder-type physique. In his climb from 126 to 130 to meet Erik Morales, Pacquiao was the seen as the “smaller” man. In his climb from 130 to 135 against David Diaz, Pacquiao was the “smaller” man. In his climb to 140 to meet Ricky Hatton, Pacquiao was the “smaller” man. In his climb to 145 to meet Cotto, Pacquiao was the “smaller” man).

* Unusual increase in the size of the head – literally, not figuratively (money & fame will do that, but look at Major League Baseball’s Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire. Their noggins literally got bigger. Barry Bonds’ hat size reportedly increased by 4 sizes! Pacquiao’s head appears to be the same).

* Uncharacteristic increase of power/stamina (Pacquiao has always been noted as a puncher with “pop.” He was not some feather-fist who developed power out of nowhere, like Bret Boone of Major League Baseball, who became a homerun hitter out of nowhere. When Pacquiao started out as a jr. flyweight pro, Pacquiao ended his fights with a KO or TKO within 5 rounds or less in 15 of his first 25+ fights. He knocked down the Mexican triumvirate of Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, and Juan Manuel Marquez at least 11 times, maybe more if not for ropes holding them up or the bell saving them. Numerous sparring partners have reportedly been sent home packing, with birds still flying around their heads. The guy obviously does not get called a “Tropical Storm” or a “Typhoon” because of all the wind that he blows).

So none of these common warning signs seem to be applicable to Pacquiao. This is a guy, after all, who is even hesitant to take an Advil, let alone, steroids.

It’s a silly accusation. Steroids or not, a perfectly placed punch to a precise spot on the chin will still knock you down, if not out! And Malignaggi’s suggestion that Pacquiao must be on something to withstand the pain of power shots and a busted eardrum is ridiculous! Someone would have to be on PCP or something similar to walk through major punishment.

Seriously, if Pacquiao was on PCP, he would not be prancing into the ring with an ear-to-ear grin, waving at fans, looking like a kid in a toy store. He would be fidgeting around, contorting his facial muscles like he’s about to jack someone.

Does Pacquiao look like he’s on some kind of uppers? The guy is too cool under pressure and laid back to be on any kind of uppers. Some people will have to realize that sometimes, it’s all about hard work and discipline. And for even a select few, it’s a matter of having a God-given gift or ability.

Let’s hope this issue is finally laid to rest, but with the upcoming superfight with the Mayweathers, it probably will not.

Source

My son's too much for Pacquiao: Mayweather Sr.

2009-12-22T08:08:00.000+08:00

abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines – Floyd Mayweather, Sr. has always chosen Manny Pacquiao’s opponents to prevail over the pound-for-pound king, but the Filipino boxing icon always proved him wrong.

Not this time, though. Floyd Sr. predicted that his son, the undefeated Floyd Jr., will outpunch Pacquiao.

“Pacquiao could never beat something that came out of me,” Floyd Sr. told FightHype.com.

The outspoken trainer said Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto would get the better of Pacquiao, but the seven-division world champion conquered them instead.

Floyd Sr. was the trainer of Hatton for his fight against Pacquiao.

“With Pacquiao, it’s not even going to be a figuring out process. Pacquiao is terrible, man. The man don’t move his damn head, he jumps straight in,” commented the elder Mayweather.

“Lil Floyd hasn’t taken any damage in the fight game and Pacquiao knows he is fighting a different animal; ain’t going to take no damage,” he added.

Mayweather (40-0, 25 knockouts) and Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) are slated to clash on March 13 in the battle between the world’s top ranked pound-for-pound fighters. It was reported that a press conference on January 11 will officially announce the fight and its details.

Pacquiao’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title will reportedly be at stake. It was also reported that both fighters agreed to a 50-50 purse split.

Pacman shrugs off Floyd Sr.'s comments

Pacquiao, meanwhile, refused to get himself dragged into a "war of words" with the Mayweathers.

That's just not his style, said the reigning pound-for-pound king ang current World Boxing Organization welterweight champ.

"I don't wanna say trash talks.... tahimik lang ako siguro," Pacquiao said during the official opening of his memorabilia shop in Manila.

In fact, Pacquiao has nothing but good words for Floyd Jr.

"Mabilis at malakas din [si Mayweather], siyempre dati siyang Number 1 pound-for-pound," said the Filipino boxing star.

When asked about his choice of site where the fight should be held, Pacquiao said he would still pick Las Vegas.

"Kahit saan, basta Las Vegas," he said.

His wife Jinkee is concerned about her husband's choice of fight date with Floyd Jr. Both camps have reportedly agreed to have the fight staged on March 13, which is just three months away.

"Parang nakakatakot kasi maaga pa so mas-okay siguro kung May," said Jinkee.

She, however, said it is still Pacquiao who has the final say regarding such matters.

"Sabi niya siya ng nakaka-alam sa sarili niya," said Jinkee.

Khan as sparring mate

Pacquiao’s trainer, meanwhile, talked about his plans for his ward’s upcoming training.

Freddie Roach said he wants World Boxing Association light welterweight champion Amir Khan to be Pacquiao’s sparring mate in his training camp for the Mayweather bout.

“Amir's speed is good for Manny, and Amir is the only guy who can keep up with Manny in the gym. When they train, they are like machines,” Roach told The Daily Mirror.

Khan, who is also coached by Roach, sparred with Pacquiao before the Filipino boxing great took on de la Hoya and Hatton.

Moreover, Roach said he wants Khan to fight in the Pacquiao-Mayweather undercard. “Amir would be ready by March, no problem, for another world title defense.”

Khan recently defended his WBA title against Dmitriy Salita by technical knockout in Round 1.

“There are a lot of big names for him now, here in Britain, and in the States. [Juan Manuel] Marquez is one, while [Jose Luis] Castillo is making a comeback and has told me he wants to fight Amir,” Roach continued. “The only guy I don't want him to fight is Manny.”

Source

Khan to be sparring partner for Pacquiao

2009-12-21T10:41:00.000+08:00

By Jason Kim

World Boxing Association light welterweight champion Amir Khan will reportedly be one of the sparring partners for World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao for his March 13th bout against unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. This is a plus for the 23-year-old Khan, because he’ll have the chance to get some valuable sparring in with Pacquiao and possibly lean some things in the process.

This may be Khan’s last chance to pick up things from Pacquiao, as there is talk of the Mayweather fight being the last fight of Pacquiao’s career. If that is indeed the case, then there won’t likely be anymore future sparring sessions between Khan and Pacquiao. It may even be rare that the two fighters see each other, because Pacquiao lives in the Philippines and likely won’t be taking too many trips to the U.S.

Khan defeated Dmitriy Salita by a 1st round knockout last Saturday night in England. It was an excellent performance by Khan, who wants to move his operations to the United States where he hopes to become a big star. Khan hasn’t mentioned an opponent for his next fight, but there’s talk of him fighting Jose Luis Castillo, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Ricky Hatton.

Of the three, Castillo probably is the most likely to get the opportunity. Khan could fight on the undercard of the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight on the 13th of March, in which case the sparring with Pacquiao will serve Khan well for his own training. Although if Khan fights the 35-year-old Castillo, the sparring with Pacquiao won’t be one in which Khan is facing a similar fighter to Castillo.

While Khan wants to become a star in the boxing world, it will be difficult for him to do that unless he’s put in with some good fighters who can still fight. As of yet, Khan’s management team appear to be bringing him along slowly and haven’t put him in with dangerous fighters like Edwin Valero, Timothy Bradley, Marcos Maidana, Kendall Holt and Victor Ortiz.

There’s time for that in the future, but Khan won’t likely become a big star until he’s fighting other big named fighters that are in their prime like the aforementioned boxers. Khan has a victory over 35-year-old Marco Antonio Barrera, but the win, a 5th round technical decision, wasn’t as impressive as it could have been because the fight was stopped early because of a cut on the forehead of Barrera.

If Khan faces Castillo, it would add another a big name to Khan’s resume, albeit another old one. In the end, trainer Freddie Roach and Khan’s promoter Frank Warren will select who Khan will fight next. It probably won’t be a dangerous opponent given that this will be Khan’s voluntary defense and they’ll likely want Khan a chance to look good in front of a large world wide audience. Castillo would give Khan an opponent with a name that might interest fans more than, say, a fight with a younger fighter with more ability.

Source

Manny Pacquiao fight with Floyd Mayweather Jnr likely to be most lucrative in history

2009-12-20T09:29:00.000+08:00

by Gareth A Davies

The super-fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jnr has the feel of an event on the scale of Muhammad Ali v Joe Frazier or, in terms of boxing styles, Sugar Ray Leonard v Marvin Hagler.

The event, which is scheduled for March 13 next year in Las Vegas or Dallas, will also be the most important boxing event for 25 years.

The super-fight would almost certainly break the existing record of 2.4 million pay-per-view buys, which is held by Mayweather for his fight against Oscar De La Hoya in 2007.

That match, between Mayweather, then the pound-for-pound king, and De La Hoya, the sport's most popular fighter, eclipsed the buy mark of 1.99 million, set by the 1997 Evander Holyfield-Mike Tyson heavyweight championship 'ear-bite' rematch, and the revenue record of $112 million, set by the 2002 Lennox Lewis-Tyson heavyweight title fight.

Mayweather against De La Hoya made $120 million in pay-per-view revenue. Overall, with gate receipts, Pacquiao-Mayweather could creep up to the $200 million mark.

Promoter Bob Arum, of Top Rank, left Manila on Sunday, after a three-day visit in which he relayed an offer from Mayweather. Both fighters are guaranteed $25 million, before their shares in pay per view revenue.

The fight could easily gross $100 million which, if it catches fire in the mainstream, could rise to $150 million. Arum insists the boxers' signatures "are a formality", but it is not so. The venue is yet to be decided, but at least the weight is set at 147lb, and at welterweight, that suits Mayweather.

The fight pitches Pacquiao, boxing's star of the moment, against Mayweather, the bad boy unbeaten incumbent, who has permitted the rise of Pacquiao into the same stratosphere after a 21-month absence from prize fighting.

Under trainer Freddie Roach, Pacquiao has progressed from brawler to fighting machine. Pacquiao has gone from a world champion at 112lb to beating the best at 147lb, maintaining his speed and power.

Mayweather, who at 32 is two years older than Pacquiao, is still unbeaten, and is the most gifted fighter of this generation, but the templates are also set. In one corner, the cocky, brash bad boy, played by Mayweather, opposite the humble man from the shanty town in the Philippines in Pacquiao.

It is on a par with the biggest fights in history – an unbeaten future Hall of Famer, who is in the line of accession of the great slick American boxers, following Sugar Ray Leonard and Pernell Whitaker, against a Filipino idol with political ambitions. Pacquiao's rags to riches tale could even elevate him from pauper to the President of a nation. It was the fight of a generation. And it had to be made.

Source

Amir Khan lined up for Manny Pacquiao - Floyd Mayweather Las Vegas supershow

2009-12-19T08:10:00.000+08:00

By David Anderson

Amir Khan could make his long-awaited US debut on the same bill as Manny Pacquiao's superfight with Floyd Mayweather.

That showdown between the world's two best fighters has been marked down for March 13 in Las Vegas and Freddie Roach wants Khan to appear with his pal Pacman.

Khan's profile Stateside has gone up another notch following his sensational 76-second demolition of New Yorker Dmitriy Salita in the first defence of his WBA light-welterweight crown and Roach feels he is ready to conquer America.

"I would love for Amir to fight on the undercard of Manny's next fight," said Roach, who wants Khan to spar with Pacquiao for the Mayweather showdown.

"Amir would be ready by March, no problem, for another world title defence.

"There are a lot of big names for him now, here in Britain, and in the States. Marquez is one, while (Jose Luis) Castillo is making a comeback and has told me he wants to fight Amir.

"The only guy I don't want him to fight is Manny and I want him to spar with him before Mayweather.

"Amir's speed is good for Manny and Amir is the only guy who can keep up with Manny in the gym. When they train, they are like machines."

Roach missed Khan's first knockdown of Salita inside 10 seconds because he was climbing down the steps to his seat in the corner and even he was stunned by his protege's speed and power.

Khan flattened the previously unbeaten Salita with a lightning leftright hook combination and then forced the WBA's No.1 challenger to take an eight count under another flurry of punches before finishing him off with a left hook. Roach is delighted with Khan's progress under his tutelage at his Wild Card gym in Los Angeles and believes he can win world titles all the way up to middleweight.

"I think he has the potential to become a superstar and win multi-titles for sure," said the American trainer, who has produced 26 world champions.

"He has the body to go up to 147lbs, even 160lbs in the long-term. He has the size to go up to middleweight, he's still growing. The key thing is to take the speed and power up with you and a lot of guys can't do that as they move up the weights."

Khan, who is 23 tomorrow, was thrilled by his win, but was more concerned about getting his confiscated mobile phone back from Roach. "I've sent a message out and most fighters will think twice about fighting me," he said. "I haven't hit my peak. I've a long way to go and I can only get better.

"Next year some time I want to go to the States and I'll sit down and see what's out there.

"But for now, I just want my phone back. My whole world revolves around my phone, but Freddie's had it for the last 10 days because he wanted me to stay focused in camp."

Promoter Frank Warren was blown away by Khan's devastating display and claims he can succeed where Naseem Hamed, who was at ringside at Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena, failed by fulfilling his potential.

As brilliant as Naz was when he reigned as world featherweight king, Warren felt he didn't achieve everything he could have in boxing because he lost his focus.

"He can be better than Naz," said Warren. "At one stage of his career, Naz was the best fighter I have been involved with.

"Naz beat everybody there was to beat in that division and during that time, he was the best featherweight on the planet - then things happened.

"He didn't dedicate himself like he should have. The difference with Amir is that he is dedicated. He can go and do what Naz should have done."

Source

Pacquiao - Mayweather

2009-12-18T09:16:00.000+08:00

by Anthony L. Cuaycong

Manny Pacquiao obviously doesn’t think much of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. After all, it took him a mere two hours to accede to the terms and conditions Top Rank honcho Bob Arum negotiated with Golden Boy Promotions chief Richard Schaefer for their upcoming welterweight bout. Never mind that the March 13, 2010 date for the set-to is a mere three months away, and never mind that he will be squaring off at 147 pounds, the heaviest in his career.

Not that Pacquiao doesn’t have reason to feel optimistic. On the contrary, his emphatic victory over Miguel Cotto last month for an unprecedented seventh belt in as many weight classes has had pundits tagging him as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the annals of the sport. And when juxtaposed with equally convincing performances against Ricky Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya, his latest outing underscores his unique capacity to bring his speed and power with him through his climb up the weight ladder.

Still, Pacquiao should be wary of treading the fine line between confidence and cockiness. As he readies himself for the biggest contest of his career, the last thing he should do is be goaded into mistakes by Mayweather’s obnoxious personality. He may have no love lost for the American, but he would do well to respect the latter’s punching power.

Under the circumstances, it’s no surprise that oddsmakers have tagged Pacquiao a slight underdog. The good news is that it eases the pressure on the People’s Champ, albeit just slightly. All the same, he doesn’t appear to be intimidated by his opponent or by the enormity of the task at hand; he evidently knows where he stands, and he should be all right for as long as he keeps his feet on the ground.

Source

People's champ: Manny Pacquiao

2009-12-17T08:49:00.000+08:00

By David McNeill

He's the best boxer in a generation, and so popular Filipino guerrillas call a truce while he's in the ring. But can he be a winner politically too?

Even for a sport as famous for its hucksterism as its athletic skills, it was brave talk. Shortly before trading punches with Manny Pacquiao in the Las Vegas MGM Grand Hotel in May, Ricky Hatton attempted an ill-advised verbal KO.

The man known to millions as Pac-Man was a one-dimensional boxer, said the Pride of Hyde, unvarying and "there to be hit". "He's never met a man as fiery, ferocious or rough as me, and certainly not as big and strong," Hatton said.

As usual, Pacquiao let his fists do the talking, with a typically clinical six-minute demolition that clinched him the world light-welterweight title and helped cement his reputation as the finest boxer on the planet. A blur of crunching punches and lean, oiled power, he landed four times as many blows as Hatton, flooring him twice in round one, then knocking him out in the second round. Hatton was sent to hospital, and into a career crossroads. For the Filipino it was another day at work: "I'm just a fighter, doing my job," he said afterwards.

That typically low-key assessment vastly underestimates his lethal skills – and his status at home. Last month's destruction of Puerto Rican boxer Miguel Cotto made Pacquiao the only fighter in history to win seven titles in seven different weight divisions, and again brought his native country grinding to a halt. Crime in the Philippines plummets every time the diminutive (5ft 6.5in) boxer steps into the ring as hoods and cops huddle around TV sets, briefly united in their love for a national hero. The Philippine government, which once put him on a postage stamp, even claimed that years-long fighting between its army and Islamic rebels in the troubled south of the country stopped during the Cotto bout.

Credited with helping to resurrect a sport that had become mired in corruption and a labyrinth of competing governing bodies, Pacquiao is one those rare sportsmen, like Tiger Woods and Muhammad Ali, who transcends their profession and seems to hover in a stratosphere above other mere mortals. Now 30, he knows that rock-star popularity won't last forever, so he is re-launching a political career that could either bring him down to earth with a bump, or fulfil his promise to help the ordinary Filipinos who made him rich. Some believe he could go all the way to the presidency.

It's a long way from his humble beginnings on the southern island of Mindanao, where Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao was born into a typically poor Filipino family in 1978. When aged 8 he wrapped towels round his hands as if they were boxing gloves, and at 12 he happened past a television screen showing James "Buster" Douglas defeat Mike Tyson. It led him to dream. Yet the family were so poor they slept on cardboard boxes. His biographers say he ran barefoot in the hard-scrabble city of General Santos selling flowers and doughnuts until the age of 14, when he left home after his drunken, farmhand father Rosalio cooked and ate a stray dog his son had brought home.

It was also the fear of being a burden on his mother Dionisia (who hoped he would be a priest) that caused him to stow away on a boat bound for Manila, 500 miles away, where he trained in a city gym and sold ice water and doughnuts (again). He sent home whatever he earned, to help feed his five siblings. He wrote regularly to his mother, explaining that, like it did for so many poor kids, boxing offered him salvation – and an outlet for the ferocity that lurks beneath his deceptive geniality. He worked as a labourer, and fought in the illegal underground scene, where several fighters died, including friends of his. He practised using a cardboard box stuffed with discarded clothes. Two years after leaving home, and weighing a puny 106 pounds, Pacquiao won his first professional bout.

Hampered by raw, sometimes erratic performances and fluctuating weight (he has fought at everywhere from 7st 8lb to 10st 7lb), his career was not all plain sailing. After settling at 112 pounds, he won his first World Boxing Council flyweight title, then lost it in a third-round knockout. Ten pounds heavier and fighting as a super bantamweight, he took the IBF world title from South African boxer Lehlohonolo "hands of stone" Ledwaba in 2001, starting him on the road to national superstardom.

With trainer Freddie Roach by his side at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, Pacquiao honed his skills, perfecting a steely left hand that has helped earn him titles in flyweight, super bantamweight, featherweight, super featherweight, lightweight, light welterweight and welterweight divisions. Those who know him say that after 14 years of professional boxing, he remains the same, slightly puzzling dichotomy: when not fighting, he is modest and easy-going, a regular church-goer and devout Catholic who rarely engages in the "dissing" of opponents so typical of the sport. Unleashed inside the ring he turns almost feral, dishing out savage punishment that is sometimes difficult to watch – one ringside commentator said Miguel Cotto's face was like "raw hamburger" after 12 rounds with the Filipino.

Like all great boxing narratives – real and fictional – success has brought the one-time barefoot street hawker wealth he once dared only dream about. He shares a huge, gaudy mansion in General Santos City on the island of Mindanao with his wife Jinkee (who met Pacquiao while selling make-up in a shopping mall), four children and a sprawling team of minders, servants, security guards and hangers-on. The commercial property he owns includes cafés, a convenience store and a souvenir shop that sells all things Manny, from dolls to DVDs.

He is a personal friend of President Gloria Arroyo (who knows the value of being photographed with him) and has met world leaders and Hollywood superstars, including Sylvester Stallone, who reportedly wants to make a movie about his life. Time magazine recently called him one of the world's 100 most influential people. As his fame grows, the purses have grown richer – the Cotto fight earned him a reported $22m before tax. Forbes magazine this year said he is the world's sixth highest-paid athlete.

After stints as an unsuccessful soap actor and even a pop star, there seems nowhere left for him to go except into politics. Few doubt his personal appeal or charisma: in one of the poorest countries in Asia, politicians and the media have lined up to praise Pacquiao for restoring some semblance of national pride. His demigod status is partly a warped reflection of the miserable lives endured by so many of his countrymen, 4,000 of whom went to the airports every day last year – about nine million Filipinos are forced to live abroad as nurses, cleaners, construction workers and prostitutes (and around 10 per cent of the national GDP comes in remittances from émigrés). But it is also a function of his generosity: he is known to spend tens of thousands of dollars entertaining guests. Ahead of a recent fight, he distributed $800,000 in tickets to friends. President Arroyo calls him "an inspiration to Filipinos around the world", a winner who returned home to share his good fortune.

Pacquiao often nods in the direction of the wretched lives he left behind. "I fight for the people," he said this year. "I want to please them and give them hope. I'm fighting for my country." But his wealth and celebrity has opened up a huge gap with the vast bulk of ordinary Filipinos, a third of whom struggle below the official poverty line of $3 a day for a family of five. Icon status or no, few observers think he has any chance of denting in the country's enormous problems unless he goes to war with its endemic corruption, and the handful of wealthy families that block reform or the redistribution of wealth.

Undaunted by a failed political bid two years ago, Pacquiao this week registered his candidacy for Senate elections, pulling up at the election office of Alabel town on Mindanao island with a convoy of supporters and 20 vehicles to register his own People's Champ Movement. As if to emphasise the corruption and political sclerosis that blights his homeland, his fellow candidates included former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos, whose husband Ferdinand murdered opponents, imposed martial law and pilfered billions before fleeing to exile in 1986. Once a pariah, the 80-year-old matriarch is again the head of a political dynasty.

Pacquiao's friends say he is motivated less by personal ambition than a mixture of genuine concern and guilt for the people he has left behind. Above all, he knows that every boxer needs a second act. To remind him, he only has to look at skid row a few miles from his General Santos mansion, where another former world boxing champ who rose from the slums, Rolando Navarrete, now lives in embittered poverty. Trainer Roach says Pacquiao has perhaps two fights left in him, including the long-promised match-up with Floyd Mayweather Jr, likely to be one of the richest fights in history. "I would love to see Manny knock this guy out and then retire," Roach said last month. "There's no place to go after that."

If his senate bid is successful, he will then trade the ring for the infinitely more complicated world of politics. Only time will tell if he tackles it with the same ferocity he now reserves for his gloved opponents.

A life in brief

Born: Kibawe, Bukidnon province, Mindanao, December 17, 1978.

Early life: Grew up on the streets of General Santos City with five siblings. Ran away to Manila aged 14, where he worked as a labourer.

Career: Made professional debut in 1995. In June 2001, he stepped in at the last minute in an IBF super-bantamweight fight in Las Vegas, winning by TKO. Met coach Freddie Roach as a result in the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood. Beat Marco Antonio Barrera in Texas in 2003 in featherweight division. Proceeded to win world titles in seven weight categories, most recently against welterweight Miguel Cotto. Ran for a congressional seat in 2007 but was defeated.

He says: "I want to please them and give them hope. I'm fighting for my country"

They say: "He'll throw a combination at you. You'll think he's done, but then he'll keep pounding you. And there's not a dense hardness to his punch. It just jumps on you. It explodes" – coach Freddie Roach

Source

WWE superstar Batista on the upcoming Pacquiao-Mayweather dream match: "I think Manny's gonna kill him!"

2009-12-16T08:10:00.000+08:00

Rommel R. Llanes

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar Dave "The Animal" Batista, recently paid the country a visit to shoot a TV ad for the Universal Robina Corporation (URC) energy drink, Xplode.

PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) was among the press invited to a press conference held for the 6-foot-6-inches tall, 290-pound pro-wrestler and the latest energy drink to hit the market. The imposing Batista warmly greeted everyone and gamely answered the questions thrown at him by the press with Showbiz Central host Mo Twister hosting.

Among the questions answered by the five-time pro-wrestling heavyweight champion was about the movie he's supposed to do with current World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champ Manny Pacquiao.

"There were talks about it," he said. "I would love to. I'm a big fan of Manny. I really consider him as a friend. Although I have not spent a whole lot of time with him, but I was fortunate enough to walk him to the ring and sit with him a little bit and talk to him. He's a great guy, and I would love to do a movie with him."

Batista said his hectic WWE schedule, however, is among the things keeping him from doing a movie with the Filipino boxing champ. Batista was part of Manny's ring entourage during the latter's title fight with Brit boxer Ricky Hatton last May 2009 at the MGM Grand Las Vegas.

Batista (David Michael Bautista Jr. in real life) also told the press of what he thinks Manny would do to Floyd Mayweather Jr., the former Pound-for-Pound King and latest challenge for the Pacman. Talks have been going on between the two boxer's camps for either a March or September 2010 match.

"I think Manny's gonna kill him!" the sports-entertainment star said. "And I believe that. And even if I wasn't a fan, just watching him [Manny] in the ring is just so impressive. He's in a different league."

Batista also admitted he gets into arguments with fellow wrestlers Rey Mysterio Jr. and Triple H because of their boxing favorites. Being Mexican, Rey always roots for the Mexican boxers, while Triple H is a close friend of Pretty Boy Floyd.

"Oh, we argue all the time!" Batista said while laughing about his arguments with Rey and Triple H. "He [Triple H] is kinda tight with Floyd Mayweather, so there's a constant argument with us. But at the end of the day, he knows that I'm right."

Batista also gave his thoughts on Pacquiao's entering politics.

"If he feels strongly about something, I'm sure there's a reason why he's running, I'm sure there's something that triggered him into wanting to run for Congress. So more power to him."

PROUD TO BE PINOY. Edwin Tutanes, general manager of URC Beverage II Division, said Batista epitomizes the image Xplode wants to project. "And as we all know, Dave has Filipino roots, and Xplode is a Filipino product. And we saw the match and we felt that it could be a good match to have Xplode and Dave Batista as our endorser."

Aside from his being half-Pinoy and now, his endorsement of a Filipino product, the part-Greek, part-Filipino wrestling superstar have also been practicing the Filipino martial art kali.

"I do a style developed by Ray Dionaldo, it's Filipino Combat Systems. It's really a knife and empty hands system, kali. They don't do escrima or arnis. I've been doing it for almost four years. I trained under a guro [instructor] named Moreese Crump. A guro under Ray Dionaldo."

Dave is also proud of the work ethic he inherited from his grandfather Alfonso Bautista. He wasn't really sure where Grandpa Alfonso really hailed from. All he knows about his grandfather is that he came somewhere from the south of the Philippines and went to the States with practically nothing.

"So he had to work really hard to earn a living. He always had like three or four jobs. He was the hardest working person I knew. And when he passed away, a lot of people came to his funeral and talked to me about him. And they said, I knew your grandfather 'cause he was my barber, or he was my taxi driver. He always had these odd jobs, three or four jobs, 'cause he was such a hardworker," Batista proudly said about his grandfather.

And despite his big size, display of great strength and ferocity in the wrestling ring, Big Dave admitted he is only scared of one person—his mother, Donna Ray Bautista.

"She can talk harshly to me, you know... Well, it's probably, more of respect rather than fear. You know, it's one of those things that no matter how old you get, if you still love and respect your mom, you always kinda back down from your mom," Dave laughingly said about another of his Pinoy traits.

Also big on Batista is respect for women, another Filipino trait he is also proud of. When asked if he has met someone here whom he finds attractive, the wrestling superstar mentioned a meeting he had with a really beautiful woman who turned out to be a famous actress during his last visit in the Philippines. Asked for the name of the actress, Dave said he'd rather not mention her name.

"I had no idea she was an actress. The first time I saw her, I was like, 'God, she's so beautiful!' And we had this conversation, it was in a nightclub I went to, and she was just awesome. It was only through one of my bodyguards, Lorenzo, that I learned that she's a popular actress here. I really had no idea," the popular WWE wrestler said.

Source

Manny Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach sued for assault

2009-12-15T09:42:00.000+08:00

More issues around Manny Pacquiao's camp as the feared Filipino continues to weigh the Floyd Mayweather bout being kicked around possibly for March 13. Pacman's trainer, Freddie Roach, has been sued for assault and battery and infliction of emotional distress.

In a report on TMZ, the incident apparently occurred between Roach and boxing writer Alex Vidal:

According to a lawsuit just filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Freddie Roach became enraged at Wildcard Gym Boxing Club in L.A., after coming face-to-face with Alex Vidal -- a boxing writer who penned a story titled, "Sick Roach Misses Conception's Last Workout (oddly unavailable online)."

Roach -- who suffers from Parkinson's disease -- allegedly challenged Vidal, claiming "he was not sick and that he only went to a clinic." Vidal says he apologized and said he was merely quoting a statement from boxer Bernabe Conception's manager.

Roach allegedly went on a tirade, pushing Vidal "roughly" in the left shoulder, and yelled, "The next time you write about it, I will kill you."

Vidal is suing for the ever popular "unspecified damages.

Now, if we could just get to that fight in the ring.

Source

Pacquiao match topped ratings in November

2009-12-14T08:05:00.000+08:00

by JEFFREY O. VALISNO

News shows led weekday TV ratings

After being shut out in the national ratings race for weekends in October, GMA Network topped the national weekend ratings list last month thanks to boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao.

The network’s Nov. 15 telecast of the welterweight title bout between Pacquiao and Puerto Rican pugilist Miguel Cotto was the most watched weekend program last month, with almost half of surveyed TV viewers nationwide tuning in to the fight.

The delayed broadcast of the 12-round fight that saw Mr. Pacquiao winning his seventh world boxing title scored a national audience rating of 45.2%.

The primer shown by GMA Network on the same day before the delayed broadcast of the boxing match received a national audience rating 28.1%, ending up fourth in the Top 10 list of most watched weekend programs last month.

Meanwhile, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.’s nightly primetime newscast TV Patrol World remained the most watched weekday program nationwide for the second straight month as of last November, as viewers tune in to the news in run-up for the filing of certificates of candidacies for next year’s elections.

Based on the national urban TV audience measurement (NUTAM) survey conducted by media research firm Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) from Nov. 1 to 30, TV Patrol World posted an average monthly national household rating of 34.8%.

Its rival newscast, 24 Oras by GMA Network, Inc., also improved its national audience share to settle at eighth place with a rating of 25.1% last month, from a rating of 23.5% in October.

Candidates had from Nov. 20 up until midnight on Dec. 1 to file their certificates of candidacies for the May 2010 national polls.

Weekend viewing

ABS-CBN’s Saturday fantasy series Agimat: Alamat ni Ramon Revilla finished November with an audience rating of 33% to settle for second place among shows aired during weekends, followed by the Saturday edition of ABS-CBN’s newscast, TV Patrol World with 30.3%.

The rest of the Top 10 weekend programs all came from ABS-CBN. In fifth place was the musical game show The Singing Bee with 27.1%, followed by the longest-running drama anthology Maalaala Mo Kaya with 26.9%.

The Sunday evening news-magazine program Rated K: Handa na Ba Kayo? scored an average rating of 26.7% last month to finish seventh, followed by the musical talk show Sharon with 25.2%, and the Saturday afternoon public affairs program Failon Ngayon with 23.8%.

Rounding out the Top 10 list of most watched weekend programs nationwide was the children’s gag show Goin’ Bulilit with an average national household rating of 23%.

End of run

Former top weekday program, ABS-CBN’s nightly drama series May Bukas Pa, ended in second place among weekday programs nationwide, with an average national household rating of 34.5%, followed by ABS-CBN’s teenage drama series Katorse, with 30.1%

In fourth place was the Filipino version of the Korean drama series Lovers in Paris. The ABS-CBN show scored an average monthly rating of 29.2%. The program, which stars Piolo Pascual and KC Concepcion is set to end its 10-week run this Friday.

The nightly fantasy series Darna remained the most watched GMA Network TV program nationwide, scoring an average rating of 28.4% last month to settle at fifth place. It was followed by ABS-CBN’s drama series Dahil May Isang Ikaw, with 27.2%.

GMA Network’s adaptation of the popular Korean drama series Stairway to Heaven ended November in seventh place, with a rating of 26.4%. The show, featuring young stars Dingdong Dantes and Rhian Ramos, will have its final episode this Friday, after airing for the past three months.

In ninth and 10th places are two ABS-CBN shows: the reality series Pinoy Big Brother Double Up with a rating of 23.2%; and the noontime show Wowowee with 21.9%.

Doubts on ratings

TNS started setting up its TV audience measurement panel at the start of 2007. It has been releasing ratings data to TV networks and advertising agencies since September 2007.

TNS first officially released its national TV audience measurement data last February. TNS bases its survey results on a panel of 1,370 representative households from the National Capital Region (Metro Manila) and its suburbs (called Mega Manila), North Luzon, Central Luzon, South Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

GMA Network reiterated its doubts over the national ratings results being released by TNS. The network ceased subscribing to the ratings reports since early this year. GMA instead relies on the ratings data provided by market research firm AGB Nielsen Philippines.

AGB Nielsen Philippines is a subsidiary of AGB Nielsen Media Research, which is a joint venture formed by the Audits of Great Britain (AGB) Group, and the Television Audience Measurement (TAM) business of The Nielsen Company in March 2005.

AGB Nielsen Philippines has been providing TAM data for Philippine broadcasters and advertisers since 1992 as Nielsen Media Research and from 1999 as AGB Philippines.

In October 2006, AGB Nielsen established the country’s first national TAM panel called the National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM).

More than a year later, ABS-CBN filed a civil case against AGB Nielsen in December 2007 after the Lopez-led media giant allegedly discovered tampering in the ratings in Bacolod. However, a Quezon City regional trial court junked the case in January 2008, saying that it was prematurely filed.

GMA Network said that AGB Nielsen Philippines and TNS Media Research generated different TV ratings results for the TV stations during the third quarter of the year.

"In primetime, TNS data showed ABS-CBN’s programs leading by 9 to 10 points ratings over GMA’s. Audience share of ABS-CBN’s primetime block were at 50 to 51 points according to TNS," GMA Network said in a statement furnished to BusinessWorld.

"But according to AGB Nielsen’s NUTAM, ABS-CBN’s primetime shows had an average rating of 27.8%, up by only 5.8% over GMA’s. ABS-CBN’s audience share based on AGB was only at 44.6%, lower than the 50% to 51% share recorded by TNS," the Gozon-led network said.

GMA Network asserted that while national TV ratings are dominated by ABS-CBN, viewers in urban Luzon and Mega Manila remain loyal to the Kapuso channel.

"In Urban Luzon, which accounts for 77% of the total urban TV population in the country, GMA posted a 1.5-point lead over competition with an average channel rating of 16.2% versus ABS-CBN’s 14.7% according to AGB Nielsen. GMA also posted a 3.5-percentage point lead in audience share with an average of 38.5% versus ABS-CBN’s 35% during the third quarter," GMA Network said.

The network added that it has booked 10 spots in AGB Nielsen’s list of overall top 20 programs in Urban Luzon for October, with Darna leading all programs in the roster with an average rating of 31.1%.

"In viewer-rich Mega Manila, which accounts for 49% of total TV households, GMA outperformed the competition with an average channel rating of 17.5%, up by 3.5 percentage points over ABS-CBN’s 14% according to AGB. GMA had an average audience share of 40%, 8 percentage points higher than competition’s 32%," GMA Network said.

GMA Network claimed that it secured 12 spots in the AGB Nielsen’s list of overall top 20 programs in Mega Manila, with Darna, 24 Oras, and Stairway to Heaven as the top three TV shows on the list.

Source

Why Floyd Mayweather Will Beat Manny Pacquiao

2009-12-13T11:10:00.000+08:00

by Alan Thomson

For several months now, ever since the realistic possibility of a Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather fight had begun to loom, I’ve been sifting my brain to try to determine who I thought would win.

And for the majority of that time, the winner has seemed about as clear to me as what may have transpired between Tiger Woods, the fire hydrant, his wife, and the golf club at 2:25 am that November morning in Orlando.

But take heart my fellow boxing fans, for I have, at long last, projected a winner. And Floyd be thy name.

While I am quite aware that somewhere on the order of ninety-two million Filipinos and a respectably large segment of Western society will disagree with me, they will not change my mind.

Few fighters in pugilistic history have gone on more of a roll than the one on which Manny Pacquiao now finds himself. He has been annihilating some of the best boxers in the world.

He made Oscar De la Hoya look like a fraternity pledge going through a hazing. And what he did to Ricky Hatton was plain obscene. It should have been televised on Cinemax during the wee hours of the morning in place of the softcore porn which normally airs there.

After a competitive first five rounds, which also happened to include two knockdowns by Manny, he found his rhythm and proceeded to tyrannize Miguel Cotto, adding a couple of complimentary new tatts to the face of his heavily tattooed adversary in the process.

Mayweather’s ascent to the top of the pound-for-pound charts was not nearly as abrupt or dazzling as was the Pac Man’s. After a virtuoso performance against undefeated Diego Corrales in 2001, a fight that many experts had picked Corrales to prevail in, he simply kept winning. And he did so almost always quite convincingly against a healthy sized collection of high quality opponents.

He really hasn’t been in a tightly contested fight since facing Jose Luis Castillo twice in 2002. His win over De la Hoya was by split decision, but there are few, if any, people outside of East L.A. who felt that Oscar won.

Floyd started out slowly, surveying his opponent while taking little risk, as Floyd tends to do, and slowly dialed up the thermostat, counterpunching and potshotting Oscar into abandoning his strategy along with his WBC belt.

And most recently, little Floyd masterfully dominated Juan Manual Marquez, a fighter whom Pacquiao had monumental issues dealing with in two bouts, which resulted in a draw followed by a disputed win.

Looking at the common opponents of Money and the Pac Man, the aforementioned De la Hoya and Marquez, it is difficult to get any insight into predicting a winner. The common opponents theory is known, even by casual fans of the sport, to have little relevance in determining fight outcomes.

The saying that “styles make fights”, although old and worn, is probably the truest axiom in the business. This is precisely why I’m picking Floyd to win the fight. Not only does he have the style known to give Manny fits, but also the speed and ring savvy to execute it like no other.

Attempting to beat Pacquiao by standing and boxing with him, as De la Hoya and Cotto aspired to do, is about as promising as the hope that the Browns will be playing the Rams in the upcoming Super Bowl. He’s just too quick and capable of throwing powerful shots from unusual angles.

Trying to pressure and brawl with him is about as smart a bet as Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian making it to their golden anniversary. Ask Ricky Hatton, assuming that he has regained any memory of the fight, his nationality, or his name after the epic smackdown the Pac Man laid on him.

What type of style does it take to deal with the Filipino superstar? That of a sharpshooting counter-puncher. This is the style of Juan Manuel Marquez, whom many feel beat Pacquiao in their last fight. It is also the style of Mr. Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Jr. And no one is better or quicker at it than he.

Pacquiao’s M.O. is to attack. And he does so in a very skillful and slick manner, using in-and-out as well as side-to-side movement while throwing sharp, fast punches at times from nearly inconceivable angles.

Even a fighter with the appalling quickness and defensive skills as Mayweather would have difficulty attempting to trade hands with Pacquiao. But Floyd doesn’t trade. Never has.

His game is to use his prodigious foot speed to stay out of harm’s way, spot openings, and fire lightning-quick, accurate, and precisely timed shots and then move away again until he recognizes the next opportunity.

Marquez found quite a few of those opportunities. Floyd will find more. There exists a gaping difference in speed and defensive ability between Floyd and Marquez, as exhibited during their recent fight.

One could argue that Manny has improved since his last fight with Marquez nearly two years ago. I don’t disagree. Were they to fight for a third time, Pacquiao would be an ample favorite and deservedly so. Even so, for the first five rounds of their fight, Cotto got to Manny. And he got to him often.

Mayweather, a faster and more skilled fighter with a proven style for making life difficult for Pacquiao, is going to get to him more often and for a longer stretch of the fight.

But in order to pull this off, Floyd will have to remain vigilant and on the move for the entire fight.

He will sometimes allow his opponents to get close to him and then depend on his considerable defensive skills to evade their punches at close range. He will relax to the point that the opponent will cross midfield, but he’ll be damned if he’s going to let them into the red zone, let alone the end zone.

I don’t see this working effectively against Manny. His hands are too quick, and he punches at such befuddling angles. If you let the Pac Man cross midfield, he’s got the skills to make it into the end zone.

But Floyd has always been prepared for his opponents. I have yet to see him gassed or unable to maintain his distance for the full 12 rounds. And when he has been determined to make a statement, he has tended to do so emphatically.

Considering the skill of Pacquiao, I don’t see an emphatic win for Mayweather. I’m predicting a victory by close decision in a fight that will have its share of shifting tides and in which Floyd will get hit far more than he ever has in any of his previous fights.

Ultimately, I see Floyd’s movement, timing and hand speed overcoming Manny’s quick-handed, sharp punching attacking style.

We may never find out what happened that early morning between Tiger Woods, the fire hydrant, his wife, and the golf club. But come fight night, the real pound-for-pound king will be revealed.

Either way, we’re going to see two all-time greats fighting while still in their respective primes. This is something that happens, on average, less than once a decade, my friends. It doesn’t get any better than this.

Source

Floyd Mayweather Jr backs himself to beat Manny Pacquiao despite gambling losses

2009-12-12T14:28:00.000+08:00

By Ron Lewis

Most people would struggle to know what to do with the amount of money that Floyd Mayweather Jr is set to make from his bout with Manny Pacquiao, although the man himself does not seem to have trouble spending it.

Mayweather, whose hobbies include throwing piles of cash into crowds in nightclubs, has also revealed himself as a big gambler. The American, 32, who calls himself “Money”, is understood to rake in a guaranteed $20 million purse (about £12.3 million) for the contest, which is expected to be on March 13. This is before they start counting the pay-per-view cash, which could comfortably more than double his earnings.

But the five-weight world champion likes a bet, particularly on American football and basketball, often driving after training from his home in Las Vegas to casinos on The Strip to place his bets in cash.

When he appeared on television this week, he revealed the enormous scale of his wagers. “I lost big this weekend, lost huge,” Mayweather said on Joe Buck Live on HBO. “Two weeks ago I won like a million [dollars], that was across a week of games, Monday night, Sunday and Thursday. I didn’t lose a million but I lost a couple of hundred thousand.”

He added that he lost the money on the New England Patriots, who were defeated by the Miami Dolphins, and then on Drew Brees, quarterback of the New Orleans Saints, who scraped a win against the Washington Redskins. “Then I tried to get some get back and lost some more money on Brett Favre [of the Minnesota Vikings].” he said.

The undefeated world champion loves to flaunt his wealth, often showing off his enormous home and fleet of expensive cars to camera crews, while happily boasting of the huge price tags that came with the jewellery he wears.

He seldom leaves his house without tens of thousands of dollars of gambling money on him, which is usually carried by a member of his entourage, and he recently made a video — available on YouTube — that shows him counting out $1 million in cash from a bedside cabinet and putting it in a bag.

The bout with Pacquiao is expected to be formally announced on Monday, followed by a press conference in New York on January 6. No venue has been agreed, but Bob Arum and Richard Schaefer, of the joint promoters Top Rank and Golden Boy respectively, are considering Cowboys Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, the American football team, in Arlington, Texas. The stadium, which has a capacity of 80,000 and a retractable roof, was opened in May this year and cost $1.3 billion to build.

An alternative venue is the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas, where both have had their recent bouts, although its capacity is under 20,000. Other possibilities include the Georgia Dome, in Atlanta, and the Superdome, in New Orleans, where Muhammad Ali became world heavyweight champion for the third time in 1978 by beating Leon Spinks.

Arum, though, has discounted the possibility of holding the contest outdoors in March, even in Las Vegas.

Mayweather has no doubts about the result of the bout, saying that he would knock out Pacquiao, the 30-year-old Filipino who beat Miguel Cotto for the WBO welterweight title last month to continue a remarkable move up the weight division. Pacquiao’s first world title was at flyweight and he now claims titles in seven weight divisions.

“Pacquiao’s a good fighter, but I’ve been around a long time and I’ve dominated boxing for around 15 years now,” Mayweather said. “No one has defeated me yet so we’ll have to see.

“The thing is, I don’t want the fans to be really shocked by what will happen when we do happen to meet up because it’s not going to be anything new — he’s been knocked out before and he’s taken losses. I’ll be victorious, you can believe it.”

Although there is said to be a strict confidentiality clause, various details of the discussions have leaked out, including that the two will box in 8oz gloves and that although Pacquiao’s title will be on the line, Mayweather negotiated to have his name listed first on the posters.

Source

Mouthy Malignaggi: 'Midget' Pacquiao is phony Superman

2009-12-12T07:59:00.001+08:00

by Michael Marley

I think I finally figured it out and I can't blame the Brooklyn Hustler Yo Paulie Malignaggi.

On Sunday night, while pumping his Saturday night HBO rematch against Juan Diaz in Chicago, the scrapper from Brooklyn by way of Italy, resumed his verbal attack on the accomplishments of Pinoy Idol Manny Pacquiao.

Malignaggi was a featured guest on "The Boxing Truth Podcast" with co-hosts John Chavez and Ricardo Lois.

You've heard it before, you will no doubt hear it again whether Malignaggi wins, loses or draws against Diaz.

Oh, what did I deduce?

That Malignaggi is just continuing to conduct a spitball at a battleship assault on Megmanny in the slim hopes of someday landing a multimillion dollar paynight him.

Malignaggi's theme--which he freely admits is based solely on "my opinion and speculation"--remains that Pacquiao is cheating by using some sort of illegal substance(s) that make him almost impervious to pain inside the ring.

"Look at what Manny is doing," Malignaggi said. "He is absolutely crushing world class killers. And here he is, this little midget.

"He gets a broken eardrum and yet he is walking around afterwards like he was dodging spitballs. There are things (drugs) out there that can do that."

Malignaggi claimed that he is not a Pacman hater nor is he simply jealous of Manny's ring riches.

"Youre hiding under a rock if you can't see what I am talking about. This is a guy who was life and death with Juan Manuel Marquez at 120 pounds and now he's got 15 to 17 pounds of muscle on him. Look at how short he is, he didn't get taller, did he?

"It's not about hating Manny or being jealous," Malignaggi said. "I think other fighters use performance enhancing drugs. I don't mean diuretics because

those are used to make weight, not to enhance your peformance. I'd say the bigger men (heavyweights) are doing it because they are not worried about making weight."

Say one thing about Malignaggi. He speaks his mind whether you like him or loathe him.

The Brooklyn Hustler is a quote machine.

He is just tugging on Superman's cape, no more and no less.

Source

Manny Pacquiao: Worldwide phenomenon

2009-12-11T12:50:00.000+08:00

By Babe Romualdez

It’s unbelievable how popular and well known Manny Pacquiao has become all over the world. Even in the deepest recesses of the United States like a small town in Tennessee or somewhere in the Northwest like Boise, Idaho, his name draws instant recognition — no need to explain who or what he is.

In New York City, just the mere mention of Manny Pacquiao can light up the face of a taxi driver and make him go on and on about this Filipino boxer who chopped down to size such great fighters like the Golden Boy and the Hitman. I was simply amazed at the knowledge this guy had — he even knew the name of Pacquiao’s mother, Aling Dionisia. So much so that when I reached my destination and offered him a tip, he refused because he was just so happy to know that I was a Filipino. So much goodwill in such a short time.

Manny is definitely the first Filipino-Asian boxer to land on the cover of Time magazine — which only goes to show that he has become a global figure, generating so much interest and curiosity. As promoter Bob Arum remarked, the Time magazine cover underscores how phenomenal Pacquiao has become all over the world.

As the article pointed out, everybody wants Pacquiao. Global brands want him as endorser and baseball teams want him to throw the ceremonial pitch to attract wider audiences. In fact, he is becoming a “sexy symbol” of sorts, with the ESPN magazine showing his naked torso in its Body issue. People just can’t get enough of him. At the Jimmy Kimmel show, the audience was so delighted when Pacman gamely — and bravely — belted out a song accompanied by a live band. Others would have balked, but not Manny — revealing how confident and comfortable he has become before foreign audiences.

Naturally, with his fame also comes a lot of money — unbelievable amounts of money he has amassed since 2001 when the world first took notice of him — a last minute replacement who wrested the IBF Super bantamweight championship from Lehlo Ledwaba via a TKO. He is the first Filipino sports player to achieve billionaire status, a no mean feat considering that more often than not, boxers squander their earnings and end up dirt poor like what happened to Rolando Navarette. As Time magazine neatly sums it up, Manny Pacquiao’s rise to fame and fortune has gone “from zero to hero.”

Certainly, his rags-to-riches story continues to fascinate and inspire many Filipinos, especially young boys who dream of becoming like their idol who earns millions of dollars in every fight. During his bout with Ricky Hatton last May, the guaranteed purse was $12 million, and I am told the fight today with Puerto Rican champion Miguel Cotto has a guaranteed purse of $18 million.

Yet more than the money, what is also at stake today is a shot at making landmark history — because a win by the Filipino champion will firmly entrench him in the annals of world boxing as the only fighter to ever win world titles in seven weight categories. This is a much anticipated fight which virtually the whole world is waiting for, underscoring to a great extent the phenomenal popularity of this son from Mindanao.

Cotto may be the current WBO welterweight champion, but bettors place him as the underdog at +270 while Pacquiao is the odds-on favorite at 350. Can you imagine, no less than US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton herself has made a fearless forecast at the forum held the other day at the UST. As she said, “Of course the Pacman is going to win; is there any doubt about it?”

The goodwill that Pacquiao has generated especially in the US is simply phenomenal, with Americans chanting his name whenever they see him — outside the gym, on a makeshift arena at MGM Grand as he does the obligatory rounds — everywhere. People find him very charismatic, exuding such a pleasant aura every time he flashes that boyish, almost shy grin. As a matter of fact, an American associate of mine described him as one of the few boxers with a handsome face.

Perhaps, loyal fans see an aura of childlike innocence in their idol, which is why many of them resist the idea of Manny entering the blighted world of Philippine politics. Because of him, the world has come to know of the indomitable spirit of the Filipino, of his perseverance despite great odds, never giving up even when the face of despair and poverty stares him right on the face. It is no exaggeration to say that Manny Pacquiao is one of the reasons why Filipinos can afford to stand tall, proud and dignified before anyone today.

I certainly hope he can put the incredible goodwill he has generated to good use even after he retires by being a global Ambassador of Goodwill instead of wasting time being a Congressman. Manny has carved for himself an unparalleled niche in boxing — but politics in this country is an entirely different sport — one that can easily destroy a person not only financially but even character-wise.

Whatever the outcome of this fight may be, there is no doubt that Manny Pacquiao has already become the most well-known Filipino ever, one that we can all be proud of. He must not allow anything — certainly not politics — to destroy what he has achieved with his sweat and brawn.

Source

Dallas Stadium Likely out for Pacquiao-Mayweather

2009-12-10T14:32:00.001+08:00

By TIM DAHLBERG

Promoters of Pacquiao-Mayweather cancel Cowboys Stadium visit for fight

Promoters of the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight abruptly canceled a trip to Dallas on Wednesday, dealing a possibly fatal blow to the chances of Jerry Jones landing the bout for Cowboys Stadium.

The trip was canceled at the last minute because Mayweather's promoter apparently decided he didn't want the fight at the new stadium. The move leaves the MGM Grand hotel arena in Las Vegas as the heavy favorite to host the March 13 fight.

Co-promoter Bob Arum — who got the news at his 78th birthday party Tuesday night — was upset by the trip being canceled because Jones had rearranged his schedule so he could give the promoters a tour of the $1.2 billion stadium and present a proposal to host the bout.

"I'm just embarrassed, really embarrassed," Arum told The Associated Press. "The man (Jones) changed his whole schedule for this and you certainly want to listen to the man."

Arum said he was blindsided by Mayweather's promoter, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, who was to join him in Dallas along with HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg. He said Schaefer called him and told him he wasn't going to go to Dallas because he didn't want the fight there.

"There was no point in me going then," Arum said. "My guy can't go into the ring and just take bows. He needs an opponent."

Arum said Schaefer told him that he didn't want to stage the fight in an outdoor stadium, and that there wasn't enough time to set up the stadium for the bout.

"I told him it wasn't an outdoor stadium, that it had a retractable roof," Arum said. "That didn't seem to matter."

The abrupt cancellation was the first problem between the two promoters, who earlier had quickly come to agreement on the date of the fight and the purses for their respective fighters. Things were going so smoothly that they were looking for sites for a Jan. 6 press conference in New York City to formally announce the bout.

Schaefer could not immediately be reached for comment. He and Arum earlier agreed not to publicly speak about the negotiations until all arrangements for the fight were complete.

Arum said he planned to talk to Schaefer again Thursday and that he didn't believe the fight was in any jeopardy. Though both fighters have reportedly agreed to terms, neither of them have signed contracts.

Jones said last week he hoped to bid for the fight for his stadium in Arlington, Texas, and representatives of the Superdome in New Orleans were also interested. The gate for the fight could be the richest ever in boxing, perhaps exceeding the $20 million mark before even starting to count pay-per-view sales.

A Staples Center official told the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday that the arena has made a $20 million offer to host the fight, but the offer would likely have to be higher than any MGM Grand offer because California imposes state taxes that the fighters would have to pay, and Nevada doesn't.

The MGM Grand is also considered a favorite because that's where both Mayweather and Pacquiao have fought their biggest fights. Mayweather lives in Las Vegas, and has always been partial to fighting in the city.

Source

Pacquiao opens novelty shop in Manila

2009-12-10T13:52:00.001+08:00

abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines - Boxing champion Manny Pacquiao opened a souvenier shop offering branded "Team Pacquiao" items in Manila on Tuesday.

Pacquiao, along with his wife Jinkee and his entourage, were greeted by swarms of fans at the Robinson's Mall in Ermita, where the "Team Pacquiao" shop was opened.

The shop sells Manny Pacquiao t-shirts (including Nike branded tees), jackets, boxing gloves, shorts, shoes and trinkets that were reportedly handpicked by Jinkee Pacquiao.

The store's opening came barely 2 months after the Pacquiaos opened a "Team Pacquiao" souvenier shop at the Robinson's Place Mall in General Santos City (GenSan), which is Manny's hometown.

The store also offers a selection of signature Manny Pacquiao clothes and accessories.

Each store carries a distinct "Team Pacquiao" logo on the storefront with a scrawled signature bearing the words "By: Manny Pacquiao" below.

Business acumen

This is not the Pacquiao couple's only foray into business, as the pair have opened a boutique and a chain of coffee shops in GenSan. (Read about Manny Pacquiao's many investments here)

Jinkee opened her boutique in August this year called "Jinkee's Fashion World" at the JMP Building along Osmeña Street in GenSan.

The high-class boutique, which has a large framed picture of Jinkee near the store counter, sells earrings, blouses, designer printed bags, watches, hair accessories and wallets.

The glass-paneled, green-walled boutique also carries Manny Pacquiao merchandise like jackets, round-necked t-shirts, and ceramic mugs or plastic tumblers with the trademark "Nike Pacquiao Identity Crest" bearing the boxer's initials.

The Pacquiao couple also opened franchises of BluGre Coffee, Davao's leading specialty coffee shop chain, in GenSan.

One of the coffee shops was opened at the JMP Building and another at the Robinson's Place Mall.

Aside from tending to their blossoming businesses, the Pacquiao couple are also busy preparing for Manny Pacquiao's birthday celebration on December 17.

Source

Mayweather on duel with Pacquiao: Easy fight

2009-12-10T12:42:00.000+08:00

GMANews.TV

Despite Manny Pacquiao’s masterful destruction of a supposedly stronger and bigger Miguel Cotto, comebacking Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is still unimpressed.

In fact, Mayweather believes that if ever his megabuck battle for the mythical pound-for-pound throne with Pacquiao materializes, it will be an “easy fight" for him.

"All I can say is he's a fighter like I'm a fighter. I don't see no versatility in Manny Pacquiao, I just see a good fighter, a good puncher, but one-dimensional," Mayweather said, as quoted by The Telegraph.

The 30-year-old Pacquiao has taken the mantle as the world’s top P4P fighter ever since Mayweather retired in 2008, validating his status with spectacular triumphs over A-listers like Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Cotto. With his 12th round TKO of Cotto, the Pacman has also earned the distinction of being the first fighter to win a world title in a seventh weight division.

The unbeaten Mayweather has un-retired this year, thoroughly beating an undersized Juan Manuel Marquez in a welterweight clash last September.

With the two superstars disposing of their respective rivals, the boxing world is all eager to see an ultimate showdown between the reigning P4P king, Pacquiao, and the current No. 2 in the Ring Magazine list, Mayweather.

This early, Golden Boy Promotions, which co-promoted the Mayweather-Marquez showdown, is reportedly ready to step in as middleman to negotiate with Pacquiao’s promoter Top Rank.

However, the blockbuster card may encounter major stumbling blocks in terms of share of the purse and PPV (both fighters wanting the lion’s share) and weight (Pacquiao possibly wanting a catch weight of 145 lbs and Mayweather preferring the regular welterweight ceiling of 147 lbs.)

If, in the end, the two camps come to terms, Mayweather boasted he would come out victorious like he did in all his previous fights.

"Can Manny Pacquiao beat me? No, absolutely no. Easy win, easy fight," the 32-year-old fighter said.

This fight, he added, won’t be as exciting, knowing the outcome from the onset.

"If I beat Manny Pacquiao they'll say, 'You're supposed to beat him, you're the bigger man. You supposed to knock him out'. When I beat him, people won't be surprised because he's been beaten before. He's been knocked out twice before," Mayweather said.

“The world will go wild if Floyd Mayweather gets beat, that's what the world is looking to see. They're trying to make a fighter to beat me. I'm a fighter that's never been beaten. I don't get any respect in the sport of boxing," he added.

Pacquiao at this point, though, won’t commit on his next fight, preferring to leave it all up to his promoter, Bob Arum.

Amir Khan may fight Ricky Hatton: to be part of Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather ticket

2009-12-10T10:49:00.000+08:00

By Jason Kim

December 8: Amir Khan may fight Ricky Hatton: to be part of Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather ticket. Pride of Bolton Amir Khan retained his World Boxing Association light-welterweight title by blowing away the undefeated-for-long Dimitry Salita in 76 seconds.

This was the classic show of the great strength that this twenty something boy possesses. Watching him finish off his opponent in minutes is great delight.

But he says he has miles to go and adds that he hasn’t used his full potential yet.

So there is already talk of him and Floyd Mayweather Jr facing each other in not so distant future.

As far as I am concerned that for Floyd Mayweather Jr he will be too fast. Though Floyd Mayweather Jr has several aces up his sleeves, Amir Khan’s power coupled with his speed will be a great advantage for him.

But everything said and done, I still believe that his coach shouldn’t force him in any fight unprepared as at this stage deciding whom to fight and at what time to fight is very important.

At the Metro Radio Arena, the 23-year-old boxer finished off Salita in a shocking left hook that followed a classic left-right combination shot and a chopping overhand shot in a neutral corner.

With this win, Amir Khan stands to take on the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather Jr. However his trainer Fredie Roach and advisers didn’t want to highlight such possibilities. Roach said Amir already was 50 per cent of the fighter he wants to become in his career.

Khan, the 2004 Olympic silver medalist, may take on Argentine boxer Miadana or Vieta Oritz or Juan Díaz in the next match. Amir Khan’s promoter Frank Warren criticized media persons for being obsessed with the comedians who jeered at Khan’s religion.

Amir Khan is now Britain’s third-youngest world champion after Naseem Hamed and Herbie Hide. His family is of Pak origin living in Bolton, Newcastle in England.

Dmitry Salita was never defeated in the last 31 fights. He couldn’t pose a serious challenge to Amir Khan beyond one minute and 16 seconds.

Amir Khan has amazed many people by his brilliant performance against Dmitriy Salita, the Ukrainian boxer who met his first defeat in years. And that too in flat 80 seconds.

Though the performance amazed many including his trainer who could not witness the first knockdown of Dmitriy Salita because it came too fast and he was not able to sit on his chair properly till that time, it did not surprise him.

Within ten seconds into fight and Dmitriy Salita was knocked down. Many people who were enjoying the fight were simply overwhelmed by Amir Khan’s power and his timing.

The young man who celebrates his twenty third birthday today says he has many more miles to go and he hasn’t reached his peak.

He is mechanical said one spectator who was watching the fight.

“It is simply the emergence of a great boxer on the world arena. He is the fastest I have ever seen”, says Mark who watched the fight.

Another boxing buff John says, “I've enjoyed watching Amir's career to date and will enjoy watching him progress over the coming years. There is already talk of a Khan v Hatton. Personally I am a big Hatton fan, but genuinely feel that Khan would win. Hatton would be a good name on Khan's card, but could it also damage him as Hatton is so inactive, ageing and slowing in boxing terms”.

Abe says, “Hatton can still kick someone on the rear, age is not the problem here, it's the training, the right person to train a boxer compensate a good reward. Like Hatton, Mayweather Sr. is not a good trainer, most of his boxer he trained were devastated and lost. Credit goes to Roach and Ariza for Khan's success”.

Bernie says, “Amir Khan has speed, strength and is a better all round boxer. If khan was trained by Mayweather Sr I still think he would still be great.”

A report on his fighting with Dmitriy Salita says, “From the signing of the contract to the delivery of the punch, boxing was, is and always will be about timing. This is Amir Khan's time. In the space of 76 seconds (only 18 more than he himself lasted against Breidis Prescott 15 months ago) the Bolton superstar – for that is what he surely is at last after quieting the few remaining boo boys on Saturday night – not only erased the memory of that defeat and consigned his shocked New York challenger, Dmitriy Salita, to anonymity but also sent a message around the fight game that he is the coming man at 10 stones”.

It was one of the most memorable fight from a boy who had that teenage look when he entered the boxing ring just a couple of years and took on some big names in the UK.

Even now he looked amazingly down to earth and doesn’t boast of his prowess or what is going to do in rings. What he does is he allows his punches speak for him, and by the way more powerfully.

Source

Momentum for Pacquiao-Mayweather megafight grows

2009-12-09T20:00:00.000+08:00

By TIM DAHLBERG

LAS VEGAS — Promoters plan to go to Dallas to meet Wednesday with Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones as the momentum continues to grow for a March 13 megafight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Promoters Bob Arum and Richard Schaefer were to tour the new Dallas Cowboy stadium along with HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg and listen to a proposal from Jones to host the fight, a person close to the promotion said.

Other leading contenders for the fight are the MGM Grand hotel arena in Las Vegas and the Superdome in New Orleans, said the person, who requested anonymity because both sides agreed not to speak publicly during negotiations.

Neither fighter has formally signed for the fight, though both have agreed in principle to terms. Promoters are so confident it will happen that they are also scouting sites in New York City for a Jan. 6 press conference to formally announce the bout.

Most major fights in recent decades have been in Las Vegas, and Pacquiao and Mayweather have fought their biggest fights at the MGM Grand, which seats about 16,000 for boxing. Many in boxing still consider the MGM to have the inside track on landing the fight, but the trip by promoters to Dallas indicates that they believe Jones will make a competitive bid.

The anticipated demand for the fight brings both the Cowboy stadium and Superdome into the equation because they can seat far more people. The Dallas stadium could hold 100,000 or more for a fight, including seats on the football field.

The biggest gate in boxing history was the $18.4 million in tickets sold for Mayweather's 2007 fight with Oscar De La Hoya, and promoters believe they can get a bid of $20 million and more from one of the three contending sites.

Jones said last week he was "still desirous of looking at what we can do here with the fight" at the new $1.2 billion stadium, which landed a Super Bowl, Final Four and Notre Dame home game before it even opened. The stadium's massive high definition television screens would allow even those far from the ring to see the action close up.

Working against any bid by Jones is the lure of Las Vegas, where the biggest fights are usually held. Mayweather lives and trains there, while Pacquiao celebrated his win over Miguel Cotto last month by doing a concert on the city's famed Strip.

Source

Pacman as 2009 SI Sportsman of the Year?

2009-12-09T12:28:00.007+08:00

By Eddie Alinea

Golfer Tiger Woods, basketball superstar Michael Jordan and pound-for-pound best boxer Manny Pacquiao have been honored together many times before.

All three, for instance, have been included in the list of the richest athletes in the world, not to mention the list of the most influential persons in the entire universe.

They also have been in the cover of the TIME Magazine.

The Filipino boxing hero, the only man to win seven world boxing championships in seven separate weight divisions, however, unlike Woods and Jordan, has yet to be named Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year.

Woods made it as SI Sportsman of the year twice – in 1996 when he swept the US National and NCAA championships and in 2000 when he won three major championships, while Jordan in 1991 when he took the NBA MVP, NBA Finals MVP and handing the Chicago Bulls to their first of a series six NBA championships.
According to two of the most respected boxing writers – Michael Marley of Boxing Examiner.com and Norm Fauenheim of 15Rounds.com – Pacquiao, a cinch for the “Fighter of the Year” accolade, should be considered.

Marley went to the extent of recommending to SI editor Terry McDonnel that such an honor be bestowed on the Filipino ring warrior, emphasizing a suggestion of Frauenheim made in an earlier column.

How fitting is Manny for this year’s honor, Marley wrote, is his athletic accomplishments that can match up those of Tiger, Kobe Bryant, Albert Pujols, LeBron James and all the usual candidates from the more mainstream sports.

Wouldn't this big jug look lovely in the Pacman Mansion? Michael Marley says hell, yeah!

Marley went further saying that “what makes Pacquiao different and so worthy of this honor are the factors that SI’s sister publication, Time Magazine, recognized by putting Manny on the cover of its Asian edition recently on the strength of his being the biggest sporting idol 97 million Filipinos have ever had, His good and charitable works including his recent aid for typhoon victims, his coming from a humble bed and never forgets it, and his modesty and his attribution of all his success to a Supreme Being is no act

“No boxer and few athletes have captured the world’s imagination the way Muhammad Ali did in his epic career,” Marley continued. “Muhammad Ali stood for important matters way beyond the thimble world of boxing.”
“Manny Pacquiao is a Muhammad Ali circa 2009 and his influence and popularity continues to grow. Sports Illustrated should slap Pacman on the cover and declare him the 2009 Sportsman of the Year. He clearly deserves it,” the Boxing Examiner writer asserted.

Frauenheim, for his part said,”Critical acclaim for Manny Pacquiao after his stoppage a couple of weeks ago of stubborn Miguel Cotto included a moment in the post-fight news conference that defined the Filipino’s ongoing emergence and pointed toward recognition that he has yet to achieve.”

He quoted Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum called him “boxing’s Tiger Woods’’ and Yahoo columnist Kevin Lole offered an amendment, saying that Tiger Woods is “golf’s Manny Pacquiao.’’

He event suggested that not only Sports Illustrated must name Pacquiao its Sportsman of the year, but, likewise, the Associated Press.

“It’s not often that any athlete can single-handedly captivate a nation. But Pacquiao has. (Roger) Federer, James, Bryant and (New Orleans quarterback Drew) Brees are all terrific athletes and ambassadors for their respective sports. But Pacquiao has become a reason to cheer, almost an island of hope, for Filipinos hit by typhoons in October and political violence during the last week, “ he said.

“I’ve heard a Pacquiao story that might be apocryphal, but it is worth repeating. Warring rebel and government troops call a cease fire when Pacquiao fights so they can watch and/or listen. After it’s over, they go back to war. If that’s even close to true, the Nobel people got the wrong guy when they picked President Barack Obama for their peace prize. It should have gone to Pacquiao,” he wrote.

Source

Pacquiao-Mayweather fight almost set

2009-12-09T11:06:00.000+08:00

NEW YORK — Reuters

An official announcement of a Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao fight is expected to come on Monday after a venue for the world welterweight title fight is decided, according to Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum.

“I'm very optimistic that everything will come together and we'll have an announcement by next Monday,” Arum told Reuters in a telephone interview on Tuesday.

“I think it's going to be the biggest fight of all time, certainly from a revenue standpoint. It could gross a couple of hundred million (U.S. dollars).”

The pair are considered the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world.

American Mayweather, who has won titles at five different weight classes, has a 40-0 record. Filipino Pacquiao improved to 50-3-2 when he became the first to win titles in seven classes when he stopped Miguel Cotto last month to win the WBO welterweight crown.

Arum said both fighters were on board for a March 13 clash that could generate hundreds of millions of dollars and become the biggest ever boxing promotion.

“We don't want to do an official announcement until we know where the fight's going to be held,” said Arum. “That's what we're exploring this week.

“Tomorrow we'll be in Dallas visiting with (Dallas Cowboys owner) Jerry Jones at Cowboys Stadium and hopefully by Monday of next week we'll have a venue and a deal in place.

“I know that Jerry Jones has really worked on the possibility and that's why we're meeting with him tomorrow.”

The new $1.3-billion Cowboys Stadium seats about 73,000.

Arum said there were other contenders to host the bout.

“There's the MGM in Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, that is the only possibility because the outdoor stadium will not work in March.

“We have heard but haven't really explored the (Louisiana) Superdome in New Orleans and the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Source

Jinkee gets 'peace offering' from Manny Pacquiao

2009-12-09T10:33:00.000+08:00

by Mario Dumaual, abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines -- How does Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao patch things up with his wife Jinkee? With diamonds, no less.

Jinkee Pacquiao was seen sporting a diamond-encrusted ring during the opening of the Pacquiao couple's new novelty shop in Manila on Tuesday.

The wide silver band was reportedly a "peace offering" from Manny, after the couple had several public tiffs due to rumors of the boxer's alleged affair with actress Krista Ranillo.

"Nagulat na lang ako at naisip niyang magbigay [ng singsing]. Happy naman ako. At least may gift ako this Christmas. (I was surprised that Manny thought to give me a ring. I'm happy. At least I have a gift this Christmas)," Jinkee said, laughing.

In a July 2009 feature by the Inquirer, Jinkee had also stated that a Rolex watch she had worn that particular day was both a birthday gift and a "peace offering" from her husband. Rolex watches cost around P90,000 or more.

In the same report, Jinkee had answered questions about her husband's alleged infidelity and how she deals with jealousy in her marriage.

Those issues seemed far behind them on Tuesday's event, however, as the Pacquiao couple seemed happy and relaxed when they jointly answered questions from reporters.

Strengthened bond

In interviews with ABS-CBN News, the Pacquiao couple said their business partnership, with their new novelty shop, showed a "strengthened bond between them as man and wife."

Asked how much he loves his wife, Pacquiao answered: "Siyempre mahal na mahal ko 'yan. Asawa ko 'yan eh. Marami na kaming mga anak. (Of course I really love her. She's my wife. We have many children.)"

As for Jinkee, she said she loves Manny "200%." "Tinatanong pa ba 'yon? Siyempre, [mahal ko siya] 200%," she said with a playful swat on Manny's cheek when he said she loves him at a lower percentage.

As far as Jinkee is concerned, she has reportedly moved on from the Krista Ranillo controversy. She said all she cares about is keeping her family solid.

“Kailangan, for my family, for my children, I will survive. Kailangan i-surpass ko ang lahat. Kailangan maging strong lang talaga. Test lang ito ng Panginoon sa amin. I know naman na the Lord wants us (Manny and Jinkee) to be together,” she said.

(For my family, for my children, I will survive. I need to surpass every challenge. I need to be strong. God is just testing us. I know the Lord wants us to be together.)

She said she hopes the public will put rumors of Manny Pacquiao's extra-marital affairs to rest.

“Tapos na iyon, tuldok na iyon, period na. Wala nang question mark sa isip ng mga tao. (That's done. It has a period at the end. There are no question marks in the minds of the people),” she said.

Source

Pacquiao-Mayweather ticket to cost a fortune

2009-12-09T10:26:00.001+08:00

By NICK GIONGCO

A ringside seat to the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather super fight next year will amount to the annual income of a minimum wage earner.

Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum told the Bulletin Sunday that a premium seat in the March 13, 2010 welterweight title fight will cost $2,500 (P117,500), while the cheapest will be sold at $500, assuming the fight is held at the 17,000-seat MGM Grand.

If the fight is held, say, at the 80,000-capacity Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the price of the seat would remain the same, while the inexpensive seat will be sold lower than $500.

Arum said a meeting with Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) Chief Executive Officer Richard Schaefer, who represents Mayweather, will be held Monday followed by an inspection of the Cowboys Stadium near Dallas by him and Top Rank officials is scheduled On Wednesday.

“We would know the venue by the end of this week,” said Arum, stressing that billionaire Jerry Jones, who owns the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League, is more than willing to put up a juicy offer that could rival even Las Vegas’ proposal.

The $2,500 appears to be the most expensive ticket to a boxing event as it is slightly higher than the top seat – $2,400 – that was peddled during the June 2002 heavyweight match between Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis.

Should Arum stick to the hefty price, it would be much higher than the $2,000 seat that was sold during the Oscar De La Hoya-Mayweather tiff that took place in May 2007.

Pacquiao and Mayweather are assured of $25 million each and their earnings could go up to as high as $40 million apiece depending on the pay-per-view sales.

Source

Pacquiao stakes WBO title vs Floyd

2009-12-09T10:23:00.004+08:00

By Abac Cordero (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao’s WBO welterweight crown will be on the line against Floyd Mayweather Jr.

This means that the fight, set on March 13, 2010, will be at 147 lb and nothing more as reports came out yesterday that Mayweather wants the fight held at 154 lb, and with 10 ounce gloves, not 8 ounce.

“That (154) is unrealistic because we agreed at 147. Manny’s title will be at stake,” said Pacquiao’s Canadian adviser Mike Koncz, the only other guy in the room when Pacquiao sat down with his promoter, Bob Arum, the other day.

During that meeting, the Filipino pound-for-pound champion agreed to face Mayweather on March 13, or barely 120 days after he destroyed Miguel Cotto in 12 rounds and won a record seventh world title in seven different weight divisions.

Reports also said Pacquiao agreed to a 50-50 split with Mayweather. But Koncz did not comment on this, saying it’s “confidential.” It’s not yet clear if both fighters have signed the fight contract.

Pacquiao agreed to the fight despite the May 10, 2010 elections. And it’s not a bad decision because the campaign period for local positions won’t begin until March 26 up to May 8. The fight is over before the campaign period starts.

Pacquiao will seek a congressional seat in his home province of Sarangani in the May 10 elections but whether he could translate a victory against Mayweather into votes remains a very serious question.

In 2007, Pacquiao knocked out Jorge Solis in San Antonio, Texas in April, and the following month came the elections where he ran as congressman in Gen. Santos City, and lost to Darlene Custodio.

But against Mayweather, he’ll be a sure winner -- money-wise.

Koncz said Pacquiao and Mayweather could earn from $30 million to $50 million each for this fight which may be considered as “the fight of the century” in terms of the attention and the money it could generate, especially in the pay-per-view aspect.

The fight could easily surpass the 2.44 million buys of the Mayweather vs Oscar dela Hoya of 2007, and if it does then there’s more than a hundred million dollars to divide among HBO and the two camps.

There should be a rematch clause in the contract as well, and fight fans may be looking at the start of a trilogy that could rank with the best there is – Ali vs Frazier, Leonard vs Duran and Barrera vs Morales among others.

Pacquiao weighed in at 144 lb when he fought Cotto while Mayweather, the undefeated ex-pound-for-pound champion, weighed in at 146 lb when he went up against Juan Manuel Marquez last September. Making 147 shouldn’t be a problem for both.

Koncz said Pacquiao will start taking it easy as he gears up for the fight, despite the fact that his birthday’s coming up on Dec. 17, then the Christmas holidays and the birthday of his wife, Jinkee, on the first week of January.

“He’s got to put his mind into it and start getting in shape. There can be some late nights playing billiards but nothing outrageous. Then eight weeks before the fight he can start training. Maybe in Baguio,” said Koncz.

Pacquiao, the Canadian adviser said, is bound for Abu Dahbi in the coming days to meet with the Royal families. He should be doing a mini-concert there, but a visit should be enough now considering that there’s a fight being made.

Then a family vacation might come before Christmas, but where the Pacquiaos would spend it remains in the drawing board.

Source

Freddie Roach wants Amir Khan on Pacquiao v Mayweather bill

2009-12-09T10:23:00.000+08:00

by Dan Hunter

Amir Khan´s trainer Freddie Roach wants the 22 year old WBA light-welterweight champion to make the next defense of his title on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao Floyd Mayweather mega-fight that has been penciled in for Las Vegas on March 13th and would be Khan´s US debut.

Roach said;

"´I would love for Amir to fight on the undercard of Manny's next fight. Amir would be ready by March, no problem, for another world title defense. There are a lot of big names for him now, here in Britain, and in the States. Juan Manuel Marquez is one, while Jose Luis Castillo is making a comeback and has told me he wants to fight Amir. The only guy I don't want him to fight is Manny and I want him to spar with him before Mayweather. Amir's speed is good for Manny and Amir is the only guy who can keep up with Manny in the gym. When they train, they are like machines."

The early stages of the negotiations for what could be the richest fight in boxing history have gone remarkably well. The fight will be at full welterweight (147lbs) and Mayweather will get the 25 feet ring he has demanded. The negotiations over the purse split are unlikely to go as smoothly.

Early big fight odds; Mayweather 4/6, Pacquiao 11/10 at bet365

Source

Pacquiao beating Floyd is Arum's birthday wish

2009-12-09T09:18:00.000+08:00

GMANews.TV

Top Rank big boss Bob Arum has only one wish when he celebrates his 78th birthday on Dec. 8 and that is for Manny Pacquiao to beat Floyd Mayweather Jr. when the two collide in next year’s mega-buck showdown.

"I hope this fight will be a great fight and I hope that it ends with the referee counting 10 over Mr. Mayweather," he said.

Both fighters have yet to sign the deal as Arum is set to prepare the contract that Pacquiao and Mayweather will be signing before the first scheduled press conference on Jan. 11 next year.

Arum said the Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown, set on March 13, is the biggest fight that he would promote in his four decades in the business. It can even be compared to some of the greatest fights that took place in the past, he said.

"For our time it’s the biggest fight people have been talking about, Manny vs Mayweather. It has great deal of anticipation and it reminds me of when (Sugar Ray) Leonard first fought (Thomas) Hearns for the first time or when (Muhammad) Ali fought (Joe) Frazier. It has that type of feeling."

Though both fighters can expect a hefty paycheck once they seal the deal, Arum said the seven-division champ Pacquiao has a higher goal when he decided to fight Mayweather.

"Is this fight all about money for Pacquiao? Naturally for professional boxing its just that were boxers want to be compensated," said Arum, who felt finally relieved after finally convincing Pacquiao to accept what boxing observers call the “Fight of the Millennium."

"But for Manny this fight is even more. This fight will eliminate any doubt on who the best pound-for-pound fighter is," added Arum, who said that Pacquiao has long wanted to face the still undefeated and former P4P title holder Mayweather.

Arum said he did not have a hard time convincing both fighters to accept the deal.

“I knew last time I took him to see the Cotto-Clottey fight, he (Pacquiao) said he wanted to fight Cotto. But I knew before, that he wanted to fight Mayweather." "It was my job to get everything cleared out of the way. So it was done in the best possible terms." Arum said that Pacquiao is expected to collect $40 million or close to P2 billion.

Source

Florante: "Manny Pacquiao will only destroy himself in politics"

2009-12-08T12:24:00.000+08:00

By Granville Ampong

Brief notes - I had a wonderful night last Saturday sharing thoughts with one of the most admired singers-songwriters of the Philippines. As soon as the attendees of the concert left the venue after buying his CDs and having him signed his autographs on them respectively, I had to accompany this same man, along with his wife and youngest daughter to the parking lot. In his usual down-to-earth stance, Florante de Leon had just helped the Adventist University of the Philippines Alumni Association of North America's fund-raising campaign for the victims of typhoon "Ondoy" in the Philippines. His performance, along with some local talents, rekindled the hearts of both young and old at the White Memorial Church in Los Angeles, California.

A man of genial disposition, Florante de Leon, popularly known simply as "Florante", who emerged as the early leading exponent of Pinoy folk-rock during DZRJ-AM radio boom in Manila in the 1970s, admonished Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao not to delve into politics.

"Pacquiao can help the poor Filipinos even without getting into politics," said Florante when asked by this writer about his views of Pacquiao who is bent on running for an elective post this 2010 Philippine Elections. "He should just focus on his boxing career or simply retire from boxing."

Conversely, "Manny Pacquiao will only destroy himself in politics and he will create disunity among the people," said Florante whose witty stage patter and memorable lyrics reveal a weathered and multi-talented performer, a “one-man-show” plucking his guitar.

Florante is a Filipino folk singer, guitarist, songwriter. He is most famous for composing the hit ballad, "Handog" (translation: offering) and several other enduring modern Filipino songs, including "Ako'y Isang Pinoy" (translation: I am a Filipino), "Abakada" (translation: abc), "Digmaan" (translation: war) and "Pinay" (translation: Filipina). Other singers-songwriters in his wake during the emergence of OPM include Freddie Aquilar and Heber Bartolome.

To view a part of his rendition, please click this link: http://www.viddler.com/explore/maharlikan/videos/1/

Source

Manny Pacquiao is Overrated! An Early Look at Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather

2009-12-08T09:10:00.000+08:00

by Nathan Nau

Before Pacquiao vs. Mayweather is Signed… Is There a Chance That Manny Pacquiao is Overrated?

The legacy of Manny Pacquiao has yet to be determined. Will he be remembered as pound for pound one of the greatest fighters in boxing history or for his lavish life style? One thing is certain, the Filipino sensation covets the bright lights, whether it’s winning championships in seven different weight classes, traveling with a giant entourage, being on the cover of Time Magazine or having aspirations of becoming President of the Philippines.

The great mathematician Democritus once stated: “I would rather discover one scientific fact than become King of Persia.” I sadly, but admittedly, will never become the King of Persia or President of the Philippines, but after analyzing Pacquiao’s boxing career one fact becomes apparent – a statistically significant argument can be made that the current pound-for-pound kingpin is either slightly overrated or his opponents have been strategically selected.

One fact that cannot be argued is on average Manny Pacquiao has been fighting opponents that are considerably older, have been recently defeated or are statistically proven to be on the decline. Since his last loss, Pacquiao, 30, has gone on an eleven fight winning streak, with his opponent’s average age being 31. During the winning streak, Pacquiao’s average age at the time each respective bout took place was 28. A three year age advantage may seem minute, but boxers that have consistent success in the lower weight classes typically have tremendous speed. Pacquiao is known for, and does have world-class speed in his repertoire, but does consistently fighting opponents in their early 30’s help protect and even boost his speed advantage?

In addition to an age advantage, statistics prove that Pacquiao has been fighting opponents that have been recently defeated or are on the decline. During his present winning streak, the average winning percentage of Pacquiao’s opponents throughout their entire career is an impressive 94%. However, when further analyzing the data it becomes apparent that the average winning percentage of Pacquiao’s opponents during the five fights leading up to the their respective bout declines to 84% and the average winning percentage of his opponents after their bout took place, not including the loss to Pacquiao, drops to a measly 67%. Considering the data at hand, can the argument be made that Pacquiao is consistently fighting opponents that are older, statistically on the decline and have been recently defeated?

Attacking Pacquiao’s opponents is a logical choice to the argument that he is overrated. Why hasn’t the score been settled with a game and willing Juan Manuel Marquez? Why did Pacquiao fight a recently defeated and in some cases “over-the-hill” Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya and Marco Antonio Barrera?

Insiders within the sport will profoundly point out that tougher match-ups exist for Pacquiao, such as Shane Mosley or the much younger Andre Berto. Rumors are swirling that Arum and Pacquiao are even interested in moving up to the 154lb division in an attempt to become an eight division world champion. Pacquiao’s opponent of choice in this dangerous move: of course, the unheralded Yuri Foreman. If Pacquiao wants a challenge, how does a David versus Goliath match-up with the giant Paul Williams sound?

On average Manny Pacquiao’s opponents are older, on the decline or carefully selected – certainly. However, what does that really mean? Pacquiao cannot control that his competition are fighting other champions or top contenders, hence the losses, or that Bob Arum is thinking about money, his fighters legacy, and money again when deliberating on his next bout. One thing is certain, Pacquiao is a great fighter and the only outstanding item worth deliberating is where the Filipino phenom ranks versus the legends of boxing?

Presumably, on January 11th, two fighters will be in New York City to announce a mega fight that will take place on March 13 of 2010 and will not only settle the score of who is pound-for-pound the best fighter in the world today, but where Pacquiao, and even Floyd Mayweather’s, rightful ranks is among the legends of the sport of boxing. Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao would be one of the biggest fights of the last 25 years, undoubtedly.

So is Manny Pacquiao overrated? You can decide for yourself.

Source

Mayweather vs Pacquiao match is ON!

2009-12-08T08:55:00.000+08:00

by Richard Neil Ilagan

Undefeated boxing champ Floyd Mayweather Jr. and seven-title boxing great Manny Pacquiao have finally reached an agreement for a boxing match, after much deliberation from both sides.

Both parties have agreed to hold a title match on March 13, 2010, with a prize pot split at an even 50-50. Both fighters are guaranteed $25 million, with a chance to reach $30 to $50 million, depending on ticket sales. At this rate, the fight is expected to match profit records from the Mayweather – Oscar de la Hoya bout back in 2007.

Mayweather (40-0-0, 25 KOs) will have to defend his undefeated title against Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs).

Pacquiao was recently victorious over Miguel Cotto, winning his seventh title belt back in November.

While negotiations have been ongoing with both the Pacquiao and Mayweather camps, Pacquiao had been preparing his campaign to run for a congressional seat in the Philippine province of Saranggani.

Source

Manny Pacquiao lines up $50m feast of a fight with Floyd Mayweather

2009-12-08T07:53:00.000+08:00

by Kevin Mitchell

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr, acclaimed as the two best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, have agreed in principle to split $50m (£30.3m) up front in a fight scheduled for 13 March at an American venue yet to be decided.

No contracts have been signed, according to Pacquiao's financial adviser Michael Koncz, who says that there is "fine-tuning" to be done in negotiations yet. But such is the hunger for what is potentially the biggest money-spinner in boxing history, that the pressure to reach an agreement will be intense. Total revenue, including pay-per-view, could hit $150m.

Possible venues are the Superdome in New Orleans, the new Dallas Cowboys' stadium, the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and a yet-to-be-built 30,000-seat stadium near the Wynn casino down the Strip from the MGM.

Bob Arum, the veteran promoter who has put on some of the biggest fights of the last quarter of a century, is the man conducting talks with Mayweather's people on behalf of Pacquiao. He presented the details of his discussions so far to Pacquaio over breakfast in Manila today .

"Manny has some additional requirements, requests, which [Bob] Arum didn't think was a problem," Koncz said. "The requests of Manny were so realistic that Arum doesn't feel it's a problem and it's pretty much a done deal. We all believe that it will be done."

Pacquiao told the local GMA TV, "13 March is OK. The difference between Floyd and others I have fought is that Floyd makes a lot of trash talk that should not be imitated by young people."

There are, as ever, obstacles. Not the least of these is the stubbornness of the principles. They are both notoriously difficult to deal with. Mayweather has not adopted the nickname "Money" for show. The timing is also problematical. Such an early date leaves only the bare minimum time for the promoters to sell the fight.

HBO, which will carry it, will want to promote the bout with its trademark 24/7 reality series, backgrounders on the lives and preparations of each fighter and their families. It is compelling – and time-consuming. Pacquiao and Mayweather will have to fit their training schedules around filming and a welter of press conferences as HBO seeks to maximise pay-per-view hits. It could turn into a logistical nightmare.

It seems that Pacquiao has set the date – as he is running for a congressional seat in May, and will launch his campaign in April.

Source

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather JR Agree to Fight in March 2010

2009-12-08T07:52:00.000+08:00

By Geno McGahee

RSR got word from a reliable source that the super bout that the world is demanding will take place in March of 2010. The teams are currently working out the specifics but have tentatively agreed to a showdown early next year, which shouldn’t be a surprise to any boxing fan.

What other fight does either man have that the boxing public would want? Floyd Mayweather, JR., could take on the winner of Shane Mosley-Andre Berto, but it will not attract the masses and will not settle the score. The people are divided and even the biggest fans of each fighter are not certain of who will come out victorious.

There are arguments to be made on each side. You have Floyd’s defensive genius, timing, underrated power, and ability to adapt versus Manny’s speed, crushing power, timing, and ability to adapt. Both men have found ways to win and have not suffered defeats, ever, in Floyd’s case, and hardly ever in Manny’s. The losses to Pacquiao, outside of the decision defeat to Erik Morales (which was avenged twice by knockout), were early on in his career and cannot be considered when going into this showdown.

Even when you point to the defeat at the hands of Erik Morales, you have to admit that Pacquiao is a much better fighter now then he was at that point. He is more developed and more dangerous. His confidence is through the roof after his three straight knockout wins over popular and established warriors: Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto.

Floyd needs this fight with Manny more than the other way around. There have been several instances throughout the career where Floyd took the easier money and elected not to face off against an opponent the people hoped he would. Antonio “Hands of Plaster” Margarito comes to mind. You cannot fault him for being a great businessman, but there is some sketchiness when you analyze the opponents he chose and when he chose to fight them.

Even his last opponent, Juan Manuel Marquez, was a safe and smart choice for his return. Marquez nearly beat Manny Pacquiao on two occasions, and since Floyd is always under the threat of the Filipino, he perhaps thought a dominant win over Marquez would silence the people. It hasn’t. Marquez had nearly zero chance of upsetting Floyd due to his size and style. Marquez had to be the aggressor, which is something that he is not comfortable doing and his weaknesses in that department were exploited quite nicely by Mayweather.

Mayweather made a point in that fight that he did better against Marquez, but the same can be said about Manny and his performances against De La Hoya and Hatton. He destroyed them both as Floyd struggled at times. What does all this mean?

Nothing.

Styles make fights and the style match up between Manny and Floyd seems perfect on paper. You have the aggressive and quick Pacquiao, trying to find a way in and you have Floyd, trying to counterpunch the quickest fighter he has ever faced. Considering that Zab Judah beat him to the punch on several occasions bodes well for Pacquiao, but Floyd is a better boxer than Marquez and has a lot more savvy…this is why this bout is so intriguing. Enjoy the fight, but don’t put too much money on it. It looks like a pick’em to me.

There are so many things that can be examined going into this fight and they will be. Because the fans are cut down the middle, both siding with their fighter to win the bout, and both citing reasons, publications will turn over every stone to try to predict an outcome.

What is promising for Pacquiao’s fans is his ability to put punches together in combinations and from different angles. Floyd loves fighting guys like Arturo Gatti and Carlos Baldomir, men that throw one or two punches at a time and they come at a snail’s pace. Pacquiao is a speed demon and it is debatable if Floyd can dodge them all. It is possible that Floyd’s counters won’t be fast enough and that he will be hit while trying to hit return fire.

A weak chin can be put to rest too. Manny Pacquiao took shots from a very strong and powerful Miguel Cotto and didn’t flinch. He won’t drop on one punch from Mayweather, but Mayweather doesn’t just throw one punch either. He will launch in with that left hook, which is a punch that Manny is open for. Unfortunately for the Pacman, that is Floyd’s best punch and if it lands, it could send him into a series of punches by “Money Mayweather.”

The best piece of evidence supporting the Floyd fans and their contention that he will win is the Miguel Cotto fight. It is Manny’s most recent outing and although he won it in spectacular and dominating fashion, there is something in there that should be pointed out.

In the first round, Cotto controlled Manny and easily won the round. He used his jab and a tight defense to keep the bout under control, but he did little after that. Did Manny adjust that well or did Cotto lose focus? Floyd never loses focus and if he gets control, he will be able to maintain it much better than Cotto.

A toss up. A “pick’em.” Whatever way you cut it, this is the bout that the public wants to see. The two very best in the sport going head to head in their primes. I, like all of you cannot wait and am happy to say with some confidence that it is close to be delivered.

A March showdown between Floyd and Manny will begin 2010 with a bang. The biggest fight in probably 10 years of boxing will take place for all the pound for pound marbles. The momentum is with Pacquiao, but he has never faced a puzzle like Mayweather. This is the type of fight that you would hope would reinstate the 15 round limit. It is a classic showdown, much like Thomas Hearns – Sugar Ray Leonard and should be treated as such.

Source

Pacquiao, Floyd fight a done deal?

2009-12-08T07:51:00.000+08:00

By NICK GIONGCO

Negotiations for the mouth-watering March 13, 2010 fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. took a giant step towards completion Friday after promoter Bob Arum emerged smiling after meeting with the Filipino star.

“I met with Manny this morning and my next step is to go back to the US to meet with the Mayweather people to finalize the arrangements. That’s as far as I want to go and we have an understanding with the Mayweather people until we finalize everything,” Arum said during a press conference that also formally announced a TV partnership between ABS-CBN and Top Rank.

Arum politely declined to go further but the tone of his voice suggested that Pacquiao and Mayweather are on the same page.

“You can interpret it the way you like it but you can see a smile on my face that means I am not disappointed,” said Arum, who had initially met with Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) CEO Richard Schaefer before coming to the country.

Schaefer is being allowed by Mayweather to represent him in negotiations with Arum even though he is not under the GBP banner. Mayweather, however, has dealt a couple of times with the Oscar De La Hoya-owned GBP.

“This is going to be one of the biggest fights financially,” stressed Arum, who aims to finalize the deal with Mayweather’s camp in the next two weeks.

If everything falls into place, Arum said a major press conference will be held sometime in January and because of time constraints, there would be no more multi-city promotional tours.

On another note, Arum said that Roy Chiongbian, who will be contesting the lone congress seat of Sarangani in next year’s polls, should make a sacrifice.

“I just hope that Manny would be focused and I think his opponent would do everybody a service to the great country of the Philippines by withdrawing from the race so it could take Manny’s mind off politics but that’s just my opinion. I am not a Filipino and I can’t tell everyone what to do but this guy Manny is running against should do everybody a favor.”

Meanwhile, Arum’s deal with ABS-CBN would allow the giant network to broadcast major Top Ranks cards mainly from the US and Mexico, some of which will feature Filipino fighters.

But Pacquiao fights remain in GMA-7 and Solar Sports’ domain.

The two television outfits and Pacquiao signed a new contract which gives GMA-7 and Solar the rights to broadcast his fights until 2013.

Solar Entertainment President Wilson Tieng confirmed Pacquiao’s signing of a renewal contract with their company in an interview yesterday.

“A few months ago, (Manny) renewed his contract. So, Solar's contract with Pacquiao is up to 2013. Hindi lang ito na-publicize,” Tieng said.

Should the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, which experts have been calling the "Fight of the Century," push through, viewers will be able to watch it for free on GMA Network and Solar Sports.

“We are tied up with Manny until 2013. Whether against Mayweather or whoever else, Solar will still have the airing rights for the Philippines. With our partnership, we’ll still air the fights on GMA and Solar TV,” said Solar COO Peter Chanliong.

Source

Manny Pacquiao set to meet Floyd Mayweather in March

2009-12-08T07:49:00.000+08:00

Five-weight world champion Manny Pacquiao and unbeaten American Floyd Mayweather are set to meet on 13 March, according to the Filipino's promoter.

Michael Koncz, who is in charge of Pacquaio's promotional company, says the 30-year-old has agreed to a March proposal from promoter Bob Arum.

"We all believe that it will be done," Koncz told GMA television.

If the 'super fight' goes ahead, it will match the two men regarded as the world's best pound-for-pound fighters.

"Arum presented what he thought was the best proposal he can bring during a two-hour breakfast meeting with Pacquiao in Manila," added Koncz.

"Manny has some additional requirements, requests, which Arum didn't think was a problem.

"The requests of Manny were so realistic that Arum doesn't feel it's a problem and it's pretty much a done deal."

Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach, who is preparing Britain's Amir Khan for his first WBA light-welterweight defence on Saturday, also confirmed the date.

"I talked to Arum and Manny is happy with that date and I can't wait to get started," Roach told Sky Sports.

"It will be the biggest fight of all time and Amir Khan will help us get ready for the fight with his speed a lot like Mayweather's."

But Roach confirmed that the fight was not a done deal but was closer to being finalised.

"There will always be negotiation and there are issues such as weight, but they can always be solved," added Roach.

"It is would be a tough fight and we will need to set some traps and work on some strategies. But it is a fight Manny wants, he is very confident he can beat Floyd."

Pacquiao last fought in November beating Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas. The Filipino stopped his Puerto Rican opponent in the 12th round of their WBO welterweight clash at the MGM Grand with a stunning display.

Mayweather, 32, returned to the ring for the first time in 21 months with a unanimous points victory over Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas with a classy performance.

Pacquiao is running for a congressional seat in the May 2010 elections and official campaigning will not start before April, making the March date convenient for the Filipino.

No venue has been decided for the mega fight but representatives of the Superdome in New Orleans and the new Dallas Cowboys' stadium have expressed interest in hosting the fight, as has the MGM Grand hotel-casino in Las Vegas, where the pair have fought their biggest fights.

There is also a proposal for a 30,000-seater temporary stadium on the Las Vegas Strip across from the Wynn resort.

Source

It will take a special fighter to beat Floyd Mayweather Jr.

2009-12-07T16:44:00.001+08:00

By Dar Mead

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is so good defensively and so precise with his punches it looks like he can predict his opponents next move before it even happens.

Watching him systematically break down one of the best counter punchers of our time in Juan Manuel Marquez was a sight to see, Floyd landed when he wanted and rarely ever got touched, remember Marquez was the same guy who gave Manny Pacquiao two of his toughest fights.

Mayweather Jr. came off an almost 2 year layoff and looked even better then he did against Ricky Hatton. The rest did his body good, he had time to let his body recuperate, no sign of ring rust at all.

But even though he looks simply flawless and unbeatable he can be beaten and it takes a special fighter to do so.

It will take a fighter who is unpredictable and awkward, a fighter who could do what Zab Judah did in the first 4 rounds but get more relentless and more energized as the fight goes on, a fighter who does not break down mentally, someone who has hand speed, power, and determination and will not back down from a few landed counter punches.

That fighter in my opinion is Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao. I strongly believe his style would give Mayweather Jr. big problems. Manny punches from odd angles, he is a speedy, powerful, southpaw, he has fast awkward footwork that can offset Mayweather’s timing.

Even Floyd Mayweathers own father feels Pacman is a threat, anytime someone accuses a guy of steroids its already an excuse. Mayweather Sr. already stated before he wouldn’t want his son to fight Pacquiao because he might be on steroids. To me that sounds like a cop out. What he is basically saying is don’t let my son fight that guy because he might beat him up.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a defensive great. Manny Pacquiao is a offensive great. When and if these two collide it will be so intriguing, will it be tactical, can Manny get his rhythm going, or will Floyd just counter punch him and run?

Below is a animated gif of one of Manny’s awkward unpredictable combos, Cotto’s guard was similar to how Mayweather Jr. covers up, the left side of his face is exposed. The right hand of Pacquiao lands on Cotto’s open side and drops him. That punch could land on Mayweather Jr. if he decides to use his shell with Manny.

After watching Pacquiao vs. Cotto, Pacman showed he too is intelligent, he was able to adjust to Miguel Cotto’s Jab, and he proved he could take heavy punches and punch back right after. That will be something that Mayweather Jr. has yet to face. If Floyd counter punches Manny, he better hit him with all he has or put Manny away, because after Floyd lands a combo I guarantee you Manny Pacquiao will be on that ass with a combo of his own.

I know Manny has never fought a guy like Mayweather Jr., but I feel that Manny will shock a lot of people just like he shocked people when he beat Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto.

Source

Pacquiao earns P1.3 billion

2009-12-06T16:28:00.000+08:00

PPV generated 1.25 million buys
By DENNIS PRINCIPE

Manny Pacquiao shows off two of his championship belts as he was conferred the Order of Sikatuna by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during ceremonies at the Quirino Grandstand last Friday. (AP)

Manny Pacquiao shows off two of his championship belts as he was conferred the Order of Sikatuna by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during ceremonies at the Quirino Grandstand last Friday. (AP)

Here’s one billion reasons why Manny Pacquiao should maximize his remaining potential earnings inside the ring.

Bob Arum, in a report by ESPN reveals Pacquiao will receive $22 million now that the official Pay-Per-View counting is about to be concluded.

Convert that to Philippine peso and that will translate to a whopping P1.3 billion based on yesterday’s 46.8 peso-dollar rate.

Arum’s estimation is based on an official HBO announcement that Pacquiao’s latest win over Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto generated 1.25 million buys and $70 million in domestic revenues.

The report said the numbers would still slightly increase as all other buys have still to be officially audited. Of the total PPV buys, 650,000 came from cable homes while 600,000 were from satellite feeds.

The official tally is sure to heat up the proposed megabout between the current pound-for-pound king Pacquiao and the once-retired but still undefeated former PPV ruler Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

“The way I look at it now, boxing is really on a roll,” Arum said. “We would be idiots now to slow the momentum and the only way we can keep the momentum is to make this fight.”

HBO sports president Ross Greenburg told the Associated Press that both Mayweather and Pacquiao owe it to the boxing public when it comes to realizing their commitment to the sport that gave them their current celebrity status.

“They have to deliver. The American public wants that fight. The two best pound-for-pound fighters in the world in the same weight class in the prime of their careers. It just doesn’t get any better than that,” Greenburg said.

Who gets the larger share of the pie is one issue that may hinder this gigantic bout but most experts privy to major boxing deals said a 50-50 split would be a fair deal for both Pacquiao and Mayweather if they soon realize how high the total revenue of their proposed fight would be.

On the side of Pacquiao, his political ambition as well as family matters are making the Filipino sensation hold back any official announcement about his future.

Pacquiao’s mother Aling Dionisia, who like his son is now into movies, has urged the boxing superstar to finally hang up his gloves and avoid any physical harm.

But surprisingly Pacquiao’s wife Jinkee said she wants his husband to fight one more time and shut the mouth of Mayweather in a stunning NBN-4 interview during last Saturday’s live coverage at the Quirino Grandstand.

“Siguro isa pang laban at nang matigil na ang yabang ni Mayweather,” Jinkee told NBN’s Snow Badua. “Kung dati confident ako sa mga laban ni Manny, I think yung fight kay Mayweather na siguro ako pinaka-confident.”

Boxing’s poster boy Oscar De La Hoya, after suffering humiliating losses to Mayweather and Pacquiao in his last two marquee fights also wants his tormentors to fight each other.

Already a successful promoter via his Golden Boy Promotions (GBP), De La Hoya sees no sane reason why the highly-anticipated bout will not happen next year.

Source

Pacquiao earns P1B from Cotto fight

2009-12-05T16:40:00.000+08:00

abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA – Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao will end up making $22 million or P1.03 billion for his 12th-round demolition of Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto last week.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum gave the new figure to ESPN.com after cable giant Home Box Office (HBO) said that the Pacquiao-Cotto “Firepower” generated 1.25 million pay-per-view (PPV) buys for a total worth of $70 million.

Despite losing his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown to Pacquiao, Cotto is estimated to receive $12 million for the fight.

The Firepower match was the third straight “blockbuster pay-per-view fight” for Pacquiao, who also scored 1.25 million PPV buys for his 8th-round beating of Oscar de la Hoya in December 2008, and 830,000 buys for his 2nd-round knockout of Ricky Hatton in May.

The Pacquiao-Cotto fight also generated a live gate of $8,847,550 from an official crowd of 15,930, according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

The 12th-round technical knockout (TKO) by Pacquiao marked his seventh world title in as many different weight classes.

However, Pacquiao's legal counsel Jeng Gacal said his client's earnings are still subject to cuts such as taxation and other fees.

"Kung anong nababasa nyo sa dyaryo, hindi yun ang income ni Manny. Una, kailangan nya magbayad ng tax sa Amerika so less 30 percent sa Amerika. And then he has to pay his coach, na alam naman nating 10 percent, so that's already 40 percent. May iba pang gastos sa mga tao," said Gacal.

PPV numbers ups urgency for Pacman-Floyd
The PPV numbers upped the urgency for all parties to get together for a clash between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., whose bout against Juan Manuel Marquez generated 1.05 million pay-per-view purchases in September.

Arum said a Pacquiao-Mayweather match will add to the resurgence of interest in the sport.

"The way I look at it now, boxing is really on a roll," Arum said. "We would be idiots now to slow the momentum, and the only way we can keep the momentum is to make this fight."

Pacquiao said Saturday that negotiations for his possible fight against Mayweather have already started.

"Nag-uusap na sila nina Bob Arum at Mayweather promoter. Nag-uusap na sila (Bob Arum and Mayweather's promoter are now talking)," Pacquiao said in a phone interview with Vice-President Noli de Castro over radio dzMM.

Pacquiao, who arrived in General Santos City on Saturday, said he will be informed about the results of the initial talks next month.

The Filipino boxer said earlier his camp was not trying to force a fight with Mayweather. He said that he would have to wait for a challenge from former pound-for-pound king before going into formal talks for their fight.

Pacquiao also boasted that his fights score more on pay-per-view.

Coach Freddie Roach earlier said they would have to engage in very tough negotiations with Mayweather because the American boxer believes he is the attraction and deserves more money.

Roach, however, pointed out that Pacquiao has all the leverage in the possible match-up because of his boxing style, which brings in more viewers. With reports from Joseph Pimentel, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau, and Agence France-Presse

Source

Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather – March 13 , 2010

2009-12-05T09:54:00.000+08:00

By Alex Phoenix

After Manny Pacquiao dismantled the former welterweight champion Miguel Cotto in their last bout, the fans wildly pressured the promoter to make this boxing bout between Pacquiao vs Mayweather. Many believe that this fight will not happen after all because of the history on dealing with Floyd Mayweather. LA times reported that Floyd Mayweather already agreed on the terms on this big fight against Pacquiao, but still Manny Pacquiao has still to review the contract details.

Originally the Pacman vs PBF super fight target to schedule next year of May 1 but Manny Pacquiao will run in congress so for sure it will be moved earlier or after the election period in the Philippines. Assuming the fight will be scheduled the next year of March 13 this will be a bit disadvantage for Manny Pacquiao because in his last match against Cotto , his right eardrum was damaged.

Accepting this match against Floyd Mayweather , Manny Pacquiao must be in 100% percent so it will be better if they will have more time recovering. But in our speculation this fight will not be happening this March 13, 2009 it will be September next year.

Source

Roach: Manny Pacquiao is a machine but needs 12-week camp for Mayweather

2009-12-05T09:39:00.002+08:00

By Gareth A Davies

Freddie Roach, in Newcastle, England, where he is overseeing Amir Khan’s WBA 140lb title defence against Dmitriy Salita here on Saturday night, insists that his Filipino dynamo “is a machine” but revealed at the head to head news conference that he would rather see Manny Pacquiao fight Floyd Mayweather in May than March 2010.

“We’re going to need a 12-week camp for Mayweather, because we need to look at all the possibilities and work everything out for this fight,” Roach told me. “The March date would be too early. It has got to be May.”

As to Pacquiao being “a machine”, Roach said: “I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of great fighters. From day 1 until now everything we’ve worked on has come into play. He’s a dangerous guy at this point in his life. He’s a machine. You wind him up, and let him go. He’s different. How many guys can go from 112lbs to 147lbs and still be competitive. He’s a throwback. Guys like him come once in a lifetime.”

Source

Pacman: Sarangani or bust

2009-12-04T16:21:00.000+08:00

People's Champ Movement to field complete slate in the province
By BONG REBLANDO, GENALYN KABILING

KIAMBA, Sarangani – World pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao said he is determined to win the lone congressional seat of Sarangani next year, with his newly minted People’s Champ Movement fielding a complete slate of candidates from governor down to mayors and councilors in the province.

“I am running for congressman in Sarangani,” Pacquiao said unequivocally in an interview in his house here after he, his wife Jinkee and mom Dionisia arrived from Manila via General Santos City last Saturday.

The decision to run in Sarangani doused cold water on the suggestion of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Jose Atienza Jr. for the boxing icon to run in the party-list national elections where Pacquiao is expected to win an easy victory.

Now a legend in boxing history when he wrested the WBO welterweight crown from Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas last November 14, Pacquiao said his People’s Champ Movement party will field a complete slate in Sarangani.

General Santos City Mayor Jun Acharon led city officials in welcoming Pacquiao and party at the General Santos City International Airport. Pacquiao rode a float and waved his hands amid cheers from people lining up the streets as the champ’s motorcade passed by.

Pacquiao, however, refused to name whom he will support for president in next year’s free-for- all presidential elections, with President Arroyo stepping down after completing her six-year term.

“It’s too early yet. I’ll decide whom to support for president when the right time comes,” an evasive Pacquiao quipped, even as reports said Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Sen. Manny Villar and Lakas-Kampi bet former Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro are luring him to their side.

Businessman Juan Domino, PCM gubernatorial bet, said he differed with Pacquaio’s preference for president, saying he is inclined to support Liberal Party presidential candidate Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and his running mate Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas.

“The party will talk whom to support for president and vice president, although it is really difficult for us to unite. Maybe we can coalesce with the NP, LP when it comes to national elective positions,” Domino said.

Pacquiao has readied at least half a billion peso as campaign kitty to ensure that his popularity is converted into votes and win against businessman Roy L. Chiongbian, brother of outgoing Rep. Erwin Chiongbian and son of the late Rep. James L. Chiongbian and former Gov. Priscilla L. Chiongbian of the Sarangani Reforms and Reconciliation Organization-Lakas-Kampi Party.

Governor Migs Dominguez, a party mate of Chiongbian, is the newly elected Lakas-Kampi President. Dominguez, a grandson of the taipan Alcantara family, is seeking re-election with Vice-Gov. Steve Chiongbian Solon as his running mate.

Pacquiao and Domino will file their certificates of candidacy on December 1, the last day of filing, while the boxing champion proclaimed Sunday his entire slate at the posh Isla Parilla Resort in Alabel, capital town of Sarangani.

Mayor Corazon Grafilo of Alabel and his entire ticket filed their COC’s Sunday kicking off the filing of the candidacies in the next days of six other municipal candidates of Sarangani – Malapatan, Glan, Malungon, Maasim, Kiamba and Maitum in the presence of Pacquiao and Domino, said lawyer Babes Gulle, PCM secretary general.

In a speech in Maasim, Kiamba and Maitum before thousands of supporters, Pacquiao thanked the Filipino people for their prayers that made him win his megabuck fight against Cotto.

“The Filipino did it – to win the 7th world boxing crown in the 7th weight division. We made history in Las Vegas. My victory is your victory. I thank God for giving me extra speed and power to subdue my opponent,” a smiling Pacquiao told roaring crowds each time he spoke to his followers in the three towns of Sarangani.

“I believe we will win the big fight in 2010. Together we can do many things in Sarangani. I want to help my people,” Pacquiao added.

Meanwhile, Malacañang said it is not at all peeved over news that Pacquiao would join Villar’s Nacionalista Party instead of the administration party.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde Sunday said they respect the decision of Pacquiao.

“We have no hard feelings toward Pacquiao,” Remonde said in Filipino over government radio.

“That’s something between Manny Villar and Pacquiao. We are not meddling in the matter. We will not take it against him if that happens,” he added.

Remonde however said Pacquiao’s inclusion in the Nacionalista Party is not yet final.

Villar earlier invited Pacquiao to become NP’s congressional bet in Sarangani. The senator sought Pacquiao’s approval during a meeting at the Manila Hotel last Friday.

Even the administration party is seeking out Pacquiao. Last week, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Pacquiao is welcome to join Lakas-Kampi-CMD party if he pursues his congressional bid in his home town. He acknowledged that Pacquiao, touted the world’s greatest boxer, is an asset to any political party.

Source

Arum: No final date on Manny megabout

2009-12-04T09:40:00.000+08:00

By Abac Cordero (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - As the world awaits his decision regarding his next fight, Manny Pacquiao was busy rushing the final scenes of his upcoming movie “Wapakman” in Manila yesterday.

The greatest boxer in the planet today arrived in Manila from Gen. Santos City at around 1 p.m. but instead of seeing his promoter, Bob Arum, he donned his “Wapakman” costume and faced the cameras.

Arum took a very long flight from Las Vegas and arrived in Manila yesterday morning. But as of presstime he has yet to sit down with his fighter.

Arum is in town to present to Pacquiao the details of his possible fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. and if the reigning pound-for-pound champion could do the fight on March 13 or May 1.

The Top Rank president also clarified upon his arrival in Manila that it may be “premature and inaccurate” to say that a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight on March 13 is already sealed.

He holds a press conference this afternoon with officials of giant TV network ABS-CBN which recently struck a deal with Top Rank Promotions.

There are two dates, March 13 and May 1, being considered for what should be the biggest fight in recent history, but the 2010 national elections in the Philippines, where Pacquiao is eyeing a congressional seat in Sarangani in Mindanao, is standing in the way.

“If Manny fights on March 13, it means he should be training two months before that. He might have a hard time focusing because he’d be thinking about the elections,” said the boxer’s lawyer, Franklin Gacal.

Gacal the other day told The STAR that Pacquiao had already decided to fight Mayweather, or whoever it may be, after the May elections.

“But you know Manny. There could be changes. The last thing he said, however, is that he doesn’t want to fight as soon as March 13 or May 1. As of today, nothing has changed. He wants to focus on the elections,” said Gacal.

Pacquiao, according to his lawyer, might meet Arum late last night or today. Even Gacal has yet to talk to Arum who, according to reports, has struck a deal with the Mayweather camp regarding a fight even if no contract has been signed yet.

Freddie Roach, the Filipino’s chief trainer, is not too cool on a March fight if it’s Mayweather. He said they need more time to prepare if it’s the undefeated American they’re going to face next.

Aside from the elections, Pacquiao’s birthday on Dec. 17, the Christmas holidays, Jinkee Pacquiao’s birthday on the first week of January and a planned family vacation will make it difficult for the boxer to agree on a March 13 fight with Mayweather.

Because if he does, it means he should be in serious training by the second week of January.

“Again, it may be very difficult for Manny to train for Mayweather and thinking of the elections – unless he is running unopposed,” said Gacal.

Source

ARUM ARRIVING TO MEET WITH MANNY

2009-12-03T11:28:00.000+08:00

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Now that pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao has filed his Certificate of Candidacy for the lone congressional seat of Sarangani, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is arriving in Manila on Thursday morning from Las Vegas to meet with the boxing hero and map out plans for his next fight.

Arum appeared a little disappointed that the assurances he was given by Team Pacquiao members that Pacquiao would run unopposed and that influential individuals in government, including President Arroyo, would succeed in convincing the well-established Chiongbian family in Sarangani not to run against the boxing hero, failed to materialize. The efforts to convince the Chiongians to give way to Pacquiao obviously didn't work and Chiongbian filed his C-O-C on Tuesday night.

Prior to boarding his flight for Manila, Arum told www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that he would “meet with Manny about a fight and then announce my new deal with ABS-CBN.”

The giant broadcast network which has significantly advanced its involvement in sports on television has kept boxing in the forefront alongside its telecast of major billiards events like the just-concluded World 10-Ball Championships won by Mika Immonen who beat Filipino Lee Van Corteza in the finals and the on-going inaugural World 10-Ball Mixed Doubles Classic where the top seeds are pool legend Efren “Bata” Reyes and Rubilen Amit, winner of the inaugural World Women’s 10-Ball Championships.

ABS-CBN is also well known for its coverage of the exciting UAAP and NCAA basketball tournaments and other sports events both on Studio 23 and its cable network Balls with its major boxing events also telecast on its pre-eminent Channel 2. Arum indicated a formal announcement of the ABS-CBN partnership will be made on Friday.

Top Rank fights were previously telecast by Solar Sports who will however continue to telecast the fights of Pacquiao who is under a long-term contract with Solar Entertainment.

Arum told us late Tuesday night that he was trying desperately to find out whether there was any candidate opposing Pacquiao but that he had learned some hours before leaving Las Vegas that indeed Chiongbian had filed and will contest the congressional seat Pacquiao is also eyeing.

Arum indicated that with this development Pacquiao would have to fight a lesser opponent in a planned March 13 event in the new billion-dollar stadium of the Dallas Cowboys in Texas while negotiations for a multi-million dollar super-fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr will have to be held in abeyance with a possible fight date in September. He told us earlier "what's there to talk about" if Pacquiao is running for a seat in the House of Representatives in the May 2010 elections.

Arum and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer met last week over lunch in Las Vegas and began initial talks on a possible Pacquiao-Mayweather fight after the Mayweather camp headed by chief adviser Leonard Ellerbe gave Schaefer the broad parameters for negotiations, Ellerbe himself didn’t wish to hamper the negotiations by his direct participation since he and Arum have had some differences in the past and he, Ellerbe, didn’t wish to be a stumbling block in the effort to get a fight deal done.

Source

Pacquiao vs. Foreman – Is Manny afraid to fight Marquez?

2009-12-03T11:27:00.000+08:00

Manuel Perez: Well, it looks like the Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight is going to have to wait a little while longer before it takes place. Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, is talking about Pacquiao fighting one bout before the Mayweather bout against World Boxing Association light middleweight champion Yuri Foreman, so that Pacquiao can get the opportunity to win his 8th world title.

I can’t understand the preoccupation with capturing titles when the fighters that Pacquiao is winning them against are less than impressive. Pacquiao needs to forget about fighting for another one of these alphabet titles and focus on something that really matters, giving a rematch to Juan Manuel Marquez. Why is Pacquiao so hesitant to fight Marquez again? Pacquiao has fought Marquez twice so far.

The first fight was a 12 round draw and the second fight ended up with Pacquiao winning a 12 round split decision. If you ask boxing experts who they think won the fight, probably most of them will say Marquez. The win over Marquez accounts for one of the seven titles that Pacquiao has won. I’m sorry, but that win is tainted as far as I’m concerned.

So if Pacquiao is interested in fighting Foreman, it will be for his 7th title, not his 8th title. I don’t count the win over Marquez. It’s funny though that Pacquiao would be willing to waste one of the last couple of fights of his boxing career to go after a paper title. What is he going to do with it pin it on his chest like a medal? Who cares about titles if they’re not won against the very best fighters.

Foreman is decent, but I wouldn’t call him the best in the light middleweight division. If Pacquiao wants to go after a title, let him fight Paul Williams at light middleweight and lets see how well he does. You did notice that Roach and Pacquiao didn’t mention Williams’ name, didn’t you? Williams would beat Pacquiao like a bad habit if they fought. And so will Marquez if given the chance.

Pacquiao already took the easy route by fighting recently beaten Miguel Cotto instead of Shane Mosley or Paul Williams at middleweight, even though Cotto had been beaten only a two fights before that by Antonio Margarito. Before that, Pacquiao fought Ricky Hatton. Okay, so why fight Hatton when he was knocked out by Mayweather Jr. in 2007?

As bad as Marquez made Pacquiao look in their two fights, I guess I can see why Pacquiao doesn’t want to fight him again. It’s safer to fight fighters like Foreman, Cotto and Hatton, I suppose.

Source

Manny Pacquiao and Imelda Marcos join the race for Philippines President

2009-12-03T11:08:00.001+08:00

Richard Lloyd Parry, Asia Editor
The Times

One candidate is a professional boxer, another aims to become “emperor of the world”, and a third is a rather famous shoe collector.

Elections in the Philippines are usually as entertaining as they are hair-raising, and the polls next May, for no fewer than 17,800 local and national posts as well as for the country’s presidency, promise to be colourful.

Among the candidates for Congress are Manny Pacquiao, the world welterweight boxing champion, and Imelda Marcos, the 80-year-old widow of the country’s former dictator, Ferdinand Marcos, who became famous for hoarding 1,060 pairs of shoes. With minutes to go until the deadline on Tuesday night, Mrs Marcos’s lawyer registered her candidacy in the province of Ilocos Norte, to contest the seat being vacated by her son. Ferdinand Marcos Jr, better known as “Bong Bong”, is standing for Congress, and his sister, Imee, is a candidate for governor of the province.

The candidates for president include one Rigoberto Madera, who is aiming particularly high. “According to God’s will, I will start as President of the Philippines, then as Secretary-General of the United Nations, then as President of the US until I will be crowned as Earth emperor at Mount Sinai,” he said.

Also in the running is Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, the only son of the murdered opposition leader Benigno Sr and the late Corazon Aquino, who led the campaign to oust Marcos and became the Philippines’ first democratically elected president. Although he lacks his parents’ charisma, he goes into the campaign as the front-runner.

He will face a vigorous challenge from Manuel Villar, a senator and self-made property billionaire. The former Defence Minister Gilberto Teodoro will stand as the favoured candidate of the current President, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who is barred under the Constitution from running again. Joseph Estrada, a film actor who was elected President in 1998 and driven from power three years later, has also put his name forward.

Mrs Arroyo, meanwhile, has drawn criticism by standing for a seat in Congress. Some suggest that, by staying in politics, she is seeking to protect herself from the accusations of corruption and human rights abuses made during her eight years in power.

Most of the applicants are likely to be disqualified as “nuisance” candidates but the realistic contenders will find themselves engaged in a struggle for power in a country of 98 million people that is stricken by chronic poverty, corruption and violence.

Last Monday 57 people were murdered by gunmen in Mindanao as they travelled to register a candidate for the governorship of Maguindanao province. As well as the politician’s wife and sisters, they included 30 journalists. Andal Ampatuan Jr, the son of a powerful local clan leader, has been charged with murder for ordering the killings.

Source

Aspiring rabbi eyed as Pacquiao's next rival

2009-12-02T12:39:00.001+08:00

An Israeli champion, WBA super welterweight supremo Yuri Foreman, might be Manny Pacquiao’s next rival, not welterweight superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr.

According to trainer Freddie Roach, Team Pacquiao is looking at the possibility of a March 2010 showdown with Foreman, an aspiring rabbi who snagged the 154-lb strap with a unanimous decision over Daniel Santos in the undercard of Pacquiao’s blockbuster fight with Miguel Cotto.

The prospective gig with Foreman could very well be Pacquiao’s crack at an unprecedented eighth division crown and an appetizer to the much-anticipated Pacquiao-Mayweather Jr.

Mayweather Jr. setto, which Roach revealed, might be slated in September.

“We (Team Pacquiao) want to fight in March and we don't really want to wait. Mayweather doesn't want to fight in March, so we might fight for the 154-lb crown in March and move up for that eighth world title," Roach was quoted by British site Sky Sports.

The idea to have Pacquiao climb the ring by March is largely due to his political activities. The boxing champ will run for congressman in Sarangani in the May 2010 polls and would be busy campaigning by late March.

And if Mayweather isn’t available for a March shindig yet, Roach said the New York-based Foreman (28-0, 8 KOs) presents the best option for the 30-year-old Pacquiao.

"Yuri Foreman might be the opponent. It is a possibility, and then Mayweather in September. If they guarantee me that, we'll do that, but I need more of a commitment from Mayweather because he's not negotiating too well," he told the British press.

"It (Pacquiao-Mayweather) has to happen, and with the money they are going to make out of it, I feel it will happen. Mayweather can't make that money with anybody else," Roach added.

Pacquiao, who filed his certificate of candidacy before the Commission on Election (Comelec) in Sarangani Tuesday night, has said he will leave it up to his promoters to negotiate for his next bout.

His promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank and Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions, have already formally started negotiations for the Pacquiao-Mayweather duel but have decided to keep details confidential.

Observers foresee problems in terms of purse share and weight in the big-moneyed bout between boxing's biggest draws and top pound-for-pound fighters. – GMANews.TV

Source

Pacquiao files for party-list group

2009-12-02T12:21:00.001+08:00

By Jerome Aning
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—World boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has personally filed with the Commission on Elections in Intramuros, Manila, a certificate manifesting the intent to participate in the 2010 elections of the Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA), a party-list group advocating for the welfare of current and past athletes.

Pacquiao was mobbed by Comelec employees and other kibitzers jostling to take a picture, get an autograph or shake his hand.

A manifestation of intent is the equivalent of a certificate of candidacy for party-list groups. Pacquiao, however, is not the nominee of the party. He said he was filing his CoC for representative of Sarangani province on Tuesday.

The boxer, who chairs the PBA, was accompanied by former basketball player Chris Bolado and martial artist Reynaldo Malonzo, former mayor of Caloocan City.

"PBA will focus on our countrymen who are athletes, who need our help so that they can bring honor to our country wherever they go. PBA will help them get all the support they need,” Pacquiao said.

PBA’s filing brought to 185 the number of party-list groups that will participate in the elections next year.

Others that filed on Sunday included the scientist group Agham led by its president Angelo Palmones, the indigenous group Katribu, and the youth groups Akap-Bata and Kabataan.

Kabataan Rep. Raymond Palatino said his group would scrutinize all party-list groups and their nominees to expose those that are mere “fronts” of the government.

Source

Promoter: Pacquiao will run for Congress, fight date hinges on opponent

2009-12-02T11:47:00.000+08:00

By Lance Pugmire

Manny Pacquiao will indeed seek election as a member of Congress in the Philippines, his promoter said Monday, but tomorrow's deadline to learn if he'll run opposed or not is the key factor affecting the boxer's possible super-fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. next year.

"If he has to run against an opponent, then he'll have to start campaigning for the May 10 election on March 25," Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum told The Times. "If that's the case, then Mayweather would have to be willing to fight March 13."

Mayweather and many others, including Arum, however, would prefer if the bout could occur May 1. If Pacquiao runs unopposed, that can happen -- as long as financial negotiations can produce a deal.

"Obviously, we could use the extra month and a half to get ready for something like that," said Arum.

Arum said he's heard from representatives in the Philippines that one person is waffling on whether or not to oppose Pacquiao in the run for the congressional seat in the province of Sarangani.

"People are trying to talk the opponent out of it," Arum said. "I don't know how they're doing it, or who the person is. I'm over here [in Las Vegas] and getting stories from a dozen different people."

Politics at its finest.

Meanwhile, Arum said he received a phone call Monday from Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on Monday again expressing interest in hosting a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight in his massive Texas football stadium.

Arum declined to discuss how the Pacquiao-Mayweather financial negotiations have thus far progressed.

Source

Floyd Mayweather Jr put on hold as Manny Pacquiao considers becoming eighth wonder

2009-12-01T12:17:00.000+08:00

The contest that every boxing fan wants to see may have to wait because Manny Pacquiao is being groomed for an even more audacious challenge before he takes on his last great, unconquered rival, Floyd Mayweather Jr.

While the deal-makers work on Pacquiao-Mayweather, Freddie Roach, the Filipino’s trainer, has ambitions for his boxer to go up yet another weight and claim a world title at an eighth weight division. Roach, specifically, has his eyes on Yuri Foreman, the New York-based Israeli, who is the World Boxing Association light-middleweight champion.

Pacquiao won his first world title at flyweight, which is up to eight stone. If he moves up another weight he will be competing at 11 stone.

The 30-year-old was already breaking new ground when he beat Miguel Cotto, on November 14, to win a world title in a seventh different weight division. It was after that victory at welterweight that he said that he believed his ascent through the weights had come to a natural end. However, Roach clearly has other ideas — and Pacquiao tends to follow his advice.

“The Mayweather fight is the fight the world wants to see,” Roach said. “It’s going to be the biggest pay-per-view fight of all time. But I think we will fight one fight before that.”

Roach said that Pacquiao’s schedule will be constructed around his political ambitions and the elections in the Philippines on May 10. “But there is a March date for him to fight,” Roach said. “People think I am crazy but I want him to win his eighth title against Yuri Foreman at 154lb. That’s my idea — then fight Mayweather in September. And then retire.”

The way Roach sees it, there will be no further blemishes on Pacquiao’s record by the time he greets retirement, although he does concede that Mayweather will be “the hardest fight of his life”.

“Mayweather’s a very difficult fight for Manny,” he said. “It won’t be physically the hardest, but it will be the hardest fight of his life style-wise. Mayweather is talented and he’s good at defence. I have a very good game plan for him, but I’m sure a lot of other guys thought that along the way.

“We’ll have a ten-week training camp. We have to work on a lot of new moves, we have to improve in certain areas to win that fight.” And would he expect his man to win? “Oh yes. Without a doubt.”

This is, of course, a different view to that espoused by Mayweather after he had witnessed Pacquiao’s brutal demolition of Cotto. Mayweather described Pacquiao as “easy work, easy fight. I don’t see no versatility in Manny Pacquiao. I see just a fighter, you know, a good puncher, but just one dimension.”

It is not as if it would need Mayweather’s familiar bragging to sell this one, but he may have to bite his tongue for a while. If Roach gets his way, Pacquiao’s first stop is with Foreman, who was born in Belarus when it was still part of the Soviet Union.

The 29-year-old moved to Israel when he was 9 and is as serious about Judaism as he is about his boxing. Foreman boxes with the Star of David stitched on to his shorts and he is also an aspiring rabbi.

Source

Pacman declares 'Champ' local bets

2009-12-01T12:16:00.000+08:00

By John Paul Jubelag (The Philippine Star)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines – World boxing champion Manny Pacquiao proclaimed yesterday the provincial and municipal candidates for the 2010 elections running under his party, the People’s Champ Movement (PCM), at Isla Parilla Resort in Alabel, Sarangani.

Pacquiao reiterated that he is running for congressman in the lone district of Sarangani but he declined to name any presidential candidate he would support.

“I believe we will win the big fight in the 2010 election. I am confident because my family and you who are my inspiration are with me,” Pacquiao said to thousands of fans that welcomed him in Kiamba, Sarangani where he proceeded after a motorcade through the city’s major thoroughfares.

General Santos City Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr. and Rep. Darlene Custodio, who defeated Pacquiao in the last congressional polls in the city in 2007, led residents in welcoming Pacquiao at the city’s international airport last Saturday.

Pacquiao appealed for the support and prayers of the people.

He quoted the motto of the late Mother Theresa and said: “You can do what I cannot do, I can do what you cannot do, but together we can do great things.”

The boxer will challenge businessman Roy Chiongbian, the elder brother of Rep. Erwin Chiongbian in the congressional race for the lone district of Sarangani.

Pacquiao promised to address poverty in Sarangani, considered by the National Statistics Office as one of the 10 poorest provinces in the country.

The candidates that Pacquiao proclaimed included businessman Juan Domino for governor and newly retired provincial administrator Fred Basino for vice governor.

Domino defeated Lucille Chiongbian in the congressional race in 1998 elections but failed to assume his post due to lack of residency.

The seven bets for mayor are: Mayor Reynaldo Constantino, Malungon town; Mayor Corazon Grafilo, Alabel town ; Board member James Yap, Glan town; Board member Raul Martinez, Kiamba; James Ablog Jr., Maitum; former mayor Alfonso Singcoy, Malapatan; and Fortunato Albores Jr., Maasim.

Pacquiao also clarified reports that he is supporting Nacionalista Party presidential candidate Manny Villar.

Pacquiao said he had not yet made any decision on who will get his support in the presidential race.

“I have not made any commitment with any political party in the national level,” Pacquiao said, but confirmed that he is talking with Villar on the possibility of merging his party, People’s Champ Movement with NP.

He said he would later announce his decision on who will get his support.

Meanwhile, while on the way to Kiamba town, a 60 year-old woman was killed after a motorcycle she was riding as part of the convoy of Pacquiao crashed in the national highway.

The fatality was identified as Paulita Dumalag, a member of Karancho Motorcycle Club that joined the motorcade of Pacquiao from General Santos to Sarangani.

Allan Avid, Karancho director, said the victim’s motorcycle crashed after it was sideswiped by a speeding van along the highway in Barangay Katubao in Kiamba.

“She succumbed to internal hemorrhage in the head and died on her way to a hospital in General Santos City,” Avid said.

Pacquiao said he would shoulder all the expenses for the victim’s burial and financial assistance to the family.

GMA won’t convince Pacquiao

A Malacañang officials disclosed yesterday that President Arroyo would not try to convince Pacquiao to join the administration party since he is too big a national treasure to be confined to a political party.

Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio was reacting to the announcement of Nacionalista Party presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Villar that Pacquiao will be running for congressman of Sarangani province under the NP banner.

Pacquiao is known to be close to the President, who recently conferred on him the Order of Sikatuna, an award for exceptional and meritorious services to the Philippines.

“If NP is interested in getting Manny Pacquiao, we will not try to compete with them or make a counter offer. Manny is a world sports icon and our own living legend and crown jewel,” Claudio said.

He said Pacquiao belongs to all Filipinos, so it might be wiser for him to be above partisan identities.

Claudio said if Pacquiao wants to run for a congressional seat in the May 2010 elections, it would be better for him to run under the party-list system where he can represent a broader national constituency.

“The NP might also do well to be more circumspect about its recruitment policies and think of what it might deprive the rest of the Filipino people,” he said.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the Palace would not begrudge whatever decision Pacquiao would make on the matter.

He said as far as he knows, the boxing icon has not decided on joining the NP.

“That is something between Manny Villar and Manny Pacquiao. We don’t want to interfere in their affairs,” Remonde told the government-run Radyo ng Bayan. - With Paulo Romero

Source

Top Sarangani officials snub Pacquiao’s arrival

2009-12-01T12:15:00.000+08:00

By Aquiles Zonio, Gil C. Cabacungan Jr., Allison Lopez
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—While some of the country’s biggest presidential aspirants may be scrambling to win the support of Manny Pacquiao, officials in the very province where boxing’s biggest superstar plans to mount his battle for a seat in Congress appear to have ignored him.
In Mindanao’s Sarangani province, Pacquiao’s camp on Sunday criticized provincial officials for snubbing his arrival on Saturday.

They put up no welcome banners and none of them showed up to congratulate Pacquiao when he spoke and appealed to residents to join him in his fight to conquer poverty and protect the environment.

Only his fans and members of the media were around when the champion spoke at the Kiamba town plaza.

Minvelez Gulle, one of Pacquiao advisers, said the boxer’s ring achievements were beyond politics and that by ignoring him, the Sarangani officials showed their lack of political finesse and maturity.

Pacquiao, who comes from General Santos City, has transferred his residence to Sarangani—birthplace of his wife Jinkee. He has declared his intention to run for a congressional seat in the province against billionaire Roy Chiongbian, youngest son of the late Rep. James L. Chiongbian.

Gov. Miguel Dominguez said that traditionally the province had never given a grand welcome to Pacquiao as the airport was in General Santos City.

Dominguez also said there might have been a lack of coordination between the local government and Pacquiao’s people regarding his homecoming.

In Manila, administration Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. is not giving Pacquiao up to another party without a fight.

A source in the party said Teodoro had instructed Dominguez, the party’s new president, to sit down with Pacquiao and come up with a compromise that would allow the boxer to run for the province’s congressional seat under the party’s banner.

The source, a businessman who asked not to be identified because he did not want to be associated openly with politics, said Teodoro remained confident that Pacquiao would stay with the Lakas-Kampi-CMD coalition despite moves by his presidential rival, Sen. Manuel Villar, to get the boxer into the Nacionalista Party (NP).

Villar told reporters the other day that he and Pacquiao had talked over dinner and that Pacquiao “is our candidate in Sarangani.”

Pacquiao has denied having decided under which party he will run, saying only that he will announce his decision “later.”

Sarangani Rep. Erwin Chiongbian, a Lakas-Kampi-CMD member, is on his third and final term and reportedly intends to have one of his relatives run in his place next year. The Chiongbians have ruled the province since 1992.

Pacquiao failed in his first attempt to run for Congress out of South Cotabato as a Liberal Party member in 2004.

Reginald Velasco, Lakas-Kampi-CMD deputy secretary general, said Pacquiao was considered a member in good standing of the party although he had yet to formally take his oath.

Pacquiao joined the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) in September 2008 before it merged with Lakas in May.

Former President Joseph Estrada is also keeping a slot open for Pacquiao in his Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) ticket, the Inquirer learned.

Ferdie Ramos, Estrada’s media relations officer, said Estrada went to Pacquiao’s house in General Santos City in August.

Asked if things had changed since then, Ramos said the PMP was still open to Pacquiao.

Asked about the Pacquiao issue Sunday at the University of Makati, Estrada said he was not grabbing anyone’s candidate.

“They are the ones who are pirating our candidates,” Estrada said in Filipino.

“Syempre pag pinirate nila ang isang kandidato (Of course, if they are pirating a candidate), there is really a considerable amount that you offer. We don’t have any amount to offer. What we really only offer is service.”

Later, Estrada said: “Pirating candidates is common these days, like pirating films. It’s a pity Edu Manzano is no longer [anti-piracy chief]. I would have asked Edu to arrest them.” With a report from Christian V. Esguerra

Source

----I think it's better for Manny Pacquioa to focus in his boxing career first before running in any public office.