MANNY CAN BEAT HOPKINS - ROACH

East Coast, USA -- “Floyd Mayweather would beat Manny Pacquiao because the styles that African-American fighters -- and I mean, black fighters from the streets or the inner cities -- would be successful. ” --Bernard Hopkins

"After his last fight he should just shut up! In fact Manny can beat him," this is what Freddie told this Philboxing writer last night.

Hopkins told Fanhouse.com that a black fighter's style would give Pacquiao more of a challenge than Antonio Margarito. Also, Clottey is black but not like an American black, according to Hopkins.

But Joe Mason a boxing/NFL scholar out of Phoenix, Ar. (Nash country) reiterated that Manny can’t beat black fighters because no black boxers want to mess up with Manny. I kinda agree with Mason as we all know Mayweather comes up with infinite excuse just to avoid a Pacquiao fight.

Some boxing writers say that Mayweather is indeed a genius when he said no to a multi-million dollar clash with Manny -- and Mayweather has multitude of reasons see the beatdowns of De La Hoya, Hatton, Cotto, Clottey and now Margarito.


SOurce: http://philboxing.com

Marquez next Pacquiao foe?

MEXICO’S three-division world champion Juan Manuel Marquez has gained a slight head-start in a lucrative race they now call the Manny Pacquiao sweepstakes.

With blockbuster opponent Floyd Mayweather Jr. facing an assortment of legal issues, Marquez is slowly regaining momentum as the next possible opponent of Pacquiao.

Just hours after Pacquiao manhandled Mexican Antonio Margarito for 12 one-sided rounds, promoter Bob Arum rattled off the names of Marquez and fellow multi-division world champion Shane Mosley as probable foes.

Arum said a Pacquiao bout against either Marquez or Mosley can be done, but only if the handler of both challengers --Golden Boy Promotions will allow the astute promoter to run the show.

GBP Executive Richard Schaefer immediately made a statement regarding Arum’s condition, which sounded favorable to the Mexican champion.

“I’d be glad to let Arum run the daily co-promotion of Pacquiao-JM Marquez as long as he let’s me have the A-side fighter,” said Schaefer.

Schaefer was referring to several co-promotions with Arum’s Top Rank Inc. in past bouts that saw the Harvard-educated lawyer at the forefront of promoting the tie-up, even if it had Golden Boy boxers as the marquee fighters.

Another advantage of Marquez was the recent issue opened up by Mosley by claiming that he now is a free agent and has ended his ties with Oscar De La Hoya’s company.

Marquez has fought Pacquiao twice, the first one ending in a controversial draw in 2004, while the second one was won by the Filipino kingpin with a close, but well-deserved split verdict two years ago.

Already dealing with charges of robbery and assaulting the mother of his two children that may lead to a 34-year prison term, Mayweather yesterday added another controversy to his already notorious image.

TMZ reported that Mayweather may face a complaint from a private security guard, whose face he poked during a confrontation regarding a parking situation in Mayweather’s gated village.


Source: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com

Mosley burns bridges with Golden Boy for a shot at Pacquiao and big fights

"It's business. I never had any problems with Bob Arum. Matter of fact, my best fights have been with Bob," - Shane Mosley

Former five-time world titlist and future Hall of Famer 'Sugar' Shane Mosley is ready to move forward with his boxing career, and no, he is not talking about retirement at all. The 39-year-old Mosley was conspicuously seen during the post-fight press conference of the Pacquiao-Margarito card promoted by Top Rank Promotions last Saturday night in Arlington, Texas.

Mosley's presence in the post-fight press conference was surprising considering that he is a partner in Golden Boy Promotions which has an ongoing and much-publicized dispute with Top Rank. I took the opportunity together with some other media personnel to ask Mosley about important matters regarding his career. Mosley had recently announced hiring a new advisor in J Prince, and with his appearance at the Top Rank presser, signs definitely were pointing towards change.

PHOTO GALLERY: CELEBS, FANS AND BEAUTIFUL FACES SPOTTED AT PACQUIAO MARGARITO (CLICK TO VIEW)

Mosley expressed his desire to fight Pacquiao next and despite being impressed by Pacquiao's performance against Margarito, believes he had a much more definitive victory over the disgraced Mexican when they fought in January of 2009.

When asked what it would take for him and Richard (Schaeffer of GBP) to make the Pacquiao fight happen, Mosley replied, "It wouldn't be Richard, I will do it myself. He won't be involved with it because Top Rank and Golden Boy have a problem, so I have to stick my side to boxing and do it myself.. I'm with J Prince."

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO OF THIS INTERVIEW BY CLICKING HERE

Mosley also admitted that he and his new advisor Prince have already visited the Top Rank offices to discuss future fights with Top Rank fighters.

"It was both of us. We talked a little bit to see what's available with the Top Rank fighters over here and what's going on with Margarito and Pacquiao."

Surely, fans will definitely react unfavorably if a Pacquiao-Mosley fight is announced instead of the fight they truly have been clamoring for which is a fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather, but with Mayweather having to deal with a plethora of legal matters on top of his many excuses not to fight Pacquiao, what other big named fighters are out there really for Pacquiao to face? When asked about Pacquiao-Mayweather, Mosley said, "I think Floyd would fight him, but I dont think he could fight him right now. I think he would, but I don't think he can. He has a lot of things going on right now."

Asked if GBP would still have to be involved based on his contractual obligations to them if he is indeed to fight Top Rank fighters like Pacquiao, Mosley replied, "I was never in contract with them for a while. I'm a partner with Golden Boy, I don't have a contract with Golden Boy. I haven't been in a contract with them for the last 2 years, me and Bernard."

And if he were to fight Pacquiao, what promotional outfit would it be under? "It would be under Shane Mosley Promotions," Mosley responded.

With the way Mosley was talking, it was as if GBP was already far behind on his rear-view mirror, but as far he is concerned, he is simply doing what's best with what's left in his boxing career. Asked if the recent moves he's made and plans of fighting Top Rank fighters would hurt his relationship with GBP, Mosley replied, "It could, it might, but my career is coming to an end so.." and added, "I will never cut ties or friendships, but if they want to cut off my stock or whatever in Golden Boy, that's one thing, but I don't think it's necessary to cut my friendship with them."

The ultimate insult might be when Mosley put his career in proper perspective and said, "It's business. I never had any problems with Bob Arum. Matter of fact, my best fights have been with Bob. All my best fights have been with him, even my fights with Oscar. I fought Oscar, I fought Margarito, all my big fights have been with Bob Arum."

Expect another big one to be announced soon.


Source: http://www.examiner.com

Pacman must fight Floyd

Can you even think of a scenario in which the two teams simply walk away, each claiming bragging rights as world champs without actually settling the matter on the pitch?

The idea seems too ludicrous to comprehend, but that is exactly the situation facing boxing if Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather fail to slug it out.

Most boxers spend their career aping their heroes, hoping to become the best. There have been many cheap imitations naming themselves after icons such as Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard.

But Pacquiao and Mayweather have stamped their own identities on the game. Pacquiao is an unstoppable assailant in the ring; Mayweather is the untouchable defensive stylist. It's a match made in heaven.

Fate seldom allows two, or more, superstars to co-exist in the same era and weight class. Leonard, Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns and Marvin Hagler fought each other in amazing battles during the 1980s, but only Leonard and Hearns naturally came from the welterweight division. Duran started out at lightweight and Hagler was a middleweight.

By this point, Pacquiao and Mayweather should have been gearing up for a third showdown, not still drifting miles short of a first-time collision.

And time is running out. Pacquiao is nearly 32. Mayweather, 33, faces the possibility of jail time after allegedly assaulting a former girlfriend.

Football and some other sports are big business nowadays, but if you ever needed proof that boxing has allowed greed to dwarf its sporting prowess, this is it.

The major stumbling block has been the Filipino's refusal to accede to Pretty Boy's demand for Olympic-style dope-testing. I would be surprised if Mayweather's intent was without gamesmanship, but there is no legitimate reason why Pacquiao should avoid procedures regularly imposed on stars such as sprinter Usain Bolt and swimmer Michael Phelps.

The underlying problem is boxing's failure to adopt global anti-doping rules. And the reason for that is that the sport has no single controlling body; just the fragmented mess we know today.

Sadly, fans of each boxer appear to have resigned themselves to the fact that what could be the world's richest rivalry might never get settled in the ring. Each camp believes its fighter has done enough to earn bragging rights and world championship status.

Comparisons have been made through Pacquiao and Mayweather fighting the other's victims, though Pacquiao has also bulldozed into territory Mayweather seemingly feared to tread, like Miguel Cotto, and, at the weekend, Antonio Margarito, who got a fractured right eye socket for his troubles.

Pacman fans are reading too much into their star winning world titles in an unprecedented eight divisions. Though a super welterweight crown was at stake in Saturday's fight, Margarito had to weigh in a few pounds below the limit. What's the point of weight limits if fighters are not allowed to stick to them? But that's just another one of boxing's anomalies.

Fans can argue for eternity about the outcome of a Pacquiao vs Mayweather bout, but there is only one way to find out: they must face off in the ring.

If they don't, then boxing has failed as a sport.


Source: http://www.timeslive.co.za

Antonio Margarito's Trainer Speaks Out On Manny Pacquiao Fight

In his first interview since leaving the ring after watching his fighter, Antonio Margarito, lose Saturday night's unanimous decision to Manny Pacquiao at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, trainer Robert Garcia said that he considered stopping the one-sided fight but that Margarito pleaded with him not to do so, and called Pacquiao, "the best fighter in the world."

Garcia spoke to FanHouse from the Dallas Methodist Hospital, where he has been by Margarito's side since the fighter was admitted, and where the Mexican-born ex-champion will undergo surgery on Tuesday to repair a fractured right orbital bone resulting from the damage suffered in the bout.

What are your thoughts about what you've heard or read about the fight?

Robert Garcia: I haven't heard much. I've been focusing on making sure that everything is good here, staying with Antonio Margarito most of the day. Just getting spending most of the day with him, so I've been staying out of what has been said.

I have no idea what's been said. I've been with him every day and he's resting. He's doing good. The only thing that we're keeping him in the hospital is for his body to heal. He's got no other injuries, and the MRI's and everything are clean. The only thing was the right eye where there is a tiny fracture.

They're going to do a minor surgery, then, after that, the doctors said two months from contact. But he's eating. He's doing well. He's farting and making us laugh. He's walking around in the hospital, but he's ready to get out of there. He's always fun to be around.

His wife, Michelle, and both of his managers are with him.


Do you know if Antonio wants to fight again.

It's too early to make that decision, but I know Tony. Tony's going to say that 'I am.' But that's something that myself, his wife and his managers, you know, we're going to talk about and see where we go from there. But he seems fine and okay.

It's ultimately going to be the decision made by Tony and his wife, but I know Tony, and he's probably going to want to come back. I will support whatever he decides. I believe that he'll be there to do it again.


What are your thoughts about Antonio Margarito's performance?

I think that he proved that he's a warrior, and that he proved it to the world, but I think that Manny Pacquiao proved that there is no one who is near him right now. I thought that Antonio started out pretty good. I thought that he was blocking pretty good early, throwing his jab.

We were doing what we had planned. But I think that being in against somebody that is so fast, you know, so unbelievably fast, I believe that it was just that every time that Tony put pressure on him, he would move in a different direction, you know?

Whenever Tony would get Manny on the ropes, he would land very, very good body shots, uppercuts, hooks. I thought that he was landing some nice combinations. But it was just that he couldn't do it that often. You know, we were pushing for him to do it more often.

You know we were saying, 'Stay on him,' you know, 'Stay on him.' We wanted to pressure the fight because that's where Tony was getting good results. You know, when he was putting Manny against the ropes, with the body shots and the uppercuts and, you know, putting all of those shots together.


Where did you run into problems?

Well, most of the time, Manny would find his way around the ring. That's when he was really effective, you know? That, and I think it was the fourth round where Tony got hit with a really solid left uppercut when he was trying to walk into Manny.

That changed the fight around.


How so?

That uppercut was where the bruise started and that cut opened up under his right eye. I mean, I heard that punch. I mean, it sounded like like hitting two bones together. It was a solid punch. That changed the fight around. That gave Tony less confidence to just walk right in.

That's punch, you know, Tony felt that punch. I think it was at that moment I think that he realized, you know, that 'Not only is this guy that fast, but, you know, this guy is strong.' He didn't want to go into the ring and to keep getting hit. So he had to be a little more careful.


How did that alter your strategy?

We had to really try and make him stay on Manny, and I think that he was very effective. I think that the crowd saw that he was able to get at Manny with some good body shots and good uppercuts where Manny even confessed to the world that he was hurt at one point.

I think that it's something where you have to say, you know, that we tried our best, and that Manny is just a true warrior. But in the sixth round, you know, I believe that he caught Manny with a great body shot and Manny even admitted that he was hurt.

Manny Pacquiao has said that he doesn't know how he survived the round. You know that even says that Margarito was still in great condition even after the fourth round. It was a difficult night, but with the warrior that Margarito is and the heart that he has, we can't just go out like that.

I know my fighter. I know him well. I know him better than anybody else. So I know that he would never want to go out like that. So he went out and lost a decision to the best fighter in the world.


What do you say to someone who believes that you should have stopped the fight?

I know and I'm sure that there are a lot of critics out there who are saying that the corner should have stopped the fight. But Tony is just a warrior and that's why we're in boxing. It's a one-on-one situation in the ring. Margarito has the heart you know where he wants to fight to the end.

That's what boxing is, it's fighting. You don't go in there if you get hurt and then you're like, 'Oh, f**k it, just quit, you know? People don't like that. The crowd doesn't like that. Nobody ever criticized the Arturo Gatti fights or his trainers.

When he was taking beatings and he would still keep coming. Nobody ever criticized, like, 'Oh, they should have stopped the fight.' Well, Arturo Gatti was the tremendous warrior where everybody loved him, even after he lost. Well, you know, nobody ever said that his corner should have stopped the fight.

Even after he took beatings and beatings. They knew that he had a big heart, and they knew that he could surprise the world at any moment. So, I have a fighter who has the same heart as those Arturo Gatti type of fighters. Tony would have never allowed me to stop the fight.

He's a big, strong man, so anything could have happened. So we couldn't do that that easily. I know that Tony wouldn't have allowed it. I've been in boxing for a long time, and I've been a boxer. I applauded what Joe Goossen did with Diego Corrales in his fight with Jose Luis Castillo.

When Corrales looked like he was out of it during the first fight that they had, and he pushed Corrales to continue and he ended up knocking Castillo out. Everybody gave credit to Joe Goossen for doing that. Would they have said the same thing about that?


Did you consider stopping the fight?

You know, boxing is full of surprises, and that's why they're in there until the last bell rings, you know? That's what can happen in boxing. Should I have stopped the fight or let it go? Well, now, I'm thinking, you know, he was getting hit a lot.

But the first thing that I would say to him when he returned to the corner was 'Tony, how are you feeling? Be real with me. Are you okay?' And he would be like, 'No, I'm doing good, Robert, I'm real good.' He would say that he wasn't hurt, you know.

You know the worst that Manny stunned Margarito was maybe at the end of the 10th round like in the last 10 seconds. I did see Margarito's knees buckle. But when he came to the corner, you know, I saw his reaction by the way that he looked at me and the way that he talked to me.

He wasn't lost and he wasn't worried, and he was still in the fight. I knew that his heart was still there, so why would I consider stopping the fight when I know that the fighter was there to perform and to give the crowd a good fight and to please the crowd?

I do know that there was one round toward the end where he got buckled and I said, 'If you don't show me something, I'm going to stop the fight.' And he was like, right away, 'No, no, no, don't do it.' But I'm not trying to get him discouraged. I'm trying to get him more into it.

You know, like, 'Show me something,' and right away, he would respond. There were many other rounds where I would tell Tony, 'I need you to stay on him,' you know, 'That's what's giving you success, but you're not doing it to often,' and, 'stay on him, and one of those exchanges could do it.'

But Manny was still throwing punches and exchanging. I told Tony, 'You're bigger, you're the stronger man, and he'll go down if you catch him with a punch, so on the ropes, that's where I need you to be, on him, on the ropes, punching the body, uppercuts, hooks.'

And he would tell me with that excitement, 'Alright, I'm going to do it.' When I have my fighter in my corner, giving me that response, 'Okay, I got it, I got it, I'll do it, I'll do it,' with that face, you know. What am I going to do, say, 'Okay, ref, we can't continue?'

I'm not going to do that. Every round he was telling me that and giving me that reaction. 'Okay, Robert, I'll do it.' I'm not going to call it off. My fighter's a warrior, my fighter's got balls. He doesn't want to go out like that.


Were you at all surprised at anything that Manny Pacquiao did?

I knew that Manny was the best fighter in the world, pound-for-pound. He truly is and I know that his speed, his power, his footwork, I wasn't surprised at all. I wanted to see the best Manny Pacquiao, and we saw it. The whole world saw it.

After this fight, Manny just totally proved to everybody that there is nobody who is near where he is at right now. We probably won't see another Manny Pacquiao ever again. I don't see anybody ever doing what Manny has done. I wasn't surprised.

What did surprise me was that he took some good punches from Tony. Not only is he so fast and so strong, but he can also take a punch. You know, whatever happened earlier in his career where he got knocked out, all of that has changed, and now, he not only hits hard and is so fast, but he can also take a punch.

He took Tony's best punch and he kept coming, and he punched smart and he moved around and boxed and didn't take chances. The few times that Tony got him on the ropes and threw some nice uppercuts he was there and took them and kept coming and coming.

Me, myself, our management and our entire team, we tried our best, and we're just proud to say that we were in there against the best fighter in the world.


Source: http://boxing.fanhouse.com

More Photos: Pacquiao-Margarito

Source: http://www.examiner.com

ANTONIO MARGARITO STATEMENT: “I gave it all I had, but unfortunately I was not able to get the victory over the best fighter in the world today"

“I would like to congratulate Manny Pacquiao for his win on Saturday Night. It was a tough and difficult fight for me and I hope the fans enjoy our battle at Cowboys Stadium.

“I also want to thank Bob Arum for always believing in me and for giving me the opportunity to fight Manny Pacquiao. I also want to thank all the fans who came to see me and who watched the fight on TV and continue to support me.

“I gave it all I had, but unfortunately I was not able to get the victory over the best fighter in the world today. As I said before the fight I was never going to quit and tried to win this fight to the vegry last minute.

“We had a great training camp and I want to thank Robert Garcia for a great job and everyone in Oxnard for their great hospitality. I am also very grateful with my wife Michelle, Sergio Diaz and Francisco Espinoza for all their support."

Antonio Margarito is schedule to have surgery Tuesday in Dallas, and hopes to home on Wednesday.


ESPAÑOL

“Quiero felicitar a Manny Pacquio por su victoria del pasado sábado. Fue una pelea fuerte y difícil para mi y espero que los aficionados hallan disfrutado nuestra batalla en el Cowboys Stadium.”

“Quiere darle las gracias a Bob Arum por nunca dejar de creer en mi y por haber me dado esta oportunidad de enfrentar a Manny Pacquiao. Tambien le quiero dar las gracias a todos los aficionados que vieron la pelea en vivo y por televisión y que me siguen apoyando”

“Hice todo lo que pude ganar, pero desgraciadamente no se pudo lograr la victoria sobre el mejor boxeador del mundo. Como dije antes de la pelea nunca pensé en rendirme y trate de ganar la pelea hasta el ultimo segundo del combate”

“Muchas gracias a Robert García por su ayuda y a todo la gente Oxnard por su gran hospitalidad. También estoy muy agradecdo del apoyo incondicional de mi esposa Michelle, Sergio Díaz y Francisco Espinosa.”

Antonio Margarito, esta programado para ser operado este martes por la tarde y espera poder viajar a Los Angeles el miércoles, para luego viajar a su casa en Tijuana, Baja California.


Source: http://philboxing.com

Pacquiao promoter targets Mayweather

(CNN) -- Manny Pacquiao's promoter plans to make another attempt to set up the long-awaited boxing showdown with Floyd Mayweather Junior.

The Filipino became the first fighter to win world titles in eight divisions on Saturday night after claiming the vacant WBC super-welterweight belt from Antonio Margarito in a brutal bout that left his opponent needing facial surgery.

The 31-year-old is running out of new opponents following two failed attempts to seal a deal to fight Mayweather, who is his main rival for the title of the world's best pound-for-pound boxer.

Mayweather last fought in May, beating Shane Mosley, but has since been embroiled in domestic violence claims by his former girlfriend and faces criminal charges in court in January.

Pacquiao wins eighth different belt

Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum told reporters after the Margarito fight in Arlington, Texas that his staff at the Top Rank organization would begin sounding out Mayweather about a fight next year.

"I will have Todd Duboef place a call directly to Floyd. Todd will ask one question and one question only, and that is whether Floyd wants to fight Manny," Arum said in quotes carried by sports website FanHouse.

"If Floyd's answer is yes about fighting Manny, then Todd will ask for Floyd's expressed permission to call his criminal lawyer. Todd will ask the lawyer if he can be sure if Floyd will be available, not on trial or otherwise occupied, on specific dates."

Margarito says sorry for Roach video

Mayweather is represented by Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, but has been linked with legendary entrepreneur Don King.

"If Todd gets a good answer from the lawyer, then Todd calls Floyd directly one more time," Arum said. "Todd will ask Floyd, 'Who is your chosen representative, who should we sit down with to put this fight together?'

"We don't care who Floyd says, who he picks, be it Don King, Golden Boy or anyone else."


Source: http://www.cnn.com

Battered Margarito to have surgery on right eye socket

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Antonio Margarito is scheduled to have surgery on Tuesday to repair a fractured right eye socket after taking a severe pounding during his lop-sided defeat by Manny Pacquiao in Dallas at the weekend.

Mexican Margarito, who lost the WBC super welterweight title fight to Filipino Pacquiao by an unanimous points decision, will have the procedure at Dallas Methodist Hospital, organizers said.

"Margarito has a fractured right orbital bone," Lee Samuels, spokesman for fight promoter Bob Arum, told Reuters on Monday. "He was banged up pretty bad.

"After the fight was over, he had some stitchwork done in the locker room. They put six stitches in his right cheek and three through his right eyebrow."

Despite holding a significant weight, height and reach advantage, Margarito was outclassed by a much faster Pacquiao over 12 rounds at Cowboys Stadium on Saturday.

The Filipino was a staggering 17 pounds lighter when he stepped into the ring but he pummeled the Mexican's head virtually at will, leaving his opponent with a puffed left eye and a cut under a badly swollen right eye.

Pacquiao's experienced trainer Freddie Roach was stunned Margarito did not quit before the end of the 12-round bout.

NO QUITTING

"He has a lot of balls and he didn't (quit)," Roach told reporters after Pacquiao had claimed an eighth world title in an unprecedented eighth weight class.

"I truly, truly think the job of the trainer is to protect your fighter and Margarito's corner should have saved him. He may never fight again.

"He took too much unnecessary punishment to me. I would have stopped that fight. After eight rounds, it was over and it was just a matter of time."

Roach added that he had never seen such a severe beating handed out by Pacquiao, who improved his career record to 52-3-2 with 38 knockouts.

Pacquiao, who opened the cut under Margarito's right eye during the fourth round, took pity on the bruised and battered Mexican in the 11th.

"I feel for my opponent, his eyes and his bloody face," said the Filipino, who looked across at referee Laurence Cole during the 11th round and asked him to stop the fight.

"I wanted the ref to look at that. In the 12th round I wasn't looking for a knockout."


Source: http://ca.reuters.com

Manny Pacquiao Becomes a Living Legend with Eighth Divisional Title

Are there any doubts that Manny “the Pacman” Pacquiao is the eight divisional boxing wonder of the world? The “Pacman” has just proved that he achieved and conquered what no other boxer has done as he made history again in the face of the boxing universe.

Pacquiao is now 52W-3L-2D, 38KO, he carved out a historical unanimous decision win against a relentless Mexican warrior, Antonio Margarito, who just would not quit or surrender. If you haven’t been a Manny Pacquiao fan before, then you should be by now based on the twelve round by round demolition and domination of Margarito who is now 38W-7L, 27KO. He was Pacquiao’s fifth consecutive larger opponent.

Pacquiao gave up seventeen pounds on fight night against a much larger Antonio Margarito, it was a light weltherweight vs. a middleweight at the 150lb catch weight. Pacquiao evened the odds with his blazing speed, ring generalship, combinations and power punches. That was the key to his eight-divisional title victory that secured him the WBC Light Middleweight World Championship. Antonio Margarito’s gruesome, bloodied and lacerated face was proof of how lethal and devastating a boxer Pacquiao really is. After the fight, the effects of the “Pound for Pound King” sent Antonio Margarito to the hospital for treatment and surgery on his face which included a broken orbital bone.

During the post presser, Pacquiao stated that his battle against Margarito was the most difficult and demanding fight of his career thus far. Margarito was the strongest and tallest opponent he has had to date and he was able to impose his size and strength by landing shots that hurt Pacquiao who was leaning on the ropes. Margarito took a lot of head and body punches, he was clearly staggered and buckled to the effects of Pacquiao’s barrage of power punches and combinations, although he did not fall. Pacquiao demonstrated control, patience and even some compassion on the later rounds, winning by the technicalities of boxing in all rounds instead of the toe to toe brawling that he has been known for in the past.

Pacquiao is truly a special, a boxer that emerges once in a lifetime, his explosive performances in the ring along his cross over status brings pride to his people and nation. The dedication of his fellow countrymen and boxing fanatics that follow his life and journey to his fights is phenomenal and admirable. During the post fight interview, Top Rank Promotions brass Bob Arum described Pacquiao with the highest accolades by calling him the best fighter he has ever seen since the mid-sixties when he first started in the sport of boxing until now, surpassing Ray Leonard. Arum has even stated recently that Pacquiao has gone beyond the greatness of the one and only Mohammad Ali.

The bond between Coach Freddie Roach and Pacquiao is a special one. It has become world renowned in boxing and one to be exemplified no matter what sport you compare it to. Their evolution together as Coach and Boxer makes this duo the best in the business, which keeps them successful and victorious. Coach Roach layouts out the blueprint that beats their opponents, his prized boxer and best work in Manny Pacquiao follows the process which has lead the duo to where they are today.

With his latest victory, Manny Pacquiao has established himself as the current “Pound for Pound King of Boxing”. No other boxer in the sport today has defeated a variety of world ranked boxers and won world titles ranging from super flyweight to middleweight. Pacquiao has beaten the likes of Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey and Antonio Margarito in the higher weight divisions and has conquered Mexican future hall of famers in Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez and Marco Barrera.

Manny Pacquiao’s once in lifetime accomplishment in the boxing ring has now reached an unprecedented and unparalleled level. His accomplishments will be difficult quest to equal or surpass Although his boxing career may not be over, the multi-tasking Boxer turned Congressman Manny Pacquiao will be talked about for generations to come. He is hero to many and has established himself as a “ Living Legend” in the sport of Boxing.

Top photo: Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines celebrates after he was declared the winner by a unanimous decision against Antonio Margarito of Mexico during their WBC World Super Welterweight Title bout at Cowboys Stadium on November 13, in Arlington, Texas. Freddie Roach threw down the gauntlet to Floyd Mayweather, saying the undefeated American needs to stop talking about beating Pacquiao and prove it. (AFP/Getty Images/Tom Pennington).


Source: http://philboxing.com

PACQUIAO/MARGARITO - FINAL THOUGHTS

* Just take a look at the picture above and then dare again to blast Joshua Clottey for that passive display against Pacquiao in March. Maybe sometimes covering up for 12 rounds and doing nothing is the best plan of action (unless you're Audley Harrison). And when you take a look at messrs Diaz, De La Hoya, Cotto and Margarito maybe it was a mercy he got Ricky out of there so quickly. Clearly not a good plan either to stay around too long.

* While Manny's speed was again a major key to Saturday night's fight, it wasn't the defining factor. That was his ability to maintain that speed and also take his power up another division. It's one thing to outspeed your opponent and box for 12 rounds, it's another to hurt them while you're doing it. Without a power threat his opponents at bigger weights would have carte blanche to walk right through him. That's not the case with Manny - again I refer you to that picture.

* Easy to say in hindsight I know, but Margarito was just made for Pacquiao stylistically. He doesn't do anything particularly quickly and is wide open to shots down the middle. Pacquiao was just too quick all night and scored at will between that Margarito guard.

* If that was Manny's worst preparation for a fight, what must his best be like? Didn't look too shabby to me. Just shows, you shouldn't believe everything you read. Clearly Manny's worst preparation = the best for most fighters out there. The ones who aren't a freak of nature.

* Difficult to see where Pacquiao goes from here. If Audley Harrison had pulled it off the other night then maybe a step up to heavyweight, alas not to be. There aren't many marquee opponents out there who Manny hasn't mashed up yet. And I firmly believe that he spoke the truth afterwards when he said he doesn't need Floyd Mayweather Jr. His astonishing body of work in the last three years takes him way beyond the need for any career-defining match.

* Sometimes controversial decisions aren't such a bad thing. Many ringside observers felt Juan Manuel Marquez deserved to win both of his outings against Pacquiao (he drew the first and lost the second by wafer-thin decision). If they hadn't gone to Pacquiao maybe there would have been no sensational rise through the weight divisions.

* Up until now I thought Mayweather/Pacquiao would happen, had to happen - purely for economic reasons if nothing else. Now I'm not too sure. With every passing Pacquiao bout 'Money' must grow ever more reluctant to step between the ropes with the Filipinio phenom.

* If the big one does eventually come off I'd long been of the opinion that 'Money' scraps and spoils his way to a decision in an ugly bout. Now I'm not so sure. I don't see any way he outworks Manny - it's not his modus operandi to extend himself or to get into a fight. Manny wins by decision now I reckon - by a landslide on Compubox and by a whisker on the scorecards.


Source: http://www.sportinglife.com/boxing

Cagey Arum's foolproof plan to wreck Mayweather-Pacquiao Super Bout

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS—It is indeed true that, in prior attempts to make a Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao super bout, promoter Bob Arum acted like a raging bull in a China shop.

But the shrewd, turning age 79 in three weeks head of Top Rank makes all his moves with careful consideration. He hasn't been either the leading or second leaning ringmaster and generator of money over 40 years because he has no well thought out strategies.

But Arum's latest m.o., his new tack on pushing a Floyd-Manny megafight so it can come to fruition either next May or November, is carefully designed to fail.

Truth be told, Arum does not want the $100 million goldmine bout to be next Megamanny's next fight.

That's why supplicant Sugar Shane Mosley and his new adviser, the Houston rap and boxing mogul James Prince, hovered on the sidelines at the Pacman-Margarito postight press conference inside Cowboys Stadium.

Not only is Mosley, who says he is still a vice president and shareholder in Oscar de la Hoya's Golden Boy outfit, spreading his wings to choose his own matches as his career winds down at age 39, he also revealed to me that he will soon launch Sugar Shane Mosley Promotions company.

But that's in the near future, let's look at what the canny Arum will set into motion next week vis a vis the electrifying Pacman and the undefeated Mayweather.

Step #1—This coming week, “I will have Todd (Duboef), his stepson and TR president) place a call directly to Floyd. Todd will ask one question and one question only, and that is whether Floyd wants to fight Manny.”

Notice that Mayweather adviser and control freak Al Haymon is not mentioned or included.

Step #2--''If Floyd's answer is yes about fighting Manny, then Todd will ask for Floyd's express permission to call his criminal lawyer (Richard Wright in the Baby Mama Drama case, now put over to a January date) and to ask the lawyer if he can be sure if Floyd will be available, not on trial or otherwise occupied, on specific dates.”

Notice, again, how Mayweather guru and control freak Al Haymon is not included.

Step #3--''If Todd gets a good answer from the lawyer, then Todd calls Floyd directly one more time. Todd will ask Floyd, who is your chosen representative, who should we sit down with to to put this fight togther? We don't care who Floyd says, who he picks, be it Don King, Golden Boy or anyone else.”

Notice again, how Mayweather mastermind Haymon is glossed over and basically ignored.

It's a perfect plan, one certain to fail.

Which is Arum's goal.

Then he can put Pacman into the ring come May against Mosley on PPV TV and it will be an event because it is a Pacquiao recital and people will ignore how dimished Mosley's skills are. He can probably stand up for 12 rounds, as long as the now hospitalized and waiting a Tuesday facial surgery Margarito did.

In the alternative, Arum envisions a catchweight bout, the part three that makes Juan Manuel Marquez-Pacquiao a historic trilogy, as an acceptable substitute.

Ducking and dodging Haymon is the way to achieve Arum's preferred sequence of bouts.

When the May match is over, Arum will roll up his sleeves and/or HBO's Ross Greenburg will hit both sides with an anvil and the Big One will get made.

But it won't go down in May as Mayweather's legal problems give everyone an easy out.

If it doesn't happen next November, it will never happen.

But, for $100 million plus, never say never even with the calculating Arum and the reluctant Mayweather.

If HBO shuts off their faucet, they will make a deal and then both sides will act like they have done some huge public service.

I, for one, will be clapping with only one hand.


Source: http://www.examiner.com

Flip ‘Em One More Time: BScene’s Pound for Pound Top Ten

It’s a two-man race for the top spot.

That much has not changed.

In that race, the last man seen running can make the difference in which one is observed leading the race.

After a dominant win over Shane Mosley in May, a win where Floyd Mayweather overcame a shaky second round to rout his man, it was easy to see in the mind’s eye how he would deal with the only real rival he has.

Then Manny Pacquiao got back into the ring on November 13th. So did Shane Mosley, back in September.

Put both of those factors together and this is the first pound for pound update since the end of the summer.

1) Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KO)
Age: 31
Current Titles: WBC Jr. Middleweight/154 lbs.; WBO Welterweight/147 lbs.
Career Titles: World Flyweight/112 lb. champion (1998-99); World Featherweight/126 lb. champion (2003-2005); World Jr. Lightweight/130 lb. champion (2008); World Junior Welterweight (2009-10); additional alphabelts at 112, 122, 130, and 135 lbs.
Last Five Opponents: Antonio Margarito, Joshua Clottey, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya
Next Opponent: TBA

2) Floyd Mayweather (41-0, 25 KO)
Age: 33
Current Title: World Welterweight
Career Titles: World Jr. Lightweight champion (1998-2001); World Lightweight champion (2002-04); World Welterweight/147 lbs. (2007-09); additional alphabelts at 130, 135, 140, 147 & 154 lbs.
Last Five Opponents: Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez, Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya, Carlos Baldomir
Up Next: TBA

The Take on the Top Two: Pacquiao has a record for lineal World titles, having won them in four separate weight classes. He’s won title claims in four other weight classes now with his Jr. Middleweight belt win over Antonio Margarito, bringing him to a grand total of eight divisions with honors. Mayweather? He’s got four lineal titles as well, one each at Jr. Lightweight and Lightweight and two at Welterweight after regaining his rights to those honors against Mosley. He’s got belts in two other weight classes to bring him to five divisions traveled. These are clearly the two most decorated men of this era. After the Margarito win, it’s Pacquiao who stands as the superior of the two for now, the man who should be favored if and when these two get it on. There are multiple factors that go into that thinking. The easiest is the impression Pacquiao left in dismantling Margarito but that can be tempered by remembering that Margarito was beaten worse by the same Mosley Mayweather just schooled.

Ironically, while Mosley is a bonus in that comparison, it is Mosley that tips the scale to Pacquiao anyways. Mosley, coming off more than a year’s layoff, didn’t look good against Mayweather; he looked just as bad against Sergio Mora his next time out in September. The Mora draw was an indication that Father Time had as much or more to do with the slow, exhausted Mosley that Floyd confronted than Mayweather himself did. In contrast, Pacquiao got a Margarito who could come forward and keep trying for more than a couple rounds. Pacquiao can also point to more frequent activity in the ring with four fights to Mayweather’s two in the last two years, and three during Mayweather’s retirement year in 2008. It can be easy to forget, but there is really something astounding at play with Pacquiao. A former Flyweight champion is now one of the two best Welterweights in the world and he fights for the finish no matter the weight class. That’s what pound-for-pound should be all about, that’s what fan friendly is all about, and the ball is really in Mayweather’s court to prove otherwise. So, for now, the number one spot goes back to Congressman Manny Pacquiao.

3) Juan Manuel Marquez (51-5-1, 37 KO)
Age: 37
Current Title: World Lightweight/135 lb. Champion (2008-Present)
Career Titles: Additional alphabelts at 126, 130 lbs.
Last Five Opponents: Floyd Mayweather Jr., Juan Diaz (Twice), Joel Casamayor, Manny Pacquiao, Rocky Juarez
Next Opponent: November 27, 2010 vs. Michael Katsidis (27-2, 22 KO)
The Take: His career accomplishments complimented the mastery still evident in the Diaz repeat in the summer. Even at 37, he remains behind only the last two men to defeat him and he continues on as the Lightweight king. Katsidis is outmatched technically but Marquez is bound to age eventually and a young banger like Katsidis should make it interesting. If he does, or doesn’t, and the smoke clears with Marquez still champion the Mexican veteran will find a field growing with intrigue. Robert Guerrero is a threat. Brandon Rios might be ready by next summer. Marquez has plenty to keep him busy.

4) Fernando Montiel (43-2-2, 33 KO)
Age: 31
Current Title: WBO Bantamweight/118 lbs. (2009-Present); WBC Bantamweight (2010-Present)
Career Titles: Additional alphabelts at 112, 115 lbs.
Last Five Opponents: Rafael Concepcion, Hozumi Hasegawa, Ciso Morales, Alejandro Valdez, Diego Oscar Silva

Next Opponent: TBA
My Take: Bantamweight is one of the best weight classes in boxing both in terms of depth and quality. From this corner, it appears for the moment to be the very best. It has a leader. There is sometimes a separation between pound for pound thinking within a given moment and against the stretch of history. Some fighters are better regarded when viewed as bodies of work rather than as performers from fight to fight. Mexico’s Montiel is proving to be one of them. Traveling to Japan to face the red hot Hozumi Hasegawa in April, Montiel landed an impaling pair of left hands to hurt his man and finished him along the ropes, winning the first unification match at Bantamweight in almost forty years. Hasegawa left with a broken jaw and Montiel arrived, finally, at the sort of accolades predicted for him many years ago. Montiel’s “draw” in that run leaves room for some skepticism. A non-title fight against Alejandro Valdez which saw both men on the floor probably should have ended in a stoppage loss on a cut after round three, a reminder of why Montiel has been on the pound-for-pound fringes for so long: he’s had a tendency to have bad night at the wrong times. That is weighed against being a titlist in three weight classes with a record in title fights of 17-2 with 13 stops, the most recent an obliteration of a Rafael Concepcion who had been a tough night for Jorge Arce and Nonito Donaire. Montiel has finally found a way to get his body of work and the moment to line up.

5) Paul Williams (38-1, 27 KO)
Age: 29
Current Title: None
Career Titles: Two alphabelt reigns at Welterweight
Last Five Opponents: Kermit Cintron, Sergio Martinez, Winky Wright, Verno Phillips, Andy Kolle

Next Opponent: November 20, 2010 vs. Sergio Martinez (45-2-2, 24 KO)
The Take: Williams has either arrived at a career making moment or the middle of an epic trilogy. It could well be both. He and Sergio Martinez, in a non-title December 2009 classic, left fans breathless. Now, they look to do it again. Win and Williams is the lineal king at 160 lbs., a fulfillment of so much of the promise the boxing world has seen in a rise that includes quality wins from 147 to 160 lbs. The 6’1 southpaw is a freak of nature and an offensive machine but, increasingly, questions can be raised about defensive holes and lapses. That those flaws make him even more watchable is all the better for fans.

6) Sergio Martinez (45-2-2, 24 KO)
Age: 35
Current Titles: World Middleweight/160 lb. champion (2010-Present)
Career Titles: Alphabelt at 154 lbs.
Last Five Opponents: Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams, Kermit Cintron, Alex Bunema, Archak TerMeliksetian

Next Opponent: November 20, 2010 vs. Paul Williams (38-1, 27 KO)

My Take: Martinez went from nowhere to the heart of things quickly…if by quick we mean the measure of big stage attention. It took years of hard work before opportunity truly knocked and the athletic Martine has answered. Whether at the beginning of a long reign or destined to see his title soon depart, Martinez’s off the floor win over Kelly Pavlik and narrow loss last year to Williams carved him his place in the fistic lore of his time. Defeat Williams in their rematch and he’ll carve a little deeper, almost certainly locking up Fighter of the Year honors for 2010.

7) Timothy Bradley (26-0, 11 KO)
Age: 26
Current Title: WBO Jr. Welterweight (2009-Present)
Career Titles: Additional alphabelt at Jr. Welterweight
Last Five Opponents: Luis Abregu, Lamont Peterson, Nate Campbell, Kendall Holt, Edner Cherry, Junior Witter

Next Opponent: January 29, 2010 vs. Devon Alexander (21-0, 13 KO)
My Take: Bradley is the best fighter in arguably boxing’s deepest current pool of talent. There are some divisions which struggle to field more than five real candidates for the top of the class. Jr. Welterweight has a top ten which isn’t big enough for all of the talent swimming around. Bradley burst from the pack in 2008 with an upset win, on the road, over the long avoided Brit Junior Witter to win the WBC belt. Since then, he’s only faced one fighter (Cherry) who would be considered a softer touch and through 2009, Bradley found ways to look better in each outing. He came off the floor to win a unification battle with Holt and was dominating veteran former Lightweight titlist Nate Campbell before an accidental cut shortened their affair in the third. Perhaps most impressive, Bradley bested the unbeaten Lamont Peterson while showing off a fully developed toolbox. Bradley began aggressively, dropping Peterson, and then met him in the trenches for sustained warfare as Peterson willed himself back into the fight. As Peterson got close, Bradley changed tactics again, moving and boxing to contain the affair. He has become a genuine jack of all trades, a combination of elite speed, footwork, defense, and offensive activity who reminds that the application of the sweet science need not be dull. A toe in the water at Welterweight versus Abregu hinted at potential futures but business remains at 140. A unification showdown with Alexander, who looks deceptively vulnerable after his last outing, is one of the best matches that can be made among boxing’s rising stars.

8) Wladimir Klitschko (55-3, 49 KO)
Age: 34
Current Title: World Heavyweight Champion (2009-Present)
Career Titles: Multiple Heavyweight alphabelts
Last Five Opponents: Samuel Peter, Eddie Chambers, Ruslan Chagaev, Hasim Rahman, Tony Thompson
Next Opponent: December 11, 2010 vs. Dereck Chiosra (14-0, 9 KO)
The Take: Klitschko is the most dominant division ruler in the sport right now. It’s not always entertaining to watch, but Klitschko has all but cleaned out the Heavyweight division, short of a fight with his big brother. A knockout of Sam Peter made it thirteen straight wins. Those wins included three active titlists (Chris Byrd, Ibragimov, and Chagaev). His top three available challengers, Haye, Alexander Povetkin, and Tomasz Adamek, are all taking their time to get to him, a rare occasion when the Heavyweight king is struggling to give away title shots. There’s a reason for it. While previous failings keep him derided in some circles, and not without merit, Klitschko under Emanuel Steward has mastered fighting tall behind one of the best jabs in boxing and a mammoth right hand. David Haye looks like the only fighter out there with the speed and power to make a run at Klitschko but suddenly Haye wants to talk business after years of talking trash. Maybe Haye doesn’t see what many others do in his chances?

9) Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (77-3-1, 41 KO)
Age: 33
Current Title: World Flyweight/112 lb. Champion (2010-Present)
Career Titles: World Flyweight (2001-07)
Last Five Opponents: Suriyan Por Chokchai, Ray Megrino, Koki Kameda, Rodel Tejares, Takahisa Masuda
Next Opponent: TBA
The Take: Thailand’s Wonjongkam walked onto undefeated Koki Kameda’s home turf in Tokyo, a little slower and a little more reserved than he was in his prime, but with all the education that his many rounds have given him. He left the ring having regained lineal and WBC Flyweight honors, added recognition from Ring Magazine, and probably sealing his eventual induction to the Hall of Fame. The Kameda win also allowed for a new perspective on Wonjongkam. In recent vintage, since losing the title to rival Daisuke Naito in their third fight in 2007, he’s gone 10-0-1, made a strong case to having reclaimed the title in the fourth Naito fight (ruled a draw), and bested solid contender (now titlist) Julio Cesar Miranda. Across his career, since the lone stoppage loss of his career in 1996, Wonjongkam has gone 66-1-1; he’s broken Hall of Famer Miguel Canto’s consecutive title defense record at 112 lbs. by three with seventeen; and now he has masterfully outboxed the biggest young star in the world below Bantamweight to reclaim his title. It all adds up to earned recognition as one of the best fighters in the world but age may be creeping on him. The Chokchai fight was far closer than could have been predicted and sends his sliding a notch below Klitschko. Wonjongkam needs to be moved sooner than later towards opponents who can add something substantive to his ledger.

10) Anselmo Moreno (30-1-1, 10 KO)
Age: 25
Current/Career Titles: WBA Bantamweight (2008-Present)
Last Five Opponents: Nehomar Cermeno (twice), Frederic Patrac, Jorge Otero, Mahyar Monshipour, Wladimir Sidorenko

Next Opponent: TBA In the final spot, the choice ultimately came between the second best fighter in boxing’s best weight class and the debated top of the very tough Super Middleweight field. Moreno got the nod over Lucian Bute because his best wins have come against tougher opponents and gets the nod over Ward because he’s been proven at the elite level for a little longer. It’s a tentative hold with lots of changes possible given matches to come. For now Moreno has some qualities which stand out. He’s a road warrior, always an eye catcher, who has traveled to defeat the previously undefeated Sidorenko twice and Monshipour and Cermeno in their first contest. While the scoring has been close in some of those affairs, the outcomes were little in doubt. With the defeat of Ivan Calderon, Moreno might be boxing’s best defensive fighter not named Mayweather. Moreno conveys shades of Pernell Whitaker in the ring, not as consistent in going to the body but still able to fight inside while also able to frustrate foes. He can leg it out and peck them to death. He can stand inches away and making men miss by a hair while tagging them with quick southpaw counters. At only 25, Moreno is making noise for more travel and more challenges and may only be hitting his prime. His only blemishes came early on in four round affairs where a single point extra in his favor could have meant an undefeated mark. Little known in the United States, he would be a welcome addition to the flurry of quality action at Bantamweight.

Five More Who Could Easily Be Here: Giovanni Segura, Celestino Caballero, Luican Bute, Andre Ward, David Haye

Five More Who Could Be Here Shortly: Marco Huck, Juan Manuel Lopez, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Jean Pascal, Chad Dawson As always, feel free to agree…and disagree. This list is for entertainment purposes only and based purely on imagination, hypotheticals and conjecture just like every other pound for pound list ever written. Neither it nor any other such list made up of such illusory ingredients should be used to forward corporate agendas of any kind.

That doesn’t make it any less fun to argue about.


Source: http://www.boxingscene.com

Manny Pacquiao Destroys Margarito AND Mayweather In Dallas

Manny Pacquiao awed the world again with his beauty, grace and honor.

Another big, strong, determined challenger came to knock his block off but the little man, Manny Pacquiao, outweighed by almost 20 pounds, dominated and slayed the giant Antonio Margarito by decisive unanimous decision.

Margarito started the fight by jabbing and boxing intelligently, wisely utilizing his physical advantages, but there is not a fighter on earth who can outsmart Manny Pacquiao in the boxing ring.

Manny Pacquiao has certain qualities that no boxer in the history of the sport possesses. It is obvious he has speed, he has power, he has fearless courage. But there are other attributes of Manny Pacquiao which defy explanation.

How can a small man hit a giant with so many accurate combinations while not getting hit much in return?

How can a man love to fight so much, even against such bigger and stronger opponents, when so many easier opponents could have been selected?

How can a man so phenomenally talented remain so humble and normal in spirit and attitude?

Manny Pacquiao controlled every minute, every round of the fight with the gigantic warrior Margarito.

Margarito is as tough as they come in any sport. He told us he would never quit, no matter how much punishment he would have to endure, and he held true to his word.

Floyd Mayweather will not hold true to his word that he would knockout Pacquiao, as he lied in his homemade video.

Floyd Mayweather watched the performance of Manny Pacquiao last night in Las Vegas and in his own mind he tried to analyze how his abilities could measure against the skills of Manny Pacquiao.

Floyd Mayweather came to a very painful realiztion: he has absolutely no hope to survive 12 rounds against Manny Pacquiao ande would be brutally slaughtered and disfigured facially just like Margarito was last night. Floyd does not have the power to deter Pacquiao. He does not have the punch output to neutralize Pacquiao’s vicious relentless aggression. He does not have the intelligence to be able to outwit the greatest and smartest champion in the sport today. And Floyd does not have the courage or self confidence to test himself against the best of the best in a real fight, as opposed to a handpicked Al Haymon set-up for free HBO money.

As Manny Pacquiao’s punches bombarded and blasted and ultimately destroyed Margarito, they also pummeled and battered the psyche of Mayweather over and over and over.

Margarito was destroyed and irreparably damaged last night. But so was the confidence of Floyd Mayweather.

Floyd Mayweather will never find the courage to fight Manny Pacquiao and will forever stain his own legacy and name as a coward fraud who shamefully backed down from his biggest challenge – the one and only, living legend, once in a lifetime, historic boxing champion named Manny Pacquiao.

Manny Pacquiao not only stands tall as the most amazing champion sportsman in all of world athletics today but also as one of the shining, beaming lights of the graceful beauty of our humanity.


Source: http://www.boxinginsider.com

Pacquiao wins eighth different belt after Margarito destruction

(CNN) -- Manny Pacquiao staked his claim to be the best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet after his brutal demolition of Antonio Margarito in their WBC light-middleweight title bout in Dallas, Texas late Saturday.

Nicknamed Pacman, Pacquiao -- the only boxer in history to have won a world title at seven different weight divisions -- claimed his eighth belt in a new class after a unanimous decision over Margarito.

Pacquiao dominated from the outset, with his superior hand speed and power constantly troubling the Mexican fighter who had boasted a significant height and reach advantage.

But the champion's ruthless barrage of punches inevitably began to take their toll on Margarito's face as a nasty cut opened up below his right eye.

At one point in the 11th round Pacquiao appeared to look towards referee Laurence Cole as if he was trying to get him to call a halt to the fight.

Despite his domination Pacquiao could not land the knock-out blow against what was thought to be his biggest opponent yet, even taking a few powerful blows himself in the middle rounds.

"He is really strong," Pacquiao commented after the fight, in quotes carried by Agence France-Press. "I never expected him to be as strong as he was."

But he admitted that the injuries sustained by Margarito, who had completed a suspension after being caught with plaster-filled hand wraps in his gloves prior to a fight against Shane Mosley, caused him some concern.

"I feel for my opponent," Pacquiao said, in quotes carried by AFP. "His eyes (were swollen and cut) and bloody face. I wanted the ref to look at that."

The build up to the fight had been overshadowed by rumors that the Filipino could soon retire. Last month Pacquiao's long-time coach Freddie Roach said the Filipino was more preoccupied with his new role as a lawmaker and could not concentrate on his preparations for the November 13 bout.

The pair eventually agreed to move their training camp to the U.S. to focus on the fight.

Pacquiao had been lined up for an eagerly-awaited clash with American Floyd Mayweather Jr. earlier this year, but negotiations broke down amid a welter of recriminations and legal threats.

A clash with Mayweather would likely be the richest in boxing history, but appears no closer to fruition.


Source: http://www.cnn.com

Perfect Pacquiao is certainly Brother from Another Planet, not born on earth

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS--Any and all future opponents can and must demand totally random testing be done on Manny Pacquiao,

Not to determine whether he is using any illegal drugs but to investigate whether the Fighting Congressman from Sarangani Province is actually just a human being.

Like the old movie of the same name, this Brother could be from Another Planet.

You can't blame anyone for doubting Pacman's earthly origins on the heels of his dazzling 12-round shutout demolition of the game but completely overmatched in every offensive and defensive department Antonio Margarito.

Here's some of the snap reviews after 41,734 turned up Cowboys Stadium to watch the fighter who has Mayweather's knees knocking and rocking turn the bout against the formerly digraced Mexican into a complete and beautiful clinic of the truly Sweet Science.

You had to wait to get words out of people's mouths because when the no knockdown fight had ended--and Margarito's corner or referee Laurence Cole wouldn't angered anyone if it had been stopped before rounds 10, 11 or 12 commenced--their jaws were dropping to the floor with admiration and marvel at the ring masterpice Manny hath wrought.

"Incredible, really incredible, I was so impressed," Puerto Rico's rising, diminutive superstar Juan Manuel Lopez said, smiling brightly.

"Fantastic, really fantastic," Hall of Fame fighter and Ghana's greatest sports hero, Professor Azumah Nelson said.

Even fellow Pinoy and world champion, the classy and cerebreal Nontio Donaire and his gorgeous wife Rachel, stood in the front lobby of Gaylord Texan Hotel, surrounded by hundreds of so happy Filipinos and Filipino-Americans, and spoke words of astonishment.

"That was not something you see from a normal human being," Nonito said, laughing. "It was unwordly, not what Manny was able to do but also how perfectly he did it. It was really just awesome."

I've always opinned that if a rough and rugged Manny could turn the usual Mayweather jab, prance and dance recital into a brawl, he could beat the undefeated American.

During this bout, the great notion filled my head that Mayweather can also get outboxed by the whirling, unorthodox lefthanded dervish we were witnessing as he toyed with Margarito, once a feared foe perhaps most feared by L'il Floyd.

I bounced the idea of noted trainer Joe Goossen.

"I think the same thing now," Goossen said. "Manny put on a great, great show and Margarito tried everything. Pacman was just brilliant and he looked unbeateable because a guy who is almost unhittable and hits you with four or five shots to your one, well you won't beat him."

One of the Pinoy fans in the lobby getting a lot of attention was young man wearing a black teeshirt that read simply:

"FLOYD, WHERE YOU AT?"

Or, as a ring announcer named Michael Buffer said, "That was the kind of performance that could make Floyd want to go to jail."

I took pause on that remark, made off the cuff in a short elevator ride but Buffer is right with the wisecrack.

The slammer is generally a lot safer than trying to beat the still ascending Pacman over 36 minutes or less.

Powerful Illocano Gov. Chavit Singson picked up the same theme.

"Mayweather will never go looking for Manny, not now, not after this performance."

While Mayweather presumably watched the boffo showing on the big screen TV in his Big Boy Mansion in Las Vegas, a fami;liar cat named Sugar Shane Mosley stood on the sidelines of the post fight press conference and made it clear he stands ready, willing and able to be Pacman's next foe.

Mosley was asked when he wants to fight Pacman and I thought he might say "on the first, first chance I get" but he spun it differently.

"When Manny wants it," Mosley said.

It's Manny Pacquiao's World and the rest of them are just living in it.

Someday, we may even find out what strange and wonderful planet that Pacquiao actually came from.

I'm starting to think the pluperfect performance--and this was not that, considering that Margarito was ill-equipped and rusty--will come on a night when Manny looks over to the other conrner and sees the old shoulder roller named L'il Floyd.

L'il Floyd's will reap untold riches for sure but his chances of beating Pacquiao are looking smaller and smaller with each passing day.

Mayweather is only best boxer in the world who was born on earth.

This interplanetary invader named Pacman is a friendly alien who keeps claiming hius stake more and more in the annals of ring history.

Hyperbolic Bob Arum said, "Sugar Ray Leonard was a great fighter and is my great friend but he can't compare with Manny Pacquiao.

Maybe I can check that opinion with another ringsider whose jaw dropped.

You may have heard of him, I know the great Leonard did.

Guy named Roberto Duran.

Finally remember how Mayweather annoyingly and prematurely placed his status ridiciulously above Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali?

Who's being talked about as an all time great these days?

And Pacquiao lets others put his name into those starry categories.

He's an Awesome Tot from the fourth red planet from the sun, something like that, someplace outside of solar system, I don't know.

Mayweather would rush to fight Pacquiao, of this I am certain, if only he could be convinced he was crossing gloves and matching skills with another member of the human race.

This night, through 36 busy, busy, busy minutes of streamlined aggression and a nearly impregnable defense, Pacquiao looked like anything but that.

The world's greatest boxer and most entertaining fighter (or athlete in any category?) is alien life form wearing human being mufti.

Of this I am now sure.

(mlcmarley@aol.com)


Source: http://www.examiner.com

Pacquiao: “I was lucky to survive Round 6… Margarito was the hardest fight in my boxing career!”

Manny Pacquiao spoke out about his epic twelve round battle with Antonio Margarito at Saturday night’s post fight press conference.

Check out FightFan.com’s exclusive video of Pacquiao as he addressed the media and spoke out about the impressive victory. Pacquiao dominated Margarito over twelve violent rounds to capture the WBC junior middleweight title… his eighth in as many weight classes.






Source: http://fightfan.com

“I can’t believe it”: Images of Manny Pacquiao’s savage victory over Margarito

Earlier tonight at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao won a title in a record eighth weight division as he soundly defeated former champion Antonio Margarito over twelve one-sided rounds. Winning by scores of 120-108, 119-109 and 118-110, Pacquiao was in complete control from the outset and survived a few shaky moments before pulling out another impressive victory over yet another physically larger foe.

Heading into the bout there was much to be said about each man from Pacquiao’s amazing run of success in the sport over the past few years to Margarito’s damaged reputation as a prizefighter following his suspension by the California State Athletic Commission for his well publicized hand wrap scandal last year. The verbal chiding between both camps was vigorous and you got the feeling that things were slightly personal as the bout inched closer.

Inside of the ring it was another standout performance by Pacquiao, who was in complete control as he dominated the action with his elusive movement and blinding speed. The combinations that came from the 31-year old were too much for Margarito, who appeared to be seriously hurt in the 4th round by a stinging body shot. As the bout progressed the Tijuana brawler’s right eye began to close, further adding to his frustrations.

Despite being outclassed, Margarito was still game and had success in the middle rounds as he bullied Pacquiao to the ropes and slugged away with hammering shots. But it wasn’t meant to last as Pacquiao regained control in the 7th and began to turn the tide of the fight soon thereafter. In rounds eleven and twelve Pacquiao appeared to carry Margarito, opting to slow the action instead of inflicting any further damage.

With the victory Pacquiao improves his record to 52-3-2 with 38 knockouts and spoke to HBO’s Max Kellerman about his future.

“I can’t believe it,” Pacquiao gasped of his effort against Margarito, who outweighed the General Santos City fighter by 17 pounds (165 to 148) by the time they entered the ring. Pacquiao confirmed that he didn’t expect Margarito to be so strong and he had the look of a man who had put in a very hard day’s worth of work.

Speaking on his future, Pacquiao said that he isn’t considering retirement despite his newfound duties as a congressman in the province of Sarangani in his homeland. Pacquiao said that he still feels strong and that he should be able to put on at least a few more performances.

Margarito gave Pacquiao credit for the victory and said that he knew beforehand that Pacquiao’s speed would be a challenge. The three-time champion said that he never considered halting the fight in the late rounds despite all of the punishment he was taking, pointing to his Mexican pride as a reason for being able to cross the finish line.

Now the conversation will turn to a fight between Pacquiao and undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr., a match that has had the boxing world on pins and needles for the past year. As intriguing as a clash as it may be, the fight seems less and less likely to come off as the Las Vegas-based fighter has a pending legal trial to handle this coming January in relation to an altercation with his ex-girlfriend who claimed he assaulted her in front of there three children. Mayweather is being charged with various misdemeanors and charges of coercion. If found guilty he could be facing up to 34 years in prison.

With his showing tonight Pacquiao proved that he doesn't necessarily need a fighter like Floyd to put on a great event, although it's still a very fascinating proposition.






























Source: http://www.examiner.com

(Photos) Pacquiao dominates Margarito

Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2) dominated Antonio Margarito (38-7) in 12 rounds of action to win the WBC super welterweight title, his eighth in as many weight classes.
Credit: Getty Images

























































Source: http://www.examiner.com