Tuesday, November 15, 2011

THE “STEP-ON-THE-FOOT TRICK” IS NOTHING NEW


PhilBoxing.com



Video and still photography shows that Juan Manuel Marquez stepped on the foot of Manny Pacquiao not once, not twice but at least five times during the 12 round fight.

Accidental? I should hope so!

Cheating? I would not be surprised.

Unfortunately, this is the second time that I have seen this trick from Mexican boxers. I am not saying that all Mexicans boxers use it to gain an advantage.

But when one sees it in title matches, sometimes one can’t help it but think that it possibly could be an old dirty trick used by our neighbors down south.

Pathetic, to say the least!

I personally saw that trick used up close and personal at a title fight held at the Coliseo Olympico at Guadalajara, Mexico between Rodel Mayol and Omar Nino Romero. I was there as Mayol’s cutman.

In that fight Nino hit Mayol with a vicious low blow making Mayol react to the pain by lowering his hands and reaching for his crotch in an effort to bear the pain. At that very instant Mayol dropped his hands, Nino came forward ignoring the referee’s order to halt. He stepped on Mayol’s foot to prevent him from turning away and delivered a tremendous blow on the chin of Mayol who had his hands down and was defenseless.



The foul knocked out Mayol. Fortunately, the WBC supervisor ruled that the punch was not legal and the fight was declared a technical draw allowing Mayol to keep his title.

Then last night as I reviewed the photos I took at the Pacman-JMM fight, I again saw the dirty trick pulled by Marquez.

The attached picture shows it all. And, pictures don’t lie.

What amazes me though is the fact that Tony Weeks, one of the best Nevada referees there is, failed to notice the trick. Was he perhaps so focused on other aspect of the fight that he failed to notice what was going on with the boxer’s feet?

Once or twice is rather excusable as it may happen when a southpaw is facing a fighter who is not. Feet are bound to tangle.

When feet tangle it’s an accident. But when one steps on the opponent’s foot not once but several times, it is cheating.

Photo by Dr Ed de la Vega.


If The Judges And Computer Erred, Who Could Have Scored It Right?

http://philboxing.com/news/columns.php?aid=609&id=62889

Determining the winner in a boxing bout is not like selecting the new American Idol or choosing the New Seven Wonders of the World where the volume of votes texted in from all over the world is used as the basis in declaring the winner.


Modern boxing employs three people who are given the best seats at ringside and an unhampered view of the action inside the ring. They are tasked to score the fight on a round by round basis using the 10-Point Must Scoring System accepted by all boxing sanctioning bodies.

It cannot be denied that since the three judges are only human, their scoring could be subjective and they could be swayed by the noise of the crowd, especially if the fight is held in the hometown of one of the boxers.

Boxing is replete with stories of corrupt judges who were influenced by the promoters or bribed and came up with decisions contrary to the general public perception of the outcome of the fight.

But not all boxing judges are corrupt. Many of these judges are professionals whose involvement with the sport is all because of their love for boxing.

There are safety measures to ensure that boxing judges do not abuse their authority to choose the winner of the bouts. There is the fight supervisor representing the boxing commission. Erring judges are sanctioned with either suspension or complete banishment from the sport by the commission on the recommendation of the fight supervisor.

Lately, boxing has employed the computer to document the action, keeping track of the punches thrown and punches connected.

While the statistics generated by the computer, conveniently called Compubox, do not have any bearing on the judging and outcome of the fight, the system has proven to be very effective in affirming or contradicting the scoring of the three judges.

When there is a discrepancy between the statistics provided by the Compubox and the scoring of the three judges, it is easy to conclude that the judging is irregular and controversial.

With this premise, is there enough reason to label Manny Pacquiao's win over Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez as controversial and questionable?

The three judges at ringside scored the 12-round epic third battle between Pacquiao and Marquez slightly differently.

Robert Hoyle scored it 114-114, Dave Moretti scored it 115-113 while Glenn Trowbridge had it heavily in Pacquiao's favor 116-112.

The discrepancy in the scoring of the three judges could be attributed to the fact that they were all seated in three different areas at ringside. What Hoyle saw may not have been seen by Moretti and what Trowbridge witnessed may not have been noticed by the two other judges because of the different vantage points.

If there is anything that the scores of the three judges indicated, it was that the fight was close.

Was the decision to award the fight to Manny Pacquiao after 12 gruelling rounds justified or questionable? Were the judges bought, influenced or coerced?

This is the time when the statistics generated by Compubox could be put to good use.

American sportswriter Gareth A. Davies reported in his column these figures generated by the Compubox which documented the Pacquiao-Marquez III:

1. Punches thrown: Pacquiao - 578; Marquez - 436; Punches connected: Pacquiao - 176; Marquez-138. Pacquiao edged Marquez in this department by 36 punches.
2. Jabs: Pacquiao - 304; Marquez - 182; Jabs connected: Pacquiao - 58; Marquez - 38; Pacquiao edged Marquez in this department by 20 jabs.
3. Power punches thrown: Pacquiao - 274; Marquez - 254; Power punches connected: Pacquiao - 117; Marquez - 100. Again, Pacquiao edged Marquez in this area by 17 power punches.

Looking at these Compubox figures, it is again easy to conclude that the fight was very tight.

But two of the judges saw it as a fight won by Manny Pacquiao and the Compubox statistics do not refute this. In fact, Compubox statistics confirmed that Pacquiao edged Marquez in the entirety of the fight.

It is funny and amusing, however, that some of our fellow sports analysts and sportswriter friends, insist that the judges were wrong and the Compubox is unreliable.

Holy Jesus!

If the judges erred and the Computer is unreliable, who else could give us the correct scores and the right decision?

Unlike basketball where if at the end of the game the scores are 112-111, nobody is expected to complain, scoring in judging involves the subjective perception of three human beings who are designated as judges.

Decisions will always be questioned but that is the way it is in boxing. That is unless the rules are changed by the world boxing sanctioning bodies and boxing adopts the scoring system of the "American Idol" where everybody's subjective vote will be counted, tallied and thereafter used to declare the winner.

The problem with that though is that it will take sometime before we will know who the winner is. Manny Pacquiao's deep cut in his right eyebrow would have already healed before his hands are raised in victory.

This is how boxing is scored, this is the rule and this is how the game is played and decided.

If some people think this is wrong and are not comfortable with this, they could always play basketball.

Thanks: Manny PiñoL

Photo: Manny Pacquiao (R) hits Juan Manuel Marquez with a left during their bout last Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Photo by Dr Ed de la Vega.


Friday, October 7, 2011

World’s Largest Arena





Construction has commenced on the world’s largest indoor arena, designed by Populous, in Manila, Philippines. In a ground breaking ceremony held last week, the arena design was described as a ‘phenomenal structure’.

Valued at US$214m, the 50,000-seat venue at Ciudad de Victoria was commissioned by the Philippine's Iglesia Ni Cristo and will be completed in time for its centennial celebration in 2014.

Project director, Populous senior principal Andrew James, said: “The building’s capacity pushes the boundary of arena design and will eventually establish itself as the world’s largest indoor arena. The form uses simple geometry to create an elegant appearance, while also giving the venue a powerful presence within its setting.”

Populous designed the arena with engineers Buro Happold, and construction will be carried out by Hanwha Engineering and Construction Corp.

The arena has been designed to enable a further 50,000 people to gather outside the venue for major events. As well as holding major gatherings, it can also stage boxing and basketball games and music concerts.


Thursday, October 6, 2011

'Wolverine' picks Manny over Floyd


MANILA, Philippines - Count Hugh Jackman as among the Hollywood heavyweights rooting for Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao.

That’s if the superfight between Pacquiao and undefeated American Floyd Mayweather Jr. ever takes place.

“Ohh!!! I have a funny feeling in my gut that Pacquiao would win that fight,” Jackman told www.ringtv.com yesterday.

The 43-year-old actor known for his role as Wolverine in the X-Men series said it could be a decision for Pacquiao over Mayweather.

“I don’t think that it would be a knockout. I think that it would be a decision. There’s no doubt that it would be close,” said Jackman, who turns 43 on Oct. 12.

Jackman spoke to Lem Satterfield as the Australian stage actor, singer, dancer and producer promoted his upcoming flick, “Real Steel.”

In this new movie he plays the role of a “down-on-his-luck” boxer whose fights, all 43 of them, have ended in a knockout, win or lose.

Aside from Jackman, other heavyweight actors rooting for Pacquiao are Mark Wahlberg, Sylvester Stallone, Denzel Washington and Mickey Rourke.

Wahlberg often dropped by at the Wild Card Gym when Pacquiao was training as he geared up for his boxing movie, “The Fighter.”

“I’m hoping, one day, to go to the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight,” said Jackman.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, will wrap up his three-week training in Baguio City today as he prepares to shift his training in Los Angeles.

Pacquiao travels to Manila after his workout at the Shape Up Gym in Baguio, and should be sparring in Manila tomorrow.

They travel to Los Angeles on Sunday evening, and resume training at the Wild Card Gym the following day. – With report from Artemio Dumlao

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

KNOCKING OUT PACQUIAO


AMB campeón de peso ligero Juan Manuel Márquez está obsesionado con la anulación de libra-por-libra Manny Pacquiao en la tercera pelea de la trilogía fascinante programada antes de un lleno completo en el MGM Grand Garden Arena en Las Vegas el 12 de noviembre.

The Tortoise and the Hare

One day a hare was bragging about how fast he could run. He bragged and bragged and even laughed at the tortoise, who was so slow. The tortoise stretched out his long neck and challenged the hare to a race, which, of course, made the hare laugh.

"My, my, what a joke!" thought the hare.
"A race, indeed, a race. Oh! what fun! My, my! a race, of course, Mr. Tortoise, we shall race!" said the hare.

The forest animals met and mapped out the course. The race begun, and the hare, being such a swift runner, soon left the tortoise far behind. About halfway through the course, it occurred to the hare that he had plenty of time to beat the slow trodden tortoise.

"Oh, my!" thought the hare, "I have plenty of time to play in the meadow here."
And so he did.

After the hare finished playing, he decided that he had time to take a little nap.
"I have plenty of time to beat that tortoise," he thought. And he cuddle up against a tree and dozed.

The tortoise, in the meantime, continued to plod on, albeit, it ever so slowly. He never stopped, but took one good step after another.

The hare finally woke from his nap. "Time to get going," he thought. And off he went faster than he had ever run before! He dashed as quickly as anyone ever could up to the finish line, where he met the tortoise, who was patiently awaiting his arrival.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

PAALALAM NA PO APUNG BAKET!!!



Salamat po Apung ikaw ang gumabay sa amin...
Salamat po sa mga Pagmamahal at pag-aaruga...
Higit sa lahat maraming salamat po sa PANANAMPALATAYA
na mayroon IISANG TUNAY na DIOS...
at Mayroon ISANG Tagapagligtas...
Magkita-kita po tayo sa BAYANG BANAL!
Mahal na Mahal po namin Kayo!
Apung Baket,... Paalam po!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Dela Hoya apologizes to Pacquiao, Arum By Dennis Gasgonia, abs-cbnNEWS.com


MANILA, Philippines – Boxing legend-turned promoter Oscar dela Hoya sought to end his long-standing feud with Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao and rival promoter Bob Arum by airing an apology through Twitter.

Dela Hoya, who recently committed himself to a rehabilitation facility in California, addressed a heartfelt apology to Pacquiao and Arum in a 5-part tweet.
Dear Bob Arum, first I would like to humbly apologize for any pain I have caused to you and or your family,” the Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) owner said through his Twitter account.

“I also want to apologize to Manny Paquiao for any wrongdoing in my part. You are a great champion,” Dela Hoya added.

Dela Hoya has been at odds with Pacquiao since he took part in an alleged effort to discredit the Filipino champion.
Together with controversial boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and several others, Dela Hoya insinuated that Pacquiao’s recent successes in the boxing ring may have been a result of performance enhancing drug (PED) use.

The allegation was made during the first round of negotiations for a multimillion-dollar superfight between Pacquiao and Mayweather.

Appeal

Dela Hoya appealed for cooperation from Arum, owner of rival promoting company Top Rank, to help in putting up the best fights to uplift the sport of boxing.

“With great humility I ask we work together for the good of the sport we dearly love. It is not fair to the fans and to the fighters,” he said.

“Let's move forward… and show the world what we are capable of doing,” Dela Hoya added.
Arum has waged several legal wars with Dela Hoya in the past. The most vicious ones were over the promotional rights of Pacquiao and his fellow Filipino boxer, Nonito Donaire Jr.

Dela Hoya, a 10-time world champion, used to fight under Arum’s Top Rank Inc. before setting up his own promotional firm.

He announced his retirement from professional boxing months after being given an 8-round beating by Pacquiao in 2008.

Early this week, Dela Hoya committed himself to a rehabilitation center because of substance abuse.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Pacquiao confirms 3rd Marquez fight abs-cbnNEWS.com Posted at 05/23/2011 12:00 PM | Updated as of 05/23/2011 3:50 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Pound-for-pound king and fighting Congressman Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao has confirmed that he will battle Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez on November 12.

It will be the third meeting between the two fighters.

Their two previous bouts were controversial.

In 2004, Pacquiao settled for a draw in their first fight despite knocking Marquez down in the first round.

Four years later, their second meeting ended in a split decision in favor of Pacquiao.

The third fight will be at a 145-pound catchweight.

Pacquiao said he will start training in September.

“Tuloy na po yun, abangan n’yo,” said the 8-division world champion.

Marquez signed the contract for the fight last May 19.

Pacquiao confirmed the news during a victory party that Governor Luis 'Chavit' Singson gave in his honor on Sunday night.

The Corinthian Gardens Clubhouse was filled with politicians, celebrities and other various VIPs, who all came to celebrate Pacquiao’s victory over Shane Mosley.

“Tradisyon na natin ito, laging may victory party with Gov. Singson,” Pacquiao said.

Among those present were Vice-President Jejomar Binay and former President Joseph Estrada.

“He’s the best fighter that the Philippines has ever produced and the whole country is very proud of him,” said Estrada.

Singson said that he and Estrada may watch Pacquiao-Marquez III together. -- report from Dyan Castillejo, ABSCBN News

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

REYES WINS US OPEN ONE POCKET CHAMPIONSHIP By Ronnie Nathanielsz PhilBoxing.com Tue, 17 May 2011


Efren “Bata” Reyes conjured up some old fashioned magic to win the US Open One Pocket Championships at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The 56 year old Reyes’ smashing 5-2 win over Christopher Gentile in the finals made up for the failure of a Filipino to enter the finals of the World 10-Ball Championships in Manila which was won by Huidji See of the Netherlands who beat Fu Jianco of China in the finals 11-8.

Fu had earlier beaten giant-killer Carlo Biado of the Philippines in the semi finals.

Reyes earned $8,000 for his winning effort while Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan finished fourth.

The One Pocket event was a double elimination format and featured what AZ Billiards said was a “mox of some of the best of the old school and some of the strongest of the new breed of one pocket aficionados.” Aside from Reyes and Pagulayan the field included veteran Jose “Amang” Parica, Corey Deuel, S ylver Ochoa, Brandon S huff, Scott Frost and banks king John Brumbeck.

Billiards Hall of Fame aware Francisco “Django” Bustamante who is ranked No. 2 by the World Pool Association was unable to participate because of a reported delay in securing his US visa.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Master of retirement

Master of retirement
SPORTING CHANCE By Joaquin Henson The Philippine Star Updated May 12, 2011 12:00 AM

It’s getting to be a habit for WBO welterweight champion and the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter Manny Pacquiao to send opponents into retirement.

Last Saturday night, Pacquiao virtually wrote the final chapter in Sugar Shane Mosley’s career. It’s not likely Mosley will ever fight again – at least, not on the big stage. His performance against Pacquiao was a huge turn-off and impacted negatively on his marketability. If there was any doubt on whether age had caught up with Mosley before the Pacquiao bout, there is none now.

Mosley might try to campaign in the senior circuit but that’s pushing his luck. He fought Pacquiao like a scared rabbit. Mosley felt Pacquiao’s power in the third round when he went down. His eyes were glazed and his legs turned rubbery. He probably remembered what Pacquiao did to Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Joshua Clottey and Antonio Margarito. The victims looked like they barely survived a holocaust after facing Pacquiao.

Fans booed at the end of the lackluster fight. Mosley was an eyesore. They paid good money to watch a typical Pacquiao night of fireworks. Instead, they were treated to a one-sided sparring session. Pacquiao tried to make it exciting. But cramps in his left calf kept him from cutting the ring off from Mosley. Pacquiao apologized to the fans for the uneventful contest but had nothing to be sorry about. It wasn’t his fault that Mosley refused to mix it up after the third round knockdown. As they say, it takes two to tango. Unfortunately, only one man danced to the music. The other just wouldn’t oblige.

At the Wild Card Gym, there’s a standing offer from Freddie Roach paying $1,000 for any sparmate who floors Pacquiao. Roach’s publicist Fred Sternburg joked that the five-time Boxing Writers Association of America Trainer of the Year now owes Mosley $1,000.

Whether right or wrong, the record books will show that Mosley knocked down Pacquiao in the 10th round. Referee Kenny Bayless gave Pacquiao the mandatory eight-count but later admitted he made a mistake. He personally apologized to both Roach and Pacquiao after the fight.

“Hey, Freddie,” said Sternburg in the dressing room. “You owe Mosley $1,000. Didn’t he knock down Manny in a sparring session?”

For showing little heart and slowed reflexes, Mosley acted his age – he’ll be 40 in September. The wear and tear from a career that started in 1993 was evident. Mosley was not even a shadow of his old self. The future Hall of Famer was a poor excuse for a title challenger. He pawed at Pacquiao, retreated and avoided contact. He didn’t even gamble on landing a lucky punch for fear that if he committed to throwing his right, Pacquiao would retaliate with a left counter. Roach said he should retire.

The signs of slippage were undisputable. Mosley has been unimpressive in his last three fights. Before taking on Pacquiao, Mosley barely escaped a loss and settled for a split draw with unheralded Sergio Mora last September. And in May last year, he was almost shut out by Floyd Mayweather Jr.

If Mosley decides to hang up his gloves, he’ll join the ranks of victims whom Pacquiao has sent to pasture. De la Hoya never fought again after quitting on his stool after eight rounds against Pacquiao in 2008. Ricky Hatton called it a career following his second round knockout loss to Pacquiao in 2009. Joshua Clottey hasn’t fought since he was humiliated in 12 rounds by Pacquiao last year. And Margarito may never fight again as the orbital bone that was fractured in the Pacquiao fight last November hasn’t healed.

So it wouldn’t be a surprise if Mosley called it quits. Pacquiao is gaining a reputation as the master of retirement. Anyone who dares to challenge him runs the risk of retiring or considering a career shift.

* * *

Former two-time world champion Gerry Peñalosa’s protégé Michael Farenas had a slot in the undercard of the Pacquiao-Mosley mainer at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas last Saturday night but his Mexican opponent never showed up.

Peñalosa lobbied for Farenas to see action in one of the appetizers and Top Rank chairman Bob Arum accommodated on Pacquiao’s recommendation. Farenas was paid a purse nonetheless. He said he would’ve preferred to fight than just take the money without working for it.

Farenas, 26, is a power-punching superfeatherweight with a 30-3-3 record, including 26 KOs. He has fought thrice in the US, scoring a pair of first round knockouts and figuring in a no-contest.

Former WBC lightflyweight champion Rodel Mayol was the only Filipino who fought in the undercard. He scored a majority 10-round decision over Mexico’s Javier Gallo to raise his record of 28-5-2, with 21 KOs.

* * *

Panamanian ring legend Roberto Duran was at ringside to witness Mosley’s humiliation. Asked by countryman and frequent Manila visitor Carlos Costa if Pacquiao would’ve beaten him in the Hands of Stone’s prime as a lightweight, Duran said no way.

“Duran told me he’s a big Pacquiao fan,” said Costa, a heavy equipment dealer who tracks Filipinos fighting all over the world and often watches their bouts. “Now is Manny’s time, he mentioned. But if he fought Manny in his prime as a lightweight, Duran would’ve won – at least, that’s how he sees it.” Ironically, Mosley once said he fights like Duran who liked to bang the body to soften up his opponents for the kill.

Costa has many close Filipino friends, including Peñalosa, philboxing.com owner Dong Secuya and referee Danrex Tapdasan. In Las Vegas last weekend, he introduced Peñalosa to 34-year-old former WBA and IBF superbantamweight champion Celestino Caballero of Panama. Caballero now lives in Las Vegas and drives a Lexus. A promoter once tried to match Peñalosa against Caballero but the fight never pushed through. Caballero, at 5-11, towers over Peñalosa.

Manny Pacquiao: The night Shane Mosley became “Shame” Mosley Tuesday, May 10, 2011 By Superstar Billy Graham


During the last few months of this year, The Superstar and many boxing fans witnessed several upsets in boxing and near upsets. Victor Ortiz who was a heavy underdog against undefeated Andre Berto, defeated the fast heavy punching Andre Berto which could be named fight of the year. Another upset in that same night was Orlando Salido defeating #1 ranked featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez. This defeat was even more impressive when Salido knocked out also heavily favored JuanMa Lopez in the round. Also in that same night again, another heavily favored James Kirkland was knocked out by the 2nd round by light puncher Nobuhiro Ishida. Kirkland who then was sporting an impressive 27-0 record with 24 going by way of knock out. Many thought this would be an easy cake walk for Kirkland but unfortunately nobody told Ishida. It took Ishida only 2 rounds to knock out James “Mandingo” Kirkland. Nobody in the boxing world would have predicted that. That same month of April, another heavy favored fighter, David Lemieux was expected to have an easy opponent of Marco Antonio Rubio. Most everyone picking Lemieux who was also undefeated with a 24-0 record to easily dispose of Rubio. Instead Lemieux was knocked out in the 7th round. People were already proclaiming “the year of the upsets”. So many thought the tradition of upsets would continue, and many were picking Shane Mosley would pull off the biggest upset of the year by defeating the fighting Congressman and current #1 Pound for Pound fighter in the world, Manny Pacquiao. Even though Manny Pacquiao was heavily favored to win this bout, many boxing experts believed Shane has the capability of pulling off an upset due to Manny Pacquiao would suit his style of fighting and this was the type of fight that will benefit the bigger Shane Mosley who is also known for his speed and power. Shane rest assured the world in Fight Camp 360, he will no doubt knock out the Pacman. Even during the first promotional tour of the fight, Shane was commenting on how small Manny was when they were standing next to each other. Shane believed his size, power,and speed would be too much for Manny to overcome and predicting a knockout. Unfortunately, by fight night, all those predictions and chest pumping by Shane Mosley fell by wayside. It never materialized.

When Shane Mosley got to taste Manny Pacquiao’s power on the 3rd round, which lead to a knock down, Shane immediately knew Manny’s intention was to send him to the hospital. At that point, Shane didn’t want any part of Manny Pacquiao, abandoned his game plan going toe to toe and instead used plan F (flee), run and hug. It was the most deplorable action by a prize fighter. Shane was in complete survival mode, unwilling to exchange with the smaller fighter whom he though he would dominate. Instead, Shane feared Manny’s punch so much that during the post interview he made it known to everyone Manny’s power is something he has never felt before in his boxing career. And listening to Shane very closely, he wanted no part of it after the 3rd round knockdown. It was unbecoming of a legendary future hall of famer. He went from Shane to Shame that same night. Everyone expected this future hall of famer to leave his shield in the ring and fight like a warrior. Instead, we all witnessed a fighter who became an unwilling opponent to the world #1 fighter. Unwilling to fight. Unwilling to show everyone he still has it. Unwilling to respect his opponent by giving him the best that he has. Unwilling to give the boxing and its fans the best entertainment. Only one fighter was willing to try to entertain the fans, and it was ONLY MANNY PACQUIAO.

People were critical when Manny fought Antonio Margarito, but the fight was highly entertaining. Margarito despite having only one eye most throughout the fight, fought valiantly by continuing to go forward and fight. Margarito never wanted to stop the fight despite by the 7th round his right eye was completely shut. We must give Margarito his due, he left his shield on the ring and gave Manny and the fans great respect by giving it his all despite having only one eye by the end of the night.

Erik Morales, should be voted as the inspirational fighter of the year. The fight between Erik Morales vs Marcos Maidana, was thought to be a lopsided bout between an aging just out of retirement Erik Morales going against a young bull and heavy punching Marcos Maidana. Maidana at that time was ranked #3 light welterweight in the world. Possessing at that time an impressive 30-1 record with 27 going by way of knock out, an eye popping 84%. We all thought this was going to be a major beatdown of epic proportion. Even Bob Arum was concerned of his former fighter. Instead what we all witnessed, was a fight that defied the world. Morales after being heavily battered at the first round sustained a right eye injury that swelled to a grotesque size. It really looked like Morales had a tumor on his eye. But despite having one eye throughout the whole fight, he went on and fought like a warrior. Nearly pulling the biggest upset of the year. Many thought and The Superstar himself, believed Morales won this fight unanimously. This is what true legendary prize fighters do, fight valiantly and leave your shield in the ring. Unfortunately, Shane does not possess the warrior’s heart anymore.. The Superstar believes SHAME MOSLEY should retire and never fool the fight fans into believing in him again. The Superstar once believed in Shane but this time, Shane failed himself but more importantly he failed boxing. There is no excuse to not give the best fighter in the world your best. NO EXCUSE!!! Instead Shane was more preoccupied with not getting hurt and protecting that false ” never being knocked out” record. Which The Superstar believes is now tainted. The Superstar and many boxing fans will never respect Shane’s record of never being knocked out. Running and hugging throughout the fight, is the cowards way to preserving this meaningless record. This was a very selfish act by Shane. And sadly, many boxing fans including The Superstar have lost respect for Sugar Shane Mosley. A time we all thought would never happen.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Rated K - Charice, Manny Pacquiao & Arnel Pineda = 11/21/10

EVEN THE HILTON SISTERS ARE NOW PACNUTS By Ed de la Vega, DDS PhilBoxing.com Mon, 09 May 2011



Las Vegas, NV:- Last night at the post fight conference at MGM Grand media center, the media people were a bit surprised to see the Hilton sisters, Nicki and Paris walked into the room and occupied seats at the head table.
They almost stole the show as they walked in when Manny Pacquiao was at the middle of answering questions from the media and women gathered to hear what he had to say about the fight with Shane Mosley.

The Hilton sisters sat along side Jinky Pacquiao and were as usual all smiles for the camera bugs that were there.

After the conference, they stayed a few minutes to pose with Pacquiao and his lovely wife Jinky.

A pundit standing next to this writer was overheard saying ”iba pa rin and ganda nang Filipina. Sa akin, mas matinyag and ganda ni Jinky kaysa sa kanila.” (The Filipino beauty is distinct. For me, Jinky stills looks better than them”)

In reply to a question, Paris Hilton said she has been a long time boxing fan and was proud to be a fan of Manny.

Manny Pacquiao, the Best Fighter in the World, Wins Again




What happens when you're such a good boxer, you can't find anyone else to fight?

Manny Pacquiao, the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, is a man who fires punches at angles that many in the sport have never seen. But he is more than a master pugilist--he is a charismatic Congressman in his native Philippines with designs on the presidency. Pacquiao, who grew up in the streets, likes to say that he fights to give people some relief from their suffering. He wore yellow gloves during his bout on Saturday night to symbolize his unity with his country's poor. "He's not a fighter, he's an entertainer," says Freddie Roach, his trainer. But he was frustrated because he hadn't been able to entertain the crowd who were booing the lack of action in his bout with the American Sugar Shane Mosley. Pacquiao won in a unanimous decision and retained the welterweight championship and the mythical pound-for-pound crown, but he had a difficult time getting over the boobirds. "It's not my fault," said Pacquiao, a typically joyful man, as way of explanation. "Of course I am happy that I won the fight but my first concern is the satisfaction of the crowd. I want to give a good performance. I think he felt my power. But what am I going to do if my opponent doesn't want to fight toe-to-toe?"

Mosley, one of America's greatest fighters, had the unfortunate task of facing Pacquiao. They squared off in front of 16,412 at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mosley is 39. He has been a professional fighter for eighteen years and he is a future Hall of Famer, but he seemed to forget how to throw punches. Was he past his prime? Yes. But he has always been considered "a warrior," boxing parlance for someone who will risk bodily harm to win and Pacquiao trained harder than for any previous fight with the expectation that Mosley would attack him with everything in his aresenal. The arsenal was empty. His jab was so timid that it looked like a father caressing his child's cheek. He landed 82 paltry punches to Pacquiao's 182. He blamed his performance to Pacquiao's speed and power, which he couldn't handle. Strangely, he also blamed a foot blister, which didn't seem to hamper his frantic backpedaling from the Filipino.

There was a single moment of excitement In Round 3 when Pacquiao hit Mosley with a sobering left and Sugar crashed to the canvas. The crowd buzzed with jittery excitement, as they always do when it experiences a knockdown. Mosley looked like a kid in a supermarket who couldn't find his mother. But before the Pacman, as his fans call him, could finish him, Pacquiao's left calf muscle became so cramped that between rounds he implored his cornermen to massage it. Leg cramps have been an issue throughout his training runs in the Hollywood Hills and it was feared that it might flare up again. It did and Pacquiao couldn't pivot and pursue Mosley as relentlessly as he wanted to. It was an opening for Mosley but his heart wasn't committed to capitalizing on it.

Blisters, cramps...who knows? But it was certain that millions of dollars were pumped into the event, making it a showcase for the boxing game. ShowTime, which broadcast the bout, had relentlessly promoted the matchup for a couple months through a four-part documentary and by advertising it during the NCAA basketball tournament via its parent company, CBS. The fight was a big deal for boxing, which, anymore, is on par with poker in its popularity as a televised sport. It's a tough economy and ShowTime charged $54.95 for people watching it on television at home. While the pay-per-view buy numbers won't be known for a couple days, they are expected to be over one million, which is considered excellent in the boxing pay-per-view business. Given the CBS involvement and the growing popularity of Pacquiao--who has been featured on 60 Minutes, the Jimmy Kimmel, and many other television programs--the fight was touted as one that would bring the mainstream into boxing and help revive it in the United States. (Yes, this seems to be a theme once a year in the boxing promotions game.) Millions watched but will Pacquiao-Mosley keep them interested in the sport? On Pacquiao's press tour he met with President Obama at the White House. The Commander in Chief said he planned on watching the fight because he is a Pacquiao fan. Of course, no one believed Pacquiao would lose, but boxing experts--from writers to matchmakers--believed it would be an exciting bout. The president probably went night-night before the fight was completed.

Mosley, who will earn about $10 million for his efforts, looked like a man who should have retired long ago. Mosley was an 8-1 underdog but he promised a slugfest. He was full of confidence and told me that anyone betting on him "was going to be rich." When I visited Mosley in his training camp in Big Bear, California, he told me how the fight would be "full of fireworks." Roach, the best trainer in the world announced on Saturday morning that he would help the U.S. Olympic boxing team for the 2012 games, and at the press event, publicists gave out Nike t-shirts that said, "Freddie Knows." Well, Freddie definitely knew that Mosley's "legs were gone. I don't think Mosley tried to win the fight. When you get to that point in boxing, it's time to call it a day."

After the contest, as the crowd snaked its way into the Vegas night, it was all black humor among the reporters as they gathered at the post-fight press conference. Boxing has lost its footing in mainstream newspapers, but because of Pacmania, big time reporters were generously represented at the fight. Because of the one-sided nature of the bout and the non-action, some of the sportswriters wondered if they would ever get sent to cover another boxing match.

What can be done?

Pacquiao's opponents are falling as fast as quarters into a slot machine. In two of Pacquiao's last three fights, his opponents were so overwhelmed by his speed and power that they went into a turtle-like shell. In his last fight, he broke his opponent's orbital bone and he has fought three other world class fighters--Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Joshua Clottey--who never returned to the ring. Mosley might be the fourth candidate on that doomed list. Mosley's trainer calls Pacquiao the Rubik's cube of boxing because no one can figure him out. Mosley can take some solace in that he survived, but survival was an empty victory. In recent fights, Pacquiao has a ridiculous--but exciting--habit of getting on the ropes just to test the other man's punching power. It's fun and the crowd loves it. Roach goes ballistic when Pacquiao uses this suicidal technique because he doesn't want his fighter to take unnecessary shots. On Saturday Roach was so underwhelmed by Mosley's abilities that mid-way through the fight he actually told the PacMan to lean against the ropes. He thought it might lure Mosley into some risk-taking behavior, and in turn Pacquiao could bounce off the ropes and return fire and finish him. But Mosley was so confused, intimidated, and dazed that he refused the opportunity. "Sometimes time catches up with you," said Mosley.

In the press conference--and an hour later over martinis--Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter who also managed Muhammad Ali, talked about Pacquiao's greatness and wondered aloud about who he could match with the PacMan. Pacquiao will fight again in November. It will be against Juan Manuel Marquez, Zab Judah, or the up-and-comer Timothy Bradley. "Every fighter he faces looks helpless," said Arum.

So what do you do when you are dominating your sport to the point of making it look ridiculously easy?

Elite fighters, one after one, have not been able to figure out how to beat Pacquiao for...six years. Pacquiao, 32, is a great one. He might be the best of his generation. Many people have started to put him in the top ten of all time. But his dominance has become a curse. The most exciting fighter in the world can't find anyone who will fight back. Of course, there is a fight that people desperately want to see: Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. Pacquiao is the best offensive fighter in the world and Mayweather is the best defensive fighter and a Hall of Fame trash talker. There is so much worldwide interest in the fight that they could probably make $35 million each for facing each other, making it the biggest ever payday in boxing. Mayweather, who has a perfect record and is worried about losing it, doesn't seem inclined to fight Pacquiao, however. "He would beat the crap out of Mayweather," says Arum. "I guarantee it. And the person who knows that best is Floyd Mayweather Jr."

Mosley failed to put up a fight against unmatched Pacquiao Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/bryan_armen_graham/05/08/manny.pa




LAS VEGAS -- Manny Pacquiao put on yet another clinic, but an unaccommodating dance partner kept boxing's pound-for-pound kingpin from a more satisfying showcase of his brilliance.

The hard-hitting Filipino spent most of Saturday chasing a strangely passive Shane Mosley around the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, coasting to a unanimous-decision victory before a crowd of 16,412 in the biggest fight of the year to date.

Pacquiao's 14th consecutive victory wasn't close, and it was never in doubt. The judges' scores were 119-108, 120-108 and 120-107, with the punch stats reflecting the disparity in action: Pacquiao landed 182 of 552 shots, compared to just 82 of 260 for Mosley.

I was surprised he ran and ran," said Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs), the eight-division champion who was making the second defense of the WBO welterweight title he took from Miguel Cotto in 2009. "My opponent had a lot of respect for me."

Too much respect. With the ultraconservative effort, the 39-year-old Mosley effectively signed his own walking papers from the sport's top flight. Now just 8-7-1 since opening his career at 38-0, the clamor for Sugar Shane's retirement will surely begin in earnest.

And why shouldn't it? Mosley (46-7-1, 39 KOs), who received a minimum of $5 million, did little to dispel the impression he was just happy to be here. He'd thanked everybody but the janitor at Wednesday's final pre-fight press conference and spent most of Saturday making conciliatory gestures in the ring: the fighters touched gloves at least 15 times (mostly at Mosley's lead) and even hugged before the 12th

round.

The bruised challenger described seeing "dif

ferent types of punches that I wouldn't have fallen for with anyone else" when he emerged in sunglasses to meet with the press nearly 75 minutes after the fight.

"I don't think he tried to win the fight, I think he just tried to survive," said Freddie Roach, who trains Pacquiao, "and when you get to that point in boxing I think it's time to [retire]."

Mosley held titles at lightweight, welterweight and junior middleweight, rising to the mythical pound-for-pound summit Pacquiao now inhabits. But the future Hall of Famer who twice upset Oscar De La Hoya bore little resemblance to the faded talent who looked so out of his depth Saturday against a younger, faster champion.

The Pomona, Calif., native looked fast and strong but hesitant to engage, and it was clear from the second round he was outmatched.

A cagey opening saw Pacquiao probe with the right jab, while Mosley tried to set up body shots with a leading left hand. In the third, Pacquiao made more concerted attacks, but a cautious Mosley stayed out of range. Mosley did a good job of picking off punches but couldn't or wouldn't return with fire.

With 1:17 left in the third, Pacquaio connected with a lunging right jab just sharply enough to blind Mosley momentarily, following it up with a short left hook that dumped Mosley to the canvas. "He surprised me with that power," Mosley confessed. "He has speed and power that I have never felt before."

From there, it was all Pacquiao, even as he contended with a left leg muscle cramp that struck in the fourth round and undercut his leverage.

MANNIX: Pacquiao-Mosley round-by-round analysis

"The first knockdown I felt I got him, and I felt I was stronger than him," Pacquiao said.

Mosley spent the rest of the night just trying to keep Pacquiao in front of him. He was picking off the champion's increasingly diverse offerings -- hooks to the body, straights upstairs, uppercuts with either hand (which Pacquiao rarely throws), the occasional overhand right -- but proved unable to follow up with any substantial offense.

Pacquiao worked the angles, attacked and tried fastidiously to crack the code. Even as he barely missed with whipping hooks, his straight left was doing significant damage. More glove-touching invited scattered boos from the crowd, a din that only grew as the night wore on. The fight evoked memories of Pacquiao's forgettable 12-round decision victory over Josh Clottey in March 2010, in which the Ghanaian challenger turtled up, refused to engage and seemed perfectly content to be spared the indignity of a knockout.

Even when Mosley tried to open up -- like the well-timed right uppercut that caught Pacquiao flush in the sixth -- it only emboldened the Filipino. Mosley closed the sixth with a big right followed by a bigger left, but they weren't nearly enough to win the round.

Mosley appeared easily discouraged by the flurry of activity, demoralized by his opponent's endless reserves of energy. Midway through the fight, he appeared exhausted.

The most interesting sequence of the fight's second half came in the 10th, when Mosley either struck or pushed Pacquiao to the canvas with his right glove. Referee Kenny Bayless ruled it a knockdown, though replays revealed it to be a push (and Bayless apologized to Roach for the missed call after the final bell). Pacquiao appeared incredulous, then completely invigorated: he bumrushed Mosley, amping up the pressure and went for the knockout as the crowd erupted. Mosley backpedaled furiously, absorbing punches and briefly using his right glove to balance himself along the top rope.

Spurred on by the injustice of the faux knockdown, Pacquiao bore down for the knockout but couldn't finish a challenger in full retreat. (Consider the 11th round, when Mosley threw just 13 punches, landing four.) The pro-Pacquiao crowd greeted the final bell with a cascade of boos, clearly underwhelmed by Mosley's unwillingness to come forward and fight.

Still, it's difficult not to stand back and admire Pacquiao's latest Hall of Fame scalp and how it fits within the greater legacy of the Pambansang Kamao -- or National Fist.

The details of Pacquiao's improbable rise from street urchin to worldwide superstar are well-documented -- the squalid living conditions in General Santos City, the flight from home after his father killed, cooked and ate his pet dog, the ferry ride to Manila where he learned his craft in the capital city's barely legal smokers.

After stealing to Hollywood and teaming with Roach in 2001, Pacquiao stockpiled world titles at 112, 122, 126, 130, 135, 140, 147 and 154 pounds -- a record haul that may never be matched.

Now the 32-year-old is done scaling weight classes. What's left is the third act: a messianic desire to heal the world.

Elected to Congress in the Philippines last year, Pacquaio is emerging as a champion of social justice unlike anything known in sporting life since Muhammad Ali. "I have a special message to all of you," said Pacquiao at Wednesday's press conference. "All my life, I have had to fight. As a child, I had to fight just to eat. And now when I fight, Filipinos call me a hero. I believe the biggest fight of my life is not in boxing. The biggest fight in my life is how to end poverty in my country."

Pacquiao's higher calling prompted the decision to wear yellow gloves Saturday as a "symbol of unity in the fight against poverty." He encouraged people attending the fight to wear yellow also, which many did.

Already a global superstar, Pacquaio's stock only rises in the United States. He earned at least $20 million for Saturday's effort, a figure that promises to swell once the pay-per-view receipts are counted. His English is light years better than even three years ago, when he first burst onto the mainstream radar with his upset of De La Hoya. He's tapped IMG veteran Lucia McKelvey to help consolidate a notoriously scattered and dysfunctional endorsement portfolio.

Many hope the final chapter of Pacquiao's career will include a long-awaited showdown with Floyd Mayweather, but Top Rank CEO Bob Arum didn't seem overly optimistic during Saturday's post-fight press conference. Nor did Pacquiao, who remained non-comittal on a fight the public has already made.

"For me, I don't care about that fight," Pacquaio said. "I am satisfied with everything that I have done in boxing. I want [the Mayweather fight] because the people want the fight."

Arum said he's made an offer to Juan Manuel Marquez to fight Pacquiao on Nov. 5 or Nov. 12. If Marquez is unavailable, he'll fight Timothy Bradley or Zab Judah, who hold belts in the 140-pound division where Pacquiao is still lineal champ.

"The problem is that this is becoming a pattern," said Arum of the fight's one-sided flow. "Manny doesn't allow any opponent to fight his fight. He takes the opponent out of the fight because of his speed and because of his power. Shane had no answer, but neither did De La Hoya, neither did Miguel Cotto, neither did Margarito.

"You've got to understand what you're watching now. You're watching a phenomenon."

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Pacquiao, Mosley ready for showdown By Steve Carp LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL


With his boxing career closer to the end than the beginning, Manny Pacquiao is cherishing each appearance in the ring.

The sport's pound-for-pound champion, who has won world titles in eight weight classes and produced a 52-3-2 record with 38 knockouts in his amazing 17-year professional career, has said he isn't planning to fight much longer. Maybe another year, two at the most.

If Pacquiao, 32, has a definitive date to retire, he hasn't indicated it. He usually speaks about his boxing future in general terms. But tonight's WBO welterweight title defense against future Hall of Famer Shane Mosley at the sold-out, 16,000-seat MGM Grand Garden is one of the biggest of Pacquiao's career.

Yet Pacquiao said he has bigger challenges than beating Mosley.

"The biggest fight is not boxing," Pacquiao said. "My biggest fight is to end poverty in my country."

Pacquiao, who serves as a congressman in his native Philippines, is trying to use his celebrity to bring attention to a worldwide problem. Symbolic of his sympathy to the cause, he will wear yellow boxing gloves tonight. Pacquiao explained that yellow is a symbol of unity in the Philippines, and he wants everyone to get behind him in his cause to eliminate poverty in his homeland.

"All my life, I've had to fight," he said. "As a child, I had to fight to eat. Poverty is a big problem, not just in my country but around the world."

He has given countless dollars to strangers who have knocked on his door in need of assistance. As a congressman, he's trying to build subsidized housing to get the homeless off the streets.

As a world champion fighter, Pacquiao knows as long as he remains successful, his star will continue to shine bright. Earlier in the week, it was announced that he had signed a deal to be a spokesman for computer giant Hewlett-Packard. He will make about $22 million for tonight's fight and possibly more, depending on the number of pay-per-view buys on Showtime. (Mosley is expected to make about $6 million.)

"It's important to maintain my legacy," said Pacquiao, who has won 13 straight fights since Erik Morales beat him in 2005. "But I also want to get better."

Pacquiao is a heavy favorite tonight, but he is convinced he will need to be at his best to beat Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs), a four-time world champion in three divisions.

"I haven't felt this much concern since I fought (Oscar) De La Hoya," Pacquiao said, referring to his Dec. 6, 2008, technical knockout of the Golden Boy. "He is similar to Mosley."

One big difference, Pacquiao said, is he has no disdain for Mosley as he did for De La Hoya.

"(Mosley) is a true gentleman. I like that," Pacquiao said. "I'm so happy there has been no trash talk for this fight. It's a good example for the children who idolize the fighters.

"When I fought De La Hoya, he wrote on a boxing glove, 'I'm going to knock you out.' I don't know why he felt he needed to do that. But that made me angry."

And since Pacquiao probably isn't going to fight undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. anytime soon, he can reserve his anger for another day. Pacquiao has a defamation lawsuit pending against Mayweather, who has accused him of using steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. He also has besmirched Pacquiao's heritage in a viral rant posted on YouTube last year.

"I don't know if we're going to ever fight," Pacquiao said. "But if we don't fight, I'm satisfied with what I have accomplished in boxing."


Friday, May 6, 2011

PACQUIAO - 145 LBS, MOSLEY - 147 LBS (PHOTOS) PhilBoxing.com Sat, 07 May 2011




May 6, 2011, Las Vegas, Nevada -- (L-R) Filipino Superstar Manny Pacquiao (L) weighed in at 145 lbs and "Sugar" Shane Mosley came in at 147 lbs for their World Welterweight championship fight Saturday, May 7 (Sunday May 8 in Manila) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Pacquiao vs Mosley is promoted by Top Rank in association with MP Promotions, Sugar Shane Mosley Promotions, Tecate and MGM Grand. The Pacquiao vs Mosley telecast will be available live on SHOWTIME Pay Per View.