PACQUIAO DENIES HE FIRED KONCZ -- PhilBoxing

By Ronnie Nathanielsz, PhilBoxing.com

Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao has denied the widely circulated story that he had fired adviser Michael Koncz.

In a wide-ranging, light-hearted conversation filled with hearty laughter at his MP Towers office in Manila in the presence of lawyer Jeng Gacal and Team Pacquiao member Eric Pineda, Pacquiao told the Daily Inquirer the report that he fired Koncz “is not true.”

Then, in a light vein he pointed at lawyer Gacal and with a hearty laugh in which the others joined said “only Jeng Gacal made up that story.” Pacquiao quickly retracted saying “no, that’s not true. I’m just kidding.”

When the Inquirer contacted Koncz last week inquiring about a story peddled by a Pacquiao team member that he had been replaced by a lady identified as Stephanny Domingo, Koncz said it was not true and that he had spoken to Manny and would return soon from the US. He claimed that "these intrigues happen when I am away.”

Pacquiao clarified that Domingo was appointed as a personal assistant to handle his appointments and similar matters and that Koncz “is coming back next week. That is what he told me the last time I spoke to him.”

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who is vacationing in the south of France and works closely with Koncz on Pacquiao's fights told the Inquirer that Koncz doesn't work for Top Rank but is an asset in resolving issues related to Pacquiao's fights. He said he had advised Koncz whom he described as being loyal to Manny and someone who looked after his interests to return to Manila immediately.

Pacquiao said he would like to ensure that bickering and intrigues within his camp are eradicated adding “I want them to be happy and to laugh.”

Turning serious Pacquiao said he watched the one round knockout of Likar Ramos by Juan Manuel Marquez whom he fights in a much-awaited trilogy on November 12 said “I know what his strengths are and I know what his strategy is. He’s got nothing different, nothing new.”

In contrast Pacquiao said “I am different now compared to the last time we fought. He has to train hard and of course I will also train hard so we can give fans a good fight.”

The “Fighter of the Decade” who has won eight world titles in eight different weight divisions said he plans to start his training in the Philippines “for the first month and the last month in the US” at the Wild Card Gym of trainer Freddie Roach.

He disclosed that Marquez is scheduled to arrive in Manila on September 3 to kickoff the media tour at the Luneta Grandstand of the Rizal Park followed by a press conference.

Pacquiao at the same time commended newly crowned WBO flyweight champion Brian Viloria saying “he did his best to win the fight and showed us a good fight.However, he seemed to tire out in the last few rounds which meant he was short on stamina. But he did well in that fight. He needs to practice in making boxing easier that what we think.”

He said that while boxing “is so hard and so difficult, there is a way to make that easier. When you have a fight you have to study the style of your opponent and when you train you apply the strategy you are going to use against your opponent while training in the gym.”

Source: philboxing.com

Roger Mayweather Says Amir Khan and Manny Pacquiao Both on Steroids -- Bad Left Hook

By Scott Christ, BadLeftHook.com

It's kind of like Roger Mayweather, who is currently part of a defamation suit with Manny Pacquiao on the other side, never learns. In an interview with Chris Robinson of the Examiner, Mayweather again claimed that Pacquiao is "on steriods," and threw Amir Khan into the claim, too:

"The only reason Amir Khan has become the fighter he is, is because he’s got those steroids in his ass too. The same thing Pacquiao’s got in him. I know because those motherf***ers told me," Roger retorted.

Bold accusations but to know Roger you shouldn’t be surprised. Pressing him for more details on who exactly was dishing out the info to him, he claims to have gotten close to a few members from Team Pacquiao.

"Motherf***ers from Pacquiao’s camp, that’s who. I talk to them dudes all the time."

I will say two things for the millionth time each:

1.Roger Mayweather says a lot of things.
2.No, it wouldn't shock me. Sorry if that offends you, but no it wouldn't shock me.

Besides sharing trainer Freddie Roach, Pacquiao and Khan both share conditioning coach Alex Ariza. That is not to say I think there's anything going on, but if you're going to accuse Pacquiao, as Roger has done many times over, then I guess you might as well accuse Khan, too. Same team. Be consistent, I guess.

Mayweather also favors Zab Judah to beat Khan on Saturday, and says there are no hard feelings between he and the Judah camp, with whom he brawled during Zab's fight against Floyd Jr in 2006.

Source: badlefthook.com

AMIR KHAN: I'M MORE OF A MANNY THAN ZAB JUDAH IS -- UK Express

By John Dillon, Express.co.uk

AMIR KHAN believes his ­experiences learning from the great Manny Pacquiao will give him the speed, power and the critical knowledge of southpaw opposition to end Zab Judah’s comeback.

Amid the acrimonious build-up to the light-welterweight world-title bout in Las Vegas on Saturday, Amir Khan’s trainer Freddie Roach has claimed that his fighter is hitting harder than ever.

It is the result of some intense workouts with sparring partners drafted in to mimic the style of 33-year-old Judah, who is a lefty. And also of Khan’s past work with the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter, the southpaw Filipino Pacquiao.

Roach has also instigated a new physical conditioning regime which has included gruelling sessions running in sand along with work in the pool, now that Khan has finally learned to swim.

Khan, 24, puts the WBA belt he has defended four times in the past two years on the line against Judah, the IBF champion, at the Mandalay Bay resort on The Strip.

“Zab is up there with the best fighters I’ve faced,” said Khan. “He’s a five-time world champion and a two-weight world champion. He has that southpaw style, which is very awkward. But I don’t think he will be able to take the pressure of my speed and power.

“We were lucky to be sparring with Manny Pacquiao in previous camps. He’s probably the most powerful southpaw and that was a great help for me. We’ve also been watching on tape a few things that Zab does and where he makes mistakes, so I know exactly what his style is like.”

Both fighters took part in official arrival ceremonies at the venue hotel yesterday, although Judah is refusing to speak directly to the British media following a row with the Khan camp over TV revenues from the UK. Judah has won five world titles in the light-welterweight and welterweight divisions. He first won the IBF belt 11 years ago and claimed it back when he stopped Kaizer Mabuza in the seventh round in March.

Roach, however, who guides the careers of Khan and Pacquiao at his Wild Card gym in Hollywood, believes the Englishman is in shape to deliver a repeat of his victory over Argentinian Marcos Maidana last December, which was voted Fight of the Year by American boxing writers.

Roach said: “I will have to buy a new body bag for protection against his punches. Amir is really hurting me, digging me in the ribs – but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Khan has been reunited with conditioner Alex Ariza after a brief break-up and has also been joined by two of his gym-mates, Rau’shee Warren and Raynell Williams, in the pool.

Roach said: “When the sparring partners went swimming with Amir, one swallowed so much water he sunk like a rock and the other one just sunk.

“But they both came back from the session saying they were going to learn to swim as well as Amir can – and he has only just started. It’s the same in the gym. They tried to do his programme but could not believe anyone could get through so much work.”

Khan v Judah will be broadcast live on Primetime pay-per-view, channel 480 on Sky, for £14.95.

Source: express.co.uk

Khan hits back at Mayweather drug 'nonsense' after attack by Floyd's uncle -- Daily Mail

By Jeff Powell, DailyMail.co.uk

Amir Khan has hit back angrily at allegations that he has used steroids to boost his climb through boxing’s weight divisions.

The uncle of Floyd Mayweather Jnr, who Khan hopes to meet in a mega-fight next year, has linked Britain’s world light-welterweight champion to the family’s claims that Manny Pacquiao’s ascent to become the best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet has been achieved by drug abuse.

Roger Mayweather voiced suspicions because Khan is in the same stable as Pacquiao under master trainer Freddie Roach.

Khan, 24, said: ‘I’ve consistently proved that I am a clean fighter. This is nonsense. I’ve been tested repeatedly in my career, before and after fights, at home and my base in Los Angeles.

Don’t forget that I came through the Olympics (in 2004) where testing is very thorough. I’ve never refused the test, even though I could have done so when I received an unannounced knock on the door a month after my last fight against Paul McCloskey.’

Khan was so upset that he passed on concerns heard in America about Mayweather himself. He said: ‘It’s not for me to say but quite a few people over here wondered if Floyd was on something when he fought Oscar De La Hoya because he suddenly looked so much bigger.’

Khan is here for a world title unification fight with American Zab Judah on Saturday, and trainer Roach also ridiculed the allegations.

Roach said: ‘I would question Roger Mayweather’s education about steroids, first of all. This is nothing more than hearsay. I can promise you that none of my fighters, Amir and Manny included, have ever been to the drugs chemist.’

While the world is gagging to see Mayweather fight Pacquiao, differences between the two have opened up the possibility of Khan getting his shot at the boastful American next year. But first he must deal with Judah, 33, a fellow world-title holder.

And Roach believes his fighters have a good chance if a bout with Mayweather does take place: ‘We are not looking beyond Judah but I am in the position of having two boxers who are capable of beating Mayweather.’

Source: dailymail.co.uk

Advisor talks to Pacquiao, insists he isn't fired -- Ring

By Lem Satterfield, The Ring

After speaking with eight-division titleholder Manny Pacquiao moments ago, Michael Koncz, the fighter's adviser, dismissed a widely reported rumor in the Filipino press that Pacquiao had fired him.

"I called Manny and told him that the media is calling me and bombarding me with questions about my being fired,” Koncz told RingTV.com. “I told him that 'I want your permission to respond to them by saying that I personally spoke to you a few minutes ago and that the accusations and stories on the internet are totally untrue, and that I still work for you.’

"And he said, 'Yes, of course.' It was a very short conversation that took about a minute.”

Koncz, a partner in Pacquiao's MP Promotions, has been labeled by some of Pacquiao's own camp members as being a "crook."

But Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, called Koncz "an honest guy."

"Michael is very valuable and he's a guy who looks out for Manny 100 percent. My feelings about Michael are that he's got Manny's best interest at heart," Arum said. "Michael accounts for every nickel, and he chases us to make sure that every nickel is paid.

"Does he have the best personality to handle a lot of situations? No. But he's an honest guy. That's what Manny needs more than anything else -- an honest representative."

In February, as part of a press tour promotion Pacquiao's May 7 fight against Shane Mosley, Koncz sat across from Pacquiao and the fighter's wife, Jinkee, during a train ride from New York to Washington, D.C..

That leg of the tour had followed a New York press conference at Chelsea Pier No. 61, the third stop in a four-city tour.

Pointing at Koncz, Pacquiao said, "Michael Koncz is trustworthy," and "honest," adding that he considered Koncz to be his personal confidant as well as his personal assistant.

"What irritates me more is that I've worked very hard to gain Manny's trust and respect. But more importantly than that, with people making false stories and accusations on my behalf, what bothers me the most is that insults Manny's intelligence," Koncz said.

"If I was the bad guy doing all of these things that people are alleging, then why would Manny keep me around? Manny is a very intelligent man, and he knows for himself who is doing what for him and who is not doing it."

In July of 2010, the aftermath of a second-round knockout by then-WBO featherweight titleholder Juan Manuel Lopez of Filipino Bernabe Concepcion got ugly for Koncz.

Koncz was blasted by members of the Filipino media who believed he had been responsible for pushing Concepcion into a fight that was beyond his ability to win.

In additon, Koncz has been accused of trying to get rid of Freddie Roach and Alex Ariza, Pacquiao’s longtime trainer and fitness coach.

"I'm sure that I can speculate as to who the source is, and I'm sure that my speculation would be accurate, but, you know, the bottom line is that I do not care about the people who do this. My obligation and my loyalties are to Manny Pacquiao, and that's what I demonstrate," Koncz said.

"Manny has promised me that when and if there is a day where he feels that he cannot trust me, or doesn't need me, he will come to me personally and tell me that. If that happens, then we will shake hands and say, 'OK, goodbye.' It's very simple. But this is not the first time people have tried to put wedges between Manny and I when I'm apart from him."

And Koncz knows that it probably will not be the last.

Source: ringtv.craveonline.com

Manny Pacquiao Will Lose: Juan Manuel Marquez Eyes Upset -- Ringside Report

By Geno McGahee, Ringside Report

A booming right hand sent Likar Ramos down and out in just 1 minute and 47 seconds of the first round. Ramos, a huge underdog going into the fight, hoped to spoil the mega fight between Marquez and Manny Pacquiao in November, but those hopes were crushed shortly in Mexico by the skilled warrior.

Marquez, 53-5-1, 39 KO’s, has come the closest to beating the Manny Pacquiao, 53-3-2, 38 KO’s, in recent times, losing a split decision in their rematch in 2008, and fought him to a draw in their first encounter. He wears a shirt that says that he is the man that beat Pacquiao on two occasions and hopes to use his skill to control the Filipino storm that will be hitting him in November.

At 37, Marquez is not at the top of his game any longer and seems to be a few steps slower then he used to be, but he has made up for his diminishing reflexes with his amazing skill and ability to control the fight. His inability to avoid some punches makes him more vulnerable to Pacquiao, but Manny isn’t the fighter he was either, slowing down several steps in recent fights. He’s more powerful than ever, but he isn’t the same. What this means is that we are in for some fun in November.

Manny has been feasting on bigger men in recent times like Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito, and Shane Mosley, and that may hurt him going into this fight as he gears to face a naturally smaller man. Many are pointing to the performance that Marquez gave against Floyd Mayweather, JR., as evidence that he has no chance to defeat Manny, but styles make fights, and there was no way that Marquez could beat a much bigger counter puncher, especially when he is forced to be the aggressor, which he is not. He’s a counter puncher himself and Pacquiao’s aggression is going to bring out the best in Marquez. He will be able to use his style to compete, but can he defeat Pacquiao?

The first two fights were incredibly close, but there is no indication from those two outings that Marquez can do anything other than to fight Manny evenly to the final bell. He fought a game of survival, waiting for Manny to make a mistake and land his shots. He has done this but he has never put Pacquiao in a position where he was close to being stopped. Marquez’s attack against Manny is controlled. He fights enough to keep Manny at bay, but will he risk it all to try to beat and batter Pacquiao into submission?

In November, if Manny is to lose, Marquez must bring more fire to this fight and must push the issue when he lands his shots. Pacquiao’s plan is going to be to squash the smaller man, and this will give Marquez the opportunity to shine or be blown out. We’ll find out in November.

Source: ringsidereport.com

Juan Manuel Marquez: Pushing Pacquiao! -- Eastside Boxing

By P.H. Burbridge, Eastside Boxing

The goal of every professional fighter is to attain status. To achieve a certain level of respectability not only amongst your contemporaries but amongst fight fans. Juan Manuel Marquez has done that. His career has seen him reach stunning heights as well as suffer major set backs but through it all he has remained committed to his profession. At 37 years of age he is in no man’s land for professional fighters. It’s an age that very few active boxers ever see and even fewer actually retain any semblance of the skill that made them relevant in the first place.

Marquez is one of the exceptions. He has outlasted his contemporaries and is still considered one of the elite of the day. “Dinamita’s” staying power is reflective of a man who is dedicated to his craft and who pushes the limits of his body and his soul. He is also the one guy who stylistically matches up very well against the reigning P4P King, Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao and for that reason he’s been granted an opportunity 3 years after their last meeting to once again try and push Pacquiao!

The question is does Marquez have enough left at this stage to apply his technical advantages or will he simply be out worked or even possibly knocked out…? There are a whole lot of people dismissing this match up but I’m not comfortable being one of them considering the history between these two. Its true that Manny is younger, stronger and faster which is a bad combination but Pacquiao also held those very same advantages in their first two meetings. Some how, some way Marquez was able to will himself to perform at a level that others could not and in doing so established in the minds of many that he may just be Manny Pacquiao’s kryptonite. Everyone has that one guy who for whatever reason whether it be timing, distance or execution simply gives him hell every time out. It’s a weird boxing phenomenon that plays out every generation. No matter how many times Ali fought Norton he would always struggle with him. Well, many people believe that Marquez is THAT guy to Pacquiao.

In this case, obviously Marquez is considerably older in fighter years than in their previous bouts back in 2004 & 2008. He’s also lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr in clear and decisive fashion as well as engaged in two wars against Juan Diaz and Michael Katsidis. Is there enough wear and tear on his aged body to make this an easy fight for Manny…? Yes and no! On November 12th, Juan Manuel Marquez will be 38 years old when he finally steps back into the ring with Manny Pacquiao but with him comes the mind set of a fighter who honestly believes that he’s the superior technician who has already beaten Pacquiao…Twice! Whether you believe that or not Marquez seems to and for a fighter that’s a very valuable asset. There are some positive aspects to point to if you’re inclined to be optimistic about Marquez’s chances. The Pacquiao - Mosley fight oddly enough gives Marquez reason to believe that he can neutralize at least to a certain extent Manny’s offensive fire power by employing angles and using lateral movement. Sure, it sounds easy in theory but it’s a little more difficult to apply when you’re using 38 year old equipment. Shane fought in a very defensive minded manner after being knocked down by Manny in the 3rd round but was able to survive by stepping side to side and turning Pacquiao. That tactic was the same used by Marquez in their two previous meetings the difference being that he was actually able to land many counter shots as well. Marquez is used to people attacking him and has nearly perfected the style of using his opponent’s aggression against them. He’ll attempt to do the same thing here.

The difference lies in Manny Pacquiao’s recent increase in size and strength. In their previous 2 fights it never appeared to me that Manny was too strong for JMM or in other words, Marquez was able to absorb some tremendous shots and still continue. It’s not clear whether he can do that now considering the manner in which Pacquiao has moved up especially when you consider the results of his fights against bigger stronger foes like Cotto and Margarito. Manny is a fighter who has not only carried his power up but appears to have increased it. That is not the norm so Marquez may be entering into a bit of the unknown here. IF, and trust me there is no bigger “IF” Marquez can deal with Manny’s power then this will be a very difficult fight for Pacquiao. It sounds strange considering the run that he’s been on but in boxing terms Juan Manuel Marquez is superior to every single one of Manny’s recent opponents including Miguel Cotto. We’re not talking strictly boxing IQ here we’re also talking physically and mentally superior. The one thing he doesn’t have is the size but Marquez is still capable of maintaining a world class light weight pace in terms of his punch out put as well as his stamina. This combined with the fact that Manny has been facing bigger, SLOWER and less technically proficient fighters of late could tip the balance somewhat in Marquez’s favor making this closer in reality then it would appear to be on paper.

My sense is that Manny will not look as fast as he has against the likes of Margarito or Mosley because he’ll be fighting a quick handed lightweight in Marquez. Now, this doesn’t mean the results will be any different.

I’m not willing to say that this is a fight Marquez will win because you have to favor Pacquiao but I ‘am willing to say that I wouldn’t be surprised if Manny’s stature is somewhat diminished when all is said and done. The longer Marquez is in there with Pacquiao the more interesting it will be. JMM will land shots and to a certain extent re-expose technical flaws in Manny that many have forgotten about due to all his recent success. Remember that Manny has been fighting opponents who were tailor made for his style and who were also affected by certain contractual terms that won’t be an issue for Marquez. Part of the reason Marquez has had to wait to get this rubber match was the nature of the challenge which Freddie Roach correctly determined was serious enough to delay this fight by opting to take on name fighters whose style’s played more into Manny’s hands. Financially, it was the right thing to do and you can’t argue with their success however if you review Pacquiao’s recent opponents none of them were P4P entrants or had been on a winning streak. Marquez is the exception and although he failed against Mayweather I don’t think you can paint him with that brush just from a stylistic perspective. Marquez is a counter puncher first and foremost and he ran into the quintessential counter puncher with other worldly defensive talent. His opportunities to counter were so limited that it was doubtful that he could have any success which is what we expected and exactly what took place. Plus he was taken advantage of by Mayweather in terms of the weight agreement. The circumstances surrounding that fight pretty much all negatively impacted the Marquez side.

That’s not the case with the upcoming fight with Manny.

Pacquiao will offer him many opportunities to counter and will be there to be hit. Obviously, by the same token Pacquiao’s power is a HUGE issue for Marquez because if he’s expecting it to be on the same scale as in their previous two bouts then I think he’s in for a rude awakening.

Now, more than ever I think there is a good possibility that Manny knocks JMM out.

There’s a good chance that the age combined with Manny’s increase in strength will be too much for JMM and we’ll get the fight that most anticipate.

But, one thing we’ve learned is that Marquez knows how to fight Pacquiao and aside from Mayweather if anyone is capable of pushing him to the limit it’s probably him!

(Please feel free to contact P.H. Burbridge via email at PHBboxing@gmail.com with any comments or feedback.)

Source: eastsideboxing.com

President of HBO Sports Leaving After 33 Years -- New York Times

By RICHARD SANDOMIR, The New York Times

Ross Greenburg, who has run HBO Sports since 2000, is leaving the network after 33 years, saying he is fatigued by his work on its boxing business.

He said he was not renewing his contract and was not being dismissed.

“I’ve accomplished everything I hoped for,” he said in a telephone interview.

He denied reports that he was fired for losing Manny Pacquiao, one of HBO’s strongest pay-per-view stars, to Showtime for his fight on May 7 against Shane Mosley.

“That’s a silly rationale,” he said. “That added to my angst, but one fight doesn’t determine whether I stayed or didn’t stay.

“I lived through the loss of Chavez and Tyson,” he said, referring to Julio Cesar Chavez and Mike Tyson, and he added, “I’ve been through a lot of wearing negotiations.”

He said that he was not renewing his contract, which was expiring soon, and that he had been thinking of leaving HBO for the last three months.

Richard Plepler, the co-president of HBO, and Michael Lombardo, the president of HBO programming, said in a statement that Greenburg “helped redefine the sports programming genre and set an extraordinary standard of excellence in the industry.”

Greenburg, 56, became the executive producer of HBO Sports in 1985 and followed Seth Abraham as its president 11 years ago. Greenburg created the “Real Sports,” “24/7” and “Hard Knocks” series, and he oversaw production of dozens of documentaries.

His last deal for HBO was a collaboration with Major League Baseball Productions on a documentary about Derek Jeter’s 3,000th hit, to be shown soon.

Greenburg has won 51 Sports Emmys and 8 Peabody Awards.

“That’s who I am,” he said, referring to programming other than boxing matches. “I create programming that makes people laugh and cry.”

Greenburg said that the toll of dealing with promoters and managers made him want to leave. One promoter in particular, Bob Arum, has criticized HBO and Greenburg, saying they exert too much control over boxing and do not make the most competitive matchups.

Arum’s displeasure with HBO led Pacquiao, whom he promotes, to fight on Showtime Pay-Per-View, which got a marketing assist from CBS’s heavy promotion. “The problem HBO Sports got into,” Arum said in May, “is they became defenders of the status quo.”

The bout generated a reported 1.3 million to 1.4 million pay-per-view purchases.

Greenburg would not discuss Arum or his criticism.

“I love the sport; I grew up in it,” Greenburg said. “We made the sport relevant when people thought it was dying.” He cited HBO’s productions of Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya’s bouts as having helped to breathe life into boxing.

He said that the speculation that HBO’s loss of Pacquiao, a huge pay-per-view attraction, would cause his firing demonstrated that “the boxing media can be really mean-spirited and they look for items to bury people.”

Source: nytimes.com

Marquez unloads Mexican dynamite, calls for war with Pacquiao Nov. 12 -- Examiner

By Michael Marley, Examiner.com

One minute, 47 seconds of the first round.

Promoter Bob Arum could not have scripted it better as Juan Manuel Marquez, age 37 but still a dangerous counterpuncher, used one countering right hand to blast out Colombian southpaw Likar Ramos (now 24-4) in the opening round of their scheduled 10 round junior welterweight bout in Cancun.

Now it's on to the big bonanza, the third bout between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Ma, on Nov. 12 in Las Vegas.

This KO 1 certainly lights match to the promotion for the trilogy bout.

"Dinamita" Marquez extended his Hall of Fame pro record to 53-5-1 and notched his 39th knockout.

"I happened to get a great punch on him and he couldn't take it, sometimes that is the way fights go," Marquez said.

"I will prepare well for Pacquiao and I want him to do that also. We can give the fans a war. (Floyd) Mayweather is so defensive a fighter...but with Pacquiao, it's going to be a war," Marquez said.

Marquez weighed 138 pounds for this bout.

Los Hermanos Marquez, Juan Manuel and Rafael, topped a festive boxing show Saturday night at the Plaza de Toros in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Juan Ma fought the main event against Likar Ramos in what was scripted as strictly a tuneup, and hopefully not a tuneout, for the third bout between Juan Ma and Pinoy Idol Manny Pacquiao.

With a guaranteed $5 million payday for the trilogy bout against Pacman, the 37 year old Juan Ma took the calculated risk against southpaw Ramos to prep for lefthanded Manny.

A treat on the undercard was the showing of the son of former great world champion Ricardo “Finito” Lopez fighting another boxer with the same last name.

Familia Marquez got the fistic evening at the bullring in Cancun off to a good start as Rafael “Raffa” Marquez, still fighting at age 36, had his way from start to finish in a “stay busy” bout against Eduard Becceril.

Becceril, now 12-8-2, was just a glorified sparring partner against Raffa, who improved his pro ring record to 40-6 with 36 knockouts.

Marquez played with Becceril, who had great former world champ Lupe Pintor working his corner, for the first three rounds and then floored him in the fourth with a sweet left hook.

A round later, Becceril landed some decent punches of his own. But he was still taking a bunch of head punches.

But, suddenly, the great Senor Pintor in Becceril’s corner halted the mismatch.

Marquez may never attain another world title but he’s still a viable top echelon featherweight contender. The fact that Raffa is still competing after he split those four ring wars against archrival Israel Vazauez is just short of amazing.

Last November, Raffa was stopped after eight full rounds by Puerto Rico’s wunderkind, Juan Manuel Lopez.

Becceril lost his first two pro bouts and then reeled off 13 successive victories. He was, however, 2-4 in his six prior bouts.

Source: examiner.com

The punch was great the acting was better -- 8CountNews

By Brad Cooney, 8CountNews.com

The boxing world has been on a moral roller coaster ride for the past few weeks and last night's fight in Mexico did nothing to stop the ride. Recently up in New Jersey a trio of judges were given pink slips by the NJ Commissioner for incompetence. Cuban star Erislandy Lara as a result of, let's face it folks, piss poor judging, was robbed of a brilliant victory over the former world champion Paul "The Punisher" Williams.

This past Friday night the sport bounced back and we all witnessed a thrilling classic war between Polish bruiser Pawel Wolak and Danbury CT' Delvin Rodriguez. The two fighters went to battle and provided the fans with action packed, back and forth action from the beginning bell to the ending bell. After the fight, ESPN's Teddy Atlas thanked both men for doing the sport proud.

Last night in Mexico the legendary Juan Manuel Marquez entered the ring for his so called tune up fight Vs. Likar Ramos. When the bell rang for the 1st round both fighters circled a bit and a few punches were exchanged, none of which really mattered. Marquez circled and threw a straight right hand that did indeed land right on the chin of Ramos. It was a good clean punch, but the acting afterward was better. Ramos fell backward and braced himself for the fall. He braced himself for the fall and once on the floor he then decided to go to sleep? Looked a little suspect to this writer.

Ramos sprawled himself out on the floor, eyes squeezed shut, arms laid out wide. The fans can decide on this one. It is what it is and so now we go forward and get ready for Marquez Vs. Pacquiao.

There are some promoters throughout the land that would not pay a fighter for taking a dive. Did Ramos take a dive last night? That's certainly the buzz this morning as both fans and scribes would really like to know. And so the ride continues, and all we as boxing fans can hope for is that the next stop will be similar to what Rodriguez and Wolak did on Friday night.

Source: 8countnews.com