Matthew Hurley, SecondsOut.com
When the fight was announced the two combatants were coming off markedly different performances. One frighteningly dominant, the other a test of wills that came down to a scant few points on the judges scorecards. One fighter seemed to be leap-frogging the perilous climb to pound-for-pound supremacy while the other seemed to be finding slippery wet patches as he struggled onward and upward. That their ring accomplishments are in fact comparable became a moot point – one was spectacularly exciting, the other as stoic and measured in his ring approach as his manner. READ MORE
Wednesday 21 October 2009
RP: A country you love to hate
Written by John Mangun / Outside the Box Business Mirror
It does not make any difference in the big picture of things. In fact, no one listens or cares. But it does make me feel better, so every few months I need to react to some of the negative attitudes and analyses about the Philippines.
I have compared the Philippines to its national sports hero Manny Pacquiao on occasion and I still think that comparison holds true; the best pound for pound and always confusing the experts.
Prior to Pacquiao’s fight with Ricky Hatton, Floyd Mayweather Sr. had this to say: “Is he crazy? [Ricky] Hatton will beat the socks off of [Manny] Pacquiao.” Of course, Pacquiao beat Hatton in what the British Broadcasting Corp. called “a devastating second-round defeat” in an article titled “Hatton floored by brutal Pacquiao.” And I particularly like the final sentence: “He [Hatton] was taken to hospital for a precautionary brain scan.” Maybe the “experts” who picked Hatton should have had that brain scan.
But that wasn’t the first time they misjudged Pacquiao and had it wrong.
Bob Velin, the boxing “expert” for USA Today, wrote this: “There are some who say that Manny Pacquiao must be crazy to get in the ring with Oscar de la Hoya.” We all know how that bout ended.
Underestimating the Philippines, like Pacquiao, is common. I like this from BusinessMirror on October 20: “Admitting it underestimated the flow of Filipino worker remittances and taking into consideration other growth factors, the World Bank [WB] is now likely to upgrade its full-year gross domestic product forecast for the Philippines originally pegged at negative 0.5 percent.” READ MORE
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It does not make any difference in the big picture of things. In fact, no one listens or cares. But it does make me feel better, so every few months I need to react to some of the negative attitudes and analyses about the Philippines.
I have compared the Philippines to its national sports hero Manny Pacquiao on occasion and I still think that comparison holds true; the best pound for pound and always confusing the experts.
Prior to Pacquiao’s fight with Ricky Hatton, Floyd Mayweather Sr. had this to say: “Is he crazy? [Ricky] Hatton will beat the socks off of [Manny] Pacquiao.” Of course, Pacquiao beat Hatton in what the British Broadcasting Corp. called “a devastating second-round defeat” in an article titled “Hatton floored by brutal Pacquiao.” And I particularly like the final sentence: “He [Hatton] was taken to hospital for a precautionary brain scan.” Maybe the “experts” who picked Hatton should have had that brain scan.
But that wasn’t the first time they misjudged Pacquiao and had it wrong.
Bob Velin, the boxing “expert” for USA Today, wrote this: “There are some who say that Manny Pacquiao must be crazy to get in the ring with Oscar de la Hoya.” We all know how that bout ended.
Underestimating the Philippines, like Pacquiao, is common. I like this from BusinessMirror on October 20: “Admitting it underestimated the flow of Filipino worker remittances and taking into consideration other growth factors, the World Bank [WB] is now likely to upgrade its full-year gross domestic product forecast for the Philippines originally pegged at negative 0.5 percent.” READ MORE
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Manny Pacquaio: Will underdog status play with Cotto’s mind and machismo?
By Gareth Davies, Telegraph.co.uk
It seems remarkable, given that Miguel Cotto is a tried and tested welterweight, when he meets Manny Pacquiao in the ring at the MGM Grand on Nov 14 in Las Vegas, he will be considered the underdog. It is already a subject being discussed in the Cotto training camp.
When this contest was first announced, the reaction of most observers was to point towards a Cotto victory. Too strong, too measured, a weight class too far for Pacman. We’d heard it all before. But the sands have slowly shifted. READ MORE
It seems remarkable, given that Miguel Cotto is a tried and tested welterweight, when he meets Manny Pacquiao in the ring at the MGM Grand on Nov 14 in Las Vegas, he will be considered the underdog. It is already a subject being discussed in the Cotto training camp.
When this contest was first announced, the reaction of most observers was to point towards a Cotto victory. Too strong, too measured, a weight class too far for Pacman. We’d heard it all before. But the sands have slowly shifted. READ MORE
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Hatton wants Mayweather rematch
BBC Sport
Ricky Hatton has said he could be tempted into a return to boxing by a re-match with Floyd Mayweather, the man who ended his unbeaten record in 2007.
The 31-year-old has not fought since losing to Manny Pacquiao in May.
"If I decide to come back it would need to be a fight to excite me. One person on my hit-list is Floyd Mayweather," Hatton told BBC Radio Stoke. READ MORE
Ricky Hatton has said he could be tempted into a return to boxing by a re-match with Floyd Mayweather, the man who ended his unbeaten record in 2007.
The 31-year-old has not fought since losing to Manny Pacquiao in May.
"If I decide to come back it would need to be a fight to excite me. One person on my hit-list is Floyd Mayweather," Hatton told BBC Radio Stoke. READ MORE
Flashback Floyd vs. Margarito: The Rodent & Snake Parable
By Scoop Manilowski, Boxing Insider
Warning: Mayweather fans may experience stress, anger, frustration and or severe denial after reading this unconventional viewpoint.
“He never expected this. He never expected a Margarito to come out of nowhere and challenge him. He’s off balance. He’s confused.”
“Mayweather was just concentrating on boxing and his record label. Margarito’s thing was, This is something I’ve never had before. So Mayweather kept pushing him away, pushing him away. The more he pushed him away, the more the desire built inside him,” said the very well-informed east coast boxing trainer. “And when he erupted like that, Floyd became the ant looking up at the mountain, with all the fire and lava coming out of it. In amazement. And Margarito took advantage of that. Because he got to a point where he built up and he built up and when he exploded, it wasn’t anything Floyd could do about it. So now Floyd has to go back and try to get back what he had before. It’s gonna be hard because Margarito got him off balance now. Floyd never saw this coming. He never expected this. And it happens all the time.” READ MORE
Warning: Mayweather fans may experience stress, anger, frustration and or severe denial after reading this unconventional viewpoint.
“He never expected this. He never expected a Margarito to come out of nowhere and challenge him. He’s off balance. He’s confused.”
“Mayweather was just concentrating on boxing and his record label. Margarito’s thing was, This is something I’ve never had before. So Mayweather kept pushing him away, pushing him away. The more he pushed him away, the more the desire built inside him,” said the very well-informed east coast boxing trainer. “And when he erupted like that, Floyd became the ant looking up at the mountain, with all the fire and lava coming out of it. In amazement. And Margarito took advantage of that. Because he got to a point where he built up and he built up and when he exploded, it wasn’t anything Floyd could do about it. So now Floyd has to go back and try to get back what he had before. It’s gonna be hard because Margarito got him off balance now. Floyd never saw this coming. He never expected this. And it happens all the time.” READ MORE
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Roach has Cotto’s tactics figured out
By NICK GIONGCO, October 21, 2009, Manila Bulletin
Freddie Roach has a gut feeling that Miguel Cotto is not going to press the action against Manny Pacquiao but will resort to being a counter-puncher in a bid to mess up the Filipino’s all-out attacking style when they meet on November 14 in Las Vegas.
Roach’s eyes lit up when told about reports about Cotto utilizing a 24x24 ring instead of the standard 18x18 that fighters normally use in preparing for fights. READ MORE
Freddie Roach has a gut feeling that Miguel Cotto is not going to press the action against Manny Pacquiao but will resort to being a counter-puncher in a bid to mess up the Filipino’s all-out attacking style when they meet on November 14 in Las Vegas.
Roach’s eyes lit up when told about reports about Cotto utilizing a 24x24 ring instead of the standard 18x18 that fighters normally use in preparing for fights. READ MORE
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Exclusive Interview: Antonio Tarver
By G. Leon, BoxingTalk.com
GL: Can you give us some thoughts on your Super Six experience?
Antonio Tarver: "It was a helluva an experience to be so close to the action working with Gus Johnson and Al Bernstein, who I feel is one of the most knowledgeable commentators in the game today. I'm very happy to be a part of this historical moment with the Super Six and all of the fighters involved."
GL: What are your thoughts on the fights and how they played out?
Antonio Tarver: "Personally I felt Dirrell did enough to win the fight. He landed the cleaner shots and he was busier. I feel he shouldn't have moved so much, he should have held his ground more. He had the speed, elusiveness and defense to stand his ground and counter Froch instead of moving and running so much. Once it got late in the fight he got a little sloppy and allowed Froch to do some things. As a champion, I would have never been awarded a decision that was that close. I don't care if I was fighting in Orlando, Florida. Looking at my history, if I got decisions like that I'd be 33-2 right now. Sometimes you have to go take the champions belt, but I think Dirrell did well and showed he belonged in the Super Six. Sometimes losing makes you a better fighter, so hopefully he goes back to work and tightens it all up. I personally think he needs a more experienced trainer to get rid of some of those amatuerish things he does. He fought like a great amatuer the other night. I think he needs some fine-tuning to become a better professional fighter." READ MORE
GL: Can you give us some thoughts on your Super Six experience?
Antonio Tarver: "It was a helluva an experience to be so close to the action working with Gus Johnson and Al Bernstein, who I feel is one of the most knowledgeable commentators in the game today. I'm very happy to be a part of this historical moment with the Super Six and all of the fighters involved."
GL: What are your thoughts on the fights and how they played out?
Antonio Tarver: "Personally I felt Dirrell did enough to win the fight. He landed the cleaner shots and he was busier. I feel he shouldn't have moved so much, he should have held his ground more. He had the speed, elusiveness and defense to stand his ground and counter Froch instead of moving and running so much. Once it got late in the fight he got a little sloppy and allowed Froch to do some things. As a champion, I would have never been awarded a decision that was that close. I don't care if I was fighting in Orlando, Florida. Looking at my history, if I got decisions like that I'd be 33-2 right now. Sometimes you have to go take the champions belt, but I think Dirrell did well and showed he belonged in the Super Six. Sometimes losing makes you a better fighter, so hopefully he goes back to work and tightens it all up. I personally think he needs a more experienced trainer to get rid of some of those amatuerish things he does. He fought like a great amatuer the other night. I think he needs some fine-tuning to become a better professional fighter." READ MORE
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When will Golota just go away?
By Eric Raskin, The Ring
When Micky Ward compares his late friend and rival Arturo Gatti to Jason Voorhees, as he does almost every time anyone interviews him, he means it as a compliment. No matter what Ward hit him with, Gatti just wouldn’t stay down. All that “Thunder” was missing was the goalie’s mask.
Another pugilistic “A.G.” from the same era, Andrew Golota, could also conjure up images of Jason Voorhees, but in his case, there’s nothing flattering about the comparison. Golota is more like the Friday The 13th movies themselves than the lead antagonist. We enjoyed his first couple of incarnations, but before long we couldn’t believe they were still cranking out these sequels and we especially couldn’t believe the public still supported them. With the movies, the question was, “How many hundreds of horny teenagers do they have to butcher before moviegoers lose interest?” With Golota, the question was, “How many times does he have to come unglued in the ring before promoters stop trying to bring him back?” READ MORE
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When Micky Ward compares his late friend and rival Arturo Gatti to Jason Voorhees, as he does almost every time anyone interviews him, he means it as a compliment. No matter what Ward hit him with, Gatti just wouldn’t stay down. All that “Thunder” was missing was the goalie’s mask.
Another pugilistic “A.G.” from the same era, Andrew Golota, could also conjure up images of Jason Voorhees, but in his case, there’s nothing flattering about the comparison. Golota is more like the Friday The 13th movies themselves than the lead antagonist. We enjoyed his first couple of incarnations, but before long we couldn’t believe they were still cranking out these sequels and we especially couldn’t believe the public still supported them. With the movies, the question was, “How many hundreds of horny teenagers do they have to butcher before moviegoers lose interest?” With Golota, the question was, “How many times does he have to come unglued in the ring before promoters stop trying to bring him back?” READ MORE
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New York Times and Boxing
By Thomas Hauser, SecondsOut.com
There was a time when big fights were chronicled in the New York Times with banner headlines in large type that stretched across the front page.
Those days are long ago. Newspapers across the country are abandoning the sweet science. Like the sport itself, writing about boxing is fading from view. But the Times is America’s newspaper of record. Being slighted by the fabled “gray lady of journalism” cuts particularly deep.
“The Times is important,” says publicist Fred Sternburg. “It’s still the New York Times. If a million people buy a fight on pay-per-view, you’d think that some of the paper’s readers would want to know what’s going on in boxing. But you don’t get that in the Times anymore. The Wall Street Journal covers boxing in greater depth now than the Times.”
“Do we want to be in the New York Times?” Lee Samuels (director of publicity for Top Rank) asks rhetorically. “Of course, we do. Coverage in the Times is contagious. It really gets the word out there. We make phone calls. We send them advisories on everything we do. They’re always welcome at ringside. But except for the occasional big fight, we don’t get any coverage at all. It hasn’t been for lack of trying.” READ MORE
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There was a time when big fights were chronicled in the New York Times with banner headlines in large type that stretched across the front page.
Those days are long ago. Newspapers across the country are abandoning the sweet science. Like the sport itself, writing about boxing is fading from view. But the Times is America’s newspaper of record. Being slighted by the fabled “gray lady of journalism” cuts particularly deep.
“The Times is important,” says publicist Fred Sternburg. “It’s still the New York Times. If a million people buy a fight on pay-per-view, you’d think that some of the paper’s readers would want to know what’s going on in boxing. But you don’t get that in the Times anymore. The Wall Street Journal covers boxing in greater depth now than the Times.”
“Do we want to be in the New York Times?” Lee Samuels (director of publicity for Top Rank) asks rhetorically. “Of course, we do. Coverage in the Times is contagious. It really gets the word out there. We make phone calls. We send them advisories on everything we do. They’re always welcome at ringside. But except for the occasional big fight, we don’t get any coverage at all. It hasn’t been for lack of trying.” READ MORE
***
Thomas Hauser
(Thomas Hauser can be reached by e-mail at thauser@rcn.com. His most recent book (“An Unforgiving Sport”) has been published by The University of Arkansas Press.)
Underdog tag fires up Cotto against Pacquiao
GMANewsTV.com
He’s the defending World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion but he’s installed as the underdog against Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao.
Believe it or not, Boricuan bomber Miguel Cotto wouldn’t mind. On the contrary, he cherished that underdog tag for it gives him extra motivation and fire to pull the rug from under the favored Pacquiao when they lock mitts on Nov. 14 in Las Vegas.
According to his chief trainer Joe Santiago, Cotto faced a similar situation back in 2006, against compatriot Carlos "El Indio" Quintana for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight crown. Result: He shamed oddsmakers by hacking out a fifth round TKO win. READ MORE
He’s the defending World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion but he’s installed as the underdog against Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao.
Believe it or not, Boricuan bomber Miguel Cotto wouldn’t mind. On the contrary, he cherished that underdog tag for it gives him extra motivation and fire to pull the rug from under the favored Pacquiao when they lock mitts on Nov. 14 in Las Vegas.
According to his chief trainer Joe Santiago, Cotto faced a similar situation back in 2006, against compatriot Carlos "El Indio" Quintana for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight crown. Result: He shamed oddsmakers by hacking out a fifth round TKO win. READ MORE
A clever boxing analyst or an egotistical writer nursing a wounded pride
BoxingNewsWorld.blogspot.com
First of all, let me say that I have a great deal of respect for all boxing writers and analysts out there. They are amongst, if not the most knowledgeable people in the business. They make an already exciting game even more invigorating and enjoyable with their clever insights, bold predictions, and accurate boxing reports. Most of all, they keep us – boxing fans – properly informed.
Hence, I usually believe them when they write opinionated articles about boxers - Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather Jr or anybody else - because, as I’ve said, they know the game more than most people. However, I can’t help but disagree with Manuel Perez of BoxingNews24.com on a particular issue about Manny Pacquiao.
Just days before the Ricky Hatton – Manny Pacquiao fight, Manuel Perez was one of the few boxing writers who were perhaps overly praising Ricky Hatton, saying:
"All of those fighters (Morales, Barrera, and Marquez) were either much too little, or too old to even be considered as competition for Ricky Hatton. I can just imagine would happen if Fahsan 3K Battery stepped in the ring with Hatton, it wouldn’t be pretty. Hatton would literally be lifting him up with punches to the body and head and would probably send him flying out of the ring with a big shot."
He predicted a victory for the Englishman in one of his articles. To quote:
"Given that Hatton is the bigger, stronger, and healthier fighter at 140, I’m picking him to defeat Pacquaio. I think Manny is a great fighter, but he’s more suited for the super featherweight division than the higher weight classes of lightweight and light welterweight division.”
Then after Manny’s spectacular KO of Ricky, he was amongst those few personalities who were quick to say that Ricky was a shot fighter (although in fairness, he had mentioned before the fight that Ricky "is more like a relic of the past still competing against lesser fighters").
“The more I hear about Manny Pacquiao looking for a bout against Miguel Cotto the more I lose complete respect for Manny. First Pacquiao fights a shot and weight drained Oscar De La Hoya, who had to agree to come in at one of Pacquiao’s catch weight requests, then Pacquiao fights another shot fighter in Ricky Hatton, who also looked weight drained", he said.
Now, I’m abit confused. Can a fighter become shot overnight?
If the answer to this question is yes, then Manuel Perez has a valid point. But if it takes numerous boxing rounds or a couple of fights to accurately determine if a fighter is over-the-hill, then he is quite mistaken.
While I’m pondering for an answer, I am also wondering if Manuel Perez is a clever boxing analyst or an egotistical writer nursing a wounded pride.
Marshall N. B.
Boxing Fan
First of all, let me say that I have a great deal of respect for all boxing writers and analysts out there. They are amongst, if not the most knowledgeable people in the business. They make an already exciting game even more invigorating and enjoyable with their clever insights, bold predictions, and accurate boxing reports. Most of all, they keep us – boxing fans – properly informed.
Hence, I usually believe them when they write opinionated articles about boxers - Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather Jr or anybody else - because, as I’ve said, they know the game more than most people. However, I can’t help but disagree with Manuel Perez of BoxingNews24.com on a particular issue about Manny Pacquiao.
Just days before the Ricky Hatton – Manny Pacquiao fight, Manuel Perez was one of the few boxing writers who were perhaps overly praising Ricky Hatton, saying:
"All of those fighters (Morales, Barrera, and Marquez) were either much too little, or too old to even be considered as competition for Ricky Hatton. I can just imagine would happen if Fahsan 3K Battery stepped in the ring with Hatton, it wouldn’t be pretty. Hatton would literally be lifting him up with punches to the body and head and would probably send him flying out of the ring with a big shot."
He predicted a victory for the Englishman in one of his articles. To quote:
"Given that Hatton is the bigger, stronger, and healthier fighter at 140, I’m picking him to defeat Pacquaio. I think Manny is a great fighter, but he’s more suited for the super featherweight division than the higher weight classes of lightweight and light welterweight division.”
Then after Manny’s spectacular KO of Ricky, he was amongst those few personalities who were quick to say that Ricky was a shot fighter (although in fairness, he had mentioned before the fight that Ricky "is more like a relic of the past still competing against lesser fighters").
“The more I hear about Manny Pacquiao looking for a bout against Miguel Cotto the more I lose complete respect for Manny. First Pacquiao fights a shot and weight drained Oscar De La Hoya, who had to agree to come in at one of Pacquiao’s catch weight requests, then Pacquiao fights another shot fighter in Ricky Hatton, who also looked weight drained", he said.
Now, I’m abit confused. Can a fighter become shot overnight?
If the answer to this question is yes, then Manuel Perez has a valid point. But if it takes numerous boxing rounds or a couple of fights to accurately determine if a fighter is over-the-hill, then he is quite mistaken.
While I’m pondering for an answer, I am also wondering if Manuel Perez is a clever boxing analyst or an egotistical writer nursing a wounded pride.
Marshall N. B.
Boxing Fan
Joe Santiago: Manny Pacquiao is in for a real tough night
By Ben Thompson, FightHYpe.com
Miguel Cotto is obviously at the point of his career where he's at his best. He's going to show everyone that he's at his best. READ MORE
Miguel Cotto is obviously at the point of his career where he's at his best. He's going to show everyone that he's at his best. READ MORE
All Time Great Status (Pacquiao/Mayweather) A Comparative Look
By Lou “Cinder” Block, Now Boxing
I have received a ton of biased and even vulgar comments on my previous articles by irate fans, some even questioning my knowledge of the sport. Well to these guys if you ain’t riding Pacman’s wagon you are the enemy and an idiot who does not know boxing. In my recent piece "The only way Pacquiao can win is if Cotto has an off night” I was blasted because of my opinion on the upcoming fight between Cotto and Pacman even being called a “Cotto hugger”. READ MORE
I have received a ton of biased and even vulgar comments on my previous articles by irate fans, some even questioning my knowledge of the sport. Well to these guys if you ain’t riding Pacman’s wagon you are the enemy and an idiot who does not know boxing. In my recent piece "The only way Pacquiao can win is if Cotto has an off night” I was blasted because of my opinion on the upcoming fight between Cotto and Pacman even being called a “Cotto hugger”. READ MORE
PACQUIAO WATCH: Asia’s best guns for immortality
By Edwin G. Espejo, PhilBoxing.com
FILIPINO boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao is set to leave for the United States Saturday where he will resume training for his November 14 title fight against Puerto Rican Miguel Angel Cotto. Pacquiao will try to wrest Cotto’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown and annex his seventh title in as many weight divisions. READ MORE
FILIPINO boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao is set to leave for the United States Saturday where he will resume training for his November 14 title fight against Puerto Rican Miguel Angel Cotto. Pacquiao will try to wrest Cotto’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown and annex his seventh title in as many weight divisions. READ MORE
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