Freddie Roach: Fight against Floyd wont happen!

Manny Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach remains pessimistic on the chances of his charge fighting Floyd Mayweather Jnr, despite the positive noises emanating from both camps over the past couple of weeks.

At a press conference to promote his September clash with Victor Ortiz, Mayweather confirmed he was "absolutely" interested in fighting Pacquiao for the title of the planet's pound-for-pound king.

Then, more importantly, Pacquiao's trainer Bob Arum revealed the Filipino was willing to meet Mayweather's demand for random drug-testing up until fight night, prompting speculation the bout could go ahead next year.

But Roach thinks that another of his pupils, WBA light-welterweight champion Amir Khan, has more of a chance of facing off against Mayweather.

"I don't think Mayweather will ever fight Manny Pacquiao," said Roach to mlive.com. "They have a better chance of getting Mayweather into the ring than Manny. If the fight was going to happen, it would've happened already."

The situation is complicated by the ongoing legal proceedings between Mayweather and Pacquiao, who has launched a defamation lawsuit against his American rival.

Source: espn.co.uk

Judge denies Mayweather appeal on Pacquiao case

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Undefeated prizefighter Floyd Mayweather Jr. may have to give testimony to lawyers for rival Manny Pacquiao sooner than he wants after a federal judge in Las Vegas denied his request to push back a deposition in a defamation case.

In a lawsuit first filed in 2009, Pacquiao claims Mayweather and his camp defamed him by saying he used performance-enhancing drugs.

U.S. District Judge Larry Hicks this week denied Mayweather a protective order excusing him from a deposition that was scheduled June 17. Mayweather missed the deposition, and Pacquiao's lawyers said at the time that they planned to seek a default judgment as a result.

Mayweather gave no legal basis for asking to overturn a lower judge's order to hold the deposition, Hicks said in his ruling.

"Mayweather Jr. does not provide any points and authorities in support of his motion other than to state that this court should reverse the magistrate's order," Hicks said.
Hicks did not award Pacquiao a default judgment.

Mayweather's lawyer didn't return messages seeking comment from The Associated Press. In the appeal, he asked to hold a hearing to talk about the boxer's training regimen as he prepares for a Sept. 17 fight against welterweight champion Victor Ortiz.

Pacquiao's lawyers countered that the appeal was irrelevant, in part because they tried several times to set a date that would have worked for Mayweather before his training camp and promotional tour started. Ten previous dates were rejected, Pacquiao's attorneys said.

The suit was originally filed as both sides were negotiating terms on what many believe would be the richest fight in history. The talks fell apart over demands from Mayweather that the fight use more stringent drug testing than what is required under Nevada regulations. Mayweather wanted blood tests up to 14 days before the fight, while Pacquiao claimed he feels weak after drawing blood and would not agree to testing within 24 days.

In New York this week, Mayweather said he has talked about athletes overall using drugs, not specifically Pacquiao.

"I've never said that Manny Pacquiao was taking steroids, I never said he was taking enhancement drugs," Mayweather said.

"It's not just Pacquiao, it's sports, period," Mayweather said. "If you look at sports in the Olympics, they're cheating. Everyone is cheating. And I never once said Manny Pacquiao was cheating, only thing I said was this: Me and any other opponent I face must take the test."

Source: sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Floyd: Manny Pacquiao you’re next !

Mayweather gave Ortiz plenty of credit, insisting he would never lose sight of his next fight, but still, his comments came back to the Philippine congressman.

"I’m never going to overlook a guy like Victor Ortiz," Mayweather said. "He’s young, he’s strong and he’s the WBC welterweight champion of the world. ... To be the best, you got to beat the best in front of you.

"We only want to fight the biggest and the best out there, and yes, Manny Pacquiao you’re next."

Mayweather last fought May 1, 2010, defeating Shane Mosley in Las Vegas. Ortiz’s layoff has been drastically shorter, winning the WBC belt from Andre Berto in April.

Source: bostonherald.com

Paquiao keeping an eye on Mayweather

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao is taking Floyd Mayweather’s scheduled fight with Victor Ortiz as a sign of good things to come.

“Maybe he wants to fight me now,” said Pacquiao in a recent interview with ABS-CBN before he took off for a quiet vacation with his family in Boracay.

The pound-for-pound champion has been in the island paradise for almost a week now, staying in a place owned by his close friend Luis “Chavit” Singson.

Pacquiao was supposed to leave for the United States last Sunday for a previous commitment. But there was a change of plan, and instead the entire family flew to Boracay.

Pacquiao said Mayweather choosing Ortiz, a 24-year-old southpaw, as his opponent on Sept. 17 could be taken as a sign that the American is gearing up for the Filipino congressman.

Mayweather hasn’t fought since May of 2010, when he outpointed Shane Mosley, and coming out of his shell to fight Ortiz is something that left a lot of people guessing on his immediate plans.

“Maybe that’s why he chose to fight a southpaw,” said Pacquiao.

Twice over the last couple of years, a superfight between Pacquiao and Mayweather came close to happening. But for various reasons it never happened, and others have given up on it.

But there’s too much money on the table that sooner or later, perhaps by the first quarter of 2012, it might happen.

Pacquiao vs Mayweather would be the richest fight in boxing. Both fighters stand to earn no less than $40 million each for the fight, even as recent stories said Mayweather is asking for $100 million or the fight won’t happen at all.

Pacquiao has been busy through the years beating up bigger foes like Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito and Mosley. He said he’s ready to fight Mayweather anytime, anywhere.

It’s just a matter of the promoters agreeing to do the fight, according to Pacquiao, and both fighters agreeing on the drug-testing procedure.

Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, felt the same way when it was announced that the undefeated American, now 34, had chosen Ortiz (29-2-2 with 22 knockouts) as his next foe.

“Of course, that’s the first thing I thought,” Roach was quoted as saying of Mayweather’s fight with the reigning WBC welterweight champion and fellow American.

Pacquiao said he can only wait and see what the future holds, what Mayweather wants.

For the meantime, he’s enjoying Boracay with his wife and kids, and looking forward to his November clash with Juan Manuel Marquez.

“Good luck sa kanya (Mayweather),” said Pacquiao.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. skips deposition

Floyd Mayweather Jr. defied a court order Friday when he failed to appear for a deposition in the defamation lawsuit filed in Las Vegas by pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao.

Mayweather tried to postpone the deposition at the last minute, but federal magistrate Judge Robert Johnston denied his request Thursday and ordered Mayweather to appear Friday.

Pacquiao is suing Mayweather, along with his father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., and uncle and trainer Roger Mayweather, over statements they made accusing him of using performance-enhancing drugs for his fights.

Pacquiao, boxing's only eight-division champion and a reigning welterweight titleholder, denies he has ever used PEDs.

"Mr. Mayweather maliciously leveled false accusations about Mr. Pacquiao. We are anxious to examine him under oath about those statements," Daniel Petrocelli, Pacquiao's attorney, said in a statement. "He is just dodging his deposition because he is afraid to testify, but he has no right to defy a court order."

Leonard Ellerbe, a Mayweather adviser, told ESPN.com, "This is a legal matter and we're not allowed to comment on it."

Source: sports.espn.go.com

Mayweather's Below the Belt Tactics against Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines - Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his camp will do anything to be constantly in the shadows of Saranggani Congressman Manny Pacquiao. While Mayweather and company have made it pretty tough for the much-awaited Pacquiao-Mayweather clash to materialize, they are making sure that they won’t be left out in the cold - at least not yet.

Notorious for making all the excuses a person can think of, Mayweather is known as the author of blowing up the much publicized steroid and performance-enhancing drugs issue pointing to the Saranggani Congressman. The issue has drawn varied reactions from pro and anti-Pacquiao camps but just the same, nothing has been proven and Manny is simply laughing them off.

It has been an irritating issue that has recurred and become pointless. Medical professionals have openly deliberated on the matter, sharing their medical inputs concerning the potential aftermath of using such banned substances. Regardless, the issue has become a broken record and is notably up in the air prior and after Pacquiao enters the ring.

On the professional side, Pacquiao is simply minding his business and continues to take on comers. Even without Mayweather in the list, the Pacquiao main events have been box office hits any boxing fan looks forward to. In fact, the probability of seeing Pacquiao retiring without facing Mayweather looms should the latter continue with his arrogant stand.

As for the unbeaten and rapidly aging Mayweather, his stars are slowly falling. Already stricken out of the pound for pound circle, he has managed to accumulate lawsuits and charges one after the other. The last of these series of problems is that of a criminal complaint which claimed that the former pound for pound king has committed two misdemeanor acts of harassment (LA Times Blog).

As for the PacMan, the mental attacks continue. The Mayweather camp starring Floyd Jr., his father Floyd Sr. and lately even his uncle, are out to try and tarnish the Pambansang Kamao’s credibility for as long as they can.

Foul as it may seem, the strategy is simply to stay in circulation to make sure that Mayweather is not totally erased (or forgotten) in the boxing circle. And by golly, it has been working at the expense of the Filipino prized boxer.

Saranggani Congressman Manny Pacquiao has once again opened the books on possibly pushing through with his planned lawsuits against the Mayweather camp. If ever Pacquiao resorts to step one, you can bet Mayweather to once again keep quiet and wait for everything to cool down.

However, that is a conservative approach. And if ever the Pacquiao camp does decide to pursue this case, it looks like they now have to get in line with the many cases the Floyd Mayweather Jr. has to deal with.

Source: mb.com.ph

Peddling bad blood

It’s no shame to confess that I chose to joining issues with the mainstream, after all, over the frenzy and hoopla generated by the speculated ring encounter between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather for all the marbles. It’s been so tempting.

Pro boxing could well steal the thunder in a year (2011) both the Olympics and the World (football) Cup are on vacation. But, whereas the companion world heavyweight title unification fixture involving the Klitschko dynasty (Vs Englishman David Haye) is confirmed, Pacman Vs Mayweather remains the king-sized speculation it has been since a few smart alecs first came up with the idea nearly two years ago.

My friend and colleague, Stanley Opokuma, keeps wondering aloud if ever – and, indeed, when – this presumed mega-event that is expected to surpass any other fixture in the history of ring combat will come up. At this moment of writing, it is still nowhere close to confirming both camps have accepted the challenges and paved the way for formalities to get underway.

Predictably, it is the view of the vast majority that the blitzkrieging Pacquiao will account for the Pretty Boy the same way he had left his last 13 opponents mangled, since embarking on the amazing trans-divisional invasion that has seen the Filipino win 10 titles scanning seven weight classes. Methinks it is because he has never met Mayweather.

It is the established thinking in boxing circles that a boxer – no matter how good he is – tends to leave his punch behind him as he transits to higher categories. True enough, proven ring legends from the past, including Robert ‘Hands of Stone’ Duran and Henry Armstrong, merely overwhelmed their foes with guile and sheer volume of punches thrown.

Pacquiao has proved to be exception to the proven theory, delivering improved versions of the same consuming aggression and punch that is his major forte as one that cannot be resisted by any boxer 147 pounds and under.

However, it is the new shape this cherished event is taking that bothers me. No matter what, boxing is a sport that is played by normal humans, as opposed to the sister wrestling which is largely determined by actors/actresses following the script.

Not that boxing has never had its own script and actors. Perhaps the most notable actor of them all has to be Muhammad Ali who was the game’s greatest salesman. Whatever he did during his active fighting days was intended to promote/sell tickets for his bouts.

Ali called his opponents names for which he may not have been pardoned till this day. He called Joe Frazier an Uncle Tom at the time Ali was contending with the US establishment. Next, he called him a gorilla in the days leading to the memorable Thriller in Manila in 1975.

At that time, Muhammad Ali was beginning to feel the threat of losing his place to a rival who was the main factor while he (Ali) remained inactive. But it was all so decently orchestrated as it left no bad blood with the generality of the populace till this day.

Floyd Mayweather feels the threat of losing his place he had earned during his fighting days. It is 40 months Pretty Boy has been out of contention since dispatching Englishman Ricky Hatton in defense of his welterweight marbles December 2007. He has engaged in just two non-threatening non-title contests vs Juan Marquez and Shane Mosley.

In Mayweather’s absence, Pacquiao has taken over every available space with truly breath-taking performances that have caught all attention. Which leaves the immediate ex-Pound-for-Pound king with very little left.

But while Ali went about the campaign to reclaim his glory from Frazier in a decent way, same cannot be said of what Pretty Boy is up to. Thus far, Mayweather has embarked on a smear campaign that is only marginally short of calling the Filipino an abnormal human activated by drugs.

When Mayweather first demanded Pacman undergo a special blood test a week from the contest as part of the conditions to which acceptance of the proposition is subject, it raised eyebrows questioning the American’s courage. But that was only the beginning of a far more sinister campaign orchestrated underground.

Currently, there’s a flood-gate of internet letters referring to Pacquiao as gay and coming from a country of indecent citizens not fit to live among decent people. It is not known how Pacman and his countrymen are reacting – or will react – to this rather unsporting campaign intended to brand an entire nation in the negative.

To be fair to Mayweather, it is not established that he is directly in link with this new development. Yet, considering his past antecedents which clearly portray him as a brash young man lacking in discipline and self-control, posting such a bill on Pacman is not beyond him.

Outside the ring, I have had the privilege of encountering Pacquiao who, certainly, has a lot to show besides his dizzying accomplishments. His private lifestyle that has thus far, not brought him into any controversy, coupled with his election as a honorable Congressman in his native Philippines, are feats Floyd may never dream of in his whole lifetime.

Source: vanguardngr.com

Fans want Pacquiao vs Mayweather

MANILA, Philippines — Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao scored another ho-hum victory by outfoxing, outhitting and overpowering Sugar Shane Mosley.

Pacquiao’s unanimous decision victory was cheered by the millions of fans over at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas and the people who watched the match via pay-per-view. Others were glued to their radios where the outcome had already been known as early as lunch time in Manila.

Among the highlights of the bout included that 3rd round knockdown and the controversial push that merited a count from referee Kenny Bayless in the 10th round. Mosley, who chose to fight defensively and dodge Manny’s attacks got booed even if the “Pambansang Kamao” tried his best to give the fans a good show.

As per promoter Bob Arum, they will be sitting down next week to discuss who Pacquiao’s next opponent will be.

The names of Juan Miguel Marquez and Timothy Bradley have been mentioned although based on reports, Marquez will be his next opponent this coming November.

While the third installment of the Pacquiao-Marquez match-up appears interesting, fans would like to Pacquiao collide with the controversial Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Negotiations were made before but Mayweather’s demands have become too much for Pacquiao’s camp (which included that Olympic-style drug testing rant), a sign that Mayweather may indeed be just trying to make excuses to avoid a confrontation with the pound-for-pound king.

At the time of these negotiations, Pacquiao and Mayweather were practically on the equal footing.

With Mayweather being taken out of the list and at the same time in trouble with all the lawsuits, a light of hope may yet rekindle that this much awaited dream match where Pacquiao obviously has the upper hand right now.

But the earliest that this could happen is probably by 2012 after the brewing bout between Pacquiao and Marquez.

Pacquiao and Marquez first met in 2004 where the match ended in a questionable draw. Marquez got floored three times in the first round in their match but still managed to escape with a draw.

Source: mb.com.ph

Shane Mosley Says Pacquiao the Strongest Puncher He's Faced

Shane Mosley has been in the ring with some guys who can punch, and some great fighters.

Since turning pro in 1993, Mosley has faced a who's who list of star fighters during his era. Floyd Mayweather Jr., Oscar de la Hoya (twice), Vernon Forrest (twice), Winky Wright (twice), Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, Ricardo Mayorga, Fernando Vargas (twice), and many other top fighters.

Last night, the 39-year-old Mosley was a clearly spent force in the ring, and in the third round, he was sent to the canvas. The expression on Mosley's face, if you go back and watch it, appears to be honest surprise. Lem Satterfield of BoxingScene.com reports that Mosley's expression was the real deal:

"I'm not sure if there weren't openings that I couldn't pull the trigger on, but there were shots that I couldn't see. I've been knocked down by Vernon Forrest, so that was a strong knockout punch. But this second time, that couldn't compete with Manny Pacquiao," said Mosley.

"I was pretty hurt. I was pretty stunned. It surprised me, because I didn't think that it was a big shot when he threw it. But Manny Pacquiao was very strong," said Mosley.

Part of this is probably that Shane Mosley is, you know, 39 years old and all that, but Shane has taken some strong punches over the years, and taken them as well as anyone. His chin has been proven time and again as exceptional. And not only did Mosley obviously feel Manny's power and hit the mat, but it seemed to stay in his mind the rest of the fight. Even more than having difficulty pulling the trigger, Mosley tried his damnedest to stay away from Manny Pacquiao for the rest of the fight. Shane Mosley has never run before. Last night, you can say

Source: badlefthook.com

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

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

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

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

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

Roach/Ariza: PED accusation at Manny Pacquiao taken as compliment (at first)

Although Freddie Roach has a slightly different view (click on video above), Alex Ariza, Manny Pacquiao’s head strength and conditioning coach, has insisted the allegations being levelled at Pacquiao, emanating from the Mayweather camp, relating to the smear campaign over PEDs, was not looked on first of all by something negative by the Pacquiao Camp.

Indeed, they saw it as a veiled compliment, at first, towards the intense work they had done to build Pacquiao’s body for his contest with Oscar de la Hoya, a fight in which they knew their man was clearly the smaller of the two. The ballistics analysis they put together created a plan. They didn’t know what they would acheive. But it worked.

“In the beginning, I just thought it [the comments from Mayweather Snr] was a compliment, in a way, because of the work we have done to develop Manny into the fighter he is, but at the end of the day, we know it [the allegations] is not true, ” Ariza told Telegraph Sport.

“It doesn’t hurt us. Fighters are still going to come to Freddie because they want to be trained by him. People are still going to be trained by us, and when they come to the gym, they will see how hard we work there. We know exactly what we put our guys there through.”

Ariza is preparimng Pacquiao for his contest against Joshua Clottey on March 13 in Texas. He explained: “We are following the same format as we did for Miguel Cotto. I sat with Freddie and we felt the training regimen and the diet regimen for Manny against Cotto was dead on correct.”

To keep weight on Pacquiao, he has a protein shake before bed, in the middle of the night, and first thing in the morning.

“The weight-speed conditioning was all there, and we feel Joshua Clottey is a similar opponent in that Manny may have to absorb some punishment. Manny said afterwards that he felt in such good condition, he could take Cotto’s punches, and so Manny changed the game plan early in the fight against Cotto, wanting to demoralise him by absorbing his punching power.”

“It might not be exactly the same against Clottey. But the fight against Cotto went so well, Manny was strong for the entire fight, so we did not see any reason for changing anything. The only real difference between this and the Cotto fight is that we started doing a bit more strength training …”

“Manny was 151 lbs at four and a half weeks out, we keep him on a 7000 calories a day diet, and once we get to Dallas, I just have to take a few things away from the diet. We have to keep his intake up. He has to have a protein shake before going to bed, he has one at 3am, and another one first thing in the morning. He has up to six meals a day and six protein shakes a day when in training for a fight. We have to keep weight on him, as he trains so hard. We can’t have his body dropping calories.”

Source: telegraph.co.uk

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.com.ph

The Pacquiao vs. Mayweather Debacle: Five Things We Learned

1. Money doesn’t talk.

The consensus among observers was that there was just too much money involved for the fight not to happen.

The fighters were being guaranteed an equal split of $50 million upfront, plus a percentage of pay-per-view revenues that could have raised the pot to somewhere in the neighborhood of $80 million.

That’s an awfully nice neighborhood to drive past without pulling over for a paltry 36-minutes to collect the large, overstuffed moneybags loitering on the street corners.

I guess money doesn’t always talk. Or maybe it does but sometimes there are just so many idiots yelling and screaming around it that no one is able to hear it.



2. There needs to be a single overseeing body in the sport of boxing.

Manny is promoted by both Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions. Floyd is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, but had authorized Golden Boy to negotiate the fight on his behalf.

So one of Manny’s promoters was negotiating on behalf of Manny’s other promoter who was negotiating on behalf of Floyd.

The fighters haggled over the specifics of adding a regulation to a fight overseen by a commission that has no authority to supervise or prohibit such a change in the regulations.

And we wonder why we’re left without a mega-fight, feeling like we’ve been simultaneously kicked in the teeth, gut, and jewel sack by a three-legged freak.

Power in the sport of boxing needs to be in the hands of a single organization—not splintered among promoters, state athletic commissions and miscellaneous sanctioning bodies.



3. That Manny Pacquiao is one popular dude—and not just in the Philippines.

If Barack Obama is sarcastically referred to as the Messiah, then Manny Pacquiao just may be God himself. And I’m not sure, but I think that would make Floyd Mayweather the devil.

I don’t know much about culture in the Philippines, but Filipino pride is a pretty amazing thing. That is a people who stick together and know what they believe.

Now I think I understand why Manny would rather pass up a $40 million payday than give a teaspoon of his blood—he could get twice that on Ebay.



4. There are some seriously passionate, angry, and insane fans out there.

Which one do you hate—Pedquiao or Gayweather?

Give the wrong answer to the person who asks that question and you may as well have hocked a fat loogie into the urn containing their grandmother’s ashes.

Let’s just get it over with and have all of the Mayweather fans wear red, the Pacquiao supporters wear blue, and start flashing signs, getting affiliation tats, and doing drive-bys.

It’s like we woke up one morning and found ourselves in a Jerry Springer boxing-themed Twilight Zone.



5. No matter how many times we, the fans, get screwed by the sport, we keep coming back.

Being a boxing fan is like being the wife of a mobster—you’re associated with a business filled with scumbags, you know you’re going to be cheated on, and you’re committed to it for life.

Having a fight the magnitude of Pacquiao vs. Mayweather wind up in a toe-tag is more than just another black eye for boxing—it’s the sport’s equivalent of Riddick Bowe having his scrotum used as a speed bag by Andrew Golata.

But, as always, we’ll stagger back to our corners, leer at the ring card girl, and somehow find a way to answer the bell for the next round.

Source: bleacherreport.com

As Pacquiao-Mayweather fails, boxing proves its own worst enemy

A picture is worth a thousand words. So let's make a visual out of the current state of boxing.

Close your eyes and remember. October 1993. Las Vegas. The land is needed more than the building, so they fill the venerable Dunes Hotel on the Strip with dynamite, push a button and it implodes.

January 2010. The good ol' USA. No dynamite, just stupidity and ego. Same thing happens. Boxing implodes.

Last Sunday, promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank announced that Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines will fight Joshua Clottey of Ghana. The fight will be March 13 in the Dallas Cowboys' new football stadium.

Later that same day, Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions announced that Floyd Mayweather Jr. would fight an opponent to be determined. The fight will be March 13 at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.

Yes, these are the two premier boxers in their sport.

Yes, they were supposed to fight each other.

And yes, that fight was supposed to be on March 13.

The world anticipated that one. Wallets and checkbooks were open. Sponsors were lining up. The estimated $60 pay-per-view tab even seemed reasonable. The bout would put boxing on the front pages next to the likes of Lakers and Dodgers, and in the same breath with them on the nightly newscasts.

This was a big deal, and then it wasn't. The fight was off. Mayweather's camp implied that Pacquiao must be enhancing his performances with drugs because he got so big and so good so fast. Pacquiao, with no credible hint whatsoever of any such activity, was offended, eventually said he wanted no part of the Mayweather camp and even sued for defamation.

Keep in mind that each fighter was to be guaranteed $25 million, and the likely final take for each, with projected pay-per-view revenue, was closer to $40 million.

In the end, this was an impasse the size of the Grand Canyon.

Then boxing made it worse.

By announcing separate fights on the same date, they split everything in two, especially their fan base. Television networks would have to choose. HBO is the sport's cash cow and it now must choose, alienating whomever it rejects.

Even if the two shows come off at different times with a two-hour difference from Central to Pacific zones, few are likely to plunk down money to buy both. Sports editors, website editors and TV program directors are likely to look at this mess, look at their ever-dwindling budgets and keep their reporters at home.

In essence, boxing canceled a Super Bowl and replaced it with two lesser events at the same time on competing channels. Nice work.

What ever happened to "United we stand, divided we fall"? In boxing, it appears to be "Every man for himself and take the other guy down with you."

If you are looking for a winner in this non-fight fight, it is probably the Pacquiao side. His fight with Clottey has the possibility of being competitive. It also has the attraction of a shiny new venue. Plus, whatever media attention is available, it will go more to the current star, Pacquiao. He has been backing up the Brinks truck after each fight for the last several years, while Mayweather, already retired and unretired once, has been less active.

Pacquiao, and promoter Arum, were in much better financial standing to walk away from a mega-fight. Mayweather has made millions, but has also fought recently, at least in part, for the benefit of the Internal Revenue Service.

Arum was Mayweather's promoter for many years, and is not shy about telling people he never made money with Mayweather and that Mayweather walked away from him just as his career became financially viable. Mayweather is now managed by Al Haymon, with whom Arum has dealt over the years for many fights. They like each other like cattlemen like sheepherders.

Walking away from these guys had to bring Arum at least a tinge of satisfaction.

The possibility of a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight later in the year will depend on several things, including Pacquiao's possible status as a congressman in the Philippines. If he is elected in May, he could conceivably do all his fighting henceforth in political chambers, not boxing rings.

Throughout this saga, Mayweather has acted badly, as is his wont. As recently as last week, with the fight and his likely $40-million payday falling apart around him, he issued a statement that used foul language and further insulted Pacquiao.

Ultimately, he trash-talked his way into the garbage bin.

The last word on this story will go to Golden Boy's Schaefer, who unwittingly summed it all up. Early on in the talks, he said, "If we can't make this fight, we are idiots."

Source: latimes.com

Pacquiao, Mayweather deliver fans a final insult

It's bad enough that Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. aren't fighting each other on March 13, after both sides detonated boxing's version of a nuclear bomb and destroyed the biggest fight in the sport over a disagreement on the drug-testing procedures for the bout.

Now they -- and we -- are stuck with meaningless alternatives.

Shame on everyone involved. Shame, shame, shame.

The sport and its fans be damned, they said.

This wasn't just the destruction of any old fight. It was one of the biggest fights in history being pulled out from under millions of fans who were ready and willing -- excited, even -- to shell out hard-earned money while in the depths of a recession, just to see the two best fighters in the world throw down.

It was a fight that would have made boxing relevant again in the mainstream, even if briefly, and a great opportunity for the sport to capitalize on its great momentum of the past few years.

But that came to a grinding halt because of pettiness, ego and insanity on both sides.

After more than a month of holding the boxing world hostage while bickering over drug testing, they failed miserably. It is easily the most disappointing turn of events that I have covered in 10 years on this crazy beat.

And now it gets even worse: In the wreckage of the dead fight, the geniuses/babies at Top Rank (Pacquiao's promoter) and Golden Boy (which represents Mayweather) are again giving the finger to boxing fans by planning fights for their stars on the same day in competing pay-per-views.

They've already wounded boxing, so why not just jam the knife in a bit deeper, right?

Competing pay-per-views is just dumb, but Top Rank's Bob Arum -- who deserves a lot of the blame for Pacquiao-Mayweather going down in flames -- and Golden Boy's Richard Schaefer are just stubborn and arrogant enough to do it, no matter what damage it inflicts.

So Pacquiao is headed for Cowboys Stadium in Dallas to defend his welterweight belt against Joshua Clottey. If you can get past the Mayweather fight not happening (which I haven't yet), Pacquiao-Clottey is not a bad match, although it pales in comparison to a Mayweather bout. But it says something when the most interesting aspect of the bout is the stadium in which it will take place.

In fact, if you take a look at the poll that has been running on the ESPN.com boxing page for the last couple of days, it asks simply: "Will you watch the Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight at Cowboys Stadium?" The results are stunning. With more than 49,000 votes in early Wednesday evening (and still counting), it was 69-31 against watching the fight. If you examine the breakdown of the state-by-state vote, every state had voted in the majority against watching the fight except Hawaii, which has a large Filipino population.

That is just anecdotal evidence, of course, as it is not a scientific poll. But it's pretty clear that the sports public is extremely angry that Pacquiao and Mayweather are not fighting each other. The backlash against any other fight is enormous and deserved, something the promoters just do not understand yet, although they will when both pay-per-views tank miserably.

Mayweather, meanwhile, plans to fight the same night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and seems headed for a match with either Paulie Malignaggi or Nate Campbell. Both are good fighters, but neither bout is remotely compelling and beating either means nothing for Mayweather. They are both horrible mismatches. Let me repeat that, just in case you didn't get it the first time: They are both horrible mismatches. Even as non-pay-per-views, Mayweather against either opponent stinks. For a $50 fee to watch, it's grotesque.

If you think the ESPN.com poll numbers are bad for Pacquiao-Clottey, the numbers for a Mayweather-Malignaggi/Campbell poll should be much, much worse. Why? Because yet again, Mayweather, who claims to be the greatest fighter ever, would be facing a much smaller man with virtually zero chance to win. There's a shock. That's what Mayweather has systematically done since arriving at welterweight in 2005 -- duck the best opponents. At least Pacquiao has consistently challenged himself by facing bigger men. In Clottey, Pacquiao will be facing a man who poses some danger.

What it boils down to is this: Instead of fans clamoring to spend $60 for Pacquiao-Mayweather, they are stuck with two far lesser fights on the same night with a pay-per-view tab that will run $100 or so if they want to see both men in action. Hopefully, enough folks will reject both, which ought to teach both camps a lesson.

Only in boxing could those who are the de facto caretakers of the sport take a glorious event and dump all over it. What these guys needed more than mediator Daniel Weinstein's last-ditch effort to help them see their way through the drug-testing issue was group therapy.

One of the interesting elements in this depressing situation is how HBO will handle it. For the past several years, HBO PPV has handled Pacquiao and Mayweather fights. Now, it's faced with the cold reality of making a decision on which fighter and promoter it will support. Top Rank is prepared to go it alone with Pacquiao-Clottey, but it would like HBO's support. Golden Boy has been dependent on and enabled by HBO since its birth.

I know it's a rough situation because HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg ain't talkin' and he's ordered his staff not to talk either. They've got some serious decisions to make inside the ivory tower.

Greenburg doesn't want to alienate either fighter or promoter. Nor does he want to alienate Cowboys owner Jerry Jones (who is paying a roughly $6 million site fee to bring Pacquiao to his stadium), especially since Greenburg was the one who championed Pacquiao-Mayweather being held at Cowboys Stadium in the first place.

So what's going to happen? Pacquiao is going to fight Clottey because he wants to get in a bout before his campaign for political office in the Philippines get rolling. (Side note: Would you really want Pacquiao, a guy who once signed a contract with Top Rank and then accepted a bag full of cash from Golden Boy to also sign with that company, representing you in government? But I digress.)

Mayweather, who has no real opponent to fight on March 13, continues with plans to fight on that date, although he ought to wait until June and fight Shane Mosley (assuming Mosley beats Andre Berto on Jan. 30).

I don't know for sure what will happen other than, no matter what happens, there will be no winners.

Source: sports.espn.go.com

UFC chief: Floyd blew fight vs Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines -- Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White blamed Floyd Mayweather Jr. for ruining what might have been the biggest fight in recent boxing history with Filipino champion Manny Pacquiao.

“I think [Floyd] blew this fight,” White said in a report by 5thRound.com.

“When another fighter starts dictating a drug test, first of all, Pacquiao’s never tested positive for any drug but Floyd’s going to make him go through drug testing? That’s ridiculous,” he said.

White was referring to Mayweather’s demand to have Pacquiao undergo an Olympic-style drug test, which, in effect, sent a message that the Filipino might have been using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). The demand led to the collapse in the negotiations and the cancellation of the fight.

The UFC chief earlier had a spat with the former pound-for-pound king in 2007 when Mayweather claimed mixed martial arts fighters can’t handle boxing.

White said that like other fight fans, he wants to see the Pacquiao-Mayweather match.

“I want to see this fight. I’m dying to see this fight.”

With regards to Mayweather’s random blood-testing demand, White said Floyd should have left the matter to the athletics commission to decide.

“That’s what the commission is there for,” commented White in another report by Sherdog.com.

“The athletic commission is there for the safety of the fighters. They drug test, they blood test, they do all those other things. For another fighter to be calling out another fighter for some type of blood work is [expletive] crazy. Just [expletive] train for the fight and fight; that’s what everybody wants to see,” he said.

The Pacquiao-Mayweather fight was supposed to take place on March 13. But since it was called off, the Pacquiao camp decided to take on Ghanaian Joshua Clottey on the same fight date.

Mayweather is also reportedly looking for an alternate opponent to compete with the Pacquiao-Clottey bout in Texas.



Moorer speaks out for Pacquiao
Former world heavyweight champion Michael Moorer, who worked with Pacquiao and Freddie Roach for the Ricky Hatton fight, defended the Filipino from allegations he’s been using PEDs.

“Manny Pacquiao has that work ethic that a lot of boxers don't have these days and a lot of people are jealous and a lot of people are trying to make something out of it because they don't know what hard work and dedication is,” the former boxer said in a report by FightHype.com.

Moorer added that Pacquiao has the best chance of finally breaking Mayweather's unbeaten record. Mayweather hasn't lost in 40 fights.

“I haven't been in camp with Floyd Mayweather, but I feel that Manny Pacquiao would give Floyd Mayweather that one loss,” he said.

Pacquiao, the current World Boxing Organization welterweight champ, has 3 losses against 50 wins. But despite the losses, the Filipino is heralded as today’s top pound-for-pound boxer because of his exciting style of fighting.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com