Source: Dennis Principe, Manila Standard Today
-- EVENTUALLY, American promoter Bob Arum decided to choose a fighter, who’s name not only rhymes with money, but will actually make loads of it.
Yesterday, Arum stated that they have reached a verbal agreement with former three-division world champion Shane Mosley to be the next opponent of pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao.
The announcement did not come as a surprise as Arum has been vocal about his choice of Mosley, saying the American can still sell tickets and pay per view buys, though the veteran promoter initially had bitter Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez and undefeated welterweight champion Andre Berto in the mix.
Last week, he personally attended Pacquiao’s birthday bash in General Santos City, bringing along two prized possessions of his -- his wife Lovee and Pacquiao’s million-dollar fight proposal.
In the end, Arum pushed for the 39-year-old Mosley as the boxing impresario believes the American boxer’s name and accomplishment can still create some buzz.
Though Mosley has agreed to the deal that will reportedly guarantee him a minimum of $5 million and the upside of the Pay-Per-View buys, Top Rank president Tod Duboef sounded more prudent about the fight agreement.
“There are no signed agreements with Shane Mosley or Manny Pacquiao for a bout on May 7. Terms have been agreed to and contracts are with the lawyers,” said Duboef.
Mosley was represented by his friend rap artist and James Prince during the meeting at Top Rank’s Las Vegas office.
The still-to-be-signed bout between Pacquiao and Mosley is set on May 7, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
If ever, Mosley would be Pacquiao’s first black American opponent after the Filipino feasted on well-known Mexican fighters the last couple of years.
A more prominent black American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. was the original choice of majority of boxing fans, but the former pound-for-pound champion, has been eerily quiet about the challenge. He has also been recently dealing with several brushes with the law, the latest of which was a 12-hour jail stay after being accused of poking the face of a 21-year-old security guard during a Nov. 15 parking ticket argument.
Pacquiao’s bout with Mosley may be needing a lot of hard selling since the choice of the American fighter has been met by critical remarks from experts and aficionados.
Mosley is coming off a dull 12-round split draw against Mexican-American middleweight Sergio Mora last September. Previous to that in May, Mosley dropped a one-sided, 12-round verdict to Mayweather at the MGM Grand Garden.
Source: Jon Perez, GMA News
-- The Philippine national men's football team’s gallant effort in the recent ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2010 earned for them a spot in the Top 10 Football stories of Sports Illustrated's online edition.
The Nationals, more popularly known as the Azkals, made the list at number 10 after its stunning 2-0 upset of deposed champion Vietnam in their Group B match in the Suzuki Cup.
The Azkals reached the semifinal round but lost to Indonesia in the two matches they played at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.
Source: AFP,
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Argentina's Manu Ginobili scored 22 points and Gary Neal came off the bench to add 22 more as the San Antonio Spurs stretched their win streak to 10 games by beating Denver 109-103.
The Nuggets lost while playing without star playmaker Carmelo Anthony, who was absent due to a death in his family. His return timetable is uncertain. Denver's next game is on Christmas Day at Oklahoma City.
"It brings us down to earth," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "Basketball isn't the most important thing."
The Spurs, who improved their NBA-best record to 25-3, are two triumphs shy of matching their longest win streak of the year. The Nuggets fell to 16-11, sixth in the Western Conference.
Ty Lawson and J.R. Smith each scored 22 points to lead Denver while Kenyon Martin made his season debut after missing 26 games after knee surgery, scoring eight points in 17 minutes.
Richard Jefferson scored 16 points for the Spurs while Brazilian rookie Tiago Splitter contributed 12 points and nine rebounds.
The Nuggets led 89-80 entering the fourth quarter but Denver connected on only two shots in the last five and a half minutes and connected on only 17 percent of their shots in the final period.
"It was a huge fourth quarter," Ginobili said. "I'm still kind of in shock by the way we won it."
Denver missed a chance to avenge a loss last week to the Spurs in which they had appeared to win on an Anthony basket with one-third of a second to play, but the basket was waived off by officials.
Anthony, 26, is averaging 24 points and 8.3 rebounds this season but has been the subject of trade rumors for months after rejecting a three-year offer worth 65 million dollars from the Nuggets.
Matt Bonner added 13 points for San Antonio, which also had 11 points and a game-high nine assists from French guard Tony Parker and nine points and nine rebounds from Tim Duncan.
Source: ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Azkals’ quarterfinal victory over Vietnam in the 2010 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup made it to Sports Illustrated’s Top 10 soccer stories this year.
The Azkals' 2-0 win over Vietnam early this month is ranked No. 10 on the list compiled by Sports Illustrated columnist Georgina Turner.
“This year's tournament produced arguably the biggest upset in its history: Defending champion and federation powerhouse Vietnam lost 2-0 to the Philippines, ranked 151st in the world and without so much as a point off Vietnam in nearly 20 years,” Turner said in her column “Inside Soccer”.
The Azkals defeated Vietnam in front of 40,000 Vietnamese spectators at the My Dinh National Stadium on December 5.
Chris Greatwich scored the opening goal for the Azkals in the 38th minute. This was followed by Phil Younghusband’s precision strike at close range with 10 minutes remaining.
The victory made the Azkals instant celebrities in basketball-crazy Philippines.
It also sent Vietnam’s Portuguese coach Henrique Calisto fuming mad over the Philippines’ defensive style of play.
"If the Philippines think they can win playing that way then my dear, poor, poor football in this region," he said in an interview published on the tournament's official website.
The Philippines went on to score a draw against Myanmar and seize a semifinals slot.
The Azkals, however, failed to advance into the Suzuki Cup finals after bowing to Indonesia in two semifinal games.
Source: Joaquin Henson, Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines – Boxing trainer Freddie Roach will insist on Sugar Shane Mosley taking a drug test before battling Manny Pacquiao in case they face off in a WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 7.
“It won’t be an easy fight for Manny,” said Roach who arrived here to celebrate Pacquiao’s 32nd birthday and was scheduled to leave Manila for Los Angeles last night. “I think he’s a tougher opponent than (Andre) Berto or (Juan Manuel) Marquez. He can punch with either hand. But if the fight pushes through, I’ll insist on a drug test. He’s been known to take steroids and it shows in his body.”
In 2003, Mosley admitted in a US grand jury testimony that he took the performance-enhancing drug EPO or erythroprotein by injection to prepare for his fight against Oscar de la Hoya. EPO supposedly increases the volume of red blood cells and the oxygen-carrying capacity in the blood. Additionally, BALCO Labs founder Vince Conte once testified that Mosley has used two types of designer steroids. Mosley’s former trainer Darryl Hudson confirmed it. Designer drugs are created “to get around drug laws by modifying molecular structures of existing drugs to varying degrees.” A government raid on BALCO facilities yielded evidence of Mosley’s drug use.
But Mosley has never tested positive for drugs. “I know in my heart that I’m a clean guy and a good guy,” he said, quoted by Tim Smith in the New York Daily News. “All the fighters, promoters and even the boxing writers know what type of person I am, what type of fighter I am and I don’t need that type of edge. My record speaks for itself on this matter. I’ve always been a clean fighter and I have nothing to hide. That one little hiccup should never have happened and it won’t happen again.”
Mosley’s “little hiccup” referred to his grand jury testimony.
Roach said it’s difficult to explain why the 39-year-old Mosley let Floyd Mayweather Jr. off the hook when he rocked him with a pair of rights in the second round during their bout last May. “Mosley could’ve taken out Mayweather but he froze,” said Roach. “I don’t know why he let him go. Maybe, it was a result of having taken drugs in the past. That kind of thing does something to your brain. But he looked good in knocking out (Antonio) Margarito.”
Mosley dropped Margarito twice en route to scoring a ninth round technical knockout in Los Angeles last year. Pacquiao couldn’t floor Margarito in their recent bout and settled for a win on points.
Roach said Mosley, a 4-1 underdog, was devastating in trouncing Margarito and won’t be easy prey for Pacquiao even if he lost to Mayweather and drew with Sergio Mora in his last two outings.
Roach ruled out Marquez as Pacquiao’s next opponent. He earlier said Pacquiao would shut Marquez up for good in a possible third meeting after they fought to a draw in 2004 and the Filipino icon won by a split decision in 2008. “I heard Marquez wants double than what he got for fighting Mayweather,” said Roach. “I don’t think that’s right. Marquez wants something like $5 million.” Mayweather decisioned Marquez last year.
As for Mayweather, Roach said Pretty Boy hasn’t mentioned anything about fighting Pacquiao lately. Mayweather has been embroiled in legal problems. The consensus is he’s afraid to risk his unblemished record in a fight against Pacquiao but with his legal woes and pressure to cough up settlement money, the mega-buck showdown is inevitable.
Roach said once Pacquiao is done with his May 7 appointment, next in line could be the winner of the Jan. 29 lightwelterweight unification bout between WBO champion Tim Bradley and WBC titlist Devon Alexander at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. Bradley, 27, has a 26-0 record, with 11 KOs, while Alexander, 23, boasts a 21-0 mark, with 13 KOs.
Roach said WBA superlightweight champion Amir Khan of England and WBA welterweight ruler Viacheslav Senchenko of Ukraine could be future opponents even as he trains both fighters.
“Amir showed a lot of heart in beating (Marcos) Maidana (last Dec. 11),” said Roach. “He even finished with a flurry in the 12th round. Amir does a lot of things that Manny does, like bang his gloves together. I don’t think they’ll ever fight but if they do, I see Amir winning the first four rounds, mainly because of his speed, then Manny will take over and break him down.”
As for Senchenko, Roach said he doesn’t know if the Ukrainian will ever fight Pacquiao. “Never say never,” continued Roach. “If they fight, of course, I’ll be in Manny’s corner and Senchenko’s old trainer will be in his. There’ll be something to fight for because Senchenko has a belt.”
Roach was in Senchenko’s corner when he beat Charlie Jose Navarro on points to retain his WBA 147-pound crown in Donetsk last August. Roach was paid $10,000 a week to train Senchenko for six weeks and also received 10 percent of his purse.
Roach said there is talk that WBA superwelterweight champion Miguel Cotto will stake his crown against his unbeaten protégé Vanes Martirosyan, an Armenia native, with the winner to face Margarito. “Vanes has a chance against Cotto because of his length, youth, speed and skills,” said Roach. “But Cotto is the type who comes right at you. Vanes has a tendency to run away from trouble. I’ve told him if he wants to beat Cotto, he’ll have to stand his ground.”
Roach said he recently released one of his hot prospects, 18-year-old lightwelterweight Jose Benavidez who has a record of 9-0, with 9 KOs. “He’s back in Phoenix,” said Roach. “It was difficult to deal with his dad.”
When does he think Pacquiao should retire? “After beating Mayweather, that should be it,” replied Roach.
Source: GMA News
-- The dream is over, but it was even better than simply good while it lasted. And Philippine football may well thank the 2010 national team that competed splendidly in the AFF Suzuki Cup for the likely revival and advancement of the game in the Azkals' home country.
The Philippines lost the second leg of the semis match against Indonesia by the same score as in the first leg three days ago, 1-0 — a testament to its determination in defense and the remarkable quality it has shown on the field as a marked improvement for Philippine football.
With the win, Indonesia earned the right to face Malaysia, which beat Vietnam in the other semis match-up, in the home-and-away finals slated on December 26 and 29.
INA's Gonzales delivers anew
Picking up from where he left off in the previous game, Christian "El Loco" Gonzales delivered anew for Indonesia on Sunday at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.
It was a brilliant strike by the Uruguayan-born Gonzales in the 43rd minute, from 25 yards out against a phalanx of defenders, the ball soaring high to the right corner of the goal, barely past the post and above the outstretched arms of a leaping Neil Etheridge, PHL's superb 20-year-old goalie.
Gonzales had also delivered the game-winning goal, a header, in Indonesia's 1-0 victory in the first leg. This time out, he unleashed a left-footed bullet after his first long-range kick was deflected back to him.
Both sides had numerous chances at the goal in a highly entertaining, up-tempo game throughout the first half, but the Indonesians' swift forays were evidently more dangerous.
Etheridge held his own against severe bombardment, and on the counter-offense, the Azkals managed to create several opportunities, which only lacked the fortune of a finishing touch.
Yellow cards were issued to Azkals Ian Araneta (22nd) and Rob Gier (37th), which may have discombobulated the Azkals and had their defense turning shaky in the last seven minutes of the first half.
In making his second goal in the semis match, Gonzales sent Indonesia two aggregate goals up by halftime, and put the Azkals in a bind, needing to come up with at least two goals in the next 45 minutes to send the game to extra time for the match decider.
The second half saw the hosts honorably mounting the same quick-passing attacks, when they could just have held back in defense to assure themselves of advancing to the Finals against Malaysia, which ousted defending Vietnam Saturday.
Etheridge again made a number of crucial saves, while his teammates desperately went into the attack themselves, also creating dangerous opportunities.
Corner kicks and long throw-ins by the Filipinos had the Indonesian backline and goalie scrambling for lucky saves on several occasions.
In the 57th minute, Chris Greatwich had a golden opportunity with a well-timed header as he rose above the fray, only to see the ball land on the top of the net.
In the 69th minute, Anton del Rosario unleashed a powerful shot from the middle, 15 yards out, only to see the ball bounce against the chest of the Indonesian goalie.
With pressure building up, emotions ran high on both sides.
Greatwich received his second yellow card and had to leave the field in the 86th minute, while Del Rosario engaged the Indonesians in trash talk.
The Azkals' offensive effort eventually proved futile, even as the hosts kept taking chances with their fluid forward thrusts until time ran out.
In the end, it was still a magnificent effort by the Filipinos, who gained the respect of the region by advancing to the semifinals with a stunning win against Vietnam and holding their own for draws with Singapore and Myanmar.
Forced to play its two-leg semis match away from home due to the lack of an adequate stadium in the Philippines, the Azkals had to endure the ear-splitting cheers and jeers of a home crowd of some 80,000 Indonesians.
After Indonesia, the Philippines conceded the fewest number of goals in the tournament, only three in five glorious matches that saw the Azkals rise nobly to the occasion to win the hearts of their countrymen and the admiration of opponents.
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Source: ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines – Malaysia scored a 0-0 deadlock against Vietnam at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi on Saturday to advance into the Finals of the ASEAN Footbal Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup.
According to the tournament website, the Vietnamese team was unable to get past the Malaysian's defense because player Pham Thanh Luong was ousted on a second bookable offense, leaving his Vietnamese team shorthanded for the last 18 minutes of the game.
Vietnam, the Suzuki Cup defending champion, suffered a 2-0 loss to Malaysia in the first leg of their semifinal duel in Kuala Lumpur's Bukit Jalil Stadium last Wednesday.
The victory has sent Malaysia to its first Suzuki Cup finals appearance in 14 years.
Malaysia will be waiting for the semifinals winner between the Philippines and Indonesia.
The Philippine team is raring to get back at the Indonesians, who scored a 1-0 victory in the first leg of their semifinal duel last Thursday.
The Philippines and Indonesia will again fight it out on Sunday at the Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.
The game will be aired live by ABS-CBN Studio 23.
Source: AFP,
ORLANDO, Florida – Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard gained a new supporting cast Saturday (Sunday, in Manila) with hopes 2 major trades will lift the NBA club alongside Miami and Boston as an Eastern Conference title contender.
The Magic, 16-9 but losers in five of their past six games, added Turkish forward Hedo Turkoglu and playmaker Jason Richardson from the Phoenix Suns and controversial long-distance shooter Gilbert Arenas from the Washington Wizards.
"We needed a little bit more punch," Magic president Otis Smith said. "All those guys coming in have an ability to move the ball. After looking at our team through 25 games, we were missing a little something. I thought change was needed."
Orlando traded Rashard Lewis to the Wizards for Arenas, best known for being banished for 50 games last season for bringing guns into the Wizards locker room and faking an injury to avoid playing in a pre-season game last October.
"We have a tendency not to forgive people in this country," Smith said. "We have a tendency to hold onto things a little bit longer, particularly if they play professional sports."
Arenas has struggled with knee injuries and the suspension that have kept him to only 47 games over the past three seasons, but he has averaged 17.3 points and 5.6 assists a game this season.
Arenas scored a season-high 31 against Orlando three weeks ago.
Orlando's major reshaping came by obtaining Richardson, Turkoglu and Earl Clark from the Suns in exchange for US veteran Vince Carter, French guard Mickael Pietrus, Polish center Marcin Gortat and a first-round pick in the 2011 NBS Draft plus three million dollars.
The Magic, trying to entice fans to their new 18,500-seat arena, have fallen from first to fourth in the Eastern Conference, with the Miami Heat, 20-8, and Boston Celtics, 21-4, surging on double-digit winning streaks in December.
Turkoglu has averaged 12.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists a game in 10 NBA seasons and played a key role in helping Orlando make the 2009 NBA Finals but was traded to Toronto last year in a move that proved to be a blunder.
"I don't think it's admitting a mistake," Smith said of reacquiring Turkoglu. "I don't regret breaking up the finals team. I think it was the right decision at the time."
The Wizards gladly ditched Arenas, enabling the team to make this year's top draft choice, John Wall, their focus and escaping their former star's pricey contract.
"We're totally in a rebuild," Wizards coach Flip Saunders said. "We've said that. We were in a situation where we had three of our top players play pretty much the same position in John and Gilbert and Kirk (Hinrich)."
The Suns, 12-13, added height and defensive skill to try to compete with the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers and NBA win leaders San Antonio and Dallas in the Western Conference.
"Carter and Pietrus give us a great defensive presence on the perimeter and they should be extremely dynamic offensively," Suns president Lon Babby said. "And Gortat is really someone that we've had our eye on."
Losing Gortat leaves the Magic without a true backup for big man Howard.
"We think it was worth the gamble," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said.
Source: AFP,
WASHINGTON - LeBron James scored 32 points and added 7 rebounds and 6 assists as the Miami Heat rallied in the final seconds to edge Washington 95-94 and extend their NBA win streak to 12 games.
Dwyane Wade, who hit the deciding free throw with 7.9 seconds remaining and Chris Bosh each scored 20 points for the Heat. Bosh, who scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, also had nine rebounds.
Nick Young scored 30 points and Andray Blatche added 20 points and 12 rebounds but late turnovers and missed free throws left the Wizards frustrated and mired in a seven-game losing skid.
The Heat improved to 21-8, second only to Boston in the Eastern Conference, while the Wizards fell to 6-19, worst in the conference.
US President Barack Obama had been expected to attend the game at one point in the afternoon but extra security precautions were withdrawn hours before the game as he did not make an appearance, missing a stellar rally by the Heat.
James stole the ball and slammed down a breakaway dunk to pull Miami within 89-86 but the Wizards answered with 32 seconds to play on a jumper by Josh Howard, making his season debut after missing 24 games with a torn left knee ligament.
Bosh answered with a 3-pointer to pull the Heat within 91-89 but Howard hit a key free throw, grabbed his own miss from the line and sank 1-of-2 from the line again after being fouled to give Washington a 93-89 edge.
Bosh was fouled on a 3-point attempt by Blatche with 16 seconds to play and the Miami forward went 2-of-3 from the line to lift the Heat within 93-91.
But Young lost the inbounds pass and after the turnover, Young fouled Miami's James Jones, who sank two free throws with 13 seconds remaining to pull the Heat level at 93-93.
Kirk Hinrich, the first Wizard to play every minute of a game since 2007, hit 1-of-2 from the line with 12 seconds to play.
But Wade was fouled on a drive to the hoop with 7.9 seconds to play and made two free throws to give Miami a 95-94 lead, their first advantage since early in the third quarter.
Hinrich missed a last shot and Miami's win streak remained intact while Washington's futility continued in heartbreaking fashion.
Blatche sank a jumper at the buzzer to give the Wizards a 74-72 lead after three quarters and ignite a 10-2 Washington run that put the hosts ahead 82-74 as late as 6:20 from the finish.
Chris Bosh had a basket and a free throw as Miami pulled within 84-77 but the Heat struggled to close the gap as Hilton Armstrong blocked a Dwyane Wade shot inside and LeBron James was called for a charging foul.
Bosh rebounded a blocked Wade shot to pull Miami within 84-79 with 4:10 to play. Washington's Blatche hit a free throw but Bosh answered with two of his own from the line to trim the deficit to 85-81 with 3:32 remaining.
James missed a 3-pointer on Miami's next possession and Young answered for the Wizards with a jumper.
James followed with two free throws for Miami but Blatche hit a jumper to give Washington an 89-83 edge with 2:10 to play, setting up the final drama.
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Source: ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Azkals’ unbeaten run has come into a halt after meeting Team Indonesia in the first leg of the 2010 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup semifinals.
The Indonesians scored 1-0 to claim the first semifinal match against the Filipino booters at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.
Cristian Gonzales of Indonesia made the goal in the 31st minute.
It was the first time the Azkals lost a game in this year’s Suzuki Cup.
In the qualifiers last October, the Filipinos beat Timor Leste, 5-0, then drew with Laos (2-2) and Cambodia (0-0).
They went on in the quarterfinals to score a 1-1 draw against Singapore and a 2-0 win over defending champion Vietnam.
The Azkals eventually qualified for the semifinals by drawing with Myanmar, 0-0.
The Philippines still has the chance to redeem itself from the loss to Indonesia in the second leg set on December 19. It can still win the tie if it scores a 2 goal difference in the second leg.
The Filipinos next semifinal game against the Indons will also take place at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.
The game will be broadcast live by ABS-CBN Studio 23.
Source: ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines – World champion Manny Pacquiao is expected to announce his next opponent during his 32nd birthday celebration in General Santos (GenSan) City on Friday.
Pacquiao, an 8-division champion who currently reigns as World Boxing Council (WBC) super welterweight and World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight king, has three potential opponents to choose from.
They are former welterweight champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley, lightweight champion WBO and World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez, and WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto.
Pacquiao has already met his promoter, Bob Arum, who brought along the proposals of the potential opponents.
Although the most logical opponent for the Filipino, according to most boxing analysts, is Marquez, Arum has indicated that Mosley has the strongest chance to fight Pacquiao.
Arum earlier said Marquez is asking for too much money, while Mosley is the most marketable among the three boxers.
“Marquez's proposal was so out of line for anything that he got before… I don't think Manny is going to pay any attention to it,” Arum said in an interview with FanHouse.com.
Berto has the least chance in the Pacquiao sweepstakes because he is largely unknown to common fight fans.
Pacquiao will celebrate his 32nd birthday in GenSan in a lavish party that will be attended by at least 1,500 guests.
Among the expected guests, aside from Arum, are his coach, Freddie Roach, Puerto Rico’s Juan Manuel Lopez, and friends in politics and showbiz.
Fans and friends alike expect the Filipino boxer and Sarangani congressman to name his next opponent, whom he will face on May 7.
Pacquiao busy as a bee
The Filipino champion had a hectic schedule on the eve of his birthday.
According to ABS-CBN correspondent, Dyan Castillejo, Pacquiao attended several commitments in both GenSan and Sarangani province.
After being a guest of honor during the Distinguished Visitors’ Program of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Police Office 12 in GenSan, Pacquiao went straight to Malungon, Sarangani to open a coffee farm, which serves as a livelihood program for his constituents.
He then went to the Sarangani Capitol to sign an agreement between the provincial and municipal governments for their fight against human trafficking.
After the signing, he headed to a basketball game where he handed 18,000 volumes of books from SM Group of Companies to the local public libraries.
Source: Mico Halili, GMA News
-- As a fan, I hate to see the Azkals hit the road to play a "home-game" on foreign soil. It's a cruel way to enjoy the advantage they richly earned. But it isn't time to crucify the scoundrels responsible for the Azkals' ironic banishment just yet. The spotlight is best reserved for men on the pitch. Besides, I don't think it's the worst thing to play the biggest games of their lives away from their biggest enemies here at home: fair-weather friends, grandstanders, posers, leeches.
They come in all shapes and forms. Some are new. Some, especially the most prominent ones, have been stalking this team from the start (I suppose these are the true die-hards). I suspect the ones who profess their undying love for goal-keeper Neil Etheridge on Facebook pose less harm than the ones who profess new-found devotion to football through privilege speeches and photo-opportunities. I don't doubt the sincerity of all who wish to chip in. The Azkals, after all, inspire us to forget about left hooks and slam dunks for a moment and understand what aggregate goals mean. It’s the latest sports "bayanihan" movement.
Look, I am likewise new to the cause. I will never claim otherwise. I only learned how to correctly pronounce and spell McMenemy yesterday. I know the Azkal legend was created back in 2005. I also know the legend has grown a thousand times since. Yet I don't believe everything I hear – who to praise for what, who to blame for which. Neither should you. Politics can make dreamers into cynics. It also pushes recalcitrant crooks to act like renaissance men. It's all smoke and mirrors. I'd rather concentrate on the real deal.
Why should our Azkals set sail into hostile territory anew? Because they're better off focusing on the real deal too. It's not the extra-curricular activities off the pitch that matter. After looking at some of the personalities who are scrambling to join the parade, I'm even more convinced.
I know Bacolod is heart-broken. Panaad devotees deserve to host a Suzuki Cup match and shout themselves hoarse. But I worry about the barong-tagalogs out to steal limelight or steal, period (which they often do). I worry about unreasonable demands for the Azkals' time. I don't worry about the pressure of playing at home and winning for the benefit of a riotous home crowd. They won in Vietnam. They can win in Jakarta too. These Azkals thrive on duress. But not the kind of duress created by individuals who care little about the game and more about the benefits of media exposure.
Maybe I'm unpatriotic since I think the Azkals can adeptly play before 80,000 non-believers. Maybe I'm unpatriotic because I want the best thing that has ever happened to Philippine football to stay as far away from the political circus as possible. Maybe I'm unpatriotic for wanting the Azkals to prove they can win against anyone in this tournament, anytime, anywhere. Maybe I'm being unreasonably unpatriotic because I believe.
Source: AP,
DENVER —The Denver Nuggets pulled away in the final five minutes to beat the Orlando Magic, 111-94, in the NBA on Tuesday, with Carmelo Anthony scoring 35 points.
With Denver leading 92-91, Arron Afflalo’s 3-pointer jump-started the Nuggets on a 19-3 run to close out the game.
Anthony hit 14 of 21 shots from the floor and pulled down 11 rebounds. Nene had 10 points and 10 boards for the Nuggets, who improved to an NBA-best 11-1 at home.
J.J. Redick scored a career-best 29 points for Orlando.
Source: ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines – Eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao has decided to move his next fight from April to May 2011 to give him more time to attend to his duties as lone representative of the southern Philippine province of Sarangani.
Boxing promoter Bob Arum earlier set an April 16 fight date for Pacquiao, the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight and World Boxing Council (WBC) super welterweight champion.
But given Pacquiao’s tight schedule in the Philippines, the fight date has been moved to May 7 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“Sa May 7 na ‘yong next fight ko (My next fight will be on May 7),” said Pacquiao.
The pound-for-pound king said he has yet to decide on his next opponent, pending his meeting with Arum.
Pacquiao has been busy preparing for his 32nd birthday celebration on Dec. 17 (Friday), which will take place in General Santos City.
Arum is expected to present the offers of “Sugar” Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez and Andre Berto.
Tax issues
Pacquiao also answered queries about his reported failure to settle his taxes for his fight earnings in 2009.
“’Yung mga kinita ko sa America hindi pa kasi pumasok. May kaunting problema pa pero inaayos na ‘yon (My earnings in America have not yet come in. There are slight problems but everything is being settled),” he said.
Pacquiao had two prize fights in 2009, both of which he won. The Filipino fighter knocked out British boxer Ricky Hatton on May 2 and then followed it up with a TKO over Puerto Rican pugilist Miguel Cotto on November 14.
In the Hatton fight, Pacquiao earned a reported $12 million for just 2 rounds of boxing. He also got an estimated $22 million for the Cotto fight, which included his fight purse and pay-per-view earnings.
However, Pacquiao paid only P7.41 million (approximately $168,918) in taxes for 2009, according to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) records.
He assured the BIR his documents are already being processed.
“Nakakahiya naman kasi. Isa tayo sa number one taxpayer tapos ganun, maayos din ‘yan (This is embarrassing. We’re one of the top taxpayers then this happens. Everything will be settled),” said Pacquiao.
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Part 10
Source: GMA News
-- National boxing coach Roel Velasco is confident that the present crop of athletes discovered by the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) has a strong chance of winning the country’s first Olympic gold medal in the 2012 London Olympics.
Velasco, a bronze medalist in the 1992 Barcelona Games, said that brothers Rey (flyweight) and Vic Saludar (lightflyweight) are among the boxers that ABAP hopes may finally deliver the long-awaited Olympic gold.
"The core of our national pool are young and determined in their quest to give honor for our country. I believe our first Olympic gold can come from this batch," said Velasco, who also mentioned Charly Suarez and Annie Albania as two other gold-medal prospects.
"Bukod sa determinado, masunurin sa mga itinuturo ng kanilang coach, kaya naman nagiging successful sila. Wala pang ere sa katawan," he added.
Rey, the elder of the Saludar brothers, said their quest for glory did not end in winning medals in the Asian Games.
"And target po namin noong kami ay mapili sa national team ay ang makamit ang minimithing Olympic gold medal. Kaya ito ang pipilitin naming maabot hanggang kaya namin sa pamamagitan ng puspusang preparasyon," the 23-year-old Saludar said.
Bowler Biboy Rivera and world billiards champion Dennis Orcollo supported the Guangzhou Asian Games gold medalist’s statement.
Rivera, who won the singles gold in the recent Asiad, said that with the schedules of coaches finally settled, he can now prepare and train without any more interruption.
"The Philippine Bowling Congress has allowed me to train exclusively with my personal coach, Madoka Amano, so wala nang sagabal sa ensayo ko. Nahirapan kasi ako nitong nakaraang taon dahil sa ensayo sa personal coach ko tapos ensayo na naman sa national team coach, kaya medyo naapektuhan ang laro ko," he said.
For his part, Orcollo said that he will be competing in several international events as his preparation for the 2011 Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia.
"Ang unang paghahandaan namin ay ang World Pool Masters in Las Vegas later this year. Then I’ll also compete in several world-class tournaments in the US para paghandaan na rin ang SEA Games.
Source: AP,
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Dwyane Wade came flying down the lane, grabbed a miss with his right hand and slammed it home in one motion.
If coach Erik Spoelstra wanted the Miami Heat to end a West Coast trip with an exclamation point, Wade provided the proper punctuation.
Wade’s fourth-quarter dunk highlighted his 36-point night and led the Heat to their season-best eighth straight win, 104-83 over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday.
Two weeks after having a team meeting in Dallas following their fourth loss in five games, the Heat are finally clicking the way people expected when they added LeBron James and Chris Bosh last summer.
“We have a different mentality both off the floor and on the court as well," Wade said. “That team meeting really propelled us to where we are now. We understood and knew November was a tough month for us. But with that adversity there was a lot of growth going on. It was just about when it was going to click and right now it’s clicking for us."
James scored 25 and Bosh added 14 points and a season-high 17 rebounds as the Heat broke open a close game in the third quarter to complete a perfect four-game road trip.
Miami has won every game during this winning streak by double digits.
“It’s two weeks to the night when we were walking out of Dallas’ locker room and we did not feel that great about ourselves as a team," Spoelstra said. “Now, two weeks later it feels like a different feeling in the locker room."
The Kings, who have lost 15 of 17 and have the second-worst record in the NBA, offered little resistance to James, Wade, Bosh and Co.
Source: ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines — British boxing prodigy Amir Khan successfully defended his World Boxing Association (WBA) light welterweight crown after routing Argentine Marcos Maidana by a unanimous but close decision Saturday (Sunday, in Manila) at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Khan prevailed in their 12-round bout, with scores clocked at 114-111 (from 2 of the judges) and 113-112.
The 24 year-old fighter came out of the fight strong leading round-by-round against an enduring Maidana.
Khan used a series of combinations to the head and powerful body shots to survive the toughest test of his boxing career to successfully defend his 140-pound title.
"I was hit by his best shots and I am still there," he said.
"I know I made mistakes, but I worked hard and came back stronger than ever," he added.
"He's a strong fighter, and he hits hard. My chin was tested. I'm not taking anything away from him. He's a great champion. I proved today I've got a chin," he also said.
Khan (24-1, 17 KOs) started quickly, knocking Maidana down late in the opening round but it proved to be the lone knockdown of the fight at the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino.
The relentless Maidana (29-2) regrouped and by the 10th round he bloodied and buckled Khan's knees, almost sending the British champion to the canvas.
Khan responded with a flurry of punches in the 11th and 12th rounds to take the fight on all 3 judges' scorecards.
The Bolton fighter, who is based in California, finished the fight with blood flowing from his nose.
Judges Jerry Roth and C.J. Ross scored the bout 114-111 for Khan, and Glenn Trowbridge favoured Khan with 113-112.
Maidana was not happy with the judges' scores, saying he did enough to recover from the knockout and score points in the later rounds to earn the title.
"I thought I won it," the Argentine fighter said. "I did enough in the final rounds but they gave him the decision."
Maidana, who has a reputation as a dangerous and sometimes dirty fighter, had one point deducted by referee Joe Cortez in the fifth round after he tried to elbow Khan during a break in the action. The elbow missed and instead hit Cortez in the chest.
The 27-year-old Maidana made Khan work every round for the victory as the 2 brawled in the center of the ring with very few clinches or back-peddling from either fighter.
Khan suffered his only loss in 2008 -- a shocking defeat as he was knocked out by Colombia's Breidis Prescott.
Khan, a 2004 Olympic silver medalist, said he chose to fight Maidana because he wanted to show he was prepared to go up against the toughest in his weight class.
"I made a mistake in my past now I am a different fighter thanks to (trainer) Freddie Roach," Khan said in the ring after the fight.
Khan was fighting for just the second time in the United States. He stopped Paulie Malignaggi in the 11th round of a one-sided fight last May in New York.
Both Khan and Maidana fought Andreas Kotelnik in 2009. Maidana, who has 23 KOs in the first three rounds, had won four consecutive fights since dropping a split decision to Kotelnik in February. Just five months later, Khan beat Kotelnik in 12 rounds for the WBA title.
Source: Dennis Gasgonia, ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines – Boxing promoter Bob Arum will submit to Manny Pacquiao proposals from three possible opponents of the new World Boxing Council (WBC) super welterweight champion when he meets his ward at his birthday bash next week.
However, this early, the Top Rank promotions chief said Pacquiao is likely to ignore Marquez’s proposal.
“Marquez's proposal was so out of line for anything that he got before… I don't think Manny is going to pay any attention to it,” Arum said in an interview with FanHouse.com.
The Mexican champion has repeatedly been asking for a third fight against Pacquiao, who knocked him down 4 times in their 2 previous meetings.
For a third installment of a Pacquiao-Marquez fight, Arum said Marquez is demanding a purse twice as big as he received when he fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. in September 2009.
Marquez reportedly received a guaranteed $2 million fight purse in a bout where he was defeated in a lopsided fashion.
“He lost that fight, but at least, that's the starting point: ask for every dollar you made on the Mayweather fight and now we can start talking, but don't ask for double what you made in the Mayweather fight and expect anybody to pay attention,” said Arum.
The other proposals he is expected to submit to Pacquiao are from “Sugar’ Shane Mosley and Andre Berto.
Mayweather fight
Arum also branded as silly Oscar dela Hoya’s reported claim that he has been preventing Pacquiao from fighting unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr.
“That's totally nonsense because you can argue over the first situation, the first go-around, they had one position, we had another. But on the second go-around, we gave in to every one of their positions,” said the veteran boxing promoter.
During the first round of negotiations, the camps of Pacquiao and Maywather failed to reach an agreement when the American demanded Olympic-style drug testing.
Pacquiao eventually gave in to this demand in the second round of talks, but Mayweather’s camp denied that negotiations had been on-going in the first place.
“We were so anxious to make the fight and Mayweather didn't want to fight, and even today, we will do the fight unconditionally, unconditionally! And all Mayweather has to do is say he wants the fight,” said Arum.
“So, to say that we don't want to make the fight or we are preventing the fight to happen is a little silly. All he has to do is have Mayweather get up and make a statement 'I'm ready to fight',” he added.
Source: AFF Suzuki Cup
Hanoi: Philippines coach Simon McMenemy was in a state of disbelief after seeing his team hand defending champions Vietnam a stunning 2-0 defeat in Group B of the AFF Suzuki Cup on Sunday evening at the My Dinh Stadium.
Chris Greatwich and Phil Younghusband scored the goals as the Philippines claimed their greatest win in recent history and remarkably moved to the top of the group standings ahead of Singapore on goal difference.
"I'm pinching myself, I'm not sure we have done what we have done," said McMenemy. "I keep thinking I'll wake up in bed in the Sheraton hotel and we'll still have the game to play.
"We knew we could defend, we knew we were disciplined enough but we didn't know if we could go up the other end and score goals. We knew that would be our issue so we worked hard in training on simple things like converting breakaways when we are on the run."
McMenemy hailed his team's performance but admitted to being bewildered by the result.
"I came in here the other day and said I was proud of my boys, but I don't know how we've done that," he said.
"That was an incredible feat considering they are the Philippines and where they have come from. To go and turnover a powerhouse like Vietnam is incredible.
"We rode our luck throughout the game but I said to the guys at halftime: 'You have to keep putting yourself in a position for good things to happen to you and you have to keep working hard'.
"If you keep working hard the luckier you get. We had three chances and scored twice. This won't sink in for quite a while."
Vietnam coach Henrique Calisto was angered by the nature of the Philippines' win and was heavily critical of the style of play used by the Filipinos.
"Football is not this, football is not putting eight players in front of the area with no offensive system," said the Portuguese coach. "They were fighting and I respect the players but if you think this is football then you are wrong.
"My way is different. You can play and lose but you can lose with honour. They put the bus in front of the goal and shoot, shoot, shoot and they pray. They didn't have an offensive system.
"I told my players that the Philippines defend very well but they don't care about counterattacking, they only pay attention in defence. Until you score one goal, our job is very difficult and I told the players that.
"If you look at possession of the ball, if you look at shots, if you look at crosses maybe there was 70 or 80 percent for Vietnam and 20 or 30 percent for Philippines.
"If they think they can win the championship based on that then poor football. If the Philippines think they can win playing that way then my dear, poor, poor football in this region."
Source: AFP,
MIAMI – Chris Bosh scored 27 points and Dwyane Wade added 26 to power the Miami Heat to their fourth consecutive NBA victory, an 89-77 triumph over the Atlanta Hawks.
Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James added 22 points for Miami in his first game since an emotional homecoming victory at Cleveland two nights earlier, where "King James" was booed by the fans he spurned to come to Miami.
Miami improved to 13-8 to pull into a share of second place in the Southeast division with the Hawks, who saw their five-game win streak snapped.
Only Orlando and Boston have better records in the Eastern Conference, the Heat appearing to have found the form expected of them when Bosh, James and Wade were assembled as a superstar trio.
"We're figuring it out," James said. "We're figuring out what it takes for us three to be successful and to have the team win."
The Heat scored 11 points in a row in the dying minutes to deny Atlanta after the Hawks rallied to make it tight.
"It's just a better feel in the locker room, away from the game, but also on the basketball court," Wade said. "We're starting to 'get it' with each other.
"It's making a world of difference."
Wade and Bosh each grabbed 10 rebounds for Miami, who saw their lead trimmed to 74-72 with 4:39 to play. But the Hawks missed their next six shots and Miami went on their run, which included a slam dunk by James, for an 85-72 edge.
James supporters chanted "Miami loves you" -- a response to Cleveland chants of "Akron hates you" in a reference to the hometown of James.
"We got the crowd into it and we won," Bosh said.
Al Horford led Atlanta with 22 points, hitting 10-of-11 from the field, while Jamal Crawford and Josh Powell each added 12 for the Hawks, who trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half.
"They are a tough team," Hawks coach Larry Drew said. "Anytime you have three guys that can potentially be 20-plus (points) every night, you have got your hands full."
Source: Jake Donovan, Boxing Scene
-- The message was sent loud and clear – Fernando Montiel, time to brace for Nonito Donaire.
There is still a bit of unfinished business before their February 19 superfight becomes a reality, as Montiel has a December 11 tune-up scheduled against fringe contender Eduardo Garcia.
But the unified bantamweight titlist can go into his fight knowing that future opponent certainly lived up to his end of the bargain.
In what was supposed to be the stiffest test of his young career, Donaire made it look easy in systematically picking apart former bantamweight champion Wladimir Sidirenko. The Filipino standout scored three knockdowns and beat his foe to a bloody pulp before stopping him in the fourth round of their televised co-feature Saturday evening at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA.
It was clear from the outset that Donaire had every intention of making good on his pre-fight promise to become the first to stop Sidirenko. The size difference was overwhelming enough; so too was the disparity in power – Donaire threw nearly every punch with mean intentions while Sidirenko punches like he’s apologizing.
Donaire took advantage, to the point of bulling the former titlist. A combination midway through the round rocked Sidirenko and drove him into the ropes. It was a lot better than what he would experience by rounds end. Donaire scored with a left uppercut, overhand right combination to floor the Ukrainian.
The knockdown came late enough in the round to where the bell spared Sidirenko from further punishment. Donaire tried to capitalize in round two, bouncing confidently and shooting his jab while trying to create an opening for something big.
It wouldn’t come at that particular moment, but it didn’t discourage Donaire from applying the very same formula in the third. His persistence paid off, as Sidirenko was floored for the second time in the fight, this time courtesy of a counter left hook.
Things wouldn’t get any better for Sidirenko, though the good news was that he would soon be put out of his misery.
Donaire closed the show in the fourth, butchering and bloodying his older, shorter foe before finishing him off with a classic one-two. Sidirenko staggered before dropping to a knee for a delayed reaction knockdown, Referee Marcos Rosales began his mandatory eight count, but recognized a finished fighter in front of him and waved off the contest.
The official time was 1:48 of the fifth round.
With the win, Donaire improves to 25-1 (17KO) and reasserts himself as one of the very best in the sport. The talent was always evident, but the competition was lacking.
Not the case here, as Sidirenko came with stellar credentials – a three year tour as bantamweight champ, though he’s falling on hard times. This was the third loss in his last four fights as the 34-year old falls to 22-3-2 (7KO).
Meanwhile, Donaire keeps rolling. The lone loss of his career came in his second pro fight, as he extends his current win streak to nine-plus years and 24 fights.
This win was by far his biggest since his breakout performance three years ago when he stopped Vic Darchinyan in five rounds for the flyweight crown.
Donaire now has a chance to trump both of those wins with the Montiel fight up ahead. Some fighters tend to fall apart when booking big fights too far in advance. Donaire never once took his eye on the prize, instead more determined to make a statement against Sidirenko.
“I’m really motivated for the Montiel fight,” states Donaire, who will finally make his long awaited HBO debut once that fight officially airs. “I wanted to win. I was motivated enough to know that I can dominate anyone.”
Though he pretty much won every second of the fight, it still took a little longer than Donaire expected. Though he didn’t predict an early exit going into the fight, the pace of the bout once the opening bell rang led him to believe it would be a quick night’s work.
It wasn’t exactly a grueling task, but Donaire insisted that it was a lot tougher than was perhaps suggested to be the case.
“He’s a tough guy. I looked in his eyes in the first round – I always know when I hurt someone, and I knew that I hurt him, but he kept coming.”
Sidirenko eventually wilted, officially stepping out of the way and clearing a path for Donaire to truly prove his worth as one of the very best in the sport. He’s already regarded as high among the best little big men in the sport, though the only remaining dispute over were he ranks in the pecking order comes down to who he’s beaten.
Sadly, there was a considerable drop off in competition in the period in between the Darchinyan bout and Saturday evening’s contest.
His most notable win in that span was a fourth round knockout of Raul Martinez earlier last year – further proof that with the right fight and motivation, you get the best out of Donaire.
There’s no better opportunity for Donaire to showcase his A-game than what lies ahead in just over two months. To his credit, Donaire himself recognizes the fight as his chance to validate any praise that has already been heaped upon him.
“I still have to beat Montiel before I’m worthy of (pound-for-pound status), but I’m honored that anyone thinks of me in that regard.”
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Part 5
Source: ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines – Boxing coach Freddie Roach said anyone who would like to fight Manny Pacquiao, including Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez, will have to do it at the welterweight division (147 pounds).
In a report by Boxing Scene.com, Roach said he won’t let Pacquiao fight any lower than 147 pounds because that is the Filipino boxer’s natural weight.
“It's 147 (pounds). We found that, when Manny can eat, he's comfortable and doesn't have to worry about making weight. Manny weighed in at [144.6] for his fight with [Antonio] Margarito, and I know that," he said.
Some of the boxers calling out for a bout with Pacquiao belong to the lower weight classes.
Devon Alexander and Timothy Bradley both campaign at the junior welterweight division (140 lbs.). Marquez, meanwhile, is the World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight (135 lbs.) champion.
"We would have to fight at 147, or else, those fights won't happen. I'm not going to let Manny fight below welterweight,” said Roach.
Other boxers being considered to fight Pacquiao include former world champion Shane Mosley and World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Andre Berto.
However, Roach sees the most attractive Pacquiao fight in Marquez.
"Because they have history between them. You know, they've fought twice, and they were close fights. They were very good fights for boxing and very competitive. Manny beat him and fought him to a draw, and Marquez knows Manny and knows what gives Manny trouble," he said.
Pacquiao first fought Marquez in May 2004. The match ended in a draw despite the Filipino scoring 3 knockdowns over the Mexican.
A rematch took place in March 2008 when the Filipino champion again decked the gutsy Mexican for a split decision.
Both fights ended in controversial fashion.
“Marquez is a very durable guy and he's got an audience and a fan base behind him. So he's marketable," said Roach.
Marquez is scheduled to defend his titles against Australian brawler Michael Kastidis on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
Another alternative opponent for Pacquiao, and probably the first choice of most boxing fans, is unbeaten boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Mayweather, however, still has legal problems to settle after being accused of beating up his former girlfriend Josie Harris.
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Source: Ace Freeman, Fight Fan
-- Juan Manuel Marquez scored a bruising ninth round TKO of slugger Michael Katsidis in a thrilling affair moments ago at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada as seen live on HBO. Marquez looked sharp early but was dropped with a colossal left hook early in Round 3. As has become his trademark the Mexican stalwart collected himself and came roaring back late in the round. Katsidis poured on the pressure but the sharper Marquez became more and more accurate with each passing round. It was a tremendous pace in the middle rounds with the edge continuing to go to the Mexican warrior. Marquez turned up the heat in Round 8 and really began to pour it on. In the ninth he landed nearly ever punch he threw before the bout was stopped at the 2:14 mark with Katsidis on unsteady legs and covered in blood. With the win Marquez improved to 52-5-1 (38 KOs) and retained his WBA and WBO lightweight world titles. In his post fight interview, Marquez called for a third bout with pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao.
Source: GMA News
GUANGZHOU, China – With the 2012 London Olympics qualifier just nine months away, Philippines-Smart Gilas head coach Rajko Toroman isn’t pressing the panic button. Not just yet.
Though admitting that he was disappointed that the PHL 5 did not make it to the semifinal round of the 16th Asian Games, the Serbian tactician said the team just needs more finetuning to be able to compete with the heavyweights in the continent.
“It’s a pity that we didn’t make it well here, but with some adjustments we will try to make, we will be very competitive," said Toroman.
“Imagine, Qatar lost by five points to China and we beat Qatar. That means we reached that tactical level that we can beat everybody. It’s really a pity our quality team was just playing for fifth place," he added.
The Philippines scored a 90-68 rout of Qatar in the preliminary round but eventually suffered a 71-81 loss during their battle for fifth and sixth places.
Toroman said the team will be formidable once naturalized player Marcus Douthit, who is expected to lead the country’s campaign in international tournaments next year, gets his Philippine passport.
Douthit’s papers were not processed in time for the Asian Games. “Our adjustments will start with Marcus," said Toroman.
This is the first Asiad that the Philippines failed to reach the semifinal round since 1978.
Though Gilas’ program is really meant for the 2011 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Asia Championship, the qualifying event for the London Games, Toroman knew his team could have performed better in the 16th Asiad.
“We just didn’t have the luck. In our game against South Korea, our wing players (Marcio Lassiter, Chris Tiu and Mac Baracael) were 2-of-20. Imagine, if we could have made those shots," he said.
When asked if he will be adding more PBA players for the FIBA Asia qualifier, Toroman said, “We can’t give some answers now."
In this campaign, the PBA lent Asi Taulava, Kelly Williams and Solomon Mercado to beef up the young Gilas squad.
Source: Rick Reeno, Boxing Scene
-- WBC middleweight champion Sergio Martinez told BoxingScene.com that he doesn't blame Bob Arum, CEO of Top Rank, for refusing his catch-weight proposal for a Manny Pacquiao fight. Martinez was willing to fight Pacquiao at 155-pounds, which Arum rejected. Pacquiao holds the WBC title at 154-pounds, but he plans to return to the welterweight division in his next fight.
"I don't blame Bob Arum because he already had his taste with Kelly Pavlik, so I don't blame him," Martinez told BoxingScene.com.
Martinez will continue to push for fights with Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
"I want to be the number one [pound-for-pound fighter], and to be the number one, you have to fight with the number one and the number two," Martinez said.
Martinez's promoter, Lou DiBella, has an alternative target - WBA 154-pound champion Miguel Cotto. Martinez would go down to 155 to face Cotto, which allows the Puerto Rican champion to keep his title regardless of the outcome.
"We'll fight him at 155 and then he'll still have [Julio Cesar] Chavez fight. If he wins he has two titles and if he loses he still has his belt. We think he's one of the few guys who's enough of a warrior to accept the challenge," DiBella said.
Source: ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines – Pop Superstar Beyonce has named 8-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao as one of her favorite athletes.
In an interview with ESPN on Thanksgiving Day, Beyonce described Pacquiao as a "beast" in his boxing profession but is humble and "calm" deep down.
"When he gets in that ring, he is a beast! I love it!" she gushed.
The singer-actress-model also noted Pacquiao's personality inside and outside the ring.
"He showed that you can have humility and be a calm person and also be driven when it’s time and be a fighter,” Beyonce related.
She share that she could relate to the Filipino boxing hero because he was "born" to do something.
"I love him because I really relate to people that were born to do something and get lost in the moment," she said.
Source: Dennis Principe, Manila Standard Today
-- In search for his one, final marquee fight, three-division world champion Shane Mosley continues to keep his name in the Manny Pacquiao equation by constantly updating his twitter account.
In one of his latest posts, Mosley, 39, has announced that a fight with Pacquiao is practically sealed as only the Filipino champion’s signature is needed to formalize the rather intriguing match.
“Me, Jay Prince, and Bob Arum negotiated it. And just need PAC’s approval and it’s on. PAC is like me, so it’s on,” Mosley wrote in his twitter account that has 15,967 followers to date.
Jay Prince is an American music producer based in Houston and is mostly into promoting rap artists from the area.
Apart from facing the best fighter of his time, Mosley is also looking at getting a big money fight as the American boxer is currently embroiled in a costly divorce issue with estranged Korean-American wife Jin Mosley, with whom the boxer has three children.
Pacquiao’s close associate and international promoter Rex “Wakee” Salud believes Mosley has a good chance of being the Filipino’s next opponent next year.
“After (Floyd) Mayweather, Jr, there are no formidable opponents except Mosley and probably Juan Manuel Marquez. All other fighters who are understandably making noise are just like that. A nuisance,” said Salud.
Salud said the Pomona native Mosley may stand to get around $5 million in a bout with Pacquiao as the American fighter is a sure crowd drawer specifically in well-known venues in California and Las Vegas.
“Mosley has been keeping in touch with Arum and has consistently signified his aim in fighting Manny,” said Salud.
Salud, however, said the biggest name fighter outside of Mayweather could be Marquez, who twice gave Pacquiao fits in their close encounters in 2004 and 2008.
Marquez, however, needs to look really good and tough in his upcoming bout opposite Australian challenger Michael Katsidis this weekend in their 12-round world lightweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.
“Still, a lot of people believe Marquez came close to beating Manny in their twin duels and that itself will be a great plot to market the fight as a true Pay-Per-View event,” said Salud.
