Mayweather Or Pacquiao: Who Will Be The First To Give A Concession? -- The Sweet Science

By Frank Lotierzo, The Sweet Science

After hearing Floyd Mayweather interviewed at ring center by HBO's Larry Merchant last week moments after his unanimous decision victory over Shane Mosley, it doesn't sound as if the biggest welterweight clash of 2010 will be realized. The same stumbling block that prevented Pacquiao-Mayweather / Mayweather-Pacquiao from being realized this past March, that being the format as to how drug testing for PED's are to be conducted, looms just as large today as it ever has.

Since the proposed bout between them fell apart this past January, Pacquiao dominated Joshua Clottey over twelve rounds enroute to a lopsided decision victory - and Mayweather accomplished the same feat last weekend versus Shane Mosley. The anti-Pacquiao faction has implied that Manny's showing was due more to Clottey's ineptness than it was a testament to his ability, just as the anti-Mayweather faction is suggesting Floyd's brilliance was more the case of Mosley's age and long layoff. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle on both accounts. However, it cannot be disputed that both Pacquiao and Mayweather scored overwhelming victories against fighters who despite being big Vegas underdogs, were expected to be more competitive than they were.

Mayweather is adamant about the drug testing issue and Pacquiao is just as adamant about not letting Floyd win the first two rounds by dictating the terms of the fight. Amazingly, Mayweather looked pretty muscled up against Mosley who probably struggled to get down to 147. Yet no one is talking about that? If I were Pacquiao, I'd agree to the Olympic style drug testing if Mayweather was willing to part with some "money" or made a concession of his own like agreeing to fight in a sixteen foot ring.

With both fighters looking terrific and appearing to be at the top of their game, it's hard to see either side giving into the other. Had Mosley come out on top against Mayweather can anyone imagine Shane looking to tilt the field in his favor against a fighter who began his title tenure as a flyweight? Of course not. And after how big Floyd looked in the ring against Mosley, he has a lot of nerve being accusatory about Pacquiao's physical stature.

Since May of last year boxing has experienced five significant PPV bouts: Pacquiao-Hatton, Mayweather-Marquez, Pacquiao-Cotto, Pacquiao-Clottey and Mayweather-Mosley. Three involving Pacquiao and two involving Mayweather. That pretty much says everything regarding the current state of professional boxing in 2010. The fact is Manny and Floyd are the face of it beyond a doubt. Minus Pacquiao or Mayweather, there's no super-fight out there that could generate monumental fan interest without one of them being part of it. Perhaps David Haye meeting either Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko with a few of the alphabet heavyweight title belts on the line, but that's certainly not a given.

The problem is both Pacquiao and Mayweather have other options where they could make a ton of money. Manny can make a fight with one of the junior middleweight title holders in an attempt to gain his eighth title and Floyd could make a ton of money fighting one of the belt holders at 154 just as well. Neither fighter holds an advantage over the other as to who should be promoted as the marquee attraction. They both need each other to make a legitimate super-fight. The only hope is Bob Arum (who promotes Pacquiao) needs them to fight in order to get paid a percentage of what would most likely be the biggest grossing fight of all time. So it's plausible that he'd be more willing to help nudge the fight along behind the scene than he would appear to in public.

The stumbling block preventing a showdown between the two biggest stars in boxing will be Floyd Mayweather's insistence that Manny Pacquiao unnecessarily subject himself to the same type drug testing that Shane Mosley did. The difference is Mosley needed Mayweather and admitted to using a so-called performance enhancing drug before, knowingly or not. Pacquiao has never failed a drug test during his seventeen year career. And this is where Mayweather just doesn't get it as to how he comes off as a fighter who won't agree to a fight to where as he likes to say, "the field of play is level."

Floyd Mayweather may be one of the two best fighters in boxing, but he can't deal with facts. Yes, he looked great versus Mosley, but beating Shane at almost 39 is not the same as Vernon Forrest dominating him when he was 30. On the other hand it is Mayweather's signature career victory and sets him up perfectly to meet another great, all be it a smaller fighter, in his prime.

If Mayweather wants his just due, something no educated boxing fan wants to deny him, maybe he should consider dropping the ridiculous drug testing subterfuge after looking like a bigger welterweight than Emile Griffith in his last fight. Coming off such a masterpiece of a performance against Mosley, this is the ideal time for Mayweather to prove his critics wrong, just once. But based on Floyd's track record does anyone expect him to agree to one fight against another great in his prime without working an angle to his advantage before the bell rings for the first round?

Boxing needs the infusion that a bout between its two greatest fighters could provide it. Sadly, the fight is as far away from being made as it's ever been, and everyone knows who the force behind that is. The guess here is if the fight is to be made, once again Mayweather's opponent, not him, will be the one who steps up and makes some sort of a concession in order to make the fight a reality. Like the boxing public expected it to unfold any other way!

Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com

Source: thesweetscience.com

Impassioned Manny Pacquiao makes final pitch to the people: Give me one chance -- Examiner

By Michael Marley, Examiner.com

MICHAEL MARLEY'S PHILIPPINE DIARY, PART 13:

BARANGAY SULI, SARANGANI PROVINCE—The fight of his life figures to be the inevitable one against American antihero Floyd Mayweather Jr.

But Congressional candidate from this rural, impoverished province Manny Pacquiao gave the impassioned speech of his life Thursday afternoon, imploring about 1000 enthusiastic men and women to send him into public service.

Speaking with obvious emotional conviction, Pacman related his poverty stricken childhood which including sleeping on sidewalks and sometimes having only small pieces of dried coconut for supper.

His message came across loud and clear: He is not some money hungry “trapo” or traditional politician whose main mission will be feed at the national trough.

Pacquiao spoke in the Visayan dialect and his speech drove some in the crowd to cheers and a few to tears.

“Give me one chance,” the 31 year old world welterweight champion from nearby General Santos City said. “One chance for me to show you all what good governance really is.

“My interest is to serve you, the people. Other politicians want to get more power just to get more money to spend for themselves. I will be different.”

One photographer translated for me and a news reporter from the Tokyo bureau of The Times of London.

The translator told us Pacman promised this barangay (barrio or neighborhood) 500,000 pisos “if my whole slate is elected here.”

Another spectator informed us that Pacquiao promised even more, a total of one million pisos if the audience voted him into office.

He also said that Pacquiao promised to buy his listeners school supplies for their children.

The fighter told ABS-CBN TV news that “we wanted to show to the people that we are determined to provide service and service they will get.”

In speaking to me and a few other scribes before his speech, Pacman said, “The people should vote for me I will do my job on their behalf.

“In my heart, I want to help the people and that is why I want to go into public service.”

Pacman's powerful opponent is Roy Chiongbian, scion of a billionaire status family which has immense business and influence in the province.

Pacquiao lost to incumbent Darlene Antonino-Custodio in 2007 in a race for her Congressional seat in Gensan.

Pacquiao said his electoral effort this time has been much longer and better organized than his first foray for elective office.

Pacquiao said he will provide the electorate with clean water, cheaper electric power and fulfill other basic needs if he is elected.

I don't know if he can beat the Chiongbian interests on their home turf but I've no doubt of the Pinoy Idol's sincerity.

More scintillating election coverage to come...

(mlcmarley@aol.com)

Source: examiner.com

Better Than Ali? -- SecondsOut.com

By Allan Scotto, Examiner.com

Zzzzzzziiiipppppp!

That was the sound the zippers made, this past Saturday night, on the mouths of all of Floyd Mayweather’s detractors, this writer included.

Floyd “Money” Mayweather answered just about every question or criticism that has been leveled at him with a stellar performance against “Sugar” Shane Mosley and, like him or not, one has to give him props.

When Mosley caught Mayweather with an overhand right in the second round, buckling Floyd’s knees, there was probably little doubt that the fans who felt that Mayweather couldn’t beat a “legitimate” welterweight thought, “This is the fall of the mighty Mayweather!”

Not so.

As Mosley moved in for the kill, Mayweather covered up, held and, as he got his legs back, unleashed a barrage of punches that backed off his opponent.

In the third round, Mosley, who had set up the right hand by jabbing to the body, bringing Floyd’s left hand down, abandoned that technique, primarily because Mayweather had figured him out. When Mosley went to jab to the body, Mayweather countered with right crosses that were finding their mark, leaving Shane with just one option; try and land a lucky shot that would rock Mayweather again.

That was not going to happen, especially in light of the fact that Mayweather did something that no one expected. He became the aggressor, the hunter. As the camera focused on Mosley at the end of the third round, one could see by the look on his face that the fight was over right then and there, which proved Floyd’s assertion that criticism of his fights being boring lies more with his opponents than it does with him.

And he has a valid point, because it’s hard to fight someone who doesn’t want to fight you back.

As you watched Mosley return to his corner at the end of the third, a strange phenomenon was happening that fans don’t get to see that often. “Sugar” Shane Mosley became 38-years-old right before our eyes.

As the fourth round began, it was obvious that winning was off the table in Shane’s mind.

For Mosley, surviving had become the soup du jour.

It was actually rather sad.

From that moment on, one of the most highly anticipated nights- and fights- in boxing belonged to Floyd “Money” Mayweather.

Interestingly enough, no sanctioning body trinkets were on the line because Mayweather refused to pay the WBA’s 3% sanctioning fee…and good for him!

When it comes to Floyd Mayweather, or Manny Pacquiao, for that matter, a trinket from some corrupt sanctioning body is useless and unnecessary, because when Mayweather asserts that he is the face of boxing, whether you like him or not, he’s absolutely right.

Mayweather doesn’t need the sanctioning bodies, they need him, and if they want him to fight for their belt, they should pay him 3%!

And that was evidenced by the plethora of “A”-list celebrities sitting at ringside. So many were in attendance that HBO made a point of letting us all know they were all there.

Some of the stars at ringside included Arnold Scwarzenneger, Will Smith, Eva Longoria Parker, Magic Johnson, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, Jamie Foxx, Mariah Carey and, never one to miss a photo op, Paris Hilton was there as well-and very likely not knowing why.

And wasn’t it really nice to see Michael J. Fox in attendance?

And that was just the Hollywood crowd.

From the boxing world, we had Mike Tyson, Tommy Hearns, “Sugar” Ray Leonard, and the biggest and nicest surprise of all, Muhammad Ali.

The magnitude of this event has been unseen since the times when those warriors were fighting.

And it wasn’t because Shane Mosley was there.

So what’s next for Mayweather? Who’s left if you think about it?

Of course, there is only one answer to that question, and that answer is Manny Pacquiao, who has steadfastly refused to submit to Mayweather’s demand that he undergo Olympic-style drug testing.

Top Rank head Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, has stated the Manny will only do what the ruling commission tells him he has to do, not what Mayweather dictates.

But is Mayweather being unreasonable, or has he touched upon something that every boxing commission should think about, especially Nevada, the commission that used to set the standard to be followed? Because after all the excuses that are, for the most part, silly, most people feel if you have nothing to hide, what’s the difference?

But let’s not forget that Bob Arum is, above all other things, a businessman. After Mayweather’s one-sided victory over Shane Mosley, rest assured there is a ton of money on the table, which puts Mayweather and Pacquiao on an inevitable collision course, much like Tommy Hearns and “Sugar” Ray Leonard were years ago.

Fans are not interested in watching either of them fight anyone else. They want to see them fight each other, and it will be, beyond question, the biggest money-making fight in boxing history.

But can Manny beat Floyd?

My man Marvin Banks looks at it this way, “Manny is a good fighter and he will have glimpses in the fight, but I think, ultimately, he will find out why Floyd is such a special, special fighter.”

And he may have a point.

Although Manny’s attack on Floyd will be relentless, Floyd is a master of landing short crisp punches inside wide looping shots, which Manny throws quite often.

Of course, the counterpoint is, if Pacquiao hurts Mayweather the way Mosley did, he’ll keep coming. He won’t get old like Mosley did, and he’ll never quit. And that could prove to be Floyd’s undoing.

It is a debate that will begin as soon as the fight is announced, and continue until it’s over.

Make no mistake, with that much money on the line, this fight gets made one way or another.

Now, all that being said, could someone please tell Floyd Mayweather to shut the hell up?

His pre-fight rant boasted that he’s better than both Muhammad Ali and “Sugar” Ray Robinson.

There’s no need to compare records, and there’s no need to compare quality of opponents.

Simply put, Floyd Mayweather praising Floyd Mayweather by trying to diminish the achievements of former champions is not going to endear him to anybody.

Floyd seems hell-bent in becoming this era’s version of the trash-talking Ali, and that’s fine, but he needs to take note that Ali never mocked a former champion or compared himself to them, unless he was fighting them.

Ali claimed to be “The Greatest,” and then went out and proved it. And it’s one of the many reasons that Muhammad Ali has transcended boxing, in and out of the ring.

Floyd Mayweather has impressed even his harshest critics with his performance Saturday night, and there is no need to ruin that by comparing himself to champions that have come before him.

So, is Floyd “Money” Mayweather better than both Ali and Robinson?

Probably not, but one can no longer deny that he is at least that good.

Allan Scotto can be reached at boxingriter@aol.com

Source: secondsout.com

Bob Arum Can't Hold Tongue: 'Public Wants To See Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Next' -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

Before leaving to support seven-division world champion, Manny Pacquiao, in his effort to win a congressional seat in the province of Saragani in his native Philippines, Bob Arum, insisted that he would not talk boxing, in general, nor, Floyd Mayweather, in particular.

But not long after the savvy, 78-year-old promoter landed, and a Philippine network camera was in his face, Arum just could not resist.

A potential fight between Mayweather (41-0, 25 knockouts) and Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs) is simply too big.

The 33-year-old Mayweather is coming off of Saturday night's lopsided, 12-round unanimous decision over 38-year-old, WBA welterweight (147 pounds) champion, Shane Mosley (46-6, 39 KOs).

The 31-year-old Pacquiao is coming off of a similarly, one-sided, March 13, unanimous decision over 33-year-old Joshua Clottey (35-4, 20 KOs).

Together, they are boxing's most lurcative draws: Mayweather earned a non-heavyweight record guaranteed $22.5 million purse for his win over Mosley; Pacquiao took home $12 million for dispatching of Clottey.

Even though there is some lingering acrimony between Mayweather and Pacquiao, whose proposed March 13 bout dissolved over a negotiational impasse over drug testing, Arum believes that there is too much money involved for that bout not to happen.

"No question now, especially since both of their last fights are perceived as walkovers, that 99.5 percent of the public wants to see Manny Pacquiao fight Floyd Mayweather next. Those two bouts were not competitive because both guys are so good," said Arum, who promotes Pacquiao and once promoted Mayweather.

"This is the biggest fight of all time, Mayweather against Pacquiao, and it has to happen. Now the fight is doable. I mean, out of 100 people, over 99.5 percent want this fight next. The other .5 percent, they don't care and they don't really give a spit," Arum told ABS television, according to an article written by Examiner.com's Michael Marley.

"With any big fight, there is a right time to make the fight," said Arum. "The public demand reminds me of when Muhammad Ali fought Joe Frazier the first time in 1971, so you have to everything you can [as a promoter] to support that, to make it happen."

Mayweather said that he wanted the fight with Pacquiao during a post-fight press conference following his win over Mosley.

Mayweather did insist, however, that, like Mosley, Pacquiao, would have to undergo random blood and urine testing by the United States Anti-Doping Agency.

"I want to give the fans a pleasing fight. I want to give the fans what they want," said Mayweather. "If the fans want to see me and Pacquiao fight, I want to give them that. But we must be on an even playing field in the sport of boxing."

Pacquaio has indicated that taking blood from him too close to a fight would weaken him, citing his last loss by unanimous, 12-round decision to Erik Morales at 130 pounds in March of 2005.

Pacquiao had blood drawn within days of facing Morales, but since then, is 12-0, with eight knockouts, including 10th, and, third round stoppages of Morales.

Arum felt that Mayweather's insistance on drug testing was a way of getting out of the fight with Pacquiao.

"I had my doubts on Mayweather wanting it, but now, Floyd now genuinely wants the fight against Manny. Floyd knows you can't putter around. For right now, I will not talk about negotiations and I won't go into negotiations showing my cards," said Arum.

"These issues have to be talked about in private, not in public, and that was the mistake by Mayweather's people last time we tried to make it," said Arum. "I don't want that to happen again. If everything goes well, a good time for that fight would be November, that would be a perfect time."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Floyd Mayweather Sr.: “Floyd would beat Pacquiao easier than he beat Shane” -- Eastside Boxing

By Geoffrey Ciani, Eastside Boxing

This week’s edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio featured an exclusive interview with boxing trainer Floyd Mayweather Senior whose son, Floyd Jr., recently defeated Sugar Shane Mosley in a dominant performance. Here are some excerpts from that interview:

Regarding what he believes his son did that enabled him to be so successful against Mosley:
“He did what his Daddy told him to do. I told him to stay behind his jab and keep Shane in the middle of the ring. I told him that Shane can’t box. You’re faster than him, you’re younger than him, you’re more mobile than him, you’re slicker than him, you’re more clever than him—he has nothing on you. I know that all those attributes that he has over Shane and that’s a lot of things to overcome.”

Regarding his thoughts in the second round when Mosley caught Floyd with some good right hands:

“Don’t get me wrong, I was very worried as well because that is my son. It just shows you that he is human. When you got 40-0, 41-0, it shows you that he is human. Anybody can be hurt. My thing was I know my son is smart, but of course I got worried when Shane had him on the ropes and he had his hands up. It really wasn’t a problem, but I think I would have tied him up, though. I would have tied Shane up and I would have been more cautious, because right after that round when Floyd got hurt, the third round he came out he jumped right on Shane. To me, I don’t know how bad he was hurt. He was the only one who felt the shot, but I think that he, well—I wouldn’t have fought that way. I wouldn’t have fought that way, but he fought a smart fight—a brilliant fight..”

Regarding athletes who use performance enhancers in boxing:
“A lot of these guys today can be dominant. The much weaker guy can be dominant because he has some kind of enhancement drugs in him and that’s why boxing is falling out of hand and beginning to be a bad game. Not only boxing, but you got baseball, football, you know, you name any sports you want to name. They’re attacking everybody. I don’t know. They’re attacking Tiger Woods, too, as far as that goes. I’m letting you know that so many people get into drugs. I’m not saying that Tiger Woods is doing that, I’m not saying that any guys are—well, we do know about Shane and he didn’t have any stuff in him because he was checked. There it is, right there. Without no stuff in him, now you see the real Shane.”

Regarding Floyd’s win over Shane in the context of Mosley’s win over Antonio Margarito:
“Well you know what? They kept talking about how Floyd was scared of Margarito. Little Floyd already told everybody he could whoop Margarito. He was not worried about no Margarito so what Floyd did was kill two birds with one stone. He let Shane go whoop Margarito and Shane beat Margarito like Floyd beat Shane, so that showed him he would have done the same thing Shane did—knocked him out. Little Floyd would have done the same thing to him because Floyd is too fast, too quick, and too smooth for Margarito.”

On being in Camp with his son for the last two fights during which he seemingly performed at a higher level:
“It’s because he’s a different animal when his father’s around because I’m the originator! I’m the motivator, innovator, creator of that boy Floyd and that’s what I do. You know, Floyd still makes errors, but I tightened him up and straightened him out. He’s a student of the game so it’s not hard to train him. I’ve been training Little Floyd since he was one year old. As a matter of fact, since he first came out of his mother’s womb I’ve been training my son.”

Regarding the fact that Mayweather Senior predicted how this fight would unfold more accurately than all of the other past guests on the show:
“Hey, I’m a scientist of boxing. I know boxing like the back of my hand. A lot of people you’re talking to are just everyday people and you’re talking to news writers, and you’re talking to maybe somebody who’s playing football or basketball or some other sport, but they definitely aren’t talking about boxing because there was no surprise to me and there was no doubt in me about Shane and Floyd fighting because I already knew that there isn’t no 38 year old guy who was going to whoop little Floyd. Floyd did just what he was supposed to do.”

On the fact that Floyd Junior seemed to raise his game to a new level we had not seen previously:
“Well you know what? One thing, I’ll tell you this right here. He’s the guy that can do what he needs to do when it’s needed. One thing that stepped his game up was that Shane hurt him and when Shane hurt him that brought the animal out of him. As you can see, it brought the animal out of him. Me myself, I would have been a little bit more cautious about the approach. I think I would have let my head clear for another round or so, but he didn’t do that. He jumped right on top of Shane, then he looked out of the ropes and said, ‘Daddy, what do you want me to do next?’ I don’t know if you have seen that part of it yet though, but he said, ‘Daddy what do you want me to do next?’. I said, ‘Keep doing what you’re doing. Keep him in the center of the ring and you won’t have no problems’, and he said, ‘Okay’.”

On whether he believes his son would have fought differently had Shane not hurt him in round two:
“No, I don’t think you would have seen that level. I really don’t. Little Floyd, as long as he wins the fight he’s cool. He’s going to box and move around a little bit here, and maybe throw a two and three punch combination, and go ahead, then pop, pop, pop, and he would be fine with that. That would be fine with him doing that as long as you clearly know that you are winning the fight and you are in control, but you got to remember, this fight was early. It was the second round. The fight was early. Floyd got hurt early in the game so automatically he knew he was in the rear because the first round, you could give Floyd the first round or you could have gave it to Shane, I believe, but the second round was clearly Shane. So Shane made him have to fight and take it to another level.”

On whether he believes a fight between his son versus Manny Pacquiao is a fight that could happen:
“As you can see right now, I believe for a minute everybody was a fool for thinking Pacquiao could whoop Floyd, but you know what? Pretty much all of those thoughts have changed because they know that Pacquiao is not the fighter Floyd is and let me tell you right now—he would beat Pacquiao easier than he beat Shane, with or without whatever it is.”

On whether he believes his son is capable of scoring a knockout against Pacquiao:
“I’m just going to tell you like this. There are a lot of things people can do but sometimes people can’t do things if things aren’t right, and I know you can understand me. Overall, if Floyd and Pacquiao fought on the same level, like with Shane, and Pacquiao does what he’s supposed to do and Floyd does what he’s supposed to do and they’re both clear of everything—Floyd knocks him the hell out. Yes!”

On whether he believes Pacquiao will be willing to subject himself to the Olympic style drug testing:
“Hell no he ain’t going to take no tests. He won’t take no tests. He wants to BS everybody and keep messing around like he’s this big tough fighter. You aren’t tough at all because you’re not willing to take the test. What is that blood going to do to you? Whatever blood test you take, Floyd’s got to take the same blood test. If it makes you weak, it’s going to make him weak so you can stop with all of that BS. He ain’t all what they think he is. Right now, believe me, all the people know what it is. It’s so plain a blind man can see what’s going on. Why won’t you fight? A test? Everybody needs to take the test. When you start taking the tests that will stop a lot of the corruption that’s going on in the game and it’s understanding because it can kill somebody, it can kill people, it can leave people brain damaged. You can get messed up in all kinds of ways. Somebody’s head can get brain damaged, somebody’s kid can be killed. You know, that breaks families up, especially over some BS nonsense that shouldn’t even be there. If you can’t do the game right, don’t do it all.”

On how he thinks his son would do at middleweight, possibly against someone like champion Sergio Martinez:
“My son is not a big guy. He’s just not a big guy, he’s not big. He’s about 5’8”, maybe 5’7 ½”. He’s just not a big person. I could see him outsmarting Martinez. Yeah, I could see him outsmarting Martinez. One thing about it, I don’t want anybody having an edge over my son because that’s my son, but I never have liked my son fighting southpaws. It’s not that he can’t beat them, because he beat all of them, his record reflects that, but I don’t like my son fighting southpaws. My son fought two southpaws that I know of. He fought one early in his career, pretty close before he got the title and he got cut pretty bad over the eye. Then when he fought Chop Chop Corley, Chop Chop Corley caught him off guard and hit him a couple of times in one fight. Like I said, it’s not that he can’t win because he has won, but I will just say a lot of guys power still come from a different angle and a different size and he’s not a great big guy. There’s no question in my mind that I got the strategy to train my son to offset a lot of this stuff, but I just don’t like him fighting southpaws because stuff comes from a different angle.”

On being reminded that Pacquiao himself is a southpaw and if he believes the smaller size of Pacquiao offsets his concerns regarding left-handed fighters:
“Even with Pacquiao, he’s a much shorter guy and we are not worried about no Martinez because Pacquiao is the one doing all of the damage and he’s the one knocking out these big men. That’s what everyone wants to see, so let’s see it because even if Martinez fights my son, he’s going to take the test, too. Why does everyone have to take it but Pacquiao?”

On what he believes will ultimately happen with the saga between his son and Pacquiao:
“I’ll tell you this right here. I bet you any kind of money, before Manny Pacquiao fights my son—I guarantee you, watch what I tell you because you’ll be calling me up next and telling me about this. Manny Pacquiao, before he fights my son, I bet you he won’t fight my son. I bet you he won’t take the test if he has to fight my son. I bet you he don’t take the test. I guarantee you.”

Source: eastsideboxing.com

Mayweather-Pacquiao bout still possible, says Arum -- ABS-CBN News

abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines – A historic prize fight between current pound-for-pound champ Manny Pacquiao and undefeated boxing sensation Floyd Mayweather Jr. is still a possibility, according to Top Rank, Inc. head honcho Bob Arum.

Arum arrived in Manila Thursday morning then proceeded to General Santos City to support his ward's political campaign. The Filipino boxing sensation is seeking to clinch the Sarangani Province congressional seat on May 10.

Arum said he is certain that Pacquiao will be victorious in his second political bid.

“I’m excited to be able to introduce him in the next fight as Congressman Manny Pacquiao,” he said.

After the elections, Arum said he hopes to negotiate for the much-clamored showdown between Pacquiao and Mayweather.

“Yes I'm going to try to make it happen, I think it can… Sometime towards the end of the year,” the Top Rank head remarked.

Pacquiao and Mayweather were slated to fight on March 13 but they disagreed on the Olympic-style drug testing protocol.

According to Arum, he believes the disagreement can be ironed out so that the fight will push through. “I'm not going to give details but I think we can work it out,” he added.

He added that Mayweather, who defeated Shane Mosley via unanimous decision on May 1, cannot keep running away from the Pacquiao bout. “He's got nowhere else to go," he stated.

Aside from Arum, several boxing writers from the US also arrived in the country to get more news about the 7-division world champ.

Said Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times: “Anything I write about Manny gets incredible readership.” – With a report from Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Bob Arum Arrives In Philippines: 'My Job Is to Support Manny Pacquiao' -- FanHouse

By Nancy Gay, FanHouse

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines -- Mid-morning has seen a celebrity arrive at the East Asia Royale Hotel near Manny Pacquiao's compound and home base. Boxing promoter Bob Arum, dressed in a tropical weight gray T-shirt and slacks, has come straight here from his home in Las Vegas.

His mission today: to accompany Pacquiao and his campaign convoy to a rally two hours away in Sarangani province.

"You've got to understand -- I'm not here to talk about boxing. I'm not here as a boxing promoter, but as a wanna-be James Carville," says Arum, who refuses to speculate whether the highly anticipated mega-bout between his client, Pacquiao, and Floyd Mayweather will ever happen, Olympic-style drug testing or not.

This is Arum's ninth trip to the Philippines to attend to Pacquiao's needs. They discuss his career, they meet for training camps.

On this trip, Arum says he is only here to support Pacquiao's run for Congress in Sarangani.

"I haven't talked to Manny about boxing since I congratulated him on the Clottey fight," Arum said of Pacquiao's most recent victory over Ghanian fighter Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium in March.

So there will be no talk about Mayweather.

As Arum drinks a cup of coffee, two star-struck teenage boys beg for a photo. Arum gets up, puts his arm around the boys and smiles widely for the father's camera.

"That'll be on Facebook soon enough," one Arum employee calls out, and the restaurant erupts in laughter.

As Pacquiao's promoter, Arum is easily recognizable to Filipino sports fans. "But if [trainer] Freddie Roach walked in here," Arum says, "nobody would even look at me."

Why would Arum travel thousands of miles from his Las Vegas comfort zone to spend several days in the steamy southern reaches of Mindanao island? He says he believes in what Pacquiao wants to do for his people -- to help lift them from their poverty as a public servant, rather than a boxing hero.

Pacquiao's failed 2007 run for the House of Representatives "was totally amateur," Arum says. "This one is more professionally run."

According to Arum, local polls and anecdotal samplings of the people suggest Pacquiao, 31, is leading his 61-year-old opponent from an entrenched political clan, Roy Chiangbian, by a 60-40 margin.

Pacquiao's impassioned speeches during recent political rallies are much improved, Arum says. "No matter how much from the heart his message is, he's got to be more organized," the promoter says.

Does Pacman stand a chance?

Arum concedes that politics in the Philippines "are corrupt -- the people who win are from powerful political families.

"They have no interest in doing anything other than lining their pockets," Arum says. "Manny has the will and the desire to really inspire change. Food, water, schools -- he wants to build a hospital. There isn't even a hospital in Sarangani."

The promoter has a vested interest in seeing his most famous cash cow remain in the boxing ring. But Arum says he is an absolute believer in Pacquiao's mission to improve the lives of impoverished Filipinos who experience the hardscrabble life that defined Pacman's childhood here.

"When you grow up in the poverty that Manny did -- poverty that you and I can't even comprehend -- when you get away from it, you either want to stay away and, like Mayweather, live through your cars and your homes," Arum says. "Or you can have this desire to lift up the people, which Manny apparently has."

Pacquiao is such a devout Catholic, he conducts a full Mass before and after each boxing match. He wears rosary beads and prays constantly.

"He's a very spiritual person. He credits his success to God. He really does," Arum says. "And I think he has a calling from God to improve the lives of his people."

And what if Pacquiao should win the May 10 election, and announce to Arum and the sporting world that he is stepping away from boxing?

"Then I'd throw a retirement party for him," Arum says. "I don't care if people don't believe that. He's a very special person and I'm not going to interfere with that.

"I'm here to help him. Whichever direction he goes, my job is to be supportive. That's why I'm over here, to see what little I can do to help him get elected."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Optimistic Arum: We can make Mayweather-Pacquiao for November -- Examiner

By Michael Marley, Examiner.com

MICHAEL MARLEY'S PHILIPPINE DIARY, PART 12:


BOB ARUM SPEAKS UPON LANDING IN GENSAN:

“No question now, especially since both of their last fights are perceived as walkovers, that 99.5 percent of the public wants to see Manny Pacquiao fight Floyd Mayweather next. Those two bouts were not competitive because both guys are so good.

“This is the biggest fight of all time, Mayweather against Pacquiao, and it has to happen. Now the fight is doable.

“I mean, out of 100 people, over 99.5 percent want this fight next. The other .5 percent, they don't care and they don't really give a spit. With any big fight, there is a right time to make the fight.

“The public demand reminds of when Muhammad Ali fought Joe Frazier the first time in 1971 so you have to everything you can (as a promoter) to support that, to make it happen.

“I had my doubts on Mayweather wanting it but now Floyd now genuinely wants the fight against Manny. Floyd knows you can't putter around. For right now, I will not talk about negotiations and I won't go into negotiations showing my cards. These issues have to be talked about in private, not in public, and that was the mistake by Mayweather's people last time we tried to make it.

“I don't want that to happen again. If everything goes well, a good time for that fight would be November, that would be a perfect time.”


GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Like the cinematic “Blues Brothers,” Jake and Elwood, Manny Pacquiao is on a mission from God.

That is what just landed promoter Bob Arum said upon his arrival here after flights from Las Vegas to Manila and then Manila to Pacman's hometown.

Arum arrived just in time, about 10 a.m. Thursday local time, to head out for an afternoon political rally in Sarangani as his Congressional campaign against billionaire Roy Chiongbian winds down. Voting for the office takes place, along with many other local and national elections including a battle for the Philippine presidency, on Monday.

Arum said something that he's told me before, that he will never go against the Pinoy Idol's political ambitions because the fighter is drawing on divine inspiration.

“Manny credits all his success to God, he really does,” the 78 year old Arum said. “Manny really feels he has a calling from God to run for office and to help the people, especially the poorest of the poor.

“It is not window dressing with Manny, it's a real spirituality just like another of my fighters, the rabbi to be and world junior middleweight champion, Yuri Foreman. Manny believes he is being directed by God so you cannot try to push him in another direction.

“My role is to be supportive here, I am not here to talk about (Floyd) Mayweather or any other fights. I did not come here with any fight offers, for Mayweather or anyone else. I don't want to distract Manny from the election campaign.

“I'm here, in a limited way, as his political adviser,” Arum said, joking. “So I am a would be James Carville in this election.”

Arum said a misguided report that Pacman would fight Mayweather on Sept. 10 is “totally absurd.

“Who could properly stage such a big fight so close to Labor Day? I don't know where that one came from.”

Arum said he took Lunesta 3, a sleeping medication, to make his 13 hour flight from Vegas with a stopover in Vancouver easier to bear.

“They treat me great on Philippine Air Lines,” Arum said. “I have made nine trips over here to see Manny. They all know me.

“My only job here is to see that the new congressman from Sarangani gets elected, meaning Manny Pacquiao.

“When I get back to the States, after the elections here, I will go to work on the Mayweather fight. As a foreigner here, I am restricted and rightly so, from political participation. I am just here in support of Manny's ambition which is to help his own people.”

Arum said that should Pacman grant Mommy Aleng Dionesia's wish that he retire from the ring, he will also support that.

“I personally don't see that,” Arum said. “But, if Manny makes that decision, will support. I will throw him a big retirement party but I don't think this is what he will do."

(mlcmarley@aol.com)

Source: examiner.com

FanHouse Follows Manny Pacquiao on Campaign Trail -- FanHouse

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Manny Pacquiao: The Best Fighter of the Era -- Ringside Report

By Daniel “Tex” Cohen, RingsideReport.com

I have noticed a general pendulum swing in most public debates, first all the way to one side, then back to the other. The individual person tends to get fed up with one side of the story rather quickly and, in an effort to encourage unnecessary novelty, violently shifts his mindset back to that of his initial opposite. Pundits call this “balance” and “moderation”, but I call it a sham. If one side of the story is correct, you should not sacrifice truth for “balance.”

The same can be said in the case of Manny Pacquiao. Pacquiao is, hands down, the greatest fighter of the era. Making a different case is difficult at best and delusional at worst. Yet the internet is full of writers, driven by… well, who knows what… that feel differently. I have never seen an athlete as successful in his athletic endeavors as has been Manny Pacquiao and yet so fully denigrated for illogical nonsense as Pacquiao has been.

Consider that:

-Pacquiao has jumped more weight classes with more success than has any other fighter of all-time. While that idea is somewhat mitigated by the era of an increased amount of weight classes, blaming Pacquiao for circumstances seems silly. Pacquiao has fought professionally within a weight limit of thirty pounds, something that has been matched (arguably) by only the greatest fighters of all-time: Sugar Ray Robinson, Roberto Duran, Roy Jones, JR., and Sugar Ray Leonard. Some will tell you that Pacquiao’s performance is not as impressive as the performance of these pugilists, but I will retort that even receiving mention in the same BREATH as these SPECTACULAR fighters is a testament to the impressive body of work that Pacman has put together.

-Pacquiao has been treated with a double standard in more than one respect. First, his knockout losses toward the beginning of his career have been used as proof of weakness by Floyd Mayweather, JR., and others in Mayweather’s corner on the issue of Pacquiao’s dominance. No matter how many times this crowd hears that Pacquiao was a teenager at the time of such knockout losses, they will point to those moments as brief weaknesses for which he should forever receive punishment. Pacquiao fought professionally 24 times as a teenager; Mayweather fought a grand total of four times as a teenager. Pacquiao won his first title belt a few days before his twentieth birthday.

Notice how none of the positives that Pacquiao accomplished during that time period are mentioned by any of those that wish to detract from Pacquiao. Instead of focusing on the important matters (such as him wiping the floor with really effective fighters, grabbing a belt, and establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with for a decade to follow), they focus on a pair of knockout losses that are ancient history.

-Even if Pacquiao’s losses were significant, the following men have been knocked out at least once: George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Floyd Patterson, Sugar Ray Robinson, Dick Tiger, Henry Armstrong, Willie Pep, Benny Leonard, Sam Langford, Henry Wills, Joe Louis, Oscar De La Hoya, Jack Johnson, Jack Demspey, Mike Tyson, Ken Norton, Harry Greb, Thomas Hearns, Archie Moore, Bob Foster, Fritzie Zivic, Roberto Duran, Lennox Lewis, and Wladimir Klitschko.

The bottom line is that fighters that fight other good fighters without ducking people, making excuses, or taking cheap shots, usually get knocked out. Many of them were knocked out more than once. Do we downgrade Roberto Duran based on his four KO losses? No. Give Manny the same treatment.

-As if that double standard weren’t bad enough, Pacquiao’s biggest controversy has been entirely manufactured by Mayweather’s PR team. Pacquiao has been accused of using steroids because of 1) his supposed “hypocrisy” regarding a fear of needles, 2) his amazing performance at different weights, and 3) his refusal to blood-test just to “clear his name.”

Unfortunately, these arguments are all weak sauce. Pacquiao’s fear of needles have little, if anything, to do with his unwillingness to fight Mayweather or take blood tests.

Pacquiao has stated time and time again that he didn’t want the tests to come at random points and up to close time proximity within the fight because they create a hassle and a distraction. Some have said that can’t be true because of the relatively small amount of blood taken in individual tests, but first-hand experiences of the outcomes of blood tests have suggested that some people do indeed bruise easily and feel weaker following a test.

Pacquiao may be one of those people. What is a certainty is that Mayweather introduced the testing element as a distraction so he could gain the upper hand in the fight. He can claim that he wants to “clean up the sport”, or that he “is not suggesting Pacquiao is on steroids”, but his timing is not even “curious” but suspicious.

Mayweather never called for testing of any of his other opponents. Now he has decided to claim that his new effort is some sort of high road for future testing. Of course, if you’ve ever covered the career of Floyd Mayweather and the way that he postures leading into a fight, you will see that it makes more sense that he would try to gain a mental edge on Pacquiao going into the fight. That’s why Pacquiao turned it down.
Now the Mayweather camp will come out and tell you that “turning down twenty-five million dollars over a drug test, then fighting for six” is suspicious… But we all know that’s an incredible oversimplification of what actually happened.

As far as his performance at different weight classes serving as evidence of his steroid use, I can’t help but laugh. The same people who find his performance at different weights unimpressive can’t help but point out how impressive it is and use that as a reason to doubt his natural abilities. The fact is that these people are so blinded by hatred for the Filipino that they can’t believe he could achieve such accomplishments. Therefore, they have decided that he’s on drugs.

To take that a step further, they now demand that Pacquiao prove his innocence. You might realize y now that if you were Pacquiao, you would tell these folks to get bent; He doesn’t owe them squat. Is a man responsible for clearing his name of every charge, no matter how ridiculous? Pacquiao’s one of the toughest men on the planet, right? Does that mean he’s guilty of unsolved murders? I mean, he’s tough, so he could have done it, right? Should we demand an alibi from him? What is someone accused him of coming from another planet? Would he have to prove he is biologically human? When did we start assuming people were guilty and asking them to prove innocence?

-Some have even gone as far as to say that Pacquiao has been aided by match-making and stylistic advantage. To this I scoff. I shouldn’t have to type out his resume, but apparently, people need to see this. Manny Pacquiao has won two out of three fights from Erik Morales, two out of two from Marco Antonio Barrera, a win and a draw against Juan Manuel Marquez, and knockouts over David Diaz, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, and Oscar De La Hoya. The Marquez fights were denigrated because he “might have lost.” The Hatton and De La Hoya victories were downplayed because the two men were “too old.” Funny how those that downplayed those victories thought that Pacquiao would lose those fights. After the fact, they made excuses for the losers. Pacquiao has put together an impressive body of his work against a variety of different fighters with not tune-ups, very little down time, and very little failure.

In the end, I have said nothing new, and yet I have said what needs to be said: Manny Pacquiao is the Pound for Pound Champion of the world, the greatest fighter of his era, and a one of a kind fighter that ranks highly on the all-time list. If you don’t see it for yourself, you have only yourself to blame.

Source: ringsidereport.com

WBC's Sulaiman speaks out on Mayweather vs. Mosley sanctioning antics -- Examiner

By Matt Stolow, Examiner.com

World Boxing Council President Jose Sulaiman is upset that big name fighters such as Saturday night's Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley are only using the sanctioning bodies to position themselves for big fights and neither actually fighting for the titles nor paying the 3% fee charged for the belt and title.

Now, I'm not looking for one person to feel sorry for the WBC, although personally I believe it has a lot of good qualities.

The WBC world ratings are still the best we have and the organization has been pro-active in boxer safety through the years.

It's difficult for a fighter to carry more than one belt because you're then talking of at least 3% and maybe 6% in fees off the top he must pay to these groups and the dates of all their mandatory title defense dates makes it almost impossible to represent more than one belt at a time.

What is the value of sanctioning bodies today? Most are useless drains on boxing society. But the big boys serve a purpose. They are probably worth somewhere around half of what they think they are worth.

However, as everybody in every walk of life is cutting back their spending, the sanctioning bodies must do the same and consider themselves a boutique in the boxing world and nothing more or less.

Sulaiman says he was humiliated that neither Mayweather nor Mosley fought for the World Boxing Association belt that Mosley held.

That sounds a little strong, a little over dramatic, but Sulaiman has a worldwide audience that listens to him.

Where this is will lead I don't know but it is worth bringing it up.

Source: examiner.com

Manny Pacquiao's Adviser: Floyd Mayweather's Not On Our Minds Now -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

How is Manny Pacquiao's congressional race going in the Philippines? Will the seven-division champion fight again? If so, will Pacquiao make the second defense of his WBO welterweight (147 pounds) title against Floyd Mayweather? And if that's the case, will Pacquiao subject himself to the random blood and urine drug testing?

Those questions, and others, were asked of the champion's adviser, Michael Koncz, who is with Pacquiao in the Philippines. Koncz is one of the few men who is closest to the man who has been named Fighter Of The Year three straight times, Fighter Of The Decade once, and who is considered to be one of boxing's best fighters, pound-for-pound.

Check out what Koncz has to say in this Q&A:

FanHouse: How is the congressional campaign going for Manny Pacquiao?

Michael Koncz: The campaign has been going very well. There have been much larger-than-expected crowds of people at his stops. They seem to be a lot more receptive to his ideas this time around, and Manny is very excited and confident that he's going to win. Me, I'm not going to be confident until you ask me that question on Tuesday.

Anything can happen in these last few hours, and we know that, but Manny's very confident.

Can you summarize what Manny sees as the largest and most critical issues facing his countrymen and the focus of his campaign?

Manny's main issues are to bring employment to his people, to bring a hospital to his region, which is the Sarangani Province, and there's no hospital there. And he has an emphasis on education for the kids.

Does he believe strongly that he can resolve these issues or does he believe that he faces a real uphill battle?

Everything here in the Philippines is an uphill battle. But once elected, Manny certainly has the ability and the means to build a hospital, and the funding -- not just the funding that he's after -- but he's got to implement the funding and to make sure that the funds go toward the education programs and so forth.

But yes, he feels confident that he can deal with those issues.

Has Manny been able to hit the gym or stay in shape throughout his campaigning?

We never go to the gym. Manny's only in the gym when he's in training camp. He's still managing to play a little bit of basketball, maybe once a week, because basketball is a good stress and tension reliever for him. So he still plays once a week, but when he plays, it's usually for five, six hours at a time.

Assuming that Manny wins the election, and that he continues his boxing career, how soon does he expect to return to the ring?

Manny will fight this year, but, again, it depends. If, God forbid we lose the election, then perhaps as early as September. If we win the election, then it will be perhaps later in the year. We haven't picked a date or anything, but maybe October or November.

An obvious question is how Floyd Mayweather factors into Manny Pacquiao's plans, and, whether Manny has softened his stance on the issue of random drug testing as has been reported by some major websites?

That was never a statement made by Manny. We're not making any statements in regard to the blood testing other than what we state on the record before. I just had a discussion with Manny about this last night. That 14-day window was never a statement that came out of Manny's mouth.

I want to emphasize that. So whoever wrote it is fabricating or whatever you want to call it. Manny's position is that it still remains the same. Manny will fight anybody anywhere as long as it's under the rules and regulations of the commission in the state that we're fighting in.

The reports cited Manny Pacquiao's official website, but you're saying that the website erred?

The reporter who wrote that story on the website, I've never heard of that reporter before. I've never heard of him in my life. Manny said that he never spoke to such a reporter. Other than that, I have no comment on the website. I don't even remember the name.

Do you want to address how this erroneous information comes about?

This is not an isolated situation. There's been a number of times that this has happened. More times than not, the stories that have been written have been fabricated. Unless a statement comes directly from Manny, his attorney, Franklin Gacal, or myself, then most of the time they're not factual stories.

People are always saying, 'Manny said this' or 'Manny said that.' Franklin Gaval is always with me at all of the press conferences and on all of the tours. Any official statements attributed to Manny are only official and authorized if they're obviously made by Manny himself, Franklin Gacal, his attorney or myself.

In regard to a fight with Floyd Mayweather, are the conditions the same in terms of what Manny wanted in the past negotiations?

I just told you what the conditions were. Manny will fight anybody. Well, first of all, let me back up. Floyd's not even on our minds right now. The main fight, the main opponent, and the main concern at this time is campaigning and winning the election. After the election, we'll discuss something.

If Floyd wants to fight, Manny's willing to fight. Again, we'll fight anybody, anywhere, as long as it is under the rules and regulations of the commission where the fight is being held and in the state we would be fighting in.

If Floyd Mayweather doesn't come about, I understand that a fight with Antonio Margarito could be an option should he defeat Roberto Garcia on Saturday night?

Those are accurate statements. I think that Antonio Margarito is certainly a definite opponent for Manny. And I think that if that fight took place in The Dallas Cowboys' Stadium in Texas, that we would sell the Cowboys' Stadium out.

What about a possible fight against the winner of the WBA junior middleweight (154 pounds) champion,Yuri Foreman, and Miguel Cotto?

Again, those are accurate statements, but I don't think that if Cotto wins, which I believe that Cotto would win, I don't think that that's a fight that we would take. Again, this is my opinion, although I haven't sat down with Manny. But I don't believe that Cotto is a fight that we would do a rematch on right now.

I don't believe that the economics would support it right now. The fans just saw Manny, you know, give Cotto a tremendous beating before knocking him out.

So, after the election, do you believe that an Antonio Margarito fight would perhaps be a viable focus?

Well, no, because right after the election, we'll be doing a family vacation -- his family and my family.

Will Manny definitely be fighting again or is he considering retirement following the elections?

That's not a misconception. He is definitely considering retirement. That's an adamant wish of his mother's. So, he is considering that. Obviously, he has a lot of respect for his mother [Dionesia Pacquiao]. He has a tremendous amount of respect for her. So, that's an accurate statement.

But it's also an accurate statement that he's not going to retire right away. So he has spoken with his mother, and they haven't come to a final decision yet. I mean, I've spoken to Manny. He has informed me that he's not retiring, obviously. But he's trying to appease his mother.

He will fight, I can assure you and I guarantee that. But he's got to temper it with the wishes of his mother. Manny has many options. I believe that every fight that he fights from here on out and from this day forward is a big fight. Obviously, some are bigger than others.

But as I said, he could fight Antonio Margarito, who used to be a good draw, and he's a well-known name. He's not the biggest draw out there. Obviously, Floyd Mayweather is. But I still say that if it's Antonio Margarito, that the Cowboys' Stadium would be sold out.

I think that because of what he's done in boxing, how he's demolished the last few opponents, that it doesn't matter who Manny Pacquiao fights. They're all big fights.

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Margarito Returns; is He a Pugilistic Pariah? -- SecondsOut

By Steve Kim, SecondsOut.com

This Saturday night marks the return of “The Tijuana Tornado,” Antonio Margarito, who faces the rugged Roberto Garcia in Aguascalientes, Mexico, as the headliner on Top Rank’s “Latin Fury 14.” It’s his first outing since he was dismantled in nine rounds by Shane Mosley on January 24th, 2009 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. But the loss wasn’t even the worst part of that night.

In the lead-up to that fight, illegal hand-wrappings were caught on Margarito, which eventually led to an indefinite suspension by the California State Athletic Commission for him and his trainer, Javier Capetillo.

Worse than getting knocked out, Margarito’s reputation was forever damaged. A man who was once thought as one of the most honest, hard-working fighters in the sport, was now thought of as a cheat. All his past accomplishments are now tainted. Everything he had done, to that point, will now be questioned. Was it his iron will that allowed him to capture three world titles and beat the likes of Miguel Cotto and Kermit Cintron- or loaded wraps?

It’s a fair question. In light of what was uncovered, just how legitimate is this career?

When asked if he doubts his own accomplishments, Margarito, through his manager, Sergio Diaz, answered without hesitation, "No, not at all. What happened was a big surprise for me. I’ve always been a clean fighter; I’m aware that Cintron and Cotto, they’ve been talking about me fighting dirty. But I’ve never fought dirty; I’ve always been a clean fighter and that’s something I’m going to prove, starting in this fight. I have a lot to prove. I feel I need to prove it to people and I’m going to show it beginning this fight."

Margarito makes it clear that he had no knowledge of any illegal activities that took place.

"As far as a fighter knowing what’s going on, I put my hands out there and I believe that the trainer’s going to do his job," he explained. "I give my full trust to my trainer. I put my hands out; I believe that the trainer is going to do what needs to be done by the commission law. And as far as what he does after that, I don’t know."

That answer will be met by a host of detractors, who believe that A) Margarito had to have known or B) he should’ve, regardless. But Robert Garcia, Capetillo’s replacement, says, "I’ve been wrapping fighters for years already, wrapped for [Nonito] Donaire, for Brian Viloria, Brandon Rios, everybody, and not one single fighter has ever asked me, ’What’s in the wraps? Let me see.’ Because they trust me. What I’m doing, nobody has ever hurt their hands. I guess I do a good job. Margarito’s liking it so far. Not one single time has he asked me, ’Can I see the padding? Can I see what’s in there?’ All the controversy is on Margarito, but me, as a former fighter and now as a trainer, wrapping hands, I never asked my coach, ’Let me feel the wraps. What are you putting on my hands?’ Hey, I’m there listening to music. It’s just the way it is."

But on the night of May 8th, expect Margarito to have the most heavily scrutinized hand-wraps in the history of boxing.

"Y’ know what? That doesn’t even come to my mind because I know I’m going in wrapping him. You’ll see the wrapping I do; everywhere I go, they always tell me that’s one of the best- if not the best wraps- they’ve ever seen," said Garcia, last week from his Oxnard Boxing Academy. "And Margarito, so far, likes it. I’ve already wrapped him the way I’m going to wrap him in the fight and he loves it. Every other day is different; I don’t use the same things that I do when it comes to the fight. But come fight night, people are going to be surprised. There’s no need to put anything illegal; I do a good job."

But the question marks do not surround Garcia, who has a pristine reputation; this is about Margarito, who, if he suddenly turns into a soft, Punch-and-Judy hitter, will have even more doubts cast about his résumé.

Does he still have heavy hands?

"Very heavy hands," said Garcia, who works the pads with him on a daily basis. "He has the power to hurt anybody. Physically, he’s a very strong person."

One of his main sparring partners for this camp was Bryan Brooks, who has moved around with Margarito since his days at the LA Boxing Club a decade ago. When you ask him if the Mexican still packs a punch, Brooks answers, "Margarito doesn’t need that. I don’t know who you want to point the finger at, but he’s such a tremendous body-puncher, a hard-worker, that I don’t think he needs that. So the controversy between that, he already has power. That right there is something I can’t comprehend."

There is a certain code among boxers. While they are there to do battle, there are ethics that are followed and maintained. You’d figure that getting caught with what Margarito did, was a severe breach of that code. So did a guy like Brooks have any concerns or reticence in working once again with Margarito?

"Nah, I didn’t have any reservations at all," he said, a week-and-a-half ago. "Like I said, I’ve been working with Margarito for years; I know it’s hard work. At one point in time, I was probably one of the only guys to give Margarito work, so I’m accustomed to his hard work ethic. So no, I didn’t have a problem with that."

But putting that aside, the bottom line is he took a horrific beating from the fast hands of Mosley, who gave Margarito his first knockout loss. A chin that was thought to be unbreakable was bent and mangled. This coming off a very physical fight against Cotto. In that fight, while he came out victorious, there was a heavy price to pay.

"I had a bad night," is the way Margarito explains his decisive defeat to Mosley. "I felt very, very weak. I came in a little overweight; I suffered making weight. I definitely felt weak going into that fight. It just wasn’t my night." But here’s the thing, Margarito is not a stylist; he doesn’t finesse his way through fights. If he has lost his ability to walk through oncoming fire, well, then there isn’t much else to draw on.

Brooks states, "He has a lot left; some fighters, they get knocked out like that; they come back ’shot’ fighters. I don’t see that in Margarito. He’s still hungry, still has a hard work ethic, still is a good puncher." But that’s with 14-ounce gloves and headgear. What will be telling is how Margarito reacts inside the ring on Saturday against live bullets. Helping his cause is that this fight is taking place at junior middleweight, which seems to suit his big frame.

One thing that remains intact is his effort in preparing for combat.

"I wasn’t around before but if I see any fighter training the way Margarito does, the way Margarito runs and watching his weight the way he’s doing, I would say, ’This is his first title fight; this is his first big fight.’ He’s had many of those already, three-time world champion. He still trains; he still runs like if he was fighting for the title for the first time. It’s unbelievable the way he’s training. I don’t see anything wrong with him," said Garcia, who during his days inside the ring, captured the IBF junior lightweight crown. "Nothing but positive things in his head. He’s physically ready; last week, he weighed 155 after training and the fight is scheduled for 154. So he’s already on weight; he could easily fight at 147 for this fight."

In seeing Margarito at the gym and in Dallas, where he attended Manny Pacquiao’s bout against Joshua Clottey in March, it’s clear that he remains extremely popular among the Mexican constituency.

"There’s no question; there’s no question; that is the case. He is one of the- if not the- most popular Mexican fighter," said his promoter Bob Arum, who says a sell-out crowd of over 20,000 will be attending this event, which is taking place during the San Marcos Fair, the largest festival held in Mexico.

But among non-Mexicans, there are many more detractors who are not willing to forgive or forget any past transgressions.

On that issue, Margarito says, "First of all, I want to say thanks to all my fans. They have been there from the beginning and I’m aware that I’ve lost some fans and I’m aware that those other fans who have never liked me are talking a lot. But I can’t worry about that. What I worry about is proving myself again. It’s going up there and showing that I’m a clean fighter and fighting. That’s what I have to do. I believe by doing that, I will win those fans back and that will change the minds of the other fans."

Perhaps that’s wishful thinking, but it certainly won’t help his cause if Margarito suddenly has the punching power of Manuel Medina.

"Of course, but that’s something we can’t worry about," said his manager. "But that’s one of the pressures Tony has on his shoulders that he’s carrying and I’ve spoken to him, ’Y’ know what? You don’t have to prove anything. You’re a three-time world champion; you beat everybody; you’ve always been a clean fighter.’ But he keeps repeating, ’I need to prove myself.’ And I don’t know if he thinks about it, but I think about it. If he doesn’t perform the way he’s going to be expected to perform, what are they going to say? Even though I know the answer, I don’t want to think about it."

But this really is about proving something for Margarito, who must validate his past success with future victories. And even then, it may not be enough. But his career will now be looked at in two categories: his time with Capetillo and the road ahead with Garcia in his corner. The two eras will be intrinsically linked and compared, ‘til the very end of Margarito’s career.

"I’m starting a new chapter in my career," admits Margarito. "I’m starting from the beginning and it’s time to show everybody that I’m a clean fighter, to get the doubts out of everyone’s mind, for those that believe I fought dirty. That’s where I want to start."

Regardless, he is just relieved to be getting back to his livelihood and doing what he does best.

"I’m very anxious to get back in the ring. I’ve missed it all. People say it was only one year but, for me, the year was eternal. It was longer than one year. I missed what I couldn’t do anymore and that’s why I’m happy to start this over again. I’m happy to get back in the ring again."

PACQUIAO

I called Arum on Monday and I had to ask the obligatory question regarding a possible showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

"Well, first of all, I can’t talk now about Pacquiao and his future because, right now, all Manny cares about is his political career. And the outcome on that is up in the air. We’re very optimistic; I’m going over there (to the Philippines) myself, tomorrow. But again, I want to be very plain, that as far as Manny’s boxing career, it’s on hold."

Arum says any talk of a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight is premature. "It’s very premature," he stated. "I wouldn’t- nor could I- do anything regarding Manny without talking to Manny first. And certainly, you cannot talk to Manny, at this particular point, about anything other than his run for office." Arum added later, "I don’t even want to discuss Mayweather or anything to do with that fight because, again, it is so premature. I mean, right now- and I don’t want to jump to conclusions- I don’t even know if Manny’s going to fight anymore."

(Folks, he’s fighting again; trust me.)

PPV

My good friend, Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports, has stated that this past weekend’s pay-per-view event, featuring Mayweather and Mosley, did approximately 1.1 to 1.2 million buys. But I’ve been told that the numbers that will be released will be closer to 1.4 or 1.5 million. It can take months, even years, for all the pay-per-view tabulations to be added up.

Most of the time, it takes at least four or five days for networks and promoters to release numbers. Regardless, any promotion that does over a million buys has to be regarded as a success. But I don’t think that the outlandish projections of Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer help that perception since he was quoted as saying that he felt this fight could do, not three, but four million buys.

Well, I guess Schaefer learned one thing from working with Arum all those years- the art of exaggeration and hyperbole.

But I’ll say this, if Pacquiao-Mayweather is ever consummated, it will do 10 million buys.

LATIN FLURRIES

It looks like a rematch between Vic Darchinyan and Nonito Donaire has gone by the wayside. Now, it looks like Darchinyan has instructed his promoter Gary Shaw to find him a new opponent for August 21st on Showtime...While talks between the camps of Wlad Klitschko and David Haye have begun, SkyTV in England is pushing for Haye to face Audley Harrison. Uh, yeah…what happened, is Frank Bruno unavailable?...Please tell me we are not going to see a rematch between Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins...Heavyweights Odlanier Solis and Nicolay Valuev could be facing each other during the summer in a WBC eliminator...Just wondering, but it can’t be a good thing for the Amir Khan-Paulie Malignaggi promotion that the guy who just tried to blow up a street corner in the Big Apple is of Pakistani descent, right?...R.I.P. Ernie Harwell, truly one of the great ones in the broadcasting business...Arum assured me that Pacquiao’s next fight will NOT be on September 11th, the day the Miami Hurricanes storm into Columbus to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. Atta boy, Bob...Any questions or comments can be sent to k9kim@yahoo.com and you can follow me at www.twitter.com/stevemaxboxing. You can also now become a Facebook fan of Maxboxing at www.facebook.com/MaxBoxing.

Source: secondsout.com