Forbes says 19 of top 100 celebrities from sports -- Mercury News

By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer

Tiger Woods has not finished a tournament atop the leaderboard in 18 months. Nonetheless, Forbes says the world's former No. 1 golfer remains the biggest celebrity in the sports world.

Woods is No. 6 on Forbes' annual "Celebrity 100" compilation of the most powerful people or groups in the entertainment business, the highest rank of any of the 19 athletes who made the list.

Miami Heat star LeBron James is 10th, up 18 spots from a year ago, and the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant was at No. 14 for the second straight year.

Lady Gaga tops Forbes' overall rankings, followed by Oprah Winfrey, Justin Bieber, U2 and Elton John.

Woods will fall out of the top 10 in golf's world ranking next week, the first time he'll be 11th or lower since 1997. His last tournament win was at the 2009 Australian Masters.

His star power apparently remains nearly as bright as ever.

Woods was No. 5 on Forbes' list in 2010, when the magazine estimated his annual earnings at $105 million—$30 million less than what it figured him to make over the most recent 12-month period. Even after taking major endorsement hits following the scandal that ended his marriage, Woods still made $22 million more than Bryant in the past year, Forbes said.

Forbes listed James' earnings at $48 million, up $5 million from the previous year, and ranked him No. 2 behind only Winfrey in terms of media visibility. Forbes said its formula includes pretax income for the year ending media visibility and social media power through Facebook and Twitter.

Tennis star Roger Federer was 25th on the list, placing him fourth among athletes.

The Heat had two of the top 100, with Dwyane Wade (No. 57) joining James. And the New York Yankees also had two mentions, with Alex Rodriguez at No. 49 and Derek Jeter at No. 69, tying him with actress Julia Roberts.

Other sports figures on the list: David Beckham and Phil Mickelson (tied at No. 35), Cristiano Ronaldo (No. 43), Rafael Nadal (No. 46), Tom Brady (No. 55), Dwight Howard (No. 59), Lionel Messi (No. 62), Peyton Manning (No. 72), Maria Sharapova (No. 80), Serena Williams (No. 84), Venus Williams (No. 86) and Danica Patrick (No. 96).

Combined, Forbes said the 19 athletes on the list this year earned a combined $647 million.

Among those from the sports world who were ranked in 2010 but fell off the most recent Forbes celebrity list were Michael Jordan (20th in 2010), Floyd Mayweather (31st), Shaquille O'Neal (52nd), Manny Pacquiao (55th) and Lance Armstrong (65th).

Source: mercurynews.com

When Manny Pacquiao speaks, a nation listens -- Telegraph

By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk

Pacquiao is the only boxer in the 150-year history of boxing to hold world titles in eight weight divisions. His contests are watched at home with a level of idolatry bordering obsession by 70 per cent of the 100 million Filipino population.

However, Pacquiao insists that “the biggest fight in my life is how to end poverty in my country.” He means business, too. The little man from South East Asia, standing 5ft 6ins in his cotton socks, and who weighs 10st 7lb, has risen from pauper to a prince of pugilism. Not since Muhammad Ali has one boxer had such a galvanising social impact worldwide.

He was elected to Congress as a politician in 2010 and, in this week, has made his first serious challenge to the reigning president over condom use.

There are two major issues in The Philippines. Interference from the Catholic church and corruption. A political mire straddles both fields.

Pacquiao’s rise into politics was phenomenal, on a wave of local word of mouth support. He ousted a family dynasty which had ruled politically in Sarangani for three generations, and won a landslide victory. His has become a great orator in his native dialect, and in tagalog.

It is enshrined in law that armed national military guards protect Pacquiao’s residence 24/7 in General Santos City, such is his standing nationally. He carried the flag for his country at the Opening Ceremony at the Olympic Games in Beijing; he head is etched onto postage stamp; and his title as ‘The National Fist’ has been accepted into the vernacular.

The only comparison I can come up with of equal status in the UK would be, say, a figure who incorporates the sporting popularity of David Beckham, the quasi-feverish adoration of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, combined with the rock star status of a modern music icon who is afforded leeway and a degree of freedom.

His vices are a penchant for gambling at baccarat, and gambling at cock-fighting.

Perhaps in some crass way, encouraging a generation to go and have tribes of children could create a ‘Pacquiao generation’, which, in a couple of decades, would vote in the glorious new leader. There are those who believe Pacquiao is a nailed-down future President of that country within a decade. There is definitely the sense with some Filipinos that Pacquiao would have made the perfect revolutionary grass-roots leader in another age.

Granville Ampong, a respected Filipino writer on politics and history, based in Los Angeles, told me last year that Pacquiao for many, embodies the spirit of the ‘Maharlikan’, the original tribe which occupied the islands in the south china seas before the invasions of the Spanish, and Americans.

Ampong said: “The early life of Manny Pacquiao serves as a paradigm shift to show people what life can really be like. Manny launched himself in US as part of The American Dream, but seen in the context of The Philippines, he has become an icon for Filipinos, not just for their future dreams, but for future generations to look up to. Manny bridges the generations.”

There is the suggestion that each time Manny fights, he has a soothing affect on the ills of the nation. Muslim insurgents lay down their arms against the national army in a truce when he fights. Yet he also represents the strength of the Catholic faith.

“Other than inspiration, he has great spirituality. You can see men, women, children, beggars with tears in their eyes because they can see an icon they have been dreaming of for so long. The Philippines has lost the essence of being a true Maharlikan nation. Long before the Spanish conquered the island [and renamed it after the Spanish royal Felipe] the Maharlikans were a great nation. The spirit of the Maharlikan was imbued with a sense of royalty, and one of divinity.

"Manny has that parallel in his life. He is a genuine real national hero.”

Pacquiao has already involved himself politically, for example, in US-Filipino relations. US President Barack Obama watched Pacquiao’s latest fight in Las Vegas two weeks ago, after the world’s leading boxer and his wife Jinkee had a pow-wow in the White House with the leading man. Pacquiao called it “one of the highlights” of his life, but he also used the visit to press home a point about US-Filipino import/export relations in the textile industry. And it worked, with the law having changed with benefit to both countries. It is said that it has made an impact on 400,000 Filipinos involved in that country’s textile industry. Pacquiao’s generosity knows no bounds.

Huge queues form outside his house for handouts when he returns from his multi-million dollar earning contests in the United States. “There is a welfare state in the Philippines,” explained Bob Arum, the veteran boxing promoter who oversees the fighter’s career, and who once promoted Muhammad Ali. “It’s called Manny Pacquiao.”

When Pacquiao speaks, a nation listens.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Marquez signs deal to fight Pacquiao Nov. 12 -- Los Angeles Times

By Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times

Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez Wednesday officially signed a contract to fight Manny Pacquiao for a third time Nov. 12, most likely in Las Vegas, said Todd duBoef, the president of Pacquiao's promotional company, Top Rank.

Marquez and Pacquiao fought to a 2004 draw, then battled to a split-decision won by Pacquiao in 2008. Part three of the trilogy appears destined for MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, with Pacquiao's World Boxing Organization welterweight belt on the line.

Pacquiao, considered the world's top pound-for-pound boxer, has proceeded to dominate the likes of Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto since edging Marquez. His three consecutive unanimous decisions over Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley have been landslides.

Meanwhile, Marquez has lost only to the far bigger and unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. since his narrow Pacquiao loss, ascending to become world lightweight champion and insisting his style will give Pacquiao fits.

A 144-pound catch weight has been agreed upon.

"I like the fight, how can you not after the first two fights?" said DuBoef, who supervised Marquez's signing at the Beverly Hills Hotel. "The thing I like best about this one is that the fans are encouraged by it.

"These guys have fought like gladiators over the course of their last 24 rounds together, and I believe we have another 12 more like that ahead of us."

Marquez will receive a guaranteed $5 million, plus an unspecified "upside" of pay-per-view sales. Pacquiao's U.S. business advisor met with Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum Tuesday, and the Filipino star boxer will likely sign his deal -- likely to be in the $20-million guaranteed neighborhood -- later this month in the Philippines.

Marquez's signing triggers what will likely be a compelling battle to televise the bout between Showtime -- which televised Pacquiao-Mosley on May 7 -- and the fighter's former home network, HBO.

Rumors abound in the industry that HBO executives were extremely displeased to lose the Pacquiao fight, ramping up pressure on HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg to land Pacquiao-Marquez.

An HBO spokesman told The Times Wednesday that Greenburg was not available to comment about the network's interest in Pacquiao-Marquez.

Showtime, which has yet to announce the number of pay-per-view buyers it drew for Pacquiao-Mosley, has proven to Arum "they can perform."

"We will evaluate whoever is providing the most assets in the publicizing and promotion of the event," Arum said Wednesday.

Arum said he won't use Pacquiao-Marquez to get other premium network fight dates, and said, "Whoever offers me dates is out. My job is to maximize the revenue for these two fighters, period."

Negotiations for Pacquiao-Marquez also included a Monday session that placed Arum and Golden Boy Chief Executive Richard Schaefer at the same table for the first time in several months, and the rivals who haven't staged a fight together in two years emerged conciliatory rather than still divisive, DuBoef said.

"It's good to have positive dialogue and not allow negative banter -- backstabbing, talking about each other to the media -- to take over," DuBoef said. "Positive interaction is encouraging. You crawl before you walk. I hope we can do business together again, we want a more healthy environment, and that brief interaction represents the first steps."

Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com

Mayweather to Pacquiao - "Just take the test" -- 8CountNews

By Brad Cooney, 8CountNews.com

Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr in a recent 8 part video interview conducted by FightHype.com showed the fans his robe and boots that he had already designed for the fight Vs. Manny Pacquiao. Mayweather says that he was under the impression that the fight was a go. Floyd tells the fans that he had agreed to his end of the bargain, but that Pacquiao never did.

The 8 part video interview does shed some light on Mayweather's side of things. 8CN gives all sides a fair shake, so we will give credit where credit is due and report what Floyd had to say during the interview.

Throughout the interview Mayweather on more than one occasion said, "Just take the test." This of course meaning that Pacquiao take random blood tests up to the day of the fight. The video interview gives boxing fans an opportunity to see Floyd away from boxing and in a more relaxed type of atmosphere. The multiple part interview gave Mayweather an opportunity to clear some things up that according to Floyd were misreported.

8CN has reported on more than one occasion that Floyd has indeed helped the homeless folks in Vegas and that he has done good charity work. This being said, we also reported on the arrests that were made on him, and his rants on Twitter and YouTube. Nobody is perfect, and Floyd is a human being just like the rest of us are.

Floyd has said some hateful things toward Filipinos in the past, so he will have quite a bit of damage control to do in order to regain some of their respect. That being said, it's not too late for Floyd to do what he has to do in order to regain a lot of support that he has lost over the past few years.

In the video interview, the fans do get to see a more relaxed and much less cocky Floyd Mayweather Jr. There is no doubt that Floyd knows how to sell tickets, and he plays the bad guy role like no other. Hopefully he can get the legal issues behind him, and we can get back to focusing on boxing again.

8CN will be reaching out to Team Pacquiao in the VERY near future for their side of things.

Source: 8countnews.com