THE DIFFERENT WORLDS OF MANNY PACQUIAO AND DAVID HOWMAN

By Manny Piñol
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 07 Feb 2010

I never realized that the World Anti-Doping Agency which a certain David Howman reportedly heads was a debating club that bases its conclusions on logical deductions rather than scientific examination.


If Howman was quoted correctly as saying that since Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao refuses the idea of blood testing for drugs so close to his aborted fight with Flord Mayweather Jr. ergo he is a cheater, then he has not only shamed himself as a supposed scientist but also embarassed the agency that he represents.

Or it could be that since he and his ilk have not been in the limelight since failing to indict American cyclist Lance Armstrong also on alleged drug use, Howman is just out hunting for another sports celebrity who could pull out WADA from obscurity and once again be in the pages of the world's sports papers and media.

I have not talked to Manny Pacquiao for over a year now but based on what was reported in the media, his position is simple: Go ahead, draw blood from me for drug testing but not within 20 days of the fight. Manny has also reportedly said he is willing to take another blood test right after the fight.

Drug testing is unfamiliar territory for me because I only go through it when I renew my driver's and gun licenses, but common sense will tell you that if indeed a person is into drugs to enhance his athletic capability, the traces of those drugs will linger even after the fight, especially right after the fight.

Howman's conclusion is simply outrageous and uncalled for. It puts a huge question mark over the credibility of the agency that he represents.

There is simply no justification for Howman to issue that statement based on flawed logic. Besides, scientists are supposed to base their conclusions on irrefutable scientific examinations.

Why does Manny Pacquiao dislike the idea of a bloodtesting within 20 days of his scheduled fight with Mayweather?
Well, there is no scientific basis actually and it may never be understood by those who are not familiar with Filipino or even Asian culture.

But let me just try to educate Howman and his ilk.

Asians and Filipinos are fatalists. We believe in fate, in good luck and bad luck, in talisman and in feng shui.

There are people who feel powerful by doing certain rituals before any endeavour and who forsee victory and success in the manifestations of mother nature.

It is bad omen to sweep the floor before you go to the cockpit to fight game chickens which is a national sport in the Philippines. To some people, it is bad omen to cut your fingernails or even hair before a big undertaking.

Personally, I look and consider the rain as a sign of good things to come, of success. At the start of all of my political undertakings, it always rained and I have never lost in an election. Somehow, I feel more confident whenever rains drop on the launching of any endeavour.

Manny Pacquiao believes in fate having been born in a culture marked by belief in superpowers and superstition. This explains his abhorence to shed blood so close to the fight. It is not that he is taking drugs and wants to hide it to cheat. It is just that he believes that shedding blood saps his power and that it would make him vulnerable.

There is nothing scientific in this and this may never be understood by people living in the parts of the world.

But I believe David Howman and his ilk should understand that the world is not how they alone see it.

This world that we live in is viewed differently by people of different culture and tradition and unless Howman and people like him learn to accept this is as a fact, there will always be conflict in our age and time.

They have a world for that David Howman: Culture-sensitivity.

The columnist is the former governor and now vice governor of North Cotabato, a province in southern Philippines. He holds a Masters Degree in Rural Development and is pursuing a doctorate degree in the same field.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

While Pacquiao works OT, Clottey's head in clouds

Boxing Examiner | Michael Marley

Maybe Joshua Clottey's teeshirt should say "Neverlast."

By my calendar, next Saturday night is not only the night before that cracksmoking cherub, Cupid, starts shooting love arrows to and fro.

I'm hoping the icon of romance will zap Floyd Mayweather who is throwing not flowers or boxes of chocolates at Sugar Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins even going so far as to label SSM as “a puppet” for Weekend at Bernie's.

I understand Mosley's rapid reply was: “Hey, I resemble that!”

Hopkins was a bit more severe, saying, "Wait until my boy Shane turns Flippant Flomo into Howdy Doody."

But I digress, back to the timeline, back to next Saturday night.

It is also, this Feb. 13, one month before Joshua Clottey tries to cash in on his Power Ball/Mega Millions ticket against Pinoy Idol Manny Pacquiao in the Cowboys football playpen in Arlington, Tejas.

playtime, no long plane flights for Pacquiao, in midseason form at Wild Card Gym (Top Rank/Chris Farina)

I've been known to push the panic button too early, for sure, but I want to ask this question, right now, is the Ghanaian preparing to fail against Pacman by failing to prepare?

I, for one, am completely underwhelmed by the reports or lack of same about Clottey working his backside off in this, the greatest opportunity of his career.

He's training in The Bronx yet he is supposed to shift his camp down to the warmer climes of my old residence, Fort Lauderdale.

He just wasted several days by flying to and from Africa where he was supposedly working to secure a US entry visa for his self-selected trainer.

Not a word about having sparring partners on board or bearing down both at the gym or in doing roadwork and other conditioning. Manager Vinny Scolpino did say that, once they are settled in South Florida, Team Clottey will have a head trainer and a conditioning guru in tow.

Meanwhile, the Pacman camp is cooking with hot grease, running on all cylinders and has quality sparmates lined up awaiting their turns against Manny.

I'd hate to think that while Manny is punishing his hired hands and the leather mitts held up by Coach Freddie Roach that Clottey is lounging on his couch.

Let me throw this out there now. Actually, let me toss out two different ideas.

One, and this is something I've written before, Clottey has a bit of a reputation among boxing insiders as being a “game quitter.” In other words, he is not what Big Al Braverman and other oldtimers would derisively refer to as “a cayoodle,” meaning a heartless fighter.

A “game quitter” is a fighter who, when the going gets tough, mentally and physically refuses to bite down and just accepts losing. You saw this in Clottey's split decision loss to the dented by Margarito Miguel Cotto. Instead of lurching forward and stepping on the gas down the stretch, Clottey inexplicably took both feet off his accelerator and went into a survival mode.

If he does that against Pacquiao, you know the outcome. As they say in that racket known as tennis, game, set, match.

My second opinion and something to look for in the football playpen where the Cowboys roam is that we may be looking at an overly relaxed Clottey turning into Manny's least dangerous foe since glorified journeyman David Diaz (he was no game quitter, just 100 percent game).

Usually, I ascribe Roach's daily blatherings to the prefight propaganda category. But over at Chez Freddie, also known as the Wild Card, Roach is only talking Pacman by KO.

There hasn't been a tepid response from the Clottey camp, there has been zero response. Whatever happened to fighting fire with fire or balut with bombs?

Perish the thought but does Clottey subliminally see himself as the “B” side player who only got the Megamanny massive payday because he's on Uncle Bob Arum's roster?

Will Clottey pop up in Texas merely to pass go and collect his paycheck and not with the proportiante fire in the belly which might lift him to a shocking upset?

They say a leopard does not change its spots.

I don't think a “game quitter” does, either.

There will be no shame in Clottey's game if he fights desperately, battles hard and goes balls to the stadium walls against the Pinoy Icon.

Anything less is a disservice to himself and to the sport.

Maybe Clottey will surprise me but, right now, he is not exactly what anyone could properly call well organized and buttoned down.

Pacman's nose is to the Roach grindstone.

While Manny is running in Griffith Park, toiling at the gym or drilling with conditioning expert Alex Ariza, where is Clottey?

On an airplane, I guess, flying to Ghana and now flying to Fort Lauderdale.

Clottey can't get those wasted hours back.

Is he preparing to fail by failing to prepare?

It's certainly a fair question.

Source: Examiner.com

Clottey not focused on Pacquiao fight?

Dallas Boxing Examiner | Matt Stolow

DALLAS - Am I confused or is Joshua Clottey having serious problems with everything from possibly losing his trainer to a recent desperation overseas flight home and just today (Saturday) settling into a real training camp just 36 days out from his fight with Manny Pacquiao?

Trainer Godwin Dzainie Kotey isn't being granted a visa from the America Embassy in Accra, Ghana. Vinny Scolpino, Clottey's New York - based manager says a statement will be forthcoming during the week, but as far as training he says everything was just fine and on track.

I don't believe him.

Co-promoter Jerry Jones and company can't afford for Clottey to put forth a half-ass or otherwise distracted effort and have ticket buyers heading for the exits early before making a few runs to the concession stands and soaking up the $1.15 billion Cowboys Stadium experience.

Ultimately, Jones needs the fans to have a great time and want to come back.

Actually all of boxing, including Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Golden Boy Promotions, needs Joshua Clottey to if not win outright, to put on a respectable effort.

I wrote when Clottey was just being considered as the opponent that he was the most dangerous guy out there. I guess that makes me what Michael Marley would call an Everlast Einstein.

http://www.examiner.com/x-11372-Dallas-Boxing-Examiner~y2010m1d8-Any-opponent-for-Manny-except-Zab-Judah-please

I need to start hearing Clottey is using up and running off sparring partners and no media is allowed in the gym because they have a top secret weapon and strategy for Pacquiao and a special punch just for him.

I believed it last month but I don't know if I do today.

I remember last summer Clottey pretty much coasted in the final two rounds against Miguel Cotto when most thought the fight was close and winnable for the Ghanaian.

Now I'm not at all saying Clottey would put up anything but a very polished professional effort, but if Pacquiao senses a weakness he would quickly exploit it.

I'm saying Team Clottey better get its act together because this is Manny Pacquiao and it's the big time.

If Bob Arum or any other big shots have a friend in an American Embassy or Port Authority, now would be the time to call in the favor and pull the trigger and make that call or Clottey is going into training today in Fort Lauderdale, FL at less than full speed and a lack of momentum.

Source: Examiner.com

Q&A: Freddie Roach

By Wolfgang Schiffbauer

Fightnews.com caught up with world class trainer Freddie Roach earlier today to discuss the Pacquiao–Mayweather fiasco, Joshua Clottey, Shane Mosley and the newest addition to Roach’s stable of champions, WBA middleweight champion Felix Sturm from Cologne, Germany. The 49-years old Roach also talks about his past as an active fighter, his motivation about being a trainer and his battle with Parkinson disease.

What can you tell us about the whole Manny Pacquiao–Floyd Mayweather, Olympic style drug testing fiasco?

The thing is I am not giving in to Mayweather. He is not running the sport, the commissions do. If you let him run the sport, it’s like giving the first two rounds away. He doesn’t make the rules, the commissions and the sanctioning bodies make the rules. They have been doing that for a long time. Who the hell is Mayweather to tell us what to do? That’s not going to happen.

What are your thoughts on Manny’s new opponent Joshua Clottey?

I have been studying him quite a bit now. He is very strong and has a good chin but he makes too many fundamental mistakes and I think Manny will be the first person to knock him out.

How far along training camp is Pacquiao right now?

He is already in good shape. The first day he came in the gym, he weighed around 147 pounds already. We have to keep the weight up and feed him five meals a day just to keep it up. He is doing great in sparring and we are studying his game plan as we watch Clottey tapes. He’s not ready to fight yet but we have about four and a half weeks till fight night and he will be ready then.

Now that Mayweather signed his contract, what do you think about his upcoming bout against Sugar Shane Mosley?

It is a very good fight. I take Mayweather by decision; I think he will outbox Mosley. But it is a competitive bout and Shane always shows up to fight. Well, I’m glad to see it happen but I am waiting to hear if Mayweather will make him take the drug tests, too. He has a history of drugs. So why would he ask us and not somebody else? It is crazy. I don’t know about this guy.

As far as I know, Mosley agreed to do the testing and they made a statement to the press that both fighters will under-go random blood tests in the weeks leading up to May 1st.

They said it, but they haven’t hired the company to do it yet. So we’ll see.

Is it something special for you to work the corner of a main event fighter in front of 40,000 fans in a football stadium?

No, it’s all the same. I don’t see the crowd; I don’t get caught up in that. It’s natural that all the people come and watch. My job is to take care of the fighter and that’s what I am concentrating on. However, Cowboys Stadium is big and beautiful and it is great to be the first one to fight there. Hopefully, we can do something like this on a regular basis. Vegas is fun, too but Texas has a good commission, it is very professional. But I don’t really care where we fight, in Germany or America or wherever.

Is Manny Pacquiao the best fighter you ever worked with?

No, but Pacquiao is the most dedicated guy I have ever worked with and also the most improved fighter from day one to now.

Who is the best fighter then?

Well, you know, I trained natural fighters like James Toney, I worked with Mike Tyson. I can’t really judge who the best fighter was, technique-wise. But as far as improvement and will-to-win, Manny is probably the best at that.

It was recently announced that you will work with WBA middleweight champion Felix Sturm. Why did you choose to train him?

Well, he is a very good fighter. When I trained Wladimir Klitschko in Germany, he was the only one who was coming to me in the gym besides Klitschko and I like him.

How good a fighter is he?

He is a great fighter. I mean, he came to America and basically beat a prime Oscar de la Hoya. He’s got all the skills in the world, I think he needs a little more offense and I am an offensive-minded guy, so I think we will work well together.

How do you want to improve him?

There isn’t really a need for improvement. We have to adjust a couple things, so he can throw more combinations and use his natural skills to their full extend.

Will you stay in Germany before his fights?

Yes, for as long as I can I will.

Isn’t that a problem with your friends, your family or with Wild Card gym?

No, I went to training camp with Manny Pacquiao a couple times already. I go into camp with world champions and special people when I have the time, so it is no problem.

What are your goals with Felix Sturm?

I want to get him back to America, have him fight the likes of Kelly Pavlik and become the undisputed middleweight champion of the world.

Will you have him spar Pacquiao or other Wild Card boxers in L.A.?

I’m sure he will come over for sparring. I get all kinds of sparring in here. We have a lot of good guys at the gym. In early training stages he might be coming to L.A. and when we get closer to the fight, we will go back to Germany. But it depends on where the fight is. I haven’t tried to get him and Pavlik together and we might not do that yet but I am sure that the fight will be in America when it happens and so he’ll train here for the whole training camp. So it’ll just be back and forth, depending on our schedules.

Tell us something about your own active boxing career.

I was more of a tough guy; I tried really hard and exchanged a lot. It worked well for when I was young but when I got older it wasn’t quite as effective. I fought world champions like Hector Camacho and Bobby Chacon. My career was good; it taught me a lot about boxing. I just found something that I am better at and that’s training fighters. Thanks to my mentor Eddie Futch and my father, they taught me this game and thanks to them I think it is why I’m successful. I was taught by very good people.

What is your motivation about being a trainer?

My motivation is improving people. If I can improve a fighter, I will do it. I probably have too many fighters right now but I have trouble saying no because I want to help anyone if I can. I know the sport very well; I’ve been doing this since I was six years old. It’s all I know, it’s all I do. I don’t have any other hobby because I don’t have time for any of them.

While everyone agrees that you are one of the best boxing trainer’s of the world, your achievements become even more stunning considering your fight with Parkinson disease. How do you keep up such great work with your fighters while suffering from such a bad illness?

The thing is I take my medication; I won’t let it get into my way. Yesterday, I did 50 rounds of mitts in a row with 14 of my fighters and twelve rounds with Pacquiao. I can do this all day long, I’m happy here. I won’t let Parkinson take any of that away and I refuse to even acknowledge it. I’m fine.

Source: fightnews.com

‘Royal treatment’ for Pacman

By NICK GIONGCO
February 6, 2010, 8:00pm

A makeshift gym will be constructed at the basement of the hotel where Manny Pacquiao will be billeted to make sure the Filipino fighter doesn’t miss a single beat in his training for his showdown with Joshua Clottey on March 13.

Pacquiao adviser Mike Koncz bared Saturday that the nearest gym to the hotel where Team Pacquiao is going to stay is located 25 miles away and that the boxer has already inquired if it is possible that the gym “fit for a boxing king” be installed in the hotel so he won’t bother to drive for 30 minutes just to train in the final few days leading to the fight.

Pacquiao is expected to arrive in Dallas either on March 7 or 8 and traditionally, the 31-year-old lefty works out until two days before the fight.

Koncz could not name the hotel that has been picked to host the fighters but it is very likely that the Gaylord Texan in the city of Grapevine will be the official hotel.

“It doesn’t make sense for Manny to travel 25 to 30 minutes to the gym so we have found the perfect place for him to train,” said Koncz, noting that the same hotel is even the venue of fight card on the eve of the Pacquiao-Clottey bout.

The 1,500-room Gaylord Texan, located in the city of Grapevine, is home to the Dallas Cowboys, the National Football League team that is owned by oil magnate Jerry Jones.

Jones is joining hands with Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum in staging the Pacquiao-Clottey brawl, the first time boxing is taking place at the $1.2 billion facility.

Koncz reported that “everything is well” over at Pacquiao’s training camp at the Wild Card in Hollywood even in the short absence of chief trainer Freddie Roach, who accompanied one of his rising stars, super-bantam Guillermo Rigondeaux to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

“We’ve been on the same road before so the guys know what to do while Freddie is away,” said Koncz.

Pacquiao resumes his thrice-a-week sparring session on Saturday.

So far, Pacquiao has logged 24 rounds of sparring and by the time he leaves for Texas, he would have already chalked up over 100 rounds.

Meanwhile, Team Clottey is leaving New York Saturday as they set up training camp at the Contenders Gym in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

“This fight is going to be worth it for the fans,” said Clottey manager Vinny Scolpino.

Source: mb.com.ph

Da Flash, Pacquiao celebrate milestones in Elorde Awards

(The Philippine Star) Updated February 07, 2010 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Two great champions – Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, world champion for seven years in the 60s, and Manny Pacquiao, winner of seven world titles – celebrate milestones when the 10th Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Boxing Awards-Banquet of Champions is held March 25 at the Harbour Tent of the Sofitel Hotel.

Elorde will be remembered for his reign as junior lightweight champion from 1960 to 1967.

He won the title via a seventh round knockout of Harold Gomes on March 16, 1960 during the inaugural opening of the Araneta Coliseum. From there he retained the title 10 times before ceding it to Yoshiaki Numata in Tokyo in 1967.

This year also marks the 25th death anniversary and 75th birth anniversary of Da Flash, 50 years after he wrested his first world title.

Pacquiao, considered the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of all time, has won seven titles in seven weight divisions, was inducted into the Elorde Hall of Fame and, like Elorde, was honored in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

“This year we celebrate the milestones of the country’s greatest boxers and, with equal importance, the resurgence of the sport through the outstanding performance of other boxers in the international arena,” said Laura Elorde, wife of the boxing legend.

To share honors in the Elorde Banquet of Champions are world champions led by Donnie Nietes (WBO strawweight), Brian Viloria (IBF lightflyweight), Nonito Donaire (IBF flyweight), Marvin Sonsona (WBO flyweight) and Gerry Peñalosa (WBO bantamweight).

The Elorde Annual Awards, hosted by the Johnny Elorde Management International and Elorde Foundation, will be presented by the Elorde family – wife Laura and children Malou, Bebot and wife Arlene, Johnny and wife Liza, Theresa and husband Amor, Marty, Rita and husband Edmund, and Cucuy.

It is sponsored by the Elorde Sports Center, Department of Tourism, Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp., Elorde Boxing Gyms., and Southpaw Bar & Grill.

Source: philstar.com

Battle plans are drawn for Pacquiao - Clottey

LA Boxing Examiner | Ricardo Lois

Los Angeles - March 13 creeps slowly upon Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey and the game plans for their battle are being developed.

[Click the subscribe button above to receive e-mail alerts of future articles]

Fighting out of the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach has hinted at the use of a strategy similar to the one executed in a knock-out victory over Oscar De La Hoya in December, 2008.

On that night, Pacquiao used his amazing speed and power to derail The Golden Boy in eight rounds. The Filipino maneuvered in and out of De La Hoya's punching range, while firing powerful combinations.

“Clottey’s accurate if you stand in front of him,” Roach told AOL Fanhouse. “But we’re going to be in and out and side to side and use our angles on him. He’s not going to be able to catch us.”

As for Clottey, preparing himself in the Bronx, New York without the guidance of regular trainer Godwin Dzaine Kotey due to visa issues in Ghana, has received some special advice from former junior middleweight title holder and trainer John David Jackson.

“Pacquiao is not a good inside fighter... and he also can't fight off the ropes. Clottey has to capitalize on that. If he can do that, he can beat him," said Jackson in a recent interview.

Clottey is known for being able to pressure fighters, and some inside boxing circles believe, like Jackson, that if he is bullied into the ropes by a naturally stronger man, an upset victory could be within his grasp.
Mosley is forgiving of Margarito

I for one believe Antonio Margarito should be banished from the sport for attempting to use plastered hand wraps in his January, 2009 fight with Shane Mosley.

As for Sugar, he is much more forgiving.

"I definitely this he should get his licence," Mosley told The Rumble. "The penalty to disappear should to the trainer."

We can see why Mosley is considered as one of boxing's true nice guys and a class act, through and through.

Margarito is scheduled to return on March 13 against Carson Jones on the under card of Pacquiao - Clottey.

Good Karma for Rigondeaux and Caballero on the way

Cuban super bantamweight had announced he would donate half of his Friday night purse to relief efforts in Haiti and was rewarded by knocking out Adolfo Landeros in 28 seconds with a wicked left-handed body shot.

Rigondeaux improved to five wins (four knock-outs), with no losses and is reported to be headed to an April fight with Panamanian Celestino Caballero (#1 ranked super bantamweight by The Boxing Truth) in April at New York's Madison Square Garden.

Source: Examiner.com

Pacquiao is still human after all

CHINO TRINIDAD, GMANews.TV
February 6, 2010 16:11:30

LOS ANGELES, California – With his meteoric rise to the of boxing, one would think that Manny Pacquiao – the reigning pound-for-pound king – has superhuman powers.

His lung capacity is phenomenal.

In a cold Wednesday morning, Pacquiao took the hills of Griffith Park, where the famous Hollywood sign is located.

Instead of taking it easy, the Pinoy boxing icon attacked the first two miles of concrete leading to the LA Observatory at a decent time of 18 minutes and seven seconds. (When in peak form Pacquiao’s time is 17:30.

Seven hours later, Pacquiao was at the WildCard Gym pounding coach Freddie Roach’s target mitts for 12 non-stop rounds.

So, how do you explain that a fighter like Pacquiao, who is just 10 days into his preparations for his March 13 title duel against Ghana’s Joshua Clottey, is nearing his peak form?

Roach has the answer.

The four-time trainer of the year winner said that in between all the late nights, partying and campaigning after the Miguel Cotto fight last November, Pacquiao has kept himself in good shape.

"The condition we had for Cotto carried over to this training camp. We didn’t lose the condition for this fight," said Roach as he watched Pacquiao work on the speed ball.
But while almost everyone marveled at the seven-division world champion’s condition, a chink in his armor surfaced.

Thursday was sparring day for Pacquiao and he skipped the morning jog to prepare him for the afternoon sessions.

Pacquiao started the first half of his sparring like a house on fire, displaying his hand and foot speed to a sizeable crowd at the WildCard Gym.

But midway into the session, Pacquiao seemed to have lost a beat or two. Still he managed to finish the eight rounds of sparring.
But while almost everyone marveled at the seven-division world champion’s condition, a chink in his armor surfaced.
– Chino Trinidad


And in one rare occurrence, I overheard the defending World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion complaining of soreness in his leg and arm muscles to assistant trainer and long-time buddy Buboy Fernandez.

It seems that the intense running, pounding the mitts, hitting the heavy bag and sparring have taken its toll on Pacquiao’s body.

Roach later told me that though he is happy with the pound-for-pound king’s overall condition, he still needs to work on his timing inside the ring.

As good and as great as he is right now, Pacquiao is human after all. – GMANews.TV

Source: GMANews.tv

HAS MAYWEATHER TURNED THE TIDE IN THE PR BATTLE WITH PACQUIAO?

February 5th, 2010 | by Evan Korn

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have yet to step foot inside the same ring. The result of that tango remains inconclusive.

When Mayweather’s signature confirmed the May 1 mega-fight with Shane Mosley, something became abundantly clear: Mayweather had won the PR battle.

By signing to fight Mosley, Mayweather went after the prom queen of the Welterweight division. Pacquiao’s next opponent, Joshua Clottey, is a capable sort, but he won’t be wearing the crown anytime soon.

When Mosley readily agreed to the blood testing that Pacquiao refused, it added another layer to the never-ending saga. Why does one world class fighter accept terms that another refused?

Regardless, Team Pacquiao felt like Mayweather was singling out their guy as a steroid cheat. Team Mayweather went on record as saying that any future Mayweather opponent will be subjected to rigorous blood testing. Once Mosley agreed to the terms Pacquiao refused, the PR battle had been decided. Fair or not, Pacquiao is now linked to the PED mess (despite no concrete proof that he has cheated). Mayweather, who will take blood tests as part of the Mosley contract, fights the higher-profile bout without the heir of suspicion.

In a recent statement, Mayweather discussed his decision to fight Mosley.

“This one is definitely for the fans as I wasn’t going to waste anyone’s time with a meaningless tune-up bout and asked to fight Shane immediately,” Mayweather said. “I have said ever since I came back to the sport that I only wanted to fight the best. I think Shane is one of the best, but come May 1, he still won’t be great enough to beat me. This one is definitely for the fans as I wasn’t going to waste anyone’s time with a meaningless tune-up bout and asked to fight Shane immediately. I have said ever since I came back to the sport that I only wanted to fight the best. I think Shane is one of the best, but come May 1, he still won’t be great enough to beat me.”

Pacquiao fights March 13, the same date he was supposed to face Mayweather. Instead of fighting the man aptly nicknamed “Money”, he fights a world-class fighter with little fan support. While 30-40,000 patrons will fill Dallas Cowboys Stadium to see Pacquiao in action against the tough Ghanaian, Mayweather won’t be far from anybody’s mind. It is the fight the world wanted to see. A vile of blood prevented that dream from becoming a reality.

While Pacquiao’s presence will loom over the Mosley bout, at least Mayweather will share the ring with an elite name and talent. In that sense, Mayweather has won. And in the court of public opinion, Pacquiao’s blood test refusal makes him, to quote Chris Rock, “Born Suspect.”

Some Random Thoughts

The thought of a “Golden Girls” sex tape excites me more than a Jones-Hopkins rematch.

Glen Johnson just beat Yusaf Mack tonight on ESPN 2’s “Friday Night Fights.” Now there is an older fighter who just shuts up and fights. Hopkins and Jones should take notes.

Edwin Valero knocks out Antonio DeMarco. DeMarco is Showtime’s Andre Berto, a fighter who has risen up the ranks on premium cable with a diet of beatable opponents.

Did Jorge Arce drink from the fountain of youth last weekend?

Watch out for Heavyweight prospect Robert Helenius, who battered past-his-prime Lamon Brewster last Saturday.

Source: newyork.fighthype.com

Life after Pacquiao

Mississippi Fight Sports Examiner | Brad Cooney

The day will come in the not so far future when Manny Pacquiao will hang up the gloves for good. What will the boxing world be like void of such a powerful force? Will the Pacmaniacs suffer from Pacman withdrawals? The sport will live on, but it will surely miss the pound for pound king.

Manny Pacquiao in this writers opinion has carried the sport of boxing and has injected international excitement back into the sport, something it desperately needed. Manny began to make his mark in boxing when he systematically eradicated one Mexican legend after another. Morales, Barrera, Marquez, De La Hoya, Diaz, Larios, the list goes on. Then just to stack onto an already Hall of Fame resume, let's add Miguel Cotto, and Ricky Hatton to his list of victims.

I spoke with the president of USA boxing's Mid South Association Stan Nichols, who's also the Chief of Officials for the state of Mississippi. Nichols, a long time boxing guy who once sparred the great Roberto Duran talked about his first experience watching Manny Pacquiao, "The first time I saw Manny Pacquiao is when he took on Marco Antonio Barrera the first time. I never saw him before that, and I remember watching that fight and asking myself, 'who in the heck is this little guy?'

Americans who never even heard of Pacquiao prior to his television debut had their eyes opened up quickly. Nichols went on to say, "I remember looking at Pacquiao and I noticed how awkward he was, and how much harder he hit than the average guy at that weight. When he sat Barrera down onto the floor, I knew right then that this guy was here to stay."

Since then Pacquiao has risen to an iconic level of fame. He has gained fans across the world, and not just Filipino fans. Pacquiao's fan base even reaches into Mexico, a country that watched him wipe out all of their recent boxing legends. It's a sign of respect. Even those who are not Pacquiao fans have to respect what he has done in the ring, and outside of the ring.

When Manny does finally hang them up, the sport will sorely miss him. It's not every day when a guy like Manny Pacquiao arrives on the scene. So while he's still doing his thing in the ring, lets all sit back and enjoy the rest of the show.

Source: Examiner.com

Pacquiao will use strategy in Hoya fight to KO Clottey

MANILA, Philippines – In facing a guy like Joshua Clottey, 7-time world champ Manny Pacquiao would have to use the strategy he utilized in beating boxing great Oscar de la Hoya.

Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach said they would have to remove Clottey’s accurate punches by using almost the same lateral movements that confused De la Hoya.

“Clottey’s accurate if you stand in front of him, but the thing is, we’re going to be in and out and side to side and use our angles on him… It’s going to be very similar to the Oscar de la Hoya fight, I feel,” Roach said in a report by FanHouse.com.

Pacquiao outpunched De la Hoya in 8 rounds during their Dream Match in December 2008. So outclassed was the boxing great in that match that his corner was forced to stop the fight.

Roach said for the “De la Hoya strategy” to be effective, Pacquiao would again rely on his superior speed.

“He’s not going to be able to catch us,” said Roach.

Pacquiao is currently toiling at Roach’s Wild Card gym in Los Angeles, California in preparation for the March 13 fight.

He will be staking his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title, which he won from Miguel Cotto.

Roach said he has studied Clottey’s fights and saw some of his strengths and weaknesses.

“Well, he’s got a good chin, and he takes a good shot, and he can be a little heavy-handed. But he can be passive at times, and he lays on the ropes and kind of rests there a little bit. I’ve been studying him really well, and he makes too many mistakes,” said the trainer.

Roach said these weaknesses, coupled with Pacquiao’s punching power and speed could mean Clottey’s first career loss by knockout.

“Pacquiao, I truly feel will be the first person to knock Clottey out,” he said.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, had another good training day at the Wild Card Gym.

His conditioning expert Alex Ariza told PhilBoxing.com that the Filipino boxer is again in his usual unstoppable self, going 10 rounds on the mitts with hardly a break. This was aside on top of his regular training routine, including his exhausting conditioning exercises.

Despite the gruelling session, Pacquiao has found time to face the media to share his thoughts about Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The Filipino boxer said he understands why Mayweather came out with the drug testing demand, which led to the collapse of negotiations between their camps.

“I think I understand Floyd,” Pacquiao told Robert Morales of BoxingScene.com. “He just can’t say, ‘Oh, I don’t want to fight. I’m not ready for the fight.’ He’s just making alibis to cancel the fight. He’s not ready.”

He said such “excuse”, which sparked allegations that he was on performance enhancing drugs, is unfair and damaging to him.

“I’m really disappointed because I sacrifice and train hard and focus for what I have achieved in boxing,” said Pacquiao.

“If you are a true champion, no alibis, just fight.”

Source: abs-cbnNEWS.com

Pacquiao shifts training to high gear

Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao stepped up his training for his coming March 13 title defense against Ghana’s Joshua Clottey who, he described, is big, strong and dangerous.

Pacquiao’s diet and conditioning consultant Alex Ariza said Wednesday from Los Angeles that PacMan is “very sharp and looks like he’ll be ready to fight next week.”

Ariza said Pacquiao sparred seven rounds Tuesday and is expected to do seven or eight rounds on Thursday (Friday in Manila) at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California.

Pacquiao went three rounds with unbeaten junior welterweight Mike Dallas, two rounds with Brian Brook and another two rounds with Jose Benavidez, a speedy junior welterweight.

“Manny is doing absolutely great in training, and Freddie [Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer] is satisfied at the level we are in now,” said Ariza who also works as the renowned trainer’s assistant.

Ariza said he is focusing on strength at his stage of Pacquiao’s conditioning regimen, then top it all up with speed exercises as training camp tapers off, to maximize the Filipino icon’s deadly combination power and explosiveness.

Ariza thinks Pacquiao-Clottey “could be even better” than PacMan’s previous fight when he stopped Miguel Cotto in the final round to win the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown, Pacquiao’s record seventh world title in as many weight divisions.

Pacquiao’s bodyguard Rob Peters said the Filipino fighter is always in “good spirit” during his daily workouts.

“When you see Manny in such a cheerful mood during training, you know that he’s peaking nicely,” said Peters. “Manny is always in good spirit, and he makes training camp look so easy, which is very, very rigorous.”

Peter said the few Team Pacquiao members who are privileged to see Pacquiao train behind closed doors are amazed at how focused he is during his Monday-to-Saturday training and still remain cheerful and playful.

Pacquiao said he considers the taller and bigger Clottey dangerous because at stake in their fight is not just his WBO welterweight crown but also his mythical title as the best boxer in the world pound-for-pound.

”Clottey knows that he has nothing to lose in this fight . . . but I know he will try to do everything to score an upset,” Pacquiao wrote in Filipino Wednesday in his weekly tabloid column.

“That’s why I need to show that I’m the best in the world, come up with another masterpiece in the ring and to win convincingly.”

Source: manilatimes.net

CLOTTEY WORKS OUT IN BRONX, N.Y.

PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 06 Feb 2010

2/5/10, Bronx, N.Y. -- #1 Contender Joshua Clottey, Ghana stretches as he prepares for his upcoming World Welterweight championship against Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, General Santos City, Philippines. Top Rank's "The Event", will be held on Saturday, March 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas,Texas and televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View. -- Photo Credit: Chris Farina - Top Rank.

#1 Contender Joshua Clottey, Ghana prepares for his upcoming World Welterweight championship against Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, General Santos City, Philippines. Top Rank's "The Event", will be held on Saturday,March 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas,Texas and televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View. -- Photo Credit : Chris Farina - Top Rank.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

KONCZ ALLAYS FEARS THAT PACQUIAO IS TAKING IT EASY

By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 06 Feb 2010

“Fighter of the Decade” Manny Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz has allayed fears that Pacquiao is taking it easy in his preparation for the March 13 showdown against Ghana’s tough Joshua Clottey where Pacquiao puts his WBO welterweight title on the line at the $1.2 billion Dallas Cowboys stadium in Texas.


Reports filtering out of the Pacquiao training camp said that he had missed jogging on a couple of days because he woke up late but Koncz conceded he had missed only two days and that was because he was feeling tired after a hard workout the previous day.

Koncz also pointed out that Pacquiao “never jogs on sparring days.”

Pacquiao sparred eight rounds Thursday with former sparring partner Raymond Beltran and another young fighter and according to one reports we received Pacquiao didn’t look too impressive although this happens occasionally during Pacquiao’s training.

Koncz said Pacquiao wanted to go two more rounds but it didn’t happen.

Pacquiao’s training staff was earlier criticized over reports that he had sparred with and beaten up a fighter named Bryan Brooks with an 0-6 record and one other report that claimed he took 17 year old light welterweight Jose Benavidez to school in a three-round sparring session without pointing out that the promising young fighter had only recently made his pro debut and won by a first round knockout.

We were unable to contact trainer Freddie Roach who had left for Fort Lauderdale, Florida where his super bantamweight protégé, Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux (4-0, 3 KO’s) faces Adolfo Landeros (20-12-1, 9 KO’s) in an eight round bout at the Don Taft University Center on Saturday, Manila Time or conditioning expert Alex Ariza who was unavailable.

Koncz also said that Pacquiao was late for training one day because he had met with Steven Segal who told Pacquiao to remember that all his blessings come from God even as, according to Koncz, Segal snapped his fingers and said “God can take it away just like that.”

When we expressed concern over reports we received about Pacquiao’s apparent lack of consistent intensity in training compared to his preparation for previous fights Koncz said “believe me everything is fine, Manny is relaxed and looking good.”

Earlier, GMA 7 News telecast an interview with Pacquiao in which he assailed those who spread rumors about his private life and indicated he had asked his lawyers to study taking legal action against the people concerned. Pacquiao accused these individuals of “trying to ruin my name and trying to wreck my family. It's not good for us.” Speaking in Pilipino he said they are even trying to make my wife and I separate and asked “what kind of people are they?”

Meantime Jinkee Pacquiao, the wife of the pound-for-pound king is booked to fly to Los Angeles next Tuesday according to Koncz. When we spoke to him about large numbers of people gathering at the Palazzo Apartment until late at night and disturbing Pacquiao, Koncz said Pacquiao was at his home in the affluent neighborhood of Hancock Park and was in his room by 9 p.m. watching movies.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

Manny Pacquiao & Floyd Mayeather JR Move On, Shane Mosley and Joshua Clottey Look to Spoil

By Geno McGahee

Floyd Mayweather – Shane Mosley officially official

The May 1st super fight between undefeated co-pound for pound best in the world, Floyd “Money” Mayweather and “Sugar” Shane Mosley has been signed and sealed and will be delivered. This is not the fight that the people wanted to see, but they will certainly take it. Out of all the opponents out there for Floyd, Shane is the best next to Manny Pacquiao, and there are some things that Mosley can do to be effective.

An early prediction on this bout is easy: Floyd by wide decision. Despite his highlight reel knockout of “Hands of Plaster” Antonio Margarito, Mosley has not been that impressive in his last few outings, struggling badly with the raw yet strong, Ricardo Mayorga. Mayorga was beaten down easily by Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad prior to facing Mosley, and it was an even fight until the final round stoppage.

You add the possible ring wear along with being out of the ring nearly a year and a half, and the age of Shane, it’s a tall order here. There is bad blood between the two and Mosley will not roll over and die, but does he still possess the speed to make this fight competitive? The likely answer is no.

The thing going in Mosley’s favor and what makes this so interesting is that he is very smart. He will stick to a game plan. He also has a great chin and tremendous strength. To win though, he would have to be flawless and fight the fight of his life. Past performances against boxers like Vernon Forrest and Winky Wright certainly make a bet on him a risky one, but at least we are not seeing Floyd vs. Matthew Hatton, a fight that was proposed.

March 13th Quickly Approaching

Despite the fallout of the showdown with Floyd Mayweather, JR., Manny Pacquiao carries on and will be facing Joshua Clottey on March 13th, a date once reserved for his showdown with Money Mayweather.

Pacquiao’s recent track record make him the modern day Mike Tyson, a warrior that comes at his opponent relentlessly with power in both hands. He has destroyed some very big names in boxing: Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and most recently, Miguel Cotto. He is the real deal, but Joshua Clottey is a strange choice for an opponent.

Clottey is the sort of guy that would give Manny trouble with his tight defense and consistency. He barely lost in his last outing to Miguel Cotto, and stood tough with Antonio Margarito, winning before injuring his hands, and playing survival for the last half of the fight. Clottey is tough and takes a good shot, but there is a weakness. He is susceptible to straight punches…Manny’s specialty. The plan has to be to launch the straight punches early and often and hope for the best. Manny has every edge in this bout with the possible exception of toughness. Clottey might make this a battle of wills and although Manny has been through battles before, the late aggression from his challenger may be too much for him. We’ll see.

Without question, Manny is the big favorite going in, but Clottey has proven difficult for everyone he has faced. Will this be another spectacular KO win for the Filipino superstar or will we get a shocker on our hands. Most likely, this bout will lead to a showdown between Mayweather and Pacquiao. They will eventually iron everything out and get into the ring together. The public demand is far too high for them not to fight.

Super Six Leftovers

One guy that belonged in the Super Six Tournament, IBF Super Middleweight Champ, Lucian Bute, will be featured on HBO’s World Championship boxing when he squares off against Edison Miranda, a fighter that has seen better days.

When Jermain Taylor was rumored to be dropping out of the tournament, the Miranda camp rallied to get him into that spot. It was apparently a race between Allan Green and Edison Miranda to see who would get it should “Bad Intentions” pull out. Well, he did, and thankfully, Green has filled in.

Miranda’s record is impressive at 33-4, 29 KO’s, and he always brings that puncher’s chance to the ring, but his boxing life changed after May 19th, 2007, when Kelly Pavlik dominated and destroyed him in seven rounds. He wasn’t the monster anymore, and his next defeat at the hands of Arthur Abraham was more proof that he wasn’t at the top of his game anymore. Miranda looked for redemption at the expense of Andre Ward in May of 2009, but couldn’t pull the trigger. Now he goes after the IBF crown against Bute.

Bute, 25-0, 20 KO’s, is the best super middleweight not in the Showtime tournament. He is an incredible puncher and is at the top of his game. His last fight, a rematch with Librado Andrade, was brilliant. He stopped him easily in four rounds…a man that had given him a life and death battle just one year prior to the rematch. He will have zero to little problem with Miranda.

Jesse Brinkley, the Contender star that just scored an upset over Curtis Stevens on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights, which put him in line for a crack at Bute, but he has to wait in line behind Miranda. A Bute-Brinkley bout was proposed to HBO, but the network did not see it as competitive, according to sources close to the situation, and demanded Miranda as the opponent. HBO is somewhat correct with their assessment. It’s hard to imagine Brinkley being competitive with Bute. Miranda should be easy for Bute as well, but at least he brings the big punch and could win should he land. He only needs one opportunity.

Under the Radar

This weekend has some decent fights, headlined by the Edwin Valero-Antonio DeMarco bout, but a heavyweight collision in New Jersey is going unnoticed. Top rated heavyweight, Tomasz Adamek, 39-1, 27 KO’s, fresh off his stoppage of former title challenger Andrew Golota, is taking on the capable and upset-minded Jason Estrada, 16-2, 4 KO’s.

Adamek has held the light heavyweight and cruiserweight titles and has now followed the path set by David Haye, moving up to the heavyweight division. He packs a big punch and seems to be punching harder with the move up. He could be a true force in the division and is on a collision course with HBO favorite, Chris Arreola, if he can get passed the challenge of Estrada.

What does Estrada bring to the show?

Estrada is a good boxer with a decent jab, and has beaten some recognizable competition. He out-boxed Lance “Mount” Whitaker in 2008, took a wide decision over Derek Bryant later that year, before taking on top rated challenger Alexander Povetkin. Estrada could not keep the aggressive Povetkin off and lost a wide decision, but rebounded with a knockout over Zuri Lawrence. With only 4 knockouts, he is not a huge threat to stop Adamek, but he is a legit heavyweight with skill and should prove difficult in this fight, coming up Saturday night.

Source: ringsidereport.com

Barkley: Clottey may upset Pacquiao, Filipino can't beat Mayweather

Iran Barkley, the former middleweight and super middleweight champion of the world, has been through many wars in the 1980s and 1990s. He TKOs Thomas Hearns, lost a close decision to Roberto Duran, lost by TKO to James "Lights Out" Toney, and even fought (and lost to) Trevor Berbick in the heavyweight division.

Barkley retired with a record of 43-19-1.

He offers his thoughts on a prospective bout between Floyd Mayweather, Jr (40-0) and Philippine boxer Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2).

Quotes >

Mayweather is an exceptional fighter . . . . He got a lot of heart and a lot of style. All he has to do is sign the paper. Pacquiao is a good fighter . . . . I know [Mayweather] has the talent to do it [win against Pacquiao] . . . . Ain't nobody beating [Mayweather] . . . . Don't worry about the test Mayweather because he's [Pacquiao] not stronger than you. He's strong but he's not fast. [Mayweather] is blessed with the talent. He doesn't have to worry if he [Pacquiao] is on steroids . . .

Source: Examiner.com

Manny Pacquiao Says Shane Mosley Is Next On My Radar

The reigning pound for pound king has revealed to reporter from Manila Violito Tanamor during an interview he thinks Sugar Shane will win.

When asked how he seen the fight playing out Manny gave of a cheeky smile before revealing his thoughts wearing a serious expression.

“Shane like myself will force pressure on Floyd for every minute of every round”. “Shane has fought the best in the welterweight division for over a decade and has faced the best the division has to offer” said Pacquiao”. “I think he will be too much for Mayweather and will stop Floyd”.

Pacquiao stated he is not looking beyond his date with Ghanaian Joshua Clottey on March 13th, at the Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Texas. “I feel honoured and privileged to be fighting in such a venue” he said.

Training seems to be going well for the WBO welterweight Champion, conditioning coach Alex Ariza started strength preparation on Monday, after a week of sparring.

Pacquiao’s renowned trainer Freddie Roach was less vocal on his thoughts of the outcome of the bout between Mayweather vs. Mosley, but did say they were expecting to be back in the ring again as soon as July to face the winner.

Manny Pacquiao will make the first defence of his WBO welterweight title against Joshua Clottey on March 13. Both have the common opponent of Miguel Cotto in their last outing. Clottey lost a close decision to the Puerto Rican on June of 2009. Five months later Manny Pacquiao stopped Cotto in the last round of a one sided fight.

Source: theboxinghistorian.com

Manny Pacquiao ‘For me its Boxing and God’

Sacramento Fight Sports Examiner | Rick Rockwell

Could you ask anything else from a professional boxer? In a world that’s full of selfish athletes who care more about the “money’ and the fame, it’s refreshing when an athlete proclaims his faith and his commitment to the sport that he strives to be the best at.

In a recent interview with BoxingScene.com, Manny Pacquiao made the following comments:
“For me, it’s Boxing and God. I think what I have done in boxing is because of my sacrifices and my faith in God.”

In an interview I just did with World Extreme Cagefighting’s (WEC) General Manager Reed Harris, I asked him what he thought about Urijah Faber who is Sacramento’s hometown hero and the face of the WEC. Pay attention to what Mr. Harris had to say:

* “He is kinda the quintessential athlete. He lives clean, His entire life and lifestyle revolves around MMA. That’s really the kind of star athletes you are looking for. He’s someone you can build around. He is at the elite level of this sport.”

My immediate response to what Mr. Harris said was:

* RR: “Do you know who it sounds like you just described to me?”
* Mr. Harris: “Who’s that?’"
* RR: “Manny Pacquiao”
* Mr. Harris: “You are absolutely right. He’s a lot like Faber in his commitment, lifestyle, skills, and dominance.”

Now, I bring up this conversation with Mr. Harris not to say that Pacquiao and Faber are the same but to describe how important and amazing it is to have an elite athlete that’s committed to being the best fighter and the best person they can be. You want another example? Look no further than Kurt Warner in the NFL. Here’s an athlete committed to his faith and his profession (before he retired).

Its athletes like Pacquiao, Faber, and Warner that make sports as great and honorable as they are. Its athletes like these 3 who show that dedication, commitment, and faith can make you successful, respectable, and heroic.

No matter the success, the awards, or the fame Pacquiao still remains humbled and praiseworthy to his faith. To me, this is amazing. Perhaps, it’s because I’ve been around so many egotistical athletes. Perhaps, it’s because American athletes don’t always act humbled or profess their faith. Perhaps, it’s just amazing that an all-time great athlete can still glorify God despite his success.

Whatever the reason, its comments and athletes like Manny Pacquiao that deserve the credit for not only being an elite athlete but for also being an elite person.

Source: Examiner.com

Freddie Roach: Manny Pacquiao 'Really Wants to Knock Floyd Out'

2/04/2010 5:00 AM ET By Lem Satterfield

Freddie Roach was recently named Trainer Of The Year by The Boxing Writers' Association of America, and his prized pupil, Manny Pacquiao, was named Fighter of The Year -- both for 2009.

The honors were bestowed for the third, and, fourth times in a row, respectively, upon Pacquiao and Roach. Pacquiao also was named Fighter Of The Decade by the BWAA.

Reached at his Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, Calif., Roach, in this Q&A, discussed the most recent events involving the failed negotiations for a fight with Floyd Mayweather, the Mayweather camp's accusations of steroid use by Pacquiao, and the seven-division titlist's March 13 defense of his WBO welterweight (147 pounds) crown against Joshua Clottey.

FanHouse: So how does it feel to receive Trainer Of The Year for the fourth straight time?

Freddie Roach: It's my favorite award, because it's named after my trainer, [the late] Eddie Futch, my mentor. And, I like to give Eddie all of the credit for where I am today. I just love winning the award. I was the first one to win it three times, and now, I've won it four. I'm going to keep working my a** off to win it again, and again, if I can.


FH: Maybe they should name it the Eddie Futch-Freddie Roach Award?

Roach: [Chuckles] Maybe someday.


FH: Seriously, Freddie, you've overcome a lot, personally, with the Parkinson's, and I wonder if you ever think about who might be watching you and being inspired by you?

Roach: It's just that we work hard at the gym. Everyone works together, and we have a good team. Some days, when I'm really busy with some fighters, I have a lot of guys that pick up the slack. It's a good situation. My gym's just really active, and the other thing is that I'm so thankful to a guy like Eddie Futch, who taught me the ropes inside the ring and outside of the ring.

He taught me first, as a fighter, and then, I worked as an assistant to him for five years. And he taught me how to train fighters and how to get to them, and it's worked out really well for me.


FH: Can you talk about what it means to you to have Manny win the Fighter Of The Year honors for the third time?

Roach: Manny, he deserves it. Getting Fighter of The Decade also, that's a great honor for him. It's funny, his work ethic from Day One until today has not changed. It amazes me that he can still come through the gym doors and all of the distractions go away, and he's 100 percent focused on the next fight.


FH: Manny arrived in Los Angeles recently this time from the Philippines on Jan. 17 -- which was Muhammad Ali's 68th birthday and the day prior to the observation of Martin Luther King's birthday. Do you see any symbolism there at all, considering what Manny means in stature to his Filipino people?

Roach: It's can be a coincidence, but the thing is, Manny just means so much to his people. The thing is, he fights for them because he doesn't want to disappoint them. I think that's where he gets his fire from. It comes from his people. He wants to win for them, and to do the best that he can. Obviously, he wants to improve his country also, and that's why he's running for congress and getting into politics.

I think that he can do more for his country as a boxer rather than a politician, but he just wants to do the best that he can for his people. He's an amazing person.


FH: Has it been difficult to transition from preparing for a slick, boxer-type of fighter like Floyd Mayweather to preparing for a rugged fighter like Joshua Clottey?

Roach: The thing is, we work hard for everybody we get a chance to face. That hasn't really changed. What changed is the sparring parteners and the style that we're fighting and the gameplan, of course. The thing is, focusing on Clottey is completely opposite from what we were going to do. The thing is, you just have to get a mindset in there that we're not fighting Floyd Mayweather now.

We have to get ready for a guy that is going to come to us and fight us, possibly. It's a little disappointing that we didn't get Mayweather, but we're not going to sit around and dwell on it. We're going to go with the biggest challenges that we can find out there, and Manny doesn't want to fight just any fight, but he wants to fight the best out there.

I'd love it if Floyd and Manny could come to an agreement someday soon, and hopefully that can happen. But if not, Manny could retire and go right into politics.


FH: What do you see as strengths and weakness of Joshua Clottey? (pictured at far right, with Pacquiao)

Roach: Well, he's got a good chin, and he takes a good shot, and he can be a little heavy-handed. But he can be passive at times, and he lays on the ropes and kind of rests there a little bit. I've been studying him really well, and he makes too many mistakes. Pacquiao, I truly feel will be the first person to knock Clottey out.


FH: Has Manny faced anyone with his combination of endurance, accuracy and speed on his punches?

Roach: Clottey's accurate if you stand in front of him, but the thing is, we're going to be in and out and side to side and use our angles on him. He's not going to be able to catch us. It's going to be very similar to the Oscar De La Hoya fight [Eighth-round knockout for Pacquiao] I feel. He's a very tall, comes to you type of guy, who is supposed to be stronger.

But I don't think that that will be the case. I think when the fight time comes off, Manny will be the bigger, stronger guy because he has the bigger heart.


FH: How significant is it that there is no catchweight for this fight, as there was a requirement for Miguel Cotto to come in at no greater than 145 pounds, and that you are going with the welterweight limite of 147 pounds?

Roach: Well, we got a little flack for going with a catchweight last time, so Manny wants to be a true welterweight, so Manny is going to fight at 147. We're not going back to 140, we're going to stay where we're at. And if anyone wants to challenge us, it'll be at welterweight.


FH: How much does Manny consider going for an eighth title in a different weight class -- the rise to 154 pounds beyond the Joshua Clottey fight?

Roach: Well, the fight against [WBA junior middleweight (154 pounds) champ] Yuri Foreman was offered, and so forth, and Manny was just interested in more challenges.

Yuri was more of a boxer, and Manny doesn't want to be in a boring fight. So, 154 might be stretching it a little bit. I think that 147 is as high as we're really going to go. But you know, we'll see what presents itself after this fight. If Mayweather doesn't come around, Manny might retire.


FH: What did you think of the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, where the fight will be held?

Roach: It was amazing. It was just unbelievable. The big screen over the field, the people, it was a great place. It's a really, really nice stadium. It's going to be huge with the fight being there, and there's a lot of stuff going on in Dallas right now.

[Cowboys' owner] Jerry Jones wants to bring the best athletes into the stadium, and you know, Manny Pacquiao's one of the best athletes in the world right now, and that's why Jerry Jones picked this fight.


FH: How will it be different for you being in Dallas Cowboys' Stadium, considering most of Manny's biggest victories have been in Las Vegas.

Roach: We have a lot of good memories of Vegas, but we have one good memory of Texas also. That's where we got our one big break and we knocked out Marco Antonio Barrera in Texas [in the 11th round in November, 2003, at The Alamodome.]
Texas has always been good to us. Regardless of where the ring is, it's still the same size, so we have no problem traveling.

Manny just likes to fight. If we fight in Manila, his home town, it doesn't really matter. He's going to go out and fight his fight. We've got a good gameplan down already for this one, and, he's pulling it off in sparring already, and he's looking really good. He's way ahead of schedule. His weight's already getting down there low right now.

He's already at 146, so we'll get some protein shakes out there and start feeding him.


FH: On the matter of steroids, why do you believe those suspicions were leveled at Manny by some members of the Mayweather camp?

Roach: Well, they have no foundation or no history. It's just they say, 'How can a guy go from 106 all the way to 147 without being on steroids?' But if you take that thinking into consideration, now, at age 16, Floyd Mayweather fought in the amateurs at 106, and then he went to 154 [to fight Oscar De La Hoya,] so he must be on steroids too, I guess?

But I'm not going to say that, because he's just a good fighter, and I respect that. The thing is, it's not unusual for the best fighters of their era to dominate many different weight divisions because that's where all of the challenge are.



FH: Do you buy the notion that Floyd was afraid of losing for the first time in his career?

Roach: No. I think that he was just trying to make the fight bigger. I think that he's trying to make the Pacquiao fight bigger down the line. I think that he's just doing his thing.


FH: What do you believe that all of the Manny Pacquiao fans in the Philippines thought of the entire steroid drama related to the Mayweather-Pacquiao negotiations?

Roach: You've got people out there who want to go along with the notion of, 'Well, he's so good, that he must be on steroids,' because it was said once. And the thing is, just by that, people can think that you're guilty. Of course, we have no history. I have trouble giving Manny Pacquiao vitamins.

The Mayweathers are just trying to tarnish his reputation, so Manny's not very happy with them right now, and he really wants to knock Floyd out. That's what he told me. That's the first time that I've really seen him angry with a fighter. He says, 'If we fight, I will knock Floyd out.'

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

PACQUIAO HAS ANOTHER GOOD DAY IN THE GYM

By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 05 Feb 2010

The "Fighter of the Decade" and pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao had another good day working out at the Wild Card Gym of trainer Freddie Roach.

Conditioning expert Alex Ariza said Pacquiao was his usual relentless self in training and went ten rounds on the mitts with hardly a break aside from going through his regular routine as well as his demanding conditioning exercises.

He also found time for a couple of television and print interviews during which he said he felt bad over allegations that he was on performance enhancing drugs. He was quoted as saying "I’m really disappointed because I sacrifice and train hard and focus for what I have achieved in boxing."

Pacquiao told Robert Morales of the the widely read BoxingScene.com "I think I understand Floyd.. He just can't say, 'Oh, I don't want to fight. I'm not ready for the fight.' He's just making alibis to cancel the fight. He's not ready."

Pacquiao indicated he is not angry with Mayweather but said "I just felt bad that he doesn't want to fight. He's making a lot of allegations and alibis, allegations that can ruin my name."
Pacquiao hinted that if Mayweather is everything he says he is, he wouldn't have come up with his demand for random blood tests in the first place saying "If you are a true champion, no alibis, just fight."

Morales reported "during all this time, the look in Pacquiao's eyes never changed. Sincerity is what they had in them. Either he was being completely forthcoming, or he's one heck of a con man. The latter is difficult to fathom."

Pacquiao said he could take some solace in knowing that he was recently chosen Fighter of the Year and Fighter of the Decade by the Boxing Writers Association of America. "When I heard that, I'm happy because there are a lot of people believing in my capabilities and my achievements in boxing," he said. "For me, it's boxing and God. I think what I have done in boxing is because of my sacrifices and my faith in God."

Ariza said there was nothing much to add except that Pacquiao continues to look "phenomenal" as though he never left off after his 12th round TKO victory over Miguel Cotto last November in which Pacquiao won the WBO welterweight title to set a record of seven world titles in seven weight divisions.

Ariza’s statement reinforced the claim of Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz who attributed the fighter’s physical condition to the fact that they played a lot of basketball while in the Philippines.

Koncz said Pacquiao was relaxed and looking forward to his March 13 showdown with Ghana’s tough Joshua Clottey at the $1.2 billion Dallas Cowboys Stadium of Jerry Jones.
Ariza meantime downplayed reports that Pacquiao took young and promising super lightweight Jose Benavidez to school in a sparring session last Tuesday. Ariza said Benavidez "did pretty good" even as he pointed out that people should remember the fighter who scored a first round knockout in his pro debut was up against the current pound-for-pound best.

Meantime, Roach is likely to be in the corner of former two-division world champion Gerry Penalosa when he battles another former world two division champion Eric Morel on the exciting "Pinoy Power III/Latin Fury 13" fight card at the Las Vegas Hilton on February 14, Manila Time.

Roach has always maintained that Penalosa was technically better than even Pacquiao who is clearly the superstar of boxing today.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

Manny Pacquiao Continues To Exceed Expectations, President Bush "A Huge Fan"

by Kevin Riley

Manny Pacquiao is a living legend.

And to his credit, his legacy just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Sometime within the last few years, The Fighting Pride of General Santos City in the Philippines has won over the hearts and minds of former US President George W. Bush, billionaire and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, and millions upon millions of passionate boxing fans in Mexico.

I guess Pacquiao just can't help himself, he continues to make people love him and shower him with support.

When Top Rank's Bob Arum took in the Dallas Cowboys playoff game last month at Cowboys Stadium prior to finalizing the deal to stage Pacquiao's March 13 fight with Joshua Clottey there, he had the chance to speak with President Bush in Jones' luxury suite and found out first-hand that he was actually a "huge Pacquiao fan."

With that knowledge now in his back pocket, Arum has his sights firmly set on President Bush presenting Pacquiao with his prestigious Boxing Writers Association of America awards this coming June at a banquet in New York City.

Pacquiao of course, earlier this week, was named recipient of Fighter of the Decade and Fighter of the Year honors and guaranteed that he would be in attendance at the awards ceremony. It is the third time in the last four years that he has won the annual award.

Jones meanwhile has been in Mexico City, Mexico and is now headed to Monterrey, Mexico as he continues to promote the upcoming fight between Pacquiao and Clottey. He had this to say with distinct happiness and regard about the fighters status in Mexico:

"Manny Pacquiao is an enigma. The reception is unbelievable, Manny is well-respected, well-liked, and beloved by Mexico, whose men he had beaten up."

And Arum, who is accompanying Jones on the press tour, had something of his own to add to Jones' inspiring words. "We are mesmerized with the reception given to us."

It's no surprise really, that millions of passionate boxing fans in Mexico have taken such a liking to Pacquiao. He embodies the same characteristics that many Mexican boxing greats from the past were blessed with: fearlessness, aggressiveness, humbleness, and the glorification of God in everything he accomplishes.

I'm sure a lot of Mexican boxing fans almost feel like Pacquiao is one of their own in a way.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. on the other hand has been up to his usual shenanigans. The 40-0 legend in his own mind has continued to come up small in his responsibilities as a boxer and proves the only thing he is truly good at is making people curse his name.

We were told last Friday Mayweather had agreed on terms to fight Shane Mosley on May 1. Mosley, as it turns out, went ahead and signed the contract on Friday.

But Mayweather must have had really important plans for the next five days because he didn't sign the contract until yesterday.

It might not seem like much of a travesty until you realize one minor thing. Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions who is representing both fighters, had big plans to go down to the Super Bowl in Miami, Fla. this week to promote the mega-fight. And at last word, he had decided to scrap those plans.

"He still hasn't signed. I am so frustrated," Schaefer said on Tuesday. "I wanted both guys to go down to the Super Bowl in Miami to do some promotional stuff. I don't know what Floyd is waiting for. I have no clue. I have a signed contract from Shane on my desk. I have nothing from Floyd.

"We want to do some big PR, so this is frustrating. I read Ellerbe's (Leonard Ellerbe is Mayweather's adviser) quotes that it was agreed to and that it was just a matter of time to get it signed, but if it's all done, why isn't it signed?"

Besides those comments from Schaefer, Mosley's attorney Judd Burstein also chimed in with some threatening words to Mayweather before he finally felt compelled to sign:

"It's either one of two things that has happened. Either he's rethought the wisdom of risking his undefeated record against Shane or he chooses to act like a 7-year-old. Hopefully, it's the latter and he will mature very quickly. But either of these possibilities is completely unacceptable to us. He's going to end up in a fight with Mosley. The only question is whether it will be in the ring or in court."

I guess Mayweather decided to be a big boy after all.

Source: bleacherreport.com

Pacman wants big win over Clottey

By Abac Cordero (The Philippine Star) Updated February 05, 2010 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao wants to come out impressive against Josh Clottey.

And impressive, by his usual standard, could mean no less than a knockout.

From his headquarters in Los Angeles, the Filipino pound-for-pound champion said he’s leaving no stone unturned that by the time he takes on Clottey at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium on March 13, he’d be in tip-top condition.

“I’m the WBO welterweight champion and the BWAA (Boxing Writers Association of America) Fighter of the Year and Fighter of the Decade so Clottey will do everything to win,” Pacquiao wrote in his regular column at www.philboxing.com.

“He’s looking for an upset. And I need to prove that I deserve these awards with another masterpiece. I need to come out impressive,” said Pacquiao, in the thick of his training for the bout being anticipated as the first big fight of the year.

The 31-year-old icon has no habit of predicting a knockout, even if he always ends up doing so. He has won his last 11 fights dating back in 2005 and has scored eight stoppages against some of the great names in boxing.

He’s the odds-on favorite to win the bout, and there may be very little hope that the fight is going to last the distance.

“Manny’s going to knock him out,” declared Pacquiao’s chief trainer, Freddie Roach.

“I’ve seen tapes of him (Clottey). He’s not good. He’s got no chance,” added the only man to receive the Trainer of the Year award from the BWAA four times. He seldom goes wrong when he says Pacquiao’s going to win by knockout.

The reigning 147 lb champion, who has knocked out his last four opponents, from David Diaz to Oscar dela Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto, is entering his second week of training at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.

Yesterday, he pounded the mitts for 10 rounds non-stop and today he’ll be back sparring. In a week, he has logged 16 rounds of sparring and by the time he leaves for Dallas on March 8 he should have logged close to 150 rounds.

Pacquiao said he knows what he’s dealing with.

“A lot of people say this is going to be an easy fight for me but actually it’s a dangerous one because Clottey has the strength, the size and the speed. He’s taller (5’8”) and heavier (being a natural welterweight) and he almost beat Cotto,” said Pacquiao.

Source: philstar.com

Salvador Sanchez Lands on Pacquiao vs. Clottey Card

Top Rank has signed featherweight Salvador Sanchez who will box on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey 'The Event' Pay Per View on March 13 at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Bob Arum made the announcement today. Sanchez signed his contract during Top Rank's media tour in Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico this week.

Sanchez, 24, of Mexico has a record of 18-3-2 with eight straight wins. He boxes in the featherweight division and is managed by Grant Elvis Phillips.

"Salvador is so charismatic. He reminds me so much of his uncle who was such a great world champion. Everyone at Top Rank is very excited," Arum said.

Salvador is the nephew and namesake of former WBC featherweight world champion and Hall of Famer Salvador Sanchez. Salvador’s uncle, Salvador Sanchez, had a 44-1 record with 32 knockouts. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991. In honor of his uncle, Sanchez II wears his trunks and robe in the ring and looks like a
throwback to the 80s.

Source: boxingscene.com