Mayweather is bettors’ pick versus Pacquiao -- Manila Bulletin

Manila Bulletin

The contracts have yet to be signed but oddsmakers have installed Floyd Mayweather Jr. the favorite over Manny Pacquiao if they agree to fight on November 13.

Sportsbook lists Mayweather as minus150, while Pacquiao is plus120.

Under this scheme, a $150 bet on Mayweather wins $100, while a $100 wager on Pacquiao wins $120.

Mayweather’s strong impression stems from his lopsided victory over Shane Mosley early this month at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, a win that overshadowed Pacquiao’s unanimous victory decision over Ghanaian Joshua Clottey last March at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.

People from Pacquiao and Mayweather’s camps, meanwhile, are in the thick of negotiations to seal a deal for what could be the richest fight in the history of boxing.

The main talking points are the purse-split and Olympic-style drug testing even as Pacquiao has agreed to be tested 14-day cutoff.

Despite Pacquiao’s bold move, Mayweather’s camp has refrained from issuing any statement.

Source: mb.com.ph

Juan Manuel Marquez: Manny Pacquiao's 'Scared of Me' -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

LAS VEGAS --WBO and WBA lightweight (135 pounds) champion, Juan Manuel Marquez, has a July 31 defense against former two-time world champion, Juan Diaz, that is a rematch of their February, 2009 Fight Of The Year, which Marquez won by ninth-round knockout.

A titlist in three different weight classes, the 36-year-old Marquez (50-5-1, 37 knockouts) still is chasing that elusive, third bout with seven-division king, Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs), with whom he has battled to a draw, and, lost to on a split-decision.

During an interview on May 1 in Las Vegas, Marquez talked about his unanimous decision loss to Floyd Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs), the potential for another clash with Pacquiao, and, his return bout with Diaz in this Q&A.

FanHouse: What did you learn from the Floyd Mayweather fight?

Juan Manuel Marquez: Floyd Mayweather was a tough fight. But for me, I came back to lightweight because I lost my strength [advantage] at [welterweight,] and I feel very good at lightweight. I don't know what will happen in the future, but right now, I'm just thinking about my next fight, which is Juan Diaz.

Do you feel like you took a lot of punishment against Floyd Mayweather and may have left anything in the ring?

No, Mayweather is a good fighter, but Mayweather didn't ever really hurt me. In the second round, I went down. But in the other rounds, I felt good. If felt great. I didn't feel the strength of Mayweather.

How badly do you want to fight Manny Pacquiao?

Always I like to fight the best fighters. I told Richard Schaefer that I want to fight with Manny Pacquiao again. I badly want the fight with Pacquiao, but he doesn't want it. He doesn't want to fight with me again. That's because everybody watching the two fights with Manny knows that I won.

The first fight, they called it a draw. In the second fight, it was a split-decision. I think that I won the two fights. I don't know what happened with the judges with the second fight and the split-decision. Everybody watched, and everybody saw that I won the fight.

Would you go up to 147 to fight Manny Pacquiao?

Maybe I would fight with Manny Pacquiao at 140, 142.

Do you feels as if you have Manny Pacquiao's number?

With Pacquiao, each boxer has a different style. Shane Mosley beat Oscar De La Hoya twice. Vernon Forrest beat Mosley twice. Ricardo Mayorga beat Forrest twice. It's styles. And I know Manny Pacquiao's style. I concentrate for Pacquiao. I know how to fight Pacquiao. I know how Pacquiao'style is.

What would a fight with Manny Pacquiao mean to your career?

Well, I would have to fight and beat Diaz, and then, finally, I would fight Pacquiao. If Golden Boy told me, 'Do you want to fight with Pacquiao?' I would say, 'Yes.' Maybe after Pacquiao fight, I would retire because, finally, I got the fight with Manny Pacquiao.

Do you think that a fight with Pacquiao will ever happen?

On a scale of 100, I would say, 70 percent, no. Because Bob Arum and Pacquiao are scared of me. Pacquiao and Bob Arum know who won the fights. Otherwise, why don't he fight me? He doesn't want it. I have a tough fight for July, and I don't know what will happen after the fight.

Do you feel that you have anything to prove against Juan Diaz?

No, nothing. Because everybody knows me. Everybody knows who I am as a fighter and what I've accomplished. I like doing my job in the ring. I've challenged at a higher weight, and, now, I'm going back to my real weight.

Will you do anything to compensate for the fast start Juan Diaz had in the last fight?

I've already forgotten about the last fight. Juan Diaz, in the early rounds, he was better. And now, I'm preparing myself very hard for this fight. I dont' know what happened in the first fight, but when the bell rings to start this fight, I'll have a my strategy in place in the ring.

Would you have taken the Mayweather fight again under the conditions you took it -- with him coming in above the 144 pound catchweight at 146?

No. Maybe I wouldn't have fought Mayweather if I had it to do over again. Because that's not my weight. Maybe at 140, if we did it there. Because Mayweather has been fighting a while at 147. Right now, I'm back at lightweight.

This is an important fight for me, and I don't know what will happen in the future.

What did you think of your brother, Rafael Marquez, taking a fourth fight with Israel Vazquez?

That fourth fight, it is what the people want. The people want to see this kind of fight. Rafael is always training hard. I think that this is the best fight for these two fighters because another fight won't pay the same, and this is the best fight for both fighters.

What are your thoughts on fighting Robert Guerrero, a southpaw?

I fight with southpaws, with right handers, with anyone. This is not true that I wouldn't fight him because he's a southpaw. But I'm looking for looking for maybe a Ricky Hatton, the bigger names. Guerrero is a very good fighter, but he doesn't have the recognition for the people and for television.

For the pay per view. And I'm looking for the biggest names.

Will you be drinking urine again during the training for your fight with Juan Diaz?

Yes. Always, I do it. In each fight, I do it. So yes, I will be doing that again.

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Manny Pacquiao finally stopped - but he's fine -- Examiner

By Matt Stolow, Examiner.com

Many are just waking up to hear or read that Congressman-elect and Pound for Pound No.1 boxer Manny Pacquio visited a Manila hospital suffering from a stomach ailment from generalized fatigue, better known as acid reflux.

I'm hearing an overnight stay or maybe one additional day merely as a precaution according to Pacquiao's Chief of Staff Jayke Joson.

Somehow you can make a case for Manny doing to himself what his last 12 opponents have failed to do to him.

The stress from the recent campaign would not allow him to keep regular hours or eat meals regularly. Pacquiao previously suffered from this back in 2006.

Wife Jinkee accompanied him to the hospital.

Pacquiao is expected to travel to New York City and on June 4th receive his third Boxing Writer's Association of America newly renamed "Sugar Ray Robinson Fighter of the Year Award"

This third award ties him with Muhammad Ali and Evander Holyfield for the most awards.

But Pacquiao is also to receive the "Fighter of the Decade" award.

I seriously doubt and I hesitate to even bring up that this would effect any negotiations for a future fight or any other activity.

Source: examiner.com

Ruslan Chagaev sets sights on world heavyweight champion David Haye -- Telegraph

By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk

Chagaev, the 31-year-old southpaw, out-thought Meehan to win 118-10, 117-111, 117-112 on the cards, and made no secret of the fact afterwards that he "has his sights" set on 29-year-old Londoner Haye, who in turn, has intimated that a meeting with one of the world champion Klitschko brothers, Vitali or Wladimir, in a title unification contest, is the principal project on his chalkboard.

However, behind the scenes, preliminary talks between the respective Haye-Klitschko camps have yet to begin, with Wladimir Klitschko now facing a mandatory challenge for the International Boxing Federation belt he holds from unbeaten Russian Alexander Povetkin. Klitschko also holds the World Boxing Organisation crown.

Adam Booth, Haye's manager and trainer, said that "talks have not even begun yet" with either of the Klitschko brothers.

It is understood that Haye may indeed face Chagaev next, with suggestions that even former Olympic gold medallist Audley Harrison could be a possible opponent in the UK, but no firm decisions are likely to being made for at least another month.

Elsewhere, Manny Pacquiao's agreement to a 14-day pre-fight random drug-testing cut-off period leading into a contest with Floyd Mayweather Jr is no guarantee that the superfight between the world's leading pound-for-pound fighters will go ahead in November. Mayweather has demanded testing up until fight day.

Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter, has moved Antonio Margarito into the frame as a possible opponent for the Filipino congressman should no agreement be reached with Mayweather's advisers.

British veteran light-middleweight Ryan Rhodes, 33, ranked No 4 by the World Boxing Council and promoted by Ricky Hatton, has moved a step closer to a world title contest after outclassing and stopping Italian Luca Messi in Sheffield in the sixth round of his European title defence.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Pacquiao recovering from 'small ulcer' in hospital -- ABS-CBN News

By Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) - World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao is recovering well in a hospital after he checked in Sunday morning due to a stomach pain that started on Saturday.

According to his attending physician, Dr. Gina Bagsic of Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City, an endoscopy test showed Pacquiao is suffering from a "maliit na ulcer," a break in the lining of the stomach.

It is not a serious condition, Dr Bagsic said, classifying it as an ordinary illness.

She just asked the new Congressman-elect of Sarangani Province to rest, take medicines and eat regularly.

Skipping meals is one of the causes of ulcer.

Bagsic said the hectic schedule during election campaign, and Pacquiao's schedule after he was proclaimed congressman, caused him to miss meals and suffer from fatigue.

However, she expects Pacquiao to recover very quickly and be discharged soon.

His wife, Jinkee, was by his side at the hospital, and 2 of his 4 kids visited him as well.

Bagsic said they also performed ultrasound, X-ray and blood tests on Pacquiao, with all the results being normal.

Same stomach problem

Pacquiao's lawyer told Agence France-Presse the Filipino boxing hero suffers from acid reflux.

"It was just his usual acid reflux. The doctor told me there is nothing to worry about," lawyer Jesus Gacal told AFP.

"There was even no need for him to be confined but he wanted to take a rest after the (election) campaign," the lawyer added.

He said Pacquiao had suffered from this stomach problem before. (Read: Pacquiao has ulcer but can still fight)

The 31-year-old fighter, who was elected on May 10 to represent the impoverished Sarangani Province, has been preparing to take up his post in Congress.

Boxing promoters are also working to arrange a bout between Pacquiao and American Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in November to settle once and for all the fighters’ claim to be the best pound-for-pound fighter of his generation.

Pacquiao has said he can handle the simultaneous burdens of being a legislator and training for a major fight, remarking that this required only proper "time management."

Boxing victories as well as his commercial endorsements last year made Pacquiao the world's 6th highest paid athlete, with earnings of $40 million, according to Forbes magazine. – With a report from Agence France-Presse

Source: abs-cbnnews.com