By Rick McKenzie, 15Rounds.com
In front of the many boxing aficionados in the house such as former greats such as Pepino Cuevas and Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley and Sergio Mora fought to a highly debatable draw in the main event at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Sergio Mora (22-1-1, 6KO’s) made his way to the ring first to a huge applause. Followed shortly after by Sugar Shane Mosley (46-6, 39KO’s) to meet in a 12 round, Jr. middleweight battle.
In round one, The taller Mora danced around the ring as Mosley chased him around trying to land a jab. Mora seemed very cautious as he only threw one maybe two combination’s the entire round. Mosley couldn’t catch him so he didn’t fair much better. In round two, it was more of the same. Mora switched from Orthodox to southpaw many times as he continued to dance and faint his way around the ring. Whenever Shane got too close, Mora would tie him up. There was a small exchange at the bell, which was have been the most action of the fight. In round three, after landing a somewhat meaningful right hand, Sergio got on his horse and ran around the ring as Shane chased him, attempting to land a shot. After he got off of his bike, he seemed to want to trade a bit more but still, no meaningful punches were thrown or landed. Round 4 started with Mosley becoming more aggressive and attacking at the onset. He trapped Mora on the ropes and began to do work. Mora would clinch and and try to get off all at once. The two began to fight in a phone booth…great strategy change by Mosley. He threw more punches and landed more when he forced Mora to fight him. Mora landed a big right that didn’t seem to phase Mosley, but Mora now has a visible cut over his right eye that is leaking blood fro, an inadvertent. Round five saw a much more aggressive Shane as he would not give Mora any breathing room. Mora seemed to want to exchange more, so it made the fight pick up a bit. As slick as a snake, Mora began to play to the crowd, as he stood in front of Shane daring him to punch him. It may have looked good, but he wasn’t letting his hands go. Round six Mora seemed to revert to his running ways in the first half of the round, as he backed up and jabbed. Mosley tried hard to get him on the ropes and do work but Mora was not a willing participant. Once on the ropes, Mosley was unloading when Mora caught him with a clean, counter left hook to the chin. If Mora had any power, it may have affected Shane. The round ended in a clinch with both fighters landing body shots.
A visibly gassed Mosley came out in round seven, which seemed to give Mora a license to fight as he was more apt to stand and trade. This may have been the most punches landed from any round up until this point. It seems as if Mora got the better of Mosley that round as they exchanged combination’s. Round eight looked like a wresting match. there was a ton of holding and clinching. The tired Mosley seemed to want to lean on Mora and pot shot him. Meanwhile, Mora landed some meaningful punches in this round. Perhaps the tide is changing but it may be too late. Mosley seemed to get the edge in round nine as he had a nice flurry against the ropes. may have been his best round yet. A very nice exchange toward the end of round ten that Mora seemed to get the better of. The two guys stood toe to toe and just let their hands fly. Neither fighter would back up or give in.much more energy than Shane. The round, in my opinion, went to Mora. As we delve deeper into the championship rounds, round eleven looked like round ten. Constant body contact with an array of big punches scattered throughout the round. The older Mosley is breathing heavily out of his mouth, you have to wonder how much gas is left in the tank. Yet he keeps pressing forward. Mosley landed four huge shots to end the round that seemed to wobble Mora somewhat. In the twelfth and final round, it started off as somewhat of a brawl. Both boxers where throwing many punches and pushing each other around. Mosley was head hunting attempting to get Mora out of there while Mora seemed to be attempting the same while fighting with his back on the ropes! The bout ended in the corner with both guys throwing big shots trying to end it before the final bell tolled. As we go to the scorecards, 115-113 Mora, 116-112 Mosley, 114-114 for a draw!
Making his way to the ring first Carlos “Tata” Baldomir, looking to pin the first loss on Saul Alvarez’s record. This is a scheduled 10 rounder in the super welter division. Alvarez, out of Mexico, was easily the crowd favorite as they roared as he made his way to the ring in the co-main event of the evening. There was really no hesitating in the fight. Both fighters threw many punches and came at each other, not many landed. There were a few exchanges in the second round. It seemed when one fighter would land, the other would jump right back as to say, I’m not going anywhere! The third saw more action and more exchanges but it seems to be an even match or Baldomir is slightly ahead. No huge action or huge shots to speak of as of yet. Baldomir looked like a grizzled old veteran as he landed a sneaky right in between the gloves of Canelo many times. Alvarez, however has a left hook/uppercut that seems to land whenever he fires it. Baldomir seemed to take one of Canelo’s biggest punches and urged him to bring more!
Alvarez landed big shot after big shot in the fifth round, but Baldomir would not budge. He stayed on the inside and loaded up his right hand, waiting to fire it. Canelo is clearly the faster fighter though which is to be expected given that he’s 19 years Baldomir’s junior. Towards the end of the round, Alvarez landed a series or huge power shots! Baldomir tried his best but the onslaught was way too much for him to handle! The youngster has power in both hands and he proved it as he dropped Tata with a left hook. Baldomir fell down face first and as he tried to recover, he was counted out at 2:58 of the fifth round. Alvarez is still undefeated as he improves to 34-0-1 with 26 knockouts. Baldomir fades into the darkness with a record of 45-13-6.
The next bout was to determine who was more “Vicious”….Vicious Victor Ortiz or Vicious Vivian Harris. East Coast vs West Coast! Victor fighting out of Ventura, CA while Vivian is representing Brooklyn. The bout was scheduled for 10 in the 147 pound division. Not much action to speak of in the first. Both guys looked somewhat timid, while Harris was looking to counter. Early in the second round, Ortiz dropped Harris with what seemed to be more so a result of Harris being off balance. But moments later, Ortiz landed another right and floored Harris for a second and a long left that dropped him a third time! Harris did not seem hurt, but he was visibly confused. In the third round, Mr. Ortiz landed a mini Mike Tyson-esque combo…a short right to the body and even shorter right to the head, dropping Harris for the fourth and final time at :45 seconds in the third round. Ortiz is now 28-2-1 with 22 knockouts while Harris drops to 29-5-1.
Antonio Escalante (23-2, 15KO’s) met Daniel Ponce De Leon (39-2, 32KO’s), in the WBO Featherweight Eliminator. The first round was the typical feeling out routine. Both fighters kind of measured the other to see where they were. Escalante landed a few big shots in the second round and did a semi-good job of avoiding the return fire of De Leon. De Leon is very aggressive and relentless and throws punches from many different angles. The third round saw both guys throwing many combonation’s that would drop many men. Nearing the end of the third, De Leon landed a mean left upstairs immediately followed by a right hook to the face that floored Escalante. The referee didn’t waste a second in waving the fight off, declaring De Leon the victor at 2:40 of round 3.
“My timing was off, but once I loosened up and got in my groove it was over”, Said De Leon
“I didnt feel his punches at all and I am gonna be a world champion again.”
“De Leon was very poweful and strong and he deserved to win the fight”, said Escalante
So what did we learn today?? Nothing! I think everything that we expected came to fruition. Daniel Ponce De Leon is a stud and is a top contender in the featherweight division. Victor Ortiz and Saul Alvarez are the future of Golden Boy boxing. Alvarez made a huge impression and will be a force in the 154 division. An old, and tired Mosley still has enough in the tank to draw a powerless Sergio Mora.
The next big thing to come out of the Golden Boy stable put on a show for the fans in Los Angeles. Frankie Gomez of East Los, improved his record to 6-0 all by knockout as he pushed around and bullied Ricardo Calzada of Las Vegas. The first round, Gomez felt the power of Calzada and once he knew he couldn’t be harmed, he seeked and destroyed! Calzada did his best to hold on and made it out of the second round, but the third round was a different story. Gomez came out head hunting and got right in Ricardo’s kitchen. He landed a few tough shots on the inside, to the head, that put Calzada on his butt. He rose only to meet an onslaught of punches from all different angles that bloodied his nose and once again saw him on the canvas. The ringside doc stood on the edge of the canvas before the ref even started his count, and at 1:06 of round three, the fight was over. Calzada heads back to Vegas with a record of 2 up and 3 down.
Our next fight was a scheduled six rounder in the lightweight division. David Rodela of nearby Oxnard met Juan Manuel Montiel of Mexico City. This was one of the first bouts of the night where it seemed as if both fighters were using their boxing skills and not a flat out brawl. There were many jab-led combination’s from both fighters. This also made for a boring fight and left the crowd jeering and booing, begging for more action. It seemed like a sparring session and that both guys were going through the motions. The final round did see somewhat of a spike in action which somewhat energized the restless crowd but still, no one really stood out. The fight went the distance, and according to the scorecards which were 59-55 Rodela and the others had it 57-57 resulting in a majority draw, basically indicative of what both fighters displayed. Rodela is now 15-3-4 while Montiel is 6-3-2.
For the only female bout of the night, local lady Kaliesha “Wild Wild” West met Angel Gladney of South Carolina in a scheduled 10 rounder. The first round was a feel out round but West ladned a few meaningful punches as she pressed the action. The next few rounds were all uneventful, not much action, but a lot of faints and jabs. It seemed as if neither fighter wanted to take a chance. In the fourth round, West opened up a bit and started throwing, and landing, meaningful combination’s. Near the beginning of round seven, Wild West landed a huge left that floored Gladney. Gladney rose but the ref waved the fight at :59 seconds in round 7. West, now 13-1-2 with 4 KO’s, is the new bantamweight champion while Gladney drops to 6-3-1.
The third bout was in the junior middleweight division. Undefeated Keith Thurman walked across the ring in the opening seconds and was dropped by a humongous right to the head by Quandray Robertson. Thurman returned the favor at the end of the round as he dropped Robertson with a flurry of punches. Robertson survived the round. This bout was an all out brawl, both boxers swinging wildly when Thurman landed a sneaky body shot that dropped Robertson for the second time midway through round two. In a somewhat uneventful third round, out of nowhere, Thurman landed a left hook inside and up top floored Robertson. The ref immediately waved the fight off and at 2:40 of the third round, Thurman maintained his undefeated record improving to 14-0 with 13KO’s. Robertson drops to 15-10.
Undefeated Sharif Bogere from Nevada made an impressive entrance into the ring as he was donning the fur and head of a lion. Got the few people that are actually in attendance excited. He is facing Julian Rodriguez in a six round, junior welterweight battle. All the action was pressed by Bogere as he landed a thunderous left hook up top at 1:42 of the second round to win by KO and improve his record to 17-0 with 11 KO’s. Rodriguez drops to 17-20-4.
In our first bout, Eric Areola of Mexico met Missael Nunez, also of Mexico, in a four round, featherweight battle. In what was a lopsided fight, Areola improved to 1-1 with a majority decision as the judges called it 38-38 on one card and 40-36 on the other two. Nunez drops to 4-9-2.
Source: 15rounds.com
Sunday, 19 September 2010
Shane Mosley, Sergio Mora Fight to Dubious Draw -- FanHouse
By Michael David Smith, FanHouse
Shane Mosley fought Sergio Mora for 12 mostly uneventful rounds Saturday night in Los Angeles, and the judges ruled the fight a draw, leaving some fans booing and some fans yawning, but very few cheering.
I scored the fight for Mosley, as did everyone on the HBO broadcast team commentating on the bout. How one judge gave it to Mora and another scored it a draw was hard to comprehend, but that's just what happened: One judge scored it for Mosley 116-112, one for Mora 115-113, and one a 114-114 draw.
Both boxers were tentative in the early going, but Mora more so; Mora basically just backed away from Mosley for the first couple rounds. By the end of the third round the crowd was booing a lack of much energy from either fighter.
The fourth round featured a little more action and also featured a clash of heads that left Mora with a cut over his right eye. But that didn't seem to light any kind of fire under Mora, who continued in the fifth round to box passively and wait for Mosley to bring the fight to him. HBO announcer Jim Lampley ripped Mora's performance during the fifth round.
"This is pathetic," Lampley said. "This is a pathetic performance in a big-opportunity fight by Sergio Mora. ... If Mora's performance was embarrassing before now, I think it was even worse in this round."
The next couple of rounds featured a little more action, but not a lot: It was still a cautious, tactical, tentative and boring bout, and the fans continued to seem restless and uninterested.
In the late rounds Mora did start to seem more active, as his corner warning him that he was losing the fight appeared to motivate him to go on the offensive. But it was Mosley who was pressing the action, doing more damage with his hands and controlling the fight. Mosley deserved to win.
Instead we got a draw, which Lampley referred to as "atrocious," "a joke," "a travesty" and "an injustice."
Lampley was right. This was a bad deal for Mosley, and a bad deal for boxing.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
Shane Mosley fought Sergio Mora for 12 mostly uneventful rounds Saturday night in Los Angeles, and the judges ruled the fight a draw, leaving some fans booing and some fans yawning, but very few cheering.
I scored the fight for Mosley, as did everyone on the HBO broadcast team commentating on the bout. How one judge gave it to Mora and another scored it a draw was hard to comprehend, but that's just what happened: One judge scored it for Mosley 116-112, one for Mora 115-113, and one a 114-114 draw.
Both boxers were tentative in the early going, but Mora more so; Mora basically just backed away from Mosley for the first couple rounds. By the end of the third round the crowd was booing a lack of much energy from either fighter.
The fourth round featured a little more action and also featured a clash of heads that left Mora with a cut over his right eye. But that didn't seem to light any kind of fire under Mora, who continued in the fifth round to box passively and wait for Mosley to bring the fight to him. HBO announcer Jim Lampley ripped Mora's performance during the fifth round.
"This is pathetic," Lampley said. "This is a pathetic performance in a big-opportunity fight by Sergio Mora. ... If Mora's performance was embarrassing before now, I think it was even worse in this round."
The next couple of rounds featured a little more action, but not a lot: It was still a cautious, tactical, tentative and boring bout, and the fans continued to seem restless and uninterested.
In the late rounds Mora did start to seem more active, as his corner warning him that he was losing the fight appeared to motivate him to go on the offensive. But it was Mosley who was pressing the action, doing more damage with his hands and controlling the fight. Mosley deserved to win.
Instead we got a draw, which Lampley referred to as "atrocious," "a joke," "a travesty" and "an injustice."
Lampley was right. This was a bad deal for Mosley, and a bad deal for boxing.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
Floyd Mayweather JR: The End of the Pound for Pound King -- Ringside Report
By Geno McGahee, Ringside Report
Floyd Mayweather, JR., and Manny Pacquiao are unanimously considered the two best pound for pound fighters in the game today. A collision course between the two has been on the verge of happening on two occasions, only to fall apart shortly after, once based on the reported concerns of Floyd that Manny was using steroids, and the second time Floyd seemingly just didn’t want the fight.
As much as I typically disagree with the PacNuts and their screams that Floyd is afraid to face Pacquiao in the ring, they may not be that far off the mark here. I still don’t like the way that they and several groupie journalists suck up to him unconditionally, but the point that has been made is beginning to seem more and more plausible.
When you look at the recent activity that has gone on in the life of Floyd, there are signs of a mental breakdown and it is all related to this fight or non-fight with Pacquiao. At one time, there was no real challenger out there for Floyd…well, there wasn’t enough public appeal to make the fight. Anotnio Margarito was ignored by Floyd and the public didn’t mind because he wasn’t seen as much of a threat. Carlos Baldomir was selected instead.
Mayweather cannot pick a guy like Baldomir now. He cannot ignore Manny Pacquiao. This is the fight that the public wants and it was a fight that I think Floyd wanted but some things have changed, and I believe a lot of it has to do with his perception of Pacquiao.
There was a time when I considered guys like Ricky Hatton and Diego Corrales too big for Pacquiao, but he has grown well into the higher divisions and has brought his power with him. In fact, he flattened Hatton with ease and would have done the same to Corrales had they ever met. Pacquiao is as strong and as effective as he’s ever been and is a legitimate threat to Mayweather’s undefeated record.
As you look at the Mayweather/Pacquiao non-fight as a whole, there are certainly some indications that Floyd was looking to find away around fighting Manny and still beating him.
Juan Manuel Marquez was a way to beat Manny without beating him. When Floyd returned to the ring, he chose Marquez, the man that gave Pacquiao hell on two occasions and figured that should he have a field day with him, dominate him, and get the win, that would settle the argument. He easily beat the man that nearly beat Manny twice. Unfortunately for Floyd, it didn’t work. Those with any boxing knowledge knows that style makes fights and Marquez had zero chance because he is a counter-puncher and too small to fight effectively with a guy like Floyd. Marquez had to become the aggressor and paid for it. He was out of his element and Mayweather got a good win, but it proved nothing in regards to Pacquiao.
Steroid allegations came along to prevent the first encounter. Now, I’m not willing to say that Manny has not used them but I certainly am not going to say that he did either. If they are baseless, then this is another sign that Floyd does not want the fight. If he can convince the media, the people, and everyone else that Manny has been juicing to gain an edge, then most will dismiss him and keep Floyd at the top because he has gained everything justly. Pacquiao has never been proven to be on PEDs, and there may still be some questioning this matter, but when it comes down to it, the allegations stalled. The fight collapsed, and both fighters moved on.
Floyd would take on a shot Shane Mosley while Manny would take on a strong but limited Joshua Clottey. Both men walked away with impressive decision wins, leading to negotiations again for a showdown. With woman-beater Roger Mayweather in trouble, Floyd had no trainer and the negotiations fell through, leading to the disgusting PPV featuring Pacquiao facing Antonio Margarito.
With Manny moving on and Floyd taking more time off, some of the fans have shifted over to the Filipino boxer as the best in the game, and this is seriously hurt the psyche of Mayweather. What those that post on message boards and other community areas fail to realize is that they are not just posting to the author or to each other. They are posting to the world and Floyd reads what they post and it has gotten under his skin. It has bothered him so much that he released a video with some racist rants about what he would do to Pacquiao should he get him into the ring and so on and so forth. But all of that doesn’t matter. People are exhausted and don’t want any more talk. They want action and if Floyd keeps teasing the fight and not getting it done or at least trying to get it done, the fans will lose interest.
The racial remarks brought a swift backlash from the public and media toward Floyd and he quickly apologized, and I do think that it was sincere, but I also think it’s a clear sign of a mental breakdown. Floyd has never been questioned and has never had a challenger like Pacquiao before. When you add that he has been hurt by Zab Judah and DeMarcus Corley, two southpaws, the potential for an upset are there. It’s a lot for Floyd to digest and I believe that we are seeing fear for the first time in the career of Mayweather. This doesn’t mean that he won’t fight Pacquiao and it doesn’t mean that he is hiding under his bed, but he is not nearly as confident as he has been with guys like Ricky Hatton and Marquez. There is some doubt.
Moving on to the domestic abuse of an ex-girlfriend…there’s nothing much worse then a woman beater. According to reports, Floyd slapped and kicked his ex-girlfriend while his young child watched on and then stole her phone. Considering Floyd’s run as a good guy in boxing without much bad stuff going on outside of the ring, this certainly gives more merit to the idea that he is very bothered by the current state of his boxing career. Boxing is a sport that is all about mentality and Floyd needs the recognition that he is the best, but now he has to fight for it in what some believe to be a pick’em fight. This is new territory for him and he’s not reacting well.
There is only one thing that can settle this situation and that is a Mayweather/Pacquiao showdown. Unless Margarito pulls the upset and plasters Pacquiao out of there, the collision should be coming soon. Although I have heavily favored Floyd from jump to take Pacquiao apart, I’m beginning to have some doubt of my own. I still favor him to win, but I think that it may be a much more interesting fight then I first thought. Let’s hope that it eventually gets worked out. I don’t think that Floyd can move on with his life if it doesn’t.
Source: ringsidereport.com
Floyd Mayweather, JR., and Manny Pacquiao are unanimously considered the two best pound for pound fighters in the game today. A collision course between the two has been on the verge of happening on two occasions, only to fall apart shortly after, once based on the reported concerns of Floyd that Manny was using steroids, and the second time Floyd seemingly just didn’t want the fight.
As much as I typically disagree with the PacNuts and their screams that Floyd is afraid to face Pacquiao in the ring, they may not be that far off the mark here. I still don’t like the way that they and several groupie journalists suck up to him unconditionally, but the point that has been made is beginning to seem more and more plausible.
When you look at the recent activity that has gone on in the life of Floyd, there are signs of a mental breakdown and it is all related to this fight or non-fight with Pacquiao. At one time, there was no real challenger out there for Floyd…well, there wasn’t enough public appeal to make the fight. Anotnio Margarito was ignored by Floyd and the public didn’t mind because he wasn’t seen as much of a threat. Carlos Baldomir was selected instead.
Mayweather cannot pick a guy like Baldomir now. He cannot ignore Manny Pacquiao. This is the fight that the public wants and it was a fight that I think Floyd wanted but some things have changed, and I believe a lot of it has to do with his perception of Pacquiao.
There was a time when I considered guys like Ricky Hatton and Diego Corrales too big for Pacquiao, but he has grown well into the higher divisions and has brought his power with him. In fact, he flattened Hatton with ease and would have done the same to Corrales had they ever met. Pacquiao is as strong and as effective as he’s ever been and is a legitimate threat to Mayweather’s undefeated record.
As you look at the Mayweather/Pacquiao non-fight as a whole, there are certainly some indications that Floyd was looking to find away around fighting Manny and still beating him.
Juan Manuel Marquez was a way to beat Manny without beating him. When Floyd returned to the ring, he chose Marquez, the man that gave Pacquiao hell on two occasions and figured that should he have a field day with him, dominate him, and get the win, that would settle the argument. He easily beat the man that nearly beat Manny twice. Unfortunately for Floyd, it didn’t work. Those with any boxing knowledge knows that style makes fights and Marquez had zero chance because he is a counter-puncher and too small to fight effectively with a guy like Floyd. Marquez had to become the aggressor and paid for it. He was out of his element and Mayweather got a good win, but it proved nothing in regards to Pacquiao.
Steroid allegations came along to prevent the first encounter. Now, I’m not willing to say that Manny has not used them but I certainly am not going to say that he did either. If they are baseless, then this is another sign that Floyd does not want the fight. If he can convince the media, the people, and everyone else that Manny has been juicing to gain an edge, then most will dismiss him and keep Floyd at the top because he has gained everything justly. Pacquiao has never been proven to be on PEDs, and there may still be some questioning this matter, but when it comes down to it, the allegations stalled. The fight collapsed, and both fighters moved on.
Floyd would take on a shot Shane Mosley while Manny would take on a strong but limited Joshua Clottey. Both men walked away with impressive decision wins, leading to negotiations again for a showdown. With woman-beater Roger Mayweather in trouble, Floyd had no trainer and the negotiations fell through, leading to the disgusting PPV featuring Pacquiao facing Antonio Margarito.With Manny moving on and Floyd taking more time off, some of the fans have shifted over to the Filipino boxer as the best in the game, and this is seriously hurt the psyche of Mayweather. What those that post on message boards and other community areas fail to realize is that they are not just posting to the author or to each other. They are posting to the world and Floyd reads what they post and it has gotten under his skin. It has bothered him so much that he released a video with some racist rants about what he would do to Pacquiao should he get him into the ring and so on and so forth. But all of that doesn’t matter. People are exhausted and don’t want any more talk. They want action and if Floyd keeps teasing the fight and not getting it done or at least trying to get it done, the fans will lose interest.
The racial remarks brought a swift backlash from the public and media toward Floyd and he quickly apologized, and I do think that it was sincere, but I also think it’s a clear sign of a mental breakdown. Floyd has never been questioned and has never had a challenger like Pacquiao before. When you add that he has been hurt by Zab Judah and DeMarcus Corley, two southpaws, the potential for an upset are there. It’s a lot for Floyd to digest and I believe that we are seeing fear for the first time in the career of Mayweather. This doesn’t mean that he won’t fight Pacquiao and it doesn’t mean that he is hiding under his bed, but he is not nearly as confident as he has been with guys like Ricky Hatton and Marquez. There is some doubt.
Moving on to the domestic abuse of an ex-girlfriend…there’s nothing much worse then a woman beater. According to reports, Floyd slapped and kicked his ex-girlfriend while his young child watched on and then stole her phone. Considering Floyd’s run as a good guy in boxing without much bad stuff going on outside of the ring, this certainly gives more merit to the idea that he is very bothered by the current state of his boxing career. Boxing is a sport that is all about mentality and Floyd needs the recognition that he is the best, but now he has to fight for it in what some believe to be a pick’em fight. This is new territory for him and he’s not reacting well.
There is only one thing that can settle this situation and that is a Mayweather/Pacquiao showdown. Unless Margarito pulls the upset and plasters Pacquiao out of there, the collision should be coming soon. Although I have heavily favored Floyd from jump to take Pacquiao apart, I’m beginning to have some doubt of my own. I still favor him to win, but I think that it may be a much more interesting fight then I first thought. Let’s hope that it eventually gets worked out. I don’t think that Floyd can move on with his life if it doesn’t.
Source: ringsidereport.com
Simply eloquent Pacquiao has bigger fish to fry than Mayweather -- Examiner
By Michael Marley, Examiner.com
I used to think of Manny Pacquiao as a dullard.
In the sense, that is, of producing quotable quotes. I had thought that Pacman was one of the least quotable boxing superstars of my lifetime.
I should qualify this and say a dullard in speaking English.
I thought it was always Cliche City when Pacman's lips were moving.
I thought wrong.
Pacquiao, without any public relations person tugging at his sleeve or anyone scripting his speech, can be eloquent.
Simply eloquent or eloquent simply, take your pick.
But Pacquiao has perfectly handled some recent shockwaves in boxing. His reaction to them has been honest and pitch perfect.
As to Floyd Mayweather's racist/ethnic/homophobic UStream rant, Pacman dismissed it abruptly, labeling it what it was "an uneducated message."
I'm not saying Pacman bit his tongue but most targets of such derision would have responded in kind or should I say responded in unkind?
When news spread of former foe Ricky Hatton on the booze/cocaine skids and recorded on video doing his impression of a top of the line vacuum cleaner, Pacquiao expressed hope, one human being for another, that the Englishman get his priorities in order.
"He shouldn't tell God he has a great problem," Pacquiao said. "He should tell his problem he has a great God."
Let's compare and contrast that to the unread and ill-prepared Mayweather asking, "Is you ready?"
Let's compare and contrast to Mayweather "stacking paper," to his 'making it rain" in strip joints and to his constant shows of and vulgar boasting about his material wealth.
Pacquiao's eloquence is simple and unadorned.
There was more evidence of same in Saturday's New York Times which ran a huge story by Norimitsu Onishi and headlined "For Filipino Boxer, Money Opens Doors to Politics."
The stroy tells of Pacquiao initals steps, of his finding his place as the Congressman from poverty stricken Sarangani Province.
The real gems from the well-written story are, again, examples of the simple eloquence of this Pinoy legend who never forgets being born in such a humble bed.
"When I'm old, I want my name, Manny Pacquiao, to be known not only as a good boxer but a good public servant."
Wait, there's more.
Pacman on how he is turning all his "pork barrel" money (estimated at $1.6 million for each Congressman), his discretionary funds, over to health and educational projects in the province.
"I don't need it, anyway."
When's the last you heard a pol or a trapo say that?
Pacquiao has one foot in boxing, one in public service.
Pacquiao speaks out on human trafficking, Mayweather speaks X-rated gibberish.
Given their recent past history and Mayweather's plethora of problems going forward, Pacquaio needs to put Floyd in his rear view mirror.
Manny agreed to fully random drug testing, the supposed final hurdle, and still Mayweather demurred.
Hopsitals, schools, battling poverty in Sarangani on all fronts.
You might know that his hometown, General Santos City, and neighboring Sarangani are known for excellent fishing areas.
Floyd Mayweather?
Pacquiao has bigger fish to fry now.
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Source: examiner.com
I used to think of Manny Pacquiao as a dullard.
In the sense, that is, of producing quotable quotes. I had thought that Pacman was one of the least quotable boxing superstars of my lifetime.
I should qualify this and say a dullard in speaking English.
I thought it was always Cliche City when Pacman's lips were moving.Pacquiao, without any public relations person tugging at his sleeve or anyone scripting his speech, can be eloquent.
Simply eloquent or eloquent simply, take your pick.
But Pacquiao has perfectly handled some recent shockwaves in boxing. His reaction to them has been honest and pitch perfect.
As to Floyd Mayweather's racist/ethnic/homophobic UStream rant, Pacman dismissed it abruptly, labeling it what it was "an uneducated message."
I'm not saying Pacman bit his tongue but most targets of such derision would have responded in kind or should I say responded in unkind?
When news spread of former foe Ricky Hatton on the booze/cocaine skids and recorded on video doing his impression of a top of the line vacuum cleaner, Pacquiao expressed hope, one human being for another, that the Englishman get his priorities in order.
"He shouldn't tell God he has a great problem," Pacquiao said. "He should tell his problem he has a great God."
Let's compare and contrast that to the unread and ill-prepared Mayweather asking, "Is you ready?"
Let's compare and contrast to Mayweather "stacking paper," to his 'making it rain" in strip joints and to his constant shows of and vulgar boasting about his material wealth.
Pacquiao's eloquence is simple and unadorned.
There was more evidence of same in Saturday's New York Times which ran a huge story by Norimitsu Onishi and headlined "For Filipino Boxer, Money Opens Doors to Politics."
The stroy tells of Pacquiao initals steps, of his finding his place as the Congressman from poverty stricken Sarangani Province.
The real gems from the well-written story are, again, examples of the simple eloquence of this Pinoy legend who never forgets being born in such a humble bed.
"When I'm old, I want my name, Manny Pacquiao, to be known not only as a good boxer but a good public servant."
Wait, there's more.
Pacman on how he is turning all his "pork barrel" money (estimated at $1.6 million for each Congressman), his discretionary funds, over to health and educational projects in the province.
"I don't need it, anyway."
When's the last you heard a pol or a trapo say that?
Pacquiao has one foot in boxing, one in public service.
Pacquiao speaks out on human trafficking, Mayweather speaks X-rated gibberish.
Given their recent past history and Mayweather's plethora of problems going forward, Pacquaio needs to put Floyd in his rear view mirror.
Manny agreed to fully random drug testing, the supposed final hurdle, and still Mayweather demurred.
Hopsitals, schools, battling poverty in Sarangani on all fronts.
You might know that his hometown, General Santos City, and neighboring Sarangani are known for excellent fishing areas.
Floyd Mayweather?
Pacquiao has bigger fish to fry now.
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Source: examiner.com
Ricky Hatton admits: 'I dabbled in daft and silly things' -- Guardian
By Kevin Mitchell, guardian.co.uk
Ricky Hatton spoke for the first time last night about the heavy drinking and "dabbling in other daft and silly things" that have derailed any thoughts of a comeback and forced him to seek professional help. And his friend Amir Khan, once touted as a possible opponent, pledged his "100%" support for Hatton, even as others in the business distanced themselves from him.
The former light-welterweight and welterweight world champion is in the Priory in Cheshire recovering from the effects of alcohol abuse and the accompanying psychological damage that has built up over several years, although Hatton suggests his problems have surfaced only since he was shockingly knocked out by Manny Pacquiao in his last fight, 16 months ago in Las Vegas.
In a promotional video for his revelations in tomorrow's News of the World, Hatton says: "I'm Ricky Hatton, and I'm here to tell the truth. I'm currently in the Priory dealing with depression due to the fact that I've not been able to cope with my retirement from boxing. I've been binge-drinking heavily and dabbling in other daft and silly things. But it's going to be the toughest fight of my life and I'm here to win it."
The newspaper last Sunday exposed Hatton – "caught on camera snorting cocaine in a shocking 10-hour drink and drugs binge" – in a Manchester hotel two weeks previously.
The video was apparently provided by Hatton's friend, the Irish female amateur boxer, Emma Bowe, who said: "I'm doing this for Ricky's own good. I hope he gets help and advice before cocaine destroys him." But a source close to Hatton said the implication that Hatton's problems have only arisen since the Pacquiao fight is "nonsensical".
"This has been going on for several years," he said. "Ricky has been out of control for a long time. People have told him but he refused to listen."
His father, Ray, said Hatton's drinking got worse because he was always trying, "to please his mates".
Hatton, 31, was unable to attend a fund-raiser in Bolton last night, organised by Khan, because of his move to the Priory, where he is likely to stay for at least a couple of weeks.
"I spoke to Ricky yesterday," Khan said. "He's in rehab, but we are all 100% behind him. If he needs any help, I am here, as is Team Khan. He is a rich young guy and has made mistakes. He got in with the wrong crowd. He has to learn from this mistake and come back stronger."
Hatton looked bloated and downcast in the promotional video for tomorrow's revelations, and, while it might come as a surprise that he has chosen to give his story to the very paper that exposed him, Hatton retains the sympathy of one of the biggest fan bases in British sport.
He packed out venues throughout the country at speaking engagements that earned him up to £7,000 a night and had embarked on a successful career as a promoter.
The British Boxing Board of Control, as well as Manchester police, want to interview Hatton about his activities, suggesting he might lose his board licence and receive at least a police caution.
Source: guardian.co.uk
Ricky Hatton spoke for the first time last night about the heavy drinking and "dabbling in other daft and silly things" that have derailed any thoughts of a comeback and forced him to seek professional help. And his friend Amir Khan, once touted as a possible opponent, pledged his "100%" support for Hatton, even as others in the business distanced themselves from him.
The former light-welterweight and welterweight world champion is in the Priory in Cheshire recovering from the effects of alcohol abuse and the accompanying psychological damage that has built up over several years, although Hatton suggests his problems have surfaced only since he was shockingly knocked out by Manny Pacquiao in his last fight, 16 months ago in Las Vegas.In a promotional video for his revelations in tomorrow's News of the World, Hatton says: "I'm Ricky Hatton, and I'm here to tell the truth. I'm currently in the Priory dealing with depression due to the fact that I've not been able to cope with my retirement from boxing. I've been binge-drinking heavily and dabbling in other daft and silly things. But it's going to be the toughest fight of my life and I'm here to win it."
The newspaper last Sunday exposed Hatton – "caught on camera snorting cocaine in a shocking 10-hour drink and drugs binge" – in a Manchester hotel two weeks previously.
The video was apparently provided by Hatton's friend, the Irish female amateur boxer, Emma Bowe, who said: "I'm doing this for Ricky's own good. I hope he gets help and advice before cocaine destroys him." But a source close to Hatton said the implication that Hatton's problems have only arisen since the Pacquiao fight is "nonsensical".
"This has been going on for several years," he said. "Ricky has been out of control for a long time. People have told him but he refused to listen."
His father, Ray, said Hatton's drinking got worse because he was always trying, "to please his mates".
Hatton, 31, was unable to attend a fund-raiser in Bolton last night, organised by Khan, because of his move to the Priory, where he is likely to stay for at least a couple of weeks.
"I spoke to Ricky yesterday," Khan said. "He's in rehab, but we are all 100% behind him. If he needs any help, I am here, as is Team Khan. He is a rich young guy and has made mistakes. He got in with the wrong crowd. He has to learn from this mistake and come back stronger."
Hatton looked bloated and downcast in the promotional video for tomorrow's revelations, and, while it might come as a surprise that he has chosen to give his story to the very paper that exposed him, Hatton retains the sympathy of one of the biggest fan bases in British sport.
He packed out venues throughout the country at speaking engagements that earned him up to £7,000 a night and had embarked on a successful career as a promoter.
The British Boxing Board of Control, as well as Manchester police, want to interview Hatton about his activities, suggesting he might lose his board licence and receive at least a police caution.
Source: guardian.co.uk
Margarito in Top Shape -- Manila Bulletin
By NICK GIONGCO, Manila Bulletin
MANILA, Philippines — The past couple of weeks, Antonio Margarito has been giving his trainer Robert Garcia a wide grin.
“His weight and his conditioning is remarkable,” Garcia told the Bulletin from Los Angeles on Saturday where they have been holed up at the South El Monte Boxing Gym.
Garcia is helping Margarito rev up for a Nov. 13 showdown with Manny Pacquiao and he is more than optimistic of pulling off a surprise come fight night at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.
Margarito starts the day jogging in the mountains and by next week, he will also do roadwork at the beach as the training camp shifts to high gear in Oxnard, which is about 40 miles north of Los Angeles.
Even the choices for sparring partners have been finalized and one of them would be Sergio Martinez, the Argentine world champion, said Garcia.
Pacquiao, whose last fight was a lopsided win over Joshua Clottey of Ghana last March, is a huge favorite going into the scheduled 12-round bout for the vacant World Boxing Council super-welterweight crown.
Meanwhile, Freddie Roach is arriving this morning from Los Angeles in preparation for training camp in wwBaguio City sometime in this coming week.
Roach will have two sparring partners with him.
Pacquiao’s adviser Mike Koncz said Pacquiao, who is in General Santos City and should be back in Manila on Monday, plans to travel to the City of Pines either Wednesday or Thursday.
Source: mb.com.ph
MANILA, Philippines — The past couple of weeks, Antonio Margarito has been giving his trainer Robert Garcia a wide grin.
“His weight and his conditioning is remarkable,” Garcia told the Bulletin from Los Angeles on Saturday where they have been holed up at the South El Monte Boxing Gym.
Garcia is helping Margarito rev up for a Nov. 13 showdown with Manny Pacquiao and he is more than optimistic of pulling off a surprise come fight night at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.Margarito starts the day jogging in the mountains and by next week, he will also do roadwork at the beach as the training camp shifts to high gear in Oxnard, which is about 40 miles north of Los Angeles.
Even the choices for sparring partners have been finalized and one of them would be Sergio Martinez, the Argentine world champion, said Garcia.
Pacquiao, whose last fight was a lopsided win over Joshua Clottey of Ghana last March, is a huge favorite going into the scheduled 12-round bout for the vacant World Boxing Council super-welterweight crown.
Meanwhile, Freddie Roach is arriving this morning from Los Angeles in preparation for training camp in wwBaguio City sometime in this coming week.
Roach will have two sparring partners with him.
Pacquiao’s adviser Mike Koncz said Pacquiao, who is in General Santos City and should be back in Manila on Monday, plans to travel to the City of Pines either Wednesday or Thursday.
Source: mb.com.ph
Saturday, 18 September 2010
For Filipino Boxer, Money Opens Door to Politics -- New York Times
The New York Times
MANNY PACQUIAO’S black Hummer was nowhere in sight. The parade that he was supposed to lead had already wound down in front of the town hall here. His seat, the seat of honor, stood vacant on a stage on which singers, three beauty queens and the province’s ruling political class sat waiting.
Perhaps more than anywhere else in the Philippines, feudal-like dynasties dominate here on the impoverished, violence-ridden island of Mindanao. But by brandishing his vast wealth, Mr. Pacquiao — who came out of one of this area’s poorest slums, finished only elementary school and often appears uncomfortable speaking English — defeated a member of the clan that founded Sarangani and that had held the congressional seat for three decades.
Outwardly, the establishment has welcomed Mr. Pacquiao, 31, since he was sworn in as Sarangani’s only congressman less than three months ago.
“It was the public’s choice,” Steve Solon, 39, the vice governor and nephew of the man Mr. Pacquiao beat in a landslide, said at the festival here. “We need to support each other.”
A FEW DAYS earlier, Mr. Pacquiao was getting ready to attend a plenary session in Congress in Manila, the capital, having flown back from the United States the night before. Since taking office, he has given a couple of well-received speeches, including one on human trafficking, and has become a visible presence on the committee to carry out the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, which is led by Imelda Marcos, the former first lady and a newly minted congresswoman.
“So far, so good,” Mr. Pacquiao said in an interview in his office in Congress. With “time management,” he said he would be able to train for his next fight, in November, and fulfill his legislative duties.
Boxing and politics, he said, had been his twin dreams growing up.
“I want to help people, especially in my province,” he said. “There are a lot of poor people. When I’m old, I want my name, Manny Pacquiao, to be known not only as a good boxer but a good public servant.”
He may have become one of the world’s wealthiest athletes — Forbes magazine said he earned $40 million in 2009 — and he may now socialize with Hollywood celebrities, but in the Philippines, his pledge to help the poor resonates because of his now familiar personal history.
He grew up in General Santos City, in a neighborhood that even today is a warren of narrow, dirt roads and ramshackle houses — though now adorned, incongruously, by two mansions belonging to Mr. Pacquiao’s mother and brother. Amateur boxing rings are fixtures of festivals in the countryside, a legacy of the United States’ colonial history in the Philippines. So, like many American boxers, Mr. Pacquiao sought his way out of his old neighborhood through boxing. At 14 years old, he ran away from home, stowing away aboard a ship bound for Manila, where he turned pro a couple of years later.
In the assembly hall, most congressmen sat waiting for the plenary to start. But Mr. Pacquiao moved relentlessly, bantering with colleagues, posing for photos, scanning, in the split seconds he found himself alone, the entire room.
“He can easily become a senator,” said Antonio Tinio, 40, another new congressman, explaining that Senate seats were nationwide offices favoring popular candidates like Mr. Pacquiao. But becoming president or even provincial governor requires the kind of political machine established by dynasties, he added.
Mr. Pacquiao, though, has proven himself a fast learner. He ran for the first time in 2007, naïvely believing that his popularity alone would win him a congressional seat in General Santos City.
“This time, I started forming my machinery two years before the election,” Mr. Pacquiao said.
Choosing to run in Sarangani, his wife’s home province, Mr. Pacquiao wooed local power brokers, showering them and their districts with money.
Reynaldo Constantino, 51, the mayor of one of Sarangani’s seven municipalities, said that since 2007 he has received more than $1.6 million from Mr. Pacquiao to deploy on projects in his district. Whenever the mayor himself needed money for his “image-building,” he turned to Mr. Pacquiao.
“Money in the Philippines is the No. 1 factor in winning elections,” Mr. Constantino, who is known as Bong, said. “Even though he is very popular, he would not have won without his money.”
Like many of Mr. Pacquiao’s constituents, Mr. Constantino said he hoped that the new congressman would now use his personal wealth to develop all of Sarangani, a province dominated by fishing and agriculture. “All of Sarangani will develop now because of Manny and because of Manny’s money,” he said.
MR. PACQUIAO’S black Hummer was finally spotted barreling down the one road from General Santos City, west of here. If there was any doubt that the Hummer was his, the absence of any license plates — a privilege often granted to the powerful here in Mindanao — confirmed it.
Dark clouds had been moving toward Alabel from the other direction and, as if on cue, rain began falling as Mr. Pacquiao took the microphone, nearly two hours late.
Speaking in Visayan, the region’s main language, he said he had been working hard to attract investors to Sarangani. He pledged to build a new hospital here and start other projects to improve people’s lives.
“I will not be an embarrassment to you,” he said.
Later, inside the mayor’s office, Mr. Pacquiao sat at a large desk behind a lechon, a roast suckling pig. People drifted in and out of the office to pick from a buffet. The governor, Miguel Rene Dominguez — the 33-year-old scion of two of the southern Philippines’ oldest and richest families — sat to his left.
The congressman and the governor spoke easily with each other. A conversation about Mr. Pacquiao’s knockout of Ricky Hatton, a British boxer, led to an exchange on the histories of England and Scotland. They talked of the importance of promoting a provincial tourist spot. The governor asked him what he was doing in Manila. Mr. Pacquiao talked about serving on the Millennium Development Goals committee.
Mr. Pacquiao said that he would dedicate all his discretionary pork-barrel budget to Sarangani. Each congressman receives almost $1.6 million a year for pet projects at home, but much of the amount is typically funneled into private accounts.
“I don’t need it anyway,” he said.
Mr. Pacquiao, who was picking at the lechon and chewing on lanzones, a tropical fruit, abruptly stopped eating when the governor stood up and Mr. Pacquiao spotted a switchblade knife in the governor’s right pants pocket. Plucking it out before the governor had noticed, Mr. Pacquiao repeatedly folded and unfolded the switchblade, testing its sharpness with his index finger.
“This is dangerous for children,” he said.
Taking back the knife, the governor showed him how to whip it out of his pocket so that the blade unfolded in a single motion.
“Even if my opponent has this,” Mr. Pacquiao said, “I can beat him as long as he’s physically close to me.”
The governor gave him the switchblade to keep.
“You can thrust it into somebody,” the governor told the new congressman, “and just leave it in there.”
Source: nytimes.com
MANNY PACQUIAO’S black Hummer was nowhere in sight. The parade that he was supposed to lead had already wound down in front of the town hall here. His seat, the seat of honor, stood vacant on a stage on which singers, three beauty queens and the province’s ruling political class sat waiting. Mr. Pacquiao, possibly the best boxer in the world and a new congressman in the Philippines, had awakened at home a little earlier, still jet-lagged from a trip to the United States, where he had been promoting his next fight. He was the main financial sponsor of the annual “foundation day” festival here in Alabel, the capital of Sarangani, the southern province that was carved out of another in 1992 and that he now represents in the House of Representatives.
Perhaps more than anywhere else in the Philippines, feudal-like dynasties dominate here on the impoverished, violence-ridden island of Mindanao. But by brandishing his vast wealth, Mr. Pacquiao — who came out of one of this area’s poorest slums, finished only elementary school and often appears uncomfortable speaking English — defeated a member of the clan that founded Sarangani and that had held the congressional seat for three decades. Outwardly, the establishment has welcomed Mr. Pacquiao, 31, since he was sworn in as Sarangani’s only congressman less than three months ago.
“It was the public’s choice,” Steve Solon, 39, the vice governor and nephew of the man Mr. Pacquiao beat in a landslide, said at the festival here. “We need to support each other.”
A FEW DAYS earlier, Mr. Pacquiao was getting ready to attend a plenary session in Congress in Manila, the capital, having flown back from the United States the night before. Since taking office, he has given a couple of well-received speeches, including one on human trafficking, and has become a visible presence on the committee to carry out the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, which is led by Imelda Marcos, the former first lady and a newly minted congresswoman.
“So far, so good,” Mr. Pacquiao said in an interview in his office in Congress. With “time management,” he said he would be able to train for his next fight, in November, and fulfill his legislative duties.
Boxing and politics, he said, had been his twin dreams growing up.
“I want to help people, especially in my province,” he said. “There are a lot of poor people. When I’m old, I want my name, Manny Pacquiao, to be known not only as a good boxer but a good public servant.”
He may have become one of the world’s wealthiest athletes — Forbes magazine said he earned $40 million in 2009 — and he may now socialize with Hollywood celebrities, but in the Philippines, his pledge to help the poor resonates because of his now familiar personal history.
He grew up in General Santos City, in a neighborhood that even today is a warren of narrow, dirt roads and ramshackle houses — though now adorned, incongruously, by two mansions belonging to Mr. Pacquiao’s mother and brother. Amateur boxing rings are fixtures of festivals in the countryside, a legacy of the United States’ colonial history in the Philippines. So, like many American boxers, Mr. Pacquiao sought his way out of his old neighborhood through boxing. At 14 years old, he ran away from home, stowing away aboard a ship bound for Manila, where he turned pro a couple of years later.
In the assembly hall, most congressmen sat waiting for the plenary to start. But Mr. Pacquiao moved relentlessly, bantering with colleagues, posing for photos, scanning, in the split seconds he found himself alone, the entire room.
“He can easily become a senator,” said Antonio Tinio, 40, another new congressman, explaining that Senate seats were nationwide offices favoring popular candidates like Mr. Pacquiao. But becoming president or even provincial governor requires the kind of political machine established by dynasties, he added.
Mr. Pacquiao, though, has proven himself a fast learner. He ran for the first time in 2007, naïvely believing that his popularity alone would win him a congressional seat in General Santos City.
“This time, I started forming my machinery two years before the election,” Mr. Pacquiao said.
Choosing to run in Sarangani, his wife’s home province, Mr. Pacquiao wooed local power brokers, showering them and their districts with money.
Reynaldo Constantino, 51, the mayor of one of Sarangani’s seven municipalities, said that since 2007 he has received more than $1.6 million from Mr. Pacquiao to deploy on projects in his district. Whenever the mayor himself needed money for his “image-building,” he turned to Mr. Pacquiao.
“Money in the Philippines is the No. 1 factor in winning elections,” Mr. Constantino, who is known as Bong, said. “Even though he is very popular, he would not have won without his money.”
Like many of Mr. Pacquiao’s constituents, Mr. Constantino said he hoped that the new congressman would now use his personal wealth to develop all of Sarangani, a province dominated by fishing and agriculture. “All of Sarangani will develop now because of Manny and because of Manny’s money,” he said.
MR. PACQUIAO’S black Hummer was finally spotted barreling down the one road from General Santos City, west of here. If there was any doubt that the Hummer was his, the absence of any license plates — a privilege often granted to the powerful here in Mindanao — confirmed it.
Dark clouds had been moving toward Alabel from the other direction and, as if on cue, rain began falling as Mr. Pacquiao took the microphone, nearly two hours late.
Speaking in Visayan, the region’s main language, he said he had been working hard to attract investors to Sarangani. He pledged to build a new hospital here and start other projects to improve people’s lives.
“I will not be an embarrassment to you,” he said.
Later, inside the mayor’s office, Mr. Pacquiao sat at a large desk behind a lechon, a roast suckling pig. People drifted in and out of the office to pick from a buffet. The governor, Miguel Rene Dominguez — the 33-year-old scion of two of the southern Philippines’ oldest and richest families — sat to his left.
The congressman and the governor spoke easily with each other. A conversation about Mr. Pacquiao’s knockout of Ricky Hatton, a British boxer, led to an exchange on the histories of England and Scotland. They talked of the importance of promoting a provincial tourist spot. The governor asked him what he was doing in Manila. Mr. Pacquiao talked about serving on the Millennium Development Goals committee.
Mr. Pacquiao said that he would dedicate all his discretionary pork-barrel budget to Sarangani. Each congressman receives almost $1.6 million a year for pet projects at home, but much of the amount is typically funneled into private accounts.
“I don’t need it anyway,” he said.
Mr. Pacquiao, who was picking at the lechon and chewing on lanzones, a tropical fruit, abruptly stopped eating when the governor stood up and Mr. Pacquiao spotted a switchblade knife in the governor’s right pants pocket. Plucking it out before the governor had noticed, Mr. Pacquiao repeatedly folded and unfolded the switchblade, testing its sharpness with his index finger.
“This is dangerous for children,” he said.
Taking back the knife, the governor showed him how to whip it out of his pocket so that the blade unfolded in a single motion.
“Even if my opponent has this,” Mr. Pacquiao said, “I can beat him as long as he’s physically close to me.”
The governor gave him the switchblade to keep.
“You can thrust it into somebody,” the governor told the new congressman, “and just leave it in there.”
Source: nytimes.com
Thursday, 16 September 2010
De La Hoya saddened by Hatton, Mayweather crises -- The Ring
By Michael Rosenthal, The Ring
LOS ANGELES – Oscar De La Hoya said on Tuesday that the recent personal crises of Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayeather Jr. might be cries for help.
Hatton was caught on video snorting cocaine and has reportedly checked into a rehabilitation facility. Mayweather went on a racist rant aimed at Manny Pacquiao, after which he apologized, and was later arrested on felony larceny charges after an argument with his ex-girlfriend.
“My reaction is that I wish all the best for them,” De La Hoya said. “Maybe it’s a cry for help. They definitely, especially Ricky Hatton, needs help. … He’s going to self destruct. … I would tell him, ‘I want to help you. I’m your friend, I’m your father, I’m your brother.’ He’s in a world right now, if he continues, he’s going to self destruct. He could die. So he needs help.”
De La Hoya obviously has to be careful what he says publicly about Mayweather because they have a working relationship. Still, he seemed to have genuine compassion for his former rival.
“Maybe it’s a cry for help too,” De La Hoya said. “One never knows. Maybe he has his own problems. … Ricky Hatton is a good guy. I truly feel Floyd Mayweather is a good guy too. He can be a nice guy. I’ve seen him in action. He can be nice.
“Sometimes it’s a sign someone needs help. I can just say I wish the best for anybody in that situation because it’s sad.”
Source: ringtv.com
LOS ANGELES – Oscar De La Hoya said on Tuesday that the recent personal crises of Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayeather Jr. might be cries for help.
Hatton was caught on video snorting cocaine and has reportedly checked into a rehabilitation facility. Mayweather went on a racist rant aimed at Manny Pacquiao, after which he apologized, and was later arrested on felony larceny charges after an argument with his ex-girlfriend.
“My reaction is that I wish all the best for them,” De La Hoya said. “Maybe it’s a cry for help. They definitely, especially Ricky Hatton, needs help. … He’s going to self destruct. … I would tell him, ‘I want to help you. I’m your friend, I’m your father, I’m your brother.’ He’s in a world right now, if he continues, he’s going to self destruct. He could die. So he needs help.”De La Hoya obviously has to be careful what he says publicly about Mayweather because they have a working relationship. Still, he seemed to have genuine compassion for his former rival.
“Maybe it’s a cry for help too,” De La Hoya said. “One never knows. Maybe he has his own problems. … Ricky Hatton is a good guy. I truly feel Floyd Mayweather is a good guy too. He can be a nice guy. I’ve seen him in action. He can be nice.
“Sometimes it’s a sign someone needs help. I can just say I wish the best for anybody in that situation because it’s sad.”
Source: ringtv.com
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
King: Floyd a product of his surroundings -- Yahoo! EuroSport
By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sport
Don King isn’t shocked by what he’s seen of Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s behavior in the last two weeks. He doesn’t like it, and he’s not about to condone it, but it didn’t come as any great surprise to him.
Nor does the loquacious boxing promoter believe, however, that Mayweather’s actions make him a despicable person.
On September 1, Mayweather was best known as arguably the world’s finest boxer, an outspoken, trash-talking character who clearly had become the sport’s biggest draw. But on September 2, he posted a bizarre, hate-filled rant on uStream.com, during which he referred to rival Manny Pacquiao as a midget and a “yellow chump,” used a derogatory slang term to describe a homosexual and said that after beating Pacquiao, he would force the Filipino congressman to “make me a sushi roll and cook me some rice.”
As bad as that was, it got far worse a week later, when Josie Harris, his ex-girlfriend and the mother of three of his four children, alleged he assaulted her, stole her mobile telephone and threatened to have her and her new boyfriend “taken care of.”
Mayweather was arrested Friday on a grand larceny charge related to Harris’ missing telephone. On Monday, Las Vegas police released the report of the incident with Harris. In it, Mayweather’s 10-year-old son, Koraun, describes watching his father hitting and kicking his mother. He also told police that a friend of his father’s who was at the scene, James McNair, prevented him from leaving the home.
King, who had several well-publicised meetings with Mayweather in the middle of the summer in an attempt to convince the fighter to hire him as his promoter, condemned Mayweather’s actions but not the man himself.
He called the rant and the domestic dispute “frustrations of the ghetto expressing themselves,” and suggested Mayweather needed to be educated, not jailed.
“He grabbed onto sport to be able to escape,” King said. “He’s a master in his sport, but that don’t make him a Rhodes Scholar. He’s not erudite in other things. No one can explain him unless they can understand him.
“When you’re in the street, the jargon, the vernacular, is altogether different. You have to understand that. In order to bring change about, you need respectability and responsibility. You have to be able to be taught, and this is what Don King would be able to do with him because I understand where he’s coming from. If you don’t know where you’re coming from, you don’t know where you are going.”
King suggested that a lot of Mayweather’s problems stem from being an African-American man in a white-dominated society. He said Mayweather hasn’t learned how to successfully work with other people and that he’s struggling to deal with his fame and notoriety.
Mayweather’s fame has only made the issue worse, King said.
“What you are seeing here are frustrations of the ghetto expressing themselves,” King said. “It’s nothing that is seriously wrong and it’s nothing that isn’t commonplace in the ghettos throughout the whole United States, throughout the ‘hood. But Floyd, being one who has achieved and accomplished such a great deal, it’s personified like he’s the second coming.”
King said young African-American men often have a difficult time understanding their responsibilities. He said those are lessons he learned long ago and would like to impart to Mayweather.
Being a man means more than just being a world-class boxer, King said.
“He takes one thing from manhood – he can throw a left hook, a right hand and a right cross – and he’s superb at that,” King said. “But manhood takes more than a left hook, a right hand and a right cross. It takes respect for your elders. It takes respect for women. Your Mama was a woman. We must respect women. There ain’t no men dropping babies, least not that I know of. But this is all about education.
“He has sharpened his skills in the talent of fighting. He has become a fighting machine, one of the best in the world. But he didn’t sharpen his skills, with no one to tell him, about morality, about being able to deal with people and being able to understand that you are your brother’s keeper and that you can do this without being a punk. In the ghetto, they say, if you can’t take care of your woman, you ain’t nothing. It’s a misconstrument of his manly obligations and responsibilities, based upon a guideline that has been here for hundreds of years.”
King promoted former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson after Tyson was released from prison after serving three years on a rape conviction. Five of Tyson’s first six bouts after his release were on pay-per-view, which averaged an astounding 1.52 million sales.
He had a rocky relationship with Tyson, though, and Tyson eventually sued him, though the two recently reconciled. King said he could help Mayweather iron out his problems and remain the dominant force in boxing because he alone among boxing promoters understands the roots of Mayweather’s problems.
“I am one of those who has mastered the situation of working with people,” King said. “I never got mad at the white man for what he did to the black man, because I got a PhD in caucasianism and I graduated summa cum laude. The only way you can understand (Mayweather) is to walk in his shoes. When you walk in his shoes, then you’re able to bring about change, because it’s direly needed. Change is in the air, but you have to pick them up and let them gradually understand that what is happening is wrong and that this is right.
“You’re right to condemn his actions, based on your perspective and your education and the life you’ve lived. … Having fame, acclaim and affluence doesn’t mean he’s gained the knowledge and understanding of peoplehood. People need each other. You have to have respect for each other. It brings along with that a responsibility to have respect, being able to contain yourself, having discipline, being able to understand that the world is not centred upon you. It is not I, I, I. It is we, us, togetherness. I can bring this knowledge to him, because I have walked in his shoes and been where is.”
Source: uk.eurosport.yahoo.com
Don King isn’t shocked by what he’s seen of Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s behavior in the last two weeks. He doesn’t like it, and he’s not about to condone it, but it didn’t come as any great surprise to him.
Nor does the loquacious boxing promoter believe, however, that Mayweather’s actions make him a despicable person.
On September 1, Mayweather was best known as arguably the world’s finest boxer, an outspoken, trash-talking character who clearly had become the sport’s biggest draw. But on September 2, he posted a bizarre, hate-filled rant on uStream.com, during which he referred to rival Manny Pacquiao as a midget and a “yellow chump,” used a derogatory slang term to describe a homosexual and said that after beating Pacquiao, he would force the Filipino congressman to “make me a sushi roll and cook me some rice.”As bad as that was, it got far worse a week later, when Josie Harris, his ex-girlfriend and the mother of three of his four children, alleged he assaulted her, stole her mobile telephone and threatened to have her and her new boyfriend “taken care of.”
Mayweather was arrested Friday on a grand larceny charge related to Harris’ missing telephone. On Monday, Las Vegas police released the report of the incident with Harris. In it, Mayweather’s 10-year-old son, Koraun, describes watching his father hitting and kicking his mother. He also told police that a friend of his father’s who was at the scene, James McNair, prevented him from leaving the home.
King, who had several well-publicised meetings with Mayweather in the middle of the summer in an attempt to convince the fighter to hire him as his promoter, condemned Mayweather’s actions but not the man himself.
He called the rant and the domestic dispute “frustrations of the ghetto expressing themselves,” and suggested Mayweather needed to be educated, not jailed.
“He grabbed onto sport to be able to escape,” King said. “He’s a master in his sport, but that don’t make him a Rhodes Scholar. He’s not erudite in other things. No one can explain him unless they can understand him.
“When you’re in the street, the jargon, the vernacular, is altogether different. You have to understand that. In order to bring change about, you need respectability and responsibility. You have to be able to be taught, and this is what Don King would be able to do with him because I understand where he’s coming from. If you don’t know where you’re coming from, you don’t know where you are going.”
King suggested that a lot of Mayweather’s problems stem from being an African-American man in a white-dominated society. He said Mayweather hasn’t learned how to successfully work with other people and that he’s struggling to deal with his fame and notoriety.
Mayweather’s fame has only made the issue worse, King said.
“What you are seeing here are frustrations of the ghetto expressing themselves,” King said. “It’s nothing that is seriously wrong and it’s nothing that isn’t commonplace in the ghettos throughout the whole United States, throughout the ‘hood. But Floyd, being one who has achieved and accomplished such a great deal, it’s personified like he’s the second coming.”
King said young African-American men often have a difficult time understanding their responsibilities. He said those are lessons he learned long ago and would like to impart to Mayweather.
Being a man means more than just being a world-class boxer, King said.
“He takes one thing from manhood – he can throw a left hook, a right hand and a right cross – and he’s superb at that,” King said. “But manhood takes more than a left hook, a right hand and a right cross. It takes respect for your elders. It takes respect for women. Your Mama was a woman. We must respect women. There ain’t no men dropping babies, least not that I know of. But this is all about education.
“He has sharpened his skills in the talent of fighting. He has become a fighting machine, one of the best in the world. But he didn’t sharpen his skills, with no one to tell him, about morality, about being able to deal with people and being able to understand that you are your brother’s keeper and that you can do this without being a punk. In the ghetto, they say, if you can’t take care of your woman, you ain’t nothing. It’s a misconstrument of his manly obligations and responsibilities, based upon a guideline that has been here for hundreds of years.”
King promoted former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson after Tyson was released from prison after serving three years on a rape conviction. Five of Tyson’s first six bouts after his release were on pay-per-view, which averaged an astounding 1.52 million sales.
He had a rocky relationship with Tyson, though, and Tyson eventually sued him, though the two recently reconciled. King said he could help Mayweather iron out his problems and remain the dominant force in boxing because he alone among boxing promoters understands the roots of Mayweather’s problems.
“I am one of those who has mastered the situation of working with people,” King said. “I never got mad at the white man for what he did to the black man, because I got a PhD in caucasianism and I graduated summa cum laude. The only way you can understand (Mayweather) is to walk in his shoes. When you walk in his shoes, then you’re able to bring about change, because it’s direly needed. Change is in the air, but you have to pick them up and let them gradually understand that what is happening is wrong and that this is right.
“You’re right to condemn his actions, based on your perspective and your education and the life you’ve lived. … Having fame, acclaim and affluence doesn’t mean he’s gained the knowledge and understanding of peoplehood. People need each other. You have to have respect for each other. It brings along with that a responsibility to have respect, being able to contain yourself, having discipline, being able to understand that the world is not centred upon you. It is not I, I, I. It is we, us, togetherness. I can bring this knowledge to him, because I have walked in his shoes and been where is.”
Source: uk.eurosport.yahoo.com
Pacquiao saddened by Hatton’s crisis -- ABS-CBN News
abs-cbnNEWS.com
MANILA, Philippines – Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao has expressed hope that his erstwhile opponent Ricky Hatton will overcome the personal crisis he is going through.
The former junior welterweight champion from Britain was diagnosed with depression and was caught on video allegedly snorting cocaine. He also reportedly has a drinking problem.
“I feel sad because of what happened. Sana magbago na siya,” said Pacquiao while training at the Elorde Gym in Quezon City for his November 13 fight against Mexico’s Antonio Margarito.
Hatton reportedly got depressed and addicted to drugs and alcohol after he lost to to Pacquiao in May 2009 via a second-round knockout.
It was the worst beating for Hatton, who terrorized the junior welterweight division before his loss to the Filipino. His only other loss was to Floyd Mayweather Jr. when he climbed the welterweight class in December 27.
Pacquiao advised Hatton to renew his faith so he can survive his crisis.
“Don't tell God that you have a great problem but tell your problem that you have a great God,” said the Filipino.
A newspaper earlier published a video footage of the boxer allegedly snorting cocaine.
The News of the World secretly filmed Hatton supposedly using "industrial quantities" of the drug during a marathon 10-hour drinking session.
The boxer later was reportedly “distraught and devastated” after learning that his alleged drug use was publicized.
"He's very upset and very down as you'd imagine," his spokesman Max Clifford told BBC radio. "He said he feels he's let everyone down: himself, family, friends and the many fans who have been nothing but supportive.” -- With reports from Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN, Agence France-Presse and Reuters
Source: abs-cbnnews.com
MANILA, Philippines – Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao has expressed hope that his erstwhile opponent Ricky Hatton will overcome the personal crisis he is going through.
The former junior welterweight champion from Britain was diagnosed with depression and was caught on video allegedly snorting cocaine. He also reportedly has a drinking problem.
“I feel sad because of what happened. Sana magbago na siya,” said Pacquiao while training at the Elorde Gym in Quezon City for his November 13 fight against Mexico’s Antonio Margarito.
Hatton reportedly got depressed and addicted to drugs and alcohol after he lost to to Pacquiao in May 2009 via a second-round knockout.It was the worst beating for Hatton, who terrorized the junior welterweight division before his loss to the Filipino. His only other loss was to Floyd Mayweather Jr. when he climbed the welterweight class in December 27.
Pacquiao advised Hatton to renew his faith so he can survive his crisis.
“Don't tell God that you have a great problem but tell your problem that you have a great God,” said the Filipino.
A newspaper earlier published a video footage of the boxer allegedly snorting cocaine.
The News of the World secretly filmed Hatton supposedly using "industrial quantities" of the drug during a marathon 10-hour drinking session.
The boxer later was reportedly “distraught and devastated” after learning that his alleged drug use was publicized.
"He's very upset and very down as you'd imagine," his spokesman Max Clifford told BBC radio. "He said he feels he's let everyone down: himself, family, friends and the many fans who have been nothing but supportive.” -- With reports from Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN, Agence France-Presse and Reuters
Source: abs-cbnnews.com
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