Matthew Hatton and Saul Alvarez might just knock out Manny Pacquiao

Boxing News World

There have been some reports circulating on the internet about a possible Matthew Hatton–Saul Alvarez fight on May 1 on the undercard of the much anticipated Floyd Mayweather-Shane Mosley showdown.

Hatton-Alvarez would be an interesting fight - a match-up of two promising fighters, both fighters possess raw talent and both have solid followers.

Hatton boasts a solid 38-4-2 record with 15 knockouts. Although he looked very ordinary against battle-tested Lovemore N’dou last November in their IBO welterweight title fight that ended in a controversial draw, he was pretty impressive in his last fight dispatching journeyman Mikheil Khutsishvili inside five rounds.

19-year old Alvarez, on the other hand, is undefeated in 31 professional fights - 30 wins, 1 draw with 71% knockout ratio (he has won seven of his last eight fights by KO). Fighting on Mayweather card in Las Vegas would certainly be a great opportunity for the teenage welterweight from Jalisco, Mexico to be exposed to the American audience.

But regardless of what the fighters’ records say, the real reason why these fighters are being pitted against each other is to entice loyal Mexican and British audience to buy the Mayweather-Mosley show. Matthew’s surname still carries a lot of British fans, thanks to the older lad Ricky, while Saul is being touted as “the next Mexican great champion”. With loyal British and Mexican fans supporting the May 1 event, the Mayweather-Mosley might just knock out Pacquiao-Clottey in the battle of pay-per-view especially that Antonio Margarito is already out of “The Event”. (Photo: Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez)

- Marshall N. B., marx7204@lycos.com

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Timothy Bradley - "I Want Fights That Mean Something!" -- Eastside Boxing

By James Slater, Eastside Boxing

WBO light-welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, 25-0(11) is a frustrated man at present. Despite being a fighter who has proven , and wants to go on proving, he is a warrior who seeks out only the best possible opposition, "Desert Storm" has been unable to land a big fight to his satisfaction. Recently calling out names like Juan Manuel Marquez, Amir Khan and Ricky Hatton, to name a few, Bradley has been left without a signed deal.

Set to fight again on June 5th, in what will be his first fight since December of last year, the undefeated, incredibly hungry 26-year-old awaits confirmation of who the opponent will be. There was talk of a fight with WBC lightweight king Edwin Valero, who wanted to move up in weight, but so far nothing has been made official - much to Tim's disappointment (disappointment Bradley could not hide in the following interview; even though he was still friendly and accommodating).

Here is what the big fight-craving light-welterweight champion had to say yesterday evening (UK time) in reply to my questions:

James Slater: Thank you so much for your time, Champ. We hear you are fighting again on June 5th?

Timothy Bradley: Yes, hopefully against Ricky Hatton (laughs).

J.S: I think Ricky would need to lose quite a few pounds before being ready for you, Tim!

T.B: Yeah, I'm fighting on June 5th, I'm just waiting on who the opponent will be.

J.S: I read about how you could maybe fight Edwin Valero, once his cut has healed?

T.B: Valero don't want to fight.

J.S: That fight won't happen then? I read how your promoter, Gary Shaw, is so sure you'd school Valero the fight would happen in Mexico. But no chance of it happening?

T.B: He [Valero] would fight, but his people don't want the fight. But, hey, as you know, anything's possible in boxing - things can change overnight. But I've had no calls from my promoter about that fight. Bob Arum said he wanted it, but as of now I'm still waiting to hear who I'll be fighting next. I don't just want it to be some Joe Blow from down the street - I want to fight a top name. I always want to fight the top names - fights that mean something. You know, Ricky Hatton, Amir Khan, Paulie Malignaggi, Juan Manuel Marquez, Victor Ortiz; who else? All those guys, you know?

J.S: Are you frustrated at how these names are avoiding you?

T.B: Absolutely! I worked so hard to prove to the world that I am number-one, and now I can't keep proving it because nobody will fight me! It's time these guys got off their high horse and agreed to fight me. You know, there's no point in these guy's promoters avoiding a fight - come on, we can make it a 50-50 thing! There's no problem at all with money - I just wanna fight the top guys.

J.S: This fight on June 5th, will be your first fight this year. You must be anxious to get back in action - ready to fight?

T.B: Yeah, oh yes! I was hoping for May, but it's been pushed back and pushed back. Nobody wants to fight me, but I have to be patient. Something will come up soon. I thought things were going well with the Amir Khan fight. We were talking with Frank Warren after the Lamont Peterson fight, and it seemed as though the figures were down. I was like, let's do it! But now, nothing! Khan doesn't want to fight me. There was a possibility I could have fought Paulie Malignaggi (instead of Khan, who is close to facing Malignaggi on May 15th), and we also offered Zab Judah a fight. But Zab says he wants to wait and weigh up his options. We also called out Victor Ortiz and [Marcos] Maidana, we spoke with Golden Boy. Everyone at 140 has a fight but me (laughs). But it's cool, they will wear each other out and then I'll get a fight. But it's all a little frustrating to me - all those possible fights, and I'm left with no-one now (laughs).

J.S: I can understand your frustration, Tim. We all love watching you fight, and it must be so annoying for you when the top names don't want to know! You always make 140 easily - would you go up to 147 to get a big, big fight?

T.B: I've already said it. I'd fight Shane [Mosley], Floyd [Mayweather], [Miguel] Cotto - any of those guys. I actually feel stronger up at 147 as hard as that may sound. I like it when all these guys underestimate me - I like being the underdog. They don't know about me, my background, where I've come from, what I've been through. I love proving people wrong. I just want the opportunity. But, yeah, 147 would be no problem for me.

J.S: Just talking about Khan-Malignaggi - who wins in your opinion?

T.B: It's a good fight. Khan has to be aggressive, and Paulie has a great jab. Khan has had trouble with the jab in the past in my opinion. I lean towards Khan to win, because he's just as fast as Malignaggi, if not even faster, and he's stronger and he has more power - and he also has Freddie Roach, who will devise a plan that could give Paulie fits. But I don't write Paulie off. He can make Khan miss. It's a good fight, but I lean towards Khan.

J.S: You feel you are better than all of those guys though? Khan, Malignaggi, Ortiz, Maidana, etc?

T.B: I do. I want to fight, let's do it! I mean, I don't know why Khan went for a fight with Paulie Malignaggi when he had a fight right here with me! He wants to prove he's number-one? Let's do it! Like I say, I'm so frustrated, but I have to be patient.

J.S: It's always a pleasure speaking with you, Champ. But I can sense your frustration and anger. It is crazy that you, the champ at 140, cannot get any fight with a big name! We still look ahead to your next fight in June - hopefully that will be against someone with a name.

T.B: As long as he has a name, that will be okay (laughs). I'll be in great shape and I look forward to fighting on June 5th. Thanks for the call.

Source: eastsideboxing.com

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HOPKINS HOPING FOR HAYE -- Mirror

By Steve Bunce, Mirror.co.uk

American boxing legend Bernard Hopkins wants to fight world heavyweight champion David Haye in September.

Hopkins will meet his nemesis Roy Jones on April 3 at light-heavyweight and insists he will then be ready to move to heavyweight and take care of Londoner Haye.

Hopkins said: "Haye is not a giant heavyweight - he's big but not that big. Roy Jones went up from lightheavyweight to heavyweight and beat John Ruiz and I know I can do the same.

"Haye is about the same size as Ruiz and I'm ready to go to heavyweight."

On the night that Hopkins fights Jones in Las Vegas Haye defends his WBA heavyweight title against Ruiz in front of 20,000 at the MEN in Manchester.

"I wanted to fight on the same night because I'm gunning for Haye - he's the heavyweight I want," added Hopkins, who is now 44 and determined to fight on.

"Let me take care of some long overdue unfinished business with Jones and hopefully Haye can beat Ruiz; then we have a fight."

Jones beat Hopkins on points in a middleweight fight in 1993 and Hopkins has been desperate for a rematch since.

Source: mirror.co.uk

CARL FROCH SLAMS SKY TV -- Daily Star

By Nick Parkinson, Daily Star

CARL Froch has slammed Sky TV for not showing his next world title fight against Mikkel Kessler on April 24.

Nottingham’s WBC super-­middleweight champion will instead be shown live on ­Primetime TV – his third fight in-a-row not screened live by a terrestrial channel or Sky Sports.

Froch, 32, insists his clash with Dane Kessler is as big as the next fights of Amir Khan and David Haye.He said: “I am very disappointed about Sky not showing it.

“I think Sky TV is the forefront of boxing and at the minute it is the best channel to be on in terms of getting across to your target market. I consider myself to be a Sky Box Office fighter.

“They have had Khan-Salita and Haye-Valuev. I feel Froch-Kessler is up there with it and could justifiably be on Sky Box Office."

“My promoter Mick Hennessy has spoken to all the networks, but budgeting, scheduling whatever the reason I don’t think they’re good enough reasons.When I became world champion it was a difficult time for TV."

“Setanta collapsing didn’t help because it minimised the competition. If Kessler won his last fight this would be box office for Sky but him losing his world title took the edge off the fight. But I am not going to cry about it. Primetime is a building channel.”

Source: dailystar.co.uk

U2, Springsteen, Manny Pacquiao: Across America stadium tour -- Examiner

By Michael Marley, Examiner.com

“We want to thank Jon Ballan and his family for their graciousness, understanding and good will in helping to accommodate the Yankees," the team said in a statement to The Associated Press. "We will now meet with Bob Arum and his organization to continue discussions to bring this fight to Yankee Stadium.”

I don't think hotshot lawyer Jon Ballan should be taking any bows here.

So what if he helped arrange the financing of the new Yankee Stadium? When it mattered most, with his teenaged son's entire future on the line, the old man took a dive.

The Yankees turned into yentas and they nagged this father until he agreed to release his booking to hold his boy's bar mitzvah at the big ballpark in the South Bronx so that aspiring rabbi Yuri Foreman can defend his WBA 154 pound title on that night against recycycled Miguel I'm No Angel Cotto.

I'm hearing that Cotto's corner for this fight will consist of one monsignor, two parish priests and a nun in full penguin like regalia.

Who says Cotto doesn't have a prayer?

Another angle here, and I find angles in the nooks and crannies like no one except my old friend and old crank Tony Kornheiser (“Hannah Storm's boots are made for walking and that's what they'll do”), is to ask the musical question, what's the live gate difference between Manny Pacquiao (note to historians, first time Marley ever waited until seventh graph to mention his “meal ticket”) and Floyd Kill Joy Mayweather Jr.?

It's size of their real estate, son, for Pacman becomes a stadium main event guy on March 13 in the wilds of Arlington, Tejas, while Mayweather's next recital will be confined within the friendly confines of a Las Vegas hotel-casino arena.

Pacquiao will more than double the number of paying bodies for their respective next bouts.

The hoohah about the Yankee Stadium gig got me thinking about how Megamanny could finish out his career, for the most part, with an Across The USA Stadium Tour.

Yes, much like U2 and Bruce Springsteen, Pacquiao could keep it rolling in the big ballparks after March 13.

It looks like old codger Bob Arum will “reward” Antonio Margarito for his “good behavior” by making him the next Manny foe, after Joshua Clottey and provided that the Floyd Mayweather Lollapalooza cannot be made.

It takes no geographical genius to realize that Margarito-Pacman is the perfect Dodger Stadium bout for a September to Remember.

Margo is right down the road in Tijuana and old Chavez Ravine would be chock full of Pinoys and Mexicans.

Assuming he hudles Tone Loc, then where would Pacman go next?

Maybe he can close the show at least here in America, by fighting the Foreman-Cotto winner (read Rabbi To Be Yuri) in Yankee Stadium next spring.

Dallas, Los Angeles, New York.

Crowds of, let's put pencil to paper, and say 35,000 in Texas, 55,000 Los Angeles and 60,000 at popular prices in the Big Apple

OK, Caucasian Gorilla, you migt be saying...what if Pacman has five more fights in him, what of the final two?

Thanks for asking, balut breath, because I've got that covered also.

After performing in The House Next to The House That Ruth Built, Pacquiao could wnd his way home.
He could reward his loyal legions in the San Francisco Bay Area by doing a fight against TBA (the foe wouldn't matter much) at the Giants nifty downtown ballpark.

He gets up the next day, flies back to Manila, thanks God at Quiapo Church and then announces his ring retirement.

Shortly thereafter, he moves into Malacanang Palace.

I know it's a dirty job but somebody's got to do it, better Manny than the usual gang of trapos.

That's the script, folks.

(mlcmarley@aol.com)

Source: examiner.com

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Mayweather vs. Mosley road show coming to New York, LA and DC -- Examiner

By Paula Duffy, Examiner.com

Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley hit the road in a few days for a press tour to formally announce and promote their May 1 welterweight bout.

The mega-fight as it is described in press releases by Mayweather's publicist will take place at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.

The public is invited to each of the tour stops that promise to be lively. The locations and dates are:


New York City: Tuesday March 2, 2009 at the Nokia Theater in Times Square.


Washington DC: Wednesday March 3, 2009 at the The Lincoln Theater


Los Angeles: Thursday March 4, 2009 at the Nokia Plaza at LA Live across from Staples Center


For those who can't make it to Las Vegas to see the fight, HBO pay-per-view is producing and broadcasting the bout live the night of May 1.

Joshua Clottey, the next opponent for Manny Pacquiao has more than a little interest in the outcome of the Mayweather-Mosley fight.

He spoke to Boxingscene.com from his training camp and expressed his desire to fight the winner. When asked who he thought that would be he wouldn't venture a guess:

"This is a very tough one to call so I really can't pick a winner." The man knows better than to tick off either camp but how realistic is his expectation to get past the great Manny Pacquiao?

Mayweather vs. Mosley is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions.

Source: examiner.com

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Can Pacquiao continue historic rise against Clottey? -- Examiner

By Ricardo Lois, Examiner.com

Los Angeles - Filipino welterweight Manny Pacquiao has blown a breath of fresh air into the decaying sport of boxing over the last two years, fueled by a humble charisma, in the ring skill, but most importantly, a string of stirring knock-out victories against the biggest names in the sport.

Fight fans, from the casual to hardcore, love savage stoppage victories and it is no coincidence that Pacquiao's star power exploded by putting away Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, and Ricky Hatton without the need of a score card.

So as Pacquiao prepares in Los Angeles' Wild Card Gym, under the careful eye of trainer Freddie Roach for a March 13 bout against challenger Joshua Clottey, the boxing public expects their new fistic idol to dispose of the tough man from Ghana in must the same manner he did against previously noted advisories.

Not to be the bearer of sobering news to the Pacquiao nation, because if anyone can knock-out Clottey it is Manny, but Joshua has never tasted defeat via stoppage.

With a solid record of 35 wins and three losses, Clottey's let downs were via close decisions against Cotto and Antonio Margarito, and a disqualification for excessive head-butting against Carlos Baldomir.

Without all the glitter of names such as Cotto, Hatton, Pacquiao, Erik Morales, or Juan Manuel Marquez, all former Pacquiao foes, Clottey is a workman-like fighters who comes to hang and bang for the entire fight.

If you think I am just an eternal pessimist raining on Pacquiao's parade, you maybe right. I have been known to be a horrible predictor when it comes to the end results of Pacquiao's bouts. According to Lois' Book of Predictions, De La Hoya was going to make Manny do the chicken dance a la Zab Judah, Cotto was going to pulverize the Pinoy, and Hatton would be to rough and rugged.

The betting public slightly favors Pacquiao to defeat Clottey by knockout (odds sit at -140 on a well trafficked Internet sports book).

So the fans and gamblers like Pacquiao by K.O., but don't be surprised if we see Manny go twelve rounds en route to a decision victory - which would be his first since a fiercely contested split decision against Juan Manuel Marquez.

Porter takes unanimous decision

Pacquiao sparring mate and rising junior middleweight figure Shawn Porter improved his undefeated record to thirteen wins by taking a ten round decision from Russel Jordan. The victory marked the first time Porter, fighting on ESPN's Friday Night Fights, went further than eight rounds.

Bell Garden's light flyweight title holder returns to action

WBA light flyweight title holder Giovanni Segura (22-1-1, 18 KOs) returns to action against Walter Tello (14-3, 6 KOs) Saturday night in Acapulco, Mexico.

Fighting out of the South East Los Angeles city of Bell Gardens, Segura (ranked #1 by The Boxing Truth) is in the hunt for a fight with Ivan Calderon (The Boxing Truth Champion).

Segura's fight will be televised Saturday night on the Fox Sports Network at 10 PM.

Source: examiner.com

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