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Saturday 7 November 2009
Freddie Roach talks tough; Manny Pacquiao backs it up
By Jeff Haney, Las Vegas Sun
Los Angeles — Freddie Roach has earned a reputation as boxing’s finest trainer. More than this, in recent years Roach has become a master of psychological gamesmanship.
Roach has developed a knack for making just the right remark to get into the heads of his opposition before a fight, for playing those mind games — “pushing the barriers, planting seeds,” as ringside color commentator John Lennon put it.
“Freddie is an expert psychologist,” promoter Bob Arum said. “He fires these shots hoping to get under the guy’s skin, and he has an advantage because he was a competitive fighter himself. He had a long series of fights and he knows all about head games.”
Before a training session this week with Manny Pacquiao at his Wild Card Boxing Club, Roach said he took up the psyche-out game in earnest last year. He enjoyed matching wits with Oscar De La Hoya — and believes he got the best of the Golden Boy — in the buildup to Pacquiao’s fight with De La Hoya last December.
Roach followed by scoring a unanimous decision in a battle of words with Ricky Hatton’s trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr., leading up to Pacquiao’s next fight.
“For the Oscar fight, it worked so well, and I got in his head so much,” Roach said. “I’ll take any advantage I can get.”
During preparations for Pacquiao’s fight with Miguel Cotto set for Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand — first in Pacquiao’s native Philippines, later back in Southern California at the Wild Card — Roach caused a minor stir in Cotto’s camp by predicting a knockout victory for Pacquiao.
Originally Roach said the knockout would come in the first round. Later he amended the projection to a ninth-round knockout of Cotto, who has only one loss in his splendid pro career.
Cotto and his team insist they don’t care what Roach says. On a conference call Thursday, Cotto sounded as if he had had enough.
“Forget about Freddie Roach,” he said, the volume of his voice rising perhaps a fraction of a decibel — which for the even-tempered Cotto is paramount to a Lee Elia-style rant.
Roach thinks that like the Player Queen, Camp Cotto is protesting too much.
“Why would they talk about it unless it’s bothering them?” Roach said. “I’m in their heads.”
In studying video of Cotto’s previous fights, Roach said he spotted several fundamental flaws in Cotto’s style that Pacquiao will be able to exploit.
“No one is correcting them, and we’re going to take advantage of that,” Roach said. “I love this fight for Manny Pacquiao. I’m very confident in my guy.”
Pacquiao stayed on course during the Philippines portion of training camp, Roach said, even as typhoons devastated much of the archipelago.
Viewed as a national treasure in his native land, Pacquiao emerged in top-notch fighting shape despite demands on his time from various Filipino politicians.
Pacquiao went 16 rounds without a break with Roach on the mitts Monday at the Wild Card, and he sparred eight rounds Tuesday at the gym.
“One thing about the Philippines, they’re having a tough time right now because of the typhoons and so forth,” Roach said. “You know what? (Pacquiao) knows his people need motivation and something to smile about and he’s going to give that to them ...
“It’s going to be a positive for us. That’s the way we’re going to use it.”
Pacquiao weighed 148 to 149 pounds this week, with Cotto checking in at 150. The Nov. 14 fight, in which Cotto risks his WBO welterweight belt and Pacquiao will seek a title in a seventh weight class, is scheduled to take place at a “catch weight” of 145 pounds, two pounds below the welterweight limit.
“Manny’s a much bigger, stronger guy than he was last fight,” Roach said. “This is going to be an easy fight for us.”
Asked if he agreed with his trainer’s assessment, Pacquiao smiled, but then made the zipped-lips gesture by drawing his finger across his mouth.
The message was clear. He lets Roach handle the brazen predictions, the comments that make headlines — the mind games.
“My mouth is closed,” Pacquiao said.
Speaking softly in a tiny dressing room off the main floor at the Wild Card before a workout, Pacquiao, a Catholic, said he thanks God every day for his success — “the fame, the wealth, everything.”
He’s not worried about Cotto’s more muscular frame, his potent punching ability, or his vicious left hook.
“It’s not about comparing the power,” Pacquiao said. “Sometimes what’s in the mind, the knowledge, is the power.”
Pacquiao said his father, Rosalio, will be at the MGM to watch him fight for the first time in America next Saturday. His mother, Dionisia, will also attend.
He said he feels a responsibility to the sport that goes beyond himself and his family.
“You have to make people like the way you fight,” he said. “Not just Filipinos, but people all over the world who watch the fight. I want them to be satisfied.”
Source: lasvegassun.com
Los Angeles — Freddie Roach has earned a reputation as boxing’s finest trainer. More than this, in recent years Roach has become a master of psychological gamesmanship.
Roach has developed a knack for making just the right remark to get into the heads of his opposition before a fight, for playing those mind games — “pushing the barriers, planting seeds,” as ringside color commentator John Lennon put it.
“Freddie is an expert psychologist,” promoter Bob Arum said. “He fires these shots hoping to get under the guy’s skin, and he has an advantage because he was a competitive fighter himself. He had a long series of fights and he knows all about head games.”
Before a training session this week with Manny Pacquiao at his Wild Card Boxing Club, Roach said he took up the psyche-out game in earnest last year. He enjoyed matching wits with Oscar De La Hoya — and believes he got the best of the Golden Boy — in the buildup to Pacquiao’s fight with De La Hoya last December.
Roach followed by scoring a unanimous decision in a battle of words with Ricky Hatton’s trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr., leading up to Pacquiao’s next fight.
“For the Oscar fight, it worked so well, and I got in his head so much,” Roach said. “I’ll take any advantage I can get.”
During preparations for Pacquiao’s fight with Miguel Cotto set for Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand — first in Pacquiao’s native Philippines, later back in Southern California at the Wild Card — Roach caused a minor stir in Cotto’s camp by predicting a knockout victory for Pacquiao.
Originally Roach said the knockout would come in the first round. Later he amended the projection to a ninth-round knockout of Cotto, who has only one loss in his splendid pro career.
Cotto and his team insist they don’t care what Roach says. On a conference call Thursday, Cotto sounded as if he had had enough.
“Forget about Freddie Roach,” he said, the volume of his voice rising perhaps a fraction of a decibel — which for the even-tempered Cotto is paramount to a Lee Elia-style rant.
Roach thinks that like the Player Queen, Camp Cotto is protesting too much.
“Why would they talk about it unless it’s bothering them?” Roach said. “I’m in their heads.”
In studying video of Cotto’s previous fights, Roach said he spotted several fundamental flaws in Cotto’s style that Pacquiao will be able to exploit.
“No one is correcting them, and we’re going to take advantage of that,” Roach said. “I love this fight for Manny Pacquiao. I’m very confident in my guy.”
Pacquiao stayed on course during the Philippines portion of training camp, Roach said, even as typhoons devastated much of the archipelago.
Viewed as a national treasure in his native land, Pacquiao emerged in top-notch fighting shape despite demands on his time from various Filipino politicians.
Pacquiao went 16 rounds without a break with Roach on the mitts Monday at the Wild Card, and he sparred eight rounds Tuesday at the gym.
“One thing about the Philippines, they’re having a tough time right now because of the typhoons and so forth,” Roach said. “You know what? (Pacquiao) knows his people need motivation and something to smile about and he’s going to give that to them ...
“It’s going to be a positive for us. That’s the way we’re going to use it.”
Pacquiao weighed 148 to 149 pounds this week, with Cotto checking in at 150. The Nov. 14 fight, in which Cotto risks his WBO welterweight belt and Pacquiao will seek a title in a seventh weight class, is scheduled to take place at a “catch weight” of 145 pounds, two pounds below the welterweight limit.
“Manny’s a much bigger, stronger guy than he was last fight,” Roach said. “This is going to be an easy fight for us.”
Asked if he agreed with his trainer’s assessment, Pacquiao smiled, but then made the zipped-lips gesture by drawing his finger across his mouth.
The message was clear. He lets Roach handle the brazen predictions, the comments that make headlines — the mind games.
“My mouth is closed,” Pacquiao said.
Speaking softly in a tiny dressing room off the main floor at the Wild Card before a workout, Pacquiao, a Catholic, said he thanks God every day for his success — “the fame, the wealth, everything.”
He’s not worried about Cotto’s more muscular frame, his potent punching ability, or his vicious left hook.
“It’s not about comparing the power,” Pacquiao said. “Sometimes what’s in the mind, the knowledge, is the power.”
Pacquiao said his father, Rosalio, will be at the MGM to watch him fight for the first time in America next Saturday. His mother, Dionisia, will also attend.
He said he feels a responsibility to the sport that goes beyond himself and his family.
“You have to make people like the way you fight,” he said. “Not just Filipinos, but people all over the world who watch the fight. I want them to be satisfied.”
Source: lasvegassun.com
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BOXING: In and out of ring, Pacquiao inspires
By Robert Morales, Daily News
If Manny Pacquiao becomes any more popular, he won't be able to sneeze without an adoring fan offering to hold a handkerchief for him.
Bill Caplan, a longtime publicist who works for Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, was at Los Angeles International Airport two weeks ago when Pacquiao arrived from his native Philippines to continue training for next Saturday's welterweight title fight against Miguel Cotto at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Several hundred fans - mostly Filipinos - showed up to greet him.
But, Caplan said, "It was pandemonium like there were thousands, the way they rushed him. As soon as he appeared coming out of customs, they swarmed him. It was like the Beatles."
Caplan said Pacquiao escaped injury because airport security helped get him to a waiting car. It was so crazy, Caplan said, television reporters waiting to interview Pacquiao had to settle for his trainer, Freddie Roach.
"Even Mike Tyson didn't have the drawing power that Manny Pacquiao has right now," said Roach, who briefly trained Tyson. "Mike was always the biggest guy training and the attention was always there at the airports. But the way Manny Pacquiao arrived the other day, I never saw a crowd like that.
"People were swarming to try to get a touch or a look at Manny Pacquiao."
American talk shows have taken notice because Pacquiao this week was a guest on "Jimmy Kimmel Live." It seemed like every few seconds the personable Pacquiao wore an infectious grin.
"He brightens up a room," Roach said. "He's got class and a great smile. Manny Pacquiao is an endearing person and a great fighter."
Arum has promoted two other fighters who became ultra-popular, Muhammad Ali and Oscar De La Hoya. Pacquiao's acclaim is unsurpassed even by those two, Arum said.
"Ali was a proponent of a political position and also became a spokesman for the civil rights movement at the time when it was really emerging into everybody's vision," Arum said, "particularly his stance on the Vietnam War and when he came back to fight, people just idolized him.
"Manny Pacquiao does not have that major political statement because he is not controversial. But he is engaged in politics in the Philippines and everything that he does is very pro-humanity, so he is rather loved by people in the Philippines, the United States and all over the world."
Arum said even Ali didn't cause the type of frenzy Pacquiao does, and De La Hoya was behind both of them.
"As far as Oscar is concerned, Oscar was popular in the United States," Arum said. "He was good-looking, he was charismatic and he was a good fighter. Now, that made him a lot of money but around the world he didn't have the recognition of either Ali or Manny."
Pacquiao recently won the Gusi Peace Prize in the Philippines. It is the Asian version of the Nobel Peace Prize, and Pacquiao was the first athlete to receive it.
Pacquiao has been helping the people in his country for years. He continued that trend when he was training in Baguio City when the recent typhoons hit Manila and caused death and destruction.
Pacquiao made the two-hour drive from the mountains of Baguio City to assist in the recovery, even though Roach really did not want him to.
"When the typhoon hit Manila pretty hard, Manny went down there on a Sunday to help the people out and I asked him not to go because I thought it was dangerous," Roach said. "But it was his day off and he went to Manila and helped as much as he could.
"When the second typhoon hit, we kind of took charge a little bit and we went and spoke to the people and tried to put a smile on their faces and we gave them a message from Manny, of course. But I made Manny stay in the hotel so he was safe, so there were no problems because his fight was getting closer. He is so well-loved in his country and he wants to help the people and the people love him for that."
When Pacquiao was asked during a recent interview how the typhoons affected him, his sincerity was obvious.
"I felt so bad," he said. "I do have to focus on my training because I have to prepare. But I try to help the people in my country as much as I can."
Pacquiao is featured this week in a five-page story of Time magazine. The Asian edition has him on the cover.
"I absolutely had no idea that when I started my career in boxing, to provide a better life for myself and my family, that I would now be where I am today and on the cover of Time magazine," Pacquiao said. "A fighter's dream is to win a world title and gain financial stability.
"But what is happening to me now is the most humbling experience of my life."
And well-deserved.
"Manny Pacquiao is the most exciting fighter on Earth at this moment," said Howard Chua-Eoan, Time magazine director and co-author of the story. "But not just because of his skills in the ring. When he fights, he is carrying the hopes and dreams of an entire nation.
"He fights for his people. It is one of the most inspiring stories in sports today."
Feeling robbed, Johnson gets rematch with Dawson
It was April 2008, and Chad Dawson ventured into Tampa, Fla., and defended his light heavyweight championship with a unanimous decision over Glen Johnson. Johnson lives in Miami — about 275 miles to the southeast — so it was looked upon as somewhat of a hometown fight for Johnson, especially since Dawson is from New Haven, Conn.
Even though each judge had Dawson winning by four points, Johnson said he was robbed.
"I did the more convincing job to win the last fight," said Johnson, who tonight will get a rematch when he takes on Dawson in the main event at XL Center in Hartford, Conn. It will be televised on HBO. "Chad Dawson moves a lot and just tried to throw punches at my defense.
"He threw too many ineffective punches, and so based on that I believe I won the fight clearly. If the rules have changed, then someone needs to tell me so I know how to fight for the judges."
Johnson, a former world champion, is 49-12-2 with 33 knockouts.
It's not the first time he has said he was ripped off on a decision.
But Gary Shaw, Dawson's promoter, is sick of Johnson's bellyaching.
"I'm tired of hearing Glen talk about the judges and the wrongs in boxing," Shaw said. "Every article I read about Glen, he talks about the wrongs in boxing like he's the savior of boxing. Chad Dawson won the fight in front of the eyes of all the officials.
"And I want to remind everyone that the fight was in Florida and fought in front of the Florida Commission judges. The judges were not crooked. I've seen plenty of robberies and this was not one of them."
Dawson (28-0, 17 KOs) has yet to taste defeat, and is considered by many the top 175-pound fighter in the world as well as a borderline top 10 pound-for-pound fighter.
In Dawson's mind, there is no question as to whether he won the first time around against Johnson. He vows to do it again.
"I know I won the last fight," he said. "I'm done talking about the last fight. I'm just ready to go into this one and win this one more convincingly than the last one."
The main undercard fight will feature Alfredo Angulo (16-1, 13 KOs) of Coachella against Harry Joe Yorgey (22-0-1, 10 KOs) of Bridgeport, Pa. They will tangle for an interim junior middleweight title.
Source: dailynews.com
If Manny Pacquiao becomes any more popular, he won't be able to sneeze without an adoring fan offering to hold a handkerchief for him.
Bill Caplan, a longtime publicist who works for Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, was at Los Angeles International Airport two weeks ago when Pacquiao arrived from his native Philippines to continue training for next Saturday's welterweight title fight against Miguel Cotto at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Several hundred fans - mostly Filipinos - showed up to greet him.
But, Caplan said, "It was pandemonium like there were thousands, the way they rushed him. As soon as he appeared coming out of customs, they swarmed him. It was like the Beatles."
Caplan said Pacquiao escaped injury because airport security helped get him to a waiting car. It was so crazy, Caplan said, television reporters waiting to interview Pacquiao had to settle for his trainer, Freddie Roach.
"Even Mike Tyson didn't have the drawing power that Manny Pacquiao has right now," said Roach, who briefly trained Tyson. "Mike was always the biggest guy training and the attention was always there at the airports. But the way Manny Pacquiao arrived the other day, I never saw a crowd like that.
"People were swarming to try to get a touch or a look at Manny Pacquiao."
American talk shows have taken notice because Pacquiao this week was a guest on "Jimmy Kimmel Live." It seemed like every few seconds the personable Pacquiao wore an infectious grin.
"He brightens up a room," Roach said. "He's got class and a great smile. Manny Pacquiao is an endearing person and a great fighter."
Arum has promoted two other fighters who became ultra-popular, Muhammad Ali and Oscar De La Hoya. Pacquiao's acclaim is unsurpassed even by those two, Arum said.
"Ali was a proponent of a political position and also became a spokesman for the civil rights movement at the time when it was really emerging into everybody's vision," Arum said, "particularly his stance on the Vietnam War and when he came back to fight, people just idolized him.
"Manny Pacquiao does not have that major political statement because he is not controversial. But he is engaged in politics in the Philippines and everything that he does is very pro-humanity, so he is rather loved by people in the Philippines, the United States and all over the world."
Arum said even Ali didn't cause the type of frenzy Pacquiao does, and De La Hoya was behind both of them.
"As far as Oscar is concerned, Oscar was popular in the United States," Arum said. "He was good-looking, he was charismatic and he was a good fighter. Now, that made him a lot of money but around the world he didn't have the recognition of either Ali or Manny."
Pacquiao recently won the Gusi Peace Prize in the Philippines. It is the Asian version of the Nobel Peace Prize, and Pacquiao was the first athlete to receive it.
Pacquiao has been helping the people in his country for years. He continued that trend when he was training in Baguio City when the recent typhoons hit Manila and caused death and destruction.
Pacquiao made the two-hour drive from the mountains of Baguio City to assist in the recovery, even though Roach really did not want him to.
"When the typhoon hit Manila pretty hard, Manny went down there on a Sunday to help the people out and I asked him not to go because I thought it was dangerous," Roach said. "But it was his day off and he went to Manila and helped as much as he could.
"When the second typhoon hit, we kind of took charge a little bit and we went and spoke to the people and tried to put a smile on their faces and we gave them a message from Manny, of course. But I made Manny stay in the hotel so he was safe, so there were no problems because his fight was getting closer. He is so well-loved in his country and he wants to help the people and the people love him for that."
When Pacquiao was asked during a recent interview how the typhoons affected him, his sincerity was obvious.
"I felt so bad," he said. "I do have to focus on my training because I have to prepare. But I try to help the people in my country as much as I can."
Pacquiao is featured this week in a five-page story of Time magazine. The Asian edition has him on the cover.
"I absolutely had no idea that when I started my career in boxing, to provide a better life for myself and my family, that I would now be where I am today and on the cover of Time magazine," Pacquiao said. "A fighter's dream is to win a world title and gain financial stability.
"But what is happening to me now is the most humbling experience of my life."
And well-deserved.
"Manny Pacquiao is the most exciting fighter on Earth at this moment," said Howard Chua-Eoan, Time magazine director and co-author of the story. "But not just because of his skills in the ring. When he fights, he is carrying the hopes and dreams of an entire nation.
"He fights for his people. It is one of the most inspiring stories in sports today."
Feeling robbed, Johnson gets rematch with Dawson
It was April 2008, and Chad Dawson ventured into Tampa, Fla., and defended his light heavyweight championship with a unanimous decision over Glen Johnson. Johnson lives in Miami — about 275 miles to the southeast — so it was looked upon as somewhat of a hometown fight for Johnson, especially since Dawson is from New Haven, Conn.
Even though each judge had Dawson winning by four points, Johnson said he was robbed.
"I did the more convincing job to win the last fight," said Johnson, who tonight will get a rematch when he takes on Dawson in the main event at XL Center in Hartford, Conn. It will be televised on HBO. "Chad Dawson moves a lot and just tried to throw punches at my defense.
"He threw too many ineffective punches, and so based on that I believe I won the fight clearly. If the rules have changed, then someone needs to tell me so I know how to fight for the judges."
Johnson, a former world champion, is 49-12-2 with 33 knockouts.
It's not the first time he has said he was ripped off on a decision.
But Gary Shaw, Dawson's promoter, is sick of Johnson's bellyaching.
"I'm tired of hearing Glen talk about the judges and the wrongs in boxing," Shaw said. "Every article I read about Glen, he talks about the wrongs in boxing like he's the savior of boxing. Chad Dawson won the fight in front of the eyes of all the officials.
"And I want to remind everyone that the fight was in Florida and fought in front of the Florida Commission judges. The judges were not crooked. I've seen plenty of robberies and this was not one of them."
Dawson (28-0, 17 KOs) has yet to taste defeat, and is considered by many the top 175-pound fighter in the world as well as a borderline top 10 pound-for-pound fighter.
In Dawson's mind, there is no question as to whether he won the first time around against Johnson. He vows to do it again.
"I know I won the last fight," he said. "I'm done talking about the last fight. I'm just ready to go into this one and win this one more convincingly than the last one."
The main undercard fight will feature Alfredo Angulo (16-1, 13 KOs) of Coachella against Harry Joe Yorgey (22-0-1, 10 KOs) of Bridgeport, Pa. They will tangle for an interim junior middleweight title.
Source: dailynews.com
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I'm Dreaming of Punching His Lights Out
By Kevin Francis, Daily Star
DAVID Haye has been dreaming a lot lately – and that could result in a nightmare for Nikolai Valuev here tonight.
Haye aims to relieve Russian giant Valuev of his WBA world heavyweight crown in what genuinely is a real David and Goliath contest.
Valuev, at a massive 7ft 2in, has an 11-inch height advantage over his British challenger – but that doesn’t worry Haye in the least.
It certainly hasn’t made him lose any sleep. Far from it – he has been repeatedly dreaming about the fight in recent weeks.
He said: “It’s always the same. I see this giant of a figure approaching me. I always knock him out or batter him.
“Every time with Valuev, I dream about him falling in slow motion. The whole ring rumbles when he hits the deck and he can’t get up.
“And then, in my sleep, I’m smiling. I have this huge, huge smile because I’m the new heavyweight champion of the world.”
Defeating the 22st 8lb Valuev in only his third heavyweight contest would be a great feat for the former undisputed world cruiserweight champion.
After all, the 36-year-old Valuev has won 50 of his 51 contests and is certainly not simply the ring freak that brash Londoner Haye has described in recent weeks.
He certainly has talent, as Haye’s fellow Brit James DeGale – an Olympic gold medallist in Beijing – accepts.
DeGale said: “When the fight was first announced, my instincts went with Haye – but when you see the differences in height and weight you realise that Valuev ain’t that bad.
“If David doesn’t knock him out in the first half of the fight, I feel Valuev’s size and strength will tell down the stretch.
“Valuev’s never been remotely hurt, never mind knocked down or stopped. I would probably go with Valuev.”
But, in a sign of the genuine split among boxing folk on this very hard-to-call fight, former world heavyweight title challenger Danny Williams is backing Haye.
***
Williams, who famously knocked out Mike Tyson in 2004, said: “I see David Haye outboxing Valuev.
“He’s got great footwork, he’s got that cruiserweight speed and he hits pretty hard as well."
“That makes for a David Haye victory, I think.
“The only thing we’ve got to worry about is David getting hit as he’s never been hit by a 23st man."
“That could be a major problem. But I’m hoping David can outbox him and win on points. It’s going to be very difficult for David, but I think he can do it.”
Not surprisingly, Valuev is supremely confident and is promising to make the Brit pay for the insults he has been directing his way.
Valuev said: “He has a very big mouth."
“In my view, after some of the things he has said, I regard him as just another idiot in this world."
“Haye’s a very fast boxer, but maybe acting a lot."
“It is nothing special for me to fight him, because each opponent is smaller than me."
“The only difference with Haye is a bigger mouth.
“They do not always fight in the same style. It is the same with Haye."
“He will be different to the others."
“I don’t expect something special, just something different. A lot of English expect something special from David, but I can tell them their expectations won’t happen when I shut him up.”
PREDICTION: I have been genuinely torn between the two fighters on this in recent weeks, with each having a good case to get the vote.
Now, having watched them both in action at close quarters, I believe Haye will have to produce the fight of his life to grab that belt off Valuev.
I can’t let my heart rule my head. I would love to be proved wrong, but I’m taking Valuev to win by tiring Haye out and finishing him, maybe as early as the fourth round.
TONIGHT’S big fight will be screened on Sky Box Office from 8pm.
Source: dailystar.co.uk
DAVID Haye has been dreaming a lot lately – and that could result in a nightmare for Nikolai Valuev here tonight.
Haye aims to relieve Russian giant Valuev of his WBA world heavyweight crown in what genuinely is a real David and Goliath contest.
Valuev, at a massive 7ft 2in, has an 11-inch height advantage over his British challenger – but that doesn’t worry Haye in the least.
It certainly hasn’t made him lose any sleep. Far from it – he has been repeatedly dreaming about the fight in recent weeks.
He said: “It’s always the same. I see this giant of a figure approaching me. I always knock him out or batter him.
“Every time with Valuev, I dream about him falling in slow motion. The whole ring rumbles when he hits the deck and he can’t get up.
“And then, in my sleep, I’m smiling. I have this huge, huge smile because I’m the new heavyweight champion of the world.”
Defeating the 22st 8lb Valuev in only his third heavyweight contest would be a great feat for the former undisputed world cruiserweight champion.
After all, the 36-year-old Valuev has won 50 of his 51 contests and is certainly not simply the ring freak that brash Londoner Haye has described in recent weeks.
He certainly has talent, as Haye’s fellow Brit James DeGale – an Olympic gold medallist in Beijing – accepts.
DeGale said: “When the fight was first announced, my instincts went with Haye – but when you see the differences in height and weight you realise that Valuev ain’t that bad.
“If David doesn’t knock him out in the first half of the fight, I feel Valuev’s size and strength will tell down the stretch.
“Valuev’s never been remotely hurt, never mind knocked down or stopped. I would probably go with Valuev.”
But, in a sign of the genuine split among boxing folk on this very hard-to-call fight, former world heavyweight title challenger Danny Williams is backing Haye.
***
Williams, who famously knocked out Mike Tyson in 2004, said: “I see David Haye outboxing Valuev.
“He’s got great footwork, he’s got that cruiserweight speed and he hits pretty hard as well."
“That makes for a David Haye victory, I think.
“The only thing we’ve got to worry about is David getting hit as he’s never been hit by a 23st man."
“That could be a major problem. But I’m hoping David can outbox him and win on points. It’s going to be very difficult for David, but I think he can do it.”
Not surprisingly, Valuev is supremely confident and is promising to make the Brit pay for the insults he has been directing his way.
Valuev said: “He has a very big mouth."
“In my view, after some of the things he has said, I regard him as just another idiot in this world."
“Haye’s a very fast boxer, but maybe acting a lot."
“It is nothing special for me to fight him, because each opponent is smaller than me."
“The only difference with Haye is a bigger mouth.
“They do not always fight in the same style. It is the same with Haye."
“He will be different to the others."
“I don’t expect something special, just something different. A lot of English expect something special from David, but I can tell them their expectations won’t happen when I shut him up.”
PREDICTION: I have been genuinely torn between the two fighters on this in recent weeks, with each having a good case to get the vote.
Now, having watched them both in action at close quarters, I believe Haye will have to produce the fight of his life to grab that belt off Valuev.
I can’t let my heart rule my head. I would love to be proved wrong, but I’m taking Valuev to win by tiring Haye out and finishing him, maybe as early as the fourth round.
TONIGHT’S big fight will be screened on Sky Box Office from 8pm.
Source: dailystar.co.uk
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Nikolai Valuev vs David Haye
By Ziggy Shah, East Side Boxing
Being a boxing fan can sometimes be a difficult past-time, especially in the run up to big fights. The previews, hype and press conferences adjoined by your own anticipation of how things will conclude make it an amazing, yet testing sport to be a part of.
As always the commentators and the pundits are always at the forefront, constantly pen pushing and force feeding you with their opinions as to who shall overcome. However, many argue that they are experts and their views coupled by their knowledge are paramount to the sport..
And so it is, over the past two weeks the talk has been about the WBA World heavyweight title clash between David Haye and Nikolay Valuev, billed as, ‘David and Goliath.’
From Niall Hickman in the Daily Express to Barry Mcguigan in the Daily Mirror, they are all chewing on their pencils, wondering and planning out what they believe will happen when the two boxers climb into the, Arena Nürnberger Versicherung, in Nuremberg.
Despite being a favourite, the majority view in the British media is that, the Russian is too big and too good for the challenger from Bermondsey and the latter’s ambitions to become World Champion may end up like Danny Williams gallant effort against Vitali Klitschko in 2004.
But there is a minority of writers that sense the mauling of Jess Willard at the hands of Jack Dempsey in 1919, as a sign of hope for the challenger.
But do boxing fans really care what pundits and experts think when making predictions? Most die-hards do not, as they come to their own conclusions after spend tireless hours re-enacting the fight in their own minds. It is these brief moments that make being a boxing fan an absolute pleasure.
There is no need to read or surf, you just lay back and visualise the tactics that may be employed. What would one need to do to outwit the other? Should he go for the kill or stay behind his long reach? Will his head movement enable him to find his way in? And most importantly, will speed be the key?
Millions of fans across the globe are asking themselves question like these, and it is they who shall answer them as they wait patiently for what is sure to be a fantastic fight. But as for the pundits and experts…give it a rest and for once, let the boxing fans decide.
Source: eastsideboxing.com
***
Being a boxing fan can sometimes be a difficult past-time, especially in the run up to big fights. The previews, hype and press conferences adjoined by your own anticipation of how things will conclude make it an amazing, yet testing sport to be a part of.
As always the commentators and the pundits are always at the forefront, constantly pen pushing and force feeding you with their opinions as to who shall overcome. However, many argue that they are experts and their views coupled by their knowledge are paramount to the sport..
And so it is, over the past two weeks the talk has been about the WBA World heavyweight title clash between David Haye and Nikolay Valuev, billed as, ‘David and Goliath.’
From Niall Hickman in the Daily Express to Barry Mcguigan in the Daily Mirror, they are all chewing on their pencils, wondering and planning out what they believe will happen when the two boxers climb into the, Arena Nürnberger Versicherung, in Nuremberg.
Despite being a favourite, the majority view in the British media is that, the Russian is too big and too good for the challenger from Bermondsey and the latter’s ambitions to become World Champion may end up like Danny Williams gallant effort against Vitali Klitschko in 2004.
But there is a minority of writers that sense the mauling of Jess Willard at the hands of Jack Dempsey in 1919, as a sign of hope for the challenger.
But do boxing fans really care what pundits and experts think when making predictions? Most die-hards do not, as they come to their own conclusions after spend tireless hours re-enacting the fight in their own minds. It is these brief moments that make being a boxing fan an absolute pleasure.
There is no need to read or surf, you just lay back and visualise the tactics that may be employed. What would one need to do to outwit the other? Should he go for the kill or stay behind his long reach? Will his head movement enable him to find his way in? And most importantly, will speed be the key?
Millions of fans across the globe are asking themselves question like these, and it is they who shall answer them as they wait patiently for what is sure to be a fantastic fight. But as for the pundits and experts…give it a rest and for once, let the boxing fans decide.
Source: eastsideboxing.com
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Haye's Stepping Stone To Glory
By Niall Hickman, Daily Express
DAVID HAYE'S date with destiny today could catapult him to superstardom, as a KO victory over Nikolay Valuev would make him the most marketable heavyweight since Mike Tyson was in his prime.
Good-looking, articulate boxers are not exactly falling off the shelves these days in a sport which is crying out for heroes. Boxing’s blue riband division has been moribund since Lennox Lewis retired six years ago.
At yesterday’s weigh-in at a Nuremberg shopping centre, Haye stood on the scales at 15 st 8 lbs, the biggest he has been in his career.
In contrast, Valuev nearly sent those scales into meltdown and at 22 st 8 lbs he has a full seven stone advantage.
If it fazed Haye he wasn’t showing it yesterday, hanging around the stage just long enough to say: “I won’t be able to sleep tonight I’m so excited. Just wait until I knock this bloke spark out.”
Forget the weight difference, the adage that a good big man always beats a good smaller man is garbage. And, anyway, Haye is patently the superior boxer.
The problem is he might need a step ladder to land anything threatening on Valuev, who has never been on the seat of his pants in 51 bouts.
If Haye becomes the first boxer to flatten Valuev his rising star will go orbital. But the chances of that happening are marginal.
Valuev has been force-fed a diet of also-rans and never-were-rans, but he can take a shot and with all his weight behind him he can probably fire some as well. But don’t be fooled by his record – Valuev’s mum could have beaten half of his opponents.
The sold-out signs went up weeks ago at the 8,000-capacity Nuremberg Arena and they were hanging off the rafters in the Mercado shopping centre yesterday.
Source: express.co.uk
***
DAVID HAYE'S date with destiny today could catapult him to superstardom, as a KO victory over Nikolay Valuev would make him the most marketable heavyweight since Mike Tyson was in his prime.
Good-looking, articulate boxers are not exactly falling off the shelves these days in a sport which is crying out for heroes. Boxing’s blue riband division has been moribund since Lennox Lewis retired six years ago.
At yesterday’s weigh-in at a Nuremberg shopping centre, Haye stood on the scales at 15 st 8 lbs, the biggest he has been in his career.
In contrast, Valuev nearly sent those scales into meltdown and at 22 st 8 lbs he has a full seven stone advantage.
If it fazed Haye he wasn’t showing it yesterday, hanging around the stage just long enough to say: “I won’t be able to sleep tonight I’m so excited. Just wait until I knock this bloke spark out.”
Forget the weight difference, the adage that a good big man always beats a good smaller man is garbage. And, anyway, Haye is patently the superior boxer.
The problem is he might need a step ladder to land anything threatening on Valuev, who has never been on the seat of his pants in 51 bouts.
If Haye becomes the first boxer to flatten Valuev his rising star will go orbital. But the chances of that happening are marginal.
Valuev has been force-fed a diet of also-rans and never-were-rans, but he can take a shot and with all his weight behind him he can probably fire some as well. But don’t be fooled by his record – Valuev’s mum could have beaten half of his opponents.
The sold-out signs went up weeks ago at the 8,000-capacity Nuremberg Arena and they were hanging off the rafters in the Mercado shopping centre yesterday.
Source: express.co.uk
***
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Haye continues to think big despite being dwarfed by Valuev at weigh-in
By Phil Barnett, sport.scotsman.com
THE size of the task facing David Haye was brought into sharp focus as WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev weighed in a daunting seven stone heavier than the Englishman.
Haye will tonight attempt to take Valuev's belt in Germany to become the first British fighter since Lennox Lewis to hold a version of the world title.
While the size difference between 6ft 3ins Haye and 7ft 2ins Valuev has always been clear, yesterday's weigh-in in Nuremberg hammered home the fact emphatically as Haye weighed in at a career-high 15st 8lbs only to see his Russian opponent tip the scales at 22st 8lbs.
Valuev has never been floored in 52 fights and has only ever been beaten once. Haye, 29, has a clear speed and skill advantage over the lumbering but effective Valuev, 36.
However, with a height difference of nearly a foot and such a deficit in weight, the Briton knows it would be an amazing story should he dethrone 'The Beast From The East' to take the WBA title.
"Going up against this guy is going to be strange," said Haye (22-1, 21KOs). "It is going to be a real shock to my system, no doubt, but I feel I can adapt and figure out a strategy to beat this big guy.
"He's the WBA heavyweight champion of the world. I said from day one that I wanted to become the heavyweight champion and here's my opportunity. This is what it's all about.
"I've trained so hard throughout the years. I was the undisputed, unified cruiserweight champion and that's what I want to do at heavyweight.
"This is my first mission, to go out there and fight this big, hairy, scary 'Beast From The East', the so-called eighth wonder of the world, a mammoth of a man.
"It's fairytale stuff. When I envisaged winning the heavyweight title it was against someone big, obviously, but not this big. But I feel I've got the skill, the will and the heart to go out there, knock this Russian out and bring this title back to Britain."
Rather than simply outboxing Valuev, Haye seems genuinely prepared to take the fight to the champion, who has 34 knockouts from his 50 wins (with one loss and one no contest). "He's a nice big target," said Haye. "His head is about three times as big as mine so I'm not going to have to worry about missing him.
"In 50-odd fights he's never been knocked down or knocked out and he's knocked out 75 per cent of his opponents. He's a good fighter, he's under-rated.
"His skills might be a little primitive but someone who is that big doesn't really need to have that skill, he just imposes his strength and his size and that normally gets him the win. I can't allow him to do that to me, I've got to go out there and really put him on the back foot and lay him out.When I do there will be a little tremor. I just can't wait."
Haye's tireless badmouthing has seemingly failed to get under Valuev's skin in the exhaustive build-up to the fight.
Asked at the main pre-fight press conference by British media if he planned to make Haye pay for all the taunts and insults, the Russian – who believes his opponent is as disliked in his homeland as he is elsewhere – said: "You'd like to see that, wouldn't you? I will do my best and try to show very good boxing and you'll get what you expect. Maybe some English people expect something special in the ring and I can tell you I will make your expectations happen."
Former two-weight world champion Ricky Hatton is one of those Englishmen expecting "something special" tonight, but the Mancunian is backing his compatriot to provide all the fireworks.
Hatton is still undecided over his own fighting future following his brutal defeat by Manny Pacquiao earlier this year but in Haye he sees a fighter who can go on to become Britain's most popular boxer.
He believes a Haye victory will resurrect the heavyweight's hopes of a clash with the Klitschko brothers Vitali and Wladimir, who hold the WBC and IBF/WBO belts respectively.
"He doesn't want to take too many punches and I think the key in this fight will be the speed factor. I think if David boxes a very clever fight and keeps his chin down and boxes sensibly, I don't think Valuev will be quick enough to hit him," Hatton said.
"David packs a lot of power and I think he can do to Valuev what no-one else has done and knock him out in sensational fashion.
"When he does that, he can sit down at the negotiating tables with the Klitschko brothers again and he's got a lot more pulling power then."
Source: Scotsman.com
THE size of the task facing David Haye was brought into sharp focus as WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev weighed in a daunting seven stone heavier than the Englishman.
Haye will tonight attempt to take Valuev's belt in Germany to become the first British fighter since Lennox Lewis to hold a version of the world title.
While the size difference between 6ft 3ins Haye and 7ft 2ins Valuev has always been clear, yesterday's weigh-in in Nuremberg hammered home the fact emphatically as Haye weighed in at a career-high 15st 8lbs only to see his Russian opponent tip the scales at 22st 8lbs.
Valuev has never been floored in 52 fights and has only ever been beaten once. Haye, 29, has a clear speed and skill advantage over the lumbering but effective Valuev, 36.
However, with a height difference of nearly a foot and such a deficit in weight, the Briton knows it would be an amazing story should he dethrone 'The Beast From The East' to take the WBA title.
"Going up against this guy is going to be strange," said Haye (22-1, 21KOs). "It is going to be a real shock to my system, no doubt, but I feel I can adapt and figure out a strategy to beat this big guy.
"He's the WBA heavyweight champion of the world. I said from day one that I wanted to become the heavyweight champion and here's my opportunity. This is what it's all about.
"I've trained so hard throughout the years. I was the undisputed, unified cruiserweight champion and that's what I want to do at heavyweight.
"This is my first mission, to go out there and fight this big, hairy, scary 'Beast From The East', the so-called eighth wonder of the world, a mammoth of a man.
"It's fairytale stuff. When I envisaged winning the heavyweight title it was against someone big, obviously, but not this big. But I feel I've got the skill, the will and the heart to go out there, knock this Russian out and bring this title back to Britain."
Rather than simply outboxing Valuev, Haye seems genuinely prepared to take the fight to the champion, who has 34 knockouts from his 50 wins (with one loss and one no contest). "He's a nice big target," said Haye. "His head is about three times as big as mine so I'm not going to have to worry about missing him.
"In 50-odd fights he's never been knocked down or knocked out and he's knocked out 75 per cent of his opponents. He's a good fighter, he's under-rated.
"His skills might be a little primitive but someone who is that big doesn't really need to have that skill, he just imposes his strength and his size and that normally gets him the win. I can't allow him to do that to me, I've got to go out there and really put him on the back foot and lay him out.When I do there will be a little tremor. I just can't wait."
Haye's tireless badmouthing has seemingly failed to get under Valuev's skin in the exhaustive build-up to the fight.
Asked at the main pre-fight press conference by British media if he planned to make Haye pay for all the taunts and insults, the Russian – who believes his opponent is as disliked in his homeland as he is elsewhere – said: "You'd like to see that, wouldn't you? I will do my best and try to show very good boxing and you'll get what you expect. Maybe some English people expect something special in the ring and I can tell you I will make your expectations happen."
Former two-weight world champion Ricky Hatton is one of those Englishmen expecting "something special" tonight, but the Mancunian is backing his compatriot to provide all the fireworks.
Hatton is still undecided over his own fighting future following his brutal defeat by Manny Pacquiao earlier this year but in Haye he sees a fighter who can go on to become Britain's most popular boxer.
He believes a Haye victory will resurrect the heavyweight's hopes of a clash with the Klitschko brothers Vitali and Wladimir, who hold the WBC and IBF/WBO belts respectively.
"He doesn't want to take too many punches and I think the key in this fight will be the speed factor. I think if David boxes a very clever fight and keeps his chin down and boxes sensibly, I don't think Valuev will be quick enough to hit him," Hatton said.
"David packs a lot of power and I think he can do to Valuev what no-one else has done and knock him out in sensational fashion.
"When he does that, he can sit down at the negotiating tables with the Klitschko brothers again and he's got a lot more pulling power then."
Source: Scotsman.com
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Arum: De La Hoya blog "outrageous"
The Ring Blog
Oscar De La Hoya suggested in his latest blog that promoter Bob Arum arranged to have a relatively big ring for the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight on Nov. 14 in Las Vegas because it would favor Pacquiao, his top fighter.
The fact is, Arum pointed out, that ring size is standard in Nevada: 20 feet by 20 feet. Thus, he couldn’t show favoritism even if he wanted to.
Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, confirmed that the ring will be 20 by 20, according to Yahoo! Sports.
“The idea that I’m bringing in a big ring to favor Pacquiao, who he said I want to win, is absolutely outrageous,” Arum said. “… Everybody who has fought in Nevada the last 10 years has fought in the same-sized ring, including Oscar.”
Arum said the standard ring size evolved from the Riddick Bowe-Larry Donald fight in 1994, in which the size of the ring became a point of contention. Not long after that, to avoid that situation, Nevada officials decided to go with a standard ring.
The portion of De La Hoya's blog in question was removed in light of the standard ring size.
Arum promotes both Pacquiao and Cotto.
Source. ringtv.com
Oscar De La Hoya suggested in his latest blog that promoter Bob Arum arranged to have a relatively big ring for the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight on Nov. 14 in Las Vegas because it would favor Pacquiao, his top fighter.
The fact is, Arum pointed out, that ring size is standard in Nevada: 20 feet by 20 feet. Thus, he couldn’t show favoritism even if he wanted to.
Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, confirmed that the ring will be 20 by 20, according to Yahoo! Sports.
“The idea that I’m bringing in a big ring to favor Pacquiao, who he said I want to win, is absolutely outrageous,” Arum said. “… Everybody who has fought in Nevada the last 10 years has fought in the same-sized ring, including Oscar.”
Arum said the standard ring size evolved from the Riddick Bowe-Larry Donald fight in 1994, in which the size of the ring became a point of contention. Not long after that, to avoid that situation, Nevada officials decided to go with a standard ring.
The portion of De La Hoya's blog in question was removed in light of the standard ring size.
Arum promotes both Pacquiao and Cotto.
Source. ringtv.com
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