Floyd "Maynever", Jr. was easily the Fighter of the Decade -- Examiner

By Stephen Johnson, Examiner.com

There should be no doubt as to who the most dominant fighter in the last ten years was in the sport of boxing as Floyd "Maynever", Jr. (41-0, 25 KO's) was, and still is, the "brass ring" for all competitiors from 147 pounds and under.

Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KO's) was recently given an award from WBC President Jose Sulaiman as it's Fighter of the Decade, which would have to span from January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2010 to be accurate, that just doesn't pass the "smell test".

One should not cloud the achievements of "Maynever", Jr. inside the ring, with his weird and dangerous antics outside of it as his displayed abilities over the last ten years are second-to-none.

If there a new award given for Fighter of the Last Several Years, Pacquiao would face stiff resistance for even that from "Maynever", Jr., as the two are the best at what they do.

When Manny Pacquiao stopped Marco Antonio Barrera on November 15, 2003, he effectively made his presence known on the feather/super featherweight scene where he followed that victory with his first win over Juan Manuel Marquez on May 8, 2004, and suffered his third career defeat at the hands of Erik Morales on March 19, 2005.

Pacquiao avenged the Morales loss on January 21, 2006 with a brilliant tenth round TKO win and to end the trilogy, on November 18, 2006, Morales was destroyed in a brilliant third round KO performance by Pacquiao.

If you really want to get into specifics, Manny Pacquiao has had an outstanding last two years where he defeated the likes of David Diaz (June of '08), Oscar de la Hoya (December of '08), Ricky Hatton (May '09), Miguel Angel Cotto (November of '09), Joshua Clottey (March of '10), and Antonio Margarito (November of '10).

In the years from 2003-2010 Manny Pacquiao has fought Erik Morales three times, Marco Antonio Barrera twice, and Juan Manuel Marquez twice, (totalling seven) which were the biggest fights out there at the time.

Prior to the Barrera bout in November of 2003, Manny Pacquiao fought the bulk of his career in the Phillipines against fighters you would know the names of, only if you followed the bantamweight and flyweight divisions in that country.

This is taking nothing from the Congressman from the Phillipines, just stating fact.

During the ten year stretch associated with what is termed a "decade", Floyd "Maynever", Jr. was mixing it up with the likes of Emanuel Augustus (October of 2000), Diego Corrales (January of '01), Jesus Chavez (November of '01), Jose Luis Castillo twice (April and December of '02), Phillip N'dou (November of '03), DeMarcus Corley (May of '04), Arturo Gatti (June of '05), Sharmba Mitchell (November of '05). Zab Judah (April of '06), Oscar de la Hoya (May of '07), Ricky Hatton (December of '07), Juan Manuel Marquez (September of '09), and Shane Mosley (May of 2010).

"Maynever", Jr.'s decision to take a brief retirement allowed the name of Manny Pacquiao to take the spotlight when, at the time of his departure, there were no real opponents that could motivate either "Maynever, Jr., or the boxing public.

Manny Pacquiao is a tremendous talent and his respect shown for opponents in and outside of the ring is what the sporting world desperately needs more of, but when you compare the opponents of the two pound-for-pound recognized best fighters in the world, over the last ten years (what comprises a decade), it's really not even close.

Sportsman of the Decade, Ambassador of Boxing in the last decade, and almost any other award you would like to see given to Manny Pacquiao, he would be a most deserving recipient for what he has brought to the sport.

But the title of Fighter of the Decade clearly belongs to Floyd "Maynever", Jr.

This coming from someone who clearly sees the vast, and now seemingly dangerous, number of character flaws exhibited by "Maynever", Jr. that should take away from his marketability, not his talent in the ring.

This is taking nothing from the pride of Grand Rapids, Michigan, just stating fact.

Sheila Frazier (Denver): "Pacquiao is great for the sport and my personal favorite, but the record you just showed me would question whether he has been the best in the last decade".

Don Fullbright (Denver): "Floyd has to clean up his act for me to give him any award. Domestic issues, roughing up security guards and the like make him ineligible for awards outside of the ring".

Eric Dowell (Aurora): "Pacquiao had seven total fights with Morales, Barrera, and Marquez during the last seven years. That was the best information I've seen as a direct reflection on the undefeated resume of Mayweather".

Source: examiner.com

WBC PRESIDENT HURT BY PACQUIAO’S DECISION TO FIGHT MOSLEY -- PhilBoxing

By Ronnie Nathanielsz, PhilBoxing.com

World Boxing Council president Don Jose Sulaiman has indicated he is personally hurt by the decision of pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao to defend his WBO welterweight title against Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand on May 7.

The WBC president learned that the fight had been finalized on the same day that the premier world professional boxing organization named Pacquiao as its “Fighter of the Decade.”

Sulaiman told the Inquirer in an overseas telephone conversation from his home in Mexico that Pacquiao and his people “were fooling around with the WBC and the others. ”

While Sulaiman stressed “He (Pacquiao) is a hero and I like him very much he is not paying any respect to the WBC and myself at all. He has never mentioned anything favorable to the WBC.”

Sulaiman said that “at this time of his life he doesn’t care about anything, he only cares about making money I guess.”

The WBC president said that if Pacquiao doesn’t “respect the WBC rules then we have to do something about it” although he admitted “it would make us very unpopular.”

Sulaiman blasted the choice of Mosley saying “he is completely over the hill. He looked very, very bad and very slow in his last fight against a bum (Sergio Mora)” even as he joined a chorus of growing numbers who have condemned the fight and claimed that Pacquiao is only in it for the money.

WBC founding secretary general Rudy Salud earlier said that while Pacquiao had a right to make money after all he has given the country, he “cannot claim that he is fighting Mosley for the country and people. He is fighting for the money.”

Source: philboxing.com

Manny Pacquiao: Is He Still Good for Boxing? -- Ringside Report

By “Bad” Brad Berkwitt, Ringside Report

On May 7th, in Las Vegas, Nevada at the MGM Grand P4P Best Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, 52-3-2, 38 KO’s is taking on another no hoper in Sugar Shane Mosley, 46-6-1, 39 KO’s for Pacquiao’s WBO Welterweight Title. This will mark the second fight in just six months that promoter Bob Arum has matched Pacquiao extremely soft. As we all know, back in November of last year, he matched his other Top Rank fighter Antonio “Hands of Plaster” Margarito, 38-7, 27 KO’s against Manny. The fight was a complete mismatch that saw Margarito sent to the hospital at the conclusion of the match.

With that said, a great like Shane Mosley once was, will be carried out on a stretcher before the end of this match. In fact, how did Shane even get this title shot? In May of 2010, he lost a wide unanimous decision to Floyd Mayweather, JR., 41-0, 25 KO’s and then in September of 2010, he fought a boring draw against feather fisted Sergio Mora, 22-1-1, 6 KO’s. So now six months after the Mora snooze fest, Mosley hit the Golden Ticket to fight Pacquiao. This is what is wrong with boxing today!

Here are the top 15 rankings by the WBO for the Welterweight Division. RSR readers, do you see Shane Mosley anywhere? In fact, I have only seen in action or at least heard of numbers 2, 3, 5, 10, 11, and 15.

Manny Pacquiao (Champion)


1. Kell Brook
2. Mike Jones
3. Saul Alvarez
4.Vitaliy Demyanenko
5. Joshua Clottey
6. Diego G. Chaves
7. Ed Paredes
8. Samuel Columban
9. Bethuel Ushona
10. Shawn Porter
11. Paul Malignaggi
12. Rafal Jackiewicz
13. Valeriy Brazhnyk
14. Gumersindo L. Carrasco
15. Jesus Soto Karass

So why is the title of this article Manny Pacquiao: Is He Still Good for Boxing? Manny is the face of boxing today. His name generates more press than any other fighter or three fighters combined who are still active in the sport. Manny is a warrior. A man that from all accounts, who wants to see his people of the PI through his work as a Congressman flourish. But his role as the face of boxing is questionable. RSR called for Pacquiao to turn the Margarito fight down because he was a convicted cheater no matter if a very small contingent wanted to claim they thought towards fight time, he was innocent. It didn’t matter because the masses of boxing pundits squashed any type of ridiculous notions that Margarito was not in fact, a cheater!

Now Bob Arum puts Shane Mosley in front of Manny a fighter who is not only completely shot, but is not even ranked in the top 15 of the WBO. Shane is a sure pick for induction into the IBHOF once he retires and meets the five year rule, but for certain, he is going to be retired after this fight and it’s going to be sad to see.

Manny Pacquiao needs to stand up and tell his Promoter Bob Arum enough is enough. Either get me a live body to fight, or I am going to call it a career. Sadly, we know that is not going to happen – and I for one, will take the $60.00 dollar price tag as I did for Manny’s last fight we boycotted and buy some more Frank Sinatra CD’s.

On May 7th, tune out and keep your $60.00 bones and use it on something better than a one sided mismatch.

Source: ringsidereport.com

No rest for Mayweather until he fights Pacquiao -- Examiner

By Scott Heritage, Examiner.com

As if Floyd Mayweather isn't having enough of a rough time of it lately, it now appears that even a peaceful shopping trip surrounded by his entourage and team of enormous bodyguards is beyond him.

Out and about on New Year's day Mayweather faced chants of "Pacquiao, Pacquiao!" from several fans, and even taunts about his height, something he not so long ago mocked Pacquiao for.

Keeping his composure and going about his business, Mayweather didn't outwardly seem to be that bothered, but judging from his recent outbursts, from his profanity laced racial tirade on Ustream to his recent berating of a security guard outside his mansion with little provocation, the lack of respect he gets from fans is getting to him.

Mayweather likes to think himself an untouchable figure to both opponents in the ring and the growing number of fans opposed to either his antics or lack of activity. Indeed one of his favorite comebacks to interviewers who ask about the people who want to see him lose is usually something along the lines of not caring what people say so long as they are all talking about him.

But paradoxically often he seems to crave the adulation heaped upon his rivals and seems to believe rightly or wrongly that he should be celebrated for his past achievements instead of being harangued for his recent underachieving.

The chanting might only have been down to a few Pacquiao fans on this occasion, but in all honesty, there aren't many places Floyd could go even in the United States without at least one or two these days, and until he addresses his future plans this is probably what Mayweather can look forward to whenever he goes out in public.

Should he announce either his next fight, retirement, or intention to fight Pacquiao after the Filipino takes on Shane Mosley, the fans would probably give him a break. If not at the very least he would have a riposte, something to counteract the accusations of him ducking the best competition and protecting his perfect 41-0 record.

The fact that Pacquiao is once again taking on a former opponent of his that he beat easily should be all the motivation he needs to start firing off quotes to the media and laying the groundwork for a fight later this year, and would have been just a few years ago.

Equally, if he were to take on and beat Pacquiao as the bookmakers still favor he would, even those repulsed by his mercurial personality would respect his skills and never question his mettle again. Likewise few would begrudge him a few easy paydays to end his career should he take on Pacquiao win or lose.

Of course, even if he does want to fight Pacquiao at some point, for the time being Mayweather can't really fight anyone. With a court case pending over alleged domestic abuse and ludicrous incidents happening almost by the week, Mayweather might eventually find himself unable to ever fight again.

Until he addresses some of the questions surrounding him though, fans chanting the name of his biggest rival to him is to be expected, as are the regular appearances in TMZ reports and brushes with the Las Vegas police department.

Tim George, Pitt: "Not surprising he does all this stupid stuff when he gets abuse from fans whenever he leaves the house. if he just took the fight it would stop, and most experts think he would win anyway"

Franz Peterson, Las Vegas: "Floyd only bullies people if they're alone, he's known for it around here. He wouldn't do anything in public because he can't outnumber people"

Source: examiner.com