Final bell for Manny Pacquiao?

By Lance Pugmire of latimes.com

The Filipino boxer might be headed for his last bout because of other interests, including politics, and a fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. just might never happen.

Manny Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, delivered this knee-buckling assessment for boxing fans already distraught by the failed Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. negotiations.

"This could be our last fight," Roach said last week, as Pacquiao heads into the final days of training for his March 13 welterweight world title bout against Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium outside Dallas.

Roach's sobering speculation about boxing's biggest star is based on a chain of events that could occur.

Pacquiao, 31, is running for a congressional seat in his native Philippines. If elected in May, he'll represent a community of about 400,000 people in need of improved healthcare, education and employment that the boxer himself was deprived of while being raised in poverty.

"I can see the help people need because I've been in that place," Pacquiao said. "They're poor, suffering, and needing help from the government. I know what they feel."

His public-service duties will be tremendous, the boxer and his closest advisors know, and his election is more realistic than it was when he failed to win a national seat a few years ago.

Pacquiao, recently selected fighter of the decade, has won 11 consecutive fights against the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez.

If he beats Clottey as expected, and if Mayweather defeats Shane Mosley on May 1, negotiations for a Pacquiao-Mayweather bout are likely to resume.

"I've talked to Manny about this. And if Mayweather doesn't come back to the table in a mood to negotiate, the public demand won't be there for any other fight," Roach said. "So if Manny wins the election and likes politics, this [Clottey fight] could be it. And I have no problem with that. I don't want Manny to be one of those guys who stays too long. It's better to go out on top.

"That's my goal for him, and I've told him, 'Don't do it like everyone else in the world.' "

Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 knockouts) has fought only six fewer bouts than Muhammad Ali, and has boxed the same number of rounds (305) that "Sugar" Ray Leonard had when he retired.

Roach also serves as a reminder of the perils of an overextended boxing career, as he battles the effects of pugilistic Parkinson's syndrome.

Before a recent workout at Roach's Wild Card gym in Hollywood, Pacquiao expressed enthusiasm to fight Mayweather but noted the uncertainty over his future.

"It's hard to say. Is this my last fight? We'll see," Pacquiao said. "One never knows. It's still so early to be talking about this, but I do like the thought of going out on top.

"We did a lot in boxing, achieved a lot -- more than what we set out to do."

Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, said he was "inclined to doubt" that his star fighter would walk away from the sport.

The reason? Read More

source: latimes.com

VAZQUEZ KOs SONSONA IN 4TH

by Dong Secuya

Undefeated Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr. of Puerto Rico captured the vacant WBO junior featherweight title by knocking out Marvin Sonsona of the Philippines in the 4th round at the Coleseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon, Puerto Rico moments ago.

Vazquez fought a measured fight throwing well-timed power shots to the body of Sonsona and with a left hook to the liver finally sending Sonsona down and out to the canvas at 1:06 in the 4th round.

Sonsona took the first round by fighting from the distance but in the second round Vazquez started landing his power shots and cut Sonsona under the left eye with a right. From that point on Vazquez put on the pressure as Sonsona kept on backing up until Vazquez caught him with a barrage of punches.

Vazquez captured his first title and upped his record to 18-0-1 with 15 knockouts while Sonsona suffered his first defeat and went down to 14-1-1 with 12 knockouts.

source:philboxing.com

RODEL MAYOL VS NINO ROMERO ENDS IN TECHNICAL DRAW

The Rodel Mayol vs Omar Nino Romero fight was declared a technical draw after the bout ended in the 3rd round in a controversial fashion at the Coliseo Olimpico in Guadalajara, Mexico late Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila).
Before the end came, Romero hit Mayol with a series of low blows the last one landed squarely on Mayol crouch that backed Mayol up. Referee Vic Drakulich came in to stop the action when Romero unleashed a wicked left that hit squarely at the jaw of the momentarily defenseless Mayol who crashed to the canvas almost unconscious. While Mayol was being prepared to be carried by a stretcher and while the Romero camp celebrates, ring officials headed by WBC Vice President Mauricio Sulaiman deliberated the situation which resulted in a technical draw decision allowing Mayol to retain his light flyweight title.

After a feeling out first round, Mayol unleashed a barrage of powerful uppercuts on Romero in the second round that wobbled Romero but Romero's chin held up to survive the round. Mayol came in strong in the third round until a series of low blows by Romero veered the fight to its sudden end.

As a precaution, Mayol was brought to the Military Regional Hospital in Gualajara and was thoroughly checked.

"He's okay now," Dr Ed de la Vega who acted as Mayol's cutman informed. "Although he was hit hard on the jaw, there was no fracture in his jaw and his neck is fine. We are about to get back to our hotel from the hospital."

It was unclear if the WBC would or could order a rematch as there was no rematch clause in the contract.

Mayol's record now stands at 26-4-2 with 20 knockouts while Romero dips to 28-3-2 with 11 knockouts.

Top photo: Rodel Mayol lies on his back after being flatted by Omar Nino Romero with a wicked left in the 3rd round at Coliseo Olimpico in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico Saturday night.

source: philboxing.com

PACQUIAO EASES UP, CLOTTEY LOOKS RIPPED AND READY

By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com

“Fighter of the Decade” Manny Pacquiao eased up in his training grind on Wednesday as he returned to the track at the LA High School.

After a hard workout in the morning trainer Freddie Roach asked him to ease up and have a light workout in the Wild Card Gym in preparation for what conditioning expert Alex Ariza said “will be a long sparring session tomorrow (Thursday in LA.)"

Ariza told us that “everything is going really well” and that Wednesday was the first day that Pacquiao “went to the track after the leg injury last weekend and he looks a hundred percent.”

Ariza said that since Pacquiao had a hard day on Tuesday when he sparred ten rounds and then a hard workout on the track, trainer Freddie Roach “talked to him to having a light workout and preparing for a tough sparring session on Thursday” although there was no definite word on who his sparring partners would be.

Last Tuesday Pacquiao went five rounds with undefeated Ghana welterweight Abdulla Amidu (18-0, 17 KO’s) and pushed Roach to allow him to follow up with five rounds against Stevie Forbes.

The conditioning expert who, working alongside Roach has turned Pacquiao into a devastating fighting machine said Pacquiao was “feeling good. Manny is the type that just when his legs feel better he wants to see how far he can push it so we are trying to keep him from doing that.”

But while there are rave reviews about Pacquiao’s preparation coming out of the Wild Card Gym, award-winning photographer Chris Farina of Top Rank who visited the training camp of challenger Joshua Clottey was quoted by Chris Robinson of Examiner.com as saying that Clottey “looked awesome” and that he is “completely ripped and toned.” Read More

source: philboxing.com

Manny Pacquiao 2nd greatest boxer ever?

by Marv Dumon, Examiner.com

 In the World's Greatest Ever Boxer website, fans worldwide were able to vote for who they thought are the sport's all-time prize fighters.  Nearly 500,000 votes were cast, and voting ended in December 2009.
By Weight Class  >

Wilfredo Gomez (44-3-1) was voted as the greatest ever bantamweight.

Pacquiao (50-3-2) was voted as the greatest ever featherweight.

Roberto Duran (103-16) was voted as the greatest ever lightweight.

Roy Jones, Jr (54-5) was voted as the greatest ever light heavyweight.

Muhammad Ali (56-5) was voted as the greatest ever heavyweight.

All-Time Greats ?


   Fans voted Muhammad Ali as the third greatest boxer ever.  Manny Pacquiao was voted second.  And Sugar Ray Robinson (173-19-6) was voted in the poll as the world's greatest boxer ever.

Most expert panels list Henry Armstrong (149-21-10) as ranked third on the all-time list.  Ali, second.  Robinson, first.

   Polling are inherently biased when assessing current fighters against retired fighters.  First, it is more appropriate to assess a boxer throughout an entire career.  A voter can only do that after the boxer retires.  Therefore, the poll would have more valid results several years after Pacquiao' and Roy Jones' retirement.


  That is why to be inducted into the basketball and football hall of fame, retired athletes must wait a few years in order to become eligible for induction.

 Waiting a few years after retirement allow voters and panelists to sober up in order to make their professional assessments.  Additionally, media coverage and hype will have become more objective with hindsight.

Finally, ideally all-time lists in any sport should be era independent.  That is not possible of course.  Athletes are reviewed even though they fought or played in different eras, with different game rules.

   That distorts the comparison.  Additionally, athletes that played before the 1960s often enjoyed less media coverage.  Thus, there tends to be less video footage of their feats which makes it harder for voting panelists to evaluate their accomplishments.

Top athletes today have much more media coverage.  Their athletic performances on the field are well documented, and videos of their accomplishments proliferate on sites such as YouTube.

source: examiner.com

MOSLEY INTERVIEW: MAYWEATHER WAS FORCED TO FIGHT ME

787 Aviation Ave. – Sugar Shane Mosley, the name in 147 lbs? I’d say “yes” by beating Margarito, yes he is the main man in the 147 lbs. division. Margarito was the most avoided 147 pounder in the planet before Shane put a beating on him in rounds 8 and 9 13 months ago.

I remember that during the post fight press conference of Pacquiao-De la Hoya, I asked Arum if Manny will fight Margarito. Arum said “we’re brave but not that brave.” So by beating Margarito, Mosley is the man in the welterweight division.

Duljoman: Good evening Shane, how's your weekend?

SSM: Fine, how are you?

Duljoman: Here at work, my break time, might as well talk to you to hype your fight against Mayweather... you’re taking a day off today (Sunday)?

SSM: Yeah! I'm resting today.

Duljoman: I’ve read about Floyd’s comment from Rick Rockwell's Examiner.com article that he’s talking about your divorce, that it can be very excruciating and sometimes it costs a lot of money. What can you say about this? Is this a below the belt for you?

SSM: He can say anything about my divorce, he can think all day about my divorce. I’m cool with that. He can focus about my divorce. The truth is I don’t care Anthony. I’ve been on this... in boxing for a long time, when I have an upcoming fight, I’m only thinking about that fight. I don’t care about my opponent's mouth. I’ll deal with them inside the ring. So I don’t care at all.

Duljoman: What do you think about Mayweather?

SSM: I don’t care about him and I don’t care about his personality. This is business for me, nothing personal. My mind is focused to beat him and fight him again because we have a rematch clause for this one.

Duljoman: Rematch clause for both of you?

SSM: No. Only for him. I don’t need a rematch clause. He needs a rematch clause because he was forced to fight me.

Duljoman: I talked to Roach a few days ago, he told me that Pacquiao-Mayweather was canceled because Mayweather was afraid of the zero to become 1. Like Roach was telling me that, Mayweather was frightened to fight Manny. What's your stand on this one?

SSM: Anthony let's put it this way. Mayweather needs money that’s why he’s forced to fight me. He needs money that’s why he puts a rematch clause on this one. I don’t know if he’s a coward or not but what I know for this fight? He was forced to fight me. Aside from Manny, this is the only big money for him out there. If he’s afraid to fight Manny I’m not.

Clottey aims to slow down speedy Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines – Joshua Clottey of Ghana seems to be unthreatened by his match-up against the only 7-division world champion and pound-for-pound king, Manny Pacquiao, on March 13 at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
“Manny Pacquiao is a human being, like everyone else. He's just a really good fighter who is out there now who is No. 1 now,” Clottey told Lem Satterfield of Fanhouse.com.
“If I win this fight against Manny Pacquiao, I will never feel like I beat the best fighter in the world,” he said. “I will feel like I had a fight with Manny Pacquiao, the best fighter out there, and I won.”
He also clarified that just in case he wins on March 13, people should not regard his victory as an upset.
“I'll say, ‘It's not an upset, but a win,’” the Ghanaian stated.
But before the 33-year-old Clottey talks about his possible triumph over Pacquiao, he knows that he first has to overcome the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion.
He said he plans to beat Pacquiao by connecting his shots and wearing him down.
“I can't throw a lot of punches like Pacquiao will do. But I will connect enough to make him slow down and wear down, and bring his speed down,” he shared.
“I will also rely on my pressure. But I don't know what Pacquiao is coming to do, so I have to use my head. I don't know if he's planning to move around. But I'm not going to make him chase me. I will be right there.” Read More

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Can Joshua Clottey Upset Manny Pacquiao?

You’re probably wondering how on earth can Joshua Clottey win this fight. He appears to have little chance when he faces off against Manny Pacquiao in three weeks. Not many people outside of his homeland of Ghana, West Africa think he can win.

Here’s why.

Clottey recently lost to Miguel Cotto. The same Miguel Cotto who got beat down by Pacquiao last year. I know that it’s silly to compare how two fighters fared against a common opponent but Clottey’s performance against Cotto simply does not match up well with Pacquiao’s.

Clottey also has shown a reluctance to pull the trigger in his biggest fights. Maybe it’s an issue of physical fatigue. Or maybe it’s simply mental. Whatever it is, this gun-shy nature, especially late in his two fights against Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto, cost him a chance at victory in both fights. If he commits the same sin against Pac Man, he may not last 12 rounds for the first time in his career.

Yes, it appears that Clottey has no chance. But looks can be deceiving.

The Case for Joshua Clottey: Physical Strength

For the first time, Manny Pacquiao will be facing off against a full-blown, welterweight. Not a blown-up Ricky Hatton coming off a knockout loss to Floyd Mayweather. Not a weight-drained Oscar De La Hoya fighting at 147 for the first time in years.

In Clottey, Pacquiao will be facing the strongest boxer in his career. Talented, yet naturally smaller boxers like Diego Corrales and Zab Judah were unable to hold up against Clottey. Will Clottey’s strength have a similar impact on the Pac Man?

The Case for Joshua Clottey: El Dinamita

In case you didn’t know, “El Dinamita” is Juan Manuel Marquez’s fighting nickname. Simply put, Clottey better be studying film of Pacquiao’s epic wars with Marquez like an undergrad cramming for Sweet Science 101: A Lesson in Counter-Punching by Juan Manuel Marquez.

Clottey is a natural counter-puncher. Watching tapes of Marquez-Pacquiao may give him the clues that he needs to pass the considerable test that is the Pac Man.

The Case for Joshua Clottey: Manny Pacquiao

Will thoughts of his political career after boxing or of a potential fight with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. later in the year cause Pacquiao to overlook Clottey? It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that the Pac Man is looking past Clottey.

He’s accomplished just about everything in his career. What does a win against Joshua Clottey mean? If what I say is true, the always-in-shape Clottey may be primed for an upset.

What do you think?

Next week, I will state the case for Manny Pacquiao. Stay tuned.

source: www.sportsperspectives.com

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Puts His Dress Back On.

Last week Floyd Mayweather Jr. went directly to one of his appointed mouthpieces to tell the world what most of us knew a long time ago. He's scared of Manny Pacquiao and he will never, ever fight him.

In typical fashion Money May did it in a way that will most likely pacify his increasing small group of hardcore admirers but will only make the rest of us continue to call him out.
He went to his "local" Grand Rapids newspaper and gave an "interview". The fact that Money hasn't lived in Grand Rapids for years hasn't kept that Michigan fish-wrap from prostituting itself for Floyd over the years.
With the current economies for local papers, it's hard to blame them for behaving that way. But if Floyd really wanted to be interviewed by a credible source he could have gone to a number of other more discerning outlets.
Tiger's press conference wasn't this controlled.
It's pretty obvious Floyd wanted to give a statement and not be bothered with messy considerations like questions. Questions like why he is already negotiating a fight that isn't even on the schedule at this time.
In case you didn't read the article, here it is for your perusal.
http://www.mlive.com/mayweather/index.ssf/2010/02/floyd_mayweather_still_wonders.html
The long and short of it is that PBF continues to plead his case on the past negotiations without ever admitting that Manny Pacquiao had already stated why he didn't like blood tests right before a fight. That he felt it made him weak.
How does Manny know this? Because he submitted to a test two days before his fight with Erik Morales.
How do we know this? Well, there are the many interviews Manny did after the fight including this one in 2005. Where he talks about it on video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOFXsVAT8_0&feature=player_embedded#
Which means Floyd already knows why Manny doesn't want to take the drug test. I think we can also figure out why Floyd asked for the testing after the fight had already been agreed upon back in December.
The fact is Manny had already given blood in the past. If he was on PED's and scared of blood tests why would he have done that right before the Morales fight?
But Money knows all of this. The fact is Money doesn't want to fight Pacquiao.
If we were unsure of PBF's intentions, the second half of the article pretty much confirms what a lot of us already assumed.
That part of the article is a laundry list of demands that Money says he will make in any future negotiations. All of which he knows full well will not be agreeable to the Pacqiuao camp.
This is classic Floyd. He starts making his case for why he won't fight a credible opponent years before he might have to face them.
He made excuses for years as to why he wouldn't fight Mosley. Now that Sugar Shane is 38 and has lost most of his recent fights against top contenders, he suddenly wants to fight.
The interview also confirms to me that Mayweather-Mosley will be a very boring fight that will leave most fight fans reaching for their Five Hour Energy drinks in an attempt to stay awake before it is over.
Money talks about how he's too smart for Mosley. Read between the lines and it says "Mosley's getting old, he hasn't fought in over a year and if you think I will let him come anywhere near me you're out of your mind."
Last week at the unveiling of the new HBO documentary Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals , Magic Johnson ended his comments with a plea to the head of HBO sports Ross Greenburg.
"Ross Greenburg." Magic called out. "Make Mayweather-Pacquiao happen."
Unfortunately Johnson was yelling at the wrong guy. It's Mayweather not Greenburg that's gumming up the works.

source: bleacherreport.com

Ponce De Leon Stops Cruz, Matthysse KOs Vivian Harris

At the Auditorio Plaza La Condesa in Mexico City, Mexico, Daniel Ponce De Leon (38-2, 33KOs) stopped Orlando Cruz (16-2-1, 7KOs) in the third round to pick up the vacant WBC Latino featherweight title.

Ponce De Leon would like a shot at full champion Elio Rojas next.

After two lackluster rounds of action and head clashes, Ponce De Leon brought the pain in the third when he trapped Cruz and launched a barrage of punches to send him down. Thinking better of the situation, Cruz stayed down for the full count.

In the co-feature, welterweight puncher Lucas Martin Matthysse (26-0, 24KOs) continued his streak of broken bodies with a knockout of former champion Vivian Harris (29-4-1, 19KOs) in the fourth round.

It was a war from the first round. Both guys were throwing hard shots to tests each other's beards. Matthysse proved to have the better chin as he ate Harris' big punches and kept coming with hard shots. Matthysse forgot about going to head for a little while in the third and began to batter Harris' body. That body work really got to Harris and it slowed him down. Matthysse went right back on the attack in the fourth with shots to the body and the head. He then got Harris in trouble with a right hand bomb. The ref stopped the fight because he was able to close the show. Harris' team was upset over the stoppage. Read More

source: boxingscene.com

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Manny Pacquiao's Sparring Partner Wins Jr. Middleweight Title

Shawn Porter, the sparring partner for Manny Pacquiao leading up to his fight with Miguel Cotto, claimed the NABO Jr. Middleweight (154 lbs.) belt Friday night with a 10-round unanimous decision over journeyman Russell Jordan of Rochester, NY. The win keeps Porter’s professional record unblemished at 13-0, while Jordan drops to 15-7. Headlining ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights in front of his hometown Cleveland fans, Porter came out with obvious nervous adrenaline. Bouncing around and expending energy early on, he swung hard for a deciding punch against an opponent with a history of knockout losses. Five of Jordan’s six previous defeats ended in this manner, and Porter looked to add his name to the list. Even boxing analyst Teddy Atlas predicted a knockout by the fourth round, but it wasn’t to be.

The night didn’t go exactly as planned for Porter’s corner, headed by Shawn’s trainer and father, Ken. The 5’7 Porter was tagged with a well-placed right hook in the second round by the 6’2 and very skinny Jordan. The punch caught Porter off guard and sent him staggering backwards, but he was able to recover and finish the round. Each man had his pros and cons throughout the fight: Porter bobbed all night and let his guard down frequently but was the busier fighter with more landed punches; Jordan kept Porter at a distance as he should have but couldn’t effectively time Porter’s bouncing. His punches came one at a time rather than in combos, even with Porter leaning against the ropes. By the later rounds, Porter was in more control and was able to secure the win, albeit not the kind he probably had envisioned at the start of the match. He has carved out a reputation for heavy hands that deliver punishing blows, but he looked frustrated at times against a game Russell Jordan. Read More

source:gather.com

Roach: Opening rounds hard for Pacquiao, Clottey

MANILA, Philippines – Although boxing coach Freddie Roach is confident that Manny Pacquiao will demolish Joshua Clottey, he sees a very hard fight for both boxers.

The prized trainer said he thinks the March 13 bout between reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champ Pacquiao and challenger Clottey might even turn out just like the Miguel Cotto fight last November.

“Just like Cotto fight... the first half of the fight will be really, really hard for both guys,” Roach said in an interview with FightFan.com.

Roach, who oversees Pacquiao’s training at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, California, acknowledges Clottey’s durability.

He, however, said the Ghanaian’s defense leaves much to be desired so he expects his Filipino ward to assert himself by the middle rounds.

“We will take over in the middle or late rounds,” said Roach.

Passive defense
Roach said he has patterned some of Pacquiao’s strategies against the Ghanaian’s “amateurish” defense.

“He's passive, he's way too passive,” he said while describing Clottey’s defensive stance. “That works in the amateurs. There's no counter punching in that defense. He waits for you to finish your combinations then he throws.”

Roach said the only way Clottey would be effective against Pacquiao is if the Ghanaian engages the Filipino into a full fight.

This means Clottey would have himself get hit before he can tag Pacquiao with power punches.

“For him to be effective, he has to hit while we're engaging also for him to land that power shot, but he seems like he doesn't do that a lot,” said the boxing coach.

Waiting for Pacquiao to get tired would only bring Clottey more trouble.

“[Because] Pacquiao… doesn't get tired,” said Roach.

source: ABS-CBNNews

Pacquiao picks Mosley to win over Mayweather

MANILA, Philippines – The world’s best pound-for-pound fighter made a prediction on the outcome of the May 1 fight between Americans Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Shane Mosley.

“I think Mosley will win,” Manny Pacquiao declared on the Krystal Hart Show as quoted by FightFan.com.

Even if he thinks that Mayweather is a "boring" fighter, Pacquiao said that the fight between "Pretty Boy Floyd" and "Sugar Shane" will still be a treat for fight fans.

“I think Mayweather vs. Mosley will be a good fight,” he said.

Pacquiao then went on to give another reason why his scheduled March 13 bout with Mayweather did not push through.

“I’m not concerned about the Money (that would have come in a fight vs. Mayweather). I’m concerned about what I can give in terms of my performance to the people who love boxing. My concern isn’t only with myself, but with the people who buy tickets looking for a good fight,” he said.

“I don’t want to disappoint people with a boring fight. I feel you need to entertain the people who watch your fights.”

Pacquiao, meanwhile, assured a very good fight against Ghana’s Joshua Clottey, whom he will face on March 13 at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

“It’s going to be a good fight because he has a good style. It’s a different kind of style and I want to fight. He’s bigger and he’s taller than Miguel Cotto.”

Pacquiao won the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title last November by beating Cotto via technical knockout in Round 12.

Clean fighter

After Pacquiao’s victory over Cotto, talks on the Mayweather-Pacquiao match-up swirled immediately. They were supposed to face off on March 13 fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Talks to seal the deal collapsed when the fighters’ camps disagreed on the drug testing protocol.

Mayweather, his father Floyd Sr. and other members of his team even alleged that Pacquiao was taking performance-enhancing drugs. The Filipino boxing icon already filed a defamation complaint against them.

“I’m not against blood testing. Just not the day of the fight. I’ve had that happen in the (first) [Erik] Morales fight. I lost that fight and my body felt very weak. I don’t feel I recovered. That is why I don’t want blood testing close to the fight,” explained Pacquiao.

He also mentioned that he is a “very honest person” who prays and believes in God. He said his success in the ring only reflects the hard training he undergoes before every fight.

“I’m a clean fighter who trains very hard. People don’t know how hard I train and the sacrifices I make.”

He even hit back on Mayweather, saying that the American probably did not really want to face the 7-time world champ.

“I don’t think Mayweather wanted the fight. He had too many reasons (that lead) to cancel the fight. I’m not disappointed because I know I’m not the one who didn’t want the fight and I have to defend myself.”

Clottey’s disappointment

Pacquiao, who is training in the United States for his title defense, said he is not underestimating his opponent.

“I didn’t expect I would end up fighting Clottey but I will prepare myself and train hard,” he said.

“Clottey is a strong guy and a good fighter. He’s a former world champion. I am sure we will have a good fight and create a lot of excitement in the ring.”

The Ghanian, on the other hand, is still encountering problems in his fight preparations because his trainer, Godwin Dzanie Kotey better known as Alloway, has not yet secured a US visa.

“I am fine but tell Ghana that they’ve disappointed me by not giving my trainer visa to come here with me,” Clottey said in a GhanaWeb.com article.

“The only thing I can tell you is everything is fine with me and I’m ready to fight [even] if the government can’t help because it’s my life on the line,” added Clottey.

source:ABS CBN News

Boxing Historian Mike Silver - On Pacquiao, Mayweather Jr, Cotto, Clottey, Mosley, Margarito, His Book and Much More!

Let's once again welcome the author of "The Arc of Boxing" into the doghouse . I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did talking discussing our sport with it's foremost historian.

David Tyler - Mike, in our last interview we focused on your terrific book "The Arc of Boxing: The Rise and Decline of the Sweet Science”, Have sales improved since the doghouse boxing interview?

Mike Silver - David they have been going very well thanks to you and the staff at doghouse boxing. I've had several orders and I am pleased with the overall response and enthusiasm for the book. The only drawback has been that several boxing fans have inquired about ordering the book but the price ($ 44 dollars) turns them off. Of course I believe the book is well worth it considering what the reader will get in return. Without trying to sound biased I sincerely believe the type of information contained in my book is available nowhere else. But I understand if some fans just can't make themselves pay $44 for a book.

DT - I know of at least 10 people in the business who have read "The Arc of Boxing" and become fanatics about learning more about the glory days of boxing. Have you ever had someone say that the book was not worth the price? (*See Link provided Below to order a personally autograph copy of "The Arc of Boxing".)

MS – No, and that's the point I'm making when I say "The Arc of Boxing" is worth every penny if you are a serious boxing fan.”

DT - Mike, you made the statement that once a person has read "The Arc of Boxing" they will never look at a fight the same way again. Last Saturday night I was watching boxing on one of the cable networks and here was a championship fight featuring Tony DeMarco and Edwin Valero. I had never seen Valero before but as I watched him I could not help but think of "The Arc of Boxing" and the many references to the lack of pure boxing skills by contemporary fighters. Valero just stood flat footed, hands held lower than his chest and directly in front of his opponent. I immediately used the "Arc of Boxing" as a reference tool and sure enough, on page 71 you mention the lack of experience by Valero who has knocked out every opponent with 19 victories coming in the first round. This with at total of 26 fights under his belt. What I can't understand is how we got to the point that a club fighter with no boxing skills is considered one of the best fighters on the market today?

MT – I’ve only seen Valero fight once. I was impressed by his obvious natural power, but 19 one round KOs indicate he is either the greatest puncher that ever lived or has made a career of fighting mostly glass chinned tomato cans. I’ll go with the latter. Right now he’s a hard punching tough club fighter with average boxing ability and that's all you need to be a champion today. Years ago, with the limited experience he’s acquired up to now, Valero would still be fighting eight round preliminaries. You now understand why I wrote "The Arc of Boxing"; to help educate the fans about the quality of the fighters in the glory days and let them make the comparisons against today's current crop of champions. Read More

source:doghouseboxing.com

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Clottey: Pacquiao in for a tough fight

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:Malaya.com.ph

Pacquiao-Cotto Clottey-Cotto video highlights comparison

Here is the highlights of Clottey-Cotto fight, just watch and compare it to the highlights video of Pacquiao-Cotto match.





So who do you think will win?

The Final Score: Pacquiao is NBA All-Stars’ Choice by Miko 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."

Billups, Roy and Williams refused to predict a winner in a Pacquiao-Mayweather bout. They all agreed, though, that a showdown would feature two great fighters.

“I don’t know who’ll win that fight," 5-time All-Star Chris Bosh said. “That’s why it’s going to be a great fight. No one knows what’s going to happen."

Mayweather still has loyal fans. 1st time All-Star Derrick Rose is one of them. Still, if Mayweather slid into Sunday’s game with little fanfare, Pacquiao blasted the boxing scene like a Dwight Howard two-handed slam. Pacquiao, who’ll face Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium on March 13, didn’t quietly enter the consciousness of the NBA’s boxing fans, he rocked their world.

“I’m just a big fan of boxing so I would love to see both those guys get in the ring together but just because it didn’t push through now doesn’t mean it won’t push through," an optimistic Roy said. “I still have high hopes that it will push through eventually."

“I love Manny Pacquiao," West All-Star starter Amare Stoudamire asserted. “He’s a great boxer. He was totally ready to fight Mayweather. I was waiting to see that fight but it didn’t happen."

When asked who would win the bout between Mayweather and Pacquiao, Stoudamire had one, clear choice. "Pacquiao".

source:gma.tv

Mayweather: Pacquiao should get less if fight pushes through

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:mb.ph

Latin Fury 13 / Pinoy Power 3 Replay

LAS VEGAS (AP)—Nonito Donaire knocked out late replacement Manuel Vargas in the third round Saturday to retain the WBA interim super flyweight championship.

The Filipino controlled the bout throughout before flooring Vargas for good with a solid right uppercut at 1:33 in the third.

“It was a matter of relaxing and working my game plan,” Donaire said. “I went side to side, leading with the jab, then landed that hard uppercut.”

Donaire had been scheduled to fight Gerson Guerrero, who failed a pre-fight physical and his fellow Mexican Vargas stepped in.

“It was a crazy week,” Donaire said. “It didn’t matter who I fought, I simply tried to figure him out.”

On the undercard, WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel knocked out Ciso Morales at 2:06 of the first round with two devastating body shots. Morales hit the canvas in obvious pain and was unable to beat the count.

Eric Morel earned a split-decision victory against Gerry Penalosa in a WBO interim bantamweight title fight. The judges scored it 115-113 and 116-112 in favor of Morel and 115-113 for Penalosa.

Watch the replay here.

NONITO DONAIRE VS. MANUEL VARGAS

source:yahoo

Floyd Mayweather continues his 'Anti-Pacquiao' campaign

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. continue reading

5 Reasons Why Pacquiao Is Considered the Best

The consensus on Manny Pacquiao is that he is the greatest fighter on planet earth. While his status as the top boxer in the world can be debated, the fact that the vast majority considers him the best is irrefutable. The Manny Pacquiao story isn’t just about boxing anymore, and it has overflowed far beyond the boundaries of the Philippines Archipelago. The man who has long been an icon in his home country of the Philippines has now found his way into the hearts of millions from all over the world. Pacquiao is one of those rare pugilists who has crossed over into mainstream media. Top Rank publicist, Lee Samuels recently announced that Pacquiao will be featured in an upcoming episode of 60 Minutes.

As I considered the reasons why Pacquiao is so endearing to the general public, I constructed a list that outlines the qualities that have played a role in his iconic rise to the top.

Faith

Pacquiao has never taken full credit for what he has accomplished. He understands where his talent comes from and he’s always quick to point out that he owes his success to God. He openly demonstrates his faith by getting on his knees to pray in the corner of the ring before and after every fight. He doesn’t claim to be perfect. In contrast, self-righteous individuals feel no need to pray.

Loyalty to his fans

The man who currently has the most loyal fan base of any boxer in the sport is in turn equally loyal to his supporters. He often states that his job is to make people happy. In the Pacquiao-Cotto post-fight press conference, Manny said, “My goal is to give happiness…enjoyment to all the people who are always watching us.” He spends hours signing autographs and talking to fans. During open training sessions, it’s not uncommon for him to stay at the Wildcard Gym until he has interacted with each and every devotee.

The ability to rise above all odds

Manny Pacquiao was born into extreme poverty in Kibawe, Bukidnon, Philippines. He only completed a grade school education before he started working to help support his family. By the time he was 16 years old he was a professional boxer. When he came to the United States to search for an American trainer, he was rejected time and time again. He was repeatedly told that there was no market for a Filipino boxer. Freddie Roach wisely disagreed and took him under his wing. When Pacquiao scored a TKO against Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003, the boxing world began to take notice. The once poor kid from the Philippines is now ranked among the highest paid athletes in the world. He is an inspiration to millions and is exemplary of the fact that great things can be achieved by faith, determination and perseverance.

Humility

“I always think to myself that I’m just an ordinary fighter and sometimes I can beat a good fighter.” You will never hear Manny Pacquiao boast about his accomplishments or discredit his opponents. That’s just not his character. He is one of the true gentlemen of the sport. His brand of low-key charisma makes him an endearing figure in the public eye.

Fight style

It has been said that no boxing trainer will ever say “Fight like Manny Pacquiao.” His style is inimitable. His explosiveness and work ethic inside the ring make him enthralling to behold. Pacquiao could fight anyone and it would be exciting while it lasted. His unorthodox and unpredictable style injects a unique sense of suspense into each and every fight. When he gets rocked with a hard punch it only ignites him. At the moment he appears to be hurt, he instinctively becomes more dangerous. During such occasions, he often winds up gaining back the advantage during the flurries that follow.

Perhaps the most amazing aspect of the pugilist is the fact that he improves exponentially with each fight. Somehow he manages to stay hungry and focused in spite of all the success he’s already achieved.

Pacquiao’s legacy is sealed. Like Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, the name “Manny Pacquiao” will be repeated continually by boxing enthusiasts long after his career has been completed.

source: 8countnews

Mosley on Mayweather: “I am Stronger, Faster, Better"

Shane Mosely believes he can beat Floyd Mayweather Jr. Whether words translate into reality remain to be seen.

Said Mosley this week: "I have always wanted to fight Floyd and now it is finally coming true. I am already in great shape and ready to show everyone on May 1 that I am stronger, faster and better than he is. I will have no problem beating him."

Should his promise come to fruition that's great news for gamblers who can currently bet Mosley online at $100 and potentially win $260 at SBG Global.

The May 1 bout promises to be a major draw for gamblers and boxing fans alike.

Shane and Floyd are two of the greatest and most complete fighters to grace the sport of professional boxing over the last 20 years, writes Frank Lotierzo of the Sweet Science.

Lotierzo is not sure which Shane Mosley will show up to fight Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

"What Mosley shows up to face Floyd Mayweather this coming May will determine what kind of a fight boxing fans will see. If it's the Mosley who had a hard time getting off versus (Ricardo) Mayorga until Ricardo slowed and became more predictable and easier to time than he normally is, Mayweather will run away with the fight. And if it's the Mosley who got caught in between styles fighting (Miguel) Cotto, Mayweather will pot-shot him and stay a step ahead of him the entire fight."

Online bookmakers are betting this will be a fight for the ages following cancellation of the much anticipated Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao showdown.

Should Mosley win, we may be forgetting about Mayweather-Pacquaio as all bets could be on Mosley-Pacquiao.

Mosley had previously said Pacquiao would have made more money fighting him than Miguel Cotto.

source:gambling911.com

Clottey’s training ‘frozen’

WHILE WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao prepares to celebrate a warm and cozy Valentine's Day with wife Jinkee, his opponent, Joshua “Grand Master” Clottey of Ghana has become a casualty of the blizzards and record snowfall hitting the US East Coast.

Clottey is based in New York which was smothered with 10 to 16 inches (25 to 40 centimeters) of snow a couple of days ago. This obviously will make the challenger stay indoors and unable to do roadwork. To add insult to injury, his trainer of choice, Godwin Dzainie Kotey has yet to be granted an American visa and still cannot join the former world champion in training.

Clottey has been living in the Bronx since 2003. In August 2008, Clottey beat Zab Judah by 9th round technical decision for the IBF welterweight title. He relinquished his IBF belt last year for the opportunity to fight Miguel Cotto where he suffered a split decision loss. Clottey does plan to move his training camp to Florida.

Meanwhile, seven time world champion Pacquiao, is currently on target with his training regimen under Freddie Roach and is so relaxed that he is scheduled to have a Valentine's show this weekend.

Promoters and organizers of the March 13 mega-fight in Dallas are worried that Clottey's predicament will lead to less interest and pay-per-view sales will drop as fans expect a one-sided bout in the Filipino's favor.

Sales of Pacquiao vs Clottey will be ranged against the PPV receipts of the Shane Mosley vs Floyd Mayweather fight. If Pacquiao wants to fight the winner, marketability and receipts will be used as a bargaining chip.

source:inquirer.net

Freddie Roach breaks down Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey @ FightFan.com

Pacquiao 'stupid, crazy' for refusing $40-M: Mayweather Sr.

MANILA, Philippines – The father of American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. criticized 7-division world champion Manny Pacquiao for dropping the Mayweather bout over a disagreement about Olympic-style drug testing.

In an interview, Floyd Mayweather, Sr. questioned Pacquiao's argument that he would be weakened by the blood test if it was done so close to the fight. He said Pacquiao should have considered the amount of money being offered to the two boxers before refusing the fight.

“Who wouldn’t fight for that kind of money, unless they’re dumb, stupid and crazy. I think it was $40 million, something like that. They will both get that kind of money,” Floyd Mayweather, Sr. told Bev Llorente of ABS-CBN North America News Bureau.

He added: “They’re gonna fight. They’re not gonna take much blood out of you, talking that he gonna get weak before the fight. You’re gonna get weak after he tapped that ass so that’s what he is scared about."

The controversial trainer said that the world does not care about the upcoming bout between Pacquiao and Ghanaian Joshua Clottey, which is scheduled on March 13-- the same date of the bungled Pacquiao-Mayweather fight.

He added, however, that he is not closing the door on a Mayweather-Pacquiao bout in the future.

Floyd Jr. earlier blamed Pacquiao for their fight’s collapse which was caused by their disagreement on the drug testing procedure.

The undefeated American told RadioPlanet.tv as quoted by FightHype.com: “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.”

Pacquiao already filed a defamation complaint against the Mayweathers and other members of their camp for alleging that he was taking performance-enhancing drugs.

Pacquiao is set to fight Clottey at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas on March 13.

Floyd Jr., on the other hand, is scheduled to fight on May 1 against “Sugar” Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he and Pacquiao were supposed to face off.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Cole tapped to referee in Pacquiao-Clottey bout

Laurence Cole, who scored a knockdown in favor of Marco Antonio Barrera against Manny Pacquiao years back, has been tapped to referee the March 13 fight between Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey at the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, ace boxing scribe Michael Marley reported Thursday.

A resident of Dallas, Cole is also the son of Texas boxing commission chief Dickie Cole and is regarded as one of boxing’s top arbiter, having officiated countless high-profile matches featuring Oscar De La Hoya, Erik Morales, and Edwin Valero.

But for Filipino fight fans, Cole is very unpopular, having ruled that Pacquiao was legitimately floored by Barrera when they fought at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, in November 2003.

Cole, who is in the insurance business, began his refereeing job in 1990.

The names of the three judges will also be announced soon.

The Pacquiao-Clottey fight will be for the World Boxing Organization welterweight crown. (Tempo Sports)

source:mb.com.ph

The Shadow of the Big One: Mayweather-Pacquiao

Last weekend, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. started the promotional push for his May 1st date with Shane Mosley down in Miami at the Super Bowl media nexus. Though, you couldn’t tell if you didn’t know already.

On the NFL Network, Mayweather’s five-minute segment hardly ever touched on the upcoming fight. Rather, Rich Eisen, Deion Sanders and the rest of the crew only wanted to dissect why the Manny Pacquiao fight fell apart.

“How much of a risk are you taking,” ESPNews first asked Mayweather, “by taking this fight ahead of a possible fight with Pacquiao?” To follow-up, the newscaster probed, “What are the chances we will see you and Pacquiao in the ring down the road?” Two opening questions. No mention of Mosley. continue reading

source:doghouseboxing.com