Roach tips Khan to emulate Pacquiao -- ESPN

ESPN staff

Freddie Roach believes Amir Khan has the potential to be as successful as Manny Pacquiao.

Khan joined forces with Roach in 2008 after parting with Jorge Rubio following his defeat to Breidis Prescott. And it has proved to be a successful partnership, as Khan claimed the world title from Andreas Kotelnik in July 2009.

Khan takes on Paulie Malignaggi in the second defence of his WBA light-welterweight title at Madison Square Gardens on Saturday night, and his trainer, who also handles the seven-division champion Pacquiao, has noticed similarities between the pair.

"He reminds me of a young Manny Pacquiao when I first started working with him," said Roach. "A 21-year-old who is just kind of raw around the edges and just needs to be cleaned up a little bit. Maybe in eight years' time he will be pound-for-pound king.

"The work ethic is very similar, the speed and power. They're fast guys with a lot of power. There are a lot of similarities. Potentially he could be the best but we still have ways to go before we prove that."

As Khan prepares to step into the ring for the first time on American soil, the former Olympic silver medalist, who has sparred with the current WBO world welterweight champion, is flattered by Roach's comparisons.

"Freddie knows how hard I train and how hard Manny trains and even if I do half of what Manny has done in my career I will be happy gives you that push," he said.

© ESPN EMEA Ltd

Source: espn.co.uk

Jones covets Pacquiao-Mayweather -- ESPN

By Calvin Watkins, ESPNDallas.com

GRAPEVINE, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Wednesday that he wants to host boxing's biggest fight -- Floyd Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao.

And Jones believes he can draw more than 100,000 fans.

Promoter Bob Arum said Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas are the two candidates for hosting such a fight.

Jones confirmed that two dates -- Nov. 6 and Nov. 13 -- are available for a possible boxing match because the Cowboys are on the road those weekends.

Jones hosted the first boxing match at his $1.2 billion stadium on March 13, when Pacquiao won a 12-round decision over Joshua Clottey in front of 50,994 -- the third-largest crowd for an indoor fight in boxing history.

Now, Jones is thinking bigger.

"There's no doubt in my mind we would break every record of attendance that anybody's ever seen for boxing," Jones said. "And I think it would be a real plus for boxing to expose that many people live to a great fight like that. That's what we got to sell -- and that's what we got to be selling -- if given the opportunity.

"The magic that would be involved having over 100,000. ... There's no question in my mind we would maybe approach maybe 120,000 for that fight."

Cowboys Stadium set a basketball attendance record in February when 108,713 fans showed up for the NBA All-Star Game.

The outdoor boxing attendance record was set in Mexico City on Feb. 20, 1993. A reported 136,274 attended the Julio Cesar Chavez-Greg Haugen WBC welterweight bout at Estadio Azteca.

The largest indoor attendance was 63,315 for the Muhammad Ali-Leon Spinks heavyweight title bout in 1978 at the Louisiana Superdome.

But just getting Pacquiao and Mayweather in a ring together will take some work.

The last time these two talked about fighting each other, money wasn't the problem. The sticking point was agreeing on Olympic-style drug testing.

Arum and Jones wouldn't get into specifics if drug testing would again be a problem in getting this fight to happen.

"The negotiations are the negotiations," Arum said. "And a lot of nice things happen if people negotiate in good faith and if people want something to happen and to negotiate without going through the media."

Leonard Ellerbe, Mayweather's adviser, said the fighter went on vacation following his May 1 victory over Shane Mosley to "examine his financial portfolio, which has $40 million more in it than it did on May 1. We ain't thinking about Bob Arum or Manny Pacquiao."

Arum said he's not married to having the fight in Arlington. But if Mayweather-Pacquiao can't become a reality, Antonio Margarito could be another possible opponent for Pacquiao at Cowboys Stadium.

Margarito, however, is not currently licensed to fight in the United States. He was banned by the state of California and suspended for a year for using illegal hand wraps in a loss to Mosley in January 2009. He still must reapply to any state to regain his license, but most states will not license Margarito until he's reinstated by California.

In his first fight since the suspension, Margarito defeated Roberto Garcia by decision Saturday in Mexico.

Margarito was placed on the undercard of the Pacquiao-Clottey fight, but he was taken off the card when the state of Texas requested a hearing.

Arum said his promotional firm didn't have enough time to prepare for a hearing, but this time it would because the next scheduled bout for Margarito would be in November.

But it's clear: The fight Arum wants is Pacquiao-Mayweather.

"I've got my marching orders," Arum said.

"I'm no genius, but I'm just going along with what seems to be common sense. If you want your product shown to the biggest possible audience, you have to put it in the biggest possible arena."

Calvin Watkins covers boxing and the Cowboys for ESPNDallas.com. You can follow him on Twitter or leave a question for his weekly mailbag.

Source: sports.espn.go.com

Manny Pacquiao's promoter: 'I'll do my darndest' to make Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight -- Los Angeles Times

By Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times

Manny Pacquiao's veteran boxing promoter, Bob Arum, returned from the Filipino's surprise congressional election victory and declared Wednesday that "I'll do my darndest" to make the super-fight the sports world has anticipated between Pacquiao and unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Arum declined to respond to reports that Pacquiao has softened his stance on accepting drug testing inside of the 24-day pre-fight deal he agreed to before negotiations to stage the bout collapsed earlier this year. Mayweather wants both fighters to be subject to blood and urine tests for performance-enhancing drugs through fight night.

"I'm not going to negotiate this through the media," Arum said.

Arum did say that "Manny is definitely going to fight in November," and that he has already reserved Cowboys Stadium outside Dallas on Nov. 13 for the bout if both sides can agree to place the fight there.

They didn't the first time, with Mayweather promoter Golden Boy Promotions pushing to set the fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Arum has in the past criticized Golden Boy for its stubborn loyalty to MGM because it places other fights -- such as the ugly April 3 Bernard Hopkins-Roy Jones Jr. rematch -- at MGM/Mirage properties.

But he was less confrontational about the issue Wednesday, listing MGM Grand as one of "two sites we would be looking at."

"I love [Dallas Cowboys owner] Jerry Jones, but I'll advocate putting any fight of Manny's in the place that it makes the most sense," Arum said, noting that Cowboys Stadium can accommodate more people with cheaper ticket prices.

Golden Boy Chief Executive Richard Schaefer has countered that a major fight in Las Vegas has an added excitement factor, boosting pay-per-view sales.

"Negotiations are negotiations, Arum said, without revealing when official talks will begin. "Let's see what happens. We have a plan."

Meanwhile, Arum said he was energized by Pacquiao's election victory over the son of a powerful Filipino family, Roy Chiongbian, and praised Pacquiao's ability to connect with the masses and his commitment to help his countrymen.

"At 35, he can run for Senate, and at 40, I'm sure he'll be president of the Philippines," Arum said.

The distraction of politics, Arum said, can be handled by Pacquiao in the free time he has formerly invested in singing and billiards.

"When he is training, he runs in the morning, sleeps, goes to the gym, eats, then has his free time," Arum said. "His free time will now be devoted to his political responsibility. He'll have plenty of time to do his politics."

Arum said the Filipino Congress is in session in July, then is "off for two months."

During the down time on the campaign trail, Arum said Pacquiao presented his "marching orders" for a bout with Mayweather and his boxing future.

"My belief is he'll engage in three more fights," Arum said.

As for Mayweather, Arum said he wants badly to make the fight that so many Filipinos urged him to arrange, and that he anticipates he'll start working with the Mayweather camp "sooner rather than later."

Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com

Paulie Malignaggi vows to dethrone Amir Khan at Madison Square Garden -- The Guardian

By Kevin Mitchell, Guardian.co.uk

Paulie Malignaggi, who is normally a quote waiting to happen, finally broke cover for the media in his home town today, four days before his challenge for Amir Khan's WBA light-welterweight title at Madison Square Garden.

The Brooklyn stylist and Khan met for a photoshoot on Wall Street, ringing the Nasdaq opening bell – and Khan nearly missed it because he got caught in traffic. In New York. Who would have thought it?

"I made some statements after the Ricky Hatton fight [a defeat in 2008] about how that wasn't me," Malignaggi said. "Everyone wants to discredit me. I came back. I do what I had to do. This is redemption for me. All you guys wrote my obituary. This is my chance to beat someone you guys say is great. He said he wanted Paulie Malignaggi. Be careful what you wish for."

As for Khan, he reckons: "This is your last chance. You're going to be crying on the night. This is a business. It's a shame I have to hurt people. I'm a nice guy."

Until now, Malignaggi's ticket-selling regime has been the occasional interview and the exchange of Twitter insults with the champion – which explains why the Wamu Theatre, an adjunct to the Garden's 20,000-seater main arena, has not sold out its 5,000 seats for Saturday's event.

Still, it is a start for Khan, who is making his American debut against an opponent whose lack of power is as well known as his outrageous hairstyles. (He is currently sporting a neat, beaded affair.)

Malignaggi's demeanour, though, was self-consciously laid-back as he blew bubble gum during a rambling, back-slapping preamble by the promoters. You could not blame him. They might have employed their words more profitably with megaphones out on the streets of New York, where citizens were going about their business largely unaware they were sharing a town with "two of the brightest stars in boxing", as Malignaggi's promoter, Lou DiBella, described the combatants.

Earlier in the week, Khan commented on the last great British invasion at the Garden, boxing's spiritual home: that of Naseem Hamed, who survived three knockdowns before dispatching another fine New Yorker, Kevin Kelley, in a packed Madison Square Garden Arena.

Kelley boxed as recently as last year, a shadow of the man who gave the sport such a memorable night with Hamed in 1997.

It is perhaps not entirely the fighters' fault that this contest is making such a minor impact on New York and on boxing. Khan has yet to establish a reputation here and Malignaggi, despite his charisma, does not excite the fans in the way Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr can.

Mayweather's big win over Shane Mosley in Las Vegas two weeks ago moved 1.4m pay-per-view units on the Showtime channel – that is the territory Khan is aiming for. For now, he has to deal with Malignaggi, a quick-footed and flashy mover who may be hard to find but who is unlikely to provide a threat with fragile fists – particularly his right – that have stopped only five opponents in 30 bouts.

Source: guardian.co.uk

Arum Aims For Pacquiao-Mayweather Nov. 13, Says Manny Will Be Prez At 40 -- The Sweet Science

By Michael Woods, The Sweet Science

Bob Arum is keen on making the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather fight for Nov. 13, in either the Cowboys Stadium or the MGM, the exultant promoter said on a conference call to luxuriate in Manny's congressional win Monday. "It's the fight Manny wants," the 78-year-old dealmaker said.

Arum said his weeklong trip to the Philippines, during which time he saw Manny giving speeches in seven different dialects, and rousing the masses, was a highlight of his career. The promoter joked that he might well give up the boxing biz, and hook on with the congressional squad. "This is something special, we are blessed. I don't think there's anything more exciting than politics," he said. He likened the win to Manny's win over Oscar De La Hoya, when most media picked Oscar to blow away the Filipino. The promoter sounded jazzed up by the experience, and truly sounded like he might jump the boxing biz to the political arena, maybe getting Senator Harry Reid re-elected in Nevada.

Arum said that Manny's boxing shouldn't suffer, since he'll be able to concentrate on the political sphere during his free time, at night. His time playing billiards will be curtailed, the promoter said, with a chuckle. The Senate at 35, and the Presidency at 40 could easily happen, Arum said. He made sure to note that Manny will be responsible for distributing hundreds of millions in funds to the province, so it's not like the position is just a ceremonial post.

"Bob, I'm so proud of what I accomplished," Arum said Manny told him after the win. "It is better than any boxing victory," the promoter said.

Arum didn't give any hints on whether Manny has softened or changed his stance on PED testing, as he didn't want to engage this round of negotiations in the press. He did say the lawsuit lodged against Team Mayweather for asserting that Manny uses PEDS, in their opinion, is still in play, but might be subject to withdrawal during negotiations. "We're not going to negotiate this in the press," he said, several times.

But hundreds of people came up to him, he said, and wanted to know when the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight would go down. If that deal doesn't happen, and Arum wouldn't go on record to guess the likelihood, then a fight with Antonio Margarito in Texas is Plan B. The Mexican wouldn't need to be re-licensed in California, and could simply have his license to box in Texas okayed, if commission officials there are so inclined. Manny indicated that he'd like to fight three more times, Arum stated. If Nov. 13 doesn't work, then Nov. 6 would be a target date.

This bout would be the biggest of this era, Arum said, but it wouldn't be fair to call it the biggest of all time, bigger than Frazier-Ali I, say, because we live in a different age. He mentioned this bout in the same vein as the Ali-Frazier tangle, Leonard-Duran and Leonard-Hagler. "It would probably be the biggest fight of this era, probably the most anticipated, and would probably do the most dollar business, though it's a different dollar now than then. Making the fight would be great but there are other things besides the fight, and my great, great dream would still be around, for Manny to be inaugurated the President of the Philippines," Arum said.

Source: thesweetscience.com

Bob Arum: Manny Pacquiao's first goal is to make fight happen with Floyd Mayweather -- Grand Rapids Press

By David Mayo, The Grand Rapids Press

Bob Arum, promoter for boxer Manny Pacquiao, said he is “very optimistic” that talks for a Floyd Mayweather fight will reach a successful conclusion this year after similar discussions failed last winter, although he declined to give any specific reason for that sentiment.

Arum also said he has reserved a Nov. 13 date at both MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and Cowboys Stadium in Dallas if the fight reaches fruition.

Mayweather, of Grand Rapids, already has said he won’t fight Pacquiao in Dallas and that the fight won’t happen at all if the Filipino star doesn’t yield to his demand for random blood and urine drug testing.

Arum was in The Philippines with Pacquiao, where the latter won election to a congressional seat this week, and said discussions about fighting Mayweather came up on several occasions.

He said Pacquiao “definitely will fight in November” and that, based on their discussions, he expects the boxer to compete three more times before retiring.

Mayweather and Pacquiao, both welterweights, widely are considered the two best boxers in the world and a fight between them would be projected to break all existing records for live gate and pay-per-view receipts.

If Pacquiao doesn’t fight Mayweather, his first backup option would be to fight Antonio Margarito, Arum said. However, Margarito remains on suspension and would have to regain his license after he was caught with loaded hand wraps before fighting Shane Mosley in January 2009.

Arum said “my first goal, and Manny’s first goal” is to make the Mayweather fight.

“But we’re not going to do it in the press and we’re not going to negotiate this thing in the press,” he said. “If we do, given the egos of both camps, it’s never going to happen.”

Arum confirmed comments this week from Mayweather’s adviser Leonard Ellerbe that negotiations have not started.

He also declined to discuss how to initiate such talks, particularly given the sticking point of a defamation lawsuit, filed in federal court on behalf of Pacquiao, against Mayweather, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, and other key members of Mayweather’s boxing and negotiating teams.

“There is a plan,” Arum said. “I don’t want to go into what’s happening, but there are things happening on the ground.

“I have my marching orders and it will be sooner rather than later.”

Last winter’s failed talks centered on the drug-testing expansion, upon which Mayweather insisted. The attendant innuendo and outright accusation that Pacquiao has used performance-enhancing drugs led to the lawsuit.

The talks went all the way to a mediation effort before a retired federal judge before they broke apart, but communication delays also had a negative effect. With every new proposal, Arum had to talk to Pacquiao, and Schaefer had to talk with Mayweather’s representatives. Resolutions on minor matters sometimes took days.

Arum said bringing the two fighters together is impossible now that Pacquiao is an elected politician.

“My guy is too busy with his congressional duties,” he said. “He’s a congressman, man, he’s got plenty of responsibilities. That’s why he’s got to delegate a lot of these things. No, the answer is that he couldn’t do it. He doesn’t have the time to do it.

“You have to understand, he’s not a congressman like U.S. congressmen are. He will get an allocation from the federal government of hundreds of millions of pesos, hundreds of millions of dollars in American money, that he has to allocate for hospitals -- and there’s no hospital in this province -- for the schools, the municipalities. It’s a tremendous, tremendous job that he has. And to sit and negotiate a fight is not something that’s productive.”

Pacquiao does, however, have “time to train and perform at his best for a fight.”

As Arum waited in the Manila airport this week, he said it was “amazing, as I was leaving, how many people asked me ‘When is the Mayweather fight going to happen?’”

Arum, a Hall of Fame promoter with 44 years in boxing, said promoting Mayweather-Pacquiao would be “one of the great experiences of my career."

E-mail David Mayo: dmayo@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/David_Mayo

Source: mlive.com

Pacquiao wants one more fight and Mayweather fits bill -- CNN

CNN

(CNN) -- Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao says he wants one final bout as a professional and it looks set to be an eagerly-awaited match-up against Floyd Mayweather Jr. later this year.

National hero Pacquiao will enter the Philippine parliament after winning a seat in this week's elections, but has one more ambition to fulfil in the ring.

"Many fans really want me to fight Floyd Mayweather so I asked my Mama if we can give them one more fight, she said okay," AFP quoted Pacquiao in an interview with broadcaster ABS-CBN.

"We spoke yesterday and she said just one last fight, Mayweather."

"Pacman" is rated by Ring magazine as the greatest pound-for-pound fighter on the planet after winning an unprecedented seven world titles at different weight divisions.

Mayweather is unbeaten in 41 fights and is a huge draw at the box office, earning the nickname "Money" in amassing a fortune on his way to nine world titles in five different weight classes.

The two were due to fight earlier this year, but negotiations ended acrimoniously with Pacquiao angered by the insistence of the Mayweather camp for Olympic style pre-fight drugs tests.

It appeared to remain a major sticking point, along with Pacquiao's political ambitions and the influence of his mother Dionisia, who reportedly wants her son to retire from the ring.

But with leading American promoter Bob Arum pulling the strings, visiting the Philippines to watch Pacquiao campaign for the election, the fight all boxing fans want to see could now be on.

The Manila Standard newspaper reported that the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, where Pacquiao had his last fight against Joshua Clottey and the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where Mayweather was last in action, had both been booked for November 13.

Source: edition.cnn.com