By Imran Azam, The Muslim News
Amir Khan has signed a ‘strategic alliance’ with US based Golden Boy Promotions. Such a development will give credence to reports that Khan will base himself permanently in America after becoming disillusioned with life in the UK.
Speaking to the media before his last fight last month in Newcastle, Khan was quoted as saying: “I know if, maybe, I was a white English fighter, I would be a superstar in Britain. No one has said something to my face but it’s always there. In America I’m treated like a god. The difference in LA is that people appreciate what you achieve. In England I don’t really see that. I see a lot of bitterness. Random people in the streets, everywhere, whereas in America I haven’t come across any hate.”
Former promoter Frank Warren believes the media was pursuing an ‘unfair’ agenda against the young boxer. He countered: “People don’t ask David Haye what it’s like to be black. They don’t ask Catholic fighters about the problems in Northern Ireland. When James De Gale [Olympic 2008 Gold medallist] got booed, they didn’t put it down to racism.”
One can argue the debate on the future of a multicultural, multi faith Britain is no longer a black and white issue. The threat of terrorism has moved on from the IRA to Al Qa’ida with Muslims and not Catholics being viewed with suspicion.
Winning a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics made Khan one of the most recognised sportsmen in the UK. Millions tuned into his fights on TV whilst thousands crammed into arenas across the country to see their hero in the flesh.
His first professional title opportunity came in July 2007 against the light punching Scotsman Willie Limond. Khan was heavily dropped in the sixth round by his opponent but rallied round to stop the champion in the eighth. To this date the Glasgow boxer and many others in the boxing fraternity believe Khan was given a long count to recuperate from his knockdown.
The turning point in Khan’s relationship with the fans came after he was knocked out in less than a minute against the virtual unknown Colombian Breidis Prescott. The BBC Boxing team reported that callers inundated their hotline gloating at the young fighter’s demise. For others, the defeat allowed them to litter boxing forums and You Tube with racist postings.
Khan later revealed to being “surprised” at the verbal hostility he encountered as he made his way out of the ring at the M.E.N Arena. However, should such antagonism and vitriol have come as a surprise? The warning signs were there.
There was sporadic fighting between Asian and non Asian fans when Khan fought in Glasgow in 2005. In April 2007 several newspapers reported how he had to leave an amateur boxing tournament in Liverpool after being verbally abused by some fans. His manager Asif Vali said at the time: “It was horrible and in my mind somewhat racist. Apart from the horrible insults, they were goading him saying things like, ‘Come on, have a go with us’ and ‘Come on if you fancy yourself’. It was very intimidating.”
Moreover the BNP’s Nick Griffin wanted Khan and other non whites to be encouraged to leave Britain. He was reported to have said: “Perhaps we will lose one good boxer, but there are more important things.”
Khan’s management had more important things to worry about than respond to Such comments. After the Prescott massacre they moved to LA and linked up with the highly respected Freddie Roach.
Under the new regime Khan has won four out four. He has fought in London, Manchester (twice) and Newcastle. The response from fans at such contests could be described as warm at best. Although I wasn’t present at the Metro Arena in Newcastle the BBC boxing commentator Mike Costello described the reception given to the boxer before and after the fight as “rapturous.”
By linking up with Golden Boy, Khan believes he can increase his profile in the US. And if he does want to become a household name in the US he must learn from the mistakes of a fellow British Muslim boxer – Naseem Hamed. The Sheffield born boxer initially dazzled the Americans with his skills and showmanship. However, the overt Islamic symbolism which he displayed in many of his ring entrances proved a PR disaster. Against Cesar Soto in Detroit he entered the ring to the Islamic call to prayer, in another he got the ring announcer, Michael Buffer, famous for “Lets Get Ready to Rumble” to recite the Islamic declaration of faith.
If Khan is serious in becoming a personality in the US then his advisors would be advised in investing is some media training. Rather than focussing on prejudice the boxer needs to work on his personality and marketability. If he doesn’t then issues such as his ethnicity, religious or political beliefs are likely to overshadow his performances in the ring.
Source: muslimnews.co.uk
Thursday, 28 January 2010
Floyd Mayweather: champ or chump? -- A.V. Club
By D.R. Foster, A.V. Club
You can never trust a skinny cook or a pretty palooka, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a real pretty palooka, indeed.
That’s why I blame Mayweather for the collapse of the superfight between him and Manny Pacquiao, slated for March but scuttled this month for reasons that are still incomprehensible. The Fight, as it will henceforth be called, was set to be positively Balboan in its grandeur, matching as it would have one of the 10 best fighters in history (Mayweather) with a man who has a chance to join that list (Pacquiao). Rarely do the two best fighters in a given year—let alone a given decade—happen to fight around the same weight class. But with the unrelenting lameness of top heavyweight contenders gradually turning that division into a kind of homoerotic slow-dance, the boxing world has been increasingly interested in the more dynamic cluster of weight classes between featherweight (126 pounds) and middleweight (160 pounds). This is the sweet spot where our two heroes have earned their livings, where fighters are big enough to land haymakers but also still fast enough to dodge them.
Floyd “Money” Mayweather is very much about the dodge, and is as good an embodiment of the distinction between a boxer and a mere puncher as there is. Undefeated in 40 professional fights, a six-time champion in five different weight classes, he is—despite his 25 knockouts—a predominantly defensive fighter. He lives and dies by the “shoulder roll” stance taught to him by Floyd Sr., his old man and on-again-off-again trainer. Lead arm high, chin tucked into his deltoid, trailing arm loose around his midsection, spinal column on a swivel: Face and guts thus protected, he pivots and moves with his opponents’ punches like Jay-Z brushing the dirt off his shoulder, his face always registering a kind of faintly amused surprise when their worst blows whiff a few inches in front of him. On offense, he is a genius tactician who doesn’t so much land counterpunches as meticulously place them. He plays to the points on the judges’ cards, and lets pretenders to his throne hurt themselves as much as he hurts them.
But since Mayweather’s semi-retirement a couple of years ago, Pacquiao has topped most observers’ lists as his successor atop the sport. Pacquiao is a demi-god in his native Philippines—not just a boxer but also a credible national politician, an action-movie hero, and a pop star. Inside the ring, he’s a guerrilla, a banger, a stalker who chases his mark around with both hands flying. On his way to a record-setting seventh title in seven different weight classes, he bludgeoned Miguel Cotto, one of the toughest-chinned sons-of-a-bitch ever to don a pair of nylon shorts, so badly in the 12th round that the referee called the fight with just seconds left. He showed up for his match against Oscar De La Hoya shorter, smaller, and with less reach than his opponent—and beat him so badly that De La Hoya respectfully declined to come out of his corner in the ninth round and retired from boxing shortly thereafter.
And everything seemed set for the great sword and the great shield of the boxing world to meet in Las Vegas on March 13, until the two fighters’ camps hit a snag on drug-testing policy. Mayweather wanted Pacquiao to agree to Olympics-style random blood testing up to and including the day of the fight, figuring that Pacquiao had to be doping to move so quickly and effortlessly up weight classes. (The irony was that this fleet movement is precisely what Mayweather had done years earlier.) Pacquiao, all machismo and superstition, read the demand as an insult to his honor, worried the tests dangling over his head would weaken him physically and psychically, and wanted no tests inside of 30 days before the fight. There was much public smack-talking and counteroffers were bandied, but talks finally collapsed a couple of weeks ago.
In the end, it couldn’t have been all about blood tests. Mayweather knows damned well his opponent isn’t doping—Pacquiao had already agreed to a test immediately following the fight to show he had nothing to hide, and is so pissed at the implication behind Mayweather’s demands that he is suing for defamation.
So what was it about? Money? Maybe. Boxing is so dirty that you’d be wise to go ahead and wash after reading this column. Fights always happen or don’t because the cigar-smoking, derby-wearing mustachioed men who pull the strings calculate that there is a nickel more to be made one way or the other. So it would make sense to wonder, as some have, whether calling the fight was a strategic tease, meant to ramp up excitement—and profits—for a second go in 2011.
But how much more money could be out there? Both parties already stood to be made filthy, stinking rich by the fight—each side left a guaranteed $25 million on the table, and probably that same amount in Pay-Per-View fees.
That leaves only one explanation for Mayweather’s stupid terms: pure, raw, incontinent fear. Mayweather is afraid of Manny Pacquiao—hell, who can blame him?—and the great genius of defensive boxing has maybe rightly decided that the best defense against Manny Pacquiao is never to step into the ring.
Source: avclub.com
***
You can never trust a skinny cook or a pretty palooka, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a real pretty palooka, indeed.
That’s why I blame Mayweather for the collapse of the superfight between him and Manny Pacquiao, slated for March but scuttled this month for reasons that are still incomprehensible. The Fight, as it will henceforth be called, was set to be positively Balboan in its grandeur, matching as it would have one of the 10 best fighters in history (Mayweather) with a man who has a chance to join that list (Pacquiao). Rarely do the two best fighters in a given year—let alone a given decade—happen to fight around the same weight class. But with the unrelenting lameness of top heavyweight contenders gradually turning that division into a kind of homoerotic slow-dance, the boxing world has been increasingly interested in the more dynamic cluster of weight classes between featherweight (126 pounds) and middleweight (160 pounds). This is the sweet spot where our two heroes have earned their livings, where fighters are big enough to land haymakers but also still fast enough to dodge them.
Floyd “Money” Mayweather is very much about the dodge, and is as good an embodiment of the distinction between a boxer and a mere puncher as there is. Undefeated in 40 professional fights, a six-time champion in five different weight classes, he is—despite his 25 knockouts—a predominantly defensive fighter. He lives and dies by the “shoulder roll” stance taught to him by Floyd Sr., his old man and on-again-off-again trainer. Lead arm high, chin tucked into his deltoid, trailing arm loose around his midsection, spinal column on a swivel: Face and guts thus protected, he pivots and moves with his opponents’ punches like Jay-Z brushing the dirt off his shoulder, his face always registering a kind of faintly amused surprise when their worst blows whiff a few inches in front of him. On offense, he is a genius tactician who doesn’t so much land counterpunches as meticulously place them. He plays to the points on the judges’ cards, and lets pretenders to his throne hurt themselves as much as he hurts them.
But since Mayweather’s semi-retirement a couple of years ago, Pacquiao has topped most observers’ lists as his successor atop the sport. Pacquiao is a demi-god in his native Philippines—not just a boxer but also a credible national politician, an action-movie hero, and a pop star. Inside the ring, he’s a guerrilla, a banger, a stalker who chases his mark around with both hands flying. On his way to a record-setting seventh title in seven different weight classes, he bludgeoned Miguel Cotto, one of the toughest-chinned sons-of-a-bitch ever to don a pair of nylon shorts, so badly in the 12th round that the referee called the fight with just seconds left. He showed up for his match against Oscar De La Hoya shorter, smaller, and with less reach than his opponent—and beat him so badly that De La Hoya respectfully declined to come out of his corner in the ninth round and retired from boxing shortly thereafter.
And everything seemed set for the great sword and the great shield of the boxing world to meet in Las Vegas on March 13, until the two fighters’ camps hit a snag on drug-testing policy. Mayweather wanted Pacquiao to agree to Olympics-style random blood testing up to and including the day of the fight, figuring that Pacquiao had to be doping to move so quickly and effortlessly up weight classes. (The irony was that this fleet movement is precisely what Mayweather had done years earlier.) Pacquiao, all machismo and superstition, read the demand as an insult to his honor, worried the tests dangling over his head would weaken him physically and psychically, and wanted no tests inside of 30 days before the fight. There was much public smack-talking and counteroffers were bandied, but talks finally collapsed a couple of weeks ago.
In the end, it couldn’t have been all about blood tests. Mayweather knows damned well his opponent isn’t doping—Pacquiao had already agreed to a test immediately following the fight to show he had nothing to hide, and is so pissed at the implication behind Mayweather’s demands that he is suing for defamation.
So what was it about? Money? Maybe. Boxing is so dirty that you’d be wise to go ahead and wash after reading this column. Fights always happen or don’t because the cigar-smoking, derby-wearing mustachioed men who pull the strings calculate that there is a nickel more to be made one way or the other. So it would make sense to wonder, as some have, whether calling the fight was a strategic tease, meant to ramp up excitement—and profits—for a second go in 2011.
But how much more money could be out there? Both parties already stood to be made filthy, stinking rich by the fight—each side left a guaranteed $25 million on the table, and probably that same amount in Pay-Per-View fees.
That leaves only one explanation for Mayweather’s stupid terms: pure, raw, incontinent fear. Mayweather is afraid of Manny Pacquiao—hell, who can blame him?—and the great genius of defensive boxing has maybe rightly decided that the best defense against Manny Pacquiao is never to step into the ring.
Source: avclub.com
***
Josh Clottey and The Solid Opposition -- 8CountNews
By Julie Cockerham, 8CountNews
First noted are the reactions. With the mega bout between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao decimated by trivialities, both fighters have turned away from each other to exert their dominance elsewhere. It took almost no time for Bob Arum to step in and ostensibly brush over the disappointment by placing Welterweight contender Joshua Clottey in Mayweather’s stead. While Arum has undoubtedly overstated the attractiveness of the substitute bout, it is compelling enough to draw interest.
Pacquiao should not be chastised for cutting the stalemate with Mayweather short. After all, the dissolution of the super bout didn’t see him off to graze leisurely in a field of lighter weights. Instead, he chose a solid challenger. And this challenger has a formidable hunger to succeed at the highest level. He won’t likely take this opportunity for granted.
Joshua Clottey presents a different kind of opposition than what Pacquiao has faced. It is crucial not to consider him as merely the vanquished of the vanquished. True, the chain exists: Clottey lost to Miguel Cotto who lost to Pacquiao. But Clottey’s loss was controversial, and to many eyes he had actually won the fight. Obviously, the controversy in this case helps to legitimize the contest with Pacquiao. It is the ultimate adage in boxing that styles make fights. The two styles that will meet in Texas on March 13th could potentially make for an interesting contrast.
Classifying the style of Clottey is somewhat challenging. He is mindful of defense, utilizing a high guard; but his style isn’t exactly defense driven. He can punch powerfully and effectively in combination; but his style isn’t exactly offense driven either. What he does exhibit is his own individual arsenal of skills. It’s an arsenal that can be effective, but is mostly so when Clottey remains focused, and when he does not allow himself to be rattled by his opponent’s tactics. When he retains composure, he has proven the quality of his style, and it has recommended him to contender status.
Traditionally, the biggest stages have not brought the greatest rewards for Clottey. At times, it has seemed to be the result of sheer misfortune. He lost a title shot to Antonio Margarito in a frustrating 12 round decision in Atlantic City in 2006. Reportedly he had broken his hand during the bout, an injury that would obviously have impeded his punch output. It left him to be stalked down by Margarito. It is worth mention, though, that Clottey fought Margarito at a time when others were not so eager to get into the ring with him. This was prior to the notorious hand wraps incident, back when the power of Margarito’s punches was assumed to be granted by nature alone. Whether modified at the time or not, Margarito was not able to dispose of the opponent who was lessened by a busted hand.
Clottey was coming off of a five fight winning streak when he met Miguel Cotto in the ring in New York last June. In this outing, his technique was tedious to watch. The performance was in large part due to his perceptible loss of focus. He spent the evening stifled behind his high guard. He held his arms in front of his face in a manner so unrelenting, it seemed like he must have been obstructing his own vision. Good defense is traditionally a strong attribute, but that’s only true when the defensive actions are fluid and interchangeable. Literally walling up the body as a means of protecting it limits the capability to initiate attacks. It interferes with the response to the timing and rhythm of the opponent. It interrupts effective exchange. “Hit and don’t be hit” may be the mantra on unbloodied lips, but a defense that forces an overly conservative punch output will generate a poor figure on scorecards.
In the fight against Cotto, Clottey’s offense was essentially pared down to sporadic bursts of activity. He spent much precious time enshrined behind the safety of his arms, and he seemed to become the victim of his own pent up energy. He would punch aggressively in combination, often lunging forward as he did so. At times, he became awkward and was thrown off balance. Still, these bursts were met with some success, because Cotto was moving forward in a relatively straight line. But Clottey’s unyielding preoccupation with protecting himself cut these successful onslaughts short, and he ceded points to Cotto. Clottey was disappointed with the result, and he wasn’t alone.
For Clottey, what will happen in Texas on March 13th probably comes as an uncommonly pleasant surprise. Part of Clottey’s determination to beat Cotto was doubtlessly fueled by a potential match up with Pacquiao. When he lost that fight, he most likely saw the opportunity evaporating in front of his eyes. Circumstances shifted across the boxing landscape, and now Clottey sees his chance coming around again.
What will the bout actually look like? In the best case scenario, Clottey will retain composure and will not allow a repeat performance of the one against Cotto. There are certain things he simply must not do if he wants a chance at a decisive victory over Pacquiao. He needs to be prepared for Pacquiao’s spectacular and peculiar choreography. Not simply for the obvious reason that any fighter prepares for his opponent’s style, but because he needs to be mentally prepared for it. Pacquiao will address him with a rate of speed unfamiliar to him. The punches will not only come at rapid pace, but also with power and at unforeseeable angles. This is Pacquiao’s magic, and it is very difficult to dispel. Most of Pacquiao’s opponents of late have looked like they’re shadowboxing some menacing spirit. They cannot target the cause, but are nonetheless left to react to bruises on their faces and dents in their sides. Pacquiao’s “invisible man” type of style will be the ultimate test of Clottey’s constitution. If he can retain his composure during this fight, he has kicked the bad habit.
Clottey will have to do away with the reliance on his unrelenting guard. This guard is inflexible, and Pacquiao will quickly find a way around it. He will dig beneath the elbows and attack the body. He is sharp enough to throw jabs and straight hands right between the gloves. If Clottey doesn’t use his guard wisely and sparingly, he will give away points in every round. He has to fight Pacquiao. And it’s not difficult to draw him into a fight. He enjoys active combat. Clottey should use his size and strength as a combined advantage and come forward. The chances of hurting Pacquiao increase with the level of activity. He certainly cannot be harmed by a man encased in a shell.
In the end, even if Clottey does not emerge victorious, he can still increase his reputation by putting on a proud display commensurate with his abilities. That alone would set him apart from the pack. If it is Pacquiao who does as is widely expected, and wins the fight, he will have yet another gleaming jewel to add to his crown. But when the excitement subsides, the issue of greeting the stalemate with Mayweather will inevitably arise. And again will come the exposure to petty wars waged outside of the battle grounds, where the possibility for a decisive clash is dissolved day by day in wasted energies.
Source: 8countnews.com
***
First noted are the reactions. With the mega bout between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao decimated by trivialities, both fighters have turned away from each other to exert their dominance elsewhere. It took almost no time for Bob Arum to step in and ostensibly brush over the disappointment by placing Welterweight contender Joshua Clottey in Mayweather’s stead. While Arum has undoubtedly overstated the attractiveness of the substitute bout, it is compelling enough to draw interest.
Pacquiao should not be chastised for cutting the stalemate with Mayweather short. After all, the dissolution of the super bout didn’t see him off to graze leisurely in a field of lighter weights. Instead, he chose a solid challenger. And this challenger has a formidable hunger to succeed at the highest level. He won’t likely take this opportunity for granted.
Joshua Clottey presents a different kind of opposition than what Pacquiao has faced. It is crucial not to consider him as merely the vanquished of the vanquished. True, the chain exists: Clottey lost to Miguel Cotto who lost to Pacquiao. But Clottey’s loss was controversial, and to many eyes he had actually won the fight. Obviously, the controversy in this case helps to legitimize the contest with Pacquiao. It is the ultimate adage in boxing that styles make fights. The two styles that will meet in Texas on March 13th could potentially make for an interesting contrast.
Classifying the style of Clottey is somewhat challenging. He is mindful of defense, utilizing a high guard; but his style isn’t exactly defense driven. He can punch powerfully and effectively in combination; but his style isn’t exactly offense driven either. What he does exhibit is his own individual arsenal of skills. It’s an arsenal that can be effective, but is mostly so when Clottey remains focused, and when he does not allow himself to be rattled by his opponent’s tactics. When he retains composure, he has proven the quality of his style, and it has recommended him to contender status.
Traditionally, the biggest stages have not brought the greatest rewards for Clottey. At times, it has seemed to be the result of sheer misfortune. He lost a title shot to Antonio Margarito in a frustrating 12 round decision in Atlantic City in 2006. Reportedly he had broken his hand during the bout, an injury that would obviously have impeded his punch output. It left him to be stalked down by Margarito. It is worth mention, though, that Clottey fought Margarito at a time when others were not so eager to get into the ring with him. This was prior to the notorious hand wraps incident, back when the power of Margarito’s punches was assumed to be granted by nature alone. Whether modified at the time or not, Margarito was not able to dispose of the opponent who was lessened by a busted hand.
Clottey was coming off of a five fight winning streak when he met Miguel Cotto in the ring in New York last June. In this outing, his technique was tedious to watch. The performance was in large part due to his perceptible loss of focus. He spent the evening stifled behind his high guard. He held his arms in front of his face in a manner so unrelenting, it seemed like he must have been obstructing his own vision. Good defense is traditionally a strong attribute, but that’s only true when the defensive actions are fluid and interchangeable. Literally walling up the body as a means of protecting it limits the capability to initiate attacks. It interferes with the response to the timing and rhythm of the opponent. It interrupts effective exchange. “Hit and don’t be hit” may be the mantra on unbloodied lips, but a defense that forces an overly conservative punch output will generate a poor figure on scorecards.
In the fight against Cotto, Clottey’s offense was essentially pared down to sporadic bursts of activity. He spent much precious time enshrined behind the safety of his arms, and he seemed to become the victim of his own pent up energy. He would punch aggressively in combination, often lunging forward as he did so. At times, he became awkward and was thrown off balance. Still, these bursts were met with some success, because Cotto was moving forward in a relatively straight line. But Clottey’s unyielding preoccupation with protecting himself cut these successful onslaughts short, and he ceded points to Cotto. Clottey was disappointed with the result, and he wasn’t alone.
For Clottey, what will happen in Texas on March 13th probably comes as an uncommonly pleasant surprise. Part of Clottey’s determination to beat Cotto was doubtlessly fueled by a potential match up with Pacquiao. When he lost that fight, he most likely saw the opportunity evaporating in front of his eyes. Circumstances shifted across the boxing landscape, and now Clottey sees his chance coming around again.
What will the bout actually look like? In the best case scenario, Clottey will retain composure and will not allow a repeat performance of the one against Cotto. There are certain things he simply must not do if he wants a chance at a decisive victory over Pacquiao. He needs to be prepared for Pacquiao’s spectacular and peculiar choreography. Not simply for the obvious reason that any fighter prepares for his opponent’s style, but because he needs to be mentally prepared for it. Pacquiao will address him with a rate of speed unfamiliar to him. The punches will not only come at rapid pace, but also with power and at unforeseeable angles. This is Pacquiao’s magic, and it is very difficult to dispel. Most of Pacquiao’s opponents of late have looked like they’re shadowboxing some menacing spirit. They cannot target the cause, but are nonetheless left to react to bruises on their faces and dents in their sides. Pacquiao’s “invisible man” type of style will be the ultimate test of Clottey’s constitution. If he can retain his composure during this fight, he has kicked the bad habit.
Clottey will have to do away with the reliance on his unrelenting guard. This guard is inflexible, and Pacquiao will quickly find a way around it. He will dig beneath the elbows and attack the body. He is sharp enough to throw jabs and straight hands right between the gloves. If Clottey doesn’t use his guard wisely and sparingly, he will give away points in every round. He has to fight Pacquiao. And it’s not difficult to draw him into a fight. He enjoys active combat. Clottey should use his size and strength as a combined advantage and come forward. The chances of hurting Pacquiao increase with the level of activity. He certainly cannot be harmed by a man encased in a shell.
In the end, even if Clottey does not emerge victorious, he can still increase his reputation by putting on a proud display commensurate with his abilities. That alone would set him apart from the pack. If it is Pacquiao who does as is widely expected, and wins the fight, he will have yet another gleaming jewel to add to his crown. But when the excitement subsides, the issue of greeting the stalemate with Mayweather will inevitably arise. And again will come the exposure to petty wars waged outside of the battle grounds, where the possibility for a decisive clash is dissolved day by day in wasted energies.
Source: 8countnews.com
***
Q&A With Evander Holyfield: 'I've Never Been on Steroids' -- FanHouse
By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse
At the age of 47, former world champion, Evander Holyfield, insists that he is in better physical shape than most men less than half his age in his profession.
"I wouldn't be back fighting if I couldn't do it," said Holyfield (pictured at right), who is tentatively scheduled to fight Francois Botha, and, Derric Rossy, respectively, in back-to-back bouts on March 6, and, April 24. "There are guys who are 22, 23 years old who can't do it anymore, because you know what? They've been hit too much."
Although he is 6-7-1 in his past 14 bouts, and is coming off of his second, consecutive loss, Holyfield (42-10-2, 27 knockouts) could be in line for a title shot at WBC champ, Vitali Klitschko (39-2, 37 KOs) if he defeats Botha and Rossy.
Nicknamed, "The Real Deal," Holyfield's goal is to become only the sport's first, five-time heavyweight world champion -- he's already the first to four-timer -- but to become surpass George Foreman as the oldest man to win a crown in boxing's heaviest division.
George Foreman was 45 when his 10th-round knockout dethroned previously unbeaten Michael Moorer as WBA and IBF champion.
FanHouse caught up to Holyfield, who discussed his age, his opinion on whether or not boxing's drug-testing policy should be strengthened, and past steroid accusations.
FanHouse: When and where are you going to start working out and training for your fights?
Evander Holyfield: I'm feeling great. I'm already training. But I've got two places that I can go to start seriously training for the fights. I'm either going to go to Houston, Tex., or I'm going to work out in California.
FH: Who are you working with as a trainer?
Holyfield: I'm working with Tommy Brooks. I've been knowing Brooks, on-and-off, since 1984. He trained me for my last fight witn Nikolay Valuev. He's a guy that saw me when I was young, and, now, he's seeing me now that I'm older.
The most important thing is that he's a person who realizes what I can do.
FH: What are some of the subtle things or not so subtle things that you have to do, mentally, physically, as an older fighter to make up for any lost timing or other things?
Holyfield: I don't have to make up for timing. My timing is good. The difference is that I have to depend more on my knowledge moreso than on physical strength.
The only thing different between being young and old is that when you're young, you can do more repetitions than when you're older. I can go 12 rounds, but I can't do it as hard as I used to when I was younger on a day-to- basis. It tends to wear your body down, and it takes more time to recover. But your mind is stronger.
FH: How much does your Olympic and amateur background help you in terms of muscle-memory, knowledge and instinctual things that you first learned?
Holyfield: You go back to things that you know and that work. You've got a solid foundation, thanks to your amateur past.
I had 13 years of that, and that's 13 years that kind of have allowed me to be able to make the adjustments to be able to make the adjustments necessary to be a champion four different times.
Those same little things are what, even now, enable me to get the advantage on some of these younger guys who I'm fighting who didn't have the extensive amateur background.
FH: What are some of those things that enable you to beat the bigger, younger heavyweights?
Holyfield: Even now, it's just the fact that I'm able to, with certain guys, know what shots to hit them with and to hurt them with. I respect the fact that with every shot that I throw at a guy, I'm open to being hit by the other guy.
So the person who knows the counter-shot to all of the different shots has the advantage. Am I quicker? Not necessarily. My footwork is good enough to where I can always be in a position to at least hit back.
FH: You talked about how you position your head in a fighters' chest, but what is your answer to Hasim Rahman (pictured at far right, against Wladimir Klitschko) and Mike Tyson who claimed that you were a dirty fighter who head-butts?
Holyfield: Pretty much, if I'm in a certain position, then the person can't say that you're head-butting them because you beat them to a position first and you're the first one to get there.
That's the thing. A head-butt happens when you put your head out and you lead with your head. I don't lead with my head. Ever. These are people who lead with their heads.
People who head-butt are always complaining about people head-butting them because they lead with their heads.
FH: Can you explain why you have parted ways with camp members and/or trainers who have advised or expressed the opinion that maybe you should retire?
Holyfield: Well, it's really simple. You have to have standards. You know, if we're not all standing together, then we're in a disagreement and it's not going to work. That's just simple terminology.
You can't have somebody on the team who doesn't believe in you. They don't believe that I can win. As an adult, I don't want to work with nobody who don't believe in me, and then, when I win, you get paid too?
You don't deserve to get anything from me if you don't believe in me. I don't actually think that a person would give you their best if they don't believe in you or nothing. But then, all of a sudden, they're collecting a check.
FH: What is your take on the whole Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao situation, and whether or not boxing should implement more stringent policies for drug-testing, such as random blood-testing, or do you believe that boxing is fine the way that it is?
Holyfield: I don't think that the fighters should be the ones who tell people in the boxing commissions what to do. I don't think that the fighter should get to make the rules as to when somebody should check somebody and all of that.
You're just the fighter. You don't get to change the rules. The rules and regulations are the rules and regulations. You don't get to sit here and all of a sudden, you say that 'I don't want to fight a fight unless he takes this other test.'
The commission is supposed to jump in and say, 'Well, these are the rules for this fight.' As a fighter, you don't get to mess with the other person by saying, 'You need to take this steroid test,' and all of that.
If his drug test comes up positive after the fight, then he comes up positive. But you don't get the chance to change it before that. Whatever it [the result] is, that's what it is. It ain't never been any other way.
So how can somebody come in and all of a sudden say, 'Look, I want to check, this, this, this and this?' Then why do you fight if you feel that the guy is going to cheat.
If steroids don't come up in the system under the present way that they test, then you don't get to say, 'Well, they've got other tests,' and all of that.
The commission is the one that is supposed to make that decision. Either you are going to fight, or you're not going to fight. If you think the guy is on steroids, and you don't want to fight, then you don't fight.
But you shouldn't have the opportunity to tear down somebody's integrity just because of what you think.
FH: Do you believe that Manny Pacquiao is right in pursuing a lawsuit in order to defend his integrity?
Holyfield: Yes, because the big thing is that there's always somebody saying that somebody is taking steroids, and then, once it gets into the papers, then your name is already smut.
Ain't nobody ever caught me on steroids, and I've never been on steroids. But the argument is that, 'We're just reporting what we heard.' But that's just tearing down somebody's integrity.
The fact of the matter is that they made me take a steroid test before I fought Mike Tyson, but they didn't make Mike take the test. It's sad how some people have to take the test just to fight the person, and they, themselves, don't have to take it.
It's like when Mike Tyson fought Lennox Lewis. Tyson had to take some medication to fight Lewis. You're the champion, and you're going to make sure that somebody takes their medication.
Now, the man [Tyson], when he had been fighting before that, he don't take his medication. But since he bit Holyfield, then when he fights me [Lewis,] he needs to take his medication, because I don't want to be bit.
How can you say that the fight is an even fight when somebody is going to make you take some medication that's going to slow you down?
It's sad. But if you're the commission, then you're the commission. The commission itself is supposed to direct how things are supposed to be, not the fighters.
FH: Evander, if someone who cares about you comes up to you and says, 'Evander, how are you physically?,' and, 'Are you still physically capable to fight at your age?,' and, 'Should you still be fighting?,' What answers would you give them?
Holyfield: I would say, 'Yeah, or else, I wouldn't be back fighting if I couldn't do it.' You don't sit here and, because of a person's age and all of this, and you say that they can't fight.
Either you come up with a rule that says that, 'At a certain age, you're not going to fight,' or you leave them alone. If they don't come up with a certain age limit, then they shouldn't be hindering people about their age and all of that.
The rules are supposed to go for everybody. They should put down a rule that says, 'Well, we don't want nobody to fight no more than at a certain age.'
There are guys who are 22, 23 years old who can't do it, because you know what? They've been hit too much. I'll go pass every test that you put out there, and then, how are you going to hinder me?
If you can't put a test out there that I can't pass, then you shouldn't talk about it anymore. That's slander. Anytime you say something negative against anybody who could be successful, it's slander.
You're not doing anything but slandering a person. You're making people say, 'Oh, why would you all support this guy?' There's nobody out there who could do any more than what I can do.
Anybody can get knocked out on any given day. On a good day, you can get knocked out if you get hit with a good shot. We're in the hurt business.
On any given day, you can get hurt if you get hit with a certain shot. It all depends on where you get hit. That's a fact.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
***
At the age of 47, former world champion, Evander Holyfield, insists that he is in better physical shape than most men less than half his age in his profession.
"I wouldn't be back fighting if I couldn't do it," said Holyfield (pictured at right), who is tentatively scheduled to fight Francois Botha, and, Derric Rossy, respectively, in back-to-back bouts on March 6, and, April 24. "There are guys who are 22, 23 years old who can't do it anymore, because you know what? They've been hit too much."
Although he is 6-7-1 in his past 14 bouts, and is coming off of his second, consecutive loss, Holyfield (42-10-2, 27 knockouts) could be in line for a title shot at WBC champ, Vitali Klitschko (39-2, 37 KOs) if he defeats Botha and Rossy.
Nicknamed, "The Real Deal," Holyfield's goal is to become only the sport's first, five-time heavyweight world champion -- he's already the first to four-timer -- but to become surpass George Foreman as the oldest man to win a crown in boxing's heaviest division.
George Foreman was 45 when his 10th-round knockout dethroned previously unbeaten Michael Moorer as WBA and IBF champion.
FanHouse caught up to Holyfield, who discussed his age, his opinion on whether or not boxing's drug-testing policy should be strengthened, and past steroid accusations.
FanHouse: When and where are you going to start working out and training for your fights?
Evander Holyfield: I'm feeling great. I'm already training. But I've got two places that I can go to start seriously training for the fights. I'm either going to go to Houston, Tex., or I'm going to work out in California.
FH: Who are you working with as a trainer?
Holyfield: I'm working with Tommy Brooks. I've been knowing Brooks, on-and-off, since 1984. He trained me for my last fight witn Nikolay Valuev. He's a guy that saw me when I was young, and, now, he's seeing me now that I'm older.
The most important thing is that he's a person who realizes what I can do.
FH: What are some of the subtle things or not so subtle things that you have to do, mentally, physically, as an older fighter to make up for any lost timing or other things?
Holyfield: I don't have to make up for timing. My timing is good. The difference is that I have to depend more on my knowledge moreso than on physical strength.
The only thing different between being young and old is that when you're young, you can do more repetitions than when you're older. I can go 12 rounds, but I can't do it as hard as I used to when I was younger on a day-to- basis. It tends to wear your body down, and it takes more time to recover. But your mind is stronger.
FH: How much does your Olympic and amateur background help you in terms of muscle-memory, knowledge and instinctual things that you first learned?
Holyfield: You go back to things that you know and that work. You've got a solid foundation, thanks to your amateur past.
I had 13 years of that, and that's 13 years that kind of have allowed me to be able to make the adjustments to be able to make the adjustments necessary to be a champion four different times.
Those same little things are what, even now, enable me to get the advantage on some of these younger guys who I'm fighting who didn't have the extensive amateur background.
FH: What are some of those things that enable you to beat the bigger, younger heavyweights?
Holyfield: Even now, it's just the fact that I'm able to, with certain guys, know what shots to hit them with and to hurt them with. I respect the fact that with every shot that I throw at a guy, I'm open to being hit by the other guy.
So the person who knows the counter-shot to all of the different shots has the advantage. Am I quicker? Not necessarily. My footwork is good enough to where I can always be in a position to at least hit back.
FH: You talked about how you position your head in a fighters' chest, but what is your answer to Hasim Rahman (pictured at far right, against Wladimir Klitschko) and Mike Tyson who claimed that you were a dirty fighter who head-butts?
Holyfield: Pretty much, if I'm in a certain position, then the person can't say that you're head-butting them because you beat them to a position first and you're the first one to get there.
That's the thing. A head-butt happens when you put your head out and you lead with your head. I don't lead with my head. Ever. These are people who lead with their heads.
People who head-butt are always complaining about people head-butting them because they lead with their heads.
FH: Can you explain why you have parted ways with camp members and/or trainers who have advised or expressed the opinion that maybe you should retire?
Holyfield: Well, it's really simple. You have to have standards. You know, if we're not all standing together, then we're in a disagreement and it's not going to work. That's just simple terminology.
You can't have somebody on the team who doesn't believe in you. They don't believe that I can win. As an adult, I don't want to work with nobody who don't believe in me, and then, when I win, you get paid too?
You don't deserve to get anything from me if you don't believe in me. I don't actually think that a person would give you their best if they don't believe in you or nothing. But then, all of a sudden, they're collecting a check.
FH: What is your take on the whole Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao situation, and whether or not boxing should implement more stringent policies for drug-testing, such as random blood-testing, or do you believe that boxing is fine the way that it is?
Holyfield: I don't think that the fighters should be the ones who tell people in the boxing commissions what to do. I don't think that the fighter should get to make the rules as to when somebody should check somebody and all of that.
You're just the fighter. You don't get to change the rules. The rules and regulations are the rules and regulations. You don't get to sit here and all of a sudden, you say that 'I don't want to fight a fight unless he takes this other test.'
The commission is supposed to jump in and say, 'Well, these are the rules for this fight.' As a fighter, you don't get to mess with the other person by saying, 'You need to take this steroid test,' and all of that.
If his drug test comes up positive after the fight, then he comes up positive. But you don't get the chance to change it before that. Whatever it [the result] is, that's what it is. It ain't never been any other way.
So how can somebody come in and all of a sudden say, 'Look, I want to check, this, this, this and this?' Then why do you fight if you feel that the guy is going to cheat.
If steroids don't come up in the system under the present way that they test, then you don't get to say, 'Well, they've got other tests,' and all of that.
The commission is the one that is supposed to make that decision. Either you are going to fight, or you're not going to fight. If you think the guy is on steroids, and you don't want to fight, then you don't fight.
But you shouldn't have the opportunity to tear down somebody's integrity just because of what you think.
FH: Do you believe that Manny Pacquiao is right in pursuing a lawsuit in order to defend his integrity?
Holyfield: Yes, because the big thing is that there's always somebody saying that somebody is taking steroids, and then, once it gets into the papers, then your name is already smut.
Ain't nobody ever caught me on steroids, and I've never been on steroids. But the argument is that, 'We're just reporting what we heard.' But that's just tearing down somebody's integrity.
The fact of the matter is that they made me take a steroid test before I fought Mike Tyson, but they didn't make Mike take the test. It's sad how some people have to take the test just to fight the person, and they, themselves, don't have to take it.
It's like when Mike Tyson fought Lennox Lewis. Tyson had to take some medication to fight Lewis. You're the champion, and you're going to make sure that somebody takes their medication.
Now, the man [Tyson], when he had been fighting before that, he don't take his medication. But since he bit Holyfield, then when he fights me [Lewis,] he needs to take his medication, because I don't want to be bit.
How can you say that the fight is an even fight when somebody is going to make you take some medication that's going to slow you down?
It's sad. But if you're the commission, then you're the commission. The commission itself is supposed to direct how things are supposed to be, not the fighters.
FH: Evander, if someone who cares about you comes up to you and says, 'Evander, how are you physically?,' and, 'Are you still physically capable to fight at your age?,' and, 'Should you still be fighting?,' What answers would you give them?
Holyfield: I would say, 'Yeah, or else, I wouldn't be back fighting if I couldn't do it.' You don't sit here and, because of a person's age and all of this, and you say that they can't fight.
Either you come up with a rule that says that, 'At a certain age, you're not going to fight,' or you leave them alone. If they don't come up with a certain age limit, then they shouldn't be hindering people about their age and all of that.
The rules are supposed to go for everybody. They should put down a rule that says, 'Well, we don't want nobody to fight no more than at a certain age.'
There are guys who are 22, 23 years old who can't do it, because you know what? They've been hit too much. I'll go pass every test that you put out there, and then, how are you going to hinder me?
If you can't put a test out there that I can't pass, then you shouldn't talk about it anymore. That's slander. Anytime you say something negative against anybody who could be successful, it's slander.
You're not doing anything but slandering a person. You're making people say, 'Oh, why would you all support this guy?' There's nobody out there who could do any more than what I can do.
Anybody can get knocked out on any given day. On a good day, you can get knocked out if you get hit with a good shot. We're in the hurt business.
On any given day, you can get hurt if you get hit with a certain shot. It all depends on where you get hit. That's a fact.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
***
Exclusive 8CN interview: Manny Pacquiao -- 8CountNews
By Brad Cooney, 8CountNews
The pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao returns home to 8CountNews and shares his thoughts on his big upcoming fight against Joshua Clottey. Pacquiao pulls no punches in this exclusive interview, he goes right after Floyd Mayweather and questions why he would purposely discredit his good name. Pacquiao also breaks down his fight against Clottey, and touches on his political career as well. Check out what else the pound for pound king had to say ONLY on 8CountNews!
LISTEN TO THE AUDIO INTERVIEW HERE
8CN - Manny thank you for joining us tonight.
MP - Hello 8CountNews.com how are you doing?
8CN - Doing good, OK let's talk about Joshua Clottey. What does Clottey bring into the ring that gets your attention?
MP - Joshua Clottey is a good fighter and a strong fighter, he can punch. I truly believe that we can bring a good fight, and create a lot of boxing in the ring.
8CN - Are you concerned by how strong Clottey's chin is? He is tough to hurt.
MP - Yes, that's what I am saying, Clottey is tough. He can punch, and he is very strong.
8CN - He is going to be bigger and you are going to be faster. Do you think that he will suffer the same fate as your other opponents? Do you think you will be too fast for him?
MP - My advantage is my speed, but I have to use that properly. I have to use my speed in the fight correctly.
8CN - I was talking to Evander Holyfield, and he said that he noticed that when you punch you use your legs. He said that you use your legs to get leverage on your punches. Do you agree with him?
MP - Yes, you know the power of my punches is from my legs. Evander Holyfield is my idol, I always watch his fights.
8CN - Evander supports you, he said that Mayweather should not have accused you of taking steroids. That must be important for you to hear someone like Evander say that.
MP - Yes, and I don't understand Floyd. Maybe he just doesn't want to fight me. Maybe he needs more time to make a decision to fight me.
8CN - Do you think that was part of Floyd's plan? Do you think he was looking for an out the whole time?
MP - That's right, I believe that.
8CN - Training camp for Clottey is a little bit shorter this time. Do you have any concerns with the camp being shorter?
MP - No, training is good. Right now I have pretty good movement. I am throwing good combinations, and I will be ready for the fight on March 13th.
8CN - I want to get back on the Floyd Mayweather situation. How disappointed are you for the fans and all of boxing that this fight will not happen?
MP - Well I am disappointed actually, I feel bad because if he doesn't want to fight, why get into a big alibi by ruining my name?
8CN - Your reputation could have taken a real hit because of that....
MP - Cutting in - I don't know what his story is. I don't know why he would accuse me like that.
8CN - Put it into your words how important it is for you to maintain your integrity and reputation to all of the boxing fans.
MP - The boxing fans and the Filipino boxing fans believe that Floyd is just making an alibi to cancel the fight, he's not ready to fight.
8CN - Do you think you will ultimately fight Floyd one day?
MP - I think he is scared to lose. I think he knows that if he fights me, he has a good chance to lose.
8CN - I think a lot of fans think that Manny
MP - (Laughs)
8CN - How many more fights do you think you have left in your career?
MP - It's hard to say right now but 3 to 4 more fights.
8CN - If you do win your seat in the election, will you still be involved in boxing?
MP - Maybe I will keep on fighting.
8CN - So you might still fight even if you win the election?
MP - Yes.
8CN - OK, Manny I know you're busy so do you have any closing thoughts for the fans out there?
MP - OK Brad thank you, and to all of the fans I say thank you very much. I hope everyone watches my fight on March 13th in Dallas. Thank you Brad.
Special thanks to our friend Rob Peters
Source: 8countnews.com
***
The pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao returns home to 8CountNews and shares his thoughts on his big upcoming fight against Joshua Clottey. Pacquiao pulls no punches in this exclusive interview, he goes right after Floyd Mayweather and questions why he would purposely discredit his good name. Pacquiao also breaks down his fight against Clottey, and touches on his political career as well. Check out what else the pound for pound king had to say ONLY on 8CountNews!
LISTEN TO THE AUDIO INTERVIEW HERE
8CN - Manny thank you for joining us tonight.
MP - Hello 8CountNews.com how are you doing?
8CN - Doing good, OK let's talk about Joshua Clottey. What does Clottey bring into the ring that gets your attention?
MP - Joshua Clottey is a good fighter and a strong fighter, he can punch. I truly believe that we can bring a good fight, and create a lot of boxing in the ring.
8CN - Are you concerned by how strong Clottey's chin is? He is tough to hurt.
MP - Yes, that's what I am saying, Clottey is tough. He can punch, and he is very strong.
8CN - He is going to be bigger and you are going to be faster. Do you think that he will suffer the same fate as your other opponents? Do you think you will be too fast for him?
MP - My advantage is my speed, but I have to use that properly. I have to use my speed in the fight correctly.
8CN - I was talking to Evander Holyfield, and he said that he noticed that when you punch you use your legs. He said that you use your legs to get leverage on your punches. Do you agree with him?
MP - Yes, you know the power of my punches is from my legs. Evander Holyfield is my idol, I always watch his fights.
8CN - Evander supports you, he said that Mayweather should not have accused you of taking steroids. That must be important for you to hear someone like Evander say that.
MP - Yes, and I don't understand Floyd. Maybe he just doesn't want to fight me. Maybe he needs more time to make a decision to fight me.
8CN - Do you think that was part of Floyd's plan? Do you think he was looking for an out the whole time?
MP - That's right, I believe that.
8CN - Training camp for Clottey is a little bit shorter this time. Do you have any concerns with the camp being shorter?
MP - No, training is good. Right now I have pretty good movement. I am throwing good combinations, and I will be ready for the fight on March 13th.
8CN - I want to get back on the Floyd Mayweather situation. How disappointed are you for the fans and all of boxing that this fight will not happen?
MP - Well I am disappointed actually, I feel bad because if he doesn't want to fight, why get into a big alibi by ruining my name?
8CN - Your reputation could have taken a real hit because of that....
MP - Cutting in - I don't know what his story is. I don't know why he would accuse me like that.
8CN - Put it into your words how important it is for you to maintain your integrity and reputation to all of the boxing fans.
MP - The boxing fans and the Filipino boxing fans believe that Floyd is just making an alibi to cancel the fight, he's not ready to fight.
8CN - Do you think you will ultimately fight Floyd one day?
MP - I think he is scared to lose. I think he knows that if he fights me, he has a good chance to lose.
8CN - I think a lot of fans think that Manny
MP - (Laughs)
8CN - How many more fights do you think you have left in your career?
MP - It's hard to say right now but 3 to 4 more fights.
8CN - If you do win your seat in the election, will you still be involved in boxing?
MP - Maybe I will keep on fighting.
8CN - So you might still fight even if you win the election?
MP - Yes.
8CN - OK, Manny I know you're busy so do you have any closing thoughts for the fans out there?
MP - OK Brad thank you, and to all of the fans I say thank you very much. I hope everyone watches my fight on March 13th in Dallas. Thank you Brad.
Special thanks to our friend Rob Peters
Source: 8countnews.com
***
Freddie Roach exclusive: Mayweather so good Pacquiao would need ‘perfect fight’ -- Telegraph
By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk
Freddie Roach Telegraph Sport exclusive part five.
Freddie Roach has been breaking down the style and technique employed by Floyd Mayweather, which has made him the unbeaten fighter he is today.
Roach had begun his research on Mayweather before the planned super-fight between Pacquiao and the leading American boxer of today was derailed by rows and disagreements over drug-testing procedures.
Roach told me: “I’d been looking at how Mayweather reacts against south paw fighters. There’s quite a difference to how he reacts with right handed fighters. He’s not that comfortable with the south paw stance. It gets him in a little trouble.”
Yet Roach spelt out in clear terms the task facing Pacquiao should he meet Mayweather in a ring, later this year. “It’s more about his positive things that we have to stay away from.”
“It’s a complicated game plan I was beginning to put together. You look at the way Floyd fights. If you put pressure on him, on the ropes, he rolls and ducks, and counters and if you get too aggressive, he’ll walk you so cleverly onto a counter punch. He’s not the most offensive fighter, not the most entertaining fighter, but he is great at what he does.”
“Do we have to be ready for all of it ? Yes. It’s going to be a real, real, mental fight, and this is 100 per cent the biggest challenge Manny Pacquiao has ever faced.”
Would Roach have done anything different to Mayweather’s style, if he had trained him? “A little bit more offence, because of his hand speed and abilities. I’d have got him to use it to his advantage more. I don’t think anyone trains Mayweather. He was born to fight. It is in his blood.”
“There are not a lot of weaknesses. It has to be a special 36 minutes from Manny. We have to fight the perfect fight.”
“It is hard thinking about it. When decisions haven’t yet been made. I think the fight has to happen. I think it will happen. It’s good for boxing, it is good for the world. If it doesn’t happen, we might go back into a recession in boxing again, because it is the fight which is anticipated. The public wants to see it, and I want to see it too.”
Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk
***
Freddie Roach Telegraph Sport exclusive part five.
Freddie Roach has been breaking down the style and technique employed by Floyd Mayweather, which has made him the unbeaten fighter he is today.
Roach had begun his research on Mayweather before the planned super-fight between Pacquiao and the leading American boxer of today was derailed by rows and disagreements over drug-testing procedures.
Roach told me: “I’d been looking at how Mayweather reacts against south paw fighters. There’s quite a difference to how he reacts with right handed fighters. He’s not that comfortable with the south paw stance. It gets him in a little trouble.”
Yet Roach spelt out in clear terms the task facing Pacquiao should he meet Mayweather in a ring, later this year. “It’s more about his positive things that we have to stay away from.”
“It’s a complicated game plan I was beginning to put together. You look at the way Floyd fights. If you put pressure on him, on the ropes, he rolls and ducks, and counters and if you get too aggressive, he’ll walk you so cleverly onto a counter punch. He’s not the most offensive fighter, not the most entertaining fighter, but he is great at what he does.”
“Do we have to be ready for all of it ? Yes. It’s going to be a real, real, mental fight, and this is 100 per cent the biggest challenge Manny Pacquiao has ever faced.”
Would Roach have done anything different to Mayweather’s style, if he had trained him? “A little bit more offence, because of his hand speed and abilities. I’d have got him to use it to his advantage more. I don’t think anyone trains Mayweather. He was born to fight. It is in his blood.”
“There are not a lot of weaknesses. It has to be a special 36 minutes from Manny. We have to fight the perfect fight.”
“It is hard thinking about it. When decisions haven’t yet been made. I think the fight has to happen. I think it will happen. It’s good for boxing, it is good for the world. If it doesn’t happen, we might go back into a recession in boxing again, because it is the fight which is anticipated. The public wants to see it, and I want to see it too.”
Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk
***
Cotto/Foreman: A High-Profile Fight Foreman CAN Win -- The Sweet Science
By Frank Lotierzo, The Sweet Science
During the Gamboa-Mtagwa / Lopez-Luevano HBO boxing after dark card this past weekend, former junior welterweight and welterweight title holder Miguel Cotto 34-2 (27) was interviewed by Bob Papa. Miguel looked good physically and spoke quite clearly.
The last time Cotto was in the ring he was stopped by Manny Pacquiao in the 12th round. Cotto gave Pacquiao everything he had but couldn't quite handle Manny's combination of speed, power and unconventional southpaw attack. Shortly after the fight Miguel's father passed away from an apparent heart attack. So it's been a rough two months for Miguel.
If there ever was a real fighter in the sport of professional boxing it's Miguel Cotto. This guy has never backed down from any fighter and has constantly sought to fight the best available opposition every time out. Having fought the likes of Paulie Malignaggi, Carlos Quintana, Zab Judah, Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito, Joshua Clottey and Manny Pacquiao, his record reads like a virtual who's who list of the top fighters of his era.
During the interview with Papa, Cotto indicated that he's planning on going through with a proposed bout against WBA junior middleweight champ Yuri Foreman 28-0 (8) at Madison Square Garden. Foreman lives in Brooklyn and has a large following in New York City as does Cotto. The fight is tentatively scheduled for June 12th, the day before the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City. Since becoming a main event fighter Cotto has routinely headlined boxing cards on the Saturday night on the eve of the parade when a large faction of the city's residents with Puerto Rican roots turn out at The Garden in support of Cotto.
The last time Foreman fought it was on the under card of the Pacquiao-Cotto bout. Foreman won a very workman-like unanimous decision over Daniel Santos, controlling the action most of the way and in the process captured the first world title of career since making his pro-debut eight years ago.
"He's a great champion, pound-for-pound one of the best fighters out," is how Foreman described Cotto.
For Cotto the fight with Foreman would be his first fight at 154 pounds and affords him a chance to win a third world title in three different weight divisions. My first inclination after finding out Foreman-Cotto was in the works was perhaps Miguel should take an easy fight coming off the brutal bout with Pacquiao. However, Cotto doesn't go the easy fight route which is terrific for fight fans but will no doubt shorten his career. Then after thinking about it, it's good matchmaking on the part of Bob Arum who has promotional ties to both Cotto and Foreman.
Foreman's a little too big for Cotto, but he's not fast nor can he punch. But Cotto isn't the fighter he once was. It's a high profile fight that Foreman can win (and there aren't too many of those), where Cotto can earn another good payday and not get hurt. And it's not like Cotto would be in over his head against Foreman and couldn't win. It's pretty transparent as to why the fight will most likely be realized, but it's a win-win for all involved.
Cotto's biggest obstacle will be dealing with Foreman's height and reach depending on how much is left in the reservoir of the fantastic fighter he once was. At this stage of Cotto's career, having fought Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito, Joshua Clottey and Manny Pacquiao in four of his last six fights between November of 2007 and November of 2009, Miguel has endured a lot of punishment. He really must be managed carefully. Even in the two bouts he won against Mosley and Clottey, Miguel was manhandled physically - but luckily for him he fought the smarter fight strategically which enabled him to escape with a decision win over both.
Foreman hasn't fought a single A-level fighter. Cotto, despite being on the decline, represents his sternest test. A win by Cotto extends his career at the championship level and will no doubt maneuver him into position for another big fight and pay-day. So it cannot be said that Arum has hurt him. Miguel also may have been bothered by having to make 145 against Pacquiao in his last fight. No, it didn't effect the outcome of the bout, but it was obvious watching him on HBO's 24/7 that it bothered him mentally.
Fighting at 154 will be a relief mentally, but it could really hinder him physically and make him a sitting duck for Foreman if the weight noticeably slows him down. On the other hand if Foreman beats Cotto, it won't be in a brutal fashion. And if he were to lose to him, it won't be in a manner that he won't be able to recover and come back from.
Foreman vs. Cotto represents an opportunity for Yuri Foreman to mark his arrival, and for Miguel Cotto it's a chance for him to remain a major player among the welterweight and junior middleweight elite.
Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com
Source: thesweetscience.com
During the Gamboa-Mtagwa / Lopez-Luevano HBO boxing after dark card this past weekend, former junior welterweight and welterweight title holder Miguel Cotto 34-2 (27) was interviewed by Bob Papa. Miguel looked good physically and spoke quite clearly.
The last time Cotto was in the ring he was stopped by Manny Pacquiao in the 12th round. Cotto gave Pacquiao everything he had but couldn't quite handle Manny's combination of speed, power and unconventional southpaw attack. Shortly after the fight Miguel's father passed away from an apparent heart attack. So it's been a rough two months for Miguel.
If there ever was a real fighter in the sport of professional boxing it's Miguel Cotto. This guy has never backed down from any fighter and has constantly sought to fight the best available opposition every time out. Having fought the likes of Paulie Malignaggi, Carlos Quintana, Zab Judah, Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito, Joshua Clottey and Manny Pacquiao, his record reads like a virtual who's who list of the top fighters of his era.
During the interview with Papa, Cotto indicated that he's planning on going through with a proposed bout against WBA junior middleweight champ Yuri Foreman 28-0 (8) at Madison Square Garden. Foreman lives in Brooklyn and has a large following in New York City as does Cotto. The fight is tentatively scheduled for June 12th, the day before the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City. Since becoming a main event fighter Cotto has routinely headlined boxing cards on the Saturday night on the eve of the parade when a large faction of the city's residents with Puerto Rican roots turn out at The Garden in support of Cotto.
The last time Foreman fought it was on the under card of the Pacquiao-Cotto bout. Foreman won a very workman-like unanimous decision over Daniel Santos, controlling the action most of the way and in the process captured the first world title of career since making his pro-debut eight years ago.
"He's a great champion, pound-for-pound one of the best fighters out," is how Foreman described Cotto.
For Cotto the fight with Foreman would be his first fight at 154 pounds and affords him a chance to win a third world title in three different weight divisions. My first inclination after finding out Foreman-Cotto was in the works was perhaps Miguel should take an easy fight coming off the brutal bout with Pacquiao. However, Cotto doesn't go the easy fight route which is terrific for fight fans but will no doubt shorten his career. Then after thinking about it, it's good matchmaking on the part of Bob Arum who has promotional ties to both Cotto and Foreman.
Foreman's a little too big for Cotto, but he's not fast nor can he punch. But Cotto isn't the fighter he once was. It's a high profile fight that Foreman can win (and there aren't too many of those), where Cotto can earn another good payday and not get hurt. And it's not like Cotto would be in over his head against Foreman and couldn't win. It's pretty transparent as to why the fight will most likely be realized, but it's a win-win for all involved.
Cotto's biggest obstacle will be dealing with Foreman's height and reach depending on how much is left in the reservoir of the fantastic fighter he once was. At this stage of Cotto's career, having fought Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito, Joshua Clottey and Manny Pacquiao in four of his last six fights between November of 2007 and November of 2009, Miguel has endured a lot of punishment. He really must be managed carefully. Even in the two bouts he won against Mosley and Clottey, Miguel was manhandled physically - but luckily for him he fought the smarter fight strategically which enabled him to escape with a decision win over both.
Foreman hasn't fought a single A-level fighter. Cotto, despite being on the decline, represents his sternest test. A win by Cotto extends his career at the championship level and will no doubt maneuver him into position for another big fight and pay-day. So it cannot be said that Arum has hurt him. Miguel also may have been bothered by having to make 145 against Pacquiao in his last fight. No, it didn't effect the outcome of the bout, but it was obvious watching him on HBO's 24/7 that it bothered him mentally.
Fighting at 154 will be a relief mentally, but it could really hinder him physically and make him a sitting duck for Foreman if the weight noticeably slows him down. On the other hand if Foreman beats Cotto, it won't be in a brutal fashion. And if he were to lose to him, it won't be in a manner that he won't be able to recover and come back from.
Foreman vs. Cotto represents an opportunity for Yuri Foreman to mark his arrival, and for Miguel Cotto it's a chance for him to remain a major player among the welterweight and junior middleweight elite.
Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com
Source: thesweetscience.com
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