Showing posts with label floyd mayweather jr.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label floyd mayweather jr.. Show all posts
Watch Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Saul Canelo Alvarez full fight here.
Video 1
Video 2
Source: abs-cbnnews.com
Floyd Mayweather unified the super welterweight world titles with a majority decision over Mexico's Saul Alvarez on Saturday at the MGM Grand Hotel.
The 36-year-old extended his winning streak to 45 straight fights as he earned the biggest purse in boxing history at $41 million.
"It is about skills," Mayweather said. "I came out tonight and showed my skills. It is about performance."
Mayweather fought a brilliant tactical fight in front of the crowd of 16,746 at the Grand Garden Arena.
He used his jab and superior hand speed to keep Alvarez at bay, but Mayweather still only managed to win on two of the three judge's scorecards.
One judge surprisingly scored it a draw, 114-114, while the other two had it 117-111 and 116-112 in favor of Mayweather, who wrested the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association titles from Alvarez.
"Im not in control of what the judges do," Mayweather said. "I am in shock whoever had it even. Things happen in the sport of boxing."
This was just the second fight for Mayweather since he was released from prison after serving a sentence for assaulting the mother of his children.
Mayweather gave away 13 years in age and 15 pounds to the younger and stronger Alvarez, who moved down in weight for the showdown.
The seventh was one of Mayweather's best rounds as he landed several combination punches early before backing Alvarez up into a corner and hitting him with a right uppercut that snapped the Mexican's head back.
Mayweather came into the fight at 150 pounds, just a couple pounds lighter than he was at Friday's weigh in.
Alvarez was first into the ring, followed by Mayweather, who walked slowly into the sold-out arena flanked by rap artist Lil Wayne and Canadian teen heartthrob Justin Bieber.
Alvarez entered the ring at 165, 13 pounds heavier than he was at Friday's weigh in.
"I couldn't catch him," Alvarez said. "He is very intelligent and he is very elusive and that is what he demonstrated tonight."
Celebrities in the house
Mayweather is no stranger to grand entrances and on he Saturday he entered accompanied by rap artist Lil Wayne and pop sensation Justin Bieber.
But there were obviously more Canelo fans in the audience, since his introduction received more cheers and applause, while Mayweather got a lot of boos.
Michael Phelps, Magic Johnson, Rosie Perez, Charles Barkley, Jack Nicholson and Denzel Washinton were among the Hollywood celebrities in attendance on Saturday, with tickets fetching as much as $26,000 a seat.
On the undercard, Danny Garcia kept his World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association super lightweight titles with a unanimous decision over challenger Lucas Matthysses.
Garcia knocked Matthysses down in the 11th round and then the two went toe-to-toe in the final seconds of the 12-round showdown with both looking to end the bout with a knockout.
Garcia improved to 27-0 but Argentina's Matthysses made him work for it as he sent Garcia's mouthpiece flying with a hard right hand in the 11th.
Carlos Molina also won the International Boxing Federation's junior middleweight title with a split-decision victory over Ishe Smith.
Before a loud sold out crowd, Floyd Mayweather Jr. (45-0, 26KOs) won a twelve round majority decision over previously undefeated Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (42-1-1, 30KOs) to pick up the WBC/WBA/Ring titles at junior middleweight. The scores were 114-114, 116-112 and 117-111 for Mayweather.
Source: AFP
Floyd Mayweather, who is fighting twice in the same calendar year for the first time since 2007, weighed in at 1.5 pounds lighter than Mexican star Saul Alvarez on Friday.
The boisterous crowd of about 12,000 that squeezed into the MGM arena cheered loudly when Alvarez tipped the scales right on the catch weight of 152 pounds (68.9 kilograms) one day ahead of their 12-round world championship bout for the 154-pound title held by the Mexican boxer.
The world's highest paid athlete Mayweather will put his perfect record on the line when he squares off against Alvarez in a showdown between the two undefeated boxers.
"My job is to go out there and keep my composure and be the same Floyd Mayweather," he said at the weigh in. "I can't wait to get out there and go to work."
The 36-year-old Mayweather weighed in at 150.5 pounds -- just under the mutually decided catch weight of 152 pounds.
Alvarez (42-0-1) hasn't weighed 152 or less for a fight since 2011, while Mayweather has fought above 147 just twice -- for the Oscar de la Hoya and Miguel Cotto wins.
Alvarez said on Wednesday he was sparring at 155 pounds but feels comfortable moving down in weight to fight Mayweather.
Saturday's fight has generated huge interest, especially in Mexico where the 23-year-old Alvarez is considered one of their biggest sporting heroes.
The fight with Alvarez is the second in Mayweather's six-bout, 30-month contract with American cable network Showtime that could pay him more than $200 million.
After Mayweather beat Robert Guerrero in May, he said he wanted to fight again in September.
Mayweather's guaranteed purse for the Alvarez fight is reported to be a record $41 million, which would surpass the previous record of $32 million he received for fighting Guerrero.
Organizers are also hoping that this fight will eclipse two million pay-per-view sales. Mayweather will also get a cut of the pay-per-view money on top of his purse.
The last time Mayweather stopped an opponent inside the distance was two years ago, when Victor Ortiz lowered both his hands and was looking at the referee. Mayweather seized the moment and hit Ortiz with a combination of fight-ending punches.
Source: GMA News
-- On an HBO TV special that aired Saturday (Sunday, PHL time) entitled, "Floyd Mayweather: Speaking Out," the current WBC welterweight titleholder did just that, touching on a variety of topics, including Manny Pacquiao, Jeremy Lin, and Barack Obama.
The special is part of the build-up to Mayweather Jr.'s bout against Miguel Cotto, scheduled for May 5 (May 6, PHL time) at the MGM Grand hotel in Las Vegas.
In a blog post on The Ring, writer Lem Satterfield published a transcript of some of Mayweather's many quotable lines.
The undefeated fighter reiterated his position towards the fight with Pacquiao, an offer of a flat $40 million dollars, saying, "Either you take it or you leave it. Like I've said before, Manny Pacquiao needs Floyd Mayweahter. Floyd Mayweather don't need Manny Pacquiao.
"I'm happy with how my career has gone. I have nothing else to prove in this sport to nobody. Do I want the Manny Pacquiao fight before my career is over? Absolutely. But if it don't happen, it don't happen."
Should the much-anticipated bout between the two fighters ever push through though, Mayweather has a special gimmick in mind for the pre-fight introductions.
"People want to know how much power Floyd Mayweather's got? ....If I could fight Manny Pacquiao, I would let [US President] Obama walk me into the ring carrying my belt. Can I make it happen? Absolutely."
Mayweather also discussed the comments he made about New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin, which led to many accusing him of being a racist.
"As far as the Jeremy Lin situation, I spoke my mind. I just said that Jeremy Lin was a good player....I said but all of the hype is because he's Asian.
"A lot of NBA players came to me and called my phone and said, 'Floyd, thank you, you've said what we've been wanting to say all along.' You know players have to be quiet, they can't say nothing."
Mayweather Jr. currently boasts of a 42-0 record with 26 KOs.
Source: ABS-CBN News
-- Veteran boxing trainer Emanuel Steward said today’s fight fans are transfixed on seeing only one major fight: the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. mega-bout.
Steward said this is bad for the sport of boxing.
"Boxing's not in good shape. It's more of a business now and it's hurting boxing. We need to return to an era when the best fight the best and it wasn't all about money and egos,” Steward told BBC.
"There's only one major fight the public is interested in - two little fellas, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, who most likely will never fight.”
Steward believes the Pacquiao-Mayweather saga keeps the fans’ attention away from potential boxing superstars.
Clamors for a super fight between the two pound-for-pound champions have been going on for more than three years.
Still, the camps of Pacquiao and Mayweather fail to reach an agreement due to drug testing and purse split issues.
"Unless some drastic changes come about, I don't like the way things are looking for boxing. There's not one dream heavyweight fight - you've got Wladimir Klitschko and Vitali Klitschko and nobody else. That's not good,” said Steward.
The boxing trainer, who mentored fight legend Tommy Hearns, said that back in the 1980s, it was easier to negotiate a fight.
He said the Hearns-Ray Leonard bout in 1981 took less than a day to negotiate.
"The money is there [for Mayweather-Pacquiao], the two guys would make a minimum of $50 million apiece, and it still can't be made because of egos. Times have changed and it really frustrates me because I remember how easy it was for me to make the fight with Ray."
See the full interview video by Bob Costas on Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the NBC show Costas Tonight...
Source: ABS-CBN
Undefeated American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. said Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is to be blamed after their much-awaited mega-fight was once again derailed.
Mayweather announced during his hearing before the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Wednesday in Las Vegas that he is fighting Puerto Rican star Miguel Cotto on May 5 at the MGM Grand.
He later tweeted his reason for fighting Cotto: “I’m fighting Miguel Cotto on May 5th because Miss Pac Man is ducking me.”
In an interview with Boxing Scene, Mayweather elaborated on his tweet, saying that Pacquiao never really wanted to fight him.
"I tried to give the fans blood, sweat and tears with Manny Pacquiao, but he didn't want the fight from the beginning. This guy is ducking and dodging," he said.
"This guy got famous from basically piggy-backing off my name. When you mention Floyd Mayweather's name, you mention an all-time great in the sport of boxing. When you mention Pacquiao, you say, 'that's the guy who is trying to fight Floyd Mayweather.'"
Proof
Mayweather confirmed that he offered Pacquiao $40 million for the mega-fight.
"I tried to get him to step up to the plate. We're talking about a $10-million fighter that I tried to give $40 million to, and we didn't even talk about the backend," he said.
The undefeated boxer added that he has proof from "all of my meetings with (Pacquiao adviser) Michael Koncz."
Mayweather said that if Pacquiao had fought him, "he was going to make more money than he's ever made in his career."
The Pacquiao-Mayweather mega-fight has long been considered as the most lucrative bout in boxing, but negotiations continue to fall apart as the two camps repeatedly fail to agree on the match’s terms.
Source: Nick Giongco, Manila Bulletin
MANILA, Philippines — It’s time for Manny Pacquiao to look for a new dancing partner.
After doing the tango with Juan Manuel Marquez three times, the Filipino has no choice but to dump the Mexican in favor of the flashy Floyd Mayweather Jr., a prominent figure inside Team Pacquiao said recently.
Cebu kingmaker Wakee Salud, who has been at ringside in Pacquiao’s US fights dating back to 2005, said a more lucrative trilogy awaits Pacquiao once he decides to abandon plans to face Marquez for the fourth time.
“Because this fight is so big, there’s going to be a rematch whatever happens in the first fight,” said Salud. “And the rematch could also lead to a rubber match.”
“Manny has nothing to prove anymore with Marquez as he has beaten him twice,” Salud said.
Pacquiao is coming off a close 12-round majority decision over Marquez but despite the win, his reputation has been affected and leading boxing media entities like Yahoo! Sports, ESPN and Sports Illustrated have demoted him to the No. 2 spot in their respective pound-for-pound rankings.
Only The Ring magazine has retained Pacquiao – barely – as its No. 1 fighter on the elite list.
Meanwhile, Marquez’s belief that he had been robbed by the judges was solidified further after he watched the video of the fight in Mexico City.
Marquez told fight scribe Salvador Rodriguez of Record that he is “even more convinced” of his win over Pacquiao last week at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Marquez added: “I beat him again and he knows that I did.”
And this is probably the reason why Top Rank chief Bob Arum is pushing for a fourth fight set for May 2012 even though key members of Pacquiao’s team are already talking about fighting Mayweather instead.
Source: ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines – The world's richest person has reportedly offered Filipino boxing champion Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao a whopping US$65 million to fight an undefeated Mexican boxer.
Boxingscene.com reports that Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim has offered a guaranteed $65 million purse to Pacquiao for a fight against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.
Slim is allegedly negotiating now with Pacquiao’s team, including Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson.
Top Rank boss Bob Arum said that he will immediately contact Singson about the story.
“I saw the story and I don’t take it as gospel,” said Pacquiao’s promoter. “But Slim is one of the richest people in the world and Chavit, who I know so well, is a very serious guy.”
He added that he will call Singson on Monday.
According to Forbes.com, Slim made his fortune in telecommunications. He is said to be worth around $60 billion.
Pacquiao’s proposed opponent, Alvarez, is only 20 years old but carries a 36-0-1 win-loss-draw record.
Alvarez is being promoted by Golden Boy, which can cause some problems as Pacquiao is being promoted by Top Rank.
“Manny has the key third fight against Juan Manuel Marquez... and then we can discuss 2012,” said Arum. “I don’t know when Manny will want to fight next year.”
Arum said that Pacquiao may stick to a May and November schedule for his bouts, but it was ultimately up to the Filipino fighting congressman.
Arum earlier said that Floyd Mayweather Jr. had turned down a $65-milion offer to fight Pacquiao.
Source: Dino Maragay, Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines – Floyd Mayweather Jr. clearly doesn’t want any part of Manny Pacquiao, as far as Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank Inc is concerned.
According to Arum, the brash Mayweather, who has been inactive for more than a year now, once again refused another offer to fight the Filipino ring icon.
The proposed fight purse: A staggering $65 million.
"I'm an optimist, and I always felt that they'd eventually fight. At this point, I really feel that they'd never fight,” Arum told Elie Seckback in a video interview released by ESNEWS yesterday.
Arum narrated how the fight offer reached Mayweather.
“Recently, as recent as this week, legitimate people from Singapore offered Mayweather $65 million to fight Manny Pacquiao and he turned it down,” said the promoter, who did not name those who initiated the said deal.
“$65 million is obviously a sum Manny Pacquiao would accept. So what does that tell you? It tells you he (Mayweather) doesn’t want to fight Manny Pacquiao," he added.
Mayweather, who hasn’t stepped in the ring since outpointing Shane Mosley in May last year, has successfully found ways to prevent a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight – expected to be the richest in boxing history – from happening.
There was his demand for Olympic-style drug testing, which Pacquiao initially refused but eventually accepted. The fight, however, still never came to fruition.
Then, when Pacquiao was training in Baguio City for the Mosley fight, news came out about Mayweather’s demand for a $100 million dollar purse to face the Filipino – an amount Arum described as “ridiculous.”
This time, with Mayweather rejecting another offer, Arum concluded that the undefeated boxer does not want to share the ring with Pacquiao.
"He doesn’t want to fight Manny. He's smart not to fight Manny because, truth be told, everyone who knows boxing know that Manny will beat him," he said.
And why?
"One thing about Floyd: Floyd knows boxing, and Floyd knows style. That's why Floyd was always reticent about fighting a southpaw. And a southpaw like Manny Pacquiao, he doesn't want no part of, because even if he protects himself from his left, he's going to bang him with his right hand," Arum continued.
Arum may have a point. Mayweather has had trouble fighting a southpaw, as evidenced by his welterweight showdown with Zab Judah in 2006. In that fight, Mayweather struggled in the first six rounds, thanks to Judah’s quick blows and southpaw stance, until he took control in the bout’s second half to earn a unanimous decision win.
Against a faster Pacquiao, Mayweather may be in trouble once more
Source: Dennis Gasgonia, ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines – Despite a guaranteed $50 million offer, former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. still refuses to enter the ring with Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao.
Manny Pacquiao’s Canadian adviser, Michael Koncz, revealed that $50 million was offered during their most recent negotiations with Mayweather’s camp.
“A country that I won't name offered us $100 million to bring the Mayweather fight there,” he told abs-cbnNEWS.com.
“So we, in turn, offered $50 million to Mayweather as a guarantee[d purse]. If the pay-per-view comes in higher, Manny and Mayweather would make more,” Koncz added.
He said negotiations went downhill after the flamboyant Mayweather, dubbed as “Pretty Boy Floyd,” demanded a staggering $100 million purse.
“He refused the $50 million… It means he don't wanna fight Manny at this point in his career. Very simple,” said Koncz.
Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum, earlier, confirmed that discreet talks with the Mayweather camp, through fellow promoter Don King, bogged down when Mayweather demanded a $100-million purse.
The $50-million offer is the highest in Mayweather’s 15-year professional career.
The controversial boxer made his biggest payday in 2007 when he fought boxing great Oscar de la Hoya for a guaranteed $25 million.
In his most recent fight against Shane Mosley in 2010, Mayweather earned $22.5-million.
Despite his multi-million dollar earnings, Mayweather still failed to fulfill his tax obligations.
According to The Detroit News, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), recently charged Mayweather with liabilities of up to $3.4 million.
This is the second time the IRS has charged Mayweather for unpaid taxes—the first time being in 2009, when he had $6.2 million in unpaid taxes since 2007.
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: 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: 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: 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.
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.
Source: The Sweet Science
ATLANTIC CITY --- With a single punch, a devastating left hook, Sergio Gabriel Martinez retained his world middleweight title, separated arch-rival Paul Williams from his senses, and may well have ended Manny Pacquiao’s stranglehold on Fighter of the Year honors.
A year after dropping a majority decision to Williams in a fight many thought he won, Martinez left no doubt about the rematch, knocking the taller man stone cold just 1:10 into the second round of Saturday night’s card at Boardwalk Hall.
Many had expected the rematch to unfold as cautiously as had its predecessor, but after a frenetic first round (we gave Martinez a slight edge) the two picked up the pace in the second – for as long as it lasted. A minute into the round they threw simultaneous lefts, and suddenly only one man was standing.
“The difference was that I attacked in the second,” said Martinez. “I thought if I applied the pressure he might make a mistake.”
Mistake? A southpaw, Williams carelessly threw a long, looping, roundhouse punch – one that never arrived. Before it got within six inches of its intended target, Martinez had stepped inside it and turning his head to the side, driven home a left of his own that had his full weight behind it.
Referee Earl Morton counted, although he needn’t have bothered. Before Williams even woke up, Martinez was being paraded around the ring in a gold crown that looked as if it had been appropriated from the local Burger King franchise.
“I knew it was going to be a tough fight,” said a rueful Williams. “I got caught with a punch.”
Even happier than Martinez may have been promoter Lou DiBella, whose fortunes may also have turned with the punch. Forced by HBO into a rematch neither he or Martinez particularly wanted, both promoter and boxer will now likely find themselves in the drivers seat.
“Pacquiao, Mayweather, and Martinez are the three best fighters in the world,” said DiBella, who was probably also correct in noting that the ferocity of Saturday night’s kayo isn’t exactly going to bring prospective opponents swarming to his door.
On the other hand, the emphatic nature of his victory is likely to put Martinez at the head table at the 2011 Boxing Writers Dinner. Pacquiao hasn’t had a bad 2010, but in Joshua Clottey and Antonio Margarito, he beat a couple of guys he was supposed to beat. Martinez, on the other hand, was a big underdog when he beat Kelly Pavlik to win the 160-pound title, and then topped that here Saturday night by punishing the Punisher. If he’s not the Fighter of the Year right now, he’s the leader in the clubhouse.
