Khan wins close decision over Maidana -- ESPN

By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com

LAS VEGAS -- When junior welterweight titlist Amir Khan elected to face the light-hitting Paulie Malignaggi in May rather than interim titlist Marcos Maidana, his mandatory challenger, there were those who screamed that Khan must somehow be scared to fight the rock-thrower from Argentina.

Well, how do you like Khan now?

Not only did Khan stand in with Maidana in a ferocious and exciting battle, he survived some brutal shots and a near-knockout in the 10th round to retain his 140-pound title on a unanimous decision Saturday night before a small, but boisterous crowd of 4,632 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

The kid from England earned his stripes for sure.

"You can tell by his record he's a strong puncher and I took everything he gave me," Khan said proudly.

There have been plenty of questions about Khan's chin. The 2004 Olympic silver medalist at age 17 had been knocked down a few times early in his professional career and then was pounded out in 54 seconds in a stunning upset by Breidis Prescott in 2008.

But Khan made changes in his training habits and hired trainer Freddie Roach. He matured. He focused more.

Now, after surviving hell with Maidana (29-2, 27 KOs), he showed he is a true professional and a helluva fighter in winning his sixth bout in a row since the devastating loss.

He was also proud of how his chin held up despite taking some massive shots in defending his belt for the third time.

"I'm sure everyone watching my fights knows I've made mistakes," Khan said in clear reference to the Prescott fight. "But I've worked hard and came back stronger than ever. I'm a different fighter working with Freddie Roach and [strength and conditioning coach] Alex Ariza. I took his best shots and I was still there."

While Khan certainly had the edge in speed and overall skill, Maidana never stopped throwing his bombs. He didn't land all that many of them, but when he did, he made 'em count.

Maidana practically sprinted to Khan at the opening bell. His best way to win was going to make it a war. We all knew that. Clearly, Maidana did too. But Khan was ready.

He stymied Maidana's aggression early and dropped him in that opening round, sinking a left hook to the liver near the end of the round and then unloading a few more shots just before the bell for good measure.

He landed 31 punches to Maidana's five in the opening round. It was 32-5 in the second round.

Khan was in control on the cards as he continued to build his lead. But Maidana's pressure was relentless.

Maidana got a bit overzealous in the fifth round when he threw an elbow at Khan and was docked a point.

But he had made his point and continued to do so -- this was going to be a street fight whether England's Khan liked it or not.

By the sixth, Maidana's shots were beginning to take their toll. He was landing and Khan was retreating with Maidana chasing after him. When Khan -- who turned 24 on Wednesday -- would lay on the ropes, Maidana would attack with punch after punch, even though he couldn't get Khan off his feet.

The extreme pressure from Maidana continued and in the 10th round came Khan's moment of truth. Maidana brutalized him. A right hand badly hurt him and several more shots did even more damage. Khan looked like he was practically out on his feet.

To the shock of most at ringside, Khan managed to stay on his feet despite being in terrible trouble throughout the round.

Khan (24-1, 17 KOs) survived the round and made it through the final two, tough rounds while Maidana let everything he had hang out.

"He's a strong fighter and he hit hard, but my chin was tested," said Khan, who earned $975,000 and will ultimately bank much more based on the revenue generated by the pay-per-view telecast in England. "I'm not taking anything away from him. He's a great champion. But I proved today I've got a chin. I fight with my heart. I'm a boxer. If I go into the ring, I know I'm going to get hit."

In the end, the judges rewarded Khan with a deserved 114-111, 114-111, 113-112 decision. ESPN.com had it a bit wider for Khan, 116-109, but it was a fantastic and competitive fight.

Maidana gave a tremendous effort and thought he deserved the decision.

"I thought I won," said Maidana, who earned a career-high $550,000. "I thought I did enough in the final rounds to win the fight, but they gave it to him."

Khan landed 273 of 603 punches (45 percent), according to CompuBox statistics while Maidana was credited with landing 156 of 767 (20 percent).

Maidana hadn't earned it though. He had given up too many early rounds to the flashy Khan, who advanced to what many view as the semifinals of an unofficial tournament at 140 pounds.

Khan and Maidana, 27, were considered two of the top four fighters in the division heading into the fight. The other two, titleholders Devon Alexander and Timothy Bradley Jr., meet to unify belts on Jan. 29 in Pontiac, Mich.

A fight between Khan and the winner of that fight is what many fans -- and HBO, which is bankrolling the unofficial tournament -- want to see.

Khan, however, likely will return to England for his next defense in the spring, but could move on to face the Alexander-Bradley winner later next year.

If he does, Khan certainly gained valuable experience and confidence surviving the hell that Maidana had just put him through.

Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com. Follow him on Twitter @danrafaelespn.

Source: sports.espn.go.com

Amir Khan has his senses scrambled but hangs on in thrilling victory over Marcos Maidana -- Telegraph

By Gareth A Davies, telegraph.co.th

It was heart-racing fare. Amir Khan retained the World Boxing Association light-welterweight by unanimous decision against as tough a man as you could find. Argentine Marcos Maidana has a chin of granite, and a heart so large they should have found him a title for this performance, too. He was gritty, and desperate, at times, but he made the fight. And enhanced his reputation.

It will be nominated as one of the fights of the year. It was by unanimous decision on the judges’ cards, 114-111, 114-111, 113-112.

In reality, in a fight thrilling from first to last, Khan hung on by a finger nail to his title, in a very tough fight. It will have done his reputation wonders in the US. But in a sense it revealed the very best, and the very worst of him.

Within the frame, Khan put Maidana on the floor with a liver shot in the opening round, and it looked over. Maidana then came back ferociously, and although he had a point deducted for an elbow in the fifth round by referee Joe Cortez, battled back into the fight in the middle rounds to bury his way into Khan.

Throughout the contest, Khan’s lightning fists scored in bunches. But Maidana’s moment came in the tenth, Khan caught by a winging right hand halfway through the round. His legs had gone, and he barely knew where he was. Somehow, throwing no punches, he got through the next minute, firing back finally with 24 seconds left in the round. Perhaps he should have taken a knee. Perhaps he wasn’t conscient enough. Perhaps it might have given Maidana

It was the toughest, and most telling round of Khan’s career. He survived it, just as his career survives. His head cleared, he fought back in the eleventh, and moved in the twelfth, but his senses were still slightly scrambled. He needs to gather them again soon, because there is still much work to be done before he is truly to be accepted as elite level. Hell of a fight. Jack Hirsch, President of The Boxing Writers Association of America.

Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk

Khan maximizes potential in ring by learning at Pacquiao's knee, fist -- Las Vegas Review-Journal

By STEVE CARP, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Imagine being a physicist and getting to work in the laboratory alongside Albert Einstein. Or being a budding rock star and jamming with Eric Clapton.

Amir Khan knows that feeling.

The WBA junior welterweight titleholder partially credits his rise to stardom in the past couple of years with his opportunity to train with pound-for-pound boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.

"Without question," said Khan, who defends his belt against Marcos Maidana tonight at Mandalay Bay Events Center. "It has been the opportunity of a lifetime, and I'm so grateful to Manny for allowing me into his camp and to learn from him. He has made me a much better fighter."

Khan and Pacquiao met in 2008 when Pacquiao was preparing to fight Oscar De La Hoya. They became instant friends, and Khan has been a regular in Pacquiao's subsequent camps.

Khan (23-1, 17 knockouts) said being a sparring partner for Pacquiao forced him to be at his best or risk getting embarrassed -- or, worse, hurt.

"(Pacquiao) wants to be pushed," Khan said. "When we train together, it's like a competition. We try to bring out the best in each other. That's been so beneficial to me. He's improved my work ethic, and when I'm not around Manny, I still train as if he were there."

Freddie Roach, who trains both fighters, had Khan with Pacquiao during his entire camp leading up to Pacquiao's demolition of Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13 at Cowboys Stadium. Khan was with Pacquiao in the Philippines and traveled with him to Los Angeles and Texas. According to Roach, they sparred approximately 20 rounds together.

Once Pacquiao took care of Margarito, Roach gave Khan his full attention after they returned to Roach's Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, Calif. For Khan, it also meant being away from his home in Bolton, England, for the last four months, but he never complained.

"I never felt slighted in the least," Khan said. "I understood the priority was Manny, and I was still being trained by Freddie, so it all worked out well."

Roach said Khan's time with Pacquiao will add up to a big advantage over Maidana (29-1, 27 KOs).

"It's done wonders for Amir's confidence," Roach said. "Mentally, he's fearless. When you're in the ring with the best fighter in the world and holding your own, you're going to be confident.

"There were days where Amir kicked Manny's ass. That was a good thing because it forced Manny to work harder."

Khan said he thought he had the talent to be great, but it took working with Roach and Pacquiao to bring out the best in him.

"I now understand what it means to be professional, whether it's in training or the night of the fight," Khan said. "Everything I do now, the way I live my life, I try to do it the way a champion does."

Khan is competing in a hot division that includes Victor Ortiz and Lamont Peterson, who are on tonight's undercard in a scheduled 10-round bout. The junior welterweight class also includes Devon Alexander and Timothy Bradley, who are scheduled to square off Jan. 29 in Pontiac, Mich. A victory tonight would set up Khan to face the Bradley-Alexander winner in mid-2011.

"One thing I learned from being around Manny is to not look ahead and take each day as it comes," said Khan, who is making his Las Vegas debut and fighting in the United States for only the second time in his career. "I want to fight the best. But I have to win this fight first."

■ NOTES -- Khan, who turned 24 on Thursday, made the 140-pound limit at Friday's weigh-in. Maidana weighed 139. ... The undercard begins at 2 p.m., and one of the highlights will be Las Vegas lightweight Sharif Bogere, who takes his 17-0 record (11 knockouts) into an eight-round fight against Chris Fernandez. ... Just over 3,000 tickets had been sold as of Friday. ... Because Khan and Maidana refused to wear PunchForce sensors inside the cuffs of their gloves, HBO will not debut the technology tonight as planned. PunchForce shows how hard a fighter is punching during each round.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.

Source: lvrj.com

If Amir Khan puts away Marcos Maidana the doubters will be silenced, writes Barry McGuigan -- Mirror

By Barry McGuigan, mirror.co.uk

AMIR KHAN'S credentials as a prize fighter will be writ large across the Las Vegas skyline in the early hours tomorrow.

All those doubters who believe the Breidis Prescott knockout was definitive will have some explaining to do should Khan put Marcos Maidana away in a manner befitting his gifts.

The argument against Khan is flawed in the sense that the Prescott defeat was explained by an inherent weakness around the whiskers.

Prescott would put a rhino away if it hung its chin out like Khan did that night. Khan lost not because of his delicate bone structure but because he made an elementary mistake.

In the two years that he has been working with Freddie Roach, that kind of schoolboy error has been drilled out of his game.

Boxing is a simple business if you respect the fundamentals.

Roach respects them absolutely. The question he had to answer was this: what do I need to do to improve this kid? The answer was defence, defence, defence.

Roach excels in the company of fighters with speed. He knows its value better than any. Ask Manny Pacquiao, a fighter with three knockout defeats on his card before Roach got hold of him.

Khan's hands and feet are as quick as any in the game. You can't coach that. What you can teach is how not to get hit.

When you step into punching range, or the pocket as they say in the trade, you are vulnerable.

You need to know where your chin, shoulder and feet should be. You keep your chin down, your shoulder high and your hands up.

When Khan throws the jab now his right hand is glued to his cheek. When he throws the right his left hand is locked to his left cheek.

If you miss you must minimise the risks. Make a mistake and you get nailed by a counter. Khan was caught square on and flush by Prescott, who, I would argue, sets up an opponent better than Maidana because he is a genuine combination puncher.

Source: mirror.co.uk

Koscheck brings out St. Pierre’s passion -- Yahoo! Sports

By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports

MONTREAL – For six months, Georges St. Pierre has wanted to erupt, to lash out, to tell the world how sick and tired he’s been of Josh Koscheck.

If you poke a caged lion with a stick, you always have to be careful the lion doesn’t get free and maul you. You can be sure, as he spent a month-and-a-half in Las Vegas with Koscheck in the summer filming the reality series, “The Ultimate Fighter,” that there were plenty of times that St. Pierre wanted to maul Koscheck.

Koscheck hadn’t left the Octagon following his victory over Paul Daley at UFC 113 in May when he began the torrent of trash talk about St. Pierre. Then, for six weeks in Las Vegas, he poked and prodded St. Pierre, hoping to get a rise out of him. He’s continued the verbal onslaught ever since.

St. Pierre is a man who values his image nearly above all else. The thought of rolling around on a floor, brawling with Koscheck, is abhorrent to him.

The taunts and pranks didn’t go unnoticed by St. Pierre, who will defend his title against Koscheck on Saturday in front of a UFC-record crowd – expected to top 23,000 – in the main event of UFC 124 at the Bell Centre.

During the show, St. Pierre was, as he always seems to be, calm and in control. He responded with a grin and a shake of his head, largely ignoring Koscheck despite a fire that raged inside of him that told him he ought to shut his foe’s mouth for good.

Finally, on Wednesday at a workout for the media and again on Thursday at the final news conference, St. Pierre opened a window to his soul. He displayed a passion he’s rarely shown publicly before, something contrary to his carefully crafted, gentlemanly image.

As the news conference ended Thursday, St. Pierre was asked about a comment he’d made earlier, in which he said he’d be done with Koscheck after Saturday. St. Pierre won a decision over the former NCAA Division I national wrestling champion at UFC 74 in 2007 in a non-title fight. He pointed out that if he prevails again in Saturday’s title fight, Koscheck figures to be in his rear-view mirror forever. “I’m doing this job, because I want to be the best,” St. Pierre said. “I don’t want to be number two. I want to be number one. I’ve always been like this. And I don’t want to be just number one, I want to be the greatest. That’s my main goal. When I do something, I want to be the best of the best. Now I’m fighting Josh Koscheck and I fought him before. People say, ‘Oh, the pressure is on you. You’re in Montreal.’ It’s true. I’m in Montreal, but I am at my best when I’m fighting in my hometown. But also, if I win against Josh Koscheck, when I beat him, that’s going to be the end of it. It would be two times I beat him.

“If he has the same mentality as me, Josh Koscheck, he’ll have to reconsider his career. If he wants to be the best, after he loses two times to me, it’s going to take a long time again before he goes for the title. Maybe, never again. He’ll have to climb up the ladder a long time. I’m going to beat him on Saturday night and that will be the end of it. I’m not going to talk about him for a long, long time and I’m going to feel very happy.”

He spoke passionately, through clenched teeth, obviously speaking with his heart as much as he was with his mind.

St. Pierre is arguably the UFC’s most popular fighter, so in demand that UFC president Dana White dared to suggest that St. Pierre is more popular in his native country than NHL Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky is merely the greatest player in hockey history and the Canadian Press Athlete of the 20th Century.

White later amended his comment to indicate he meant St. Pierre is more popular on a global basis, but the point was made: People love the guy, and not just in Canada.

He made an appearance in the Philippines and the massive turnout made it seem as if Manny Pacquiao had stopped on the street corner. St. Pierre took calls on an Albuquerque, N.M., radio station on Wednesday and so many people attempted to get through, the telephone lines crashed. He signed autographs at the UFC Fan Expo and people stood in line for hours to get a few seconds of personal time in front of him.

“It’s really incredible, when you think about it, that people were willing to give up the better part of their day to stand in a line for his autograph in order to get about 10 seconds of his time,” his manager, Shari Spencer, said.

Spencer has helped him build his brand and land him endorsements from blue chip companies like Under Armour, Gatorade and Affliction.

The brand is everything to St. Pierre, who said he’s attempted to pattern his behavior after Gretzky. Gretzky is arguably the most dominant athlete in team sports history and he was a great ambassador for hockey from the day he first stepped onto the ice until his last day as coach of the Phoenix Coyotes.

Similarly, St. Pierre has attempted to maintain an equally wholesome image and avoid some of the unsavory stereotypes that often are associated with the fight game. That’s why he continually bit his tongue when nearly everyone else watching the reality show wanted to see him lose it and haul off and give Koscheck his comeuppance.

“To tell you the truth, there were many times (when Koscheck taunted me) that I had something to say in my head, but because of my brand, because of who I am and because of the way I want to portray myself, I didn’t say anything bad,” St. Pierre said. “But sometimes, I said it to my friends and they were laughing. People don’t know what’s happening in my head. Of course, I’m a good guy on camera, because I take my business very seriously. For me, when I’m in front of the camera, it’s a business. The way I dress and everything, it’s a business, it’s professional.

“I try to portray myself like Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan. Of course, I’m a human being and I have some bad thoughts in my head sometimes. I’m human, I have some bad ideas, but when I’m in front of the camera, it’s business and when it’s business, I think of my business and my brand.”

Koscheck, who seemed tense and disinterested at Wednesday’s media workout, clearly has tried to anger St. Pierre in order to affect the way he fights. St. Pierre, though, was on to the game early and wouldn’t fall for it.

St. Pierre said he’d be disappointed if he won by decision, rather than finishing Koscheck, but said he’s not going to be baited into a slugfest. It’s all about maintaining control in St. Pierre’s world.

“I’m going to fight smart and methodical,” St. Pierre said. “Of course, the crowd’s going to be there and that’s what Koscheck wants. Koscheck wants me to lose my temper. He wants me to fight like an idiot and lose my temper, because that’s how he can beat me. I don’t think skill-wise, he can beat me. In boxing, the guy who is the better boxer, he wants to box. The guy who is not as good as the other guy, he wants to brawl. When you brawl, it’s like flipping a coin. That’s what he wants me to do, to go in there and lose my mind. But that’s exactly what I’m not going to do. “I have a lot of tools in my bag. If he stuffs one takedown or two, I don’t mind that. I can knock him out standing up. I can beat him on the floor. I can do whatever I want.”

Pretty much, that’s true. He’s nearly a deity in Canada, though strangely, he’s more popular outside of his native Quebec because the Francophiles aren’t into fighting as much as the English-speaking population. He’s centered his business interests in the U.S., because it’s where most of the brands he’s going to be affiliated with are located, and because it will leave him a refuge at home in Quebec where he can get away from some of the maddening crowds.

It says something about the character of the man that he’s on display nearly every hour of every day, but he has the control of his emotions and doesn’t crack.

If White was growing fighters in a Petri dish, he couldn’t have grown one to be a better representative of his business than he’s gotten in St. Pierre.

“We’re fortunate not only to have him representing our company, but also to have him as an ambassador for the sport of mixed martial arts,” said Tom Wright, the UFC’s director of Canadian operations. “He’s one of our global icons. Clearly, one of the biggest draws we’ve ever had. Certainly, in this country, when we look at pay-per-view sales, they go along like this and all of a sudden, we see this major blip that comes along when GSP fights. People just love him, not just here but truly, around the world. He’s the kind of guy you want representing your country and the sport. He’s so good, it’s almost like he’s too good to be true.”

St. Pierre waves off comparisons to Gretzky and said he hasn’t accomplished nearly in MMA what Gretzky did in hockey – yet.

So for now, it’s OK to refer to him as the Wayne Gretzky of MMA.

But don’t you get the idea that if St. Pierre keeps this up, someday in the not-too-distant future, some Canadian father will be telling his son about Wayne Gretzky and will refer to him as “The Georges St. Pierre of hockey?” It probably won’t happen. But the fact that it might tells you all you need to know about St. Pierre.

Source: sports.yahoo.com

Amir Khan on Manny Pacquiao, Andre Berto, Sergio Martinez -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan of England appears to have taken the world by storm, this, on the heels of May's 11th-round knockout of former IBF titlist, Paulie Malignaggi, during Khan's American debut at the WaMu Theatre at New York's Madison Square Garden.

A man who turned 24 on Wednesday, Khan takes a mark of 23-1 with 17 knockouts into Saturday night's HBO televised, Golden Boy Promotions clash opposite Argentina's hard-hitting, 27-year-old Marcos Rene Maidana (29-1, 27 KOs).

In a match up that will be contested at the Mandalay Hotel, Maidana represents Khan's debut in Las Vegas, not to mention his second bout on American soil.

Maidana has won four straight fights, including three by knockout, since losing to Ukrainian Andriy Kotelnik (31-4-1, 13 KOs), whom Khan dethroned as WBA belt-holder by unanimous decision in July of 2009.

Khan will earn $975,000, plus some upside to British television revenue compared to the $550,000 that will go to Maidana.

In victory, for Khan, there may be other big fights out there, including the winner of an HBO televised, Jan. 29 match up between 23-year-old southpaw WBC king Devon Alexander (21-0, 13 KOs) and WBO champ Tim Bradley (26-0, 11 KOs).



Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

AMIR KHAN: MANNY PACQUIAO A NO KHAN-DO -- Daily Star

By Kevin Francis, DailyStar.co.uk

AMIR KHAN will never fight Manny Pacquiao – the one man preventing him being the world’s best pound-for-pound boxer.

Khan makes the latest defence of his WBA world light-welterweight title here against tough Argentine Marcos Maidana, 27, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Victory will increase the clamour for Khan to face the only man to win world titles at eight different weights.

But Khan said of the man who currently holds the WBC super-welterweight title and WBO ­welterweight championship: “No way – I will never fight him.” This is not just a case of ­avoiding an opponent – they share the same trainer in Freddie Roach.

Khan, who celebrates his 24th birthday tomorrow, added: “Sparring in our gym is one thing, but we will never fight each other. You have to think of our trainer Freddie.”

The fight forms part of a TV ­bonanza which sees Dereck Chisora take on Wladimir Klitschko for the world heavyweight title in ­Germany – plus James DeGale ­facing Paul Smith from Liverpool.

And Khan wants to help restore Britain’s tarnished boxing pride after the farcical match between David Haye and Audley Harrison.

He said: “Everyone should be fighting to restore the pride in British boxing. It’s going to be an exciting night and a long night.

“The fights come from all around the world – England, then Germany with ­Chisora – and me finishing off the night from Las Vegas.”

Source: dailystar.co.uk

'Unrealistic demand' eliminates Marquez from Pacquiao Sweepstakes -- Examiner

By Michael Marley, Examiner.com

And then there were two horses running in the Manny Pacquiao Sweepstakes.

Going past the first run with a sizable lead of about three lengths is Sugar Shane Mosley, the wily, 38 year old veteran who has bolted from the Golden Boy stable.

Mosley and "jockey" James Prince can see the finish line ahead on or about Dec. 17-18 when Pacman will officially select his April 16 MGM Grand Las Vegas opponent.

"Scratched" for the Megamanny Derby, it seems based on a conversation I had moments ago with Bob Arum, is Mexican counterpuncher Juan Manuel Marquez, whose two controversial bouts with Pacman had many fight fans hoping for a trilogy matchup.

Other insiders said Thursday that young and undefeated Andre Berto is still in the race and that the proposal made to Arum by Lou DiBella on Berto's behalf and OK'd by adviser Al Haymon was not deemed "excessive or outrageous" by Grand Poobah Bob.

According to Arum, he will present all three offers to Pacman and trainer Freddie Roach when they huddle in General Santos City a week before Christmas and before after Manny's 32nd birthday celebration.

Arum made no bones about his dismay at the Marquez offer as communicated in an email from Richie Rich Schaefer to Top Rank president Todd duBoef.

“This proposal I got on Marquez, meanwhile, is Schaefer just selling Marquez down the river,” Arum said. “This is the same Schaefer who keeps talking about Floyd Mayweather, about what Floyd is going to do...like he’s still involved with Mayweather when he is not...

“It's just not realistic and I don't think Schaefer really wants Juan to fight Pacquiao again. Schaefer knows, like everyone else does, that Manny will kick the bleep out of Marquez.

"They want to avoid Manny and, that way, Schaefer can put his guy in with (Robert) Guerrero or someone else. Schaefer knows that if he has him fight Manny now, that will be the end for (the 37 year old) Marquez," Arum said.

Arum did not specify the exact amount of Schaefer's requested purse but said it went beyond what Marquez made last May when he lost over 12 rounds to Floyd Mayweather Jr. Arum said it's commonly known in the industry that Marquez was paid $4 million plus a small PPV TV upside, above a particular figure, of $1 per pay per view buy.

“How do they ask us to pay the same amount he got for the Mayweather fight, which he lost? How do they ask for the same amount or even anything slightly less than that? It makes zero sense.”

Arum also directed a verbal blast at Oscar de la Hoya and his public remarks that Pacquiao is only on a winning streak because he demands and gets weight concession from foes, including himself.

Oscar said that the time has come for Pacman to grant Marquez a third bout and to agree to do it as at about 143 pounds, slightly below the welterweight limit and slightly above the junior welterweight limit.

“Look,” Arum said, “anybody who listens to what Oscar says now has to be deranged. It’s very sad with Oscar but unless you program him on what to say, it always comes out wrong.”

I asked Arum when he will sit down with Miguel Cotto and his lawyer, Gabriel Penagaricano Jr., to discuss their interest in a possible middleweight title bout this spring against red-hot Sergio Martinez.

“They’re going to the Lakers game tonight,” Arum said. “We made arrangements for that. So I think we will have a breakfast meeting tomorrow (Friday in Anaheim).”

Arum offered no opinion on Cotto-Martinez, saying he wanted to hear what Team Cotto has to say first.

The prevailing thought in the business is that “In House Bob” will prefer to direct the Boricua Bomber to his natural revenge match against Antonio Margarito.

For the record, I am emailing this to Uncle Richie for his response but I will not hold my breath waiting for same.

FYI, the number to call remains 917 853 4484 and the "Blast Arum Back" operator is on Orange Alert.

(mlcmarley@aol.com)

Source: examiner.com

Promoter gives Marquez's terms to Pacquiao and updates Mayweather Jr.'s legal plight -- Los Angeles Times

By Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times

Juan Manuel Marquez has presented Manny Pacquiao's promoter a set of terms in which he would agree to have a third fight with the Filipino star boxer, Marquez's promoter said Thursday.

Pacquiao's promoter, Top Rank, has gathered similar term sheets from two other possible April 16 opponents, world welterweight champions Andre Berto and Pomona's Shane Mosley, and will present them to Pacquiao when attending his 32nd birthday party in the Philippines Dec. 17.

Specifics of Marquez's terms were not released by his promoter, Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions, but they included financial and weight limits that Schaefer categorized as "very fair."

Marquez fought Pacquiao to a 2004 draw and then lost in a 2008 split-decision he disputed. Currently the world lightweight champion, Marquez scored a ninth-round TKO of Australia's Michael Katsidis Saturday after Katsidis had knocked him down in the third round.

One of the barriers to a Pacquiao-Marquez bout is the friction between Schaefer and Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, tension which remained alive and well Thursday as Schaefer discussed Arum's comments about making a Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. super-fight in the first half of 2011.

Arum told The Times Wednesday only "an idiot" would blame Mayweather's current legal plight in Nevada -- he faces felony and misdemeanor charges for allegedly striking the mother of his children and threatening his kids -- for delaying negotiations for a Pacquiao fight.

Schaefer, who has promoted all of Mayweather's fights since 2007, said Saturday his preference is to respect the legal process in Nevada before scheduling a Mayweather fight.

Arum said no elected Nevada judge is going to interfere with a bout that could generate $500 million in the state's economy.

"What kind of stupid comment is that from a Harvard lawyer?" Schaefer asked. "Not everyone thinks money first. Money is not above everything. I don't care how much money this is. There's no price on doing things the right way, and if Floyd wants to let his legal process play out before he agrees to the fight, I support him."

Yet, Pacquiao may want to have a next opponent in place before Christmas, and Arum has already scheduled the April 16 date at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

"Floyd Mayweather is not on a Manny Pacquiao clock," Schaefer said. "Money is not above the law in Nevada or anywhere else in this country. And if believing that makes me an idiot, I'm happy to be an idiot. Money is not everything, and you cannot just always go out and sell yourself and base every decision you make on money."

Mayweather doesn't have another court date until Jan. 24, but legal sources in Nevada have said there's a legitimate possibility his trial won't even occur in 2011.

Schaefer said he hasn't been officially informed by the Mayweather camp that the unbeaten boxer will not fight until his legal situation is cleared up. The charges against Mayweather leave him exposed to a lengthy prison term if convicted, so there might be urgency to make the lucrative fight sooner rather than later.

Schaefer, however, contends preparing for such an important fight with such a serious legal threat hanging overhead is a tremendous distraction.

"If I'm told they want to deal with the legal situation, I'll support it, agree with it and he has my respect," Schaefer said.

Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com

Pacquiao eyes return to Las Vegas in April -- Las Vegas Review-Journal

By STEVE CARP, Las Vegas Review-Journal

After two fights in Texas, Manny Pacquiao appears ready to return to Las Vegas.

Top Rank chairman Bob Arum confirmed Wednesday that he has secured an April 16 date at the MGM Grand Garden for Pacquiao's next fight. The fight probably would be televised by HBO Pay-Per-View.

''I have to meet with Manny and make sure he's OK with it,'' Arum said. ''It's an ideal date, right after the Final Four and at the start of the baseball season and right around the beginning of the NBA playoffs.

''As long as it doesn't interfere with his duties in Congress (in the Philippines), I think we'll be in good shape. I'm flying to Manila on the 12th ... we should know more then.''

Arum said Floyd Mayweather Jr. remains the preferred opponent for Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 knockouts), who has won titles in an unprecedented eight weight divisions after defeating Antonio Margarito by unanimous decision Nov. 13 in Arlington, Texas, for the vacant WBC super welterweight championship.

Mayweather and promoter Don King met last weekend in Florida, but no deal was struck.

''I talked to King the other day, but he doesn't have a deal with Floyd,'' Arum said. ''But if King got control of Mayweather, it would make things a lot easier to make a deal to fight Manny."

If not Mayweather, Pacquiao's next opponent would be either Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez or Andre Berto, Arum said.

Arum and Top Rank president Todd duBoef have had conversations with all three fighters' handlers, and it ultimately will be Pacquiao's call.

''We are working with the caveat that if Mayweather would be available, a fight with Mayweather trumps everything else,'' Arum said.

Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach has said he would have no problem facing any of the three fighters. But Pacquiao will not drop below 144½ pounds, Arum said.

At this point, there's no clear-cut favorite for Pacquiao's next opponent.

''I have Berto's position. I have Mosley's position,'' Arum said. ''I'm waiting on Marquez's position. If we don't get one (from Marquez), we'll move on.''

Contact sports reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.

Source: lvrj.com