By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse
Trainer Freddie Roach spoke to FanHouse in this Q&A following Wednesday's open workout for the international media, the third day for Manny Pacquiao of preparation at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood since the WBO welterweight (147 pounds) king arrived in Los Angeles on Monday from Bagiuo City following weeks of work in his native Philippines.
Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 knockouts) is readying for a Nov. 13 main event at The Dallas Cowboys of an HBO pay per view televised, Top Rank Promotions WBC junior middleweight (154 pounds) title clash opposite former titlist Antonio Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs), against whom he will pursue his eighth crown in as many weight divisions.
How was the first big media day at the Wild Card for Manny Pacquiao?
Freddie Roach: It was like another day at the office. We just sort of went through the motions. We showed them just a little bit. We just didn't do too much to give away our game plan.
What did Manny do today?
Not too much. We did eight rounds on the mitts, we hit the double-end bag, hit the speed bag, jumped some rope a little bit, did some shadow boxing. You know. Just a little short gym workout.
Normally, we do 12 or 13 rounds on the mitts. Today, we cut it in half. That's just because, like I said, we didn't want to give too much away.
Why is it always better for Manny to be at the Wild Card than it is for him to be in Baguio City of the Philippines for his last few days of training before a big fight?
There are so many fewer distractions. This is always where he prepares himself for the big fights. This is our home base. This is where his comfort zone is. This is where he knows that the fight is getting really close. This is where we always start to get the most serious.
This is where everything begins. Like I said, there are a lot less distractions here in Los Angeles. There are not as many officials and no politicians coming in to drag him out and stuff like that.
Do you think that for this camp, more than perhaps any other, has been bothered by more distractions than in the past?
Well, we had trouble getting focused. I mean, we worked hard, but we had a lot of distractions. We only had to miss one workout when the president of the Philippines wanted to see him.
With Manny being in Congress, I mean, you know, with Manny being a congressman, that's something that in his heart he really wants to be his best at it. We had a little trouble getting his focus.
But once we got back here in Los Angeles, you know, everything sort of fell back into place. Everything is back on schedule.
Over the next few days, do you anticipate that any of his sparring partners will include Amir Khan, Julio Cesar Chavez or Vanes Martirosyan or Glen Tapia?
Right now, we're using Rashaad Holloway, we have David Rodela, Ray Beltran, and, there was this one other kid from Detroit, but I forget his name right now. But Manny broke his nose yesterday, so he's out.
Have you seen any video or any pictures of Antonio Margarito, who apparently has a six-pack and reportedly appears to be in tremendous shape?
I mean, who gives a sh**. I mean, really? Who cares? I'm just trying to get my guy ready. He's getting ready for a world title fight. That's what he's supposed to be in, great shape. But I don't give a sh** what he does.
I don't care about Antonio Margarito. I don't care if he fights at 175 pounds. Who cares? I mean, he's getting ready for a world title fight. If he doesn't get ready, then he's a fool. That's what people do.
He's doing what he's supposed to do. The thing that I hear is that he's in great shape. But like I said before, he should be in shape for a world title fight.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
Thursday, 28 October 2010
Pacman back on Kimmel show -- FightNews
FightNews.com
Tune in this Monday night, November 1 as Manny Pacquiao returns to ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” at 12:05 a.m. Following in the tradition of Pacquiao’s previous visits, he will be performing a musical number – this time with the help of fellow guest, actor Will Ferrell. Pacquiao is currently in training in Los Angeles for his November 13 WBC junior middleweight championship match with Antonio Margarito in Texas. Last year Pacquiao serenaded the live studio audience with a rendition of the love song, “Sometimes When We Touch.”
Source: fightnews.com
Tune in this Monday night, November 1 as Manny Pacquiao returns to ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” at 12:05 a.m. Following in the tradition of Pacquiao’s previous visits, he will be performing a musical number – this time with the help of fellow guest, actor Will Ferrell. Pacquiao is currently in training in Los Angeles for his November 13 WBC junior middleweight championship match with Antonio Margarito in Texas. Last year Pacquiao serenaded the live studio audience with a rendition of the love song, “Sometimes When We Touch.”Source: fightnews.com
Manny Pacquiao not enjoying L.A. camp -- ESPN
By Associated Press
LOS ANGELES -- When Manny Pacquiao finally made his way past the autograph hounds and the process server to climb the rickety staircase to the Wild Card Gym, he was met by dozens of fans, fellow fighters, reporters and even a television star, all wanting a moment before his workout.
Hollywood is jam-packed with distractions for the world's top pound-for-pound boxer -- and the Pacman isn't even a congressman in this country.
Trainer Freddie Roach says Pacquiao is having the worst training camp of his career heading into his Nov. 13 meeting with Antonio Margarito in Texas.
In the five months since he won a congressional seat in his native Philippines, boxing has lost some of its urgency for Pacquiao. Roach can even cite physical evidence their careers have been hurt by politics.
"He has a foot problem, and that's because he wears dress shoes too much," Roach said, referring to the nagging left heel injury that has slowed Pacquiao's running.
Although Roach thinks he'll have no problem putting together a speed-based game plan to beat the bigger Margarito, he's worried about Pacquiao's ability to execute it. The fighter who flawlessly teamed with boxing's most respected trainer to forge a 12-fight winning streak just doesn't have the same focus, or even the same drive.
"At two in the morning, I'm walking around Baguio pulling my hair out, saying, 'What do I have to do?'" Roach said, referring to the Filipino city where they trained before returning to Los Angeles last weekend.
"I know his mind is off the fight. I know his mind is somewhere else, and that's because of politics. If there are no more challenges out there after this fight, this could be it. If Floyd (Mayweather Jr.) doesn't come to the table, I don't know what's going to challenge him. He loves his other job, and he might be done with this one."
Roach hopes the move stateside will help, although the hubbub Wednesday at the open workout suggested otherwise.
After Pacquiao apparently was served with papers in an envelope on the way into the gym, he quickly got his hands wrapped before walking slowly around the ring in the Wild Card's stifling heat, patiently answering questions from dozens of reporters. Perhaps after greeting actor Jeremy Piven, Pacquiao would be ready to train.
"I've been under pressure and tough conditions before," Pacquiao said. "The training is going good, but the problem is aside from training, there's lots of stuff to do. ... I'm thinking about (retirement), but I can still fight. I think I'll do a few more."
The mob scene in L.A. is a sea of tranquility compared to home, where the 31-year-old spends at least part of each day as the Honorable Emmanuel D. Pacquiao, freshman congressman from the Sarangani province. Although he's formally excused from legislative duties during training, he still takes regular phone calls from his staff, sometimes even in the middle of workouts.
And for the first time in his career with Roach, Pacquiao took a day off from training to travel to Manila for a meeting with President Benigno Aquino III, although Pacquiao claims he got in a workout there.
"Even if it was the worst training camp we ever had, he never missed a day before," Roach said.
Pacquiao has suggested he'll make it up to Roach by proposing a bill to grant Filipino citizenship to the trainer, who says he has never voted in an American election.
"I'd still vote for Manny if I'm a citizen," Roach said, laughing.
In his spare time, Pacquiao also has a wife and four kids, gestating careers in singing and acting, and a variety of business interests including a greater marketing push for his Nike apparel.
Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, acknowledges his fighter's life has become ridiculously complicated, but doesn't share Roach's pessimism.
"These things would be distractions to any other fighter or any other human being," Arum said. "Not Manny. He has the ability to multitask like nobody else I've ever seen. He doesn't let distractions affect his performance. I've seen him go from meetings all day to a workout, and then he'll wash up and eat and go to band rehearsal."
Arum also promotes Margarito and has an interest in talking up the fight, but even he can't discount Pacquiao's fearsome abilities.
"If Manny is trained and is in good condition, because of his skill set, he should be able to handle Margarito," Arum said. "He's just different than anybody else fighting today. The only guy who comes close to those abilities is Floyd."
Pacquiao won't stop politicking even on this continent: He's headed to Las Vegas on Friday for a quick campaign stop in support of Harry Reid, the Democratic senator and combat sports advocate in a tight race with Tea Party candidate Sharron Angle.
Yet Pacquiao claims he has plenty of time to get his mind and body right to face Margarito, the hard-punching Mexican with a 5-inch height advantage. The fight is at a 150-pound catch weight, but the winner will get a 154-pound title, which would be a belt in Pacquiao's eighth weight class.
"I have to win this fight to prove I can move to a higher division easily," Pacquiao said. "That's my role, to fight bigger men."
And bigger obstacles at every turn.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
Source: sports.espn.go.com
LOS ANGELES -- When Manny Pacquiao finally made his way past the autograph hounds and the process server to climb the rickety staircase to the Wild Card Gym, he was met by dozens of fans, fellow fighters, reporters and even a television star, all wanting a moment before his workout.
Hollywood is jam-packed with distractions for the world's top pound-for-pound boxer -- and the Pacman isn't even a congressman in this country.
Trainer Freddie Roach says Pacquiao is having the worst training camp of his career heading into his Nov. 13 meeting with Antonio Margarito in Texas.
In the five months since he won a congressional seat in his native Philippines, boxing has lost some of its urgency for Pacquiao. Roach can even cite physical evidence their careers have been hurt by politics."He has a foot problem, and that's because he wears dress shoes too much," Roach said, referring to the nagging left heel injury that has slowed Pacquiao's running.
Although Roach thinks he'll have no problem putting together a speed-based game plan to beat the bigger Margarito, he's worried about Pacquiao's ability to execute it. The fighter who flawlessly teamed with boxing's most respected trainer to forge a 12-fight winning streak just doesn't have the same focus, or even the same drive.
"At two in the morning, I'm walking around Baguio pulling my hair out, saying, 'What do I have to do?'" Roach said, referring to the Filipino city where they trained before returning to Los Angeles last weekend.
"I know his mind is off the fight. I know his mind is somewhere else, and that's because of politics. If there are no more challenges out there after this fight, this could be it. If Floyd (Mayweather Jr.) doesn't come to the table, I don't know what's going to challenge him. He loves his other job, and he might be done with this one."
Roach hopes the move stateside will help, although the hubbub Wednesday at the open workout suggested otherwise.
After Pacquiao apparently was served with papers in an envelope on the way into the gym, he quickly got his hands wrapped before walking slowly around the ring in the Wild Card's stifling heat, patiently answering questions from dozens of reporters. Perhaps after greeting actor Jeremy Piven, Pacquiao would be ready to train.
"I've been under pressure and tough conditions before," Pacquiao said. "The training is going good, but the problem is aside from training, there's lots of stuff to do. ... I'm thinking about (retirement), but I can still fight. I think I'll do a few more."
The mob scene in L.A. is a sea of tranquility compared to home, where the 31-year-old spends at least part of each day as the Honorable Emmanuel D. Pacquiao, freshman congressman from the Sarangani province. Although he's formally excused from legislative duties during training, he still takes regular phone calls from his staff, sometimes even in the middle of workouts.
And for the first time in his career with Roach, Pacquiao took a day off from training to travel to Manila for a meeting with President Benigno Aquino III, although Pacquiao claims he got in a workout there.
"Even if it was the worst training camp we ever had, he never missed a day before," Roach said.
Pacquiao has suggested he'll make it up to Roach by proposing a bill to grant Filipino citizenship to the trainer, who says he has never voted in an American election.
"I'd still vote for Manny if I'm a citizen," Roach said, laughing.
In his spare time, Pacquiao also has a wife and four kids, gestating careers in singing and acting, and a variety of business interests including a greater marketing push for his Nike apparel.
Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, acknowledges his fighter's life has become ridiculously complicated, but doesn't share Roach's pessimism.
"These things would be distractions to any other fighter or any other human being," Arum said. "Not Manny. He has the ability to multitask like nobody else I've ever seen. He doesn't let distractions affect his performance. I've seen him go from meetings all day to a workout, and then he'll wash up and eat and go to band rehearsal."
Arum also promotes Margarito and has an interest in talking up the fight, but even he can't discount Pacquiao's fearsome abilities.
"If Manny is trained and is in good condition, because of his skill set, he should be able to handle Margarito," Arum said. "He's just different than anybody else fighting today. The only guy who comes close to those abilities is Floyd."
Pacquiao won't stop politicking even on this continent: He's headed to Las Vegas on Friday for a quick campaign stop in support of Harry Reid, the Democratic senator and combat sports advocate in a tight race with Tea Party candidate Sharron Angle.
Yet Pacquiao claims he has plenty of time to get his mind and body right to face Margarito, the hard-punching Mexican with a 5-inch height advantage. The fight is at a 150-pound catch weight, but the winner will get a 154-pound title, which would be a belt in Pacquiao's eighth weight class.
"I have to win this fight to prove I can move to a higher division easily," Pacquiao said. "That's my role, to fight bigger men."
And bigger obstacles at every turn.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
Source: sports.espn.go.com
Manny Pacquiao reveals: I am praying for Floyd Mayweather Jr. -- Examiner
By Michael Marley, Examiner.com
HOLLYWOOD--All the world is Manny Pacquaio's stage and he reconfirmed Wednesday afternoon that he still relishes his role going into his 57th professional fight.
Pacquiao tries for a record eighth world division title (at junior middleweight) against Mexican retread Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13 at Cowboys Stadium.
According to Megamanny himself, he enjoys playing the giantkiller.
FIGHTING BIGGER, STRONGER GUYS LIKE MARGACHEATO:
“My role is to fight a bigger man. Of course I don't have to fight these bigger guys but this is my role in boxing.”
ON CLIMBING EVEN HIGHER TO 160 POUNDS AND TAKING ON SIX FOOT, TWO INCH GIANT PAUL THE PUNISHER WILLIAMS:
“I don't think so (smiling brightly as one scribe described Pwill as being “seven feet tall).
ON FLYING FRIDAY NIGHT TO LAS VEGAS TO APPEAR AT REID'S SENATORIAL CAMPAIGN RALLY:
“I am going to support Harry Reid, I know him, I know about him.”
ON SPECULATION OF RETIREMENT FROM THE RING, EVEN THOUGH HE WILL ONLY TURN 32 IN DECEMBER:
“I'm not thinking of retirement now. I can fight a few more fights.”
ON FIGHTING OR NOT FIGHTING UNDEFEATED MAYWEATHER:
“I don't know if that fight can happen or not but I am fine if it happens or does not happen. I am praying for him (reference to Mayweather's criminal case involving Baby Mama Josie Harris).”
ON COACH ROACH SAYING THEIR TIME IN BAGIO WAS 'WORST PACMAN TRAINING CAMP EXPERIENCE EVER:'
“There were some problems . We can learn from our mistakes on that."
ON HIS RECENT POWOW WITH PRESIDENT NOYNOY AQUINO:
“We only talked about politics, not boxing. He wants to watch my fight but he is too busy (working) for the Philippines.”
ON ROACH NOW BEING A FILIPINO CITIZEN:
“We just passed a bill and made Freddie a citizen. (Manny laughed when I asked if his trainer must pay Filipino taxes now.)
ON HIS CONGRESSIONAL DUTIES:
“We don't have Congress right now, Congres is on vacation. Congress for me is public service and I don't mix it with my other businesses.”
ASKED AT START OF INTERVIEW WHY HE SEEMED GRUMPY (at about 2pm PDT):
(Smiles) “Because I just woke up.”
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Source: examiner.com
HOLLYWOOD--All the world is Manny Pacquaio's stage and he reconfirmed Wednesday afternoon that he still relishes his role going into his 57th professional fight.
Pacquiao tries for a record eighth world division title (at junior middleweight) against Mexican retread Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13 at Cowboys Stadium.
According to Megamanny himself, he enjoys playing the giantkiller.It was Media Day at Freddie Roach's Wild Card Gym and the Fighting Congressmany debriefed assembled reporters on various germane topics like so:
FIGHTING BIGGER, STRONGER GUYS LIKE MARGACHEATO:“My role is to fight a bigger man. Of course I don't have to fight these bigger guys but this is my role in boxing.”
ON CLIMBING EVEN HIGHER TO 160 POUNDS AND TAKING ON SIX FOOT, TWO INCH GIANT PAUL THE PUNISHER WILLIAMS:
“I don't think so (smiling brightly as one scribe described Pwill as being “seven feet tall).
ON FLYING FRIDAY NIGHT TO LAS VEGAS TO APPEAR AT REID'S SENATORIAL CAMPAIGN RALLY:
“I am going to support Harry Reid, I know him, I know about him.”
ON SPECULATION OF RETIREMENT FROM THE RING, EVEN THOUGH HE WILL ONLY TURN 32 IN DECEMBER:
“I'm not thinking of retirement now. I can fight a few more fights.”
ON FIGHTING OR NOT FIGHTING UNDEFEATED MAYWEATHER:
“I don't know if that fight can happen or not but I am fine if it happens or does not happen. I am praying for him (reference to Mayweather's criminal case involving Baby Mama Josie Harris).”
ON COACH ROACH SAYING THEIR TIME IN BAGIO WAS 'WORST PACMAN TRAINING CAMP EXPERIENCE EVER:'
“There were some problems . We can learn from our mistakes on that."
ON HIS RECENT POWOW WITH PRESIDENT NOYNOY AQUINO:
“We only talked about politics, not boxing. He wants to watch my fight but he is too busy (working) for the Philippines.”
ON ROACH NOW BEING A FILIPINO CITIZEN:
“We just passed a bill and made Freddie a citizen. (Manny laughed when I asked if his trainer must pay Filipino taxes now.)
ON HIS CONGRESSIONAL DUTIES:
“We don't have Congress right now, Congres is on vacation. Congress for me is public service and I don't mix it with my other businesses.”
ASKED AT START OF INTERVIEW WHY HE SEEMED GRUMPY (at about 2pm PDT):
(Smiles) “Because I just woke up.”
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Source: examiner.com
Pacquiao’s handlers not fretting over form -- Yahoo! Sports
By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports
Bob Arum has promoted boxing for nearly half a century and has seen a lot of strange things, but it’s a rare day when he watches a 6-1 favorite train and thinks he’s looking at a 6-1 underdog instead.
Pacquiao is set to face Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in a challenge that Arum knows will be much more difficult than the nearly 6-1 odds that favor Pacquiao would indicate. Throw out Margarito’s one-sided loss to Shane Mosley on Jan. 24, 2009, and the odds would likely favor Pacquiao by no more than 8-5, perhaps less.
And so, after having flown halfway around the world to check on Pacquiao’s preparations, Arum wasn’t particularly thrilled by what he saw on his first day in camp.
“I was totally surprised,” Arum said. “He looked lethargic. He wasn’t sharp. I was not very impressed.”
Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, was thrilled when the team arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday and could set up camp for the final three weeks at his Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, but he said that Arum had nothing to worry about.
Roach is also blunt and never shy about giving his opinion. He said Arum just picked a bad day to show up at the gym.
“The day Bob got there, I will admit that he looked like [expletive],” Roach said. “The next day, he was back to himself. We’ve had good days and bad days and Bob showed up on a bad day. But we’re getting the bad days out of the way and Manny is doing what he should be doing and he’s getting where I want him to be.”
The first half of Pacquiao’s training camp was typically hectic. As a congressman in the Philippines, duties required him to make a six-hour drive from Baguio to Manila. He also had to fly to Manila for a meeting with President Benigno S. Aquino III, which didn’t sit well with Roach.
For most people, a meeting with a country’s president is a once-in-a-lifetime moment. For Pacquiao, it’s old hat, and Roach didn’t want him to go.
“He had to miss training one day because he had to meet the president and I said to him, ‘[Expletive] the president. We have a fight coming up you need to get ready for,’ ” Roach said.
Pacquiao chuckled about Roach’s concern and hopped onto the plane and fulfilled his commitment to meet Aquino. Pacquiao has become something of a legend for his ability to focus on the task at hand while seemingly in the midst of chaos, and both Arum and Roach said this time appears to be no different.
After his initial scare of watching Pacquiao struggle through a workout, Arum was relieved when he saw Pacquiao humming along like his old self the next two days.
He’s legitimately concerned about the challenge Pacquiao faces and said he needs to be at his best in order to win.
“You can’t be at top speed every day,” Arum said of Pacquiao. “The first day I was there, I definitely was concerned. Definitely. But on Monday and Tuesday, he showed marked improvements. He’s where he needs to be.”
Pacquiao has faced all sorts of different challenges since 2008, when he moved up from featherweight and began to regularly face much bigger fighters. He’s handled it with aplomb – ask Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, David Diaz and Ricky Hatton for their opinions if you need more evidence that Pacquiao can hang with the big boys – but he’s yet to face the type of challenge that Margarito poses.
The perception of Margarito’s chances has been skewed by his one-sided loss to Mosley, by his lengthy layoff as a result of his suspension for having been caught with loaded hand wraps prior to the Mosley fight and for Pacquiao’s huge speed advantage.
But it was less than two years ago that Roach was convinced that Margarito was too big and too physical for Pacquiao and was saying he’d never allow the two to meet. And though Pacquiao’s performance in the interim has caused him to change his mind, Roach still has much respect for Margarito.
And if the Mosley fight and the suspension hadn’t taken place, the outcome of the fight would be perceived much differently. Pacquiao has a massive speed advantage, but Margarito is far stronger and has an iron chin.
The only time he ever had a problem with his chin came in the Mosley fight, when he was stopped at 43 seconds of the ninth round. The controversy about the hand wraps that occurred in his dressing room earlier that night had an impact, but more so was the fact that in the three weeks prior to the fight, Margarito had to shed 35 pounds to make the welterweight limit of 147.
Margarito had still been celebrating his epic July 26, 2008, victory over Miguel Cotto and wasn’t in nearly the kind of shape he should have been when he faced Mosley. Hand wraps controversy or not, Margarito likely would have taken a beating that night because of the lifestyle he was living after the Cotto fight.
But he’s been working with trainer Robert Garcia diligently for the last several months and has been committed as he has ever been. The result, Roach said, is an exceptionally dangerous opponent for Pacquiao.
“I wish people would quit thinking Manny is just going to walk through this guy,” Roach said. “In my mind, this is the toughest fight of his life, by far. He’s the biggest, strongest guy Manny has ever fought. He’s got a big reach advantage. He’s got a lot of things going for him.”
Roach knows that Pacquiao is faster and quicker than just about everyone he faces and has become an expert at placing his punches and putting them together in combination. Margarito’s defense “sucks,” in Roach’s estimation, and he expects Pacquiao to be able to exploit that flaw.
If Pacquiao wins, Arum plans to make another run at making a Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight, but he doesn’t want to get ahead of himself because he realizes the seriousness of the challenge Margarito poses.
“I get it, but the more important thing is that Manny totally gets it,” Arum said. “Everyone in that camp does. I was a little concerned by what I saw that first day, but after the next couple of days, I realized that it was just one of those things. They are taking this fight very seriously, as they should, because anything less than their best effort is going to be a big problem.”
Source: sports.yahoo.com
Bob Arum has promoted boxing for nearly half a century and has seen a lot of strange things, but it’s a rare day when he watches a 6-1 favorite train and thinks he’s looking at a 6-1 underdog instead.
When Arum entered Manny Pacquiao’s training camp in Baguio City
, Philippines, on Oct. 16, he was stunned by what he saw from the man regarded as the best fighter in the world.
, Philippines, on Oct. 16, he was stunned by what he saw from the man regarded as the best fighter in the world.“He looked like [expletive],” Arum said in his typically gruff, blunt style.
Pacquiao is set to face Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in a challenge that Arum knows will be much more difficult than the nearly 6-1 odds that favor Pacquiao would indicate. Throw out Margarito’s one-sided loss to Shane Mosley on Jan. 24, 2009, and the odds would likely favor Pacquiao by no more than 8-5, perhaps less.And so, after having flown halfway around the world to check on Pacquiao’s preparations, Arum wasn’t particularly thrilled by what he saw on his first day in camp.
“I was totally surprised,” Arum said. “He looked lethargic. He wasn’t sharp. I was not very impressed.”
Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, was thrilled when the team arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday and could set up camp for the final three weeks at his Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, but he said that Arum had nothing to worry about.
Roach is also blunt and never shy about giving his opinion. He said Arum just picked a bad day to show up at the gym.
“The day Bob got there, I will admit that he looked like [expletive],” Roach said. “The next day, he was back to himself. We’ve had good days and bad days and Bob showed up on a bad day. But we’re getting the bad days out of the way and Manny is doing what he should be doing and he’s getting where I want him to be.”
The first half of Pacquiao’s training camp was typically hectic. As a congressman in the Philippines, duties required him to make a six-hour drive from Baguio to Manila. He also had to fly to Manila for a meeting with President Benigno S. Aquino III, which didn’t sit well with Roach.
For most people, a meeting with a country’s president is a once-in-a-lifetime moment. For Pacquiao, it’s old hat, and Roach didn’t want him to go.
“He had to miss training one day because he had to meet the president and I said to him, ‘[Expletive] the president. We have a fight coming up you need to get ready for,’ ” Roach said.
Pacquiao chuckled about Roach’s concern and hopped onto the plane and fulfilled his commitment to meet Aquino. Pacquiao has become something of a legend for his ability to focus on the task at hand while seemingly in the midst of chaos, and both Arum and Roach said this time appears to be no different.
After his initial scare of watching Pacquiao struggle through a workout, Arum was relieved when he saw Pacquiao humming along like his old self the next two days.
He’s legitimately concerned about the challenge Pacquiao faces and said he needs to be at his best in order to win.
“You can’t be at top speed every day,” Arum said of Pacquiao. “The first day I was there, I definitely was concerned. Definitely. But on Monday and Tuesday, he showed marked improvements. He’s where he needs to be.”
Pacquiao has faced all sorts of different challenges since 2008, when he moved up from featherweight and began to regularly face much bigger fighters. He’s handled it with aplomb – ask Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, David Diaz and Ricky Hatton for their opinions if you need more evidence that Pacquiao can hang with the big boys – but he’s yet to face the type of challenge that Margarito poses.
The perception of Margarito’s chances has been skewed by his one-sided loss to Mosley, by his lengthy layoff as a result of his suspension for having been caught with loaded hand wraps prior to the Mosley fight and for Pacquiao’s huge speed advantage.
But it was less than two years ago that Roach was convinced that Margarito was too big and too physical for Pacquiao and was saying he’d never allow the two to meet. And though Pacquiao’s performance in the interim has caused him to change his mind, Roach still has much respect for Margarito.
And if the Mosley fight and the suspension hadn’t taken place, the outcome of the fight would be perceived much differently. Pacquiao has a massive speed advantage, but Margarito is far stronger and has an iron chin.
The only time he ever had a problem with his chin came in the Mosley fight, when he was stopped at 43 seconds of the ninth round. The controversy about the hand wraps that occurred in his dressing room earlier that night had an impact, but more so was the fact that in the three weeks prior to the fight, Margarito had to shed 35 pounds to make the welterweight limit of 147.
Margarito had still been celebrating his epic July 26, 2008, victory over Miguel Cotto and wasn’t in nearly the kind of shape he should have been when he faced Mosley. Hand wraps controversy or not, Margarito likely would have taken a beating that night because of the lifestyle he was living after the Cotto fight.
But he’s been working with trainer Robert Garcia diligently for the last several months and has been committed as he has ever been. The result, Roach said, is an exceptionally dangerous opponent for Pacquiao.
“I wish people would quit thinking Manny is just going to walk through this guy,” Roach said. “In my mind, this is the toughest fight of his life, by far. He’s the biggest, strongest guy Manny has ever fought. He’s got a big reach advantage. He’s got a lot of things going for him.”
Roach knows that Pacquiao is faster and quicker than just about everyone he faces and has become an expert at placing his punches and putting them together in combination. Margarito’s defense “sucks,” in Roach’s estimation, and he expects Pacquiao to be able to exploit that flaw.
If Pacquiao wins, Arum plans to make another run at making a Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight, but he doesn’t want to get ahead of himself because he realizes the seriousness of the challenge Margarito poses.
“I get it, but the more important thing is that Manny totally gets it,” Arum said. “Everyone in that camp does. I was a little concerned by what I saw that first day, but after the next couple of days, I realized that it was just one of those things. They are taking this fight very seriously, as they should, because anything less than their best effort is going to be a big problem.”
Source: sports.yahoo.com
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Floyd Mayweather JR’s Challenge to Manny Pacquiao: November 13th Awaits -- Ringside Report
By Geno McGahee, Ringside Report
On November 13th, the boxing world will be treated to a sham pay per view featuring one of the best fighters in the game today, Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao, 51-3-2, 38 KO’s, taking on one of the biggest scumbags to ever lace up the gloves, Antonio Margarito, 38-6, 27 KO’s. There was a time when people went to prison for tampering with a sporting event, but now we reward them and Margarito, a man that unquestionably loaded his hand wraps with plaster of Paris will be getting one of the biggest paydays of his career as he takes on Pacquiao.
Much of the emphasis should be placed on the “good guy,” Manny Pacquiao for taking this fight. Some say that “he’s just a fighter and he fights who ever they put in front of him,” but when you reach the stature of a Pacquiao, you have options. He could have taken on just about anyone and the public would have accepted it, but he took on the in house opponent of Bob Arum’s liking and now we have this disgusting campaign to make the Mexican challenger look like a good guy.Margarito donates to charity. Margarito helps the less fortunate. This is all propaganda created by Arum to shift the blame away from the fighter to the corner. There is absolutely no way that he did not know about the hand wraps and he felt that his bank account was more important than the lives of Kermit Cintron, Miguel Cotto, and every other opponent that he loaded his gloves against, which were plenty, I assure you.
Pacquiao is good for the sport, but this fight isn’t. Margarito is going to do the wrong thing and take every opportunity that benefits him, which is why he gladly took this fight. He is an opportunist without ethics and Pacquiao should have put on the brakes and demanded a new opponent. If he said that he wasn’t fighting Margarito over principle, do you know what Arum would have done? He would have gotten a new opponent.
So rent the one-sided beat down of Margarito or wait one week and watch it on HBO if you subscribe. Youtube usually has the fight right after it happens…just make sure you watch it quickly before they remove it. Why would you reward a guy like Margarito. If you love boxing, you would realize just how wrong it is and what message it sends. A low PPV buy rate would tell the sporting world that boxing fans want a clean sport.
Where does Floyd Mayweather, JR., 41-0, 25 KO’s, fit into this? He’s actually the center of it.
“Money” Mayweather has been known to pick his spots inside of the ring and outside of it was well. He is a remarkable salesman, marketing himself as the bad guy and traveling over to other mediums to introduce himself to a new audience. From Dancing with the Stars to the WWE, Mayweather has made his presence known and considering his lack of excitement inside of the ropes, he draws a very large crowd when he fights.
If absence makes the heart grow fonder, then what Mayweather is doing is genius, although there are certainly some circumstances behind his recent leave from the sport.
In 2007, Mayweather left the sport on top. He was undefeated and had very little trouble with his opposition. As his career progressed, he became more vocal, learning from Muhammad Ali’s approach. He didn’t care if the people hated him as long as they tuned in and they did tune in. His pay per view outings against Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton were huge successes.
A return to boxing would come in 2009. In his absence, the people would look to rising Filipino star Manny Pacquiao as the best in the game, but when Floyd came back, the debate began. Victories over Juan Manuel Marquez and Shane Mosley were dominant displays but were met by equally impressive wins from Pacquiao.
The fight Mayweather – Pacquiao is the fight that everyone wanted and still wants, but there have been many obstacles in the way. Allegations of steroid abuse against Manny have been somewhat ignored by Team Pacquiao. They filed lawsuit against Mayweather for the allegations but nothing has come of that and because Freddie Roach’s work with other boxers that have tested positive for steroids, the link is obviously there and it’s not hard to at least consider. Pacquiao’s continual rise in weight and strength in the ring is so amazing that it has raised some eyebrows and there is a large group that believes that he has been using PEDs. This doesn’t mean it’s true, but Mayweather’s claim is not dismissed by everyone.
The collapse of the first fight was linked to Manny’s refusal to agree to the Olympic style testing, but they would sit down again, but by this time, Uncle Roger, Floyd’s trainer, would end up in some legal hot water when he decided to beat up a woman. What a class act he is! Rumored problems with the IRS, domestic problems, and perhaps some concern over fighting Manny killed the second fight and gave Arum the opportunity to propose Margarito.
With the New Year around the corner, expect Manny and Floyd to meet up. Manny will TKO Margarito within six rounds, perhaps in the first round if he comes out fast enough, and Floyd will be watching closely and as he sorts out his problems at home and in camp, the need to prove himself will push him into the fight that many contend he is afraid to take.
Hopefully the third fight negotiations will be the charm and the two best fighters in the world will meet up in early to mid 2011. Mayweather will fight again and there aren’t many options that the public will be happy with. The winner of Paul Williams – Sergio Martinez II would work, but Pacquiao is a far better match for him style-wise and carries a larger price tag. The challenge will be sent and accepted sometime in 2011.
So, November 13th’s knockout win for Pacquiao will lead to a showdown with Floyd unless Bob Arum wants to bring back Luis Resto for a PPV showdown. I look forward to a fight that is good for boxing, not the nonsense that they are trying to give us with Pacquiao – Margarito.
Source: ringsidereport.com
On November 13th, the boxing world will be treated to a sham pay per view featuring one of the best fighters in the game today, Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao, 51-3-2, 38 KO’s, taking on one of the biggest scumbags to ever lace up the gloves, Antonio Margarito, 38-6, 27 KO’s. There was a time when people went to prison for tampering with a sporting event, but now we reward them and Margarito, a man that unquestionably loaded his hand wraps with plaster of Paris will be getting one of the biggest paydays of his career as he takes on Pacquiao.
Much of the emphasis should be placed on the “good guy,” Manny Pacquiao for taking this fight. Some say that “he’s just a fighter and he fights who ever they put in front of him,” but when you reach the stature of a Pacquiao, you have options. He could have taken on just about anyone and the public would have accepted it, but he took on the in house opponent of Bob Arum’s liking and now we have this disgusting campaign to make the Mexican challenger look like a good guy.Pacquiao is good for the sport, but this fight isn’t. Margarito is going to do the wrong thing and take every opportunity that benefits him, which is why he gladly took this fight. He is an opportunist without ethics and Pacquiao should have put on the brakes and demanded a new opponent. If he said that he wasn’t fighting Margarito over principle, do you know what Arum would have done? He would have gotten a new opponent.
So rent the one-sided beat down of Margarito or wait one week and watch it on HBO if you subscribe. Youtube usually has the fight right after it happens…just make sure you watch it quickly before they remove it. Why would you reward a guy like Margarito. If you love boxing, you would realize just how wrong it is and what message it sends. A low PPV buy rate would tell the sporting world that boxing fans want a clean sport.
Where does Floyd Mayweather, JR., 41-0, 25 KO’s, fit into this? He’s actually the center of it.
“Money” Mayweather has been known to pick his spots inside of the ring and outside of it was well. He is a remarkable salesman, marketing himself as the bad guy and traveling over to other mediums to introduce himself to a new audience. From Dancing with the Stars to the WWE, Mayweather has made his presence known and considering his lack of excitement inside of the ropes, he draws a very large crowd when he fights.
If absence makes the heart grow fonder, then what Mayweather is doing is genius, although there are certainly some circumstances behind his recent leave from the sport.
In 2007, Mayweather left the sport on top. He was undefeated and had very little trouble with his opposition. As his career progressed, he became more vocal, learning from Muhammad Ali’s approach. He didn’t care if the people hated him as long as they tuned in and they did tune in. His pay per view outings against Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton were huge successes.
A return to boxing would come in 2009. In his absence, the people would look to rising Filipino star Manny Pacquiao as the best in the game, but when Floyd came back, the debate began. Victories over Juan Manuel Marquez and Shane Mosley were dominant displays but were met by equally impressive wins from Pacquiao.
The fight Mayweather – Pacquiao is the fight that everyone wanted and still wants, but there have been many obstacles in the way. Allegations of steroid abuse against Manny have been somewhat ignored by Team Pacquiao. They filed lawsuit against Mayweather for the allegations but nothing has come of that and because Freddie Roach’s work with other boxers that have tested positive for steroids, the link is obviously there and it’s not hard to at least consider. Pacquiao’s continual rise in weight and strength in the ring is so amazing that it has raised some eyebrows and there is a large group that believes that he has been using PEDs. This doesn’t mean it’s true, but Mayweather’s claim is not dismissed by everyone.
The collapse of the first fight was linked to Manny’s refusal to agree to the Olympic style testing, but they would sit down again, but by this time, Uncle Roger, Floyd’s trainer, would end up in some legal hot water when he decided to beat up a woman. What a class act he is! Rumored problems with the IRS, domestic problems, and perhaps some concern over fighting Manny killed the second fight and gave Arum the opportunity to propose Margarito.
With the New Year around the corner, expect Manny and Floyd to meet up. Manny will TKO Margarito within six rounds, perhaps in the first round if he comes out fast enough, and Floyd will be watching closely and as he sorts out his problems at home and in camp, the need to prove himself will push him into the fight that many contend he is afraid to take.
Hopefully the third fight negotiations will be the charm and the two best fighters in the world will meet up in early to mid 2011. Mayweather will fight again and there aren’t many options that the public will be happy with. The winner of Paul Williams – Sergio Martinez II would work, but Pacquiao is a far better match for him style-wise and carries a larger price tag. The challenge will be sent and accepted sometime in 2011.
So, November 13th’s knockout win for Pacquiao will lead to a showdown with Floyd unless Bob Arum wants to bring back Luis Resto for a PPV showdown. I look forward to a fight that is good for boxing, not the nonsense that they are trying to give us with Pacquiao – Margarito.
Source: ringsidereport.com
Kelly Pavlik says big-name fighters on undercard ‘could be a trend’ -- Las Vegas Sun
By Brett Okamoto, Las Vegas Sun
Kelly Pavlik had his streak of three successful middleweight title defenses broken in April with a unanimous-decision loss to Sergio Martinez.
On Nov. 13, he'll see another streak erased.
For the first time since 2007, Pavlik (36-2) will be featured as a non-headliner when he takes on Bryan Vera (17-5, 11 KO) on the undercard of an event promoted by Top Rank at Dallas Cowboys Stadium.
A fight between Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito will headline the event.
"This could be the trend," said Pavlik, who has fought his last seven fights as a headliner. "(Nov. 13) is going to be a great card. Some of the top name fighters (in this sport) aren't fighting the other top names. But when you pack a card like this, it's a great thing for boxing.
"It could be something that gets us going again."
Professional boxing as a whole appears to be focused on building more compelling undercards than it typically has in the past.
The star power and talent Pavlik will bring to the Nov. 13 undercard certainly will trump the previous Top Rank event held at Dallas Cowboys Stadium in March.
At that event, which was headlined by Pacquiao and Josh Clottey, the co-main event featured a WBC title fight between David Diaz and Humberto Soto. It proved to be a less-than-compelling fight, ending in an easy decision win for Soto over an opponent who has fought just twice in the last 27 months.
Although Pavlik admitted he'd like to see himself back as a headliner after he reclaims a world title, the opportunity to fight on the same card as Pacquiao in a $1.2 billion facility is not one he's disappointed with.
"For me, I still think it's great exposure as a co-main event," Pavlik said. "There's still going to be 60-to-70,000 in the stands and it's on the pay-per-view. It's going to be a hell of a card. I've got no complaints."
Top Rank isn't the only promotion looking to bolster its undercards.
During the buildup for its July 31 event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer referred to the undercard, which featured six fighters with a combined record of 155-12-3, as 'sensational.'
It also featured the previously undefeated Daniel Jacobs (20-1), who was fighting in his first world-title fight.
According to Pavlik, the trend of placing some of the sport's most talented fighters on the undercard will lead to better overall events and more interest from the casual fan.
However, it also will require a change in the way many big-name professional boxers have been trained to think — that fighting on the undercard is an insult.
"It's all on the individual," Pavlik said. "You get a lot of guys who have too much pride and they end up hurting themselves. Fighting on the co-main event doesn't mean you're being put down or being degraded. It's just something you have to do."
Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or brett.okamoto@lasvegassun.com. Follow him on Twitter at LVSunFighting
Source: lasvegassun.com
Kelly Pavlik had his streak of three successful middleweight title defenses broken in April with a unanimous-decision loss to Sergio Martinez.
On Nov. 13, he'll see another streak erased.
For the first time since 2007, Pavlik (36-2) will be featured as a non-headliner when he takes on Bryan Vera (17-5, 11 KO) on the undercard of an event promoted by Top Rank at Dallas Cowboys Stadium.
A fight between Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito will headline the event.Despite the fact Pavlik has become used to fighting last, the 28-year-old former world champion said that big-name fighters, such as himself, might want to start getting used to the idea of occasionally serving as a co-main event.
"This could be the trend," said Pavlik, who has fought his last seven fights as a headliner. "(Nov. 13) is going to be a great card. Some of the top name fighters (in this sport) aren't fighting the other top names. But when you pack a card like this, it's a great thing for boxing.
"It could be something that gets us going again."
Professional boxing as a whole appears to be focused on building more compelling undercards than it typically has in the past.
The star power and talent Pavlik will bring to the Nov. 13 undercard certainly will trump the previous Top Rank event held at Dallas Cowboys Stadium in March.
At that event, which was headlined by Pacquiao and Josh Clottey, the co-main event featured a WBC title fight between David Diaz and Humberto Soto. It proved to be a less-than-compelling fight, ending in an easy decision win for Soto over an opponent who has fought just twice in the last 27 months.
Although Pavlik admitted he'd like to see himself back as a headliner after he reclaims a world title, the opportunity to fight on the same card as Pacquiao in a $1.2 billion facility is not one he's disappointed with.
"For me, I still think it's great exposure as a co-main event," Pavlik said. "There's still going to be 60-to-70,000 in the stands and it's on the pay-per-view. It's going to be a hell of a card. I've got no complaints."
Top Rank isn't the only promotion looking to bolster its undercards.
During the buildup for its July 31 event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer referred to the undercard, which featured six fighters with a combined record of 155-12-3, as 'sensational.'
It also featured the previously undefeated Daniel Jacobs (20-1), who was fighting in his first world-title fight.
According to Pavlik, the trend of placing some of the sport's most talented fighters on the undercard will lead to better overall events and more interest from the casual fan.
However, it also will require a change in the way many big-name professional boxers have been trained to think — that fighting on the undercard is an insult.
"It's all on the individual," Pavlik said. "You get a lot of guys who have too much pride and they end up hurting themselves. Fighting on the co-main event doesn't mean you're being put down or being degraded. It's just something you have to do."
Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or brett.okamoto@lasvegassun.com. Follow him on Twitter at LVSunFighting
Source: lasvegassun.com
Reid Taps Pacquiao For Fight With Angle -- Fox
fox5vegas.com
Boxer Manny Pacquiao will join the senator for an early vote rally on Friday night at Orr Middle School in Las Vegas.
The location is the same place where Reid attended an event with President Barack Obama last week. Orr Middle School is close to Boulevard Mall, one location where residents can vote early through Saturday.
According to the Clark County Election Department, more than 157,000 people have already voted in this year’s election.
Although he was born in the Philippines, Pacquiao is a worldwide celebrity who draws sellout crowds at his fights in southern Nevada.
He is the latest high-profile name on Reid’s list of endorsements. Heading into Election Day, Sen. Al Franken, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and First Lady Michelle Obama were scheduled to make appearances on behalf of the Senate majority leader.
Reid’s opponent, Sharron Angle, has also gotten a boost from recent visits from Newt Gingrich and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Source: fox5vegas.com
LAS VEGAS -- In the fight to save his Senate seat, Harry Reid
is going for the knockout punch with the help of some star power.
is going for the knockout punch with the help of some star power.Boxer Manny Pacquiao will join the senator for an early vote rally on Friday night at Orr Middle School in Las Vegas.
The location is the same place where Reid attended an event with President Barack Obama last week. Orr Middle School is close to Boulevard Mall, one location where residents can vote early through Saturday.According to the Clark County Election Department, more than 157,000 people have already voted in this year’s election.
Although he was born in the Philippines, Pacquiao is a worldwide celebrity who draws sellout crowds at his fights in southern Nevada.
He is the latest high-profile name on Reid’s list of endorsements. Heading into Election Day, Sen. Al Franken, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and First Lady Michelle Obama were scheduled to make appearances on behalf of the Senate majority leader.
Reid’s opponent, Sharron Angle, has also gotten a boost from recent visits from Newt Gingrich and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Source: fox5vegas.com
Manny Pacquiao: Lackluster, distracted, I don't see it at Wild Card Gym -- Examiner
By Michael Marley, Examiner.com
What Pacman calls multitasking, many others view as distractions from his position as the world's finest fighter, unless and until proven otherwise by Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr.
I keep looking for telltale signs that the Pinoy Idol, turning a not so ripe or so old 32 in December, has lost some of his fighting edge or the proverbial “fire in the belly,” but so far, I see nothing of the kind.
Now admittedly, I've only been in Room 201 at the adjacent to the Wild Card Gym Vagbond Gym for one full day and Tuesday I may miss some Manny action by rolling up to Camp Antonio Margarito in Oxnard, about 60 miles north of here.
But from what little I saw of Pacquiao Monday after his closed door pads and exercises only workout, I do not see a jaded performer who is halfheartedly going into this Nov. 13 bout against the Mexican Outlaw.
To the contrary, Congressman Pacquaio seemed as engaged as ever, posing for photos with a one month old baby girl and with other fans who got passed the magic portals of Nat's Thai Food Restauarant, kittycorner from the gymnasium in this seen better days long ago mini strip mall.
While Pacman ate, and he ate like a horse with conditioning/nutrtition guru Alex Ariza supervising and watching each and every food morsel and the famous protein shakes go down into the Pacquiao gullet, he also enjoyed watching some of his early fights, including the fight in Thailand where as a scrawny flyweight he captured the green and gold WBC belt.
Pacman's brown eyes lit up when he flattened Chatchai Sasakul with a devastating combination in the eight round. It looked to me like he was still excited, sort of like Rembrandt viewing one of his masterpieces, even though he has seen that title bout replayed I'm sure 1,000 times.
That was Pacman's first world title diadem and, if he is any less enthused about adding an eight weight class world title strap at Cowboys Stadium or any less focused on his fistic chores, I have not seen it as of yet.
Keep in mind the doom and gloom outlook coming out of Coach Freddie Roach's mouth, the jawing about “the worst training camp we ever had,” is designed to lit the box office and PPV flames, to lure the public into thinking that Margo is better than the 6 1/2-1 underdog the bookies have him down as.
And keep in mind this is the same Roach who barks about his prized pupil will flatten Margarito in eight or nine rounds.
I'm sure Angelo Dundee, who used to deliver the same type of doubletalk and palaver for Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard bouts, would be proud of Coach Roach.
I repeat myself but, although I see no easy waltz for Manny, I don't think Tone Loc's best effort will be enough for him to time the darting in and out Pacquiao with too many solid blows.
The bookmakers do mistakes but not very often.
Not to say that Pacquiao's preparation is flawless or that his fight night effort will be.
But it says here he gets the job done and the final scorecards are more wide than they are close.
Again, I don't see the physical strength and battered pride of Margarito permitting even a charged up Pacquiao from stopping or KOing him.
Unlike the bookies, I am wrong on the regular.
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Source: examiner.com
HOLLYWOOD
—It's quite obvious that master multitasker Manny Pacquiao does not eat, sleep and breathe boxing.
—It's quite obvious that master multitasker Manny Pacquiao does not eat, sleep and breathe boxing.I keep looking for telltale signs that the Pinoy Idol, turning a not so ripe or so old 32 in December, has lost some of his fighting edge or the proverbial “fire in the belly,” but so far, I see nothing of the kind.
Now admittedly, I've only been in Room 201 at the adjacent to the Wild Card Gym Vagbond Gym for one full day and Tuesday I may miss some Manny action by rolling up to Camp Antonio Margarito in Oxnard, about 60 miles north of here.But from what little I saw of Pacquiao Monday after his closed door pads and exercises only workout, I do not see a jaded performer who is halfheartedly going into this Nov. 13 bout against the Mexican Outlaw.
To the contrary, Congressman Pacquaio seemed as engaged as ever, posing for photos with a one month old baby girl and with other fans who got passed the magic portals of Nat's Thai Food Restauarant, kittycorner from the gymnasium in this seen better days long ago mini strip mall.
While Pacman ate, and he ate like a horse with conditioning/nutrtition guru Alex Ariza supervising and watching each and every food morsel and the famous protein shakes go down into the Pacquiao gullet, he also enjoyed watching some of his early fights, including the fight in Thailand where as a scrawny flyweight he captured the green and gold WBC belt.
Pacman's brown eyes lit up when he flattened Chatchai Sasakul with a devastating combination in the eight round. It looked to me like he was still excited, sort of like Rembrandt viewing one of his masterpieces, even though he has seen that title bout replayed I'm sure 1,000 times.
That was Pacman's first world title diadem and, if he is any less enthused about adding an eight weight class world title strap at Cowboys Stadium or any less focused on his fistic chores, I have not seen it as of yet.
Keep in mind the doom and gloom outlook coming out of Coach Freddie Roach's mouth, the jawing about “the worst training camp we ever had,” is designed to lit the box office and PPV flames, to lure the public into thinking that Margo is better than the 6 1/2-1 underdog the bookies have him down as.
And keep in mind this is the same Roach who barks about his prized pupil will flatten Margarito in eight or nine rounds.
I'm sure Angelo Dundee, who used to deliver the same type of doubletalk and palaver for Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard bouts, would be proud of Coach Roach.
I repeat myself but, although I see no easy waltz for Manny, I don't think Tone Loc's best effort will be enough for him to time the darting in and out Pacquiao with too many solid blows.
The bookmakers do mistakes but not very often.
Not to say that Pacquiao's preparation is flawless or that his fight night effort will be.
But it says here he gets the job done and the final scorecards are more wide than they are close.
Again, I don't see the physical strength and battered pride of Margarito permitting even a charged up Pacquiao from stopping or KOing him.
Unlike the bookies, I am wrong on the regular.
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Source: examiner.com
Promoter Arum Says After Manny-Margarito, Floyd Fight Is "First Priority" -- The Sweet Science
By Michael Woods, The Sweet Science
Promoter Bob Arum hosted an intimate press gathering at the Friars Club in Manhattan on Tuesday, and banged the drum for the November 13 Cowboys Stadium clash pitting the Congressman, Manny Pacquiao, against the redemption-seeking ex welterweight champion Antonio Margarito.
Much has been made of the "distraction issue," as breathless media reports have various members of Team Manny in varying states of worry that their guy is lacking focus, and has taken on too much.
I asked Arum if he's of the mindset that the wearing off too many hats, as boxer, as politician, as Dan Hill impersonator, might have Pacquiao spreading himself too thin, and leaving himself at the mercy of the largest man he's ever faced, Margarito?
"It's Manny Pacquiao," said Arum, who seemed in fine form, happily, for those that understand that it has been just seven weeks since his son John Arum died in a hiking accident. "He has the ability to multitask. To deal with a bid to get more money for his province while training for this fight, I can't do it. But I'm older. He seems able to do it. It'd be good if he didn't have the distractions, but that'll never happen."
Arum plays the promoter to the hilt, of course, but damned if he isn't the best in the business at finding compelling, credible arguments to bolster his case, that Pacquiao is in tough.
He said that he expects Manny to weight 151 on fight night, while Margarito will likely be 165, which is a massive weight advantage for the Mexican.
After this one, Arum said, he does expect Pacquiao to go back down to 147, on the advice of Coach Roach, among others. But I'd caution that we should see how it plays out on Nov. 13. If Manny is Manny in Texas, and uses his speed-movement marriage to perfection, I'd be surprised if his crew stays on message with him dropping down.
Arum touched on this matter when someone asked about Pacquiao-Paul Williams, if Williams beats Sergio Martinez on Nov. 20. He assessed a matchup pitting the 5-6 1/2 Pacquiao against the 6-1 Williams as "ludicrous" because of the height disparity, but said that a Pacquiao-Williams clash would be a "consideration."
But, the promoter said, "I can't envisage the two fighters, one is eight inches taller. He'd have to get a step ladder. Let's see how he handles Margarito. Manny has never fought a guy this big."
Besides, Arum says that after a Pacquiao win, "only one fight has priority, that's Mayweather."
But, he cautioned, making that will be dependent not only on the desires of the wishy washy Mayweather (my wording, not Bob's), and Floyd's legal status. Mayweather is scheduled for a court date to answer domestic abuse charges on November 9, so we'll all know more then. "(Mayweather is) Manny's first priority (after Margarito)," he said.
As for a third date with Juan Manuel Marquez, which has been floated by Coach Roach, Arum didn't seem keen on the concept. "I'd be shocked if Freddie said that, he said something different to me," Arum said. "I love Freddie but I'm not sure where he got that."
Check back for more lowdown from the Friars Club gathering. TSS chatted with Pacquiao's main sparring mate for this camp, Jersey Boy Glen Tapia, a a 20-year-old junior middleweight with a 7-0 mark. Also, we sat down with Kelly Pavlik, who seemed happy that he was able to eat, if not to his heart's content, then close to it. He'll face off with Bryan Vera on the Nov. 13 undercard, in a catchweight-164 max scrap. From now on, I will be calling him The Mayor, because he showed a solid insight of his local political scene, and admitted he might well in the future take a dive into the political pool, a la Pacquiao, as he tucked into his chicken entree.
Source: thesweetscience.com
Promoter Bob Arum hosted an intimate press gathering at the Friars Club in Manhattan on Tuesday, and banged the drum for the November 13 Cowboys Stadium clash pitting the Congressman, Manny Pacquiao, against the redemption-seeking ex welterweight champion Antonio Margarito.
Much has been made of the "distraction issue," as breathless media reports have various members of Team Manny in varying states of worry that their guy is lacking focus, and has taken on too much.
I asked Arum if he's of the mindset that the wearing off too many hats, as boxer, as politician, as Dan Hill impersonator, might have Pacquiao spreading himself too thin, and leaving himself at the mercy of the largest man he's ever faced, Margarito?"It's Manny Pacquiao," said Arum, who seemed in fine form, happily, for those that understand that it has been just seven weeks since his son John Arum died in a hiking accident. "He has the ability to multitask. To deal with a bid to get more money for his province while training for this fight, I can't do it. But I'm older. He seems able to do it. It'd be good if he didn't have the distractions, but that'll never happen."
Arum plays the promoter to the hilt, of course, but damned if he isn't the best in the business at finding compelling, credible arguments to bolster his case, that Pacquiao is in tough.
He said that he expects Manny to weight 151 on fight night, while Margarito will likely be 165, which is a massive weight advantage for the Mexican.
After this one, Arum said, he does expect Pacquiao to go back down to 147, on the advice of Coach Roach, among others. But I'd caution that we should see how it plays out on Nov. 13. If Manny is Manny in Texas, and uses his speed-movement marriage to perfection, I'd be surprised if his crew stays on message with him dropping down.
Arum touched on this matter when someone asked about Pacquiao-Paul Williams, if Williams beats Sergio Martinez on Nov. 20. He assessed a matchup pitting the 5-6 1/2 Pacquiao against the 6-1 Williams as "ludicrous" because of the height disparity, but said that a Pacquiao-Williams clash would be a "consideration."
But, the promoter said, "I can't envisage the two fighters, one is eight inches taller. He'd have to get a step ladder. Let's see how he handles Margarito. Manny has never fought a guy this big."
Besides, Arum says that after a Pacquiao win, "only one fight has priority, that's Mayweather."
But, he cautioned, making that will be dependent not only on the desires of the wishy washy Mayweather (my wording, not Bob's), and Floyd's legal status. Mayweather is scheduled for a court date to answer domestic abuse charges on November 9, so we'll all know more then. "(Mayweather is) Manny's first priority (after Margarito)," he said.
As for a third date with Juan Manuel Marquez, which has been floated by Coach Roach, Arum didn't seem keen on the concept. "I'd be shocked if Freddie said that, he said something different to me," Arum said. "I love Freddie but I'm not sure where he got that."
Check back for more lowdown from the Friars Club gathering. TSS chatted with Pacquiao's main sparring mate for this camp, Jersey Boy Glen Tapia, a a 20-year-old junior middleweight with a 7-0 mark. Also, we sat down with Kelly Pavlik, who seemed happy that he was able to eat, if not to his heart's content, then close to it. He'll face off with Bryan Vera on the Nov. 13 undercard, in a catchweight-164 max scrap. From now on, I will be calling him The Mayor, because he showed a solid insight of his local political scene, and admitted he might well in the future take a dive into the political pool, a la Pacquiao, as he tucked into his chicken entree.
Source: thesweetscience.com
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