Source: ABS-CBN News
-- “Golden Boy” Oscar de la Hoya hailed Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Jr. as the “king” after the unbeaten boxer continued his winning streak by defeating “Sugar” Shane Mosley by unanimous decision on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
“Mayweather is the real deal… Mayweather is the king of the world now,” de la Hoya said after the fight.
“Mayweather is on a different level. He is a student of the game. He will dissect you outside the ring and will beat you physically. I honestly think Mayweather is the best boxer right now and maybe of all time," de la Hoya continued, as quoted by PhilBoxing.com.
Mayweather notched his 41st career victory at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada after the judges scored the fight 119-109, 119-109 and 118-110 in his favor.
De la Hoya said a fight between Mayweather and current pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao could end badly for the Pinoy pugilist.
“Pacquiao makes mistakes and Mayweather will expose that and I’m convinced Mayweather is the best going now,” said de la Hoya.
The Golden Boy Promotions president added that the botched Mayweather-Pacquiao bout, which is being clamored for by fans and critics alike, will surely be “an entertaining fight.”
De la Hoya was defeated by Mayweather in 2007 by split decision and by Pacquiao in 2008 via an 8th round technical knockout.
'Hella of a fighter'
Even Mosley praised his victorious opponent: “Mayweather is hella of a fighter he did to win the fight.”
Mayweather, meantime, also commended his foe.
“I take my hat off to Mosley. He had problems in the past but he is a warrior. He took the blood urine tests.”
As for Pacquiao, Mayweather said he hopes that the Filipino boxing superstar would agree to undergo Olympic-style drug testing.
“I just want everyone to be on an even playing field. If every athlete is clean in the sport of boxing, take the test. I take the test. If Pacquiao takes the blood and urine tests, we can fight. If he doesn’t, we won’t make the fight,” he stated.
“If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight, it is not hard to find me. We were going to make the fight a couple of months back but it didn’t happen,” he added.
Thousands witnessed the Mayweather-Mosley bout at the MGM Grand, including boxing legend Muhammad Ali, Magic Johnson, Paris and Nikki Hilton, Michael J. Fox, Jamie Foxx, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Mark Wahlberg, and Chris Brown, who sang the “Star-Spangled Banner.”
Source: GMA News
-- If you'll ask Manny Pacquiao, Joshua Clottey should not be compared to his previous beaten foes.
Pacquiao made the statement after critics questioned his pay-per-view drawing ability based on his 12-round unanimous decision win over the Ghana-born Clottey. They pointed out that the figure was the lowest in the Filipinos’ last four outings.
The March 13 Pacquiao-Clottey bout, where the seven-time world division champion staked and defended his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title at the $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, drew a modest 700,000 hits in PPV buys and earned $35.3 million as per the official release of HBO and Top Rank.
"Clottey is different from my previous opponents. He should not be compared to Oscar De La Hoya," said Pacquiao in Filipino. "We’re not dismayed with the figures. It’s still okay with us."
The 700,000 PPV buys is a far cry from the 1.25 million Pacquiao earned during his 12-round stoppage of Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto last November at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas
The PPV buys generated by Pacquiao’s technical knockout win over Cotto is considered to be the biggest boxing earner in 2009.
The 1.25 million PPV buys from the Pacquiao-Cotto fight is the same number generated from his "Dream Match" with De La Hoya in 2008 and likewise made less with the 850,000 hits produced by the Filipino champion’s devastating second round knockout of Ricky Hatton last May.
Prior to his blockbuster showdowns with De La Hoya and Cotto, Pacquiao drew 400,000 in PPV buys in his 2008 rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez.
With Pacquiao taking the action on a defensive-minded challenger like Clottey, the 31-year-old southpaw from General Santos City walked away with a lopsided 12-round unanimous decision in their March 13 duel at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum himself was satisfied with the PPV figures, surpassing his expectations of a possible 650,000 buys.
"That is the worst it would have done," he said. "But the number that you can’t go any lower than is 650,000 for the fight."
Arum and HBO predicted that the PPV total is likely to increase once all figures are officially in.
The 12-round fight, however, drew a crowd of 51,000 at the sprawling Cowboys Stadium, easily the third largest in prizefighting history in the U.S.
Source: Abac Cordero, Philippine Star
-- Oscar dela Hoya is trying to wiggle out of the lawsuit filed by Manny Pacquiao against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Philboxing.com yesterday reported that New York-based lawyer Judd Burstein, who helped Pacquiao in his case against his ex-promoter, Murad Muhammad, in 2005, will make sure the Golden Boy does.
Burstein is seeking relief from Dela Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions, and Richard Schaefer, the CEO. But it doesn’t mean that Burstein is also working for the dismissal of the case against Mayweather.
Pacquiao was accused by the Mayweathers, the boxer, his father and uncle, of using illegal performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), and the undefeated American called for a random blood-testing before he could agree to fight the Filipino icon.
But Pacquiao answered the accusations with a lawsuit that was filed by his lawyer, Dan Petrocelli, in Nevada last December, right after negotiations for the super-fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather officially broke down.
The reigning pound-for-pound champion filed charges of defamation against the Mayweathers, and included Dela Hoya and Schaefer in the lawsuit that may result to damages in excess of $5 million.
Burstein, according to the report, will try to get Dela Hoya and Schaefer out of the lawsuit, and that the statements made by the Golden Boy big bosses regarding Pacquiao’s alleged PEDs were just “opinions.”
And that they were “reasonable questions based on the facts that lead to suspicion that Pacquiao is using illegal PEDs.”
Burstein could be the man who can wiggle the Golden Boy out of the lawsuit. And he’s not new to boxing, having made previous representations for Don King, Lennox Lewis and Pacquiao, and non-boxing figures like Donald Trump and The Backstreet Boys.
The bitter dispute regarding the blood-testing prevented the super-fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather from happening. And unless they agree somewhere, the fight will never happen at all.
Pacquiao’s chief trainer, Freddie Roach, however, said the other day the fight may push through if Mayweather drops his demand for the blood-testing and Pacquiao drops the lawsuit.
But Pacquiao’s adviser, Michael Koncz, shot it down, saying it’s not going to happen.
Koncz spoke to The STAR the other day, and said the only way the lawsuit would go away is if Pacquiao is “compensated monetarily or the Mayweathers are punished by the court and asked to pay millions or if there’s an off-the-court settlement.”
“I’m sure Manny won’t change his position because we’re not spending thousands and thousands of dollars for the lawsuit just to use it as a bargaining chip for a fight. No way,” added Koncz.
“It was never our intention to file the lawsuit and use it later on as a bargaining chip for a fight,” he added.
“That’s ridiculous,” Koncz said.
Source: GMA News
-- Having personally encountered the dynamo that is Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya knows the Pacman’s skills too well that he expects him to run over Joshua Clottey of Ghana in Saturday’s (Sunday in Manila) title showdown at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
De La Hoya, who retired after getting pummeled for eight rounds by Pacquiao in their 2008 Dream Match, said Clottey’s defensive techniques would fit perfectly into the Filipino’s style.
"I think Manny Pacquiao will have an easy time with Joshua Clottey," De La Hoya said in an interview with Sky Sports.
Pacquiao’s vaunted speed, as he discovered first-hand, will again come in handy for the 31-year-old Filipino superstar, the “Golden Boy" enthused.
"Styles make fights, and his [Clottey's] defense is one where he blocks punches, then he has to bring his hands down to look at you and then throw punches. Manny is too fast to stay there in the pocket and receive punches.
“I believe he [Pacquiao] will hit him then move side-to-side. Clottey will look for him, but he's not going to be there. He is going to do the same thing for 12 rounds. It's probably going to be an easy fight for him," De La Hoya added.
Pacquiao will defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against the Ghanaian Clottey, a replacement opponent following the crash of talks for a megabout between the Pacman and Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
De La Hoya, whose outfit, Golden Boy Promotions, represented Mayweather in the failed negotiations, expressed belief it would not have been easy fight for Pacquiao if Mayweather, not Clottey, is on the other side of the ring.
The boxing great said in a battle between two of today’s top pound-for-pound fighters, Mayweather would prevail over Pacquiao because of “styles."
"I believe Pacquiao would come in, try to get his punches in and be very aggressive. But that plays into Mayweather's hands. He's such a defensive, purist boxer. The best there ever has been. He waits for you to make mistakes and then capitalizes," he said.
Following the botched showdown with the Filipino pride, Mayweather has forged a duel with Shane Mosley on May 1.
Source: Ronnie Nathanielsz, PhilBoxing
-- Golden Boy Promotions owned by Oscar De La Hoya with former Swiss banker Richard Schaefer as CEO has been accused of exploiting Juan Manuel Marquez by arranging for Marquez to fight WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan.
It won’t be the first time that Marquez is being used as a fodder. He was made to fight former pound-for-pound No.1, undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr at the welterweight limit of 147 in a fight where Mayweather came in two pounds over the limit and paid a hefty fine of $600,000 rather than shed off the excess weight.
The result was that Marquez took a bad beating. Now Schaefer wants Marquez to fight the 22 year old British world champion at 140 pounds at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino on May 15.
Pat Sheehan of the British newspaper The Sun reports that Marquez’ veteran trainer and one of the most respected men in boxing – Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain has pleaded with Marquez to put his health before money. Beristain fears the 36 year old Marquez is being used as no more than a “name” on Khan’s record and has accused Golden Boy of exploiting his fighter.
Sheehan quoted Beristain as saying “I told Juan Manual that Khan is not a fighter to be taken lightly. Khan is very strong and it's not a good fight right now because Marquez has not fully recovered from the Mayweather fight which was just brutal.”
Sheehan quoted Beristain as saying “I think its better to get another opponent. He (Marquez) should not be exploited again. He deserves to retire like a true champion and not as someone’s stepping stone.” The Sun reporter said Schaefer blasted “This fight is not going o fall apart because somebody feels not properly treated.”
Schaefer said Khan had accepted the fight but fights like this are not easily made. It gives Marquez the opportunity to become the first Mexican to win titles in four different weights and for Amir Khan the chance to have a big fight in the United States.
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.
Source: AFP
-- Boxing promoter Oscar De La Hoya says despite a bitter ongoing feud outside of the ring, he hasn’t given up trying to convince Filipino Manny Pacquiao to fight his client Floyd Mayweather.
“That fight has to happen,” De La Hoya said Tuesday of the proposed bout which fell apart earlier this month in a drug-testing dispute.
“It’s too big not to happen. We just have to cross one hurdle.”
Speaking at a news conference Tuesday to promote a non-title junior welterweight fight, De La Hoya said Mayweather and Pacquiao will fight sooner than people think.
Pacquiao, boxing’s pound-for-pound king, is scheduled to square off against Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium in Texas on March 13.
Mayweather and Pacquiao almost cut a deal this month, but claimed they couldn't agree on a 10-day gap in the timing of drug tests prior to their proposed March 13 bout.
“The public will hopefully make him change his mind,” De La Hoya said. “Why would you not want to earn 40 million dollars? Why would you not want to show the public that all this speculation is nonsense? Be the one to stand up and say it.”
De La Hoya also said Mayweather and Shane Mosley are in talks to possibly meet May 1, likely in Las Vegas.
Source: Associated Press
-- Oscar De La Hoya thinks his promotions company will soon wrap up a deal for Floyd Mayweather Jr. to fight Sugar Shane Mosley in May.
And after that, De La Hoya still believes Mayweather will meet Manny Pacquiao in the not-too-distant future.
"That fight has to happen," De La Hoya said on Tuesday of Mayweather-Pacquiao, which fell apart this month in a drug-testing dispute. "It's too big not to happen. We just have to cross one hurdle."
De La Hoya weighed in on the state of the welterweight division at a news conference to announce the next fight for Victor Ortiz, one of his junior welterweight proteges. Ortiz will headline the first Fight Night Club show of the new year at the downtown Club Nokia on Feb. 25.
De La Hoya, who runs Golden Boy Promotions with chief executive Richard Schaefer, says Mayweather and Mosley are in negotiations to meet on May 1, likely in Las Vegas. De La Hoya is eager to match Mosley, a Golden Boy partner, with Mayweather, who has been represented by Golden Boy in his recent negotiations.
"The various camps are working extremely hard to make it happen," De La Hoya said. "That's the fight that could really take boxing to another level, because it's two great American fighters meeting each other."
No matter the outcome of that proposed bout, De La Hoya believes Mayweather's path ultimately must cross with Pacquiao, the Filipino pound-for-pound king who will fight Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium in Texas on March 13. Mayweather and Pacquiao were achingly close to a deal this month, but couldn't close a 10-day gap in their preferences for the last session of drug testing before their proposed March 13 bout.
"The public will hopefully make him change his mind," De La Hoya said. "Why would you not want to earn $40 million? Why would you not want to show the public that all this speculation is nonsense? Be the one to stand up and say it."
Although Mayweather dislikes De La Hoya and usually limits his Golden Boy interaction to conversations with Schaefer, De La Hoya is firmly in Mayweather's corner in his apparent quest to bring a higher level of drug testing to boxing.
De La Hoya has fought two opponents who later acknowledged using steroids, beating Fernando Vargas in 2002 and losing a close decision to Mosley in 2003.
"I know where Mayweather is coming from with this," De La Hoya said. "This was a perfect stage to show the world that, hey, us fighters have nothing to hide. ... It's not like hitting a baseball or running a sprint. These are our lives at risk up in the ring."
De La Hoya believes Pacquiao eventually will agree to Mayweather's stringent drug-testing demands. Mayweather is thought to be demanding the same testing procedures for Mosley, who has acknowledging using designer steroids -- although claiming he did so unwittingly.
"I believe Mosley will raise his hand and say, 'Take me to the laboratory,"' said De La Hoya, who believes Mosley's protestations of ignorance in his dealings with BALCO. "And I'll be the first to applaud him."
De La Hoya is less forgiving of Antonio Margarito, the former welterweight champion caught using illegal hand wraps before a loss to Mosley last January in Los Angeles. Margarito was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission, but Top Rank is trying to get a license for Margarito to fight in Texas on the Pacquiao-Clottey undercard.
"I'm actually disgusted by the fact they're going over California and weaseling their way into Texas to get a license," De La Hoya said. "Whatever type of cheating you're doing, it's wrong. You should be banned for life."
