Saturday, January 16, 2010

Boxing In America - 'State' Of The Union Addressed

For years, the sport of boxing has long awaited a seminal moment to help resuscitate an all but flat-lined heartbeat. With a cast of formidable competitors on the horizon, rather than counting the endless possibilities that have yet to come, we now pick up the pieces of a fractured showdown that's all but done.....despite the fact that it never quite happened to begin with. As we move beyond the finger pointing and malicious venom, the writing on the wall is rather evident. What does that writing tell us? Well.....Apparently that this sport was built on the foundation of men who give us few answers to the present, and no regrets from the past. All the famed stories about crooked judges and mob gambling circles seemed so distant, yet despite the changing faces, we learn yet again that the game remains the same....a new testament, so to speak.

For weeks, the broken down negotiations surrounding Floyd Mayweather jr. and Filipino Manny Pacquiao led to a divisive path amongst fight fans, forcing some who loved Pacquiao to abandon him, and giving those who hated Mayweather one more reason to do precisely that. What's unfortunate is that the two men in the middle of this fiasco being torn apart are the epitome of why this sport should simply come together; Yet as the smoke settles and the details fall towards the canvass, we learn that the only thing still up in the air is our affinity, as such a disaster like this leaves it without a place to truly call home. In an era dominated by other sports, even the emergence of MMA has done little to assist Boxing in changing its rather evil ways. For decades, many who have followed the sport witnessed some of the most unquestionable efforts yield highly questionable results, and despite the talk of a new day being upon us, recent times have somehow found a way to parallel that blueprint, giving the sport one two many black-eyes.

Malignaggi/Diaz I, Funkea/Guzman, and a ton of other fights have shown us exactly how corrupt this sport can still be, but the chaos behind the dead negotiations of Team Mayweather and Team Pacquiao speak far greater than any other travesty witnessed in the history of the sport. A failure to adhere to randomized testing has led many of us to question Manny Pacquiao, but the more and more you think of how dirty this sport has been, as well as the men around him who help run it, the more reality sets in that maybe......just maybe.....this was all simply an aggregate of the whole? At the root cause of this effect is Bob Arum, a promoter who has done some uncharted things for the sport of boxing, yet by no means is he beyond some of the accusations that currently occupy his airspace. A bitter feud between he and Mayweather going back years to their own personal split have led many to question whether or not he is in fact the ultimate culprit in these broken negotiations. When you get beyond that possibility and look at the remaining members of the Pacquiao supporting cast, honcho's like Gacal, Koncz, and company; it's quite easy to comprehend how politics in ones homeland can evolve into 'politics' abroad.

What's sad is that whether we analyze this latest fiasco or the entire history of the sport itself, the one common thread is that it all always starts and ends with a room full of men who put their personal interest before their popular purpose. On a platform meant to entertain the world, more often than not, in the end, the only ones entertained are these men of power. And as they do their business behind closed doors and under the table, fight fans around the globe remain seated with empty plates before them, hungry for change. Why blame Manny Pacquiao? Why blame Floyd Mayweather jr.? At the end of the day, despite their larger-than-life status, these are simply two pawns in the midst of a game-board that has played many in the past, with more lined up for the future. Circumstance can often force us to accuse one man or the other, but why investigate a 'smoking gun' when the true answers lie within the corrupt minds of all the men over the course of the years who once held it? The operative question as we march forward is "why can't the sport rise up"? The easy answer.....it's run by the birds (vultures) and the birds fly south! Let there be no more questions, as this reality ends them all.....THERE WILL BE NO PROGRESS MADE IN BOXING UNTIL THE 'STATE' OF OUR UNION IS COMPLETELY ADDRESSED! We didn't get the fight that we wanted, but hopefully the failed attempt will serve as a seed of birth to provide the change we so desperately need!

Source: 8countnews.com

Even match for Pacquiao, Clottey – Cotto

LOS ANGELES – Take it from somebody who’s been there in the ring with both Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey.

Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto told the Bulletin on Friday that the duel between Pacquiao and Clottey “will be very tough for both fighters,” citing the Filipino’s lightning-quick speed and punching power and the Ghanaian’s edge in size and strength as crucial factors in determining who wins the March 13 face-off at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.

“Clottey keeps his hands up all the time and that’s going to help him against Manny’s quickness,” said Cotto in an interview facilitated by Bryan Perez, Cotto’s aide-de-camp.

Cotto barely edged past Clottey when they rumbled in June last year at Madison Square Garden in New York, winning a disputable 12-round split decision.

Five months later, Cotto returned to the ring and faced Pacquiao, who stopped him in the 12th round at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Having tasted the fury of Clottey and Pacquiao’s blows in succession, Cotto has drawn a conclusion.

“Clottey is physically stronger and bigger but Pacquiao hits harder,” said Cotto, who is still hurting from the sudden demise of his father Miguel Sr. earlier in the year.

“I am moving on (with my life) but still no boxing for me.”

Cotto, however, is heading to New York next week for an important gig involving his promotional outfit Top Rank, which is planning to stage his comeback on June 12 against Yuri Foreman in New York.

Meanwhile, Clottey told the US website East Side Boxing just before he flew back to New York from Accra that “I really want to prove my point in this fight; to prove the whole world that I am the best.”

Clottey is now back in training mode in his homebase in the rough Bronx section of New York, according to his manager Vinny Scolpino, who revealed that despite a two-month absence, Clottey remains in terrific shape “because he plays soccer when he is not training for a fight.”

Pacquiao, Floyd Jr. both negative for drug use

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., came out negative during the random-style urine testing procedure conducted on them, before negotiations for their projected 12-round mega-bout fell apart two weeks ago.

Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) executive director Keith Kizer announced that the urine samples taken from the two boxing icons “came back negative for all prohibited substances."

Pacquiao and Mayweather were ordered to undergo the procedure as part of a random out-of-competition drug-testing practice of the commission, since both fighters are licensed in Nevada.

The two provided samples last Dec. 28.

Pacquiao was tested in his hometown in General Santos City, the sample of which was taken in Malaysia, while Mayweather underwent the same process in his hometown in Las Vegas.

A disagreement in the drug-testing procedure to be conducted on Pacquiao and Mayweather Jr. hindered what many believe could have been the richest and biggest fight ever in the history of boxing.

That gave way to a Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey 12-round showdown on March 13 at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where the Filipino’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight belt will be at stake. – GMANews.TV

Source: gmanews.tv

Pacquiao tests negative for performance enhancing drugs

Manila: Celebrated Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao tested negative for using athletic performance enhancing drugs, a report reaching Manila said.
The ABS-CBN News, in a report Saturday, said tests conducted on Pacquiao, as well as American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., did not show traces that both had used steroids at the time the examinations were conducted.
The findings on the exams were revealed by Keith Kizer of the Nevada Sports Athletic Commission.
The report said that the laboratory tests were conducted in General Santos City where the Filipino boxer maintains residence. Mayweather’s examinations were conducted in Arizona.
The negative drug use findings on the two boxers came after Mayweather challenged Pacquiao to undergo testing for possible use of performance enhancing drugs.
The controversial challenge preceded reports of a possible match between Pacquiao, who had been heralded as the world’s finest boxer “Pound-for-Pound,” and Mayweather, who previously held the same monicker until his retirement from boxing in June 2008.
Talks over the possible match between Pacquiao and Mayweather later in 2009 collapsed however after the latter insisted that the former undergo a test for performance-enhancing drug use.
Pacquiao, the only boxer who hold titles in seven difference world boxing divisions, is expected to take on Joshua Clottey of Ghana, Africa in Arlington Texas’ NFL Cowboys Stadium for his next fight.


Source: gulfnews.com

Pacquiao vs Clottey: Set Up OR Sacrificial Lamb?

By P.H. Burbridge - The events of the last few weeks have left a lot of us wavering between frustrated to disillusioned to down right angry to hopeful. The fight we all wanted to see that once seemed just within our grasp was violently snatched away creating a void and also sparking the most hotly debated issue we’ve seen in a while. In the fall out two very distinct groups have emerged, the believers and the non-believers. Some have chosen to stand by Pacquiao and point to various scenarios while rationalizing his decision not to acquiesce while others view his refusal as absolute “proof” that he’s hiding something. The only people who know for certain what the truth is are Manny and his inner circle. Whatever the motivation we’ll all agree that some of us can accept it and others just can’t! So, regardless of which group you fit into it’s time to move on. At least, for now. There is some interest building for Manny’s March 13th title defense against former IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey (35-3, 20 KO’s) in Dallas, Texas but its hardly captured the fight worlds imagination. Perhaps another dose of HBO’s 24/7 will help convince some of us. Joshua Clottey is seen as one of those hard luck fighters who always seem just on the outside of the spotlight. He’s no slouch but he’s also not anybody’s secret weapon. We’ve seen him look good against decent fighters like Diego Corrales and Zab Judah but we’ve also been puzzled by his seeming inability to capitalize on opportunities against the likes of Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto. The old timers have a saying for fighters like Clottey, “He fights just hard enough to lose”. Everybody respects him because he’s likable and appears to have the required skill set to compete with anyone on any given night but he also has shown an inability to maintain a consistent attack at crucial moments in big fights. That’s what his history tells us and if you follow that line of thought then Joshua Clottey is the perfect opponent for Manny Pacquiao..

Especially now!

Once the Mayweather fight fell through Bob Arum needed a name fighter with decent credentials who he could easily and quickly deliver to Manny Pacquiao. He needed a man on short notice who would provide little to no resistance in negotiations.

Enter Joshua Clottey. A fighter who lost his last match against the man Manny Pacquiao just beat for the WBO welterweight title, Miguel Cotto. Clottey is someone who once showed great promise but who never made it to the next level. Clottey’s one loss away from boxing's point of no return where the names are referenced only in a “past” tense manner.

The boxing life cycle if you have a moderate level of success works as such, you go from being a hot prospect to a world champions to an ex-champion to a stepping stones in a blink of an eye in this sport. Some faster than others and for Joshua Clottey he might be cycling OUT!

On paper this seems like a safe fight for Manny because he has clear advantages in speed and pedigree. The size edge goes to Clottey but Joshua often time gives up his height so don’t expect that to be a major factor. Clottey is a snappy puncher but by no means a devastating puncher and being that Pacquiao has an excellent chin I don’t see any real danger here. The big problem for Clottey is that he often falls asleep at the wheel by doing more looking and blocking than punching and scoring. His punch out put goes from strong in one round to infantile in the next. This inconsistency has defined his career as much as his flashes of excellence. His stamina has also been questioned because his punch output drops significantly late in fights. Although he never appears outwardly tired his lack of aggression and lackadaisical manner suggests fatigue. This adds to his value as an opponent when you consider that Pacquiao appears to get stronger as fights wear on.

Joshua Clottey was chosen because he has acceptable credentials and everybody knows that the Mayweather fight is still just down the road. All they needed was a safe opponent so they could pivot out of this whole “I want your blood” controversy. In my opinion, they wouldn’t take an opponent they weren’t absolutely 100% convinced they couldn’t beat. That’s how this works and Manny isn’t the first to do it and he won’t be the last. Give the general public the “impression” that you’re taking on a serious challenger without putting yourself in too much jeopardy. Don’t worry Mayweather fans. Floyd will be doing exactly the same damn thing!

Both guys are taking “holding pattern” fights. It’s the business of big time boxing.

But, that doesn’t mean we wont be entertained by these fights. Manny’s fight with Clottey does offer some interesting possibilities.

Is it possible for Clottey to pull off an upset here at 32 years of age and emerge as a top ten P4P fighter? Sure but its HIGHLY unlikely. Manny appears to have too much of everything to create any real drama here and if he sticks to his normal in and out tactics he should be able to win a comfortable decision. I don’t see a knockout for either guy and my only concern for Pacquiao would be from a potential (and likely) head butt which seems to have become a staple of Joshua’s recent attacks. Could Manny lose this fight by his own hands? Yeah, he could if he goes for the knockout as Freddie Roach has hinted to in the press recently but, again he’s got a good set of whiskers and we haven’t seen anything in his recent history to suggest that he’s vulnerable in anyway. Plus Roach has a history of saying things in the press just to build fan interest. He’s too smart to tell us what he really has planned.

But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any scenarios for Clottey to achieve some measure of success. There are!

Clottey when he’s aggressive looks quite formidable and has an excellent jab when he uses it. IF he commits to the jab he has a chance here because he does have excellent defense and could conceivably frustrate Pacquiao by making him reach for his body while timing him with the jab and hitting Manny on the way out. Don’t underestimate a reach advantage. Yes, boxing is about timing but there’s a lot to say for a reach advantage and finding your range too. Clottey’s defense will at times create problems for Pacquiao like it did for Margarito, Corrales, Judah and Cotto. It forces fighters to aim for a very small target between his elbows and his flanks. This is a designed tactic to make opponents focus on a lower target so he can land his shots to the head. Ike Quartey was excellent at using this very same tactic. When Clottey gets his opponents to commit to those shots he unloads his half hooks - half uppercuts. Those are his most effective punches and he gets tremendous leverage on those shots when he’s moving forward. Pacquiao will have to be on high alert for that sequence and will no doubt move in and out of range accordingly. If Manny can manage that sequence then he’ll be just fine but if he has trouble shutting it down or getting out of range then you’re going to see him take some shots and that could be interesting.

Manny as he showed in the Cotto fight can be hit by the jab and he has also shown some lapses in his defense. He’s proven that he can take a good shot but what we learned in the Cotto fight is that his face starts to come apart a little. This is what you would expect from a fighter moving up in weight. The opponents punch harder so more damage is done by fewer shots. Pacquiao, although he beat Cotto in spectacular fashion left that fight with some significant abrasions to his face and his right ear. The ear damage was caused by Cotto’s left hook and an injury like that should it reoccur could potentially cause issues with his equilibrium.

Clottey will test that theory in their fight BUT it’s still a long shot.

If Clottey can replicate or create a similar level of damage and impose not so much his punching power but his overall physical strength then MAYBE he can wear Pacquiao down on his way to a TKO stoppage. (And that’s a big “MAYBE”) That’s really his best chance at winning. This is a Top Rank Promoted event in TEXAS where questionable judgments are not some distant memory so Clottey will need to take matters into his own hands to a large degree. If he can disrupt Manny’s timing and force him into a close quarters battle then his chances of wining increase significantly.

Roach knows this. Clottey, unlike Miguel Cotto has absolute confidence in his chin and will accommodate Pacquiao if he steps inside to brawl. Where Miguel ran away from Manny Joshua will run AT Manny. Again, I think Manny is too smart to engage this way and seriously doubt Roach would allow him to so get ready for a lot of spinning out of range. In this case, that’s absolutely the correct tactic. Although Joshua is not be as hard of a puncher as Miguel Cotto he does give out a more durable vibe which could give the overall impression that Pacquiao isn’t hurting him which might prompt Manny to stay in Clottey’s punching range in attempt to hurt him. That could be a mistake and Roach will work hard to keep him focused on fighting his normal fight at his normal pace. Don’t be a tough guy and don’t get discouraged especially if Manny’s not hurting Clottey. Just stay focused on landing volume shots and winning rounds.

For Clottey, he must do something he’s always had difficulty doing in big fights and that’s answer back! HE MUST ANSWER BACK!!

He can’t get into his usual head shaking “you didn’t hurt me” mode because the rounds will start whisking by and the next thing he’ll know it will be the 9th round and he’ll find himself in a serious hole on the score cards. He MUST increase his punch output and give the overall impression that HE’s forcing the action.

If he doesn’t establish that early and I do mean EARLY in the first 3 rounds then expect this to turn into a glorified sparring session for Pacquiao.

If Clottey fights like he’s just happy to be there rather than with the aggression he keeps promising then AFTER this fight you’ll know exactly what stage of the boxing life cycle you can find him.

STEPPING STONE…

Source: eastsideboxing.com

Manny Pacquiao Vs. Joshua Clottey: High Chance Pacquiao Will Lose

Every now and then there comes a time in boxing when a fighter goes to far and picks on the wrong guy. That seems to be the case with Manny Pacquiao, he hand picked another boxer that he and his camp believe will be easy for him in Joshua Clottey.

Pacquiao and his people avoided Floyd Mayweather Jr. like the black death was coming around the corner to get them. Who in their right mind wouldn’t take a randomized blood test for millions of dollars win or lose unless they had something to hide or in this matter maybe it’s something else and not hiding steroids, maybe team Pacquiao is hiding their cash cow from being exposed and picked apart by the slickest boxer in the game today and a fighter who is unmatched in the ring in Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Pacquiao saying he doesn’t like his blood taken 14 days before a fight is funny. You box for a living and you get bloody noses, big cuts, and piss blood after the fight from body shots but yet you are scared of getting blood tested 14 days before a fight?

Floyd Mayweather Jr. aka Pacman’s worst nightmare! Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum was in a rush to make this fight with Joshua Clottey right away that he didn’t even bother to try and convince Pacquiao that taking a blood test 14 days before the fight would be a great compromise.

Bob Arum wins either way more money in his pocket since he owns Top Rank Promotions the promotional company that promotes Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey and he got a good deal with Jerry Jones to host the fight at Dallas Cowboy’s Stadium. I don’t understand why Arum would put this fight at the Cowboy’s Stadium when that fight won’t even sell 20,000 tickets. Hosting a fight this small in that huge venue would hurt boxing because if people see all those empty seats in the audience they will surely say boxing is dead.

This replacement opponent is no joke, Joshua Clottey is a man who will pull off the upset in my opinion. Clottey is huge compared to the little Filipino Pacquiao. Josh Clottey will be weighing around 165-170 lbs in the ring when they fight, unless Pacquiao’s side puts a stipulation that Clottey cannot rehydrate more than 5 pounds of 147 lbs when they enter the ring.

Clottey has a defense similar to Ike “Bazooka” Quartey, Pacquiao will tire his arms out trying to break through the guard of the African Grand Master from Accra, Ghana. The fight will be like a Lion(Clottey) fighting against a bob cat(Pacquiao). Pacquiao was lucky to get the right opponents at the right time thanks to his trainer/matchmaker Freddie Roach. This time Pacquiao picked the wrong opponent at the wrong time.

Clottey is hungry, he is not a shot fighter like Miguel Cotto or Oscar De La Hoya were. Pacquiao has gained confidence from his win against a drained Miguel Cotto at 145 catch weight. That confidence will hurt him against Clottey. Clottey is the first live dog that Pacquiao will face in a long time.

In the first round of the Miguel Cotto vs. Manny Pacquiao fight, Cotto was landing his jab at will against Pacquiao, Clottey will have a better defense and a better jab and he will throw it often and if Pacquiao thinks he can lay on the ropes against Clottey he will pay greatly.

Pacquiao won’t be able to knock out Clottey in this fight, his best bet is to hope his team put a stipulation that Clottey cannot rehydrate to a certain weight on fight night. I see Clottey winning this fight even by possible stoppage. Manny Pacquiao should have just taken the Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight because if you are gonna lose to someone why not lose against a legend like Floyd Mayweather Jr. and collect over $40 million dollars instead of losing to an unknown fighter from Africa in an empty Dallas Cowboy’s Stadium for $5 or 10 million dollars. The only reason is because Pacquiao and his team knew deep down inside that Floyd Mayweather Jr. would beat him because Mayweather’s style is Pacquiao’s weakness. When Manny Pacquiao loses to Clottey on March 13, I will be the first to say “I told you so.”

Source: nowboxing.com

NO PROOF, NO APOLOGY, BUT MORE BLAME FOR PACQUIAO BY ESPN2 FNF CREW

Last week, ESPN boxing analyst Teddy Atlas reported that a reliable source informed him of emails from the Pacquiao camp that were sent to the Mayweather camp asking if dirty test results could be kept a secret. The story was immediately denied by Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, and more recently, Pacquiao himself released a statement, categorically denying the existence of any emails and taking Atlas, as well as the network ESPN, to task, holding them accountable by demanding that they provide evidence for the accusations. On tonight's broadcast of Friday Night Fights, rather than getting the proof or the apology he was hoping for, Pacquiao instead received more blame for the collapse of the megafight with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Shortly after Dan Rafael discussed the future plans of both fighters, in-studio host Brian Kenny reminded the viewing audience that the fight fell through over the issue of blood testing. He then proceeded to ask the guest host, and cruiserweight contender, BJ Flores as well as boxing analyst Teddy Atlas, "who's most to blame for this fight falling apart?" The following is their response:

BJ Flores...

"I'm gonna blame Manny Pacquiao and the reason I'm gonna say that is because this was the biggest fight in boxing. Everybody wanted to see Floyd Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao. You know, Floyd wanted to make sure that he was coming in on even playing field, that Manny was doing the same thing that Floyd was doing. He required the Olympic-style testing, which is random testing. That would have made Manny subject to be tested any time randomly and he wouldn't have been able to control that. Floyd subjected himself also to the same type of testing. I would have loved to see Manny say, 'You know what? Listen, let's make the big fight. The fans want to see this fight. It's the biggest fight in boxing. Let's make it happen. I'll do the testing, Floyd, you do the testing, let's make the fight.' That didn't happen unfortunately."

Teddy Atlas...

"I would say that both fighters evenly are to blame for this fight not happening. You can put some blame on Floyd too. You can say that, you know, he demanded this blood testing and, you know, he could have went along with the concessions that were made; that the testings were going to be made in a certain kind of form where Pacquiao was allowing it. He wasn't going to allow random testing, Olympic testing, and I agree with Floyd; that's the only way you really truly know if somebody is dirty as far as taking steroids. But, they were going to take a test after the fight, they were going to take a test a month before, then three weeks before, and I think they even went up to the point of two weeks before, so, you know, you could make an argument that Floyd made it impossible for this fight. And, you know, when a fighter doesn't want to fight, there's a lot of ways to get out. Sometimes you ask for too much money. Not this case, because there's so much money there, $40 million, nobody is going to argue with that. But sometimes a fighter, I know this is hard to believe, but Rocky Marciano, you know, he retired undefeated. He wanted to be undefeated; that was important. He could've made more money. Maybe, just maybe, I'm going to be a devil's advocate for both sides, maybe Floyd, it's more important, he's a little worried about the fight, it's more important to be undefeated and he didn't want the fight to be made. But, at the end of the day, you gotta blame Pacquiao too because with that much money on the table, if you want the fight to happen, there's only one thing you have to do, take the blood test. It's not the first time you've given blood and you know what? It's not the last time in your life you're gonna give blood. Give the blood, but it's probably the first time you're going to give a little bit of blood and you're gonna get $40 million. So, if he wants the fight to happen, all he had to do, and I think the common man on the street, and those are the people I care about, the common guy on the street, the fight fan, they're going to have a difficult time understanding why somebody who could make that kind of money and make that kind of historic fight would not just take a test if there was nothing to hide."

Brian Kenny...

"I've really rethought it after talking about Mark McGwire all through the week and wondering where the clean baseball player was looking for blood testing and WADA style testing, I now can't think that way and not think that way for Floyd Mayweather. I thought initially he was just negotiating, you know, kind of making things difficult for Pacquiao, but if what he really wanted was WADA style testing, he should have gotten it. I'll have to say, he's ahead of the curve. He deserves some credit for that. It's a shame it didn't happen, but I actually have to back Floyd Mayweather on this."

I must admit, after Atlas was so eager to inform everyone about the "mystery" emails last week, I was surprised that he even bothered to lay blame equally on both fighters. Of course, maybe he decided to do that after all the negative feedback he received regarding his comments from last week. I was also extremely surprised to see Brian Kenny side with Floyd Mayweather, perhaps a historic moment in and of itself. That being said, I strongly disagree with all three of their opinions. Personally, I think the full blame lies with Mayweather. Never before has he ever been this worried about an opponent and that fact alone is enough to make me think he had doubt about going through with the fight in the first place. So what do you say boxing fans? Do you agree or disagree with the ESPN2 Friday Night Fights crew?

Source: fighthype.com

Pacquiao drug tests negative

MANILA, Philippines - Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao is not taking steroids, based on the results of his drug tests released by the Nevada Sports Athletic Commission (NSAC).
Keith Kizer of the NSAC told ABS-CBN News on Saturday that Pacquiao has tested negative for performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), including steroids.
Kizer said Pacquiao's counterpart, American Floyd Mayweather Jr., has also tested negative for drugs.
Pacquiao's laboratory tests were done in his hometown in General Santos, but were sent to Malaysia while Mayweather Jr.'s testing was done in Las Vegas and sent to Arizona.
The results came out 9 days after talks for the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight collapsed after both camps failed to resolve their differences over random drug testing.
Pacquiao, the only 7-division world champion, is now slated to fight Ghanaian Joshua Clottey at the NFL Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas on March 13.
Reports, meanwhile, said that Mayweather Jr. will also have a fight on the same date. However, the reports said the Golden Boy Promotions has yet to find an opponent for the American fighter, who has not lost a fight.
‘Floyd blew it’

Thousands of boxing fans were disappointed after the most anticipated fight of the year between Pacquiao and Mayweather did not push through.
Among those who was looking forward to the fight is Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White, who had a spat with Mayweather after the American boxer claimed in 2007 that mixed martial arts fighters can't handle boxing.
“I think [Floyd] blew this fight,” White said in a report by 5thRound.com.
“When another fighter starts dictating a drug test, first of all, Pacquiao’s never tested positive for any drug but Floyd’s going to make him go through drug testing? That’s ridiculous,” he said.
White was referring to Mayweather’s demand to have Pacquiao undergo an Olympic-style drug test, which, in effect, sent a message that the Filipino might have been using PEDs.
White said that like other fight fans, he wants to see the Pacquiao-Mayweather match.
“I want to see this fight. I’m dying to see this fight.”
White said Floyd should have left the drug testing issue to the athletics commission to decide. “That’s what the commission is there for.”
“The athletic commission is there for the safety of the fighters. They drug test, they blood test, they do all those other things. For another fighter to be calling out another fighter for some type of blood work is [expletive] crazy. Just [expletive] train for the fight and fight; that’s what everybody wants to see,” he added.
There have been speculations that Mayweather Jr. avoided the face-off with Pacquiao for fear that his clean boxing record would be stained by the Filipino boxer. -- Report from Bev Llorente, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau
Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Should Pacquiao retire after the Clottey bout?

By Dave Lahr: World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao will be facing a tough test on March 13th against former IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey. There are those people who think this is going to be an easy fight, but I’m not one of them. Pacquiao is going to get hit more times in this fight perhaps than he ever has been during his career. The reason is because Clottey, with his steel chin, won’t be going anywhere when Pacquiao starts tagging him.

And unlike Pacquiao’s recent opponents Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto, Clottey won’t be folding early and being stopped. Clottey will keep firing shots back at Pacquiao and hitting him a lot harder than he’s been hit in some time. Cotto didn’t land very much against Pacquiao after the first four rounds.

After Cotto got knocked down twice, he was almost entirely on the defensive until getting stopped in the 12th. Clottey won’t get knocked down. And will keep on top of Pacquiao, hammering him with big shots and not giving him a break. I think Pacquiao should call it a day after this fight. There’s no point in trying to fight Floyd Mayweather or the winner of the Shane Mosley vs. Andre Berto fight.

All those fights will do is invite more punishment for Pacquiao. He doesn’t need that. I could see Pacquiao moving down in weight and trying to clean up the light welterweight division, which would be a lot safer than taking on tough welterweights like Clottey, Berto or Mosley. Those fights are just too potentially damaging for Pacquiao, and I’d hate to see him get hit too much and possibly end up hurt from their big shots.

My advice would be for Pacquiao to take his winnings after the Clottey fight and call it a day. I wouldn’t fight Mayweather if I was Pacquiao. There’s too much danger and risk and it would be a tragedy if Pacquiao ended up getting hurt in the ring against Mayweather.

Source: boxingnews24.com

Jury finds in favor of Pacquiao trainer

LOS ANGELES — Manny Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, was cleared by a jury on Friday of assaulting a former member of the Filipino fighter's entourage at a gym in Hollywood.
After deliberating for part of Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, the jury found in favour of Roach and rejected claims brought by Gregorio Asuncion and his wife, Allyson, in a lawuit.
Roach denied Asuncion's claim that the trainer punched him twice outside the locker room of the Wild Card Gym on October 20, 2008.
According to court documents, Asuncion was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for a neck sprain and contusion to the head.
Roach testified this week that he only put his hands on the man's shoulders as he tried to shepherd him out of the gym when Pacquiao was beginning to train.
He said he then squeezed Asuncion's shoulders in order to keep his balance when he felt Asuncion pull back.
Roach, 49, arrived at the court in shorts and a sweat shirt on Friday just as the verdict was being read.
He leaned back and looked upward in apparent relief as his lawyer, Arthur J. Chapman, told him the news.
Outside the courtroom, Roach personally thanked jurors, took a photo with at least one of them and offered them all tickets to Pacquiao's fight against Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas on March 13.
Roach said he was relieved by the verdict.
"I didn't get much sleep last night, but when I heard there was a verdict after such a short time I believed it was in my favour," Roach said.
"I'm not a bad person. I simply asked this man to leave and he didn't. I don't go around hitting people and if he wants to come back to the gym sometime he can."

Source: google.com

A real weighty old problem

Pacquiao's trainer wins jury verdict

A Los Angeles jury Friday rejected a claim by a former member of boxer Manny Pacquiao’s entourage that the fighter’s trainer, Freddie Roach, assaulted and battered him at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood in 2008 to get him to leave prior to the boxer’s sparring session.

The jury deliberated for part of Thursday afternoon and Friday morning before finding in favor of Roach and rejecting claims brought by Gregorio Asuncion and his wife, Allyson.

Roach denied Asuncion’s assertion that he punched him twice outside the locker room on Oct. 20, 2008, saying he put his hands on the man’s shoulders and only squeezed in order to keep his balance when he felt Asuncion leaning back.

Roach, 49, arrived in shorts and a sweat shirt just as the verdict was being read. He leaned back and looked upward in apparent relief as his lawyer, Arthur J. Chapman, told him the news.

Outside the courtroom, Roach personally thanked jurors, took a photo with at least one of them and offered them all tickets to Pacquiao’s next fight against Joshua Clottey in Arlington, Texas, on March 13.

Roach said he was relieved with the verdict.

“I didn’t get much sleep last night, but when I heard there was a verdict after such a short time I believed it was in my favor,” Roach said. “I’m not a bad person. I simply asked this man to leave and he didn’t. I don’t go around hitting people and if he wants to come back to the gym some time he can.”

In his testimony Wednesday, Roach told jurors he initially put his hands on Asuncion’s shoulders in a friendly way of telling him that he and others in the gym needed to leave so Pacquiao could spar in private. He said he only squeezed due to Asuncion’s subsequent reaction.

“He bucked back and he caused me to hold on so I didn’t fall down,” Roach said.

Roach said there was nothing hostile about his actions and that Asuncion — who he referred to in his testimony as “Sheriff” because the plaintiff is an X-ray technician for the Sheriff’s Department — never gave him any trouble when he asked him on previous occasions to leave the gym during sparring.

Roach testified he sometimes lets the crowds watch Pacquiao train if he feels his fighter needs the motivation from the gathering, but will excuse them during sparring so the boxer can focus on what he is being instructed.

Asuncion, 52, testified Tuesday that he was punched twice and hit so hard by the boxer’s trainer that he could not stay on his feet. He also said he suffered neck and shoulder pain and had to be hospitalized. He said the incident occurred after he went to ask Pacquiao if he could stay to watch him spar despite Roach’s order.

But Belinda Garcia, one of the jurors who was part of the 10-2 majority that favored exonerating Roach, said she was not convinced Asuncion’s injuries were anything other than mild.

The Asuncion couple sued Roach and his Hollywood gym in November 2008.

The suit’s allegations included assault, battery, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, negligence and premises liability. Allyson Asuncion asserted loss of consortium.

Source: wavenewspapers.com

And what if Pacquiao is `CLEAN`?

By Dezzie Lightbulb: Boxing has always been plagued with `what ifs`. What if Ali and Tyson had met in the ring, each in his prime? What if Cotto`s team had properly checked Margarito`s gloves before their fight? What if such and such a judge had bought himself a new pair of spectacles the day of yet another crazy decision? What if, what if, what if! These questions can never be fully answered. They can haunt us, and remain as cruelly tantalizing after twenty years as they were the first day. The latest `what if` to storm the boxing world is; `what if Pacquiao has been using PEDs or steroids?` Even longtime, faithful Pacquiao fans must have asked themselves, although probably in the privacy of their most inner selves, what if it`s true. What if Pacquiao has always been a cheat, his whole boxing career nothing more than a second-rate, shabby sham?

All boxing fans, must have given at least some thought to this question. The press has written what must amount to the equivalent of 100 War and Peaces exploring the possibility of Pacquiao juicing. In this article I wish to explore another, different `what if`. Because by now, we must all have some level of doubt as to Pacquiao`s fair play, I think that it is in the interest of a balanced and open-minded view that we have a closer look at the alternative scenario. What if Pacquiao is clean?

Pacquiao in his early days was a very different fighter to the one we see before us today. He was a light, slight southpaw, had a truckload of confidence and self-belief, and a devastating straight left punch that put an early end to many a boxers` ambitions. Yet his confidence cost him dearly. His two early defeats can be put down to overconfidence. He lost to less talented fighters who caught him unawares as he played `cock of the ring`. While he definitely had talent, his losses underlined his need for more boxing skills, and more importantly, the need for a really good trainer. Both came to him later when he teamed up with Freddie Roach.

Roach took the raw diamond that was Pacquiao, and with all the skills and attention to detail of a master jeweler, shaped him to become the brilliant jewel of a boxer we see today. Pacquiao`s boxing arsenal has been transformed from a `one-shot-wonder` to that of an all-round, great boxer. Today it seems he can do just about anything in the ring. As far as I know there is no drug that can give you skills you don`t have. That is the work of a trainer.

There is a very good reason why Pacquiao and Roach get along so well. At some stage in his career Pacquiao must have admitted to himself that he was simply not a good enough boxer to become a legend. While most boxers would rather die than to have to admit to a shortcoming, Pacquiao is obviously able to put himself to question. He knows he needs Roach, and he respects him enough to listen to every word he says. How many times, while watching a fight, have you heard a trainer telling his fighter in the corner between rounds to double up his jab or keep his hands up or some such, only to find that in the following round the obviously good advice has fallen on deaf ears? The boxer goes right on doing what he should not be doing. More than once or twice I have been pleasantly surprised to hear Roach telling Pacquiao to do something different in the next round, and lo and behold, Pacquiao does exactly what he has been told. The best trainer in the world will achieve nothing with a boxer who won`t listen to him. Roach is as a brilliant trainer as Pacquiao is a trainee.

So, back to the `what ifs`; what if` the reason Pacquiao defeated Hatton had nothing to do with drugs, but was because he had learned to use both left and right hooks, neither of which he used in his early years? And `what if` the only PED that Pacquiao has ever used is Mr. Freddie Roach, one of the best Performance Enhancing Dudes in the business? `

Michael Moorer gives us valuable insight into boxing, and particularly into training in an article at Fight Hype; “I see these guys that half-ass fight, and some of them down here in training, they half-ass train, and that`s not how I was brought up.” For Moorer training is obviously the key to success in boxing. He goes on to tell us how unbelievably hard Pacquiao trains. “I witnessed him go 26 rounds, nonstop hitting the mits. That`s phenomenal. He just strives to be the best.” He also tells us of Pacquiao`s work ethic and his will to win, all in the most flattering of terms. Moorer was a world champion and is now a trainer, so his thoughts on the subject definitely carry weight. He has proved himself to be an honest, straight-talking guy with loads of integrity. That`s good enough for me.

So `what if` Moorer is right, and Pacquiao`s success comes from such a high level of hard work, discipline, and dedication, that steroids are simply unnecessary?

In many ways Pacquiao`s hunger for success in not as surprising as it may seem. In Pacquiao we have all the elements of the ultimate fairytale, `rags to riches` story. The lowly street urchin who makes it big in a world he may never even have dreamed of as a child. It is a well known fact that a disproportionate number of self-made success stories find their roots in deprived backgrounds. Could it be that the sting of near starvation once felt will forever haunt and drive a man, and may even drive him to exceptional greatness? Perhaps being born into abject poverty gives the lucky ones who manage to escape a sense of steely, stubborn self-determination that makes them fight every second of their existence to never have to return. Can we conceive that Pacquiao feels that he has a sacred `duty` to pay back for his own good fortune by being the greatest boxer he can, and then to use his fame and fortune to help his fellow countrymen get a fairer deal than he got as a child? Could that be what has driven him to the top? Why not?

`What if` Pacquiao`s success is a result of an exceptional drive inherited from his background, and not some `two-day-washout` designer drug?

So why did Pacquiao refuse to take the damned tests? Pacquiao knows, the rest of us can only speculate. I feel that it is a combination of things. First and foremost he refused point-blank to get pushed around by Mayweather. Understandable! Secondly he did not want his all important training schedule interrupted by unannounced, invasive blood takes which could have weakened him at a time he needs all his strength. Thirdly he may believe that Mayweather needs this fight more than he does, and is playing poker not boxing. Mayweather is reportedly close to broke. Even if Pacquiao only makes 10 million dollars from his fight with Clottey, 10 million dollars in Pacquiao`s hands in the Philippians is probably the equivalent of 100 million dollars in Mayweather`s hands in the US. Pacquiao took the best welterweight challenge available for March 13, leaving Mayweather with very little choice of landing himself a convincing match. This could all be part of a plan so that team Pacquiao can dictate terms if, and when negotiations are reopened between the two teams.

To those who claim that Pacquiao`s refusal to take the random blood tests is conclusive proof of his guilt, I ask you, `what if` one or all of the above are the real reasons why Pacquiao refused the tests, not because he is dirty?

It is very easy to understand why so many people have jumped on this `Manny`s a juicer` bandwagon. Our world has evolved into a cynical, dark place. In recent years we have been repeatedly betrayed by our elected leaders who have been serving their own nasty little agendas rather than serving the common good. Some of the Churches we worshiped in have fallen into damnable disgrace. Huge pharmaceutical companies have been caught doing far more harm to people`s heath than good. Soulless corporations bloody-mindedly and shamelessly rape our world. These days nothing more is sacred. Nothing is as it seems. Honesty has become rarer than the finest gold.

And yet, `what if`, `WHAT IF` for once something was as it should be? `WHAT IF` Manny Pacquiao is simply the best boxer of his generation, no drugs required? Is that really so hard to believe? I hope not, and, call me a helpless romantic if you will, but I actually find it easy to believe the beautiful, magical, amazing story of the skinny little slum-kid who conquered the world.

Source: boxingnews24.com

Manny Pacquiao Is Worth Every Penny

Reading some of the messages left by disgruntled fans on different sports websites about boycotting Manny Pacquiao’s pay per view fights and not watching him again because he didn’t want to give into Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Golden Boy Promotions demands of taking several randomized blood tests leading up to the fight…makes me ask, are you guys crazy?

Why would you boycott the most exciting and entertaining fighter on the face of this planet because he was being bullied and subjected to a drug testing protocol by the opposing camp with no evidence or proof that Pacquiao is taking steroids other then his dominating performances.

Some guy said “Pacquiao taking Miguel Cottos best punches clean on the chin shows he was on steroids”, well that is the stupidest crap I ever heard, steroids don’t make your chin stronger look at Fernando Vargas he was on steroids and got knocked out and dropped by Oscar De La hoya when they fought.

If the NSAC or the state athletic commission required that Manny Pacquiao take the blood tests I bet you he would have no problem with taking them. Pacquiao took a blood test before against Erik Morales and he didn’t feel 100 percent in that fight, so he has every right to avoid something that he believes will make him have a disadvantage in the fight.

For any of you guys out there who talk crap about Pacquiao and say his excuse is crap, who are you to say it’s crap when you have no idea what this man feels inside, every fighter has their own pre-fight routine and know their bodies more than some angry boxing fan who never stepped into a ring in their life.

People ask “how he can turn down $50 million dollars’?, well maybe because money isn’t everything to Manny Pacquiao. It sickens me to see how everyone has cast a stone against this man because of accusations started by a bitter Floyd Mayweather Sr. a convicted drug dealer.

I don’t care what anyone else says I will pay for Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey. Joshua Clottey a big legit welterweight and has been avoided by some of the top guys in the division. Clottey is tough and durable a guy who never runs in the ring but always moves forward and brings a lot of action, this fight will be an explosive one.

Manny Pacquiao is worth every penny of the pay per view price tag fans spend to watch him fight.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. on the other hand is not worth a dime of my money, the only reason I and many other boxing fans have paid for his fights is to see him lose or someone to pull the shocking upset over this arrogant welterweight who fights blow up feather and lightweights.

If the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight did happen it would’ve probably been very boring and Mayweather would pot shot and push Manny off and run after he hits him like he usually does, or Mayweather would tie up with Manny and use his elbows like he did with Ricky Hatton.

I know plenty of people who have watched a Mayweather Jr. pay per view and after the fight demanded a refund, I can’t say the same for Pacquiao fights.

While Manny Pacquiao is taking on a legit welterweights in Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is rumored to be facing Nate Campbell a former lightweight champion who is nearing 40 years old.

Don’t get me wrong Nate Campbell is a hell of a fighter, but he is way undersized and old in the tooth for Mayweather Jr. to have any sort of challenge.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has yet to fight a legit top welterweight or someone who has a chance of beating him, he avoided Antonio Margarito, Sugar Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto and now Manny Pacquiao.

He never wanted to fight Pacquiao in his prime, what Mayweather Jr. is doing is hoping that Joshua Clottey either beats up Pacquiao badly so he can say see Pacquiao was overrated or wait for Manny Pacquiao to show some signs of deterioration and slowing down before he faces the man.

When people say let’s boycott a Manny Pacquiao fight, those people probably never even paid for his pay per views anyway!

I hope Manny Pacquiao does well, people shouldn’t attack him and accuse him of steroid use and all this other bull crap because the man has given the boxing fans great, exciting fights on a consistent basis.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. will never fight Manny Pacquiao as long as he is beating Manny Pacquiao in pay per view buys, that is all Mayweather has to offer in negotiations that he has more pay per view buys than Manny Pacquiao. If Mayweather happens to get poor numbers his value in negotiations will drop.

If Mayweather decides to go head to head with Manny Pacquiao on March, 13, 2010, I know which fight I’ll be watching.

Source: nowboxing.com

Boxing Bite size: La ediciĆ³n dos – Jermain Taylor, Pacquiao, Hatton and more!

By Jordan Stoddart: A great time to follow up last years sister article, what with the news of Taylors exit of the SuperSix Series, Greens possible entry into the tournament, a certain Englishman’s comeback into the sport and the never ending story of Pacquiao and the growing hormones. Let’s dissect, direct and correct this week’s news in Bite size.

Mayweather/Pacquiao – A Fans Perspective

I did not really want to mention this particularly bitter saga which has drained much of the Boxing Worlds brains for the last few months, but you really have to bring it up to understand why we are in this situation over a pathetic smear campaign which ironically was not started by either fighter. We can sit here and wax lyrical all day about how Floyd was in the right for questioning the subject and that Manny should have taken some form of test to disprove the rumours and accusations, or how Manny was right to stand up to Mayweather’s dirty tactics and smear campaigns, but fact of the matter is, the fan suffers again. If this fight is made in 2010, then fair play, we shall put it down to hype, generating PPV’s and prolonging the pre-fight tension and hype, but if it does not happen, then we have to make our voices heard. Too many times, Boxing fans who pay their hard earned wages on $40/£25 Pay per views, only to be let down by the downright disgraceful dismissal of paying and devoted fans who make the sport, unfortunately the fighters and promoters can more often than not break the fights. This fight was too good not to happen, and now we will be forced to watch both fighters at the same time, on the same night; a great way to get shafted, huh?

Fans need to start wising up and speaking out against these diabolical liberties being taken by the fat cats and back room staff who continuously influence the negative aspects of the game, and who downgrade the sport and insult the people who post on this site and who pay to watch, listen and attend the fights. There is only one loser in all of this: us. Manny will fight Joshua Clottey, a fighter many are not keen with as a credible opponent, although his record and standing in the sport cannot be sniffed at. He is a hard as nails African warrior who has had great success in the ring, notably through wins against Zab Judah and Diego Corrales. Mayweather will no doubt cherry pick another opponent for us to admire and debate about for months to come, again ensuring we are denied the spectacle we were promised and of which we deserve. As Joe Strummer of The Clash famously sung, Know your rights, these are your rights. It is time to stop the in-fighting on sites and forums, and to start campaigning. If 100 people wrote a letter to the parties involved, then I guarantee at least 50 would be read, and it is not an email that can be deleted, or a website that can be ignored. Too much talk and not enough action. It’s great going on about who is right, who is wrong and how the sport is a dying breed, but if the fans want something, they get it. They just need to heard. Think about it people.

Hatton return – ESB Love, will Calzaghe follow?

So Wednesday, 13th January 2010 brought us confirmation that Ricky Hatton (47-2) will return to action in the summertime, most likely against former foe Juan Urango, the proud owner of the current IBF Light Welterweight title, whom he won by beating Herman Ngoudjo back in Jan 2009. The Colombian (22-2-1, with a 68% KO percentage) fought Hatton back in January 2007, but he has recently lost to the up and coming Andre Berto (UD 12 rounds) albeit at a higher class of welterweight, much like Hatton who is going to again try to rebuild a fine career, after 2 devastating Knockouts. Notice has been made of the support that has been received of his proposed comeback, which came as a surprise considering the anger that has been directed at him over the last year or so through various outlets.

Fact of the matter is, Ricky Hatton is an extremely exciting and world class fighter who before facing Pacquiao had literally ruled his weight class with an iron fist for nearly 5 years. (Name one other fighter bar Wladimir Kitschko who has ruled his class for so long?) American Boxing Writers and The Rings Boxer of the year, World Titles in 2 weights, beating and retiring Kosta Tszyu, the only man to KO the legendary Jose Luis Castillo, the man is P4P material, period, regardless of where his opponent’s careers were at when they fought. He never ever ducked anybody, is that such a crime? Mayweather’s fans (and any fan come to think of it) CRAVE for this kind of attitude. Look at the way Money has come over to the UK of late to try and harness some of the respect and passion Hatton receives and emits; the qualities that the self proclaimed ‘greatest’ will never possess. The fact the Hitman is yet again coming back to fight is testament to his sheer devotion, self- determination and love for his fans. He is a credit to the sport and will be missed when he finally hangs his gloves yup. Let’s forget the P4P nonsense, watch the Hitman win back his IBF belt against Urango, and then beat the likes of Bradley and Alexander to cement his status as the finest Light Welter of recent times, and that is genuinely from a neutral perspective.

- Why not add Calzaghe into the mix for the Super Six series? It does not look like his post career in promotions or as a single male have gone too well, why not make a couple of added millions, rematch Kessler, and cement that (ever irritating word) legacy.

Dallas Stadium to showcase Pac V Clottey, why not try Wembley or Munich?

So Bob Arum, the next best disliked promoter in the world after Don King, has made Pacquiao’ next fight at the Dallas Cowboys aptly named ‘Cowboys Stadium’. Its brand spanking new, can hold up to 100, 000 fans, and is fronted by the head honcho Jerry Jones who has promised to market this Welterweight contest like a Superbowl. Strangely enough, he is promising it will be staged and played out like a Superbowl. Word on the street is, George Bush will be performing mock executions, and Kenny Rogers will be singing the Rocky theme tune whilst fans are treated to a free hormone growth spiked hotdog and a copy of Enter the Dragon. Frankly, this cheeses me off. The Pacman is now the global phenomenon he wanted to be, front cover of Time magazine, 2nd most searched person on Yahoo in 2009, and about to fight in football stadiums, a la Hatton. Unfortunately staging the fight in Dallas, against a mid range welter will not motivate many purists, although my instincts tell me the fight will pass the million mark, but do not expect a great live attendance. Ali, Frazier and Foreman staged the famous international fights in the Rumble and the Thrilla, why cant Pac and his team take it outside the US? It cannot be money, as places like London’s Wembley Stadium or any location in Dubai will get 100K live gates, and will still account for the same PPV’s. Boxing needs to think outside the box, Pacquiao is a non-US fighter, its time he utilised those visa restrictions and started showcasing his skills on another continent.

Taylors Exit, Green/Bika in?

I stated in my original Boxing Bitesize article on this site last October (www.boxingnews24.com/2009/10/boxing-bitesize-la-edicion-uno-dirrell-froch-haye-taylor-more) that Al Haymon needed to step up to the plate and take some responsibility with Jermain Taylor’s career, and he bloody well has! Jermain Taylor has pulled out of the much acclaimed SuperSix series this week, and will be assessing his career in the near future after a much needed break. It’s great to see a fighter taking these crucial steps, after such a brutal demise from winning championship belts against the likes of P4P legend Bernard Hopkins. The SuperSix obviously need s a replacement, and the names being touted are Sakio Bika and Danny Green, as where both named in the previous post. I rate the pair, but I do not see them as great additions to this fine template. I have named Calzaghe, but training wise, and his lack of desire to re-lace will put this idea on the back burner. Kelly Pavlik anyone? Makes sense.

Rumours and Bits

First things first, to whoever started the Hearns Leonard III rumours, have a word! The most ridiculous story I have heard in years. On more realistic matters, Khan is said be either vacating the WBA strap and maybe taking on Paulie Malignaggi. Why not fight both this year, could end with a great scrap with another Brit fighter. Haye will definitely be fighting Ruiz on April 3rd, maybe at the MEN in Manchester, England. The Klitschkos will be keeping busies in the Heavies with scraps against Eddie Chambers or Hayes victim Nicolay Valuev. Money Mayweather will either face Shane Mosley or Kermit Cintron, expect the latter, but if the former happens, here is my bucks, I will be in! On a sadder note, Hopkins and Roy Jones are likely to fight in April, of which I do not believe there is any point, and the fact it is PPV is an insult. That’s all folks, feedback appreciated.jordanboxing@live.co.uk

Source: boxingnews24.com

Bet odds balloon for Pacquiao

CEBU CITY — A respected boxing promoter said Manny Pacquiao could end up being the first fighter to knock Joshua Clottey out, a probability backed by the Filipino ring icon’s continued rise as the bookmakers’ choice for the March 13 bout in Arlington, Texas.

Cebuano promoter Rex “Wakee” Salud, a long-time member of Pacquiao’s exclusive inner circle, said Clottey could end up on the canvas this time, but warned the reigning pound-for-pound king that he will be facing his toughest fight yet when he faces Clottey at the spanking Cowboys Stadium.

Salud said the 33-year-old Clottey is hungrier and tougher than Cotto, whom Pacquiao stopped in the 11th round last November to capture the WBO welterweight crown to become the first fighter in history to win world titles in seven different weight classes.

“There’s no one out there who can provide Pacquiao an exciting fight [except] Clottey,” said Salud.

Salud cited the fact that Clottey has never been knocked out and his three losses—capped by a narrow split decision setback to Cotto last June 13—were all disputable.

Pacquiao, Salud said, could change that. And online bookies seemed to agree, pegging Pacquiao a minus-400 (4-1) favorite against Clottey, who is listed a plus-280 underdog.

In money terms, a $400 bet on Pacquiao would earn a $100 payout. On the other hand, a $100 wager on Clottey could fetch $280 for the bettor.

Pacquiao is set to leave for Los Angeles on Sunday, in time for a kickoff press conference in Dallas on Jan. 19 and another press conference at the Madison Square Garden in New York.

Clottey, a natural welterweight, will head south to train in warmer conditions and sweat it out as he has reported to have struggled at making the welterweight limit of 147 pounds in the past.

“We’re probably going out to either Las Vegas or South Florida,” Clottey manager Vincent Scolpino told Examiner.com’s Michael Marley.

Scolpino also said that Clottey is hoping to sign up a trainer from Ghana.

“Joshua has a guy who I think used to work with Azumah Nelson,” he said.

Pacquiao settled on facing Clottey after negotiations for a superfight with undefeated American superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr. bogged down due to disagreements over drug-testing protocols.

Source: sports.inquirer.net

Boxing News: Manny Pacquiao to Fight Joshua Clottey Fight Odds Lines

Boxing News: Manny Pacquiao to Fight Joshua Clottey Fight Odds Lines - If you watch boxing, you at least know Manny Pacquiao should have a hard time stopping Joshua Clottey. He is strong, big and a freakish specimen. I would be shocked if Manny Pacquiao could knock him out, that being said, Joshua Clottey will be lucky to win 2 rounds. Boxing Betting Odds already up for S Mosley vs A Berto for January 30th. Bet on your Boxing Betting Picks and Odds with top sportsbooks Betus.com and Bodog.com.

It looks like the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather is truly dead. While the two sides have fought over drug testing, tempers boiled over and both fighters ended up going in their own directions. Betus.com and Bodog.com have listed there UFC 109 Betting Odds. UFC Odds Randy Couture -400 to Mark Coleman +300.

On Friday, Pacquiao’s trainer announced that a deal has been reached with Josh Clottey to be the next fight for Pacquiao, which might just be a smoke screen. Check out UFC MMA Odds UFC 109 full list.

Pacquiao fought Miguel Cotto in November and Cotto had already defeated Clottey, so there really is no reason to fight Clottey. Even so, this might put pressure on the Mayweather camp to get this deal done. This is all just buildup to a Pacquiao-Mayweather bout later this year. And to be honest, the move worked out best for boxing--the drug spat got the fight way more publicity than it would have had otherwise (and it had a lot). Betus.com special promotion going this Weekend to Bet your NFL Playoff Picks. 100% Sign up bonus up to $500. Check Sports Betting Promotions daily for updated NFL Odds and UFC Odds for 109.

Source: sportsbookbettingpromotions.com

PACQUIAO DEMANDS EVIDENCE; BURDEN OF PROOF ON ATLAS AND SMITH

In an article by Manny Pacquiao at Philboxing.com, he expressed his sentiments regarding the accusations of steroids that were undeservingly put upon him.

Manny Pacquiao stated, in his native language, that he will not be held hostage by shallow talk and accusations regarding his supposed use of steroids and performance enhancing drugs. According to Pacquiao, he filed the lawsuit against the accused because they destroyed his good reputation and he is hoping that those who abused their ‘freedom of speech’ by spouting baseless accusations will pay a high price.

One of the hardest working boxers in the sport, Pacquiao has worked hard to get where he is and for someone to take that away without furnishing any evidence is irresponsible. What is more troubling is when some of his colleagues basically accused or implied that Pacquiao must be on something without holding any substantial proof, especially when they know how the steroid issue can tarnish an athlete’s reputation. I will not even mention their names since publicity is probably the only thing that they were after.

When Jose Canseco accused Mark McGwire and Alex Rodriguez of using steroids, he either had hard or circumstantial evidence. He had said that he injected McGwire with steroids when they were teammates and introduced Rodriguez to a known steroid supplier. In fact, in other sports, you don’t hear other athletes admonish or link their colleagues to steroids until hard evidence is found.

One can even argue that it’s the same way in boxing and Pacquiao is only being singled out. It’s laughable when some imply that Pacquiao’s legacy is now tarnished, yet at the same time, rave about the accomplishments of other boxers who have been linked to steroids, such as Shane Mosley.

Pacquiao also mentioned that he, along with his team, planned to be quiet since the lawsuit is already in court and that he believes that justice, similar to God, whom he credits for strength and courage, does not sleep.

But word of the ‘email’ scandal had reached him and he specifically mentioned the incident during ESPN’s Friday Night Fights when Teddy Atlas informed the viewing audience that a ‘reliable’ source informed him of an email, sent by a member of Team Pacquiao, that had been sent to the camp of Mayweather, which asked the latter camp if the results can be kept a secret if Pacquiao somehow tested positive for banned substances. Pacquiao further mentioned that he tried to ignore it, but he cannot stomach such malicious journalism.

Pacquiao assured everyone that no one on his team was behind this ‘email’ scandal that Teddy Atlas and Tim Smith had reported. According to him, it must have been created or invented by someone with a malicious mind and character. Also, he was bothered by the fact that no one thought of the fact that anyone can make a fake email address in order to impersonate someone and damage a person’s character.

He also mentioned that it must be a trend to judge someone even before talking to all the people involved so that each party that will be affected can give their opinion or position on the matter. Would it have been such a difficult task for Atlas to place a phone call to Freddie Roach or other members of Team Pacquiao to get their side of the story, considering the large number of viewers that a network of ESPN’s magnitude can attract? Teddy could have still told the viewers about the email, but also could have given Team Pacquiao’s side of the story.

Pacquiao also alluded that he is saddened that many have already crucified him as guilty until he proves himself innocent when it should be the other way around and as a result, Pacquiao in his article, stated, “Ngayon, hinahamon ko sila Smith at Atlas, kasama na rin ang ESPN, na ilabas nila ang mabaho nilang ebidensiya, para na rin sa hustisya, kung may respeto pa sila sa kanilang mga sarili at kung may tunay silang professional etiquette. Dahil kung hindi, habambuhay ko silang tatawaging sinungaling.”

Translation:

“Now, I challenge Smith, Atlas along with ESPN to show their evidence for the sake of justice if they have any respect left for themselves and real professional etiquette. If not, then I will call them liars as long as I live”

The steroid issue is obviously troubling Pacquiao more than previously thought, but it is also evident that he will not be bullied and content enough within himself that he’s achieved the pinnacle of his sport by doing it the right way. So, as Ed De La Vega of Philboxing.com said in one of his previous article, let the burden of proof be on the accusers.

Source: boxing.fighthype.com

Manny Pacquiao V Joshua Clottey Betting Odds Now Available After Floyd Mayweather Jr Fight Falls Through

Manny Pacquiao v Joshua Clottey Betting Odds are available with leading bookies after that fight replaced the intended super fight of Manny Pacquiao v Floyd Mayweather Jr which fell through over Mayweather’s insistence for drug tests.

Pacquiao Expected To Beat Clottey But It Might Not Be By Knockout
Manny Pacquiao is unsurprisingly the hot favourite to beat Clottey, he is a best price of 2/7 with SkyBet and William Hill whilst Clottey is a big outsider at 7/2 with Boylesports and Sportingbet. Even more of an outsider is the draw at 33/1 with SkyBet. It doesn’t seem as though Pacquiao will have the stopping power against Clottey though, it is most likely Pacquiao will win the fight by decision or technical decision, that is 6/5 with SkyBet whilst a knockout, technical knockout or disqualification is slightly less likely at 6/4 with SkyBet and Boylesports.

Pacquiao Against Mayweather Could Still Happen And Unbeaten Mayweather Is Favourite
The Manny Pacquiao v Floyd Mayweather Jr may not be taking place on March 14th anymore but it could still happen if the minor details can be sorted out. If the fight does go ahead then it is Mayweather who is the favourite, VC Bet have the American at 8/13 whilst you can get 11/8 with Betfred that Pacquiao wins the fight. The draw is priced up at 28/1 with Betfred. For more boxing odds, including odds on Ricky Hatton against Juan Manuel Marquez or against Juan Urango, click on any of the bookie links above.

Source: online-betting-guide.co.uk

Friday, January 15, 2010

Clottey tough nut to crack

CEBU CITY , Philippines – Josh Clottey should be a tougher nut to crack for Manny Pacquiao.

“Hard fight yan,” said one of Pacquiao’s advisers, Wakee Salud, yesterday as he looked forward to the March 13 fight at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Salud said Clottey should have his match against Cotto last June at the Madison Square Garden but fell short in the eyes of the judges who awarded the Puerto Rican a split decision.

Cotto got to face Pacquiao last November and yielded his WBO welterweight crown to the 31-year-old Filipino pound-for-pound champion who has yet to start training for the fight.

“Many people thought Clottey won against Cotto, and for that I can say that he will be a tougher fight for Manny,” said Salud, who expects Pacquiao to rake in no less than $12 million for this one.

Pacquiao knocked Cotto down a couple of times in the early rounds but failed to complete a knockout. He took some solid blows from Cotto only because he allowed himself to get hit, and test the power of his bigger opponent.

Still, it looked like a tough fight and the day after, it could be seen in Pacquiao’s face, not to mention that he nearly suffered a busted eardrum.

Salud said Pacquiao could end up taking the same punishment from Clottey.

“Clottey is the hungrier fighter than Cotto that’s why he’s out there to prove himself. He has everything to win,” said Salud of the 32-year-old native of Ghana who, for the first time in his career, will earn more than $1 million.

“Kailangan mag-ingat si Manny nang husto (Manny has to take care of himself). And maybe he can prove me wrong,” added Salud.

The other day, Clottey spoke to fanhouse.com and said he plans to make the most out of this golden opportunity.

“I want Manny Pacquiao to know that he picked a guy who will give him all that he wants. I’m going to fight until the last bell,” he said.

“When I was traveling to America for the first time, this is what I said to myself at the Ghana airport. I said, ‘You know, I want to travel to America today, and I want to be among those top guys.’ Deep down, I know that I’m one of the top fighters in the world. And I told my daughter that I’m going to be a champion in 2010.”

Source: philstar.com

Manny Pacquiao-The Naturally Bigger Man: What's All the Fuss About?

Call me a boxing Philistine after this if you want.

To be fair, you might not be too far off the mark. But there’s been something bugging me for a while now, so I thought I might as well burn someone else’s ears with it.

Enter, the Bleacher Report boxing community.

Over the past year in particular, because of the dominance of a certain Filipino whirlwind, the issue of size and weight in boxing has been much talked about. In Manny Pacquiao’s last three bouts, he has fought fighters that were all ‘"naturally" bigger men.

This fact was stressed by internet bloggers and expert commentators alike, and was put forward as the main reason why the “Pacman” would not be victorious in the fights.

Certainly, in his fight against Oscar De La Hoya it was assumed by many that the Mexican would be too big and strong for him. Because he was "naturally" bigger. But we all know what happened then, and subsequently against Hatton and Cotto.

So that begs the question, for me, at least, whether a "natural" weight advantage is over-emphasized, and whether more focus should be placed on boxing skills.

During Manny’s fight against Ricky Hatton, one of the Sky Sports commentators spoke of how Ricky Hatton was the naturally bigger man. Now, of this there is no doubt.

The Englishman explodes between fights, putting on three or four stone of weight. So yes, if the two men met on the street (although given that it’s Hatton it may more likely be in a bar) in-between fights, Ricky would be the naturally bigger guy.

But come fight-time, that size advantage has been diminished. Hatton is no longer at his natural weight. It may be his ordinary fighting weight, but it would seem anything but natural.

The same can be said about Miguel Cotto, though, not to the same extreme. The Puerto Rican’s effort to make the 145-pound weight limit could well have taken a toll on his body. At the weigh-in, he only had a one-pound advantage over Manny.

However, in my opinion, Pacquiao looked the stronger of the two, with his chest and shoulders looking more defined. Granted, on the night of the fight Cotto probably weighed closer to 160 pounds, but I think this weight advantage is over-estimated by a lot of people.

When it comes down to it, six or seven pounds, is really a rather negligible amount. In terms of boxing it is regarded as a weight class, but in reality it is not substantial. Of course, out of this comes the debate of the weight divisions in boxing. I’m guessing the main reason for so many is that it creates more revenue for boxing authorities, but I would doubt whether there really is a marked difference between 140 pounds and 147 pounds.

I don’t think weight necessarily corresponds with power, either. Although I am no expert on the fight game, I think a lot of it comes from the lower body, core, and shoulders, and not specifically from weight alone. I’m sure technique and speed also play an important part.

And I think Pacquiao was stronger than all of his last three opponents, despite conceding the relatively slight weight advantage. Couple that with the fact that he is a better boxer than those three opponents, and it is easy to see why he won.

Indeed, a quick look through the comments about the Clottey/Pacquiao fight indicates to me that the size issue is, and will be, stressed again. But once again, I feel this argument is without any great merit. Clottey may be naturally bigger, but I definitely don’t think this corresponds to a proportionate power advantage. Because of this, I just don’t see how an argument can be put forward in favour of the African for this fight.

Manny Pacquiao will be naturally smaller than the majority of welterweights, but he is also a better boxer than the majority, as well. I think this far "outweighs" the importance of a slight size deficit.

Though he may give away a 10-pound weight advantage, I know exactly who my money would be on.

Except against Floyd. Naturally.

ZING!

Hey, I had to try and create even the smallest bit of controversy in this article.

Source: bleacherreport.com

Big Apple Boxing Thoughts 01.15.10: Pacquiao-Clottey -- Classic?

The potential mega fight between Manny Pacquiao
and Floyd Mayweather that was set to happen on March 13th is officially dead. So the question remains on which fighter do you think was actually at fault for that whole..well just forget about it as I think we've all had enough of that crap for a while.

While many might think this is a big loss for boxing, it is certainly not the end of the world for the sport.
The Pacquiao-Clottey fight has tremendous potential to be a classic match. Given the styles of both fighters, there's just no way that this fight could fail to be an example of boxing at its best.

Stylistically, Clottey relies heavily upon his quick footwork and superb blocking abilities.He is a rough, tough, genuine welterweight with a rock-solid defense.He doesn't pack a knockout punch but he does hit hard enough to cause damage. Clottey has an iron chin and his defensive skills are excellent. He has never been knocked out in any fight. His biggest flaw is his lack of speed. He also tends to start slow in some fights as evident in his 1st round of the Cotto fight when he was knocked down.

Even though Clottey is not known to be no Mayweather in the ring when it comes to entertainment, his antics in the ring will provide plenty of drama and fun. In the fight with Cotto, Clottey found himself trapped in the corner and decided to initiate a rather weird clinch by throwing his upper body over the top of Cotto's left shoulder. Cotto promptly demonstrated his anger and dirtiness for the tactic by lifting Clottey up and body slamming him face-first to the canvas.Clottey then took a long break while rolling around on the canvas and acting like he was dying. Whether he was acting or not is anyone's guess.

Joshua Clottey is one of those boxers that other guys don't want to fight because he is one dangerous fighter. When Antonio Margarito defeated Cotto, everyone thought that Margarito's next fight would be a unification title bout in a rematch against Clottey. It never happened and it was very simple from watching that first fight on why Antonio did not want that fight. In that contest, Clottey was ripping short left hooks and jabs with tremendous hand speed. Early in the fight, Clottey won the second, third and fourth rounds on two of three scorecards. In the third, he stunned Margarito with a right hand to the head and repeatedly landed four- and five-punch combinations. After the fourth, Clottey came to his corner complaining of pain in his left hand. From that point, his work rate slowed and he absorbed tremendous punishment for the remainder of the match. However, he had demonstrated his abilities against a top opponent.

Manny is probably going to have punch to the sides of Clottey's body as that could prove to be most effective way in wearing him down. Clottey is a very good counterpuncher who carefully and accurately chooses his spots. It has been proven in the past that Pacquiao has not had the best of luck against counter-punchers. He wants guys that will go toe-to-toe with him and it's highly unlikely that Clottey will do such a thing. Manny is going to have to do some counter punching of his own and try to go for the knockout when Clottey attempts to throw at Pacquiao. Manny's weird punching angles is going to be a huge factor in this fight.

This fight will not be a easy one for Pacquiao at all and it will only cement his legacy if he wins this in convincing fashion against one of the most dangerous and underrated fighters in the sport. Clottey is going to have his moments in this fight but I think the speed of Pacquiao will prove to be too much for Joshua as he is a guy that needs to set his feet before he can thrown. Manny's speed and movement will not make that possible and prove to be the difference. But if people that buy this fight are expecting one of Manny's vintage dominating knockouts, then they should buy elsewhere.

Source: 411mania.com

Arum insists Pacquiao's mind is on Clottey

Bob Arum has insisted there is no chance Manny Pacquiao will underestimate March 13 opponent Joshua Clottey when they meet at the Cowboys Stadium in Texas (Pacquiao 2/9 draw 25/1 Clottey 3/1 Fight Prices).

Filipino icon Pacquiao was expected to fight unbeaten American superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr on the same night but a row over random blood testing forced the cancellation of their 2010 super-fight, although Top Rank supremo Arum has suggested it could still happen later this year.

Pacquiao, widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, will now face Bronx-based Clottey (35-3, 20 KOs) of Ghana.

The hard-hitting Clottey is coming off a split-decision defeat by Miguel Cotto last June, a fight that some felt he won, and Arum has insisted Pacquiao will give his opponent the respect he deserves (Pacquiao points win 4/5 Pacquiao v Clottey-WBO Welterweight Title).

"This is a competitive fight, as competitive as the Cotto fight (Pacquiao beat Cotto last November) going in," Arum said.

"We got a tremendous deal at the site. It's a big event and I think we'll do unbelievable."

Source: betting.stanjames.com

I'll Shock The World- Clottey

Ghana's Joshua Clottey has promised to shock the world by knocking out the world's best pound-for-pound fighter Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao, when the two clash on March 13 in Dallas.

Speaking in an interview with East Side Boxing of the USA, Clottey 35-3 (20) whose last fight was a loss to Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto, said he had always dreamt about fighting the best boxer and therefore the fight against Pacman is a dream-come-true.

“Yes, this is the fight I have always wanted. I've always wanted fights like this - against the best fighters in the world,” he told the renowned East Side Boxing.

He explained: “I really want to prove my point in this fight; prove to the whole world that I am the best. I'm so happy to get this fight with the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.”

Clottey, who jetted to the USA on Tuesday to sign for the bout, said he had started some light training, jogging in the morning and in the evening.

On who to spar with since Pacquiao is a southpaw, Clottey said he would think about it later.

“But one thing about me is I know how to handle southpaws easy. Miguel Cotto switched to southpaw in the fight and it was no problem. So I'm not concerned about Pacquiao's stance. I can handle that good.”

He commended Top Rank for arranging the biggest fight of his career. By Charles Nixon Yeboah

Source: modernghana.com
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