Floyd Mayweather Jr. announces ring return on Facebook -- Examiner

By Joseph Bourelly, Examiner.com

Earlier today, Floyd Mayweather Jr. (41-0, 25 KOs) posted the following to friends and fans on his Facebook page.

“Back in the RING soon!”

Should the undefeated former five-division world champion mean what he posted, fans just may see the 34 year-old native of Grand Rapids, MI, ply his craft in the ring sometime again later in 2011. It would be his first match since dominating “Sugar” Shane Mosley via a lopsided 12-round unanimous decision on May 1, 2010.

The web post is significant in that Mayweather has given little hint as to when or if he would fight again over the last year, and has primarily used Facebook as a means for uploading party and vacation photos as well as announcing gambling winnings.

In terms of a possible opponent, there was widespread speculation all over the Internet not too long ago that undefeated former lightweight champion Paul Spadafora (45-0, 19 KOs) was in the sweepstakes. Should that match-up materialize, it would be considered nothing more than a tune-up fight despite Spadafora’s impressive record, due to a stint in jail and weak level of recent opposition for “The Pittsburgh Kid.”

Of course other possible opponents include Timothy Bradley, Victor Ortiz, Marcos Maidana and Miguel Cotto.

Then there is Manny Pacquiao who is scheduled to fight Shane Mosley next weekend in Las Vegas, NV. Should Pacquiao defeat Mosley as expected, the demand for a fall/winter showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. later in the year would be greater than ever.

Of course anyone who follows boxing knows the bad blood between the two and their multiple failed negotiations for a fight in the past, but as has always been speculated, perhaps enough money will be thrown their way to overcome their differences. Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum claimed Mayweather’s asking price to get him in the ring with the pound-for-pound great was an astounding $100 million in the most recent round of talks between the two camps.

A much easier fight to be made would be a rematch with Shane Mosley should he overcome steep odds and manage to defeat Manny Pacquiao next Saturday night. Also on the short list and possibly a much more lucrative fight than a Mosley rematch would be an encounter with British boxing star Amir Khan.

Although Khan does not appear to be ready for such a test as Mayweather, a combination of his vulnerability and mass marketing appeal could compel a match to be made. Also, the fact Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach also trains Khan would be a nice subplot and serve as a further build-up to an ultimate fight with the Filipino. Additionally, Mayweather has done good business in recent years with Golden Boy Promotions, which also happens to promote Amir Khan.

Like him or not, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is good for the sport of boxing, and any promotion including him is a huge event. His options in the ring are certainly plenty, so stay tuned for further details as they may develop.

Source: examiner.com

Manny Pacquiao on Jimmy Kimmel Show

Pacquiao looking to knock out Mosley and maybe Mayweather’s argument -- 15Rounds

By Norm Frauenheim, 15Rounds

Knockout talk is pretty standard stuff in the build-up for any fight, especially one that Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley have transformed into an event. But it has a different tone this time around, because Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach hopes a stoppage will either lure Floyd Mayweather Jr. into the ring or provide Pacquiao an edge in an argument for the ages if the much-discussed fight never happens.

“It would be incredible for Manny to be the first one to stop him and just prove to the world how much better he is than that guy that couldn’t stop him,’’ Roach said Wednesday during a conference call when asked about the chances at a knockout of the durable Mosley on May 7 at Las Vegas MGM Grand.

Not that anybody had to ask, but that guy, of course, is Mayweather, who on Thursday had a preliminary hearing on felony and misdemeanor charges from alleged domestic violence delayed in Las Vegas until July 29.

Translation: The Pacquiao-Mayweather fight isn’t any more likely today than it was a year ago when Mayweather was terrific and resourceful in surviving a rocky second round, yet characteristically cautious in settling for a one-sided decision over Mosley.

For now, Pacquiao has only the fights that can help him build his case while the prosecution for Nevada’s Clark County its own. Common opponents are poor comparisons, made unreliable by time, circumstances and styles. But Mayweather leaves the Filipino Congressman without options or even much of a clue as to what he intends to do.

“It’s hard to judge him,’’ Pacquiao said when asked if he thought Mayweather feared him. “I don’t know what the reason is. I really don’t have an idea. I can’t say something. We don’t know, so it’s hard to judge him.”

Instead, Pacquiao does what he always has done. He moves forward. There is a sense that he already is at work on the finishing touches to a legacy that would be incomplete without Mayweather, yet still as brilliant as any.

News broke in Mexico that Juan Manuel Marquez already has a Top Rank offer to fight Pacquiao for a third time sometime in the fall. Top Rank’s Bob Arum was annoyed at the Marquez questions. He dismissed them twice, first Tuesday in a conference call with Mosley and again on Wednesday.

But it only would be a surprise if Marquez had not been approached by Top Rank. Marquez, who has a draw with Pacquiao and a controversial loss by decision to the Filipino, represents a chance for Pacquiao to eliminate lingering doubts about his ability to beat the accomplished Mexican. It also is another opportunity to further build his case in the potential debate about whether he was better than Mayweather, who outweighed Marquez and dominated him for 12 rounds, yet again settled for a decision in September, 2009.

If Pacquiao could somehow be the first to knock out Mosley and the first to stop Marquez, he would win the debate no matter what Mayweather does or doesn’t do. It’s a risk, first and foremost in terms of the motivation it provides Mosley, who is a better bet to win by stoppage than Pacquiao, especially within the first three to four rounds.

Another cracking right in the early rounds might accomplish for Mosley what eluded him against Mayweather. It might finish Pacquiao in another spring stunner during boxing’s season of upsets, especially if the 39-year-old Mosley can summon up a will, way and maybe a big left hand. Against a stumbling Mayweather, Mosley was curiously unable to capitalize.

The guess here is that Mosley won’t squander that kind of an advantage again. If he does, Pacquiao will be on his way to a significant victory and perhaps a stoppage that could win an argument, which on Thursday looked more likely than a Mayweather fight.

NOTES, QUOTES
• Insightful Al Bernstein offered an intriguing possibility that could surprise Pacquiao. During a Showtime conference call Thursday, Bernstein said Mosley might unleash a potent left that has been dormant lately. “The left-hand,’’ Bernstein said. “I think that’s the secret.’’

• Boxing’s best, hidden on premium networks and pay-per-view for years, goes back to prime time for the first time in generations Saturday night when the third episode in Showtime’s Fight Camp 360, an inside look at Pacquiao-Mosley, will air on CBS at 8 p.m., Eastern and Pacific. There were mixed reviews for the first two episodes. The third figures to attract the biggest audience, meaning there is motivation for Showtime to make it the best of the four.

Source: 15rounds.com

Mosley Admits He Got This Fight Because His Last Two Weren't Stellar Outings -- The Sweet Science

By Rick Folstad, The Sweet Science

“Sugar” Shane Mosley is pretty much the forgotten man in this media circus. After all, this is the Manny Pacquiao Hour, a one-man act that doesn’t have room for a sidekick. Mosley is just a little trimming, extra frosting, a guy left out in the cold peering through a greasy window at the celebration he never got invited to. It almost feels like he’s an afterthought in this fight, someone who was needed to fill an empty chair when they started snapping photos for the history books.

On a recent conference call promoting their May 7 WBO welterweight title fight at a sold-out MGM Grand in Las Vegas (Showtime PPV), Mosley sounded like someone in a funeral parlor talking about the deceased. It wasn’t what he said, it was how he said it. Quiet, soft-spoken, polite and deliberate, you kept wondering if he just woke up from a long nap.

Naw, it was just Mosley being Mosley.

Asked if being the underdog provided a little extra motivation for him in the fight, Mosley said he doesn’t read too much into it.

“I don’t care if people are seeing me as an underdog or not,“ he said. “What matters is what happens in the ring. The only thing that matters is May 7.”

While Mosley didn’t provide any deep insight into the fight and how he planned to win it, his faithful trainer, Naazim Richardson, didn’t hold much back. When Mosley’s age was brought up, Richardson sounded like he already had the answers written down somewhere.

“Most of you saw the Erik Morales fight,“ Richardson said, referring to the recent, fight between the 34-year-old Morales and the 27-year-old Marcos Maidana, won by Maidana on a majority decision. “And most of you saw the (Jean) Pascal-Bernard Hopkins (who is 46) fight. And we keep counting these guys out. These aren’t just old men who box. These are legendary fighters who have age on them now. There‘s a difference between a legendary fighter who has age and an old boxer. When these guys were in their prime, they were exceptional. Michael Jordan could probably still come out now and make the starting five on any team in the NBA. We discount these older guys but we forget they were special. When special gets old, you can still be extraordinary.“

But you can’t get back your prime, and Mosley is a few years passed his.

Still, he’s a big name and that‘s why Top Rank booked him. He’s never been stopped, and he still has some pop left in both hands.

“If Shane hits you solid, you’re going on the defensive,” Richardson said. “I don‘t care how much of a gladiator or how tough you were before. When Shane tags you, you’ll be a defensive fighter. No one has ever asked for their money back after watching a Shane Mosley fight.”

Bob Arum got right to the point on Mosley, saying the reason they picked him to fight Pacquiao is “because we’re in the entertainment business and we know that Manny Pacquiao against Shane Mosley will be one hellacious and entertaining fight.”

Arum says that’s why Top Rank picked Mosley to fight Miguel Cotto, and why they picked Mosley to fight Antonio Margarito in January 2009.

“Shane is an all-action fighter and when he’s in with a guy who is an all-action fighter as well, you’re going to see fireworks.“

But he is 39.

And then you look back at his last two fights - a decision loss to Floyd Mayweather a year ago and a draw to Sergio Mora in September - and say he’s on the downside. But Mosley has a different way of looking at it.

“I don’t think those fights have anything to do with what I do against Pacquiao, because styles make fights,“ said Mosley, who did some chasing against Mora and Mayweather. “But if it wasn’t for those two fights, I probably wouldn‘t be here today. So those fights were needed.”

This guy always thinks the glass is half full.

But so does Richardson, who said they have a comfortable game plan that Mosley has bought into.

“We look forward to this contest and to solving the Rubik’s Cube of boxing, which is Manny Pacquiao,” he said.

Tough puzzle to crack.

Source: thesweetscience.com

Pacquiao is 'killing himself in training' - Roach -- ESPN

ESPN.co.uk

Freddie Roach claims Manny Pacquiao is "on fire" ahead of his May 7 showdown with Shane Mosley in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao is on a 13-fight win streak and he is fully expected to beat Mosley in a little over a week's time. However, there are no signs that the Filipino is taking things easy, according to trainer Roach.

The WBO welterweight title is on the line at the MGM Grand, and Roach claims his charge may well be in the best shape that he has ever been before a fight.

"Manny is really motivated for Shane Mosley," said Roach. "We started in the mountains in the first day of training and he's been consistently trying to kill his body. He ran yesterday for an hour and 10 minutes. He's just in great shape and this may be his best training camp we've ever had.

"Usually it takes us a little while to get into the flow of training camp, but from day one he's been on fire. I mean we did eight rounds of mitts in the first day of training camp and he hadn't been in the gym since the last fight.

"We've just run out of room to go. He does 16 rounds a day on the mitts right now and I'm going to start holding him back a little bit. That's the hardest part of Manny Pacquiao - slowing him down."

Victory for Pacquiao would inevitably conjure up more talk about a showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jnr, but the Pacman has given up predicting the American's next move.

"It's hard to judge him. I really don't have an idea. We don't know so it's hard to judge him," said Pacquiao.

Source: espn.co.uk

Pacquiao promotional blitz hits Hollywood, record stores -- Los Angeles Times

By Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times

Manny Pacquiao has positioned his sold-out fight against Pomona's Shane Mosley on May 7 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas to touch nearly every American.

He visited President Obama at the White House on his first publicity tour earlier this year, and he'll star in part three of Showtime's "Pacquiao-Mosley Fight Camp 360" Saturday at 8 p.m. on CBS.

Thursday, the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world released his first single, a remake of the 1970s ballad "Sometimes When We Touch," by Dan Hill, generating big sales on Amazon.com, according to the boxer's publicist Fred Sternburg.

And tonight, he'll appear on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

"It's important to me to promote the fight and let people know it's coming," Pacquiao told The Times on Thursday in a telephone interview before his workout at Hollywood's Wild Card Gym.

Pacquiao enjoys the attention, such as when stars such as Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Mickey Rourke and Robert Duvall have stopped by Wild Card to watch his workouts.

He's also an unabashed karaoke singer, and I reminded him Thursday of the scheduled interview in his Hollywood apartment we once had. He'd finished dinner and moved quickly to grab a microphone in front of the television to bust out a karaoke tune.

When told he had to do the interview first, his shoulders slumped.

"I love singing," Pacquiao said, laughing. "I like you too."

In a promotional DVD released with "Sometimes When We Touch," original singer Hill sings along with Manny. Hill and producers Matthew McCauley and Fred Mollin have high praise for Pacquiao's vocal effort.

Pacquiao said although he's busy with boxing and his work as a congressman in the Philippines, he'd like to ultimately make a full album of songs, perhaps including his duet of John Lennon's "Imagine" he sang with Will Ferrell on Kimmel last year.

"It depends on my schedule, it's just the single right now," Pacquiao said. "Thank you."

Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com

Pacquiao seeks impressive win over Mosley -- Radio Netherlands

Radio Netherlands Worldwide

Filipino pugilist Manny Pacquiao, hungrier than ever to fight after serving as a congressman, wants a more impressive victory over American veteran Shane Mosley next week than unbeaten rival Floyd Mayweather managed a year ago.

Pacquiao, 52-3 with two drawn and 38 knockouts, will defend his World Boxing Organization welterweight title on May 7 against 39-year-old American Mosley, who is 46-6 with one drawn and 39 knockouts and has never been knocked out.

"If the knockout comes it comes," Pacquiao said Wednesday. "I'm very focused, not for knockout, but to work hard. We're prearing for 12 rounds. If I am looking for a knockout or underestimating my opponent, it could affect me."

Pacquiao, a 32-year-old southpaw who has won his past 13 fights over six years, said one of his goals is to produce a more impressive victory over Mosley than Mayweather's unanimous decision last May.

"That's what I want to do," Pacquiao said.

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer, says every fight should end with a knockout and he would love "Pac-Man" to produce his first early stoppage since flattening Britain's Ricky Hatton two years ago by dropping Mosley.

"If Manny can be the first one to stop him it would be a feather in his cap," Roach said. "It would be incredible. It would just prove how much better he is than that other guy that couldn't stop him (Mayweather)."

Mayweather has not fought since and Pacquiao said he would never take such a break without retiring from the sport. He said he thinks Mayweather wants age to weaken his punching power.

"I don't know if he wants to fight me or what the reason is, if he's waiting for me to get old," Pacquiao said. "I'm just waiting for that time."

Fight fans hope for such a showdown but Mayweather faces a hearing Thursday on a domestic battery case that could result in 34 years behind bars.

Roach said Pacquiao has had the best start of a training camp that he has seen from the Asian superstar.

"He is really motivated for Shane Mosley. This might be the best training camp we've ever had," Roach said. "He had some down time. He was hungry for boxing again.

"From day one he has been on fire. We ran out of anywhere to go. I've had to hold him back."

Pacquiao said duties as a congressman kept him from workouts and made him hungry for the gym while some pre-camp jabbing sessions jump-started his workout regimen.

"I was hungry, excited, motivated to train hard," Pacquiao said. "I'm ready for the fight. I'm excited for this fight because Mosley throws a lot of punches. He's a good fighter and a champion also."

Pacquiao is set to record a song and appear on US television this week, tasks he sees as enjoyable rather than distractions.

"I like to do a lot of things in my life, to motivate myself to train hard for this fight," Pacquiao said. "I'm happy with what I'm doing."

Asked about reports that he has already been offered a deal to fight Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez later this year, Pacquiao avoided a direct answer but said, "I can fight anyone in the ring."

Marquez's only loss since a split-decision defeat at the hands of Pacquiao in 2008 came to Mayweather in 2009.

Pacquiao is not taking Mosley lightly despite the US veteran being seven years older.

"Shane Mosley is still strong. He moves like he's 29, 30 years old," said Pacquiao. "He's the kind of fighter you cannot underestimate. He's bigger than me and stronger and pound for pound he is still good."

"Mosley he moves fast with footspeed and has power. It's what I want. It will be a good fight."

Source: rnw.nl

Pacquiao and trainer sing different tune on a Mosley KO -- Reuters

By Mark Lamport-Stokes, Reuters

(Reuters) - Manny Pacquiao and his trainer Freddie Roach expressed contrasting views on Wednesday when discussing the possibility of a knockout by the Filipino in his title bout next week with American Shane Mosley.

While Pacquiao said a knockout had not been a specific focus during their preparations over the last two months, Roach felt stopping an opponent was the perfect way to end a fight.

Mosley, 46-6-1 with 39 knockouts, has yet to be knocked out during his professional career and Roach has set his sights on Pacquiao becoming the first boxer to achieve the feat.

"I think all fights should end in knockouts so I am looking for a knockout," Roach said on a conference call with the Filipino southpaw.

"Shane is a tough guy and a very durable guy and it would be a feather in Manny's cap to be the first one to stop him. It would just prove to the world how much better he is than that other guy (Floyd Mayweather) that couldn't stop him."

Eleven months ago, Mayweather resisted a furious early onslaught by Mosley to preserve his unbeaten professional record with an unanimous points victory in a welterweight bout in Las Vegas.

Mayweather has not fought since and boxing fans would dearly love to see the American go into the ring against Pacquiao to decide the mythical title of the world's best pound-for-pound fighter.

For the time being, though, Pacquiao and his trainer are fully focused on the WBO welterweight title fight against veteran Mosley at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 7.

"Manny will fight at a fast pace and I don't know if Shane is going to be prepared to fight at that pace," Roach said of the Filipino who has been installed as an odds-on favorite by Las Vegas bookmakers.

"But we are going to force the action and we are going to go for it (a knockout) this time. If it comes, it comes. I think Manny is definitely the guy to do it."

Pacquiao, already established as one of the best offensive fighters of all time with a career record of 52-3-2 with 38 knockouts, was reluctant to talk about his chances of stopping Mosley.

KNOCKOUT FOCUS

"We are not very focused on the knockout," the 32-year-old said. "If the knockout comes, it will come. We have prepared ourselves that we are fighting 12 rounds."

Asked how much it would mean to him to become the first fighter to stop Mosley, Pacquiao replied: "I would be excited for that. My concern right now is the fight that we can give to the people and to the fans. I want them to be happy."

Pacquiao will be fighting for the first time since November when he outclassed Mexican Antonio Margarito in Dallas to land an eighth world title in an unprecedented eighth weight class.

For all the talk that he should brush aside the threat posed by three-division world champion Mosley, the Filipino southpaw is not taking his 39-year-old opponent lightly.

"Shane Mosley is still strong and he moves like a 29-year-old or a 30-year-old," Pacquiao said. "He is the kind of fighter that you cannot underestimate. He is bigger than me and stronger and of course he is a former pound-for-pound champion. He is still good."

Mosley did not thrive in his last two bouts - dropping a unanimous decision to Mayweather in May and drawing with Sergio Mora in September -- but Roach believes the American suffered against opponents renowned for their ultra-defensive style.

"We are looking at his fight against Margarito, a guy that attacks and not those two runners that he (Mosley) had a little bit of difficulty with," said Roach.

In his third-last bout, Mosley claimed the WBA welterweight title with a stunning ninth round stoppage of Margarito at the Staples Center in Los Angees in January 2009.

"In the Margarito fight, he looked great and Margarito has an aggressive style like Manny," Roach added.

"And the way we are going to attack him (Mosley) is going to be a little more scientific of course. We are ready for the best Shane Mosley out there."

(Editing by Frank Pingue)

Source: reuters.com

Pacquiao, Roach, Arum Conf Call Transcript -- Eastside Boxing

Eastside Boxing

Eight-division world champion Congressman MANNY “PACMAN” PACQUIAO, Hall of Fame trainer World-Famous FREDDIE ROACH and Hall of Fame promoter BOB ARUM participated in an international media conference call on Wednesday to discuss Pacquiao’s upcoming World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title defense against three-division world champion Sugar” SHANE MOSLEY on Saturday, May 7, at the sold out MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Sugar Shane Mosley Promotions, Tecate and MGM Grand, the four-fight Mosley-Pacquiao pay-per-view extravaganza will be produced and distributed live on SHOWTIME PPV®.

Remaining closed circuit tickets, priced at $50, are on sale and available at all Las Vegas MGM Resorts properties.

The Pacquiao vs. Mosley pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $54.95, will be produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV®. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. For Pacquiao vs. Mosley fight week updates, log on to www.sports.SHO.com or www.toprank.com.

What the participants had to say on Wednesday:

FREDDIE ROACH: “Manny has had a great training camp. We’ve had our best start ever and Manny is really motivated for Shane Mosley. We started in the mountains in the first day of training and he’s been consistently trying to kill his body. He ran yesterday for an hour and 10 minutes. He’s just in great shape and this may be his best training camp we’ve ever had.”

There was an article comparing Manny’s legacy to the Celtics dynasty from their heyday. Freddie, do you consider Manny the Bill Russell of boxing?

ROACH: “I feel he is. I feel he’s done a few things that will never, ever be repeated. An eight-time world champion will never be touched. He’s definitely the Bill Russell of his era.”

Freddie, what are your thoughts on Naazim Richardson training Shane Mosley and what does he bring to the fight?

ROACH: “Naazim is a very good trainer, he’s experienced. He knows how to get to his fighters. He brings out the best in people – he did that with Bernard Hopkins. I think he’s a great trainer and it’s a great challenge for me to come up with a better game plan than he does. Again, he’s a very good trainer and I respect him a lot and that’s why I expect Shane to be at his best.”

Manny, when you look at Shane do you see a fighter that is on a downhill slope or do you think he can still summon some of his best?

PACQUIAO: “Shane Mosley is still very strong and he moves more like he’s 30 years old. He’s the kind of fighter who is bigger than me. Pound-for-pound he’s still good.”

How important is it to do other things outside of boxing?

PACQUIAO: “That’s my life, to keep busy. I like to do a lot of things in my life. This is how I motivate myself in this upcoming fight. I’ve worked very hard for this fight.”

Does the singing and other things become a distraction?

PACQUIAO: “No, I’m happy with what I do. If I’m not happy I won’t do it.”

You took a lot of punches in the Margarito fight. Did you do that to make it a fight or was it something Margarito was doing?

PACQUIAO: “This fight is bigger than the Margarito fight because Mosley moves fast and he has good speed and power. That’s what I want. He throws a lot of punches. It will be good for us and it will be a good fight.”

Freddie, what were your thoughts on the Margarito fight and how many times he got hit?

ROACH: “The thing is I don’t think he gets hit on purpose – I don’t know anyone who gets hit on purpose. When you like to exchange and you like to throw punches you put yourself in harms way. That’s why Manny is the most exciting fighter in the world. I can’t take that away from him. He’s always liked to throw combinations and when you let your hands go you leave yourself open. When you’re an offensive-minded fighter you’re always going to have that other end. We’re going to go into this fight and we’re going to throw a lot of combinations and Shane is going to come back and it’s going to be an exciting fight.”

Freddie, why is this his best training camp?

ROACH: “Well, we’ve never had too many bad training camps. But since the start of the training camp he’s been motivated for Shane since day one. Usually it takes us a little while to get into the flow of training camp, but from day one he’s been on fire. I mean we did eight rounds of mitts in the first day of training camp and he hadn’t been in the gym since the last fight. We’ve just run out of room to go. He does 16 rounds a day on the mitts right now and I’m going to start holding him back a little bit. That’s the hardest part of Manny Pacquiao – slowing him down.”

Freddie, what are the reasons this camp started so fast?

ROACH: “Well, he hadn’t been in the gym since the Margarito fight. He had some down time and he was hungry for boxing again. He missed his boxing job and he was very motivated coming into it. A lot of people tell Manny this is an easy fight and Shane hasn’t looked good in his last couple of fights. We’re looking at his (Shane’s) last fight with Margarito, a guy that attacks, not those two runners that he had a little bit of difficulty with. Styles make fights and Manny has an aggressive style and that’s why we have to be ready for this guy. Manny knows that and that’s why we started out right off the bat not taking this guy lightly and working our asses off.”

Manny, what excites you about this fight?

PACQUIAO: “I’m excited for this fight because Mosley can throw a lot of punches and he wants to fight toe-to-toe. Mosley, he’s former pound-for-pound champion and he’s a good fighter, and a comeback fighter also.”

What are you preparing for?

ROACH: “We’re 100 percent ready for the fight. If Mosley brings his best we’re ready for his best. I don’t think there is any room for an upset, but in boxing you never know. We’re 100 percent ready on our end. We’ve done everything we can to get ready for the fight.”

PACQUIAO: “The same. We’ve trained hard for this fight and we’re ready for this fight.”

Are you prepared for the best Mosley?

ROACH: “We’re definitely looking at his best fights because we expect him to be at his best. The Margarito fight he looked great and Margarito has an aggressive style like Manny and that’s how we’ll attack him. It will be a little more scientific, of course, but we’re ready for the best Shane Mosley out there.”

PACQUIAO: “We studied hard for this training camp and we applied different techniques and different styles in the ring. We’re ready to fight and I can adjust right away in the ring to whatever his style is.”

Manny, there were some reports of an upcoming fight against Juan Manuel Marquez. Can you talk about that?

PACQUIAO: “I think that’s a question for Bob Arum. I’m just a fighter. My job is to train hard and to fight in the ring. I can fight anybody.”

ARUM: “Freddie and Manny are preparing for May 7 and we’re not looking past that.”

Mosley has always had a great chin. How important for you would it be to become someone that stops Mosley?

PACQUIAO: “We’re not focused for the knockout. All we do is work hard and if the knockout comes, it comes. We’ve prepared ourselves for fighting 12 rounds.”

How excited would you be to be the first guy to knock him out?

PACQUIAO: “If the knockouts come, they come. What matters is the fight that we can give to the people and the fans. I want them to be happy and excited about our performance.”

Freddie, how big of a deal would it be for Manny to be the first guy to score a knockout against Shane Mosley?

ROACH: “Shane’s a tough guy, a very durable guy. It would be incredible for Manny to be the first one to stop him and just prove to the world how much better he is than that guy that couldn’t stop him (Floyd Mayweather, Jr.). I think Manny will fight at a fast pace. I don’t know if he’ll (Mosley) be prepared to fight at that pace but we’re going to force the action and we’re going to go for it this time. If it comes, it comes. I think Manny is definitely the guy to do it.”

Freddy, what excites you about this fight?

ROACH: “Mosley brings speed, power and he has a good team behind him. I think we have a big challenge ahead of us. Manny is motivated and he’s motivated for a reason because of Shane Mosley. That means he respects him also. That’s what excites us about this fight. The first five rounds of this fight are very critical. The way we go about attacking Shane is going to have a lot of thought behind it. If you just walk into Shane and attack him you just walk into the fire. He’ll counterpunch the hell out of you and he has knockout power. It’s a big, big fight. If Manny can be the first one to stop him I think it would a feather in his camp.”

Freddie, will you be happy if Manny wins or do you want a devastating and impressive performance?

ROACH: “I think all fights should end in knockouts so I’m looking for a knockout.”

Manny, what was the difference when you went back to training camp to get ready for Shane?

PACQUIAO: “I’m just excited to get back in the ring and train hard for this fight. I’m just ready to give my best. After the Margarito fight I rested and didn’t train in the gym. I focused on my job and that’s why I’m hungry and ready to train hard and focus on the fight. I was hungry, excited and motivated to train hard because I missed boxing.”

Have your appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live before your fights become a ritual?

ARUM: “This is not unusual. When (Oscar) De La Hoya was in his prime and we were doing the pay-per-view De La Hoya fights, prior to those fights he always appeared on the Jay Leno Show. Manny has forged a close bond with Jimmy Kimmel, who is a lot younger and more hip than Leno. Manny has been treated real well by Jimmy Kimmel, there’s chemistry between them and I think Manny looks forward to being on the Jimmy Kimmel show prior to his fights.”

PACQUIAO: “I like Jimmy Kimmel and I’m good friends with him.”

Do you think by your display of power that you have intimidated Floyd Mayweather or made him afraid to fight you?

PACQUIAO: “It’s hard to judge him. I don’t know what the reason is. I really don’t have an idea. I can’t say something. We don’t know so it’s hard to judge him.”

What did it mean for you to meet President Obama?

PACQUIAO: “It’s a big honor to me and my family. And, of course, it helped me a lot in my politics career.”

Manny, do you ever reflect on your career?

PACQUIAO: “When I think of what I have accomplished in boxing I’m amazed. It’s more than I ever dreamed. It’s kind of amazing, and it’s because of my hard work. But that’s my job – to work hard.”

What keeps you motivated to continue to work hard?

PACQUIAO: “I’m motivated by my family and the boxing fans. I always motivated myself because this is my job and I have to train hard and work hard. I love to work hard. I’m always excited to train hard. I’m always motivated to train hard.”

PACQUIAO: “Don’t miss this fight this coming Saturday. It’s going to be a great fight. That’s my goal, to give a good fight to the fans.”

ARUM: “On Saturday, don’t forget to watch an hour show on the Pacquiao-Mosley fight and event. This (FIGHT CAMP 360°) program is a significant event because boxing returns to prime time terrestrial television with this one-hour program. Because of that it’s a real game changer. To find out the elements of both camps it’s a must, must see. It should be great entertainment.”

Source: eastsideboxing.com

Filipino singer Charice from TV show “Glee” thrilled to sing anthem at Pacquiao-Mosley bout -- Washington Post

By Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines — Charice Pempengco of the hit TV show “Glee” says she has been chosen to sing the Philippine national anthem ahead of Manny Pacquiao’s fight against Shane Mosley in Las Vegas next month.

The Philippine-born singer, who is known best by the single name, Charice, says she’s thrilled that Pacquiao chose her to sing at the opening ceremony for the May 7 bout at the MGM Grand Garden.

The teenager tweeted Tuesday that she feels “really blessed” for the opportunity.

Pacquiao traditionally hand-picks the singer of the national anthem at his bouts.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: washingtonpost.com

Mosley sees no age, speed edge for Pacquiao -- AFP

AFP

LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Shane Mosley takes inspiration from those who think he is too old or too slow to handle Manny Pacquiao, vowing Tuesday that neither the Filipino star's age or speed edge will deny him a win.

"It gives me a lot of motivation to overcome what people are saying," Mosley said. "I don't care that they are saying that or not. What matters is what happens in the ring."

Mosley, a 39-year-old former champion, will face 32-year-old southpaw Pacquiao, who has won his past 13 fights, next week in Las Vegas for the Asian superstar's World Boxing Organization welterweight crown.

"I'm expecting a lot of fireworks," Mosley said. "I'm expecting to be able to control the fight and be victorious."

Mosley, 46-6 with one drawn and and 39 knockouts, comes into the May 7 spectacle off a draw with US compatriot Sergio Mora last September and a loss to Floyd Mayweather a year ago where he looked less than impressive.

"You keep counting these old guys out," Mosley trainer Naazim Richardson said. "These aren't old men boxing. These are legendary fighters who have some age on them. These are special guys.

"When special guys get old, they can still be extraordinary."

When it comes to Pacquiao's age giving him an edge if the fight goes into the later rounds, Mosley still likes his chances.

"I don't buy into that. I've knocked people out late," Mosley said. "I have a lot of advantages over him. It's just a matter of exploiting them and I believe I will be able to do that."

Pacquiao, 52-3 with two drawn and 38 knockouts, will have a speed edge but Mosley noted that Antonio Margarito landed the most punches of any rival on "Pac-Man" in a unanimous decision loss last November but struggled to do that same against Mosley in 2009 in the most recent victory by "Sugar Shane".

"He couldn't land punches on me, so if Margarito can land punches on Manny Pacquiao, that means I can too," Mosley said. "People know my power. It's risky for Manny Pacquiao to take this fight. Anything can happen."

Richardson is counting on Mosley being able to slow down the flashy Filipino.

"If Shane hits you solid, you are going on the defense. Pacquiao could easily become a defensive fighter in this fight," Richardson said.

"People are going to take things from the last two fights from Shane Mosley that may not be available in this fight."

Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum had no comment to reports from rival promoter Richard Schaefer that Pacquiao already has been presented an offer to fight Juan Manuel Marquez later this year but Mosley took the report in his stride.

"That's fine," he said. "Sometimes as business people you have to look to the next fight ahead of time. It's not for me to think that way."

Mosley also took Mayweather's allegations of doping by Pacquiao as unproven.

"Without any rock solid proof, I wouldn't put anything out there like that. It's disrespectful," Mosley said. "Even if they did find that out, it still wouldn't surprise me that Shane Mosley beat him."

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved.

Source: google.com

Two Filipinos Fight for Regional WBO Titles Today in Thailand -- PhilBoxing

By Carlos Costa, PhilBoxing.com

PHETCHABUN, Thailand -- Two Filipino fighters, super featherweight Jose Ocampo of General Santos City and bantamweight Pol Apolinario of Sarangani will have the opportunity to shine in international boxing when they climb the ring to fight for regional WBO titles against well-ranked Thai warriors today in the lower northern Province of Phetchabun in Thailand.

In the main event, super featherweight Jose Ocampo (13-4-1, 8KOs) will go against a more accomplished fighter in WBO #2 lightweight Thai contender Tor Silachai (21-2, 15KO's) for the WBO Oriental Lightweight Title in a 12 round combat. Both fighters tipped the scales at 135 lbs yesterday during the weigh-in.

This bout will be the first fight of Jose Ocampo has a lightweight. However his trainer, former fighter Emil Romano is confident that his fighter can pull the victory. "We have been working hard during the last months at my gym in Valenzuela City. This is our chance to get into the world rankings," said an experienced Romano, once a world title challenger himself.

In the preliminary fight, Pinoy Pol Apolinario (10-6-2, 6KOs) will have the tough mission to defeat WBO #5 bantamweight Pungluang Sor Singyu (33-1, 21 KO's). The two will clash for 10-rounds for the WBO Asia Pacific Youth bantamweight title and a place in the world rankings.

Apolinario, who looks confident will be assisted during this war by his matchmaker and cornerman Rico Santig.

"I have chance. I told my friends that Salido will defeat Juanma Lopez. And I was right! Salido is now my hero because he believed in himself. If he could do it (win against all odds), I can do it too."

Both boxers, Apolinario and Sor Singyu weighed 118 lbs yesterday.

After the weigh-in the Filipino Team ate and relaxed by the swiming pool of the Homeland Hotel in the outskirts of the Phetchabun.

The third fight of the card will be an all thai girls affair as 18-years-old curent WBO female minumumweight world champion Teeraporn Pannimit (13-3, 5KOs) will battle a 10-rounds non-title fight against Napaporn Sor Ploenjit (4-3-1). Both girls weighed 108 lbs.

This Phetchabun card is organized by OneSongchai Boxing Promotions (www.OneSongchai.com) and will be broadcast live in Thailand by Channel 7.

Supervisor of this fight card in Thailand is WBO excecutive Mr. Leon Panoncillo of Hawaii, who will also be the fight supervisor of the coming match between Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao and Sugar Shane Mosley for the WBO welterweight title in Las Vegas on May 7.

Source: philboxing.com

Fight Camp 360 Pacquiao vs Mosley Episode 2

Boxing News World

Mayweather will fight me when I'm past it - Pacquiao -- ESPN

espn.co.uk

The Floyd Mayweather Jnr-Manny Pacquiao saga looks set to rumble on after Pacquiao maintained there is "still a chance" of the super-fight happening.

All hope appeared to have vanished earlier this month when it was claimed that Mayweather had turned down a $50 million offer to fight Pacquiao for the title of the world's pound-for-pound king.

That was the latest in a long line of stumbling blocks, the most damaging of which was the fighters' bitter dispute over the timing of blood tests prior to the bout. With so many hurdles to clear, the clash looked dead in the water - but Pacquiao is refusing to give up on the prospect of fighting his American rival.

"For me, there's a chance," he said. "It's up to him if he wants to fight. He's trying to wait for me to get older."

The clamour for Pacquiao-Mayweather would die down if the Filipino fails to come through his next fight, which sees him face Shane Mosley for the WBO welterweight title on May 7. Pacquiao is refusing to engage a war of words with his opponent, who is said to be fired up by his status as the 11/2 underdog.

"Shane can still fight," Pacquiao said. "He's fast and he's training hard. It's hard to rate him against the other (opponents). This time he's determined to shock the world. It's going to be a good fight.

"Mosley is bigger than me. He's fast and his hand speed is still there. He's faster than most of my opponents. He's also preparing hard and he's also good, so we never underestimate our opponent."

Source: espn.co.uk

Best camp ever: Manny Pacquiao impresses trainer Freddie Roach with focus on Mosley fight -- Washington Post

By Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Freddie Roach is not a man given to hyperbole. When Manny Pacquiao’s trainer says the pound-for-pound champion is having his best training camp, Sugar Shane Mosley had better pay attention.

Pacquiao is in the final stages of preparation in Hollywood for his bout with Mosley at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas on May 7, and the Filipino congressman hasn’t been so singularly focused on boxing for quite a while.

“He hasn’t lost a step. He’s working at a higher pace than ever,” Roach said Wednesday in his Wild Card Gym. “He’s not in the same condition as the last fight. He’s in better condition than I’ve ever seen. He isn’t going to get caught underestimating anybody.”

Roach fretted about Pacquiao’s focus and fitness throughout a rocky camp heading into last fall’s win over Antonio Margarito, calling it the worst training session of their careers. Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs) was newly elected to office, which added another responsibility to the usual pandemonium swirling around the Philippines’ most famous man.

This time around, Roach and strength-and-conditioning coach Alex Ariza have been downright floored by the eight-division champion’s determination to knock out Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs), who has never been stopped.

“It’s the complete opposite side of the spectrum this time,” said Ariza, who’s in charge of Pacquiao’s fitness. “I’ve never seen Manny more motivated. I thought (the camp before Pacquiao’s victory over Miguel) Cotto was the perfect blueprint for a training camp, but this has surpassed it.”

On their first day of workouts, Pacquiao did his running in the mountains, skipping the usual warmup days on the flats in Baguio, his Filipino base. He spent just three weeks training amid the innumerable distractions back home before starting his more monastic five-week session in Hollywood, reversing the schedule of last fall’s camp.

Pacquiao already is solidly near the bout’s 147-pound limit, and his sparring sessions already have exceeded 12 rounds, with Roach marveling at Pacquiao’s sharpness and speed.

“When you take five or six months off like that, you get re-motivated,” Ariza said. “He found something in his DNA that motivated him again to get going. I think he had so much of the political stuff wearing him down last time that he didn’t have it in the ring. That’s not going to be a problem now.”

In yet another sign of his commitment, Pacquiao showed up to Wednesday’s interview session just 15 minutes late — which qualifies as extremely early in Manny’s wild world.

Pacquiao doesn’t acknowledge any special focus on this fight, but the congressman has been juggling more balls than most people could even carry for a long time now. He acknowledges needing an adjustment period to his legislative duties, which are getting easier to manage.

“I learned to rely on certain people to do my job,” Pacquiao said. “It’s different this time (around). I’ve been training, and I’ve set aside all work. ... I never distract myself. I never think I was distracted. I was focused on the fight, focused on the training.”

Yet the Pacquiao circus is still among the most entertaining shows in sports. The successful singer is releasing another single — a cover of Dan Hill’s syrupy 1977 ballad, “Sometimes When We Touch” — and he recently inked an endorsement deal to put his face on every bag of broccoli sold by one of the world’s largest vegetable distributors as part of an overall endorsement of healthy eating and green practices.

Pacquiao doesn’t share some fans’ disappointment with Top Rank’s choice of his latest opponent. Mosley, who turns 40 in September, has been unimpressive in his past two fights against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Sergio Mora.

“I’m not going in confident, or underestimating him,” Pacquiao said. “He’s a pound-for-pound champion, a good fighter. I’m just going to be in condition and ready to fight. ... He can still fight. Compared to Margarito or somebody else, he’s fast. Maybe this time, he trains hard for this fight, and he can do a lot of things.”

Pacquiao also still holds out the slightest hope Mayweather will end his self-imposed exile and step in the ring with him. The former superstar hasn’t fought in nearly a year and has no plans on the horizon after turning down a megafight with Pacquiao and refusing to explain why.

“I don’t know,” Pacquiao said with a wink when asked if he thought Mayweather would ever step in with him.

“For me, there’s still a chance,” Pacquiao said. “It’s up to him if he wants to fight. I’ll just do my job and make the fans happy.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: washingtonpost.com

Pacquiao primed for boxing title fight against Mosley -- AFP

By Greg Heakes, AFP

HOLLYWOOD, California — Filipino pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao will need find his killer instinct again if he is to become the first boxer to knock out former four-time world champion Shane Mosley.

The eight-division world champion Pacquiao, whose last fight was a 12-round unanimous decision over Antonio Margarito, will fight Mosley for the World Boxing Organization welterweight title May 7 at the MGM Grand hotel and casino.

"I want Manny to knock him out and I think we can," said trainer Freddie Roach on Wednesday. "But Manny is a compassionate person at times. Like he wouldn't hurt Margarito.

"He took it easy on him in the last two rounds and let him last the fight. Asked him if he is OK couple of times. Manny doesn't want anyone get hurt."

Despite giving away 17-pounds, Pacquiao bloodied and bruised the bigger Margarito's face and then carried him through the late rounds. Margarito had to have surgery to repair a broken eye socket but it could have been a lot worse if Pacquiao hadn't let up.

"Boxing isn't about killing each other," Pacquiao said Wednesday at the Wild Card Boxing Club. "Boxing is entertainment. Entertaining people and making people happy."

But Pacquiao says he also can't afford to underestimate the 39-year-old Mosley who has gone 53 fights in his 18-year career without being knocked out.

"He (Mosley) is determined to shock the world," Pacquiao said. "He is a good fighter. I don't underestimate him. I never say it is going to be an easy opponent."

His camp says Pacquiao is in the midst of one of his best training sessions. Roach says Pacquiao is working as hard as ever for a title fight.

"His focus is great. There are less distractions this time. He is very motivated and has continued to push himself from day one," Roach said.

Roach said their game plan is a simple one -- box with Mosley early then wait for him to tire and make a mistake.

"Part of the game plan is to out box him and when we do break him down get him to the point where we can take him out," Roach said.

"He can't move like he used to for 12 rounds. I don't think his legs are what they used to be. Somewhere in the fight he is going to have to stand flatfooted and fight with us. I think that is when we can catch him."

Mosley has 46 wins and 39 knockouts but has lost twice and struggled to a draw in his past five fights. He fell to Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto in 2007 and unbeaten Floyd Mayweather in May before a draw against American Sergio Mora in September.

"He has a good chin," Roach said of Mosley. "It (knockout) has never been done. He has fought every fighter in the world and some great fighters.

"He is a tough guy and I am sure he is going to come into the ring in the best shape he can."

Pacquiao has won 13 fights in a row and the southpaw has not lost in nearly six years. In that span he has dispatched such stars as Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez.

"I have to be careful of his (Mosley) size and speed," Pacquiao said. "I have to focus on his speed and counterpunch.

"When we get in the ring I can read what he is doing, his style and then adjust.

"He can still fight. He is not as slow as Margarito. He is fast and he moves fast. He is trying hard and he can do a lot of things."

Pacquiao has also claimed world titles in eight weight classes. He always divides his time training for a fight between the Philippines and America but for this fight they decided to change things up a bit.

The biggest change was to spend five weeks, instead of three, training in Los Angeles. For the Margarito fight they spent five weeks training in the Philippines and three in Los Angeles.

"We started early for this training camp," Pacquiao said.

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved.

Source: google.com

Pacquiao tests positive for PGF -- 8CountNews

By Brad Cooney, 8CountNews.com

There has been a lot of talk and accusations directed toward Manny Pacquiao about steroids and or performance enhancing drugs. We all know where the majority of these accusations have come from, so no need to repeat it again. This has been an ongoing thing now for quite awhile, and as many of you know, there is a lawsuit for slander that is hovering over a few heads.

I recently wrote an article about current world champ Zab “Super” Judah. The article was titled, “Zab Judah: In God he trusts” and it got thousands of reads. People like to read about someone who has changed his or her life for the better. Judah has done just that, he's found God and his life has 100 percent turned around. Rather than throwing dice on the street corners like he used to, Judah can now be found with a Bible in his hand heading to Church with his family.

Pacquiao is a God fearing man. He puts God first, then everything else comes afterward. When he trains in the gym there is always a moment of prayer. The radio gets shut off, the phones get shut off, and Manny prays in the corner.

He's a spiritual man that has given control of his life over to God. Manny's performance enhancing drug is his God. Pacquiao could take that test and definitely test positive. If God is a steroid, then Manny is using every day of his life. PGF (Putting God First) is what Pacquiao does every day.

Manny's life is filled with blessings. He has a beautiful wife and beautiful kids. Manny's living a life of financial freedom. He shares his wealth with the needy. He is everything that a moral person strives to be. His haters are few and those who love him are many.

Pacquiao steps back into the ring Vs. Shane Mosley next month. The time is getting closer to seeing the pound for pound king. When he submits his drug test, the only thing that they will find in his system is PGF.....Putting God First.

Source: 8countnews.com

McCloskey: I made Khan look pretty average on Saturday night -- The Score

By Niall Kelly, thescore.ie

PAUL MCCLOSKEY HAS rubbished suggestions that Amir Khan is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world at present, claiming that he made the WBA Super-Lightweight Champion look “pretty average” during their fight on Saturday evening.

Referee Luis Pabon and ringside doctor Fraser Pinkney ordered the bout to be stopped after just six rounds when an accidental clash of heads left McCloskey with a nasty looking gash above his right eye. The fight was decided by the ringside judges who unanimously awarded all six rounds to the defending champion.

Though McCloskey’s camp were furious with the premature stoppage and have lodged an official complaint with boxing’s authorities, Khan has already started to plot his next move, eyeing up a divisional reunification contest with American Timothy Bradley before taking on stablemate Manny Pacquiao, the man currently regarded by many as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

Speaking to Newstalk’s Off The Ball last night, the Dungiven man laughed off suggestions that Khan could even be considered in the same class, saying that the Briton had done nothing of note during their six rounds in the ring together.

“Anybody with a brain or anybody who knows anything about boxing knows that those six rounds were pretty close,” McClosksey said.

I made Amir Khan who has been recognised as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world look pretty average and pretty ordinary. He was doing no damage to me whatsoever.
Describing himself as “completely gutted” and “mesmerised” by Saturday night’s events, the previously-undefeated 31-year-old said that his plan was to let Khan tire himself out as he sought to score an early and impressive knockout in front of the British crowd.

“To be fair, I was behind on points but we had a bit of a gameplan,” McCloskey said. “We knew he was going to come out early on and try to blast me away because he was trying to impress the crowd and he’d a bit of job to do.”

“I could feel the difference even in the number of punches that were coming my way. The number of punches per round were coming down, he wasn’t making me work as much, so we were going to up the tempo in the second half of the fight.”

The Northerner also dismissed Khan’s suggestion that a knockout was imminent had the bout not been waved off as post-fight bluster, saying “talk’s cheap at that stage.”

He said that at the press conference, but to be honest anything I put to him at the press conference, he couldn’t answer me back.

He’s very good at talking the talk once the event’s over, but he was quiet before the fight and up to that point.

Although he conceded that the chances of Khan agreeing to rematch were “slim,” McCloskey said that the manner in which the fight ended has done his future prospects no harm at all.

“To come out of the fight the way I did, it does my ranking no harm. I’m still highly ranked, and I’ve no doubt that I’ll be back fighting for a title in the very near future – if not this title then another one.”

Source: thescore.ie

Hatton set to climb off the canvas: Hitman considering dramatic comeback against Morales -- Daily Mail

By Jeff Powell, dailymail.co.uk

Ricky Hatton is considering a multi-million-dollar comeback leading to a super-fight with Mexican legend Erik Morales.

The Hitman has resumed sparring with Commonwealth welterweight champion Denton Vassell, whom he promotes. He has been assured that his boxer's licence, revoked following his admission of cocaine abuse, is likely to be restored.

The offer to return from quasi-retirement was tabled by Oscar de la Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions, while he was in Manchester for Amir Khan's world title defence against Paul McCloskey on Saturday night.

Hatton stands to earn a guaranteed minimum of £1.8million for any comeback fight, £2.4m if he goes straight to Morales. Pay-per-view television would boost purses substantially.

De la Hoya confirmed last night: 'Ricky against Morales would be a wonderful fight in Las Vegas, a great event, a meeting of two real legends of the sport. Fight fans all over the world will want to see that.'

Morales - two years older than Hatton at 34, and the last man to have defeated current pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao - is in the midst of a comeback of his own.

De la Hoya said: 'Erik has shown Ricky that it can be done. He was away for three years but has returned to have three fights before putting on a beautiful performance against Marcos Maidana.'

Many American commentators believe Morales was robbed of the narrowest of decisions against Maidana, the younger Argentine puncher who came close to knocking out Khan before losing their 2010 fight of the year.

Hatton has been inactive for just under two years, since being brutally concussed by Pacquiao. He has vacillated about retirement - admitting that his new found involvement as a promoter has been his only partial escape from post-boxing depression - and has kept insisting that he will re-apply for his fighter's licence when the time is right.

That door opened yesterday. Robert Smith, general secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control, said: 'Ricky simply needs to submit his application in the normal way - to his local area council who will pass it on to the full board - and then satisfy all the usual medical requirements.

'I can't foresee there being a problem, since he has served his time.'

Golden Boy officials opened discussions with Hatton before Christmas and now Gareth Williams, The Hitman's legal adviser and an executive of Hatton Promotions, says: 'We have received the firm offer at the meeting with Oscar. Now it's up to Ricky.'

Hatton is discussing the proposal with his father Ray, who is also his manager, and girlfriend Jennifer. Given estimates that it will take Hatton six months to regain full fighting fitness, Golden Boy are viewing an October date against Morales.

Alternatively, he could take an easier warm-up fight in Manchester - an emotional comeback which would fill his beloved City's Eastlands football ground - followed by the big one in Vegas.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

Americans direct Floyd Mayweather Jr.: You must fight Manny Pacquiao -- Examiner

By Michael Marley, Examiner.com

MASHANTUCKET, Connecticut—You place a world title fight between a Mexican American lad who grew up in Garden City, Kansas, and then moved to Oxnard, California, and a Haitian American boxer from smallish Winter Haven, Florida, here in the woods not far from the Rhode Island border you should expect tickets to move like coldcakes.

New England did not have to choose between Vicious Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto. Instead, those from Hartford to Boston and from Worcester to Providence did not know who they are.

They set up the Theater at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods for a mere 2,300 fans Saturday night and the empty seats were legion.

But one late arriving spectator, who did not take his ringside pew until the main event, which turned out to be a scorcher and the shocking Ortiz ring redemption/upset that I boldly predicted, had already started made it all worthwhile for many spectators.

Not only did the crowd see a serious “Fight of the Year” candidate which concluded with Berto going to a local hospital for a hand injury and to have someone look at bumps on the back of his head, they also got to jeer Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Mayweather and bosom buddy, the rapper Fifty Cent, took their first row ringside seats just in time to see a wild war as Berto foolishly slugged it out with the harder-hitting southpaw Ortiz.

Yep, the same Ortiz who so many branded a quitter after his desultory loss to Marcos Maidana.

As for Mayweather, he heard a steady but seemingly good-natured chant of “Fight Manny, Fight Manny” which began up in the rafter and came cascading down to ringside.

So what did Mayweather's cameo tell us?

I thought you would never ask.

What We Learned From Mayweather's Visit:

1.He remains the villain, the fighter people most love to hate and the visceral reaction he provokes reminds us this is why he and Pacman will eventually have to fight (I hope). As Lou DiBella aide Ron Rizzo said, “The fans care enough to boo him and how many other fighters can you say that about?

2.Mayweather has no plans to wander away from either HBO, the broadcast home abandoned for one bout anyway by Pacman/Bob Arum in favor of rival Showtime/CBS.

3. We can finally pull the plug on all the “Floyd is working with Don King” rumors and reports. Mayweather remains firmly in the clutches of his adviser Al Haymon because that is who he and Fitty sat with at ringside.

4. Mayweather got a reminder of how he can lose his prized unbeaten status as Berto fell from the privileged ranks of the unbeaten. Mayweather's 0 may have to go against the sheer force and will of Pacquiao.

5. Mayweather still causes a serious buzz when he appears in public. Some fans in the higher elevations could not see him until they flashed his smiling face on two huge TV screens but, when that happened, a real roar went up from those in attendance followed by the jeers and a few cheers.

6. Mayweather learned again that Pacquiao is omnipresent. In the ring, Victorious Victor told Larry Merchant how he got a fight day phone call with some ring advice from a sagacious acquaintance named Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao. They were connected over the phone by regular Pacman sparring partner David Rodela.

If Mayweather did not understand America's message, then he is deaf and dumb.

Source: examiner.com

Victor Ortiz thanks Manny Pacquiao for his advice in victory over Andre Berto -- PhilBoxing

By Rich Mazon, PhilBoxing.com

Mashantucket, Connecticut -- Victor Ortiz has a lot to be thankful for Saturday in the biggest night of his boxing career. There is his coach, Danny Garcia and his entire team, his manager and promoter, his fans and Manny Pacquiao.

The newly crowned W.B.C. welterweight champion thanked the pound for pound king and fellow welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao after his tough fight with Andre Berto here in the Foxwoods MGM. In the post fight interview H.B.O.’s Larry Merchant asked him “Do you want now into the Pacquiao sweepstakes?” Ortiz replied “Yes sir, definitely. I actually talked to Manny Pacquiao earlier and Manny, thank you very much for your advice man, thank you.“

Merchant asked what Pacquiao’s advice was and Ortiz replied “He (Pacquiao) said that I’m more powerful than he is, I’m as quick if not quicker than he is, so I (should) just stick to my game plan and listen to my coaches.“ He ended by thanking Pacquiao as well as his trainer Freddy Roach.

The apparent link between the two was lightweight boxer David Rodela. Rodela was a friend of Ortiz and one of Pacquiao’s main sparring partner at the Wild Card gym. “David Rodela had me talked with Manny Pacquiao today. Thank you Manny for your kind words. He is a great guy and nowadays we are in the same weight class,“ he replied when asked about it during the post fight conference where he was in great spirits after being crowned a champion Saturday night here in Connecticut.

“He just told me to stick to the game plan and that I’m a very strong fighter and (I should)just keep going for it. Don’t take anybody’s negativity, so I just did as he said and listened to my coaches and here we are with the green belt,” he added blissfully.

The advice clearly delighted and inspired the young Ortiz who comes in blazing right from the opening bell. He attacked Berto early in the first round as he landed a flurry of punches on the stunned champion. Berto tasted the canvass early with a right hook from Ortiz followed by a set of uppercuts. Ortiz also showed the character that was doubted of him by many when he himself got up from two knockdowns that Berto inflicted on him in the second and the sixth round.

“I wasn’t hurt, it was a flash knockdown,“ he remarked when asked of it. It was an exciting fight that the crowd appreciated for most of the night. It drew cheers and chants of each fighter‘s name as they exchange heatedly in the ring. “I knew that it was going to be a full blown war. As a matter of fact, I pictured my eyes both closed at the end of this fight,“ Ortiz described of the fight.

Richard Schaeffer of Golden Boy Promotions acknowledged that Ortiz was “really happy and thrilled when he got that call from Manny Pacquiao. “A simple phone call from a champion that might have added extra motivation for Victor Ortiz to be a champion himself. For in boxing as in life, words of encouragement does help everybody go the extra mile."

Source: philboxing.com

AMIR KHAN IS CUT OUT FOR TILT AT TIM BRADLEY -- UK Express

By Niall Hickman, express.co.uk

AMIR KHAN can sail serenely towards a showdown with his hero Manny Pacquiao and ignore the spurious calls for a rematch from Paul McCloskey’s camp.

Boxing’s authorities may have shot themselves in the foot for a second time only a few months after the Audley Harrison-David Haye fiasco by calling a premature halt to McCloskey’s challenge, but the Ulsterman was never in danger of taking Khan’s WBA world light- welterweight title.

After a clash of heads in the sixth round, the ring doctor ruled that McCloskey’s cut was too severe to continue. McCloskey has probably cut himself worse in the shaving mirror, so to take away his stab at stardom was wrong and cruel.

British Boxing Board of Control secretary Robert Smith said: “I have absolutely no problem with the competence of the doctor. Fraser Pinkney is very experienced, has worked with the board for many years and it was his judgment call. He felt there would be a considerable amount of blood getting into McCloskey’s eye.”

The fact that Khan had bossed each round by an increasing margin means calls for a rematch should be ignored and McCloskey’s cut, requiring just seven stitches, cannot cloud the simple truth that he would not beat the champion in a month of Sundays. McCloskey does not have the tools to beat a global talent like Khan.

It was not vintage Khan – he took two or three rounds to find his range against an elusive opponent – but it was enough to prove that under Freddie Roach’s tutelage he is now ready for the step up to Tim Bradley. They are close to securing a fight in Las Vegas on July 23.

Roach said: “I know Tim Bradley well and he is one hell of a fighter, but would I put Amir in with him in the ring tomorrow and expect my boxer to win? Yes I would.

“Their fight will determine who is the best at 140lbs and then the winner should go up to 147lbs and take on Manny Pacquiao. That is my feeling.”

Khan admits he is desperate to unify the titles as the Californian holds the WBC and WBO belts.


“Bradley and me belong in the same class, world class, whereas I have proven that McCloskey does not,” said Khan.

“Bradley is a good fighter but that’s just going to push me and motivate me.

“Bradley is quick, fast on his feet and he can punch. He is a proven world champion.

“When I go back to LA for my training camp, knowing it is Bradley I’m fighting is going to push me even more.

“I have to go over to America and take his world titles but I am very willing to do that.

“I want to be in with Tim Bradley next. What would be the point of a rematch with McCloskey? It was an easy fight for me.”

Khan showed in glimpses some of the lightning hand speed which has made him such a marketable talent and although he will be facing a far more formidable opponent in Bradley, he has the tools to win Stateside.

Khan may not have liked to beat McCloskey this way, but compared to Harrison v Haye, this was at least a contest.

Source: express.co.uk

Manny Pacquiao: Headed to the UFC? -- Ringside Report

By Sean Farrell, Ringside Report

Manny Pacquiao, considered by many to be the best pound for pound boxer in the world uttered the wrong words in an interview when he said, “I want to (fight in MMA), but they (his management) don’t want me to,” when asked about fighting in mixed martial arts.

Now, before anyone jumps to any conclusions, he isn’t coming to MMA. Just think about what it would cost to get him into the Octagon for a way below average performance. Pacquiao was guaranteed $12 million for his fight against Joshua Clottey, and at this time, there is no MMA organization who could guarantee that kind of money or be dumb enough to do so, let alone the rumored $40 million Pacquiao would earn in a fight with Floyd Mayweather, JR.

To even think he would sign with either Ultimate Fighting Championship or Strikeforce for a fight is beyond stupid, because no promotion would pay that much for one fighter to not succeed.

Pacquiao is wildly popular and it turns my stomach as he isn’t anything special just a great boxer and has no need for the UFC. Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, could easily put together an MMA card that would feature Manny against a fighter that would suit Manny’s skill set and make him look good, but even then Arum has been racist on his stance towards MMA stating:

“For me, I look at the UFC audience and the boxing audience as being two different audiences entirely. Our audience in boxing is ethnic. Hispanic, Filipino, Puerto Rican, Mexican, and the hardcore boxing fan who can’t watch … like me … can’t watch UFC. UFC are a bunch of skinhead white guys watching people in the ring who also look like skinhead white guys. And you don’t have any tattoos. Ninety percent of the people in the audience wear tattoos. I don’t care. That’s up to them. But those aren’t people that would have any interest, at any time, in boxing. For me, and people like me, it is not something they ever care to see. They’ve watched it. It’s horrible. Guys rolling around like homosexuals on the ground. It is not a sport that shows great, great talent.”

That statement is everything wrong with the way boxing fans view MMA, MMA is predominantly minorities with very rich history’s just look at two countries in particular, Brazil and Japan and case closed.

An MMA match such as this would be a total sideshow, but in the end would it be any different from the recent Randy Couture-James Toney fight? Toney and his skill set yet alone physique, had no business being in the Octagon with a former UFC champ who was 47 years old by the way. Yet there he was, not even knowing how to properly tap out to a Couture arm triangle within minutes of their fight.

If Arum promoted a fight with Pacquiao and a clearly overmatched MMA fighter with limited skills would there be a significant difference? Simply put, the answer is no, not much of one anyway.

In three to five years if Mayweather still hasn’t been convinced to get into the ring with Pacquiao, or does and is beaten by him (Which IMO is ridiculous to even comprehend). I wouldn’t think MMA would be completely outside the realm of plausible for Pacquiao to have at least one MMA fight. If the UFC wanted to really break some gate records and Pay-Per-View buy records or make a big splash in the Philippines(Which is where the first international edition of Ultimate Fighter is taking place), booking a Pacquiao-MMA fight would be a sure fire ticket to do so.

If I were Manny and Arum, I’d want at least 18 months to train for MMA and a couple of buildup fights against guys with limited grappling abilities before facing anyone really relevant. But even in the best case scenario, I don’t see Manny ever being an MMA champion in any major promotion and any losses he took in the cage would damage his “brand” value and that of boxing as a whole significantly, which is why it’s not plausible and just him talking.

But if boxing can’t provide the epic matchups worthy of such a popular fighter, maybe it’s his time to seek a real challenge and not fight a bunch of over the hill or past their prime fighters, but in all honesty Manny is milking the system and doing a phenomenal job of doing so.

Source: ringsidereport.com