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Source: ABS-CBN News

MANILA, Philippines – Newly-crowned World Boxing Council (WBC) super welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao laughed off a report that he has long been eluding African-American fighters.

“Tayo naman ‘di tayo tanghalin na pound-for-pound king kung may pinipili tayong laban,” the 8-dvision world champion said in a press conference at the NAIA Terminal 2 on Saturday.

(I wouldn’t be chosen pound-for-pound king if I have been cherry picking my opponents).

Pacquiao issued his reaction after arriving from the US on Saturday following his conquest of Antonio Margarito of Mexico last Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

The Filipino boxing hero said he has never backed down from any challenge and is willing to fight anyone.

“Kahit sino, basta boksingero... [kahit si] Mosley, Mayweather (I’ll fight any boxer… even if it’s Shane Mosley or Floyd Mayweather Jr.),” said Pacquiao.

Ultimate test

Despite winning a record 8 world titles in 8 weight classes, a boxer has belittled Pacquiao for not fighting African-American boxers.

American Bernard Hopkins, who was an undisputed middleweight champion for 10 years, said Pacquiao has never fought an African-American boxer in his storied career.

“Maybe I'm biased because I'm black,” Hopkins said in Fanhouse.com. “But I do think that a fighter like the Ray Leonards or anyone like that would beat a guy [like Pacquiao] if they come with their game.”

Hopkins claimed Pacquiao has yet to get a taste of the usual fighting style of most African-American boxers.

He believes the Filipino champion will have problems dealing with the likes of Floyd Mayweather Jr.

"That's why Floyd Mayweather would beat Manny Pacquiao because the styles that African-American fighters -- and I mean, black fighters from the streets or the inner cities -- would be successful," said Hopkins.

Pacquiao has fought non-American black fighters like Ghanaian Joshua Clottey and South African Lehlohonolo Ledwaba, but Hopkins said they don’t fight like African-Americans do.


Nonsense

The Filipino’s business adviser, Michael Koncz, however, scoffed at Hopkin's statements.

"I would say to hell with all of those guys who are talking," he said Koncz. " All that we care about is what fighter has a following. When these fighters that are crying about fighting Manny develop a following, and can prove to us, statistically, that it's economically feasible, then we will have no problem fighting them. But until then, they can cry all that they want."

Promoters have already tried arranging a fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather. However, the efforts were in vain due to the American's unusual demands.

“Manny has done more than anybody in boxing than anybody has ever imagined. He has the right to select his opponents. These black fighters, you know, we're not prejudiced. We don't care if they're black, green or blue,” said Koncz.

Living in the past'

An American sports analyst, meanwhile, said Hopkins is “living in the past” with his claims.

Analyst Chris Broussard said in ESPN’s First Take program cited that there haven’t been a lot of black fighters in the weight classes dominated by Pacquiao for most of his career.

“Yeah, blacks dominated boxing in the 70's the 80's, maybe the 90's. But now you got poor fighters raised in Europe in tough circumstances coming up every year, beating black fighters,” he said.

He pointed out that Hopkins himself was beaten by Joe Calzaghe, a British boxer.

“Hispanics, Mexican guys whatever the color, who were raised in tough situations are coming up, and blacks aren't dominating the sport as much,” said Broussard.

"But beyond that, we all want to see him fight Floyd Mayweaher," he said. "And I don't think that he's the one (Pacquiao) who's ducking the fight. It's Mayweather, not Pacquiao."

Source: Dan Rafael, ESPN

-- Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, who stormed to a pair of decisive knockout victories to win world titles in a record-tying sixth weight class and a record-breaking seventh one, has been named the 2009 fighter of the year by the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Pacquiao, who will be presented with his third Sugar Ray Robinson trophy in the past four years, heads the list of honorees who will be invited to receive their awards on June 11 in New York at the BWAA's 85th annual banquet.

Pacquiao, who was also named 2009 fighter of the year by ESPN.com and Ring magazine, won the award in balloting by the organization's membership over nominees Vitali Klitschko, Andre Ward, Paul Williams and Arthur Abraham.

Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs), whose first world title came at flyweight, scored a second-round knockout of Ricky Hatton on May 2 to win the world junior welterweight championship and stopped Miguel Cotto in the 12th round on Nov. 14 to win a welterweight world title.

In addition, Pacquiao was also voted fighter of the decade (2000-09), beating out a star-studded group of nominees that also included Bernard Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez and Marco Antonio Barrera.

Pacquiao, of the Philippines, went 24-1-2 during the decade and won six of his seven world titles while emerging as the pound-for-pound king and a box office sensation.

Freddie Roach, who has trained Pacquiao since 2001 and been an integral part of his success, will receive the Futch award for trainer of the year for the fourth time. He also won it in 2003, 2006 and 2008.

"Manny and I are a great team and to win this award you need a great fighter," Roach told ESPN.com Sunday. "Hopefully, [junior welterweight titlist] Amir Khan will be my next guy. It's my favorite award because its named after my trainer [the late Eddie Futch]."

Futch trained Roach during his fighting career before taking him under his wing as an assistant trainer.

"I give Eddie all the credit for where I am today," Roach said. "He gave me great guidance during my apprenticeship with him."

Lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez and former titlist Juan Diaz will share the Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier award for fight of the year. Their Feb. 28 all-action slugfest was an instant classic as Marquez went to Diaz's hometown of Houston and stopped him in the ninth round to retain the title.

Also to be honored by the BWAA:

• ESPN's Joe Tessitore, the longtime blow-by-blow voice of ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights," was selected as the Sam Taub award winner for excellence in broadcast journalism.

• Jerry Izenberg, one of America's foremost sports columnists for the Newark (N.J). Star-Ledger for almost 60 years, will receive the John F.X. Condon award for long and meritorious service to boxing.

• Alexis Arguello, the Hall of Famer who won world championships in three weight classes, will receive the Marvin Kohn good guy award posthumously. Arguello died in July at age 57.

• Showtime broadcaster Nick Charles, who is fighting a battle with bladder cancer, and former heavyweight contender George Chuvalo, will share the Bill Crawford award for courage in overcoming adversity. Two of Chuvalo's sons died from drug overdoses and a third son, as well as his first wife, committed suicide, and now he speaks to high school students about drug use.

The Nat Fleischer award for excellence in boxing journalism, the highest award the BWAA presents to one of its members, has not been announced yet. Balloting for the lifetime achievement award is ongoing. It is voted on only by past winners.

The membership voted against selecting a manager of the year.

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