Khan hits back at his critics -- ESPN

ESPN staff

Amir Khan has hit back at those who have suggested that he is cherry-picking his opponents by insisting there is no-one he will not take on.

The WBA light-welterweight champion defends his belt against Paulie Malignaggi - not a man renowned for his ferocious punching power - on May 15th in his first bout in America.

He has come in for criticism ahead of that fight - most notably from unbeaten Brit Kevin Mitchell, who has accused Khan of ducking his challenge. "I don't think the fight will happen as he sees me as too much of a threat," Mitchell said.

"He will keep picking the easy fights like he has done with Paulie Malignaggi, who couldn't crack an egg with a brick. Amir doesn't want to fight anyone who can punch."

Questions about Khan's in-ring durability surfaced after he was knocked out after 54 seconds by iron-fisted Colombian Breidis Prescott, his only loss in 23 professional fights.

Khan has acknowledged that he had a vulnerability earlier in his career, but he insists that trainer Freddie Roach has helped him eradicate any flaws - and that he will fight all comers.

"Whoever wants to fight me, just tell them to line up, I'll fight all of them," Khan said. "I'm ready, I'll hopefully get this guy out of the way and my American debut out the way and then I'll be ready for all the other fighters in the division and we'll just go from there.

"Freddie's a brilliant trainer. Everyone can see the changes in me since I've been with him. We've worked on using the defence at the right time, blocking shots and not taking too many shots. I used to fight using the heart - I had a good boxing brain, but never used it. Freddie has got me using my brains."

In other boxing news, Manny Pacquiao has confirmed that he will re-enter the ring in November. No negotiations are currently taking place with any potential opponents.

© ESPN EMEA Ltd

Source: espn.co.uk

Adviser: 'Manny Pacquiao Wants to Fight Floyd Mayweather' Next -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

Manny Pacquiao clearly wants to fight Floyd Mayweather in his first fight back, for which dates in November have been set aside, his adviser, Michael Koncz, told FanHouse.

"Of course, Manny wants to fight Floyd Mayweather first, because he wants to please the fans. But again, we're not going to do things that are not appropriate or advantageous to Manny to please the fans," said Koncz, who is in the Philippines with Pacquiao, a newly-elected congressional leader in the Saragani province.

"We appreciate his fans, Manny loves the fans, but it's also a business," said Koncz. "Manny gets into the ring and risks his life every time that he fights. So, you know, we also have to be congnizant of the economic side of things."

Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum, CEO of Top Rank, told Boxingscene.com that he has "reserved the date [Nov. 13,] and both the Dallas Cowboys Stadium and MGM Grand in Las Vegas are available."

"The cable systems and the satellite providers have put the date aside for us, so the table is set. Manny can get sworn in at the end of June, then attend the sessions of congress in July," said Arum.

"And as long as he keeps in shape, then he has plenty of time to train for the fight," said Arum. "The first part of his training, Manny may want to train in Baguio City [Philippines,] which worked out nicely for the Miguel Cotto fight, or at the Wild Card Boxing Club [in Hollywood, Calif.] There are a lot of options open."

A Mayweather-Pacquiao bout seemed destined for March 13 at the MGM Grand before talks ground to a halt over the issue of random drug testing for both fighters to be conducted by the United States Anti-Doping Agency.

The fighters had agreed on a 50-50 split of the revenue, as well as eight ounce gloves and a clash at the welterweight (147 pounds) limit rather than a catch weight.

But as a result of the negotiations impasse, the 31-year-old Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 knockouts) used the March 13 date to score a unanimous decision victory over Joshua Clottey (35-4, 20 KOs) at The Dallas Cowboys' Stadium, where he earned $12 million before a crowd of 51,000.

Meanwhile, the 33-year-old, Mayweather Jr. (41-0, 25 KOs) fought 38-year-old, WBA welterweight titlist, Shane Mosley (46-6, 39 KOs), earning a unanimous decision on May 1 at the MGM.

Coming off of those dominating victories, it seems that the next best options -- and the most lucrative for both boxers -- is to fight each other.

"There are no active negotiations, but w're open to negotiations going on. But I believe that in order for this fight to be made, any negotiations must be kept private and not be addressed in the press. Otherwise, this fight will never happen," said Koncz, adding that Arum was in the Philippines to support Pacquiao's campaign run.

"I had that discussion with Bob Arum as I took him to the airport, and he agreed with me," said Koncz. "So, all terms and the conditions that we discuss or negotiate will be kept confidential until or unless the negotiations fall apart. And in the event that fight is made, they will never be disclosed."

A six-time champion over five weight classes, Mayweather earned a non-heavyweight record, $22.5 million purse to Mosley's $7 million, generated 1.4 million per per buys, and earned a career-high, $40 million with the pay per view upside added in.

With that result, there is a perception among observers that Mayweather may seek a higher split of the purse and revenue against Pacquiao.

"They seem to think that he had a spectacular win over Shane Mosley. I mean, he had a win, and it was a decent win. But it doesn't put him in the driver's seat to demand substantially more percentages than Manny," said Koncz.

"Now there's been rumors, or statements attributed to Mayweather -- and whether they're true or not, I don't know -- saying that they deserve the lion's share," said Koncz. "But if they come to the negotiation table with that mindset, the door will close before it opens all the way."

Under which conditions, if any, would Pacquiao consider being randomly drug-tested by the USADA?

"Our position remains the same," said Koncz. "We'll fight anybody anywhere pursuiant to the rules and regulations of the specific commission of the state that we fight in. We're not making concessions. That's the official statement."

If Mayweather-Pacquiao doesn't happen, both fighters are likely to consider their next-best options.

Mayweather might possibly move up against 35-year-old, Argentinian-born, southpaw, Sergio Martinez (45-2-2, 24 KOs), who owns the WBC junior middleweight (154 pounds) crown as well as the WBO and WBC middleweight (160 pounds).

Martinez dethroned Kelly Pavlik (36-2, 32 KOs) last month for the middleweight belts, scoring a unanimous decision before Pavlik's partisan fans in Atlantic City.

Martinez told BoxingScene.com's Rick Reeno that he would like to fight Mayweather, at any weight between 154 to 160-pounds.

Martinez said that he is willing to accept Mayweather's demand for a random Olympic-style drug testing protocol.

"I am willing to fight anyone who is acceptable to HBO. I will leave the opponent to my handlers Sampson Lewkowicz and [promoter] Lou DiBella. But I want to fight Mayweather. It would be honor to fight Mayweather or [Antonio] Margarito. Mayweather is the first [on my list], then Margarito and then Paul Williams," said Martinez.

"Mayweather is the pound for pound best fighter on earth, and whatever Maywaether says, I will accept. It will be an honor to fight him, regardless of the weight," said Martinez. "But it has to be at 154 and up because I can't get below 154. I will not sacrifice my life for any amount of money. I don't mind doing any [drug] tests that he demands, and I will do them with pleasure up until the day of the fight."

For Pacquiao, there is 32-year-old, comebacking, former world champion, Antonio Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs), of Mexico, who is coming off of last Saturday night's 10-round, unanimous, junior middlweight decison over Roberto Garcia (28-3, 21 KOs).

Not only did Margarito's victory end Garcia's five-year, 14-bout unbeaten streak that included 10 knockouts, but also, a nearly 16-month ring exile for the winner.

Margarito (pictured at right, on the right) was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission following a January, 2009, ninth-round knockout loss to Shane Mosley that dethroned him as WBA champion.

The loss was suffered after Mosley's trainer, Naazim Richardson's, discovery of a plaster-like substance in Margarito's gloves that was subsequently removed and confiscated prior to the fight.

"Again, Manny's going to make the final decision, but Margarito's is certainly a style that suits Manny's style. I think that it could be a much, much bigger draw than the Joshua Clottey fight, obviously," said Koncz of a fighter who, like Pacquiao, is promoted by Arum.

"Margarito, despite what happened with the commission, still has huge following," said Koncz. "And I believe that if the fight was in Dallas, Texas, that we probably would come close to selling out the stadium, if not selling it out."

But the fight everyone wants is Mayweather-Pacquiao, and Koncz, the congressman's closest adviser, says Pacquiao wants it as well.

"We're certainly open to discuss it, but we're not going to be bullied into a fight, and we're not going to bow to ludicrous concessions," said Koncz.

"If the Mayweather fight doesn't happen, will Manny retire? Absolutely not," said Koncz. "So it depends on how they come to the negotiations table. But if it doesn't happen, we'll move on to the next fight."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Boxing Wishes Granted: Floyd Mayweather JR – Manny Pacquiao on the Verge & Wladimir Klitschko – David Haye Announcement Looming -- Ringside Report

By Geno McGahee, RingsideReport.com

Why don’t we start with the big news? The fight that everyone wants to see seems to be a fight that both Floyd Mayweather, JR., 41-0, 25 KO’s, and Manny Pacquiao, 51-3-2, 38 KO’s, desperately want at this point. With every bout apart from each other, the public opinion seems to shift. Both men have been impressive and have looked unbeatable, which is why this fight is so important to boxing, history, and the legacy of both fighters.

The rumor mill is spinning quickly and there is consistent talk that this fight will be next, despite the political moves of the Filipino fighter. There has been talk of retirement for Pacquiao, but he has a personal mission to defeat a man that has never known defeat and to stop the man that has thrown allegations his way and tarnished his reputation.

When Floyd Mayweather, JR., left the sport as the pound for pound best, we knew he wouldn’t be away too long and when Manny established himself as the new best fighter in the world, Floyd was lured out, and has put together two great wins over Juan Manuel Marquez and Shane Mosley. Manny has been cleaning up boxing, beating Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, Erik Morales, and Marco Antonio Barrera along the way. He is without question the best fighter that Floyd will ever face and vice versa.

The biggest thing standing in the way of this fight happening is the drug testing. Manny has stated that it would sap his energy for the fight and many point to Mosley’s performance against Floyd as proof that it can and will do that. Mayweather has reportedly stated that there is wiggle room if the money is right, and those are the magic words and that is why there are some initial talks starting up again. This fight is too big for it not to happen and it will happen. Expect some breaking developments in the near future here at RSR. This fight may fall apart again, but we are nearing the beginning stages of negotiations and constructing the biggest fight in recent history.

And just to emphasize the money that this fight with Pacquiao would generate, the Mayweather – Mosley fight drew 1.4 million pay per view buys, making it one of the biggest sells in the history of boxing. It would be likely doubled should the Filipino warrior and the defensive genius meet up.

Youtubed into the Unification

Be careful what you wish for… Well, WBA Heavyweight Champion, David “Hayemaker” Haye, 24-1, 22 KO’s, and IBO/WBO/IBF Heavyweight Champion, Wladimir “Dr. Steelhammer” Klitschko, 54-3, 48 KO’s, have agreed to terms to fight in mid September. Haye has been calling out Wlad for quite a long period of time and once actually signed to fight him before pulling out, citing injury. It is rumored that he pulled out due to promotional problems and the fact that he would most likely not get paid for the fight.

Haye had artwork created where the severed head of Wlad is held tightly in his hand as he towers above the headless body. This infuriated both Wlad and older brother Vitali. The answer to their anger was another piece of artwork featuring Haye holding both Wlad’s and Vitali’s severed heads. He knows psychological warfare, but Wlad was not ready to give up or give in. He wants to shut Haye up…even stating that he would not settle for a quick knockout. He wanted to punish him.

Wladimir went to the popular video website, Youtube, and aired his challenge to Haye and the world, stating that the British champion “bitched out” of showdowns with both he and his older brother and that the challenge was not coming from Wlad’s promotion, but Wlad himself. Haye had to take this challenge or be viewed as a man fearful of Wlad and he contends that he is not, and he doesn’t appear to be.

Haye is coming off of a vicious stoppage of former 2-Time WBA Champion, John “QuietMan” Ruiz, becoming only the second man to defeat him by knockout. Ruiz would announce his retirement shortly after the defeat. In that fight, Haye showed the power, timing and movement that are needed to beat a man like Wlad. He will not be in there to lose and expect Wlad to be more aggressive than usual. There is a lot of bad blood here and this is easily the best fight in the heavyweight division since Lennox Lewis took on Vitali Klitschko.

Coming Soon: Paul Williams – Kermit Cintron II

He was moving well, blocking and moving well, and in the fourth round, he landed well with an overhand right hand that seemed to buckle Paul Williams, the heavy favorite. Kermit Cintron would pounce and Williams would fall and so too would Cintron, but he would land out of the ring, on top of a table. The doctor was quick to rush in and keep Cintron on the floor and called for a stretcher to bring him to the hospital.

When you watch the fall, it didn’t look serious and Cintron has stated that he was ready to continue shortly after the fall and that it was the doctor that would not allow it, which led to a victory for Paul Williams, a controversial one for sure. Now, the high profile bout that ended so strangely will have a sequel, or so it appears.

It will be interesting to see how their game plans change now that they know each other inside of the ring. Cintron knows that he can confuse Williams and do some of the things that Carlos Quintana was able to do to him in their first fight, and Williams now knows that he must take “The Killer” seriously. The fireworks will be huge for this rematch. You can expect it to materialize soon.

Source: ringsidereport.com

Congressman Manny Pacquiao to Be Featured on Nightline -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

Newly elected, Philippines congressman Manny Pacquiao, a seven-division boxing champion who currently holds the WBO welterweight (147 pounds) belt, will be featured on Tuesday night on ABC's Nightline.

In the ring, the 31-year-old Pacquiao is considered one of the sport's top two fighters, pound-for-pound, along with 33-year-old, unbeaten five-division champion, Floyd Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs).

Pacquiao is 51-3-2, with 38 knockouts, including victories in his past 12 consecutive bouts, with eight knockouts during that time.

On Tuesday, Pacquiao was elected by a landslide to represent the Sarangani province of his native Philippines in congress.

Check your local listings for the times of ABC's Nightline.

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Manny Pacquiao's Latest Win — in Philippine Election -- TIME

By Andrew Marshall / General Santos City, TIME

It was a fight even Manny Pacquiao's closest advisers warned he would lose. His opponent hailed from a formidable political family. And the last time the Filipino boxing sensation ran for public office, he lost badly. But on Monday, May 10, Pacquiao won a seat in his country's Congress — and won it by a landslide.

"A Congressman!" he says with a grin, clearly still grappling with the concept, as he exchanges hugs and handshakes with staff at "the Pentagon," the code name for his two-room campaign headquarters in General Santos City. "It's the first time in history." And what a concept — not just for a tyro Congressman from Sarangani, a remote province in the southern Philippines, but for the sport that brought this local boy fame and riches. "I don't know of any major boxer who has also been a politician," says his promoter Bob Arum, 78, who joined Pacquiao on his campaign trail.

The last time Pacquiao was considered the underdog was in 2008 when he fought his hero Oscar De La Hoya. Then, as now, he demolished his opponent. U.S.-educated businessman Roy Chiongbian was twice his age and had never run for office, but his family had dominated local politics for three decades. Like almost every other candidate during this election, Pacquiao campaigned on the familiar issues of poverty and corruption. "I know what poverty is," he told villagers in Malandag during his last rally. "I come from a poor family."

This simple message resonated. Pacquiao won big not just in Kiamba, where he spent part of his youth, but in other areas of Sarangani previously considered Chiongbian strongholds. Arum, who once represented Muhammad Ali, was rhapsodic — and not just because promoting "the boxing Congressman" will do wonders for those pay-per-view figures. "Ali was a wonderful person, but it was more about Ali," says Arum. "This kid spent a fortune running for office. And he did it not to aggrandize himself but because he really believes he can make a difference."

But for a 31-year-old boxer who has already fought more rounds than "Sugar" Ray Leonard and whose mother is vocal about his quitting the sport, politics is also a retirement plan. Several Filipino sportsmen (mainly basketball players) have won public office, which ruthless and wily politicians can convert into wealth and influence. Congressman Pacquiao insists he just wants to help his people. "Without their support, there would be no Manny Pacquiao," he says.

Maybe. But a nagging irony of the campaign is not lost on local journalist Edwin Espejo. "Pacquiao ran on an antipoverty platform yet spent millions of dollars," he says. "He has raised the bar with election spending." One Team Pacquiao insider admits the campaign cost at least 300 million pesos ($6.6 million), a small fortune in this impoverished province. It is a price Roy Chiongbian either couldn't or wouldn't pay. "Chiongbian folded," says Espejo, choosing an apt metaphor — Pacquiao is a passionate card player.

The boxer's supporters argue that financing his own campaign will make him a better Congressman since he will not owe any debts to special interests once in office. Meanwhile, Arum promises that legislative duties will not interfere with Pacquiao's boxing schedule. The boxer keeps in good shape, he says, and Congressmen in the Philippines "don't exactly knock themselves out at work."

Pacquiao's extraordinary career could be crowned as soon as November by a much anticipated clash with undefeated American welterweight Floyd Mayweather. The fighters will likely share a record-breaking purse of at least $80 million. Who will win is anyone's guess. But Congressman Pacquiao — he's considered the underdog again.

Source: time.com

Mayweather win draws 1.4 million buys -- ESPN

By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com

Floyd Mayweather Jr. calls himself "Money," and the welterweight star sure knows how to generate it.

Mayweather's lopsided decision victory against Shane Mosley (46-6, 39 KOs) on May 1 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas generated 1.4 million domestic pay-per-view buys and $78.3 million in television revenue, HBO announced on Tuesday.

That makes the fight the second-biggest non-heavyweight pay-per-view bout in history.

The buy total ties the fight with the 1999 welterweight unification showdown between Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad. However, Mayweather-Mosley generated more money because pay-per-view costs more. Trinidad-De La Hoya grossed $70.6 million.

Mayweather's 2007 decision win for the junior middleweight title against the now-retired De La Hoya, the reigning pay-per-view king in terms of total dollars, set the all-time pay-per-view record with 2.446 million buys and nearly $137 million in revenue.

The pay-per-view buy total for Mayweather-Mosley was derived from 740,000 buys from cable homes and 660,000 from satellite and broadband homes, HBO announced.

It is the third time in his last four bouts that Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs) -- with a big benefit from HBO's "24/7" series that has followed the build-up to his recent fights -- has cracked 1 million buys as he continues to generate tremendous interest in his fights.

Besides the record-breaker with De La Hoya, Mayweather returned from a brief retirement to defeat Juan Manuel Marquez in September in a fight that sold 1.08 million units and generated $55.6 million.

In the history of pay-per-view, six non-heavyweight fights have surpassed 1 million buys. Mayweather has been involved in three of them. De La Hoya has also been in three of them. Manny Pacquiao, the presumptive next opponent for Mayweather in the fall, has been in two of them.

Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.

Source: sports.espn.go.com

Freddie Roach: Congressman Manny Pacquiao will KO Floyd Mayweather -- Telegraph

By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk

Freddie Roach was with Amir Khan and a contingent of British media representatives just beside Central Park in New York when he learnt that Manny Pacquiao was close to being confirmed as Congressman for Sarangani Province, in the filipino elections, late on Monday night.

Through Monday, updated reports confirmed that Pacquiao was well ahead of his political rival, Roy Chongbian, a member of the ruling dynasty.

“Pacquiao won, and by landslide victory, I’m told,” said Roach. Was he concerned that Pacquiao could now be distracted ? “I don’t think so. It makes me excited because we are now going to have Congressman Pacquiao knock out Floyd Mayweather,” Roach told The Telegraph.

Roach is convinced that the fight will be made, while promoter Bob Arum is looking for a November 17 date. “I still think it needs to happen. It would be a shame if it didn’t happen. We need the best meeting the best in boxing. We will meet somewhere in the middle and I’m sure we are going to work it out,” he added.

Roach revealed that he had missed a call from The Philippines while conducting a round table interview with Amir Khan, ahead of the British fighter’s second WBA light-welterweight defence against Paulie Malignaggi at the Theater in Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

“I just got a call from The Philippines during the round table. I might have just missed a call from Manny there. I’m sure he’s elated. It’s his ambition to improve his country. I’m not concerned that he will lose his love of boxing. He won’t be distracted. He still knows what he does best. Without boxing, he wouldn’t be where he is today. He knows that. He’s a boxer first. He still has that hunger and hopefully it will now make his fire burn that little bit brighter.”

Meanwhile, promoter Bob Arum had travelled to The Philippines to see Pacquiao, insisting to Michael Marley that: “He [Manny] is different to me than Muhammad Ali was, than Marvin Hagler was, than how any of my other great fighters were.”

“Ali was a wonderful guy, for sure, but I would say Ali was more selfish, more about himself, where Manny is about helping the people, especially the poorest of people.”

“I am so glad the kid won because he deserved to win. He went into his own pocket for a lot of money and he did without thinking of his own financial gain. With all the thrills, all the great champions I have had, this was something really special.”

“I am so proud of this kid, I really am,” Arum said. “I came over thinking he would go down to defeat but he is smart, he learned from his first election and hired smart political people with a grassroots campaign aimed at the poor people who love and identify with his life story. The whole thing is just so wonderful.”

Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk

Pacquiao and Mayweather have reasons to be happy -- Associated Press

By TIM DAHLBERG, The Associated Press

Manny Pacquiao was counting votes early Tuesday, and seemed happy.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. was counting money, and had to be equally happy.

"There's a reason they call him Money Mayweather," Mayweather's manager, Leonard Ellerbe, said. "He's winding up making $40 million for his night's work."

Indeed, Mayweather's mood was brightened by the unofficial tally showing 1.4 million people paid to watch him dominate Shane Mosley, which Ellerbe said meant his payday would be almost double the $22.5 million he was guaranteed for the fight.

If the numbers are accurate, it would mean that Mayweather has been in the two richest non-heavyweight pay-per-view fights ever. Just as important, it gives him pay-per-view bragging rights over Pacquiao and perhaps an upper hand if and when representatives of the two sit down to negotiate the fight all boxing fans really want.

If the numbers coming out of the Philippines are accurate, that fight won't take place until at least November, because Pacquiao will be busy working for the government. Early returns from the ballot box showed the boxer with a commanding lead in his race for Philippine Congress and he all but declared victory.

"He was floating," promoter Bob Arum said from Manilla. "He was happier than I've seen him even when he won his biggest fights."

Just as elections in the Philippines can be nefarious affairs, though, so too will be any negotiations for a Pacman-Money fight. Though the common sense prediction is that there is way too much money to be made for the fight not to happen, this is boxing, where common sense often fails to prevail.

Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, tried to get things going even as his boss was wrapping up his campaign, predicting in New York that talks would begin this week on the megafight.

"I think the fight will happen," Roach told The Associated Press.

Roach certainly wants it to happen. Not only will he and his fighter earn another big payday, but a win over the unbeaten Mayweather would both solidify Pacquiao's rockstar status and leave no question who the best trainer in the sport is.

Mayweather and his camp should want the fight, too. If they could make $40 million for Mosley, they could double that for Pacquiao and be forever assured that the Money nickname will live on in boxing lore.

But, like the Philippines election, the early returns are already in on this. And it's not going to be easy.

"Freddie Roach must be smoking something," Ellerbe said when informed that the talks might begin this week. "I haven't heard of any negotiations. There are no negotiations."

Posturing is always part of boxing, of course, but there's reason for the Mayweather camp to believe they hold the early upper hand. Not only did Mayweather's pay-per-view double the 700,000 buys for Pacquiao's fight against a lesser opponent in Joshua Clottey, but Mayweather finally gave those who paid their hard-earned money a reason to watch with an offensive performance that won him high marks.

That could mean everything is in play if and when the two sides eventually get together to negotiate. And that could mean there are more potential pitfalls for this fight than just the blood doping impasse that derailed plans for the two to get together in March.

The doping issue remains as likely the biggest obstacle to the fight. Mayweather wants Olympic-style testing at any time, while Pacquiao is adamant that taking blood within two weeks of the fight will weaken him.

But now there's a good chance that Mayweather's camp will also want more than the 50-50 split of revenues agreed to for the first fight.

"Floyd's on a whole different level," Ellerbe insisted. "Floyd has made more money in his last two fights than the other fellow has in his whole career."

Arum has already said he will not grovel to get the fight and has talked about other opponents, beginning with Antonio Margarito. But Arum said the Mayweather fight will be first priority.

"That's the fight the congressman wants so let's see if we can make it happen," Arum said.

Mayweather has other options, too, though none that will make him the kind of money a Pacquiao fight will. And while he insists he is the greatest fighter ever, he's not even in the conversation unless he takes on the best of his era in their prime.

Still, there's a very real chance the fight that has to happen may never happen. Both sides are too entrenched, and both sides are too intractable.

Boxing could be the loser, but that should come as no surprise to fans of the sport.

Remember, they've seen this act before.

Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg(at)ap.org

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Source: google.com

Kevin Mitchell backing Mayweather in Pacquiao row -- ESPN

ESPN staff

Kevin Mitchell has backed Floyd Mayweather Jnr's stance in his blood-testing row with Manny Pacquiao.

Mayweather Jnr has insisted that Pacquiao must agree to Olympic-style random blood testing ahead of any bout, but the Filipino is refusing to comply.

The stand-off between the pugilists is threatening to prove too large an obstacle to overcome in the bid to arrange the hotly-anticipated fight.

"I think Mayweather's got a fair point with the testing," Mitchell said. "If someone won't take a drug test then there's a problem there. Mayweather's taken the test so what's the big deal? I'm not sure about Pacquiao's reason for not giving blood - that he feels weakened by it. I've never felt weakened giving blood, though maybe it's different for him."

Mitchell, who takes on Michael Katsidis on May 15 for the WBO interim lightweight title, is eyeing up a future bout against revered Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez - who has twice faced off against Pacquiao. "After Katsidis, I want the big names," Mitchell said. "And the best has got to be Marquez."

Amir Khan is in action on the same night as the Mitchell-Katsidis clash, taking on Paulie Malignaggi in his first fight on American soil. Oscar De La Hoya, founder of Khan's promoters Golden Boy, is backing the Brit to become a "super-champion."

"Amir Khan, I believe, has the speed, power and passion I had," De La Hoya said. "Those are the attributes that helped me to become who I am in the sport of boxing. It really is a privilege to me to guide his career into something special for the future.

"What sets him apart is the passion I see in his eyes. Khan has the ability to become a super-champion, a legend."

© ESPN EMEA Ltd

Source: espn.co.uk

Hammer thrower nails USADA in arbitration -- Philadelphia Daily News

Daily News Wire Services

A hammer thrower had her 2-year drug suspension reduced to 4 months yesterday, handing the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency a rare loss in arbitration.

An arbitration panel said it found Jessica Cosby's explanation about taking a "water pill" to help her urinate to be believable and that it wasn't taken to enhance her performance.

Cosby's positive test came shortly after she finished seventh at worlds last year. Upon returning home from Germany, she said she had trouble urinating and her mother gave her a pill containing banned diuretics. The next day, she failed a random drug test.

Cosby said her problem stemmed from depression that set in after a series of events leading up to worlds. She found out her fiance cheated on her, she canceled her wedding, her coach quit, and she lost her coaching job at UCLA.

She testified that upon returning home, she was depressed. Her feet were swollen, she felt "puffy" and couldn't urinate. Her mother gave her one of her pills, which Cosby said she took without doing any research because she was desperate.

Typically, an athlete's first failed drug test results in an automatic 2-year suspension. But the arbitration panel reduced the ban, saying it found Cosby's explanation of severe depression to be believable, and that "it does not believe that taking the water pill had anything to do with sport. She was not trying to enhance and she was not trying to mask."

In other drug-testing news:

* Olympic officials, acting on a tip from the World Anti-Doping Agency, are retesting some doping samples from the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin to check for use of the blood-boosting drug CERA. The IOC stores Olympic doping samples for 8 years so they can be analyzed retroactively once new testing methods become available.

* German hurdler Thomas Goller has been suspended after testing positive for anabolic steroids. Goller, 32, won the national 400-meter hurdles title last year.

Philly File
* Two local products were among four St. Bonaventure basketball players fined $250 each after pleading guilty to one charge of disorderly conduct in connection to an on-campus fight in which two men sustained minor stab wounds March 21. Junior guard Malcolm Eleby (Franklin Learning Center), freshman forward Brett Roseboro (Quakertown) and two teammates also were ordered to pay $125 each in court surcharges.

Sport Stops
* Manny Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, said talks could begin as early as today for a bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr.

* The United States was upset by Denmark at the hockey world championships in Cologne, Germany, beaten 2-1 for its second straight overtime loss. The Americans lost by the same score to Germany and must defeat Finland in the last group game to reach the next round.

Source: philly.com