'Floyd will be easier'

Mayweather vs Mosley
By Abac Cordero (The Philippine Star) Updated March 16, 2010 12:00 AM

HOLLYWOOD – He had little trouble fighting Joshua Clottey, and Manny Pacquiao is confident he’ll have an even easier time against Floyd Mayweather Jr.

“His (Mayweather) style is not as difficult as Clottey’s. It’s easy to study,” said Pacquiao after going 12 rounds and disposing of his Ghanaian challenger last Saturday before nearly 51,000 fans at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas.

Pacquiao won by unanimous decision, taking all 12 rounds with one judge and yielding only the third round with the two others, to retain his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight belt. He was in control from start to finish, and was never in trouble despite taking some hits.

He said he took them almost voluntarily.

“Kaya eh (I can take it),” said Pacquiao after disembarking from the chartered Boeing 737-800 that took him, his wife Jinkee, his family, team members and friends – more than 150 of them – from Dallas to Los Angeles.

Pacquiao, in an overcoat, white fedora and Ferragamo shades, marched down the aisle of the “Air Pacquiao” jumbo jet to be with his passengers. Then he spent the rest of the flight playing cards with friends.

He said he tried to break Clottey’s defense and go for a knockout. But the challenger was so stubborn he let Pacquiao hit him on the body instead.

“Ayaw sumuntok eh, kaya nagpapasuntok na din ako, para bumukas (He wouldn’t throw punches so I let him hit me so he’d open up),” Pacquiao said.

The pound-for-pound king said it could be the same thing all over again if and when he gets a chance to face Mayweather, also known for his defense, and his tendency to settle for a decision than risk going for a knockout.

“But Mayweather must do his business first,” said Pacquiao of the flamboyant American, who challenges WBA welterweight champion Shane Mosley for the title on May 1 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“Floyd, come to the ring and fight us,” said Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach.

Pacquiao said he’s ready to face Mayweather anytime, anywhere as long as it’s the boxing commission, and not the undefeated ex-pound-for-pound champion, that will dictate the drug testing rules.

In the meantime, Pacquiao wants to have a good time after keeping his WBO welterweight crown.

After arriving from Dallas, he boarded his two-seater Mercedes with Jinkee and headed to their $2-million home at Larchmont Park.

All seems to be well with the First Couple of pro boxing.

They plan to spend a couple more days here in LA before flying to Hawaii for the boxer’s concert on Sunday. Details of the trip back to Manila will be determined after the concert.

Politics next in line

Meanwhile, the Nacionalista Party (NP) will honor Pacquiao with a hero’s welcome.

Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. said Pacquiao phoned him after the fight and committed to join the NP campaign trail.

“When he arrives we will help him campaign in Sarangani and he will help me with my own campaign,” Villar said in Filipino.

Pacquiao is running for congressman under the NP banner in the lone district of Sarangani against Roy Chongbian, a scion of the province’s former governor.

He joined the NP last Dec. 18 during his 31st birthday celebration, with Villar personally administering the oath at his residence in General Santos City.

Even Villar’s closest opponent in the May 10 presidential elections, Sen. Benigno Aquino III, congratulated Pacquiao, saying it should not matter who the boxing icon will support in the coming elections.

“The pound-for-pound king is one of many reasons why Filipinos all around the world are proud of their heritage. I congratulate Manny Pacquiao for the ability he showed and his victory. This is a great honor for our country. This again proves that Filipinos can take a chance, succeed and be recognized all over the world,” Aquino said. “It doesn’t matter what color of t-shirt he chooses to wear outside of the ring.”

“When he is in the ring doing what he does best, the colors I see are red, blue, white, and yellow. He should be an inspiration to all of us,” he added.

LP guest senatorial candidate and Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros also praised Pacquiao but had a mouthful to say against Villar.

“Manny Pacquiao plays fair, and Manny Villar should follow suit. Pacman had the support and admiration of the people precisely because he fought fairly, a fact that the other Manny shouldn’t ignore,” she said.

“Pacman doesn’t cheat to win. He is willing to face pain to earn his victory, making each and every match a good fight,” she explained. “The other Manny, on the other hand, has no qualms about using money to win the game.”

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, godfather of Pacquiao’s fourth and youngest daughter Queenie, lauded his kumpadre for dominating the fight and bringing honor to the country.

But Ang Kapatiran Party presidential candidate JC de los Reyes urged Pacquiao to deliver a knockout punch to politicians surrounding him who are promoting the blood sport, which he said is doing the country no good.

De los Reyes said instead of promoting boxing he would rather inspire kids to study and pursue their ambitions in life rather than become a boxer.

Hero’s welcome

In Malacañang, deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar said the Palace is also preparing a hero’s welcome for the boxer who previously received national citations from President Arroyo.

“With his ability to inspire and unite the people, Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao could make a champion public servant,” Olivar said.

“But we hope Manny can create a common denominator of being a champion boxer and a champion public servant, in the event he shifts to a new career.”

Olivar admitted that the Palace regretted the fact that Pacquiao chose to run with the NP instead of under the administration despite his closeness to the President.

He said there would be no politics in the welcome being prepared by the Palace for the Filipino boxing icon.

“He is first and foremost a Filipino boxing icon. We trust that Manny will continue to maintain himself above all else as a symbol of national unity and national pride,” he said.

Not to be outdone, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said it will confer an award on Army Senior Master Sergeant Reservist Pacquiao.

“We are still determining what award can be given to Pacquiao but for sure, he will be receiving an award. He may be given an outstanding achievement medal for his victory,” AFP spokesman Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said in Filipino.

“The Armed Forces of the Philippines is honored to have a reservist who succeeded and who gave honor to our country,” he said.

Burgos said AFP chief of staff Gen. Delfin Bangit is planning to invite Pacquiao to visit the AFP Medical Center, where injured soldiers are confined.

“He (Bangit) saw in the face of the soldiers there that they are very happy with his (Pacquiao) victory. Many of them idolize him,” he said.

Burgos said some soldiers who watched the people’s champ’s last fight had a hard time expressing their joy because of their disabilities.

“One of the soldiers there wanted to clap but he can’t because he already lost his left hand. Another wants to stand to express his joy when Pacquiao was declared the winner but he failed because of wounds in his feet,” he said.

“Pacquiao raised the morale of these soldiers,” he added.

Around 2,000 soldiers watched the Pacquiao-Clottey match on Sunday in three venues at the AFP General headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo.

Military personnel and civilians were allowed to watch the fight for free at the AFP Wellness Center and the AFP Grandstand.

Those who opted to watch the match inside the AFP Multi-Purpose Theater shelled out P500.

The Pacquiao-Clottey bout was also aired live at the Philippine Army Gymnasium and the Bonifacio Naval Station in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City and the Philippine Air Force Gym at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.

In the same press briefing, Burgos said the military did not record any armed encounter during the duration of the fight.

“The situation last Sunday was orderly, particularly during the time when everyone was watching Pacquiao. But the military remained alert and ready for anything,” he said.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said the peace and order situation last Sunday was “generally peaceful and orderly.” - Aurea Calica, Paolo Romero, Perseus Echeminada, Jose Rodel Clapano, Alexis Romero

Source: philstar.com

Penguins for Pacquiao, only bout that matters is Mayweather

Mayweather vs Mosley
Boxing Examiner | Michael Marley

HOUSTON EN ROUTE TO NEW YORK--I swim too deep and too regularly in the slime-infested waters of boxing.

I'm part of the industry, like it or not.

The muck, the mire and the giant carp in this sewer obscure my view of what is above.

So I am not an accurate barometer of what the casual boxing fan, the Big Event fan, wants. Taking the pulse of the thimble-sized world of fights nuts that is something different.

So, as I head back home after full week in Pacland Los Angeles and one full week in Pacland Dallas I was wondering what the non myopic observer would most like to see Pacman do next.

Then I picked up Monday's Wall Street Journal and read Jason Gay's column, The Couch.

Gay has nailed it and Mayweather, Pacquiao, HBO and their respective promoters better take notice.

The public pulse is palpable. The public pulse sends out strong signals that only fight really matters and that is the classic battle of Good Versus Evil, that matchup of humble hero Pacman against the bodacious braggart Money May.

If boxing fumbles this fight a second time, it deserves to take a standing eight count.

If the customers do matter, then the Big One gets delivered by November or January.

We add the proviso that Mayweather must dispose of Sugar Shane on May 1. Otherwise, Shane becomes the only Manny foe who matters to the masses.

I cannot see that happening but...

i want to see HBO bossman Ross Greenburg take charge, start slamming some fatheads on both sides of the negotiating table together..

No more passive Clotteys, please.

I had Clottey Fatigue after the Girl Scout marshmallow roast excuse of a prefight press conference last Wednesday.

I told you guys that Clottey's goal was to finish second and he did.

It's like Larry The Cable guy's catch phrase, it is Get-R-Done time for Mayweather-Pacquiao.

We don't want to hear any more yada, yada, yada, any more vile talk, about blood vials.

Here's Gay's witty and on point take:

"Can we just get Pacquiao-Mayweather done? We're bored of watching Mr. Pacquiao's wizened trainer, Freddie Roach, try to feign interest in these low-watt opponents. If Mr. Mayweather survives a May 1 date with Shane Mosley in Las Vegas, let's get this snuggle on.

"Of course, the Mayweather and Pacquiao camps will first have to bicker over money, drug testing, the prefight buffet and whether to hold the showdown in Vegas, Dallas, Antartica, Richard Branson's pirvate spacelair, or at atop a whale shark circumnavigating the Seychelles."

Personally, I vote for chilling at the South Pole. Imagine the huge crowd all resplendent in their tuxedoes.

You know, all those Penguins for Pacquiao.

Source: Examiner.com

Pacquiao and Roach slap Mayweather on HBO

Mayweather vs Mosley
Mississippi Fight Sports Examiner | Brad Cooney

After dominating Joshua Clottey in front of 50,000 people in Dallas, Manny Pacquiao sent a little message to Floyd Mayweather, "He better win or I will fight Mosley." Following up that message, Roach said, "We fight by the commission rules not Floyd's rules. Floyd just get into the ring and fight."

Clearly both men have run out of patience with Floyd Mayweather and they let that be known in front of the 50,000 in Dallas, not to mention the national television audience. Mayweather is scheduled to take on Shane Mosley, which is no easy task. Pacquiao talked loudly and clearly on Saturday night, "He better win or I can fight Mosley."

Mayweather knows that a loss to Mosley will cost him about 30 to 40 million dollars. Shane Mosley wants a piece of the pie also, so he will be gunning for a victory like there is no tomorrow. Both Mosley and Mayweather know that Pacquiao brings the biggest payday. Mayweather can talk all day long, at the end of the day everyone knows that Manny is the cash cow.

Mississippians have demanded the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight since it was first being talked about. When I toured the sports bars in Jackson, MS it was very apparent upon speaking about this fight what the fans wanted. When former US Olympian Garry Russell fought in Tunica, MS a few months ago, the entire talk of the casino was Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. Boxing coaches, fighters, promoters, and fans were all talking about the fight. This fight must happen, it's good for boxing, and it will have all of the ingredients, all of the hype to lift boxing up back to where it used to be.

Read up on Pacquiao's popularity here - http://www.examiner.com/x-27469-Boston-Boxing-Examiner~y2010m3d14-Pacquiao-now-a-household-name-in-USA

Freddie Roach made it clear in an interview with this writer that his dislike for the Mayweathers is really pointed toward Roger Mayweather, and not so much Floyd Sr or Jr. Roach has the most anger toward Roger Mayweather. That's not to say that Freddie will be sending Floyd Sr or Jr Birthday cards anytime soon, but he clearly does not like Roger Mayweather at all. Manny on the other hand, well he is so humble that it's rare to ever hear him say anything negative about anyone. When Manny told the 50,000 people in Dallas that Mayweather better win or he would fight Mosley, that was about as close to a slap as Manny could conjure up.

See VIDEO interviews with Freddie Roach and Manny Pacquiao here - http://www.8countnews.com

The messages that both Freddie and Manny sent to Floyd on Saturday night were pretty clear. Basically they were saying, quit the bullcrap Floyd, fight or go away.

Read up on upcoming boxing interviews on my blog - http://www.bradcooney.com

Source: Examiner.com

Pressure now on Floyd Jr to beat Mosley

Mayweather vs Mosley
Now the pressure is on Floyd Mayweather Jr.

With Manny Pacquiao getting past Joshua Clottey Saturday (Sunday in Manila) in their welterweight title fight, the fighter now known as "Money" is hard pressed to beat "Sugar" Shane Mosley on May 1 if only to get their potentially blockbuster showdown still on track.

If we get that fight, I have no doubt in my mind that Manny would break through that defense by just pounding on (Mayweather's) shoulder until it breaks.
– Freddie Roach, Pacquiao trainer

A Mayweather loss two months from now at the MGM Grand where Mosley’s World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight crown will be at stake, could be very damaging.

"The people want that fight, they want to see that fight so it’s up to him," said Pacquiao, giving the crowd of more than 50,000 inside the Cowboys Stadium the reason to roar minutes after the current holder of the mythical pound-for-pound title retained his WBO title belt with a dominating performance over Joshua Clottey.

"But he should win against Mosley. If not, Mosley and I will fight."

Instead of Clottey, Pacquiao was already penciled to meet Mayweather last Saturday in a bout projected to be the biggest and richest in boxing history.

A last-minute disagreement on the drug-testing protocol, however, shot down the prospect of seeing two of the best fighters in the world, pound-for-pound, squaring off inside the ring.

Junior insisted that he and Pacquiao submit to a random, Olympic-style drug testing before and after the fight, a demand flatly rejected by the Filipino southpaw.

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s outspoken trainer, challenged Mayweather to just concentrate on his work as a boxer and let the boxing body do its own job.

"It’s the fight the world wants to see. Me and Manny want to see it. Floyd, let the (boxing) commission do its job. You don’t run the sport. Get into the ring and fight us," he said.

And Roach believes once they make the fight, Pacquiao will show not even an excellent defensive fighter like Mayweather could withstand the Pacman’s power.

"If we get that fight, I have no doubt in my mind that Manny would break through that defense by just pounding on his shoulder until it breaks," Roach said.

"We will show how to crush that Mayweather defense and we will crush him."

Top Rank Promotions’ Bob Arum was in the same page as Roach, saying the rules of the state commission where the fight will be held should be the ones to be followed, and not by any personal demands made outside of the negotiations.

Arum doesn’t doubt that once Pacquiao gets Mayweather to agree in fighting him,
the Pacman will pick the American apart.

"Manny will break down any defense," he said. “He never gets tired. He throws a million punches. If Mayweather doesn't come out of his shell Manny will pile up the points like he did (against Clottey)."

"When you're in with a buzz saw, it's very difficult to do anything. Manny prevented Clottey from throwing his punches by throwing his own punches, and he throws from so many angles." – GMANews.TV

Source: GMANews.tv

News SALUD, ARIZA BELIEVE MAYWEATHER WON’T FIGHT PACQUIAO

Mayweather vs Mosley
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 15 Mar 2010

The consensus among respected boxing aficionados led by WBC founding secretary general and former PBA Commissioner Rudy Salud is that Floyd Mayweather Jr will never fight pound-for-pound king and “Fighter of the Decade” Manny Pacquiao.

Also sharing the views of Salud was conditioning expert Alex Ariza.

Salud told us that Mayweather, after watching the masterful performance of Pacquiao against the defensive rock Joshua Clottey, would be convinced more than ever that to face Pacquiao would be to court disaster.

Salud said “I feel that all the more Mayweather is going farther away” from a fight with Pacquiao, adding “how can we expect Mayweather to ever say ‘yes’? They will think of all the reasons not to make it happen.”

He said Clottey with his stance was a better defensive fighter than Mayweather who merely rolls his shoulder, leans back and run. Salud said that Mayweather was sure to have been struck by the relentless punching machine that Pacquiao proved he was, at the same lightning pace from round one to twelve which combined with his lateral and rapid in and out movement would trouble Mayweather. He said he was confident that if Mayweather accepted the challenge he would almost surely be knocked out.

Ariza said that Pacquiao’s performance showed the Filipino southpaw was “faster than Floyd” and “if he hits Mayweather the way he hit Clottey there is no he can take that kind of power.”

The conditioning expert who proved that they didn’t take the Clottey fight for granted by training hard when Pacquiao went at the same incredible pace for all twelve rounds said “when he saw what Manny did to Clottey. He hit Clottey so hard that he was afraid to throw punches. The body shots were devastating.”

Ariza also agreed with the observations of internationally well-known architect Jun Palafox and undersecretary of Health Elmer Punzalan who were guests on the popular dzMM Teleradyo show of Vic Jose hours before the fight and pointed out a crucial fact about the texture of Clottey’s skin. Both boxing fans said the texture of the skin of Africans was different, resilient and capable of standing much more pain than others, very much like the water buffalo.

Ariza said “of course it's because of the climate. It's like the hide of a buffalo. If you looked at Clottey’s face after the fight you could see there was some swelling but very minimal.”

Both Ariza and Koncz revealed there had been some talk about a fight for Pacquiao in October or November which would be after the May 10 elections where he is seeking the lone congressional seat in Sarangani.

However, Ariza who sat down with Pacquiao and spoke to him alone for some 20 minutes after they got home from the Los Angeles airport told us “he’s gonna rest. He doesn’t want to push it. I told him to rest for a while because this was the second twelve round fight in a row (the first being against Miguel Cotto last November.) Give your body a few months, six months rest.”

Ariza said they “went over what he did (against Clottey) and we are really proud of him. He is not just big, he is such a good great role model who inspires these other young guys.”

TV analyst and original Team Pacquiao member Moy Lainez disagreed. He said the bottom line is money and he doubts whether both Mayweather and Pacquiao would turn their back on the possibility of earning $40 to $50 million.

Lainez said Mayweather knows that should he beat him Pacquiao will retire unless Mosley beats Mayweather paving the way for a Pacquiao-Mosley showdown which would be much easier to make..

At the same time Lainez indicated that much will depend on the outcome of the elections. Lainez noted that Pacquiao had bought a house in Los Angeles and he feels that should Pacquiao lose, “he might stay there and just come here once in a while.”

Source: PhilBoxing.com