Fight Fans Fights: Division by Division

This article is exactly what the title has led you to believe it would be; a compendium of exciting fights that yours truly feels should be made in each division of the sport. It is in no way scientific or objective, but rather totally biased as it relates to my own personal preferences. Hopefully a few of you will share in those preferences and band with me in order to get these fights made. If however, after reading my list you come to the conclusion that I am completely wrong, feel free to send me an e-mail telling me so, or even one in which you state your desire to see me knocked-out by Kelly Pavlik as one recent reader did; I don’t mind at all. With that being said we’ll start at Flyweight because, to be totally honest, I don’t know anything about any fighter currently plying his trade beneath the 112 pound limit.

Flyweight

This division was recently reintroduced to the public consciousness when Vic Darchinyan began putting together his exciting, knockout laden run as the divisions IBF and IBO Titlist. The popularity gained during that time has not diminished with his demise due to the emergence of the equally exciting and far more talented Nonito Donaire of the Philippines who ended Darchinyan’s reign with a devastating fifth round knockout of previously unbeaten Armenian. Donaire is now the star of the division, thus any high profile fight made must include him.Read Full Article ...

Pacquiao’s not human, says promoter Arum

MANILA, Philippines -- Bob Arum thought he’d seen them all, until Manny Pacquiao came along.

The 76-year-old world renowned promoter, who has worked with the likes of Marvin Hagler, Oscar De la Hoya, Thomas Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard, Evander Holyfield and George Foreman, saw Pacquiao in training recently and was visibly impressed.

“I have never seen any fighter train so hard for two hours without taking one break,” Arum told Sports Radio in a recent interview. “I haven’t seen anything like this in 42 years.”

Arum was referring to Pacquiao’s continuous, absolutely-no-breaks, training session he witnessed recently at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.Read Full Article ...

The Manny Pacquiao Chronicles: Juan Manuel Marquez

The Manny Pacquiao Chronicles: Juan Manuel Marquez
By Daniel “Tex” Cohen-February 23, 2008

Coming off of his win over Marco Antonio Barrera, Manny Pacquiao is on top of the world. This victory is somewhat the opposite of his failed political run. The only voters that could stand in his way were the three judges that would decide if he kept his WBC Super Featherweight Belt or if it would walk out of Mandalay Bay snugly tucked against the waist of arch nemesis Marco Antonio Barrera. In this case, he left the fight in such a condition that it was nearly impossible for Barrera to win, thoroughly out dueling him en route to a lopsided unanimous decision.
Read Full Article ...

Bettors going for Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines -- Manny Pacquiao may be trailing Juan Manuel Marquez in their race to shed excess weight, but the Filipino ring superstar is still ahead as far as bettors’ choice is concerned.

Less than a month before their March 15 rematch in Las Vegas, oddsmakers still favor Pacquiao to prevail over the Mexican World Boxing Council super featherweight champion.

Pacquiao is listed at minus 150 and Marquez at plus 260. This means that a $150 bet on Pacquiao will win $100 while a $100 bet on Marquez will net $260.Read Full Article ...

Weight no big deal for Marquez

Making the weight for his March 15 rematch with Manny Pacquiao is definitely the least of Juan Manuel Marquez’ worries.

The smile on his face as he tipped the scales in Mexico one month before the Las Vegas showdown with the Pinoy superstar says it all.

Before a representative from the World Boxing Council, the Mexican super-featherweight champion was weighed at 132 .38 lbs. Read Full Article ...

Manny Pacquiao In The House

As Manny Pacquiao entered the second story boxing gym one of the caretakers began shouting instructions for those people to leave unless they had permission.

Quickly the Wild Card Boxing gym began to empty of non-boxers, boxers and people who visit the famous Hollywood training center.

“I’m not nice to anybody,” said the fed up caretaker.

Outside, below, another of the caretakers kept sentry to keep gawkers from clogging up the small parking lot that always seems to have someone parked and keeping others from leaving the premises. Read Full Article ...

Stay Put, Manny Pacquiao!

By John Nguyen

Among boxing’s little men, Manny Pacquiao has proven himself an irresistible force. South of the welterweight division, Pacquiao is the biggest name and biggest draw in the sport. The Pacman has his name dropped nearly as much as Paris Hilton, ironically also by men who want a piece of him, although under different circumstances entirely. But I digress…


Pacquiao’s success has him constantly eyeing the next step in furthering his growing iconic status. In recent months, murmurs of his desire to test the waters in the lightweight division have grown louder and louder. Even as he prepares for a superfight with Juan Manuel Marquez, Pacquiao is entertaining options for his next fight, purportedly against 135-pound titlist David Diaz. Read Full Article ...

PACMAN CAME THROUGH MEDICAL EXAMS WITH FLYING COLORS

Los Angeles, CA -- As per the requirements of the WBC, fighters involved in title fights must pass a routine physical and weight check 4 weeks before fight day. For the Pacquiao-Marquez bout which is slated at 130 pounds, both Pacquiao and Marquez should not weight more than 140 pounds a month before the fight.

Today, in the company of his brother Bobby Pacquiao, trainer Boboy Fernandez, boxer Ernel Fontanilla and PR man Winchell Campos, the Pacman drove to San Pedro, California an LA suburb some 40 miles south of downtown LA, to keep an appointment with Dr. Gluckman and undergo a routine physical exams and more importantly, a weight check. Read Full Article ...

Oscar De La Hoya vs Manny Pacquiao this Year or Early Next Year - Boxing

A fight between Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao seems more and more likely to happen. Richard Schaefer, the CEO of De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, says the rumours for the match-up aren't ridiculous. Schaefer a fight between the pair is a definite possibility, and could end up as De La Hoya's farewell bout. De La Hoya's last fight will happen late this year or in the early part of 2009.

Quoted by SportingLife, Schaefer stated in regards to Pacquiao and De La Hoya fighting one another: Read Full Article ...

Miracle Whip: Odds On Any Mexican Ever Defeating Pinoy Idol

Manny Pacquiao: La Migra Sends Mexicans Home, I Beat Them Up First!


Michael Marley’s Shopping List: Potential Alternative Nicknames For Manny Pacquiao:
Brown Beast From Gensan
Yellow Peril
I’ve Made More Mexicans Sick Than Tainted Tacquitos
La Migra Sends Mexicans Home, I Beat Them Up First
Give MeYour Legends, I Send Them Home Losers
Me & Coach Roach: We’ve Got Mexicans Bugging Out
Due Respect To Our Lady Of Guadalupe But A Mexican Beating Me Would Take More Than A Miracle
I Love Mexico, That’s Why I Turn Your Fighters Into Pinatas
I Don’t Recognize Juan Manuel Marquez’s Stinking Badges
Miracle Whip: Betting Spread On Any Mexican Defeating Me Read Full Article ...

Fit Pacquiao ready for WBC weigh-in

After another hard day’s work Monday in Los Angeles, Manny Pacquiao said he’s all set for the WBC-mandated weigh-in 30 days before his rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez.

"I feel okay. My weight is fine. No problem," said Pacquiao over the phone as he waited for dinner to be served in his La Palazzo apartment following his training at the Wild Card Gym.

Pacquiao said the WBC weigh-in might take place Thursday in Los Angeles, while Marquez will be weighed in Mexico. Both fighters should weigh no more than 142 lbs 30 days before the rematch.Read Full Article ...

Marquez Has the Spirit of a Winner Going Into March 15

In the famous words of former BoxingConfidential scribe Preston “Heavyweight” Wada, “Once a fighter starts openly contemplating retirement, he’s already thrown in the towel.”

I tend to agree with my friend and former colleague as it’s shown time and time again that fighters who might have once fought with the passion and spark of a Bolio-bred American Pitbull Terrier, tend to show a little “give” once retirement is openly discussed.

Arturo Gatti’s performance against Alfonso Gomez was a perfect example being that “Thunder” was considered a warrior among warriors throughout his career. While Gatti performed to the best of his abilities and obviously never blatantly threw in the white towel, he showed the slightest of leaks in comparison to what he had shown in his prime. Read Full Article ...

DE LA HOYA WRITES AUTOBIOGRAPHY

New York, NY -- HarperEntertainment, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, today announced the acquisition of an
autobiography by boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya. To be called AMERICAN SON, De La Hoya?s book will chronicle his rise as one of the most-talked about fighters in the history of boxing, a frank and touching memoir about his pursuit and achievement of the American Dream. The pre-emptive deal for the HarperEntertainment imprint was struck by Rene Alegria. The deal was made with Luke Janklow of Janklow/Nesbit for world rights with the book to be published on May 20th of this year.

"The time is right for me to tell my story," says De La Hoya. "I've been through a lot, and have experienced some really amazing events in my life. But I try everyday to keep it all real and into perspective. I think the book will surprise many."
Read Full Article ...

PACQUIAO'S WEIGHT IN CHECK

After 12 brutal rounds of shoving Marco Antonio Barrera into semi-retirement, superstar Manny Pacquiao took a hard-earned break.

It's well-documented what he did last season: He spent time with the family, finished a movie, took care of a plethora of endrosement obligations; and wallowed in a little bit of rest and recreation.

Naturally, the time off from training allowed for some excess pounds to grow. The pictures, after all, do not lie. Read Full Article ...

Win or Lose to Marquez, Pacquiao to Fight Again June 28 in Macau

Even if Manny Pacquiao (45W, 35 KOs, 3 losses) will suffer a knockout defeat, which is beyond imagination for those who root for him, in his March 15 12-round shootout with World Boxing Council (WBC) superfeatherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, he is still eligible to climb the ring for a possible world title shot at David Diaz's WBC lightweight crown within the period of three months.

This became apparent after BoxRec.com reported that the Filipino fighter's next assignment will be on June 28, 2008 in Macau, China against an unnamed opponent which, sources said, could be the 31-year-old Diaz, conqueror of Pacquiao's trilogy partner Erik Morales.

Diaz (33W, 17 KOs, 1 loss) will himself risk his WBC jewels also on March 15 in the Marquez-Pacquiao aperitif versus Ramon Montano (14 W, 0 loss). Win or lose to Montano, Diaz could still fight after a period of three months—even if he will kiss the canvas.

Under the rules of the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) boxing division and probably the Nevada State Athletic Commission, a fighter who suffers a knockout (KO) cannot fight for the next 60 days or two months.

Promoters of the supposed Pacquiao-Diaz setto must have anticipated this possible “technical glitch” in the megabuck showdown in China's gambling capital in advance the reason why they chose June 28 as the date of the possible title clash.
Aside from Diaz, promoters of the 29-year-old General Santos City phenom is also eyeing the voracious but extremely dangerous Edwin Valero, the unbeaten Venezuelan who has been banned from fighting in the United States for his failure to secure necessary brain test.

By Alex P. Vidal
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 04 Feb 2008

PACQUIAO FULL STEAM AHEAD TOWARDS MARCH SHOWDOWN

LOS ANGELES -- I would have to say that the highlight of my trip to Los Angeles was when team Pacquiao (Winchell) approached me and invited me to eat dinner with Manny, and Bobby Pacquiao. While we waited for our food, Manny grabbed a guitar and started to play, and sing. Bobby Pacquiao showed he has a talent for the six string as well, he played and sang just the same. I asked Manny how long he has been playing guitar, "about 4 years", he replied, then I asked him if he was taught by someone, or if he taught himself how to play guitar, "I taught myself how to play, I practice."

While we waited for our food, Manny and Bobby were both staring at the television, both were enjoying a live performance by the legendary band, The Eagles. Manny was singing word for word to the song, Hotel Calfornia. After several courses of food, it was time to head back to my hotel. It was a dinner that this writer will never forget.

In the gym, the fun and games were over. When I looked at Manny working the mitts with famed fight trainer, Freddie Roach, I was shocked at how hard a 130lb man can hit. The punches sounded like explosions. Manny's speed is mind-blowing, mixed with a relentless work ethic, it's hard to believe that Manny wouldn't be a machine come fight time.

Training camp seems to be off to a great start for the featherweight kingpin, so when asked how camp has gone so far, Manny replied, "So far so good, it's heavy training right now. I don't want to be overconfident when I fight Marquez, I will be ready."

I sat down with Manny for a few minutes after his workout on Tuesday and asked him what he thought was the biggest difference in his game, as opposed to the first time he fought Marquez, "Freddie has been working on my right hand, I have two strong hands to work with, and I will use them both in the fight." Manny went on to say, "I have more experience now than I did the last time we fought."

What will Juan Manuel Marquez be bringing to the table in March? It has been a quiet training camp for Marquez, which also could mean trouble for Pacquiao. Marquez fully knows how important this fight is for not only himself, but for the Mexican fans. When I asked Pacquiao where in history he thought he would land if he beats Marquez, he was his usual humble self, "I am just doing my job, I want to entertain the people, and make my fans happy."

We had a little fun with Manny's nickname, PACMAN. When asked where the nickname came from, and what it meant, Pacquiao responded, "Well my first name is Manny, so take the first part of my name, MAN, and my last names is Pacquiao, and the first part of my last name is PAC, so just reverse them and you have PACMAN."

Pacquiao had a few closing thoughts for his fans, "I want to thank all of my fans for their support and prayers. Please continue to support and pray for me for my March fight against Juan Manuel Marquez."

By Brad Cooney
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 02 Feb 2008