MANILA, Philippines - Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao said Saturday that the super fight between him and Floyd Mayweather Jr. now depends on the American boxer after he has agreed to undergo a blood test 14 days before their faceoff.
"Talagang hindi siya lalaban kung mangatwiran ulit siya," Pacquiao told radio dzMM when asked what he would do if Mayweather comes up with a new demand.
He said that if ever the superfight fails to push through, he may still fight another boxer or just retire and focus on his newfound career in politics.
Pacquiao has been proclaimed as winner in Sarangani Province's congressional race. He toppled a member of a powerful political clan in the province.
The Filipino boxer said he will take a 1-week crash course on public administration and governance at the University of the Philippines.
He said he is also determined to finish his business management course at the Notre Dame University in 2 years and then take up law.
Pacquiao clarified Friday that the blood that would extracted from him should only be minimal for the drug test.
“Pumayag naman ako pero hindi yung talagang maraming dugo na kukunin. Kung anong dugo ang kelangan sa drug test, ganoon lang karami. Fourteen days [before the fight],” Pacquiao told ABS-CBN News' Dyan Castillejo.
Pacquiao said during the radio interview that he has yet to receive a feedback from the camp of Mayweather.
The reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion said he softened his stand after listening to boxing fans’ clamor for a mega fight between him and Mayweather.
“Everywhere I go… gusto talaga nila ng Mayweather fight. [They ask me] over and over,” said Pacquiao.
Pacquiao made the decision to fight the former pound-for-pound king weeks after he received permission from his mother, Dionisia Pacquiao, for one last bout.
The blood test controversy was the reason the negotiations between the Pacquiao and Mayweather camps collapsed early this year.
The two would have fought last March 13, but Mayweather ended up fighting Shane Mosley and Pacquiao battling Ghana's Joshua Clottey.
Pacquiao’s camp earlier agreed to undergo tests 24 days before the fight, but Mayweather’s group insisted that blood should be taken 14 days prior to the fight.
Blood test as the drug protocol is the personal requirement for Mayweather. Athletic commissions require urine tests on boxers as the form of drug testing, and Pacquiao has never had a problem.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said he learned the last day for blood testing used by Mayweather and "Sugar" Shane Mosley in their recent fight was 18 days prior to the fight.
"The USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) stopped the blood test... they took 5 or 6 tests but the last one was 18 days for Mosley and 19 days for Mayweather," he told ABS-CBN News' Dyan Castillejo in a phone interview.
Source: abs-cbnnews.com
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Pacman’s big plans
The candidate himself–Manny Pacquiao–was the least surprised over the outcome of the fight for the lone congressional seat of Sarangani. A week after being proclaimed winner over the heavily-favored Roy Chiongbian, Pacquiao said there was not even an iota of doubt in his mind that he would bounce back from the humiliation that he suffered in 2007. “I didn’t have doubts that I would win,” said the 31-year-old boxing star during a recent interview while he was shooting a commercial. “I was confident that I was going to conquer another world.”
Pacquiao credits his long-term preparation as key to his victory, a win that ranks alongside his 2008 knockout of the great Oscar De La Hoya.
“I lost in 2007 because I was not prepared. This time, I had everything in place and I showed the people of Sarangani that I will bring about change,” said Pacquiao, referring to his donation of firetrucks, hospital beds and other basic needs the last two years.
Pacquiao got 120,000 votes, while Chiongbian only earned half, something the one-time construction worker and vendor described as being “the voice of the people.”
“The people of Sarangani really wanted change,” said Pacquiao, who is eyeing a return to the ring on Nov. 13 either in Las Vegas or Dallas.
Since he will now be also working as a lawmaker, Pacquiao said he has decided to cut back on activities that are close to his heart.
Told about his perennial participation in big-time derbies, Pacquiao said he would still take part but will no longer immerse himself the way he used to.
“I will greatly reduce my participation in derbies and other things that give me joy. I now have two responsibilities,” said Pacquiao, stressing that quality healthcare and education and the welfare of athletes as tops in his priorities.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao is hopeful that the Mayweather fight finally pushes through for November 13 “for the sake of the boxing fans from around the world.”
Pacquiao has agreed to be tested 14 days before the fight but Mayweather hasn’t come out with an official stand regarding Pacquiao’s bold move.
Source: fightnews.com
Pacquiao credits his long-term preparation as key to his victory, a win that ranks alongside his 2008 knockout of the great Oscar De La Hoya.
“I lost in 2007 because I was not prepared. This time, I had everything in place and I showed the people of Sarangani that I will bring about change,” said Pacquiao, referring to his donation of firetrucks, hospital beds and other basic needs the last two years.
Pacquiao got 120,000 votes, while Chiongbian only earned half, something the one-time construction worker and vendor described as being “the voice of the people.”
“The people of Sarangani really wanted change,” said Pacquiao, who is eyeing a return to the ring on Nov. 13 either in Las Vegas or Dallas.
Since he will now be also working as a lawmaker, Pacquiao said he has decided to cut back on activities that are close to his heart.
Told about his perennial participation in big-time derbies, Pacquiao said he would still take part but will no longer immerse himself the way he used to.
“I will greatly reduce my participation in derbies and other things that give me joy. I now have two responsibilities,” said Pacquiao, stressing that quality healthcare and education and the welfare of athletes as tops in his priorities.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao is hopeful that the Mayweather fight finally pushes through for November 13 “for the sake of the boxing fans from around the world.”
Pacquiao has agreed to be tested 14 days before the fight but Mayweather hasn’t come out with an official stand regarding Pacquiao’s bold move.
Source: fightnews.com
Mayweather-Mosley test dates revealed
The United States Anti-Doping Agency confirmed Friday that the final blood sample taken from Shane Mosley was April 12 and the final one taken from Floyd Mayweather was April 13 as part of their agreement to undergo random, Olympic-style testing prior to their May 1 welterweight boxing match in Las Vegas.
Mayweather won the fight by a wide unanimous decision. Each man was tested seven times prior to the fight and then again on the night of the fight by USADA, which will retain their samples for future testing. Each of the eight tests included required the fighters to provide urine samples; they were required to give blood four times.
Mayweather gave blood and urine on March 22, April 1, April 13 and then May 1 after the fight. He gave urine only on April 3, April 6, April 21 and April 24.
Mosley gave blood and urine on March 23, March 31, April 12 and then May 1 after the fight. He gave urine only on March 29, April 7, April 20 and April 26.
The news of the date of the final pre-fight blood draw – 18 days before the fight, in Mayweather’s case – might give hope to fans who want to see a bout between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
An attempt to make the fight for March 13 failed when they couldn’t come to terms over Mayweather’s demand for random testing.
In a story written Thursday by Nick Giongco in the Manila Bulletin, Pacquiao said he would agree to a test as late as 14 days prior to a Mayweather bout provided they weren’t taking large samples.
“As long as they’re not getting a large amount of blood, I am willing to give out blood as close to two weeks before the fight,” Pacquiao told Giongco.
But if you’re thinking that concession will lead to Pacquiao vs Mayweather on Nov. 13, slow down. There is a big difference between what Pacquiao told Giongco he’d agree to and what Mayweather and Mosley did, said Travis Tygart, the chief executive officer of USADA.
“That totally misses the point,” Tygart said of the reaction some may have upon hearing of Pacquiao’s concession and the timing of Mayweather’s last blood test. “If you know you aren’t going to be tested within the last 14 days, you can cheat and get away with it. It is our right to test at any time, 30 days before the fight, 20 days before, the week of, the morning of – that provides the deterrent. If you block out a period of time and say we can’t test during that period, then an athlete could cheat and get away with it.”
Tygart praised Mayweather and Mosley and said they fully embraced the program. They were, he said, “consummate professionals throughout the entire process.”
Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, still believes a 14-day cutoff is reasonable.
“Fourteen days should give them plenty of time to do what they need to do, especially in light of what they did with Mayweather and Mosley,” Arum said.
Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe said he doesn’t understand why a fuss would be made over the time of Mayweather’s final blood test. Ellerbe said Mayweather boxed at least 11 rounds, and as many as 14, after three of the blood draws.
“Random is random,” he said. “It could be at any time. That’s what random means. I will say this: If and when Floyd Mayweather decides to fight again, random blood and urine testing will be part of it. Period.”
Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said he heard no complaints from either fighter about the testing program, terming it an unqualified success. Schaefer said he hoped that boxing promoters and other stakeholders could get together and adopt a plan under which similar testing would become a regular part of the sport.
“I’m not a drug-testing expert and I’ve never put together a testing program protocol, but where there is a will, there is a way,” Schaefer said. “Our interest as promoters should be to have a clean sport. At the end of the day, this is protecting our fighters and doing something positive for the sport.
Source: yahoo.com
Mayweather won the fight by a wide unanimous decision. Each man was tested seven times prior to the fight and then again on the night of the fight by USADA, which will retain their samples for future testing. Each of the eight tests included required the fighters to provide urine samples; they were required to give blood four times.
Mayweather gave blood and urine on March 22, April 1, April 13 and then May 1 after the fight. He gave urine only on April 3, April 6, April 21 and April 24.
Mosley gave blood and urine on March 23, March 31, April 12 and then May 1 after the fight. He gave urine only on March 29, April 7, April 20 and April 26.
The news of the date of the final pre-fight blood draw – 18 days before the fight, in Mayweather’s case – might give hope to fans who want to see a bout between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
An attempt to make the fight for March 13 failed when they couldn’t come to terms over Mayweather’s demand for random testing.
In a story written Thursday by Nick Giongco in the Manila Bulletin, Pacquiao said he would agree to a test as late as 14 days prior to a Mayweather bout provided they weren’t taking large samples.
“As long as they’re not getting a large amount of blood, I am willing to give out blood as close to two weeks before the fight,” Pacquiao told Giongco.
But if you’re thinking that concession will lead to Pacquiao vs Mayweather on Nov. 13, slow down. There is a big difference between what Pacquiao told Giongco he’d agree to and what Mayweather and Mosley did, said Travis Tygart, the chief executive officer of USADA.
“That totally misses the point,” Tygart said of the reaction some may have upon hearing of Pacquiao’s concession and the timing of Mayweather’s last blood test. “If you know you aren’t going to be tested within the last 14 days, you can cheat and get away with it. It is our right to test at any time, 30 days before the fight, 20 days before, the week of, the morning of – that provides the deterrent. If you block out a period of time and say we can’t test during that period, then an athlete could cheat and get away with it.”
Tygart praised Mayweather and Mosley and said they fully embraced the program. They were, he said, “consummate professionals throughout the entire process.”
Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, still believes a 14-day cutoff is reasonable.
“Fourteen days should give them plenty of time to do what they need to do, especially in light of what they did with Mayweather and Mosley,” Arum said.
Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe said he doesn’t understand why a fuss would be made over the time of Mayweather’s final blood test. Ellerbe said Mayweather boxed at least 11 rounds, and as many as 14, after three of the blood draws.
“Random is random,” he said. “It could be at any time. That’s what random means. I will say this: If and when Floyd Mayweather decides to fight again, random blood and urine testing will be part of it. Period.”
Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said he heard no complaints from either fighter about the testing program, terming it an unqualified success. Schaefer said he hoped that boxing promoters and other stakeholders could get together and adopt a plan under which similar testing would become a regular part of the sport.
“I’m not a drug-testing expert and I’ve never put together a testing program protocol, but where there is a will, there is a way,” Schaefer said. “Our interest as promoters should be to have a clean sport. At the end of the day, this is protecting our fighters and doing something positive for the sport.
Source: yahoo.com
Thursday, May 13, 2010
BOB ARUM - Pacquiao vs Mayweather this November
BOB ARUM: I am back from one of the most exciting trips of my life and one of the most fulfilling trips. I am thinking now whether to pack it in as a boxing promoter and be a political consultant…but only in the Philippines and around the world. I don’t think there is anything more exciting and more interesting than politics and I really have to compliment Manny. People don’t realize that this victory over the candidate that he beat was a tremendous upset that very few people expected him to pull off. His opponent’s family holds all of the major businesses in this province. All the mayors and the congressman in the province are either related to this family belong to the family or are associates of the family. Manny Pacquiao was running against the elder son of the family and they hadn’t been defeated and won overwhelmingly in every election for 25 years. Manny Pacquiao is a fighter and with his grit and determination was not only able to win but to win by a landslide.
It reminded me of when he was fighting Oscar De La Hoya and all the boxing writers said we should be ashamed of ourselves because it was a mismatch and De La Hoya would destroy him. It was a mismatch but it was a mismatch the other way with Manny destroying De La Hoya. This was the same thing. Everybody said he was crazy, spending his own money. In certain precincts, Manny was beating this guy 90-10 and in other precincts 70-30 and when the dust settled, Manny will win by about a 3/1 margin. Manny is so humble and so soft spoken, you think, how can he be a politician? Then you go to his rally, and you hear him speak in the native dialect and he gives a rousing speech that brings the crowd to its feet. It is tremendous to hear him speak even though you don’t even understand a word. Something else that I learned – there are 7 dialects in the Philippines and Manny can speak every one of them.
Some of the reporters over there, who understand English, don’t even understand some of the dialects. I’m pumped up. When he’s 35 he can run for Senate, and when he’s 40, I am sure he’ll be President of the Philippines. He is special and we in boxing are lucky to have him be part of the sport.
Where do we stand with Manny’s next fight?
BOB ARUM: Manny is definitely going to fight in November. It’s amazing how many people came up to me as I was leaving the Philippines and asked me when is the Mayweather fight going to happen. That’s the fight people want to see. That’s the fight that I’m going to do my darndest to make happen. I don’t want to discuss any of the issues involved in making that fight because we are going to be involved in negotiations and my first goal and Manny’s first goal is to make that fight happen. But we are not going to negotiate this thing in the press, because given the egos of all the camps, it would never happen.
Did you discuss boxing at all with Manny?
BOB ARUM: Obviously, everybody was consumed with politics. But we did a lot of rallies, held on big stages, and before they get to Manny all the other politicians would speak. But we did discuss what we would do next.
What does Manny want to do next?
BOB ARUM: It’s the Pacquiao vs Mayweather fight. There is no question that is the fight that the public wants and that is the fight that Manny wants. I am not going to go into any details of our discussion only to say that is the case.
How do you engage with the other side?
BOB ARUM: I don’t want to get into that, only to say that there is a plan. I don’t want to get into what’s happening but there are things happening on the ground.
Do you think his political career will affect his boxing?
BOB ARUM: As far as psychological make-up I really can’t answer that. Let me again go through what I believe his duties will entail and how it will blend with boxing. A Congressman in the Philippines, especially one that is elected in a province has responsibilities over and above that of a congressman in the United States. By that I mean the federal government allocates the money to him that goes to the province. He in turn must allocate that money to various towns and mayors and so forth and that is a pretty big responsibility. He also has to attend sessions of congress, but that I believe is not time consuming. The sessions are not particularly lengthy. There will be a session in July then they are off for a few months. When he is training, he runs in the morning then sleeps then trains in the gym and then eats dinner then he has all this free time – that you see on 24/7. He’s around with his people. A lot of that free time will now be devoted to his people. I think that will be better, because there will be less wasted time that there appears to be now. There will be plenty of time to do his politics when he is in training and when he is out of training. The one activity I know it will affect is his playing billiards. He devotes a lot of time to playing billiards. I don’t see where his political responsibilities will affect how he prepares for fights, but we have to be aware of what those responsibilities are.
When do you plan to initiate contact with the Mayweather camp?
BOB ARUM: I would rather not comment on that. Just to say I have my marching orders and it will be sooner rather than later.
Do you expect Dallas to be interested?
BOB ARUM: Yes, I think the two sites we would be looking at are the same two sites, the MGM and Cowboys Stadium. Jerry is certainly interested and so is the MGM Grand. If the fight happens and I hope it will, in mid-November in one of those two places.
Do you think media reports affected negotiations in a bad way?
BOB ARUM: Absolutely. Once you start negotiating through the media, it becomes ego driven. People can’t wait to give a statement to the press. The flames just shoot up and there is no real opportunity for rational behavior to take over. Everyone is so interested is setting forth his position to the media that it becomes the contest. That involves me as well as everybody else.
Did you reserve specific dates?
BOB ARUM: Yes, November 13. November 6 would be reserved, but that is not as good a date because No. 1, I think the baseball World Series could possibly go that late and there is also question of the election. There is a big senatorial and congressional election.
Do you have reason to believe either side has softened its stance?
BOB ARUM: A negotiation is a negotiation. A lot of nice things happen if people negotiate in good faith and people want something good to happen and negotiate without going through the media. So let’s see what happens.
Could we bring the fighters to the table?
BOB ARUM: My guy is too busy with his congressional duties to do that. That’s why he has to delegate these things. The answer is he couldn’t do it. He doesn’t have the time to do it. He is not a congressman like the U.S. Congressman, he will get an allocation of millions of dollars of American money and he has to allocate to hospitals, schools, municipalities. To sit and spend time negotiation a fight is not something that’s productive. But he does have time to train and perform his best for a fight.
Do you think Manny will move on the drug questions?
BOB ARUM: I am not going to discuss through the media. I understand you need to ask the question, but I am not going to answer because that starts the negotiation in the media.
Did he say he only wants to fight one more time?
BOB ARUM: He discussed it but I’m not going to say what the answer is. It was told to me in confidence and I’m not at liberty to say. My belief is, based on my conversations with him, he will engage in probably 3 more fights.
Is your marriage with Dallas something that you are willing to let go?
BOB ARUM: First of all, I’m not married to Dallas. I’m a Giants fan, not even a Cowboys fan but I love Jerry Jones but I am not going to advocate putting any fight of Manny’s unless it makes the most sense. That’s not necessarily Dallas.
Is the lawsuit still in play?
BOB ARUM: Not in play, but the lawsuit is still being actively pursued.
Is this the biggest fight that boxing has ever seen?
BOB ARUM: Ever is a hard word. You are comparing different eras. There is no fight in my time that is equally anticipated as the first Ali-Frazer fight. But electronically, it was like the dark ages when we look back on it. There was no PPV, no satellite and so forth. Moving on, when Leonard and Duran fought. That was a huge fight. Leonard was on the cover of Newsweek which was a very big thing then and that was anticipated. And Leonard-Hearns. This fight in this era is probably the most anticipated fight and probably if it happens, will do the most dollar business. It is a different dollar now than it was then, and secondly it is not a fair comparison because electronically we can do so much more, not only in the U.S. but also around the world. We have all these PPV homes in the U.S. and in England, Canada, Puerto Rico…Philippines…all over. It’s THE FIGHT, that people want to watch. Getting on the plane in Manila, Going through that airport, hundreds of people came up to me and asked “is the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight going to happen? That’s the fight people want to see, there is no question a bout it.
BOB ARUM: I have no idea whether it is going to happen or not. Anybody that believes that the fight should happen should bet with Kevin Iole who doesn’t think the fight is going to happen. I don’t know.
Does the lawsuit become a deal breaker?
BOB ARUM: All these issues are on the table and they will be negotiated and nothing cannot be discussed.
If this fight doesn’t happen do you turn to Margarito?
BOB ARUM: California does not have to license him and obviously if we went to a Margarito fight he would apply for the license in the state he would fight in next, whether that would be Nevada or Texas, I would expect a good result.
Why is a stadium important?
BOB ARUM: Stadiums are important to boxing because it enables the most possible people to watch the event and that helps deal with the popularity of the sport. It’s not unique to boxing. Look at the Final Four, all now take place in massive venues and the reason is they can accommodate more people at a better price for the fans. I’m not the genius that figured this out. I’m just going along with what seems to be common sense. If you want your product seen by the most people you have to put it in the biggest venue.
What would this fight mean to you?
BOB ARUM: It would be great but there are other things other than fights. My great dream is to still be around to be at the inauguration of Manny Pacquiao of President of the Philippines. That would be the greatest achievement in my career. But that fight would be one of the greatest experiences in my career.
BOB ARUM: I think the person that lost is going to cooperate with Manny because it would be in their best interests to do that. I know that flying home from General Santos to Manila, I happened to be seated next to the candidate’s brother-in-law and he couldn’t have been more gracious in congratulating him.
Are you going to argue over the shape of the table?
BOB ARUM: No, I think we have moved on from that and I’m very optimistic that once we start we will conclude this time. I have to get on with it because I have another big campaign coming up. I feel very James Carville-like and have to make sure that my guy Harry Reid gets re-elected.
Have you been re-energized?
BOB ARUM: That is exactly what happened. It turned back the clock. I was checking on the precincts and the Philippines. I was amazed how I got into this and some of these discussions we were having. I really think that maybe more than a boxing promoter, my calling was as a politician or an operative. Manny will be in New York and will be at the Boxing Writers Awards dinner on June 4 and the Yankee Stadium fight on June 5. By the way, when we did another media tour we stopped in San Francisco and Manny threw out the first pitch to the Cy Young winner Lincicum and he said Manny threw a really good pitch.
If you can’t make this fight, is the back-up plan to fight in Dallas?
BOB ARUM: I can’t say that now but why not? I can’t look at that now. I thought you were going to ask whom he would fight, but the number one guy would be Margarito.
He was originally on the undercard of the Clottey fight, what happened?
BOB ARUM: We needed to have a hearing to get him licensed in Texas and we didn’t have enough time. We’d have to have a hearing, but we have time now.
* * *
BOB ARUM: On June 30, Manny will be sworn into office and we are planning to do a worldwide telecast of the swearing in. These are very exciting times. When he knew that he won the election, he told me two things. It made him so happy, even more than the big victories in the ring. And secondly he said something that really touched me. He said, “Bob, I am so proud of what I have accomplished. When someone says that, you know it was a life-long dream of his. He pulled it off and I am so happy for him. I have never seen anything like it and to me it is the pinnacle.
Source: fightnews.com
It reminded me of when he was fighting Oscar De La Hoya and all the boxing writers said we should be ashamed of ourselves because it was a mismatch and De La Hoya would destroy him. It was a mismatch but it was a mismatch the other way with Manny destroying De La Hoya. This was the same thing. Everybody said he was crazy, spending his own money. In certain precincts, Manny was beating this guy 90-10 and in other precincts 70-30 and when the dust settled, Manny will win by about a 3/1 margin. Manny is so humble and so soft spoken, you think, how can he be a politician? Then you go to his rally, and you hear him speak in the native dialect and he gives a rousing speech that brings the crowd to its feet. It is tremendous to hear him speak even though you don’t even understand a word. Something else that I learned – there are 7 dialects in the Philippines and Manny can speak every one of them.
Some of the reporters over there, who understand English, don’t even understand some of the dialects. I’m pumped up. When he’s 35 he can run for Senate, and when he’s 40, I am sure he’ll be President of the Philippines. He is special and we in boxing are lucky to have him be part of the sport.
Where do we stand with Manny’s next fight?
BOB ARUM: Manny is definitely going to fight in November. It’s amazing how many people came up to me as I was leaving the Philippines and asked me when is the Mayweather fight going to happen. That’s the fight people want to see. That’s the fight that I’m going to do my darndest to make happen. I don’t want to discuss any of the issues involved in making that fight because we are going to be involved in negotiations and my first goal and Manny’s first goal is to make that fight happen. But we are not going to negotiate this thing in the press, because given the egos of all the camps, it would never happen.
Did you discuss boxing at all with Manny?
BOB ARUM: Obviously, everybody was consumed with politics. But we did a lot of rallies, held on big stages, and before they get to Manny all the other politicians would speak. But we did discuss what we would do next.
What does Manny want to do next?
BOB ARUM: It’s the Pacquiao vs Mayweather fight. There is no question that is the fight that the public wants and that is the fight that Manny wants. I am not going to go into any details of our discussion only to say that is the case.
How do you engage with the other side?
BOB ARUM: I don’t want to get into that, only to say that there is a plan. I don’t want to get into what’s happening but there are things happening on the ground.
Do you think his political career will affect his boxing?
BOB ARUM: As far as psychological make-up I really can’t answer that. Let me again go through what I believe his duties will entail and how it will blend with boxing. A Congressman in the Philippines, especially one that is elected in a province has responsibilities over and above that of a congressman in the United States. By that I mean the federal government allocates the money to him that goes to the province. He in turn must allocate that money to various towns and mayors and so forth and that is a pretty big responsibility. He also has to attend sessions of congress, but that I believe is not time consuming. The sessions are not particularly lengthy. There will be a session in July then they are off for a few months. When he is training, he runs in the morning then sleeps then trains in the gym and then eats dinner then he has all this free time – that you see on 24/7. He’s around with his people. A lot of that free time will now be devoted to his people. I think that will be better, because there will be less wasted time that there appears to be now. There will be plenty of time to do his politics when he is in training and when he is out of training. The one activity I know it will affect is his playing billiards. He devotes a lot of time to playing billiards. I don’t see where his political responsibilities will affect how he prepares for fights, but we have to be aware of what those responsibilities are.
When do you plan to initiate contact with the Mayweather camp?
BOB ARUM: I would rather not comment on that. Just to say I have my marching orders and it will be sooner rather than later.
Do you expect Dallas to be interested?
BOB ARUM: Yes, I think the two sites we would be looking at are the same two sites, the MGM and Cowboys Stadium. Jerry is certainly interested and so is the MGM Grand. If the fight happens and I hope it will, in mid-November in one of those two places.
Do you think media reports affected negotiations in a bad way?
BOB ARUM: Absolutely. Once you start negotiating through the media, it becomes ego driven. People can’t wait to give a statement to the press. The flames just shoot up and there is no real opportunity for rational behavior to take over. Everyone is so interested is setting forth his position to the media that it becomes the contest. That involves me as well as everybody else.
Did you reserve specific dates?
BOB ARUM: Yes, November 13. November 6 would be reserved, but that is not as good a date because No. 1, I think the baseball World Series could possibly go that late and there is also question of the election. There is a big senatorial and congressional election.
Do you have reason to believe either side has softened its stance?
BOB ARUM: A negotiation is a negotiation. A lot of nice things happen if people negotiate in good faith and people want something good to happen and negotiate without going through the media. So let’s see what happens.
Could we bring the fighters to the table?
BOB ARUM: My guy is too busy with his congressional duties to do that. That’s why he has to delegate these things. The answer is he couldn’t do it. He doesn’t have the time to do it. He is not a congressman like the U.S. Congressman, he will get an allocation of millions of dollars of American money and he has to allocate to hospitals, schools, municipalities. To sit and spend time negotiation a fight is not something that’s productive. But he does have time to train and perform his best for a fight.
Do you think Manny will move on the drug questions?
BOB ARUM: I am not going to discuss through the media. I understand you need to ask the question, but I am not going to answer because that starts the negotiation in the media.
Did he say he only wants to fight one more time?
BOB ARUM: He discussed it but I’m not going to say what the answer is. It was told to me in confidence and I’m not at liberty to say. My belief is, based on my conversations with him, he will engage in probably 3 more fights.
Is your marriage with Dallas something that you are willing to let go?
BOB ARUM: First of all, I’m not married to Dallas. I’m a Giants fan, not even a Cowboys fan but I love Jerry Jones but I am not going to advocate putting any fight of Manny’s unless it makes the most sense. That’s not necessarily Dallas.
Is the lawsuit still in play?
BOB ARUM: Not in play, but the lawsuit is still being actively pursued.
Is this the biggest fight that boxing has ever seen?
BOB ARUM: Ever is a hard word. You are comparing different eras. There is no fight in my time that is equally anticipated as the first Ali-Frazer fight. But electronically, it was like the dark ages when we look back on it. There was no PPV, no satellite and so forth. Moving on, when Leonard and Duran fought. That was a huge fight. Leonard was on the cover of Newsweek which was a very big thing then and that was anticipated. And Leonard-Hearns. This fight in this era is probably the most anticipated fight and probably if it happens, will do the most dollar business. It is a different dollar now than it was then, and secondly it is not a fair comparison because electronically we can do so much more, not only in the U.S. but also around the world. We have all these PPV homes in the U.S. and in England, Canada, Puerto Rico…Philippines…all over. It’s THE FIGHT, that people want to watch. Getting on the plane in Manila, Going through that airport, hundreds of people came up to me and asked “is the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight going to happen? That’s the fight people want to see, there is no question a bout it.
BOB ARUM: I have no idea whether it is going to happen or not. Anybody that believes that the fight should happen should bet with Kevin Iole who doesn’t think the fight is going to happen. I don’t know.
Does the lawsuit become a deal breaker?
BOB ARUM: All these issues are on the table and they will be negotiated and nothing cannot be discussed.
If this fight doesn’t happen do you turn to Margarito?
BOB ARUM: California does not have to license him and obviously if we went to a Margarito fight he would apply for the license in the state he would fight in next, whether that would be Nevada or Texas, I would expect a good result.
Why is a stadium important?
BOB ARUM: Stadiums are important to boxing because it enables the most possible people to watch the event and that helps deal with the popularity of the sport. It’s not unique to boxing. Look at the Final Four, all now take place in massive venues and the reason is they can accommodate more people at a better price for the fans. I’m not the genius that figured this out. I’m just going along with what seems to be common sense. If you want your product seen by the most people you have to put it in the biggest venue.
What would this fight mean to you?
BOB ARUM: It would be great but there are other things other than fights. My great dream is to still be around to be at the inauguration of Manny Pacquiao of President of the Philippines. That would be the greatest achievement in my career. But that fight would be one of the greatest experiences in my career.
BOB ARUM: I think the person that lost is going to cooperate with Manny because it would be in their best interests to do that. I know that flying home from General Santos to Manila, I happened to be seated next to the candidate’s brother-in-law and he couldn’t have been more gracious in congratulating him.
Are you going to argue over the shape of the table?
BOB ARUM: No, I think we have moved on from that and I’m very optimistic that once we start we will conclude this time. I have to get on with it because I have another big campaign coming up. I feel very James Carville-like and have to make sure that my guy Harry Reid gets re-elected.
Have you been re-energized?
BOB ARUM: That is exactly what happened. It turned back the clock. I was checking on the precincts and the Philippines. I was amazed how I got into this and some of these discussions we were having. I really think that maybe more than a boxing promoter, my calling was as a politician or an operative. Manny will be in New York and will be at the Boxing Writers Awards dinner on June 4 and the Yankee Stadium fight on June 5. By the way, when we did another media tour we stopped in San Francisco and Manny threw out the first pitch to the Cy Young winner Lincicum and he said Manny threw a really good pitch.
If you can’t make this fight, is the back-up plan to fight in Dallas?
BOB ARUM: I can’t say that now but why not? I can’t look at that now. I thought you were going to ask whom he would fight, but the number one guy would be Margarito.
He was originally on the undercard of the Clottey fight, what happened?
BOB ARUM: We needed to have a hearing to get him licensed in Texas and we didn’t have enough time. We’d have to have a hearing, but we have time now.
* * *
BOB ARUM: On June 30, Manny will be sworn into office and we are planning to do a worldwide telecast of the swearing in. These are very exciting times. When he knew that he won the election, he told me two things. It made him so happy, even more than the big victories in the ring. And secondly he said something that really touched me. He said, “Bob, I am so proud of what I have accomplished. When someone says that, you know it was a life-long dream of his. He pulled it off and I am so happy for him. I have never seen anything like it and to me it is the pinnacle.
Source: fightnews.com
Sunday, May 9, 2010
No More Bull, Give us the fight we want Pacquiao vs. Mayweather
By George Napier: Like many fans across the globe, I have become sick and tired of the whole Pacquiao vs Mayweather facade. It’s time this fight was made; or for both fighters to disappear, because frankly there are no other fighters out there for either man.
Both have fought their way to a position where nothing else matters, they both reside #1 and #2 in both the welterweight and pound for pound rankings; so anything less is simply not good enough. I’m not interested in seeing either fighter face off against a fighter making the transition from light-welterweight, neither am I interested in witnessing either man take on a soft touch at light middleweight; to win yet another phoney title.
Fans, or should I sat worshipers of both fighters need to seriously take a reality check; I myself am a fan of the sport of boxing and not any one particular fighter. Yes, I like and appreciate certain styles, but that’s where the buck stops. However, when it comes to some fans of these two fighters it’s like they worship the man, and not the sport.
The sad thing about this is they probably don’t even realise they are being ripped-off. Let’s start with Pacquiao’s last fight, anyone who knows anyone who actually picked Clottey to win please let me know, because of all the fans I interact with on social networking sites and boxing forums I never did come across anyone who picked the Ghanaian to win. Is this really, what we want form a pound for pound fighter, facing off against someone whom no-one gives a chance. In truth the bout was a facade and the smokescreen was the venue in where the bout was staged, the Cowboy’s stadium, Arlington, Texas, it was the venue, the event as a whole we looked forward to and not the fight.
So rather than both sets of fans throwing verbal assaults at each other why not be more constructive by openly criticising both fighters.
Drug Testing
In my opinion, camp Mayweather’s approach was all wrong, if they handled it in a different manor and put the proposal forward as a request rather than a demand we could have ended up with a different outcome. Voices from the camp openly expressed their views and literally accused Manny Pacquiao of using performance enhancing drugs. This accusation added a completely new dimension to the negotiations, instead of both agreeing to clean up the sport and to undergo stringent testing, they found additional problems with the defamation of character citations that followed.
Photo By Yehoshua Rey
I find it hard to criticise a man who is trying to clean up the sport, yes, we can question the motives behind this stance, but when it’s all said and done if it results in the implementation of more stringent testing through the sport, I don’t really care about the motives.
Now it’s a matter of principle, was Pacquiao right to walk away from the fight, I don’t think so; and let me tell you why. This is the sport of boxing where most opponents through the history of the sport have tried underhand tactics including slander to get under the skin of their opponent. There is also the persona projected by Pacquiao, Pacquiao is regarded the peoples champion, a man fighting for a nation and a higher cause; giving his fellow countrymen hope and inspiration. (We don’t need to even mention Mayweather in this segment as he openly admits he fights for money).
So if you were fighting for a nation and the people would you not do anything to give the fans the fight they want, would such a man not walk through walls to give the fans the fight they crave?
Example: Willie Pep was Featherweight Champion and widely regarded as the peoples champion in 1947. On January 5th, 1947, Pep was in a small plane that overshot Newark Airport and landed in nearby woods killing 5 people. Pep had 2 broken vertebrae as well as a broken leg; Doctors told him he would never fight again. He was in a cast until June, and incredibly several days after the cast was removed with little, training or preparation he returned to the ring on June 17th and won a tenth round decision, his opponent Victor Flores was sent to the canvas twice during the fight.
Will o' the Wisp went on to compile ten fights through 1947. That’s what you call a peoples champion. People say Pep was never the same after the crash; he lost something as a fighter. Before the plane crash, Pep had a record of 108-1-1, and retired almost 20 years after the crash with a record of 229-11-1, testament to a great fighter and a great champion.
Source: theboxinghistorian.com
Both have fought their way to a position where nothing else matters, they both reside #1 and #2 in both the welterweight and pound for pound rankings; so anything less is simply not good enough. I’m not interested in seeing either fighter face off against a fighter making the transition from light-welterweight, neither am I interested in witnessing either man take on a soft touch at light middleweight; to win yet another phoney title.
Fans, or should I sat worshipers of both fighters need to seriously take a reality check; I myself am a fan of the sport of boxing and not any one particular fighter. Yes, I like and appreciate certain styles, but that’s where the buck stops. However, when it comes to some fans of these two fighters it’s like they worship the man, and not the sport.
The sad thing about this is they probably don’t even realise they are being ripped-off. Let’s start with Pacquiao’s last fight, anyone who knows anyone who actually picked Clottey to win please let me know, because of all the fans I interact with on social networking sites and boxing forums I never did come across anyone who picked the Ghanaian to win. Is this really, what we want form a pound for pound fighter, facing off against someone whom no-one gives a chance. In truth the bout was a facade and the smokescreen was the venue in where the bout was staged, the Cowboy’s stadium, Arlington, Texas, it was the venue, the event as a whole we looked forward to and not the fight.
So rather than both sets of fans throwing verbal assaults at each other why not be more constructive by openly criticising both fighters.
Drug Testing
In my opinion, camp Mayweather’s approach was all wrong, if they handled it in a different manor and put the proposal forward as a request rather than a demand we could have ended up with a different outcome. Voices from the camp openly expressed their views and literally accused Manny Pacquiao of using performance enhancing drugs. This accusation added a completely new dimension to the negotiations, instead of both agreeing to clean up the sport and to undergo stringent testing, they found additional problems with the defamation of character citations that followed.
Photo By Yehoshua Rey
I find it hard to criticise a man who is trying to clean up the sport, yes, we can question the motives behind this stance, but when it’s all said and done if it results in the implementation of more stringent testing through the sport, I don’t really care about the motives.
Now it’s a matter of principle, was Pacquiao right to walk away from the fight, I don’t think so; and let me tell you why. This is the sport of boxing where most opponents through the history of the sport have tried underhand tactics including slander to get under the skin of their opponent. There is also the persona projected by Pacquiao, Pacquiao is regarded the peoples champion, a man fighting for a nation and a higher cause; giving his fellow countrymen hope and inspiration. (We don’t need to even mention Mayweather in this segment as he openly admits he fights for money).
So if you were fighting for a nation and the people would you not do anything to give the fans the fight they want, would such a man not walk through walls to give the fans the fight they crave?
Example: Willie Pep was Featherweight Champion and widely regarded as the peoples champion in 1947. On January 5th, 1947, Pep was in a small plane that overshot Newark Airport and landed in nearby woods killing 5 people. Pep had 2 broken vertebrae as well as a broken leg; Doctors told him he would never fight again. He was in a cast until June, and incredibly several days after the cast was removed with little, training or preparation he returned to the ring on June 17th and won a tenth round decision, his opponent Victor Flores was sent to the canvas twice during the fight.
Will o' the Wisp went on to compile ten fights through 1947. That’s what you call a peoples champion. People say Pep was never the same after the crash; he lost something as a fighter. Before the plane crash, Pep had a record of 108-1-1, and retired almost 20 years after the crash with a record of 229-11-1, testament to a great fighter and a great champion.
Source: theboxinghistorian.com
Sugar Ray: Mayweather vs Pacman inevitable
MANILA, Philippines - It’s a toss-up between two pound-for-pound champions who just can’t get it done in the ring.
Sugar Ray Leonard, one of the great boxers of all time, said it would be too close to call if Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. ever get to face each other.
“It’s a toss-up, a pick-’em fight,” Leonard, who with Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns formed of the Fab Four of the 1980s, told the Grand Rapids Press.
The big question, however, is if the fight that the entire planet wants to see would ever happen.
There’s a big disagreement regarding the drug-testing procedure, and it’s so big that the fight that should decide who the greatest boxer of this era truly is might never take place.
Pacquiao is against Mayweather’s call for random blood testing Olympic-style, one that would require probably a dozen tests in the months, weeks, days or hours before the fight.
Pacquiao said Mayweather knows how he hates the drawing of blood close to a fight, and the Filipino icon said it’s Mayweather’s way of dodging the fight, his only way out of it.
On the other side of the coin, Mayweather’s father said the fight would never ever happen because Pacquiao wouldn’t take the test. All along, he had doubts if Pacquiao is into performance-enhancing drugs.
But Leonard insists that the fight should happen, probably with or without the blood tests.
“The fight has to happen,” Leonard told David Mayo of the Grand Rapids Press, adding that it would be a big disappointment if Pacquiao and Mayweather end up hanging up their gloves without fighting each other.
“They both are letting people call them pound-for-pound. They both are considered pound-for-pound right now. They’ve got to fight each other to prove who’s the best, pound-for-pound – fact.
“It’s about the money, because boxing’s a business. But also, if you want to be considered one of those guys, you’ve got to put up. That’s a fight that appears to be inevitable at some point in time, hopefully sooner than later,” Leonard said.
Sooner perhaps.
Source: philstar.com
Sugar Ray Leonard, one of the great boxers of all time, said it would be too close to call if Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. ever get to face each other.
“It’s a toss-up, a pick-’em fight,” Leonard, who with Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns formed of the Fab Four of the 1980s, told the Grand Rapids Press.
The big question, however, is if the fight that the entire planet wants to see would ever happen.
There’s a big disagreement regarding the drug-testing procedure, and it’s so big that the fight that should decide who the greatest boxer of this era truly is might never take place.
Pacquiao is against Mayweather’s call for random blood testing Olympic-style, one that would require probably a dozen tests in the months, weeks, days or hours before the fight.
Pacquiao said Mayweather knows how he hates the drawing of blood close to a fight, and the Filipino icon said it’s Mayweather’s way of dodging the fight, his only way out of it.
On the other side of the coin, Mayweather’s father said the fight would never ever happen because Pacquiao wouldn’t take the test. All along, he had doubts if Pacquiao is into performance-enhancing drugs.
But Leonard insists that the fight should happen, probably with or without the blood tests.
“The fight has to happen,” Leonard told David Mayo of the Grand Rapids Press, adding that it would be a big disappointment if Pacquiao and Mayweather end up hanging up their gloves without fighting each other.
“They both are letting people call them pound-for-pound. They both are considered pound-for-pound right now. They’ve got to fight each other to prove who’s the best, pound-for-pound – fact.
“It’s about the money, because boxing’s a business. But also, if you want to be considered one of those guys, you’ve got to put up. That’s a fight that appears to be inevitable at some point in time, hopefully sooner than later,” Leonard said.
Sooner perhaps.
Source: philstar.com
Floyd Mayweather is the Greatest Ever? Don't Let Him Fool You
Don’t let him fool you. Money talks.
He talks a lot.
Floyd Mayweather is twice as smart as you think he is. In the weeks leading up to last Saturday’s showdown with Shane Mosley, Floyd Mayweather displayed the skill that truly sets him apart from anyone else—his knack for propaganda.
Through various prefight specials and postfight interviews, Floyd “Money” Mayweather declared his supremacy like a Roman gladiator by defaming past warriors and welcoming all challengers.
“Is there no else?”
Don’t let FMJ fool you.
We all know who’s next—who has to be next. Not even 10 minutes passed after the final bell Saturday before questions about the possibility of a supernatural showdown between FMJ and Pacquiao rose to the surface.
Mayweather talks about a match with the Filipino Pacquaio as if it would be just another fight.
Don’t let him fool you.
Manny Pacquiao would not be just another notch on Mayweather’s belt. A dethroning of Pacman would without a doubt place Mayweather amongst the ranks of boxing history.
Saturday’s victory over Shane Mosley is not enough to crown Mayweather king.
At 46-6, Mosley has had a long and impressive run. But, in reality, he has lost almost all of his big-time fights. His claim to fame—wins over De La Hoya and Margarito—pales in comparison to the image Floyd Mayweather would want us to have of “Sugar” Shane.
The ultimate self-promoter, Mayweather’s performance outside the ring seems to have surpassed his work inside of it. With the way everyone is talking, it’s hard to imagine anyone ever being considered greater than FMJ.
For example, many people thought Shane Mosley had a shot in this contest. Mayweather makes claims of grandeur; Oscar De La Hoya calls him “King of the World”; and everyone starts nodding their head in approval.
At this recognition, Mayweather rolls his eyes, wondering what took us so long to listen to him.
There’s no denying it. Floyd Mayweather is good, very good. Whether he ever beats Manny Pacquiao, he has been very impressive for a long time.
He’s like Mozart. He’s no good to pump through your system for a summer drive. He’s not going to satisfy your thirst for thrills. He won’t have you jumping out of your seat and cheering.
But he’s an artist, and he has mastered his craft. The best way to enjoy Mayweather is to study him—his big picture, his career, his impressive streak of lopsided victories, his flawless technique—all coming together to play a symphony on the canvas.
But, he’s even better at playing up his image.
Before Saturday’s fight, Floyd predicted such a glorious victory that he forced us all to sit back incredulously and dare him to come through.
And in 12 dazzling rounds, Floyd dominated a highly-respected veteran, shooting I-told-you-so looks to the crowd as he assumed his self-made throne.
With an unwavering confidence, and a smile so glossy it would make Lucifer jealous, Floyd Mayweather has once again stolen the show.
But don’t let him fool you.
Whether you were impressed with Floyd’s win Saturday, do not let Manny Pacquiao’s boring dominance over Josh Clottey tempt you to forget who has established a reign of terror in the last decade of boxing.
When Floyd Mayweather announced his return to the ring, it was Manny Pacquiao’s party that he was crashing. For the past five years, Pacquiao has terrorized the best names in modern boxing, with or without Mayweather in the picture.
Don’t let Floyd fool you. Manny Pacquiao is scary for Floyd Mayweather.
He is faster and can hit harder than anyone FMJ has ever faced. Pacquiao knows how to finish when he’s winning, and he knows how to fight back when he’s losing.
Watch the first two rounds of the De La Hoya fight. Pacquiao can hurt his opponent while playing the cherry-picking—one—punch—cover—one—punch style in which Floyd trapped Mosley.
Without the worry of tainting a perfect record, Pacquiao would be playing with nothing to lose. He wouldn’t have to fear a strong counter or a surprise big shot. Pacquiao could just keep coming and coming.
So, don’t let Floyd fool you. He doesn’t want any part of a fearless Manny Pacquiao.
Forget Sergio Martinez or Margarito. Forget Cavs versus Lakers. This is once in a lifetime. This is Ali—Frazier. This is finally making it to Disneyland after years of false promises. This is the Beatles at Shea Stadium.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather. Defense vs. offense. Robin Hood vs. King Midas.
To promote his fight against Mosley, Mayweather posed for a number of pictures in which he was dressed in a classical soldier’s armor with shield and sword, not unlike the hero Achilles.
Remember that in the Iliad, Achilles was the greatest of all warriors, the strongest and fastest fighter in the entire world. He was virtually invincible, unless his opponent was able to find and exploit his one fatal weakness.
Floyd Mayweather claims that he does everything right. He doesn’t have a weakness. In truth, with his unbelievable defense, he seems almost impossible to touch, to hurt. He looks invincible.
Don’t let him fool you.
Source: bleacherreport.com
He talks a lot.
Floyd Mayweather is twice as smart as you think he is. In the weeks leading up to last Saturday’s showdown with Shane Mosley, Floyd Mayweather displayed the skill that truly sets him apart from anyone else—his knack for propaganda.
Through various prefight specials and postfight interviews, Floyd “Money” Mayweather declared his supremacy like a Roman gladiator by defaming past warriors and welcoming all challengers.
“Is there no else?”
Don’t let FMJ fool you.
We all know who’s next—who has to be next. Not even 10 minutes passed after the final bell Saturday before questions about the possibility of a supernatural showdown between FMJ and Pacquiao rose to the surface.
Mayweather talks about a match with the Filipino Pacquaio as if it would be just another fight.
Don’t let him fool you.
Manny Pacquiao would not be just another notch on Mayweather’s belt. A dethroning of Pacman would without a doubt place Mayweather amongst the ranks of boxing history.
Saturday’s victory over Shane Mosley is not enough to crown Mayweather king.
At 46-6, Mosley has had a long and impressive run. But, in reality, he has lost almost all of his big-time fights. His claim to fame—wins over De La Hoya and Margarito—pales in comparison to the image Floyd Mayweather would want us to have of “Sugar” Shane.
The ultimate self-promoter, Mayweather’s performance outside the ring seems to have surpassed his work inside of it. With the way everyone is talking, it’s hard to imagine anyone ever being considered greater than FMJ.
For example, many people thought Shane Mosley had a shot in this contest. Mayweather makes claims of grandeur; Oscar De La Hoya calls him “King of the World”; and everyone starts nodding their head in approval.
At this recognition, Mayweather rolls his eyes, wondering what took us so long to listen to him.
There’s no denying it. Floyd Mayweather is good, very good. Whether he ever beats Manny Pacquiao, he has been very impressive for a long time.
He’s like Mozart. He’s no good to pump through your system for a summer drive. He’s not going to satisfy your thirst for thrills. He won’t have you jumping out of your seat and cheering.
But he’s an artist, and he has mastered his craft. The best way to enjoy Mayweather is to study him—his big picture, his career, his impressive streak of lopsided victories, his flawless technique—all coming together to play a symphony on the canvas.
But, he’s even better at playing up his image.
Before Saturday’s fight, Floyd predicted such a glorious victory that he forced us all to sit back incredulously and dare him to come through.
And in 12 dazzling rounds, Floyd dominated a highly-respected veteran, shooting I-told-you-so looks to the crowd as he assumed his self-made throne.
With an unwavering confidence, and a smile so glossy it would make Lucifer jealous, Floyd Mayweather has once again stolen the show.
But don’t let him fool you.
Whether you were impressed with Floyd’s win Saturday, do not let Manny Pacquiao’s boring dominance over Josh Clottey tempt you to forget who has established a reign of terror in the last decade of boxing.
When Floyd Mayweather announced his return to the ring, it was Manny Pacquiao’s party that he was crashing. For the past five years, Pacquiao has terrorized the best names in modern boxing, with or without Mayweather in the picture.
Don’t let Floyd fool you. Manny Pacquiao is scary for Floyd Mayweather.
He is faster and can hit harder than anyone FMJ has ever faced. Pacquiao knows how to finish when he’s winning, and he knows how to fight back when he’s losing.
Watch the first two rounds of the De La Hoya fight. Pacquiao can hurt his opponent while playing the cherry-picking—one—punch—cover—one—punch style in which Floyd trapped Mosley.
Without the worry of tainting a perfect record, Pacquiao would be playing with nothing to lose. He wouldn’t have to fear a strong counter or a surprise big shot. Pacquiao could just keep coming and coming.
So, don’t let Floyd fool you. He doesn’t want any part of a fearless Manny Pacquiao.
Forget Sergio Martinez or Margarito. Forget Cavs versus Lakers. This is once in a lifetime. This is Ali—Frazier. This is finally making it to Disneyland after years of false promises. This is the Beatles at Shea Stadium.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather. Defense vs. offense. Robin Hood vs. King Midas.
To promote his fight against Mosley, Mayweather posed for a number of pictures in which he was dressed in a classical soldier’s armor with shield and sword, not unlike the hero Achilles.
Remember that in the Iliad, Achilles was the greatest of all warriors, the strongest and fastest fighter in the entire world. He was virtually invincible, unless his opponent was able to find and exploit his one fatal weakness.
Floyd Mayweather claims that he does everything right. He doesn’t have a weakness. In truth, with his unbelievable defense, he seems almost impossible to touch, to hurt. He looks invincible.
Don’t let him fool you.
Source: bleacherreport.com
Desperately seeking Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Like the rest of the planet, I am fervently awaiting the Pacquiao vs Mayweather match. It could be the sport's last great gift to the huddled masses. Beyond Dempsey-Tunney, Louis-Schmeling, Robinson-La Motta, Ali-Frazier and Hearns-Leonard, Pacquiao- Mayweather will embrace the new multicultural world order and return boxing -- if only for a single night -- to the brightest lights on the biggest stage.
That's assuming they ever fight and assuming folks are willing to pay $64.95 to view it.
(That price might sound steep, but look at it this way -- the next time you fly, if you forego checking two bags, right there you've saved enough money to afford Pacquiao-Mayweather!)
The two have fought outside the ring in trying to set up a fight inside the ring.
Mayweather implied Pacquiao had used performance-
enhancing drugs and insisted on blood testing just before they fight. Pacquiao would not agree and sued Mayweather for defamation of character.
Pacquiao says giving blood just before a fight would weaken him.
(My own anecdotal evidence supports Pacquiao. In 1998, I gave blood and, less than 72 hours later, foolishly proposed to my second wife. Then last year I gave blood just before writing a column on statistical debris in sports, and dozens of readers e-mailed to tell me it was the worst article they had ever read.)
Unable to come to terms on a fight, Pacquiao proceeded to dominate Joshua Clottey March 13 and Mayweather proceeded to dominate Shane Mosley May 1, reviving debate on which champion is the world's best pound-for-pound boxer.
(I am often asked why the term "best pound-for-pound boxer" is used. Indeed, was G. Gordon Liddy referred to as the best pound-for-pound plumber in the business? Is Bobby Flay the best pound-for-pound chef? Is Yo-Yo Ma the best pound-for-pound cellist? The pound-for-pound expression essentially acknowledges the fact that a bantamweight, say, cannot beat a middleweight, but pound-for-pound, the bantamweight might be a better fighter. Of course, outside of the United States, they talk about the best "kilogram-for-kilogram" boxer.)
Whenever Pacquiao-
Mayweather happens, it likely will attract one of the biggest pay-per-view audiences ever; in 2007, Mayweather's fight against Oscar de la Hoya drew a record-breaking 2.45 million buys.
Source: washingtonpost.com
That's assuming they ever fight and assuming folks are willing to pay $64.95 to view it.
(That price might sound steep, but look at it this way -- the next time you fly, if you forego checking two bags, right there you've saved enough money to afford Pacquiao-Mayweather!)
The two have fought outside the ring in trying to set up a fight inside the ring.
Mayweather implied Pacquiao had used performance-
enhancing drugs and insisted on blood testing just before they fight. Pacquiao would not agree and sued Mayweather for defamation of character.
Pacquiao says giving blood just before a fight would weaken him.
(My own anecdotal evidence supports Pacquiao. In 1998, I gave blood and, less than 72 hours later, foolishly proposed to my second wife. Then last year I gave blood just before writing a column on statistical debris in sports, and dozens of readers e-mailed to tell me it was the worst article they had ever read.)
Unable to come to terms on a fight, Pacquiao proceeded to dominate Joshua Clottey March 13 and Mayweather proceeded to dominate Shane Mosley May 1, reviving debate on which champion is the world's best pound-for-pound boxer.
(I am often asked why the term "best pound-for-pound boxer" is used. Indeed, was G. Gordon Liddy referred to as the best pound-for-pound plumber in the business? Is Bobby Flay the best pound-for-pound chef? Is Yo-Yo Ma the best pound-for-pound cellist? The pound-for-pound expression essentially acknowledges the fact that a bantamweight, say, cannot beat a middleweight, but pound-for-pound, the bantamweight might be a better fighter. Of course, outside of the United States, they talk about the best "kilogram-for-kilogram" boxer.)
Whenever Pacquiao-
Mayweather happens, it likely will attract one of the biggest pay-per-view audiences ever; in 2007, Mayweather's fight against Oscar de la Hoya drew a record-breaking 2.45 million buys.
Source: washingtonpost.com
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Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao