LAS VEGAS (April 24, 2015) – There is just over one week until Floyd
“Money” Mayweather and Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao square off for their epic
welterweight championship showdown taking place Saturday, May 2 at the
MGM Grand Garden Arena that will be co-produced and co-distributed by
HBO Pay-Per-View® and SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT.
While fans have gotten glimpses into the lives of these fighters
through preview shows and social media postings, there are still many
aspects of their lives that the public knows nothing about. Before
training camp ends and the fighters lace up for fight night, take a look
at some interesting things that you might not know about Mayweather and
Pacquiao.
FLOYD MAYWEATHER
1. Twizzlers are one of his go-to favorite snacks
2. Ramen noodle soup is one of his favorite meals and he doesn’t like 5 star restaurants
3. Averages over 1000 sit-ups a day during training camp
4. He doesn’t use ketchup or mustard on hotdogs but uses BBQ sauce
5. A guilty pleasure is playing Mega Touch and holding the highest
scores in every game on there- his favorites are Spades, Dominos and
word scrambles.
6. The movie Troy with Brad Pitt is one he likes to watch over and over again.
7. Every juice he drinks during training camp is made from scratch
8. When out to eat, He always orders a glass of hot water to let his silverware soak in the glass before using them.
9. The tree trunks he has been using to chop wood are brought in from Big Bear and weigh nearly 700 pounds each.
10. He gets a manicure and pedicure at home once a week during training camp
11. He doesn’t use a microwave, only eats food cooked and heated up on a stove and in an oven.
12. His morning routine includes brushing teeth for 10 straight minutes.
MANNY PACQUIAO
1 He eats steamed white rice and chicken or beef broth at almost every meal
2. Manny will only drink hot or room temperature water. Never cold water because he feels it is not healthy
3. Manny averages over 2,500 sit-ups daily during training camp
4. Manny eats five meals and consumes 8,000 calories daily to keep his weight and energy up
5. Manny regularly has 500 fans follow him on his morning runs in Los Angeles
6. He starts every morning with a Bible reading
7. He loves his Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cups
8. Over the past 12 months Manny has met with President Obama, President Clinton and Prince Harry
9. Pacman, Manny’s nine-year-old Jack Russell terrier and beloved
companion, accompanies Manny on all his morning runs and to his workouts
at Wild Card. He even has his own frequent flier account
10. Manny is a Lt. Colonel in the reserve force of Philippine Army
11. Floyd Mayweather will be the third consecutive undefeated world champion Manny has faced in the past 13 months
12. Manny is a big photography buff. This week he purchased two
Canon flagship cameras – the 1DX — complete with lenses and accessories.
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Showing posts with label Boxing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boxing. Show all posts
De La Hoya: Pacquiao has the advantage against Mayweather
By Chris Williams: If you listen to Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd
Mayweather Jr. is in deep, deep trouble against Manny Pacquiao in their
fight coming up next month.
De La Hoya thinks Mayweather could fall behind in the fight early and
then be put into a position where he’ll need to change his normal
fighting style by being the aggressor instead of the counter puncher
against Pacquiao.
De La Hoya thinks Mayweather isn’t comfortable being the aggressor in
his fights, and this could lead to him struggling to try and get back
into the fight.
Like George Foreman, De La Hoya believes that that first three rounds
of the fight are extremely crucial. If Pacquiao is able to win 2 to 3
of the first quarter of the fight, he’ll put Mayweather into a bind
where he’ll have to make some changes to his fighting style if he wants
to be able to rally to get the victory.
De La Hoya and Foreman are both in the same boat in believing that
the first three rounds are very important for both fighters, even though
Mayweather has already shown in the past that he has no problems
rallying from an early deficient. We saw that in his fights against De
La Hoya, Miguel Cotto and in first fight against Marcos Maidana.
“I feel Pacquiao has to win the first two or three rounds, because
it’ll make Mayweather have to come from behind and he’ll have to start
to pressure Pacquiao, to be the aggressor, and Mayweather does not like
to be the aggressor,” De La Hoya said via the thenational.ae. “So
if Pacquiao can start well the first two rounds – winning those rounds –
the fight can go in Pacquiao’s direction,” De La Hoya said.
First off, I don’t think Pacquiao is going to be able to win the
first two or three rounds. I don’t see that happening. He’s too short
and his reach is too limited. But even if Pacquiao did win the first
three rounds, I think Mayweather is going to come storming back and will
look to KO Pacquiao like Juan Manuel Marquez did. He’s going to want to
put Pacquiao out of the fight by tagging him with some hard shots by
backing him up, and we just don’t know how could have a head shot
Pacquiao can take at this point.
After the way Marquez knocked Pacquiao out in 2012, I wouldn’t be
surprised if Mayweather knocks him clean out with a right hand or a left
hook to the head. Mayweather has been adding punching strength with the
help of his strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza, and he could be
a very different fighter than the one that fought Maidana twice.
“The one fighter to make it an exciting fight is going to be
Pacquiao. What he has to do is go in with a lot of combinations, a lot
of footwork, which he has,” De La Hoya said. “With Mayweather, we’re
going to see the same thing he does in every fight, which is box, win
the rounds one at a time. I don’t see Mayweather trying to knock out
Pacquiao, but I can see Pacquiao trying to knock out Mayweather. In this
sport one punch can change everything and I think I’m going to have to
give Pacquiao the advantage.”
Mayweather will definitely attempt to box Pacquiao, but if that
doesn’t work, he’s going to adapt and try another tactic. If that means
slugging, then that’s what he’ll do, and I wouldn’t be surprised if
Mayweather gets the better of Pacquiao in that department. What
Mayweather lacks in punching power, he’ll more than make up with his
timing and accuracy.
Pacquiao can jump around the ring all night long and tire himself,
but Mayweather is still going to be able to connect with a lot of shots
due to his timing. He’ll figure out Pacquiao’s movement quickly and then
time him to start nailing him with shots. At that point, Pacquiao can
continue to hop around the ring all he wants, it’s not going to help
him. He’ll need to try something different like storming Mayweather in
the same way Maidana was doing. I don’t think that’s a style that
Pacquiao is capable of imitating though even if he trained to imitate
it.
Foreman: Mayweather could be devastated by a defeat against Pacquiao
By Allan Fox: There’s been wide speculation about how Floyd
Mayweather Jr. would be able to handle a loss to Manny Pacquiao,
especially a one-sided loss. While some boxing fans believe that
Mayweather would handle it with no problems and just fight on with his
career, other fans believe it would ruin him mentally.
It’s something that we won’t know until Mayweather experiences his
first defeat if he ever does. Former heavyweight champion George Foreman
believes that it could be something that will messes Mayweather up to
the point where he might have to leave the U.S to escape the situation.
“This could devastate him (Mayweather) as a boxer, not as a man but
as a boxer,” Foreman said via Yahoo Sports. “He might have to go out in
the country somewhere if he lost. You lose your perspective on who you
are as a human being.”
It would be difficult for Mayweather to come to terms with a loss,
but I’m sure the $100+ million that he receives for the Pacquiao fight
on May 2nd will help console him. I don’t think Mayweather will abandon
America and become an expatriate for the remainder of his life living
abroad in a place like France like some wealthy people move to when
choosing to leave the U.S for whatever reason.
Mayweather enjoys Las Vegas, Nevada a great deal. If he was going to
leave the U.S to live in another country, I think it would have to be a
place like Monte Carlo. I think he might like living there, or possibly
some place like the French Riviera.
“Pacquiao has it a little better. He is already picked as the
underdog,” Foreman said. “There’s not a whole lot of pressure on him.
But when you have never lost before in a fight of this magnitude,
there’s so much pressure on you, more pressure than you have ever had
before, more pressure than on any other athlete right now.”
I think Pacquiao has just as much pressure on him to win this fight
than Mayweather does. He obviously doesn’t want to lose because he’s
looked up to by his fans in the Philippines. A loss to Mayweather also
could mess Pacquiao up in terms of him being a pay-per-view attraction.
His PPV numbers for his fights against Brandon Rios and Chris Algieri
were underwhelming to say the least, and his numbers for his second
fight against Tim Bradley weren’t good either. Whether that’s the fault
of his promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank due to him putting Pacquiao in with
non-stars, is unclear. But it’s probable that Pacquiao will see a dip
in his pay-per-view numbers if he were to lose to Mayweather. That’s why
I see Pacquiao as having as much pressure as Mayweather. It’s very
important that he wins this fight, and he knows it. He’s no unaware of
the ramifications of a loss in this fight.
Pressure is a good thing for both fighters because it’ll enable them
to fight at their utmost ability. At least they won’t come into the
fight overlooking each other. They know this is going to be a tough
fight.
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Marvin Sonsona: 'Di ako nawawalan ng pag-asa. Lalaban pa rin ako.
Marvin Sonsona: 'Di ako nawawalan ng pag-asa. Lalaban pa rin ako.
Saksi: Donnie Nietes visits GMA Network, gets warm welcome
Saksi: Donnie Nietes visits GMA Network, gets warm welcome
Nietes earns third round KO win over Gutierrez to retain WBO title
Philippine boxing was not lacking in heroes on the day the nation celebrated the 150th birthday of Andres Bonifacio.
Donnie `Ahas’ Nietes defended his World Boxing Organization light-flyweight crown with a sensational third round knockout of Mexican Sammy Gutierrez to the delight of a sizable crowd at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum, Saturday night.
The champion had the challenger all sized up right in the opening round when the Filipino sent him down to the canvas twice, each of them courtesy of his solid right hand.
Gutierrez, fighting with Mexican pride, survived the next round, but was knocked down again in the third when a devastating Nietes right found its target.
The challenger tried to get up on wobbly legs, but referee Celestino Ruiz wisely put a stop to the carnage.
The end came at the 2:58 mark.
“Tingin ko first round pa lang kaya ko na siya,” said Nietes, who improved to 32-1-4, with 18 KOs. “Kala ko nga hindi na tatayo, e.”
He later offered his victory to victims and families affected by super-typhoon Yolanda.
"Sa nangyari sa Tacloban, makakabangon tayo," the champion said.
Gutierrez, the former WBO minimumweight title holder, fell to 33-10, with 23 KOs.
Nietes' impressive win came after Merlito Sabillo had to settle for a split draw against Carlos Buitrago to retain his WBO minimumweight title.
The 29-year-old champion started rather tentative against the Nicaraguan challenger and didn’t really get into the rhythm until the later rounds of the 12-round fight.
Still, the 20-year-old Buitrago appeared to have controlled majority of the bout that his corner began celebrating when the final bell rang by carrying a small Nicaraguan flag atop the ring.
However, it wasn’t meant to be.
Judge Levi Martinez saw the fight 115-113 for Buitrago, Joerg Milke had it 115-113 for Sabillo, and Takeshi Shimakawa scored it even at 114-114 for the split draw.
Sabillo, who wobbled in round nine following a solid right hook by the challenger, preserved his unbeaten record at 24-0, with 12 KOs as he defended his crown for the second straight time.
The young Nicaraguan, the WBO no. 1 contender, saw his record fall to 27-0-1, plus one no contest, with 16 KOs.
Earlier, Milan Melindo staged a successful ring comeback by hacking out a unanimous decision over tough Jose Alfredo Rodriguez of Mexico over 12 rounds.
Melindo won it by scores of 118-110, 118-109, 119-109, as he won his first fight since a failed bid to wrest the WBO flyweight crown against Juan Francisco Estrada last July at the Cotai Arena in Macau.
The pride of Cagayan de Oro City sported a cut on the bridge of his noise and another one just below his left eye, but improved to 30-1 (12 KOs) following the win.
Fellow ALA boxing stablemates Jason Pagara and AJ Banal were also stretched to the limit, but carved out hard-earned victories as well.
Pagara dominated Vladimir Baez of Dominican Republic in a 10-round light-welterweight clash, while Banal endured a 10-round bantamweight bout against Lucian Gonzales of Puerto Rico.
Former world title contender Jimrex Jaca set off the pace for Filipino fighters with a first round knockout of Indonesian Wellem Reyk.
Donnie `Ahas’ Nietes defended his World Boxing Organization light-flyweight crown with a sensational third round knockout of Mexican Sammy Gutierrez to the delight of a sizable crowd at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum, Saturday night.
The champion had the challenger all sized up right in the opening round when the Filipino sent him down to the canvas twice, each of them courtesy of his solid right hand.
Gutierrez, fighting with Mexican pride, survived the next round, but was knocked down again in the third when a devastating Nietes right found its target.
The challenger tried to get up on wobbly legs, but referee Celestino Ruiz wisely put a stop to the carnage.
The end came at the 2:58 mark.
“Tingin ko first round pa lang kaya ko na siya,” said Nietes, who improved to 32-1-4, with 18 KOs. “Kala ko nga hindi na tatayo, e.”
He later offered his victory to victims and families affected by super-typhoon Yolanda.
"Sa nangyari sa Tacloban, makakabangon tayo," the champion said.
Gutierrez, the former WBO minimumweight title holder, fell to 33-10, with 23 KOs.
Nietes' impressive win came after Merlito Sabillo had to settle for a split draw against Carlos Buitrago to retain his WBO minimumweight title.
The 29-year-old champion started rather tentative against the Nicaraguan challenger and didn’t really get into the rhythm until the later rounds of the 12-round fight.
Still, the 20-year-old Buitrago appeared to have controlled majority of the bout that his corner began celebrating when the final bell rang by carrying a small Nicaraguan flag atop the ring.
However, it wasn’t meant to be.
Judge Levi Martinez saw the fight 115-113 for Buitrago, Joerg Milke had it 115-113 for Sabillo, and Takeshi Shimakawa scored it even at 114-114 for the split draw.
Sabillo, who wobbled in round nine following a solid right hook by the challenger, preserved his unbeaten record at 24-0, with 12 KOs as he defended his crown for the second straight time.
The young Nicaraguan, the WBO no. 1 contender, saw his record fall to 27-0-1, plus one no contest, with 16 KOs.
Earlier, Milan Melindo staged a successful ring comeback by hacking out a unanimous decision over tough Jose Alfredo Rodriguez of Mexico over 12 rounds.
Melindo won it by scores of 118-110, 118-109, 119-109, as he won his first fight since a failed bid to wrest the WBO flyweight crown against Juan Francisco Estrada last July at the Cotai Arena in Macau.
The pride of Cagayan de Oro City sported a cut on the bridge of his noise and another one just below his left eye, but improved to 30-1 (12 KOs) following the win.
Fellow ALA boxing stablemates Jason Pagara and AJ Banal were also stretched to the limit, but carved out hard-earned victories as well.
Pagara dominated Vladimir Baez of Dominican Republic in a 10-round light-welterweight clash, while Banal endured a 10-round bantamweight bout against Lucian Gonzales of Puerto Rico.
Former world title contender Jimrex Jaca set off the pace for Filipino fighters with a first round knockout of Indonesian Wellem Reyk.
Amir Khan will be at Devon Alexander fight, but not in the ring
Khan will serve as a ringside commentator for Showtime for the telecast of the card at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, replacing Paulie Malignaggi, the regular commentator who will instead be in the ring against Zab Judah in a main-event showdown of hometown heroes.
With a deal almost set, Khan decided against fighting US southpaw Alexander for the International Boxing Federation welterweight crown amid speculation that the Briton will be the next opponent for unbeaten Floyd Mayweather next May.
While the Khan and Mayweather camps have said no such deal is in place, neither fighter has announced his next opponent.
"They felt I was a big risk, that I was too much for him right now," Alexander, who faces unbeaten American Shawn Porter instead, says of Khan's backers. "I was ready to fight him. He pulled out so it didn't happen that way."
In the meantime, former world light-welterweight champion Khan will handle guest analyst duties in the fight, as well as for Judah-Malignaggi, a subject he knows well having beaten Malignaggi in 2010 and Judah in 2011.
"The main event between Paulie and Zab will be a Brooklyn blockbuster with two of boxing's most skilled fighters. Having shared the ring with both men I know together they will bring speed, power, ring craft and heart to the table," said Khan.
Khan, who won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics at age 17, turns 27 on Sunday. He is 28-3 with 19 knockouts. - AFP
The Siberian wildcard in Manny Pacquiao’s future
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| Yahoo PH Sports - BROOMFIELD, CO - OCTOBER 19: Ruslan Provodnikov (R) of Russia fights Mike Alvarado as Provodnikov won their bout with a TKO in the 10th round to claim the WBO Junior Welterweight Title at |
Immediately after Manny Pacquiao defeated Brandon Rios in Macau, three
names popped up as the Pacman’s possible next opponent. Freddie Roach,
speaking in front of the media in the post-fight press conference, said
he wanted his star student to face Juan Manuel Marquez, Timothy Bradley,
or Floyd Mayweather. Top Rank Promotions boss Bob Arum refused to drop
names but said, “the names on your list are on my list too.”
A fifth fight with Marquez will still sell because of the rivalry. A tiff against Bradley will be interesting because of the revenge angle. A match against Mayweather could be one of the biggest fights in boxing history. But there is one more option, less talked about, but still highly interesting.
Enter Russian Ruslan Provodnikov, the one-time Pacquiao sparmate and reigning World Boxing Organization light welterweight champion.
“Ruslan told me he does not want to fight Manny,” Marvin Somodio said in Filipino after the Pacquiao-Rios fight. Somodio is Freddie Roach’s assistant trainer at the Wild Card Gym and his understudy. “He knows that Freddie will always train Manny and Ruslan does not want to leave Freddie.”
During his last fight, Roach was not in Provodnikov’s corner as he was already in the Philippines with Pacquiao. Somodio stepped up and helped him win a world title in the best performance of his career against Mike Alvarado.
“Ruslan told me that everything he has now is because of Freddie,” Somodio added. “He knows he will not be where he is today if he didn’t meet Freddie and if he didn’t spar with Manny.”
Provodnikov first met Pacquiao in Baguio’s Shape-Up Boxing Gym during the latter’s match against Bradley. Heads turned when Provodnikov went in as the people there weren’t used to seeing fighters like him. He was stocky and looked bull-strong. He worked the mitts during his first stint there then sparred with Pacquiao during the next.
ALSO READ: Pacquiao sets blueprint for the Philippines' comeback
Pacquiao quickly clocked him with a lead left that cocked his head back. Other sparring partners will move back after that but he bowed his head back into position and launched a counter-attack. Provodnikov sported a black eye for the rest of that camp but it never bothered him.
Opportunities started pouring in for Provodnikov after he sparred with Pacquiao. He got his first shot at a world title against Bradley where he also suffered a highly unpopular decision defeat. He refused to be denied in his second world title as he stopped Alvarado, not allowing the judges to have their say.
A match between Pacquiao and Provodnikov should be an exciting battle from start to finish. Pacquiao, now more of a cerebral fighter, taking on an ultra-aggressive opponent should be a good fight. Pacquiao will be fighting a slower but more powerful version of him from three five years ago.
“People are telling me that Freddie should train Manny and I should train Ruslan for a fight but they’re just kidding. They know that will never happen,” said Somodio.
A fifth fight with Marquez will still sell because of the rivalry. A tiff against Bradley will be interesting because of the revenge angle. A match against Mayweather could be one of the biggest fights in boxing history. But there is one more option, less talked about, but still highly interesting.
Enter Russian Ruslan Provodnikov, the one-time Pacquiao sparmate and reigning World Boxing Organization light welterweight champion.
“Ruslan told me he does not want to fight Manny,” Marvin Somodio said in Filipino after the Pacquiao-Rios fight. Somodio is Freddie Roach’s assistant trainer at the Wild Card Gym and his understudy. “He knows that Freddie will always train Manny and Ruslan does not want to leave Freddie.”
During his last fight, Roach was not in Provodnikov’s corner as he was already in the Philippines with Pacquiao. Somodio stepped up and helped him win a world title in the best performance of his career against Mike Alvarado.
“Ruslan told me that everything he has now is because of Freddie,” Somodio added. “He knows he will not be where he is today if he didn’t meet Freddie and if he didn’t spar with Manny.”
Provodnikov first met Pacquiao in Baguio’s Shape-Up Boxing Gym during the latter’s match against Bradley. Heads turned when Provodnikov went in as the people there weren’t used to seeing fighters like him. He was stocky and looked bull-strong. He worked the mitts during his first stint there then sparred with Pacquiao during the next.
ALSO READ: Pacquiao sets blueprint for the Philippines' comeback
Pacquiao quickly clocked him with a lead left that cocked his head back. Other sparring partners will move back after that but he bowed his head back into position and launched a counter-attack. Provodnikov sported a black eye for the rest of that camp but it never bothered him.
Opportunities started pouring in for Provodnikov after he sparred with Pacquiao. He got his first shot at a world title against Bradley where he also suffered a highly unpopular decision defeat. He refused to be denied in his second world title as he stopped Alvarado, not allowing the judges to have their say.
A match between Pacquiao and Provodnikov should be an exciting battle from start to finish. Pacquiao, now more of a cerebral fighter, taking on an ultra-aggressive opponent should be a good fight. Pacquiao will be fighting a slower but more powerful version of him from three five years ago.
“People are telling me that Freddie should train Manny and I should train Ruslan for a fight but they’re just kidding. They know that will never happen,” said Somodio.
Five “logical” opponents for Manny Pacquiao
The date of Manny Pacquiao’s next fight has been tentatively set by Top Rank Promotion’s CEO Bob Arum: April 12, 2014.
And
while Arum remains mum over who the “fighting congressman from
Saranggani province in the Philippines” will be facing on that date,
many—including Pacquiao’s Hall-Of-Fame trainer Freddie Roach—have come
up with names that could be atop the squaring circle with the “Pacman”
in about five months.
“Personally, I want (Juan Manuel) Marquez
but the thing is I can’t be sure if we can get him to fight us.
(Timothy) Bradley is there. Obviously (Floyd) Mayweather is a guy we
want,” Roach said to the media after Pacquiao’s unanimous decision
victory for the vacant WBO International Welterweight title over Brandon
Rios in Macau recently.
Marquez (hereon to be referred to as
JMM), Bradley and Mayweather are indeed quality prospects that also
carry a touch being a “personal” bout for Pacquiao. JMM knockout
Pacquiao for the first time since Thailand’s Medgoen Singsurat
accomplished the feat in 1999. He’ll want to have that shot at
redemption. Bradley “defeated” Pacquiao last year in a title fight that
many believed he should have won. He’ll want to prove that he was the
true victor.
And of course, Mayweather.
It’s been four years
since the initial talks of a megafight to prove the world’s best Pound
for Pound boxer truly is. If they lock horns now, it may not even be for
that distinction, but for who could be the best boxer of all-time (with
all due respect to other legends).
However, there are other
talented and enigmatic welterweights out there that could give Pacquiao
not only a run for his money, but also provide a top quality fight for
all the world to see.
Pacquiao is not getting younger (he’ll be 35
next month). Analysts speculate that the eight-division king might only
have three or four bouts left before end his iconic prize-fighting
career. Many aficionados agree that the April fight might precede a
bigger box office draw later in the 2014—perhaps against JMM, Bradley or
Mayweather. But for now, all anyone can do is speculate.
That’s
what we’ll do here. I present to you five possible Pacquiao opponents
for that April 12th encounter. I’m taking into consideration viability,
fight marketability and quality. Let’s not have another Rios debacle,
please. One Clottey fight was bad enough already.
Let’s begin:
l. Timothy Bradley, 30—WBO Welterweight champion, 31-0-0 (12)
This
could be the opponent that dealt Pacquiao his most painful loss—because
it should not have been one. Bradley engaged Pacquiao practically
toe-to-toe in their clash for the title in June of 2012 and did win some
rounds, but not the entire fight. After an investigation, the World
Boxing Organization (WBO)—the very same body that had its welterweight
title on the line—later concluded that Pacquiao won the bout. Bradley has always claimed that he won the bout fair and square, but for some reason or other a rematch has never been forged.
Pros: This
should be a major draw due to the controversies surrounding the first
bout. It should prove once and for all—albeit almost two years after the
fact—who the victor should really be. Bradley has also scalped JMM and
Russian sensation Ruslan Provodnikov in his two defenses of his crown
and staking before the guy he “stole” it from should provide the
fireworks necessary for record Pay-Per-View (PPV) sales and a venue like
Cowboy’s Stadium in Texas might have to be in order. Also, Manny won
the WBO International plum. Bradley is the WBO champion.
Cons: Manny
has been out of circulation for almost a year prior to the Rios bout.
And although he still showed that he still packs it, Pacquiao failed to
deck probably the weakest opponent he’s faced since Clottey. Manny may
have to consider a stepping-stone before he plunges against a NOW
bonafide champion. If this bout happens, I’m flipping a coin—at Manny’s
present state of being.
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| Juan Manuel Marquez and Timothy Bradley are both candidates. (Getty images) |
2. Juan Manuel Marquez (V)—the man who put Pacquiao to sleep, 55-7-1 (40)
Arum
said he wants the Pacquiao-Marquez saga to eclipse that of Jake Lamotta
and Sugar Ray Robinson’s five fights over eight years. If JMM and
Pacman do lock horns again in April, it will be their fifth meeting with
Pacquiao having a record of 2-1-1 coming in. Except for the KO win by
JMM last December, the first three contests also had questionable
results as claimed not only by both camps, but many boxing experts as
well. And while a fifth fight could be viewed as overkill by many, the
true boxing fan would relish it.
Pros: Manny will
have a golden opportunity at big-time redemption. The loss to JMM might
be Pacquiao’s worst loss since that humiliating night where everything
fell against him in 1999 against Singsurat. I don’t even remember that
bout, but I will always remember how Manny was sprawled motionless on
the canvass after the JMM ended the fight in that sixth round that Manny
clearly won. If they get it on again in April, it will shatter perhaps
even Superbowl television viewership records. It might even be the most
defining moment in the history of the sport.
Cons:
JMM might not agree to it. Arum is arming himself with a number of
offers that may entice JMM to take the bait. What many fail to see is
that JMM is a very smart man who has already proven—at least in his
mind—that he is the better fighter against Pacquiao. JMM has no
financial issues (he’s close friends with Mexican president Enrique Peña
Nieto) and is also advancing in years. It’s around at this point in an
athlete’s life that he begins to make up for lost time with his family.
There’s even a bigger chance of JMM agreeing to a rematch with Bradley.
If JMM agrees to a fifth fight, I will be very shocked.
3. Adrien Broner, 24, 27-0-0 or Marcos Maidana, 30, 34-3-0 (31)—WBA Welterweight champion
These
two are scheduled to clash on December 14th for the WBA Welterweight
crown and many predict that Broner—a feisty knockout artist who barely
got by erstwhile titlist Paul Malignaggi last June—should be able to eke
out the title defense against the veteran from Argentina. Broner is
considered by many a Pacquiao clone and should be oblivious enough to
not be affected by the life-changing effects of a bout against Pacquiao.
Maidana’s career needs a shot in the arm after being scrambled by IBF
champion Devon Alexander in the former’s welterweight debut. Both are
exciting prospects, but not as high-profile as the Bradleys and JMMs of
the world. The loser of the title bout may even use a bout against
Pacquiao as a springboard back into the limelight.
Pros: A
non-title fight with other fighter will not only give Manny an
excellent workout, but will also serve as a gauge on how long he has
left in his illustrious career. Broner and Maidana are young and hungry
and could use a Pacquiao bout to enter the big time. It will also show
to the world that Manny is not afraid of the young blood emerging from
the welterweight ranks. It could serve as a passing of the torch, but it
could also serve as a step closer to undisputed immortality in the
sport for Pacquiao.
Cons: Broner and Maidana have
nothing to lose and everything to gain in a fight with a future
hall-of-famer. They may take risks that Pacquiao may have difficulty
countering. This can be equated to a move in poker we call “outdrawing
on the redraw” wherein Pacquiao—who could have been ahead before the
flop (fight) gets outdrawn on the flop (fight) but still has outs
(opportunities in the ring) to retake the advantage. But if Pacquiao can
pull it off, he’ll prove that he can truly beat anyone from any
generation.
 |
| Ruslan Provodnikov pounds Mike Alvarado. (Getty Images) |
4. Ruslan Provodnikov, 29, 23-2-0 (16) or Mike Alvarado, 33, 34-2-0 (23)
Let’s
say for a moment that—like Rios—these two gentlemen also desire to make
the jump for as bigger payday. Unlike Rios, these are probably two of
the most talented boxers in the division just below the 147-pound
welterweight realm—where Pacquiao resides. Provodnikov, a Russian native,
once attempted to join the big boys, but his first sortie in the
welterweight division was immediately a shot against Bradley as the
American’s mandatory title defense. Provodnikov shocked the world when
he floored Bradley in the twelfth round and somehow still lost via
unanimous decision. Alvarado, Rios’ most recent tormentor, is also known
for his speed and power and is the stylist that might just make
Pacquiao work a little harder than normal. Both are primed to make the
jump, but will it be against Manny?
Pros: It
will be an enigmatic match-up. No one will know what to expect as
you’ll have one set of fans saying that Pacquiao will just pull a Rios
on them, and then you’ll have another group saying that they may just be
hungrier than the Pacman and turn Manny into their personal Ledwaba. In
short, they will push themselves to be placed on the map of PPV lore.
Pacquiao’s camp knows how dangerous it is to go up against these kinds
of fighters and may even alter their training regimen just to be
prepared for smaller and speedy opponents. No one will know what to
expect.
Cons: This might just be another Rios.
Many is so far up the talent ladder that it will have to take an extra
special effort coupled with a big stroke of luck for Provodnikov or
Alvarado to pull off an upset. It can happen, but the chances of it
becoming reality might be slim. Pacquiao knows how to fend off upstarts
and will know whoever of the jumpers fears him. He will pounce. I called
the Rios bout the most boring in Pacquiao’s fights that went the
distance. If Provodnikov or Alvarado second guess themselves for just an
instant, they might grab that distinction.
5. Floyd Mayweather Jr., 36, 45-0-0 (26)—WBC Welterweight Champion
One
fan said that it will be the biggest bout of the year between two
fighters past their prime. I think that’s putting it harshly, but that’s
what happens when a fight that should have taken place three years ago
is now being pursued again. The question is, does it still have the same
appeal as to if it happened in 2010?
Pros: An
undisputed PPV record sales. There are still a lot of people who believe
that this should be the fight of the century. It will lay to rest all
doubts on who the best fighter who the best fighter on the planet is.
Despite Pacquiao having an inferior record to Mayweather, a win by
Pacquiao will change the history books, while a victory by “Money” will
put him atop a pedestal with the likes of Rocky Marciano, Joe Calzaghe
and Ricardo Lopez as prize-fighters who had a spotless career. Both
fighters can retire after this clash and both will be enshrined in the
Hall Of Fame faster than anyone else in history.
Cons: You
guys actually think that Mayweather will have any part of this? He’s a
businessman and has become wealthy because of his business acumen. He
knows that endangering his unblemished record against someone who can
actually beat him is not a wise investment. He’ll be called a coward by
many sectors and he will always say that’s their opinion. Also, both
fighters are from camps that don’t necessarily like each other as
Pacquiao is the standard bearer of Top Rank Boxing while Mayweather has
joined forces with Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. Mayweather
will retire a rich and undefeated fighter and will leave it to the
creative minds of those in boxing to fantasize on what could have been.
If Mayweather agrees to fight Pacquiao, it will be a sign of the
apocalypse. And if he does decide to fight Manny, he’s in trouble.
For
now, let’s let Pacquiao soak in his first victory in nearly two years.
Who he fights in April will surely be an opponent of better quality than
Rios. He is still among the best in the sport and among the biggest
draws in the world. Manny turns 35 in a few weeks. He’ll have a lot of
pondering to do, but one thing’s for sure: retirement is not one of
them.
Nietes, Sabillo to defend world titles on Saturday
The past 12 months have been horrible for Philippine boxing. Manny Pacquiao suffered the worst defeat of his career last December at the hands of his nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez. It started a losing skid for Filipino boxers as Brian Viloria and Nonito Donaire both lost their unified WBA and WBO world titles back in April. Milan Melindo also lost his first crack at a world title back in July.
But amidst the failures, two Filipino fighters managed to shine through and this Saturday they will defend their titles at the historic Smart-Araneta Coliseum. Merlito Sabillo (23-0-0, 12 KOs) and Donnie Nietes (31-1-4, 17 KOs) stand as giants in the boxing world largely deviod of the once dominant Filipino fighters.
Nietes also did not have the best outing in his last fight as he only managed a draw against Moises Fuentes back in March. He has been a champion for the majority of the past six years, winning the WBO minimumweight title and dropping it to grab the light flyweight version of the title. Needing to boost his confidence after his last sub-par performance, Nietes was brutally honest during the final press conference.
“I’m treating this like a tune-up match,” he said in Filipino. “I know this is a world title fight but I know it’s only a tune-up.” Nietes has been inactive for the past eight months.
His opponent, Sammy Gutierrez from Mexico, does not have a sterling record. He holds 33 wins against nine losses but he has power as 23 of his wins came via the short route. Gutierrez lost his last fight via knockout at the hands of Raul Garcia back last December. "I've fought experienced fighters and world champions. I'm not a tune-up opponent," he countered.
Sabillo on the other hand is currently having the best year of his young career. He won the interim WBO minimumweight title back in March with a technical knockout victory over Luis Dela Rosa. He converted this to a regular world title, the belt that Nietes vacated, in July with a knockout win against Jorle Estrada.
Still shying away from the spotlight, Sabillo marveled at the magnitude of the moment. “I’m overwhelmed that the fight will be in Araneta,” he said, also in Filipino. “Knowing that Manny Pacquiao already fought there is additional motivation for me to perform well.”
Up against Sabillo is the undefeated Carlos Buitrago from Nicaragua. He is the mandatory challenger and is undefeated in 27 fights, winning 16 by knockout.
Nietes and Sabillo were not the top picks as future world champions from the famed ALA Boxing Stable but because of their hard work, they exceeded all expectations to be two of only three reigning Filipino world champions in boxing. The two champions have their head trainer Edito Villamor to thank.
“The conditioning of the boys is good. We’re ready for the fights,” he said in an exclusive interview with Yahoo! Philippines. “Sammy Gutierrez is a tough and experienced fighter while Carlos Buitrago is undefeated. We knew they were tough opponents and we trained well for this fight.”
One of the questions often asked about fighters from the ALA Boxing stable is regarding their conditioning. Villamor was quick to dismiss this as a myth. “They say that our fighters lose steam in the late rounds but if you look at the last fight of Nietes, he won the 11th and 12th rounds,” he explained. “Our fighters pace themselves in some of the late rounds so they can finish strong in the championship rounds. It’s not because they’re tired.”
AJ Banal, Milan Melindo, Jason Pagara, and Jimrex Jaca will also be seeing action in the packed fight card.
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