Clottey confident Pacquiao plays by the rules -- ESPN

By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com

As the year began, the attention of the boxing world was on the negotiations between Top Rank and Golden Boy, rival promoters who were attempting to finalize the biggest fight in the sport -- a showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

We all know by now what happened -- how the fight fell apart over a single issue when the sides wouldn't compromise on drug-testing protocol.

Pacquiao and Mayweather went their separate ways after weeks of one of the more rancor-filled negotiations in recent history.

Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) quickly came to terms with former welterweight titlist Joshua Clottey (35-3, 20 KOs), who is also promoted by Top Rank, making their deal a snap to finalize. They'll meet for Pacquiao's welterweight title on March 13 (HBO PPV) at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Mayweather ultimately came to terms to challenge welterweight titleholder Shane Mosley for his belt on May 1 (also HBO PPV) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The replacement fights certainly have merit. Both shape up as competitive bouts in which all four fighters have reasonable chances to win, even if Pacquiao and Mayweather are the favorites in their respective bouts.

But even with two strong bouts taking the place of Pacquiao-Mayweather, there is still the feeling that the new bouts are merely a consolation. Even Top Rank's Bob Arum can't escape that feeling, although he tried to put a happy face on it.

"Are they consolation prizes? Maybe," Arum said on a media conference call with Clottey to promote the fight with Pacquiao on Thursday. "[Pacquiao-Mayweather] didn't happen for one reason or another. I am not here to cast blame. But it didn't happen and now we have this fight that could go either way that I believe is Manny's toughest fight."

As for the possibility of putting Pacquiao-Mayweather together in the future if each wins, Arum was unsure.

"Life goes on," he said. "That's what these boys fight for. If Joshua beats Manny and Mosley beats Mayweather, maybe we do a Mosley-Clottey fight. That's what makes boxing interesting. If I did a walkover fight like Pacquiao-[Paulie] Malignaggi, which was talked about, then people would say I'm just keeping Pacquiao busy and there is no danger in him losing the fight.

"But there is danger in him losing the fight. Joshua Clottey is a very dangerous fighter. Similarly, maybe Mosley goes back to the fountain of youth that he had for the [Antonio] Margarito fight [13 months ago]. That Mosley could very well beat Mayweather. That's what makes boxing interesting. If these would be walkover fights nobody would give a damn. You'll see fireworks [in Pacquiao-Clottey] and if there is an upset, that's what boxing is all about."

For his part, Clottey sounded happy to be in the position of having the biggest fight -- and first seven-figure payday -- of his career, especially because he is coming off a split-decision loss last summer to Miguel Cotto, who was later battered by Pacquiao in a 12th-round knockout in November.

"I'm coming to do my best," Clottey, a native of Ghana living in New York, said from his training camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "Like I always said, he is a good fighter. He is the best now. This is the test and I am going for the WBO title. I'm going all out. I have my game plan and I always come to fight.

"I am so happy about this opportunity. He's the man now and he is giving me a chance. If I win, I will be on top of the world."

Unlike Mayweather did in the talks for the fight with Pacquiao, Clottey and manager Vinny Scolpino didn't ask for any special drug testing.

"I don't want to do that because I respect him so much," Clottey said. "He's a very nice guy. I feel comfortable around him. He's a nice, classy guy, he respects everybody."

Mayweather and his father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., accused Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing drugs, even though they had no proof.

Clottey said he didn't think Pacquiao was doing anything against the rules.

"I don't think Manny Pacquiao does that," he said. "But if he does, then he is cheating the sport. I don't think he did that steroid thing. I believe that."

Scolpino said additional drug testing never came up in the negotiations with Arum. Of course, Clottey had zero leverage in the talks to demand more testing even if he wanted it.

"If the [Texas] commission wants to implement other drug-testing rules, let them and we will follow it," Scolpino said. "We abide by the rules set forth. Manny is a super champion and we all hope he is doing the right thing. If they find something in the drug testing, that's the way it is.

"We were going to abide by the rules set forth in the state. We're not getting into extra testing. We're professionals in the sport. Joshua is a professional, Manny is a pro. If the commission says do it, we do it."

Arum, who was against additional testing during the Pacquiao-Mayweather talks, agreed with Scolpino.

"My view is that [drug testing] is not a topic for negotiations," Arum said. "That is something for the commission to decide. Any participant in a boxing match who wants more stringent testing than is applicable in that state can go before the commission and ask for it. It's not for amateurs to make a bunch of demands. That is called chaos. Every fighter has the right to go before the commission and say I want such and such done on the testing and you let the commissioners decide. That is what they are getting paid for."

Movie theater boxing is back

Boxing is headed back to movie theaters. Buoyed by the success of the Floyd Mayweather-Juan Manuel Marquez fight being shown in high definition on about 200 big screens nationwide in September, Golden Boy made a new deal with NCM Fathom to go back to theaters for two upcoming fights, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com.

The April 3 Roy Jones-Bernard Hopkins rematch and the May 1 Mayweather-Shane Mosley fight, along with their undercards, will be in select movie theaters, he said.

Jones-Hopkins will be available on between 150 and 200 screens while Mosley-Mayweather will play on more than 400 screens.

"They did a survey about Mayweather-Marquez and it was No. 1 for positive feedback of any event they ever had in their theaters. It was unbelievable," Schaefer said. "It was a huge success. We're doing it again and believe it will be another huge success."

Although Golden Boy will generate revenue from the theater tickets (Mayweather-Mosley theater tickets will cost between $20 and $25 with Jones-Hopkins being priced lower), the real enticement of the deal is the thousands of screens that will advertise the fight before movies begin.

HBO, Showtime specials

Although HBO isn't producing a "24/7" series ahead of the March 13 HBO PPV fight between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey, the network will debut "Road to Dallas: Pacquiao vs. Clottey" on March 6. The 30-minute preview show will take an in-depth look at the fight, which will be the first fight to be held at the $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The special, which features fighter profiles and expert analysis, begins at approximately 11 p.m. ET/PT, immediately following live coverage of the Devon Alexander-Juan Urango junior welterweight unification bout on "Boxing After Dark," with numerous replays leading up to the bout.

On Showtime, the fourth episode of "Fight Camp 360°: Inside The Super Six World Boxing Classic" debuts Saturday night (7:30 ET/PT). The series has delivered compelling behind-the-scenes footage during the buildup and the aftermath of the bouts in the six-man super middleweight tournament.

The new installment features what Showtime is billing as an "an emotional interview with Jermain Taylor as he discusses his withdrawal from the tournament."

Also on tap for the episode is footage of the Super Six promoters candidly discussing Allan Green, Taylor's replacement, and of Arthur Abraham and Andre Dirrell preparing for their March 27 fight, which opens Group Stage 2.

Dan Rafael covers boxing for ESPN.com.

Source: espn.go.com

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Gym-shy Ricky Hatton is heading for a heavy fall -- The Guardian

By Kevin Mitchell, Guardian.co.uk

Ricky Hatton said before Christmas he was going to take a holiday in Australia with his girlfriend Jennifer and come back early in January to start getting in shape for a comeback.

His timetable was centred on June against an opponent yet to be signed, and he was going to start by ripping off the several stones of flab he'd piled on since Manny Pacquiao knocked him out in May. He would follow that with a 12-week training camp to get back into fighting trim.

Well, Ricky has either changed his mind about a comeback or has got his dates mixed up. Sitting ringside in Stoke last Friday to oversee his promotion on Sky, he looked like the very substantial promoter he has become. If he weighed anything less than 14 stones, it would not be by much. He didn't look as if he'd been anywhere near a gym except to check on his fighters.

I spoke to a leading boxing nutritionist about Hatton's training methods and lifestyle during the week and he is convinced the fighter is heading for a heavy fall.

"You cannot treat your body like that," he said. "Just taking the weight off will drain him. As you near a fight, you should be gaining strength, not worrying about having to get rid of that much excess weight. Ideally, fighters who are active should not be more than a few pounds over their fighting weight at any time. You should not be losing much more than a pound a week in any circumstances, let along preparing for a fight. And I'm not convinced by Ricky's training methods, relying so much on supplements to both lose weight and gain strength. It is not natural. And anything that is not natural is no good for a fighter's body in the long run."

This is an old theme, of course. But still Ricky will not listen. He has the affection of so many fans and is desperate to please them. He can do that by either abandoning the habits of a life time – which is not going to happen – or quitting the ring right now. And I don't think that is going to happen, either.

Greed still hurting the sport
Boxing started the year with a spring in its step. There was good reason to believe 2010 would be one of the sport's best years in a long time. But, as is sadly all too common, it hasn't quite panned out that way.

Pacquiao-Mayweather is just a dream; Showtime's Super Six tournament is starting to creak; and Vitali Klitschko says he is going to retire before the year is out.

On the bright side, there are three fighters from these islands who can legitimately call themselves world champions – David Haye, Carl Froch and Amir Khan – with several more queueing up, so we shouldn't be completely downhearted.

Yet it is frustrating when people who make the money and the decisions feel no obligation to fighters or fans, who put self-interest before the good of a sport that is always fighting for credibility.

I would try to guide you through the forest of confusion surrounding the spring boxing schedule but you'd probably go slowly mad trying to understand it.

If you want to know why Carl Froch is fighting in a small town in the middle of Denmark a week later than originally planned, and again missing from mainstream television, here is the link for you.

We still have no official confirmation that Amir Khan is going to defend his WBA light-welterweight title against Paulie Malignaggi in New York on 15 May, which is worrying. The New Yorker's adviser, Lou DiBella, is making noises about Paulie being the draw in his home town and clearly is angling for a bigger slice of the pie.

Paulie better get real. He is lucky to get the gig in the first place. If he does the right thing and talks it up in his inimitable style, he will make some money. If he argues about the purse, he will put the fight in jeopardy. It sounds simple, but boxing is never quite like that.

Worst decision ever?
Dan Rafael's blog on ESPN is usually thought-provoking, and this week's was no exception.

Dan was furious when referee Gelasio Perez Huerta hauled Vivian Harris out of his willing scrap with kayo artist Lucas Matthysse in Mexico City on Saturday night. Tough Harris took a couple of hard shots in the fourth but was still trading when Señor Huerta stepped in, handing Matthysse his 24th early win in 26 fights.

"Huerta's stoppage makes Richard Steele's famous stoppage in the Julio César Chávez-Meldrick Taylor fight look like the best stoppage in boxing history," wrote Rafael.

I've got news for you Dan: that was the best stoppage in boxing history.

Boxing was buzzing at the time, March 1990. The fight, tagged "Thunder Meets Lightning", came just a month after Buster Douglas shocked the world by knocking out Mike Tyson, and was just as dramatic.

Chávez, unbeaten, went in with an incredible record of 56 stoppages in 68 fights. Taylor, on the rise and full of himself, was unbeaten in 25 bouts. He led comfortably on two of three cards going into the final round but, for reasons known only to himself and never subsequently explained, Taylor's trainer, Lou Duva, told him he needed to win the final round.

So Taylor recklessly went toe to toe with Chávez, who rocked him with a minute of the fight left. The Mexican did not let up and a terrific right hand dropped Taylor with 20 seconds to go. He got up, took an eight count and was clearly still dazed as he twice failed to respond in any way to Steele's inquiries – so the referee stopped it, with Taylor ahead on points, just two seconds from the end.

Whatever Steele saw in Taylor's glazed eyes in those few seconds was a glimpse of what was to come for Meldrick, who was never the same again and today is a broken man. It was a decision to rival Eddie Futch's call in pulling Joe Frazier out of the Thrilla in Manila at the end of 14 unbelievably brutal rounds against Muhammad Ali in 1975.

Some times, a fight needs to be put in a wider context than a mere result. These are human beings first, fighters second.

Source: guardian.co.uk

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Joshua Clottey 'respects' Manny Pacquiao and doesn't ask for additional drug testing before fight -- New York Daily News

By Mitch Abramson, New York Daily News

Joshua Clottey didn't ask for additional drug testing for his upcoming fight with Manny Pacquiao, believing Pacquiao is a "nice guy" and can be relied upon to be honest in his preparation for their March 13 bout at Cowboys Stadium.

Perhaps Clottey didn't ask for further drug testing because the Lone Star State has lax drug testing rules for boxers. The Texas Dept. of Licensing and Regulation won't be drug testing the boxers before and after their bout, a spokesman told the Daily News. Since the bout is for Pacquaio's WBO welterweight title, however, the WBO will require both fighters to undergo urine testing after the bout, promoter Bob Arum said.

Pacquiao's potential super fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. was torpedoed when Mayweather Jr. demanded Olympic-style drug testing and Pacquiao balked. The Clottey matchup was made after that.

Clottey's unusual reasoning for not asking for harsher drug testing came during a pre-fight conference call Thursday involving Clottey, Arum and Clottey's manager, Vinny Scolpino. "I respect him so much because he is a sportsman and I respect him, and he is nice and I feel comfortable around him," said Clottey, who resides in the Bronx but is originally from Ghana. "I don't think Manny did that thing. If he did, then he is cheating the sport, and I don't believe he is doing that."

Most state commissions have boxers submit to only urine tests before and after a fight. The Texas agency doesn't even do that. Its executive director, William Kuntz, can order a drug screen for boxers if there is "good cause." But Susan Stanford, a public information officer for the department, doesn't envision that happening for this fight, even though Pacquiao has come under increased scrutiny of late over the issue of performance-enhancing drugs. "At the present time, no drug testing will be required of the boxers," she told The News Thursday. "We don't see rumors as good cause. There is a medical examination before the fight, but that doesn't include drug testing."

Arum said he chose to stage the fight in Texas for the amenities, not the lack of drug testing. "I always assumed (that Texas) did drug testing, but I know for sure that the WBO insists on that," Arum said in a phone interview. "The reason the fight is in Texas is because it's in Cowboys Stadium, not because of the (lack of) drug testing."

Pacquiao turned pro at 106 pounds, rose through the ranks quickly and is now knocking out 147-pound fighters at an age (31) when boxers tend to slow down. Pacquiao, who has reportedly never failed a drug test, has been accused by the Mayweather camp and recently by former junior welterweight champ Paulie Malignaggi of doping.

Since Clottey didn't make drug testing an issue in the negotiations and because both fighters are promoted by Arum, the fight was made in little more than 24 hours.

Source: nydailynews.com

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PACQUIAO IN HIS BEST PERFORMANCE IN TRAINING FOR CLOTTEY FIGHT -- PhilBoxing

By Ronnie Nathanielsz, PhilBoxing.com

Boxing’s current pound-for-pound hero and “Fighter of the Decade” Manny Pacquiao put on his best performance since he started training for “The Event” against Joshua Clottey at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium on March 13 in the first defense of the WBO welterweight title he won with a 12th round stoppage against Miguel Cotto last November.

Conditioning expert Alex Ariza told us “I would be lying if I didn’t say it was the best day we’ve had in the last seven weeks” even as celebrated trainer Freddie Roach remarked “it was our new best day.”

Asked to elaborate on why they considered Pacquiao’s performance the best since he opened training camp at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, Ariza replied “he fought literally everybody in the gym. He went eleven rounds easy with four separate sparring partners.”

Pacquiao started off with two rounds against longtime sparring partner, super featherweight David Rodela ( 14-2-2, 6 KO/s) who is known for his quickness, then did three rounds with undefeated light welterweight Mike Dallas (11-0-1, 2 KO’s) followed by three rounds with another undefeated fighter in welterweight Abdulla Amidu (18-0, 17 KO’s) of Ghana where Clottey comes from and ended by going three rounds with experienced welterweight Steve Forbes (34-7, 10 KO’s) who won his last fight against Jason Davis by a 2nd round TKO after dropping unanimous decisions against Oscar De La Hoya and Andre Berto.

Ariza noted that “you have to really be there to believe it. I mean he (Pacquiao) can do whatever he wants when he wants. His footwork was great” even as the conditioning guru admitted he was “so nervous going eleven rounds with the bad leg and everything but he took this morning off, just focused on therapy and exercising it and stretched it, and it held up, thank God.”

Ariza noted that mentally, Pacquiao was “happy and looks great to me. His weight is perfect at 153 pounds, is carrying it around and looks good and he’s in a good mood. He looked phenomenal.”

Plans for tomorrow (Friday in LA) include another day at the track focused around Pacquiao’s footwork and speed, according to Ariza.

Reacting to a report by renowned Top Rank photo journalist Chris Farina that Clottey was ripped and ready, Ariza said “if you saw Manny and he’s fighting this Saturday I don’t expect this fight is going twelve rounds. If Manny fights the way he did today this fight is not going twelve rounds, I can guarantee it.”

Ariza noted he was glad Manny is resting and said Roach is the happiest he’s been in this camp watching the way Manny works, adding that Pacquiao “does what he wants and if he wants he won’t let those guys (sparring partners) lay a hand on him.”

Source: philboxing.com

***

He’s not Mayweather, but Joshua Clottey might be good enough -- 15Rounds

By Norm Frauenheim, 15Rounds.com

Timing and circumstances haven’t been kind to Joshua Clottey. He isn’t Floyd Mayweather, Jr., the welterweight everybody wanted to see against Manny Pacquiao on March 13.

Instead, Clottey has been cast as the substitute, which to a cynical public only means he isn’t Mayweather and he doesn’t have a chance against Pacquiao on a night when Cowboys Stadium in the Dallas metroplex might be the biggest attraction.

If he doesn’t feel like last season’s Detroit Lions or St. Louis Rams, then Clottey knows what it is to have been one of those replacement players in the last NFL work stoppage. In 1987, none of those guys belonged there and that’s exactly what you hear and read these days about Clottey. Pacquiao is supposed to kick him around like the soccer ball Clottey used to chase as a kid in Ghana.

Fair? I don’t think so. Then again, I’ve been wrong about these things before. I actually thought Juan Manuel Marquez was skilled, smart and tough enough to challenge Mayweather. After watching Mayweather humble Marquez through 12 one-sided rounds in September, I wondered if I had been kicked in the head one too many times.

Nevertheless, I like Clottey, perhaps not enough to pick him over Pacquiao, especially without a familiar trainer in his corner. He split with Kwame Asante after his loss by split decision in June to Miguel Cotto over a reported disagreement over money. Then, Godwin Kotay, also of Ghana, was denied a U.S. visa. Instead of Asante or Kotay, cut-man Lenny DeJesus will take the lead in Clottey’s corner.

In front a potential crowd of 45,000 and against Pacquiao’s varied skills and dangerous power, an unfamiliar face in the corner looms as a problem, especially when – not if – Clottey is in trouble.

Still, Clottey’s size, strength and durability are enough to make it difficult for Pacquiao, whose motivation could have taken a hit when an agreement to fight Mayweather fell apart because of demands that the Filipino icon undergo Olympic-style blood-testing for performance-enhancers.

Pacquiao also will jump directly into a rough-and-tumble political campaign in the Philippines after the fight.

In part, the public’s lack of any respect for Clottey might be a spillover from disgust at the abortive negotiations for Pacquiao-Mayweather. Fans and media are still angry. What they have forgotten, however, is just how close Clottey came to an upset of Cotto in front of the Puerto Rican’s loyal New York fans at Madison Square Garden.

“I did not lose the Cotto fight,’’ Clottey said Thursday during a conference call from his training camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Maybe not.

But Clottey also didn’t do enough in the last couple of rounds to convince anybody at ringside that he deserved more than a draw. That, like the victory he still thinks he deserves, eluded him. Clottey has been criticized for not throwing enough punches, which could quickly leave him with a deficit on the scorecards against Pacquiao’s whirlwind pace. But he is confident he can make his power count.

“I am not a flyweight,’’ Clottey said during the conference call, which will be followed by one Friday with Pacquiao. “I’m not a bantamweight. I’m a welterweight. I throw punches that connect.’’

As a natural welterweight, unlike the smaller Pacquiao (5-foot-6 ½), the 5–8 Clottey might have enough leverage to inflict some damage. Before Pacquiao’s 12th-round stoppage of Cotto in November, the Filipino’s trainer, Freddie Roach, said Clottey’s punches almost made Cotto quit during the ninth round.

“The more I play it over, the more I realize how competitive this is and that nobody with any certainty can predict the result,’’ said Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who promotes both fighters. “Everybody knows how Manny Pacquiao fights. Everybody knows the angles from which he throws punches.

“And everybody knows that Joshua Clottey is a tremendous defensive fighter and can put a real hurt on an opponent. And everybody knows that Joshua Clottey is the bigger man and Manny is the smaller man. There is talk about Manny going up in weight. But he really hasn’t. He couldn’t make 130 pounds anymore, He fought at 135. He was 138 when he fought (and knocked out) Ricky Hatton.

Now, he goes into the ring at 142 or 143 pounds on the scale and that’s not because he’s putting on weight. That’s because he has breakfast and lunch before the weigh-in. If he had to, he’d still make 135 pounds. So, the idea that he’s a big man is just not true.

“Joshua has the size. He’s the natural welterweight. Manny Pacquiao isn’t. That’s the intrigue in this fight.’’

The intrigue, at least, doesn’t include more of the noisy debate about blood-testing for performance-enhancers. Clottey, ever the gentleman, said he did not and would not demand the Olympic-style testing that Mayweather says he and every one of his future opponents, including Shane Mosley on May 1, will undergo.

“No, I don’t want to do that, because I respect him so much,’’ Clottey said. “He is a very nice guy. I feel comfortable around him. He’s respectful of everybody. I don’t think Manny Pacquiao did that thing. I trust him.”

If only, Clottey could enjoy some of that same trust. He’s not Mayweather. But, trust me, he’s a better fighter than people think.

Source: 15rounds.com

***

Bob Arum: Life goes on, Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey a competitive fight -- Las Vegas Sun

By Brett Okamoto, Las Vegas Sun

The issue that killed a mega-fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather apparently didn't even come up during the Filipino's negotiations with Joshua Clottey.

Shortly after talks between Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KO) and Mayweather (40-0, 25 KO) broke down because of Mayweather's insistence they implement Olympic-style drug testing, Top Rank officials announced their fighter was moving on to take a March 13 fight with Clottey at Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

During a media conference call Thursday, Clottey (35-3, 20 KO) characterized the opportunity to face Pacquiao as "a blessing" and said questioning Pacquiao's credibility never crossed his mind because of the respect he has for his opponent.

"I don't want to do that because I respect him so much," Clottey said. "I don't think Manny Pacquiao would do that. If he is, he's cheating the sport, but I believe he's not."

Mayweather's accusations that Pacquiao possibly was using performance-enhancing drugs stemmed from the welterweight champion's rare ability to dominate opponents while moving up weight classes.

Pacquiao made boxing history last November when he defeated Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand Garden Arena for a world title in an unprecedented seventh weight class. He began his professional career fighting at 107 pounds.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission only requires its fighters to take urine tests and not the random blood tests that Mayweather had demanded.

On Thursday, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum reiterated a point he's made in the past — any rule change must be made by the commission and not an individual fighter.

"My view is that is something for the commission to decide and if any participant in a boxing match wants more stringent testing, he should go before the commission and present his case," Arum said. "That's not for a bunch of amateurs to start talking about and making demands.

"That is wrong. That is what is called chaos. You go before a commission and say, 'I want such and such on testing,' and you let the commissioners decide. That's what they get paid for."

Mayweather went on to sign a deal to face Shane Mosley on May 1 in Las Vegas, which included both fighters undergoing Olympic-style drug testing.

While the details of drug testing were enough to break up what many believed would be the richest fight in boxing history, they did little to slow talks with Clottey, who is coming off a split decision loss to Cotto in June.

"I couldn't agree with Bob more," said Clottey's manager, Vinny Scolpino. "If a commission wants to implement more rules, let them and we'll follow. Manny is a super-champion and we all hope that he's doing the right thing. If he's not, the commission will find it in their drug testing and that's they way it is."

Many boxing fans were disappointed when Pacquiao and Mayweather were unable to come to terms in January, as the two are currently considered the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

When asked about the lingering effects of the broken deal between the two, Arum responded that fans were still receiving two great fights and need to move on.

"Life goes on," Arum said. "If Joshua beats Manny, who knows? Maybe Mosley beats Mayweather and we do a Mosley vs. Clottey fight. Who the hell knows?

"If these were walkover fights, nobody would give a damn. Are they consolation prizes? Well, in a way. The one fight everybody wanted to see didn't happen for one reason or another but now we've got, on March 13, a really good, competitive fight that I believe is Manny Pacquiao's toughest fight yet."

Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or brett.okamoto@lasvegassun.com. Also follow him on twitter: LVSunFighting.

Source: lasvegassun.com

***

Bob Arum: Stadiums Are Future of Boxing -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

Top Rank CEO, Bob Arum, had just completed a dizzying, day of meetings with officials from HBO and Yankees Stadium regarding WBA junior middleweight (154 pounds) champion, Yuri Foreman's June 5 defense of his title against Puerto Rican former world champion, Miguel Cotto.

And the 78-year-old promoter told FanHouse on Thursday that he still has a ways to go.

"I met with the Yankees for three hours on Tuesday, and then, for two hours with HBO on Tuesday as well," said Arum, who met with Yankees' Chief Operating Officer, Lonn Trost, and, HBO sports' top officials, Ross Greenburg, and, Kerry Davis.

Arum said that he is close to completing the deal for Foreman (28-0, eight knockouts), a soon-to-be rabbi, to defend his crown against Cotto (34-2, 27 knockouts), a former two-time welterweight (147 pounds) and one-time junior welterweight (140 pounds) champion.

Arum already has secured the March 13 WBO welterweight (147 pounds) clash between seven-division king, Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) and Joshua Clottey (35-3, KOs) at Dallas Cowboys' Stadium in Arlington, Tex.

Arum said that outdoor bouts such as Foreman-Cotto, and, Pacquiao-Clottey, are the future of boxing.

"Boxing is on a crest. Boxing isn't a dying sport. It's a big-time sport. And putting the event in big stadia, like Cowboys' Stadium, like Yankees Stadium, like the new Meadowlands' stadium proves that point," said Arum. "Because when you put your product in venues like that, what you're saying to the world -- and you're telling them the truth -- is that boxing is a big-time sport that can hold its own and surpass any other sport."

"How do we know that?" asked Arum, who promoted the last boxing match at the old Yankees Stadium in 1976, when Muhammad Ali earned a 15-round decision over Ken Norton against the backdrop of a police strike. "Because we know what's happening in Mexico, where boxing is even getting ratings higher than soccer and, certainly, better than any other sport and any other event going on regularly on televison on a Saturday night.


"We know it from Germany, when arenas are constantly sold out, and the ratings are through the roof. We know it from England, because of what's happening there. We know it from the Philippines and Japan. We don't yet know it in the United States," said Arum.

"But I'm telling you, it's like the sleeping giant that is there," said Arum. "Boxing in the United States will take its place the same way it's doing in the rest of the world as a big time, big, big sport. And putting these events in these stadia will prove that and demonstrate that."

That's why Arum is so tireless in his efforts. Take, for example, Foreman-Cotto.

When a bar mitzvah party initially threatened the status of Foreman-Cotto, accomodations were worked out with the family of the boy, Scott Ballan, to hold the party and the fight on the same night for the first time in the stadium's history.

About 150 guests for the bar mitzvah party for the son of Yankees' lead bond lawyer, Jon Ballan, will be given tickets that will allow them to spend the evening celebrating the boy as well as watching Foreman-Cotto.

The theme goes hand-in-hand with one of the main characters in the dramatic fight, as Forman is studying to be a rabbi along with being the first Israeli to win a professional boxing title. Foreman accomplished that feat with November's 12-round unanimous decision over Puerto Rico's Daniel Santos.

Arum expects to have a great deal of success with Foreman-Cotto, the latter of whom has been a big draw at Madison Square Garden due to the large, Puerto Rican population in the area.

Cotto is 6-0 at Madison Square Garden, where he has decisioned Clottey, Shane Mosley, Paulie Malignaggi, and knocked out Zab Judah.

Arum said that Cowboys' owner, Jerry Jones, made the first move concerning an outdoor bout at that venue -- this, eventually leading to his $25 million bid to host Mayweather-Pacquiao.

"Back when we were involved with the [Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao] fight, [stadium owner] Jerry Jones called me at home and said, 'Bob, we want that fight in Cowboys' Stadium,'" said Arum.

"But I always had in my mind that Cowboys' stadium would be a great, great venue for the fight from all that I had read and seen," said Arum. "So when the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight fell out, and we made Manny with Joshua Clottey, the first call I made was to Jerry, and he invited me to come and watch a game there."

Arum and his Top Rank president, Todd duBoef, watched the Cowboys defeat the Eagles, 34-14, in a January, first- round, playoff game from Jones' luxurious box suite.

"I was there at the game that night," said Arum. "The next day, we got together and we made a deal."

Pacquiao-Clottey represents the first boxing match to be held at the $1.2 billion Cowboys' Stadium, whose domed facility seats 80,000, but is expandable enough so that it can hold up to 111,000.

Arum said that even though the Cowboys' Stadium has been set up to seat 45,000, it is likely to expand, at Jones' behest, due to the fact that the Pacquiao-Clottey fight already is on pace to be sold out.

"Right now we're on target to sell the 45,000 seats and we'll be very happy doing that. I know that yesterday [Wednesday,] we sold about 350 tickets, and today, [Thursday] we're on course to do that again," said Arum, of a matchup that will be televised on HBO pay per view.

"I would think that probably by the time that the fighters get into town, we will have sold well over 40,000 tickets, and the last week that we will have 3,000 or 4,000 tickets to go, and then, it would be up to Jerry if he wanted to expand it," said Arum. "If we're on track, the week of the fight, to have 3,000 to 4,000 tickets left, then I think we can begin looking toward [stadium expansion.]"

Cowboys' Stadium also has a retractable ceiling that protects against rain, and boasts over 3,000 Sony LCD displays throughout the luxury suites, concourses, concession areas and more.

The setup allows fans the ability to watch the action beyond just the field, as, all, if not most, of the displays will be operating on fight night, according to Jones.

"The technical aspect is going to be an amazing thing, because I built the stadium like a stage. So we have such flexibility that we can consider our coverage in many different ways. We have such flexibility from the sidelines in creating the proximity to the fighters because of what we have here," said Jones, during a Jan. 10 interview with FanHouse.

"We have three million square feet in this building, but if you were here, you would be impressed by how intimate we can make these areas of the stadium relative to the field," said Jones. "We're going to be able to have, I think, the sort of intimacy and proximity to these fighters from a technical and perceived relationship, because of the way we've got all of our screens located to present the fighters that alone will create a first, in my mind, for boxing and the people who are accustomed to watching it."

Jones said that he was particularly proud of the stadium's major feature, a monstrous high-definition screen known as "Jerry-Tron," which is believed to be the largest in the world.

"We think that we have a chance with our huge center-hung screen, to drop that down if we want to within 25 feet of the fighters. And that means that every bead of sweat and every movement that goes on in that competition is going to be reflected to the people who are in this venue," said Jones. "I think that's going to be an unparalleled experience for the people here -- as well as for myself -- as we're watching two of the greatest fighters of their caliber."

Arum also feels that the "Jerry-Tron may be the difference in the overall experience.

"As you will see, on March 13, there is no stadium or arena in the entire world like Cowboys' Stadium. It's an achetecural marvel, with just the paintings alone, but that isn't really what makes an exciting event. What makes the event super-exciting is that screen that goes from one 20-yard-line to the other, and is super high-definition. And that screen will be 30 feet above the ring," said Arum.

"So every replay, and every punch in the fight will be seen in really super, super vision on that screen. As pretty as the Dallas Cowboys' cheerleaders are, wait until you see them on that big screen," said Arum.

"When I saw the Cowboys-Eagles' game, sitting in Jerry Jones' box, I found myself watching the game on the big screen rather than watching the field just because that picture is so incredible," said Arum. "It's something really, really special. And until you see it, and until you're there, it is very, very difficult to describe the experience."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

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Intelligence operations target cheats -- Reuters

REUTERS

LONDON (Reuters) - Anti-doping authorities are placing increasing emphasis on tip-offs and intelligence operations in their fight against drugs in sport.

The UK Anti-Doping Agency has credited a combination of intelligence, targeting and co-operation with the sports scientists for helping secure the first positive test for Human Growth Hormone (HGH).

British rugby league player Terry Newton admitted taking HGH this week and has been banned for two years after a positive blood test.

Synthetic HGH, an anabolic hormone which also occurs naturally in the body, has been on the International Olympic Committee banned list since 1989. A blood test was introduced at the 2004 Athens Olympics but, because the substance disappears from the body quickly and there are a limited number of tests worldwide, there had been no positive test prior to Newton's.

UK Anti-Doping chief executive Andy Parkinson told a doping seminar hosted by the London law firm Hammonds LLB on Wednesday the agency was focusing more and more on intelligence.

"There's a whole lot of information out there that we get on a day-to-day basis," he said.

The decision by the independent Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that admissions of drug use, the so-called non-analytical positives, are equivalent to positive tests, was a breakthrough for anti-doping campaigners.

CAS imposed a two-year ban on former world 100 meters champion Tim Montgomery for his involvement in the BALCO laboratory scandal. Montgomery's former partner, triple Olympic champion Marion Jones was also banned for two years after admitting using drugs supplied by the laboratory and sentenced to six months' jail for perjury.

"It's critically important to use the information that's out there. Cracking the conspiracy like BALCO, sophisticated doping like Floyd Landis was doing... like Justin Gatlin was doing," U.S. Anti-Doping Agency head Travis Tygart told Reuters.

Cyclist Landis and Athens 100 meters champion Gatlin both tested positive for drugs.

Potential whistle blowers will also be encouraged by new World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules which provide for increased reductions in sanctions for athletes guilty of doping offences if they give "substantial assistance" to the anti-doping authorities.

ENTRENCHED CULTURE

Athletics and road cycling are the two mainstream sports which had been most affected by doping scandals.

"Cycling has a deeply entrenched culture of cheating," said Pat McQuaid, president of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).

For this reason, the UCI has pioneered biological passports, an electronic record of a rider's complete history of blood and urine tests. Any suspicious variations are examined by at least three doping experts who, if they all agree, have the authority to sign a statement asserting the profile provides convincing evidence of use of a prohibited method.

"It's not a panacea," McQuaid warned. "It's not going to completely clean up the whole sports world. But it is a very strong element in the armory of the fight against doping.

"There's a small number of cases that we have informed riders now within the WADA code that there's a potential anti-doping rule violation based on the passport."

LAISSEZ FAIRE

Lawyer Stephen Sampson pointed out the differing attitudes between sports authorities and fans, instancing the aborted welterweight fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Mayweather had demanded Olympic-style, random blood testing for a showdown between the two best pound-for-pound boxers in the world.

"We have a situation where fans seem to display a more laissez-faire attitude," Sampson said. "They want to see the fight go ahead."

The magnitude of the problem the campaigners face was outlined by Stephen Watkins, case officer for the UK National Anti-Doping Panel.

"In January 2010 a search on bing "anabolic steroids buy" produced well over three million results with 23,000 results for the UK alone," he said.

Watkins said one of the substances was Oxymetholone "described on the relevant site as producing a 'virtual explosion of mass'. Its rather nasty side effects such as liver damage and dangerously high blood pressure are also mentioned."

(Editing by Justin Palmer)

Source: reuters.com

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Floyd Mayweather Talks Mosely, Pacquiao and Being The BEST -- AllHipHop

AllHipHop.com

As boxing pushes along, fending off competition like MMA, there are only a few celebrities that can continue to act like pillars. One of those pugilists is the incomparable Floyd Mayweather, Jr. The 33-year-old is a certified veteran, but has yet to taste the bitter, spoiled fruit of defeat. AllHiphop.com chatted with the champ and got his thoughts on everything from his May 1 bout with Shane Mosely to the Pacquiao debacle and even Rick Ross.



Source: allhiphop.com

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TRAINER TURMOIL: Will Clottey Be On His Own Come Fight Night? -- The Sweet Science

By Michael Woods, The Sweet Science

We've discussed, to a nauseating degree, the negotiating saga which took down the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight. Some will blame Mayweather for putting onerous PED testing demands upon Pacquiao, and thus attach blame upon Floyd by and large for the megamatch's inability to achieve liftoff. Others think Pacquiao sunk the promotion by not agreeing to undergo random PED testing.

Happily, fight fans will be able to move beyond the PED issue, and see Pacquiao in action, on March 13 in Dallas. His foe on this night will be Ghanian Joshua Clottey, a durable B-plus level welterweight who hasn't been able to get over the hump when asked to perform against A-level pugilists. Clottey sees this fight as his promised land bout, and wasn't going to make Pacquiao jump through hoops, and possibly lose his chance at a career-best payday, which should total more than $3 million. On a conference call Thursday, Clottey was asked about the PED/testing issue, and if he believes Pacquiao uses or has used PEDs.

"I don't want to do that (get into the does he or doesn't use PEDs issue)," Clottey said. "I respect him so much. I feel comfortable around him. He's respectful of everybody. I don't think he (uses PEDs). I believe him, he's not doing that."

I'm with Clottey; a man shouldn't be smeared without solid evidence, beyond speculation, so I applaud Clottey for not gumming up the works.

On the call, Bob Arum said that PEDs shouldn't be a topic for negotiations, that PED usage should be a commission matter. I'm in concurrence with Arum on this matter. "Go before the commission, let the commissioners decide, that's what they're getting paid," he said. Clottey manager Vinny Scolpino said he wasn't going to make PED stink, and with the purse potential here, he'd be a moron, frankly, to have done so.

One matter that stands out for me going in to this fight is the trainer question for Clottey. He parted ways with Kwame Asante, who has been with him during the meatieast years as a pro, over money after the Miguel Cotto fight. He tried to reunite with his first pro trainer, Godwin Kotey, but the Ghanian Kotey has been denied a US visa. So Clottey will be trained and seconded by Lenny DeJesus, a part-time locksmith who is best known for being a cutman. Clottey has been affected by the uncertainty; last month he went to Ghana to try and help Kotey get a visa, and broke down and wept when speaking to press about the frustration in dealing with bureaucratic red tape. I asked Clottey if the account that had him weeping was true. "It's true," he answered. He said he and Kotey had a longstanding bond that would've served him well against Pacquiao, but he promised that he'll be ready to rumble come fight night, no matter who is training him.

My take: this matters, big-time. Come fight-night, Freddie Roach will be providing strategic and tactical input, against a man, Lenny the Locksmith, who is not, frankly, regarded as an A or even B level trainer. I think Clottey will be left to his own devices, to a large extent, on March 13, and this will detract mightily from the African's chances at springing an upset.

Arum talked about the venue and what sort of crowd might show up. The promoter said the stadium is set up for 45,000 fans and that we're "well on our way" to achieving a sellout. He hammered home that boxing isn't a niche sport, and thinks that putting fights in mega-venues signals to fans that the game is alive and thriving.

Arum also touched on the Antonio Margarito matter. Arum said that he thought a decision after a hearing for Margarito re-licensing in Texas would have dragged on, and made the suspended fighter's appearance on the card impossible, so he decided to shift gears, and have Margarito appear instead May 8 in Mexico. He also took the opportunity to slap at Al Haymon, the common ingredient in arduous negotiations with Arum, first with Paul Williams-Kelly Pavlik, and then with Mayweather-Pacquiao. He reiterated that he thinks Team Mayweather never wanted a fight with Pacquiao, and deliberately shot down the matchup.

Arum said it's possible Clottey beats Pacman, and Mosley beats Mayweather, and if so, life will go on. "That's what makes boxing interesting," he said, while conceding both bouts are consollation prizes of a sort. "I believe this is Manny Pacquiao's toughest fight," the promoter said.

Source: thesweetscience.com

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Arum: Seating capacity could expand -- ESPN

By Calvin Watkins, ESPNDallas.com

Boxing promoter Bob Arum said Thursday that the Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey WBO welterweight title fight scheduled for March 13 at Cowboys Stadium is nearly a sellout.

Arum said the seating capacity for the first boxing match at the new $1.2 billion facility will be 45,000. However, it could expand if the demand for tickets increases.

"Right now we're on target to sell the 45,000 seats and we'll be happy when we do that," Arum said on a conference call with reporters. "We sold 350 tickets [Wednesday] and are on target of doing that [again] today."

Arum said if 3,000 to 4,000 tickets are unsold leading into the last week before the fight, promoters would have no problem selling those.

Arum did not say how many tickets have been sold.

Source: sports.espn.go.com

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