Mayweather will fight me when I'm past it - Pacquiao -- ESPN

espn.co.uk

The Floyd Mayweather Jnr-Manny Pacquiao saga looks set to rumble on after Pacquiao maintained there is "still a chance" of the super-fight happening.

All hope appeared to have vanished earlier this month when it was claimed that Mayweather had turned down a $50 million offer to fight Pacquiao for the title of the world's pound-for-pound king.

That was the latest in a long line of stumbling blocks, the most damaging of which was the fighters' bitter dispute over the timing of blood tests prior to the bout. With so many hurdles to clear, the clash looked dead in the water - but Pacquiao is refusing to give up on the prospect of fighting his American rival.

"For me, there's a chance," he said. "It's up to him if he wants to fight. He's trying to wait for me to get older."

The clamour for Pacquiao-Mayweather would die down if the Filipino fails to come through his next fight, which sees him face Shane Mosley for the WBO welterweight title on May 7. Pacquiao is refusing to engage a war of words with his opponent, who is said to be fired up by his status as the 11/2 underdog.

"Shane can still fight," Pacquiao said. "He's fast and he's training hard. It's hard to rate him against the other (opponents). This time he's determined to shock the world. It's going to be a good fight.

"Mosley is bigger than me. He's fast and his hand speed is still there. He's faster than most of my opponents. He's also preparing hard and he's also good, so we never underestimate our opponent."

Source: espn.co.uk

Best camp ever: Manny Pacquiao impresses trainer Freddie Roach with focus on Mosley fight -- Washington Post

By Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Freddie Roach is not a man given to hyperbole. When Manny Pacquiao’s trainer says the pound-for-pound champion is having his best training camp, Sugar Shane Mosley had better pay attention.

Pacquiao is in the final stages of preparation in Hollywood for his bout with Mosley at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas on May 7, and the Filipino congressman hasn’t been so singularly focused on boxing for quite a while.

“He hasn’t lost a step. He’s working at a higher pace than ever,” Roach said Wednesday in his Wild Card Gym. “He’s not in the same condition as the last fight. He’s in better condition than I’ve ever seen. He isn’t going to get caught underestimating anybody.”

Roach fretted about Pacquiao’s focus and fitness throughout a rocky camp heading into last fall’s win over Antonio Margarito, calling it the worst training session of their careers. Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs) was newly elected to office, which added another responsibility to the usual pandemonium swirling around the Philippines’ most famous man.

This time around, Roach and strength-and-conditioning coach Alex Ariza have been downright floored by the eight-division champion’s determination to knock out Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs), who has never been stopped.

“It’s the complete opposite side of the spectrum this time,” said Ariza, who’s in charge of Pacquiao’s fitness. “I’ve never seen Manny more motivated. I thought (the camp before Pacquiao’s victory over Miguel) Cotto was the perfect blueprint for a training camp, but this has surpassed it.”

On their first day of workouts, Pacquiao did his running in the mountains, skipping the usual warmup days on the flats in Baguio, his Filipino base. He spent just three weeks training amid the innumerable distractions back home before starting his more monastic five-week session in Hollywood, reversing the schedule of last fall’s camp.

Pacquiao already is solidly near the bout’s 147-pound limit, and his sparring sessions already have exceeded 12 rounds, with Roach marveling at Pacquiao’s sharpness and speed.

“When you take five or six months off like that, you get re-motivated,” Ariza said. “He found something in his DNA that motivated him again to get going. I think he had so much of the political stuff wearing him down last time that he didn’t have it in the ring. That’s not going to be a problem now.”

In yet another sign of his commitment, Pacquiao showed up to Wednesday’s interview session just 15 minutes late — which qualifies as extremely early in Manny’s wild world.

Pacquiao doesn’t acknowledge any special focus on this fight, but the congressman has been juggling more balls than most people could even carry for a long time now. He acknowledges needing an adjustment period to his legislative duties, which are getting easier to manage.

“I learned to rely on certain people to do my job,” Pacquiao said. “It’s different this time (around). I’ve been training, and I’ve set aside all work. ... I never distract myself. I never think I was distracted. I was focused on the fight, focused on the training.”

Yet the Pacquiao circus is still among the most entertaining shows in sports. The successful singer is releasing another single — a cover of Dan Hill’s syrupy 1977 ballad, “Sometimes When We Touch” — and he recently inked an endorsement deal to put his face on every bag of broccoli sold by one of the world’s largest vegetable distributors as part of an overall endorsement of healthy eating and green practices.

Pacquiao doesn’t share some fans’ disappointment with Top Rank’s choice of his latest opponent. Mosley, who turns 40 in September, has been unimpressive in his past two fights against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Sergio Mora.

“I’m not going in confident, or underestimating him,” Pacquiao said. “He’s a pound-for-pound champion, a good fighter. I’m just going to be in condition and ready to fight. ... He can still fight. Compared to Margarito or somebody else, he’s fast. Maybe this time, he trains hard for this fight, and he can do a lot of things.”

Pacquiao also still holds out the slightest hope Mayweather will end his self-imposed exile and step in the ring with him. The former superstar hasn’t fought in nearly a year and has no plans on the horizon after turning down a megafight with Pacquiao and refusing to explain why.

“I don’t know,” Pacquiao said with a wink when asked if he thought Mayweather would ever step in with him.

“For me, there’s still a chance,” Pacquiao said. “It’s up to him if he wants to fight. I’ll just do my job and make the fans happy.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: washingtonpost.com

Pacquiao primed for boxing title fight against Mosley -- AFP

By Greg Heakes, AFP

HOLLYWOOD, California — Filipino pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao will need find his killer instinct again if he is to become the first boxer to knock out former four-time world champion Shane Mosley.

The eight-division world champion Pacquiao, whose last fight was a 12-round unanimous decision over Antonio Margarito, will fight Mosley for the World Boxing Organization welterweight title May 7 at the MGM Grand hotel and casino.

"I want Manny to knock him out and I think we can," said trainer Freddie Roach on Wednesday. "But Manny is a compassionate person at times. Like he wouldn't hurt Margarito.

"He took it easy on him in the last two rounds and let him last the fight. Asked him if he is OK couple of times. Manny doesn't want anyone get hurt."

Despite giving away 17-pounds, Pacquiao bloodied and bruised the bigger Margarito's face and then carried him through the late rounds. Margarito had to have surgery to repair a broken eye socket but it could have been a lot worse if Pacquiao hadn't let up.

"Boxing isn't about killing each other," Pacquiao said Wednesday at the Wild Card Boxing Club. "Boxing is entertainment. Entertaining people and making people happy."

But Pacquiao says he also can't afford to underestimate the 39-year-old Mosley who has gone 53 fights in his 18-year career without being knocked out.

"He (Mosley) is determined to shock the world," Pacquiao said. "He is a good fighter. I don't underestimate him. I never say it is going to be an easy opponent."

His camp says Pacquiao is in the midst of one of his best training sessions. Roach says Pacquiao is working as hard as ever for a title fight.

"His focus is great. There are less distractions this time. He is very motivated and has continued to push himself from day one," Roach said.

Roach said their game plan is a simple one -- box with Mosley early then wait for him to tire and make a mistake.

"Part of the game plan is to out box him and when we do break him down get him to the point where we can take him out," Roach said.

"He can't move like he used to for 12 rounds. I don't think his legs are what they used to be. Somewhere in the fight he is going to have to stand flatfooted and fight with us. I think that is when we can catch him."

Mosley has 46 wins and 39 knockouts but has lost twice and struggled to a draw in his past five fights. He fell to Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto in 2007 and unbeaten Floyd Mayweather in May before a draw against American Sergio Mora in September.

"He has a good chin," Roach said of Mosley. "It (knockout) has never been done. He has fought every fighter in the world and some great fighters.

"He is a tough guy and I am sure he is going to come into the ring in the best shape he can."

Pacquiao has won 13 fights in a row and the southpaw has not lost in nearly six years. In that span he has dispatched such stars as Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez.

"I have to be careful of his (Mosley) size and speed," Pacquiao said. "I have to focus on his speed and counterpunch.

"When we get in the ring I can read what he is doing, his style and then adjust.

"He can still fight. He is not as slow as Margarito. He is fast and he moves fast. He is trying hard and he can do a lot of things."

Pacquiao has also claimed world titles in eight weight classes. He always divides his time training for a fight between the Philippines and America but for this fight they decided to change things up a bit.

The biggest change was to spend five weeks, instead of three, training in Los Angeles. For the Margarito fight they spent five weeks training in the Philippines and three in Los Angeles.

"We started early for this training camp," Pacquiao said.

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved.

Source: google.com

Pacquiao tests positive for PGF -- 8CountNews

By Brad Cooney, 8CountNews.com

There has been a lot of talk and accusations directed toward Manny Pacquiao about steroids and or performance enhancing drugs. We all know where the majority of these accusations have come from, so no need to repeat it again. This has been an ongoing thing now for quite awhile, and as many of you know, there is a lawsuit for slander that is hovering over a few heads.

I recently wrote an article about current world champ Zab “Super” Judah. The article was titled, “Zab Judah: In God he trusts” and it got thousands of reads. People like to read about someone who has changed his or her life for the better. Judah has done just that, he's found God and his life has 100 percent turned around. Rather than throwing dice on the street corners like he used to, Judah can now be found with a Bible in his hand heading to Church with his family.

Pacquiao is a God fearing man. He puts God first, then everything else comes afterward. When he trains in the gym there is always a moment of prayer. The radio gets shut off, the phones get shut off, and Manny prays in the corner.

He's a spiritual man that has given control of his life over to God. Manny's performance enhancing drug is his God. Pacquiao could take that test and definitely test positive. If God is a steroid, then Manny is using every day of his life. PGF (Putting God First) is what Pacquiao does every day.

Manny's life is filled with blessings. He has a beautiful wife and beautiful kids. Manny's living a life of financial freedom. He shares his wealth with the needy. He is everything that a moral person strives to be. His haters are few and those who love him are many.

Pacquiao steps back into the ring Vs. Shane Mosley next month. The time is getting closer to seeing the pound for pound king. When he submits his drug test, the only thing that they will find in his system is PGF.....Putting God First.

Source: 8countnews.com

McCloskey: I made Khan look pretty average on Saturday night -- The Score

By Niall Kelly, thescore.ie

PAUL MCCLOSKEY HAS rubbished suggestions that Amir Khan is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world at present, claiming that he made the WBA Super-Lightweight Champion look “pretty average” during their fight on Saturday evening.

Referee Luis Pabon and ringside doctor Fraser Pinkney ordered the bout to be stopped after just six rounds when an accidental clash of heads left McCloskey with a nasty looking gash above his right eye. The fight was decided by the ringside judges who unanimously awarded all six rounds to the defending champion.

Though McCloskey’s camp were furious with the premature stoppage and have lodged an official complaint with boxing’s authorities, Khan has already started to plot his next move, eyeing up a divisional reunification contest with American Timothy Bradley before taking on stablemate Manny Pacquiao, the man currently regarded by many as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

Speaking to Newstalk’s Off The Ball last night, the Dungiven man laughed off suggestions that Khan could even be considered in the same class, saying that the Briton had done nothing of note during their six rounds in the ring together.

“Anybody with a brain or anybody who knows anything about boxing knows that those six rounds were pretty close,” McClosksey said.

I made Amir Khan who has been recognised as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world look pretty average and pretty ordinary. He was doing no damage to me whatsoever.
Describing himself as “completely gutted” and “mesmerised” by Saturday night’s events, the previously-undefeated 31-year-old said that his plan was to let Khan tire himself out as he sought to score an early and impressive knockout in front of the British crowd.

“To be fair, I was behind on points but we had a bit of a gameplan,” McCloskey said. “We knew he was going to come out early on and try to blast me away because he was trying to impress the crowd and he’d a bit of job to do.”

“I could feel the difference even in the number of punches that were coming my way. The number of punches per round were coming down, he wasn’t making me work as much, so we were going to up the tempo in the second half of the fight.”

The Northerner also dismissed Khan’s suggestion that a knockout was imminent had the bout not been waved off as post-fight bluster, saying “talk’s cheap at that stage.”

He said that at the press conference, but to be honest anything I put to him at the press conference, he couldn’t answer me back.

He’s very good at talking the talk once the event’s over, but he was quiet before the fight and up to that point.

Although he conceded that the chances of Khan agreeing to rematch were “slim,” McCloskey said that the manner in which the fight ended has done his future prospects no harm at all.

“To come out of the fight the way I did, it does my ranking no harm. I’m still highly ranked, and I’ve no doubt that I’ll be back fighting for a title in the very near future – if not this title then another one.”

Source: thescore.ie

Hatton set to climb off the canvas: Hitman considering dramatic comeback against Morales -- Daily Mail

By Jeff Powell, dailymail.co.uk

Ricky Hatton is considering a multi-million-dollar comeback leading to a super-fight with Mexican legend Erik Morales.

The Hitman has resumed sparring with Commonwealth welterweight champion Denton Vassell, whom he promotes. He has been assured that his boxer's licence, revoked following his admission of cocaine abuse, is likely to be restored.

The offer to return from quasi-retirement was tabled by Oscar de la Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions, while he was in Manchester for Amir Khan's world title defence against Paul McCloskey on Saturday night.

Hatton stands to earn a guaranteed minimum of £1.8million for any comeback fight, £2.4m if he goes straight to Morales. Pay-per-view television would boost purses substantially.

De la Hoya confirmed last night: 'Ricky against Morales would be a wonderful fight in Las Vegas, a great event, a meeting of two real legends of the sport. Fight fans all over the world will want to see that.'

Morales - two years older than Hatton at 34, and the last man to have defeated current pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao - is in the midst of a comeback of his own.

De la Hoya said: 'Erik has shown Ricky that it can be done. He was away for three years but has returned to have three fights before putting on a beautiful performance against Marcos Maidana.'

Many American commentators believe Morales was robbed of the narrowest of decisions against Maidana, the younger Argentine puncher who came close to knocking out Khan before losing their 2010 fight of the year.

Hatton has been inactive for just under two years, since being brutally concussed by Pacquiao. He has vacillated about retirement - admitting that his new found involvement as a promoter has been his only partial escape from post-boxing depression - and has kept insisting that he will re-apply for his fighter's licence when the time is right.

That door opened yesterday. Robert Smith, general secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control, said: 'Ricky simply needs to submit his application in the normal way - to his local area council who will pass it on to the full board - and then satisfy all the usual medical requirements.

'I can't foresee there being a problem, since he has served his time.'

Golden Boy officials opened discussions with Hatton before Christmas and now Gareth Williams, The Hitman's legal adviser and an executive of Hatton Promotions, says: 'We have received the firm offer at the meeting with Oscar. Now it's up to Ricky.'

Hatton is discussing the proposal with his father Ray, who is also his manager, and girlfriend Jennifer. Given estimates that it will take Hatton six months to regain full fighting fitness, Golden Boy are viewing an October date against Morales.

Alternatively, he could take an easier warm-up fight in Manchester - an emotional comeback which would fill his beloved City's Eastlands football ground - followed by the big one in Vegas.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

Americans direct Floyd Mayweather Jr.: You must fight Manny Pacquiao -- Examiner

By Michael Marley, Examiner.com

MASHANTUCKET, Connecticut—You place a world title fight between a Mexican American lad who grew up in Garden City, Kansas, and then moved to Oxnard, California, and a Haitian American boxer from smallish Winter Haven, Florida, here in the woods not far from the Rhode Island border you should expect tickets to move like coldcakes.

New England did not have to choose between Vicious Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto. Instead, those from Hartford to Boston and from Worcester to Providence did not know who they are.

They set up the Theater at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods for a mere 2,300 fans Saturday night and the empty seats were legion.

But one late arriving spectator, who did not take his ringside pew until the main event, which turned out to be a scorcher and the shocking Ortiz ring redemption/upset that I boldly predicted, had already started made it all worthwhile for many spectators.

Not only did the crowd see a serious “Fight of the Year” candidate which concluded with Berto going to a local hospital for a hand injury and to have someone look at bumps on the back of his head, they also got to jeer Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Mayweather and bosom buddy, the rapper Fifty Cent, took their first row ringside seats just in time to see a wild war as Berto foolishly slugged it out with the harder-hitting southpaw Ortiz.

Yep, the same Ortiz who so many branded a quitter after his desultory loss to Marcos Maidana.

As for Mayweather, he heard a steady but seemingly good-natured chant of “Fight Manny, Fight Manny” which began up in the rafter and came cascading down to ringside.

So what did Mayweather's cameo tell us?

I thought you would never ask.

What We Learned From Mayweather's Visit:

1.He remains the villain, the fighter people most love to hate and the visceral reaction he provokes reminds us this is why he and Pacman will eventually have to fight (I hope). As Lou DiBella aide Ron Rizzo said, “The fans care enough to boo him and how many other fighters can you say that about?

2.Mayweather has no plans to wander away from either HBO, the broadcast home abandoned for one bout anyway by Pacman/Bob Arum in favor of rival Showtime/CBS.

3. We can finally pull the plug on all the “Floyd is working with Don King” rumors and reports. Mayweather remains firmly in the clutches of his adviser Al Haymon because that is who he and Fitty sat with at ringside.

4. Mayweather got a reminder of how he can lose his prized unbeaten status as Berto fell from the privileged ranks of the unbeaten. Mayweather's 0 may have to go against the sheer force and will of Pacquiao.

5. Mayweather still causes a serious buzz when he appears in public. Some fans in the higher elevations could not see him until they flashed his smiling face on two huge TV screens but, when that happened, a real roar went up from those in attendance followed by the jeers and a few cheers.

6. Mayweather learned again that Pacquiao is omnipresent. In the ring, Victorious Victor told Larry Merchant how he got a fight day phone call with some ring advice from a sagacious acquaintance named Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao. They were connected over the phone by regular Pacman sparring partner David Rodela.

If Mayweather did not understand America's message, then he is deaf and dumb.

Source: examiner.com

Victor Ortiz thanks Manny Pacquiao for his advice in victory over Andre Berto -- PhilBoxing

By Rich Mazon, PhilBoxing.com

Mashantucket, Connecticut -- Victor Ortiz has a lot to be thankful for Saturday in the biggest night of his boxing career. There is his coach, Danny Garcia and his entire team, his manager and promoter, his fans and Manny Pacquiao.

The newly crowned W.B.C. welterweight champion thanked the pound for pound king and fellow welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao after his tough fight with Andre Berto here in the Foxwoods MGM. In the post fight interview H.B.O.’s Larry Merchant asked him “Do you want now into the Pacquiao sweepstakes?” Ortiz replied “Yes sir, definitely. I actually talked to Manny Pacquiao earlier and Manny, thank you very much for your advice man, thank you.“

Merchant asked what Pacquiao’s advice was and Ortiz replied “He (Pacquiao) said that I’m more powerful than he is, I’m as quick if not quicker than he is, so I (should) just stick to my game plan and listen to my coaches.“ He ended by thanking Pacquiao as well as his trainer Freddy Roach.

The apparent link between the two was lightweight boxer David Rodela. Rodela was a friend of Ortiz and one of Pacquiao’s main sparring partner at the Wild Card gym. “David Rodela had me talked with Manny Pacquiao today. Thank you Manny for your kind words. He is a great guy and nowadays we are in the same weight class,“ he replied when asked about it during the post fight conference where he was in great spirits after being crowned a champion Saturday night here in Connecticut.

“He just told me to stick to the game plan and that I’m a very strong fighter and (I should)just keep going for it. Don’t take anybody’s negativity, so I just did as he said and listened to my coaches and here we are with the green belt,” he added blissfully.

The advice clearly delighted and inspired the young Ortiz who comes in blazing right from the opening bell. He attacked Berto early in the first round as he landed a flurry of punches on the stunned champion. Berto tasted the canvass early with a right hook from Ortiz followed by a set of uppercuts. Ortiz also showed the character that was doubted of him by many when he himself got up from two knockdowns that Berto inflicted on him in the second and the sixth round.

“I wasn’t hurt, it was a flash knockdown,“ he remarked when asked of it. It was an exciting fight that the crowd appreciated for most of the night. It drew cheers and chants of each fighter‘s name as they exchange heatedly in the ring. “I knew that it was going to be a full blown war. As a matter of fact, I pictured my eyes both closed at the end of this fight,“ Ortiz described of the fight.

Richard Schaeffer of Golden Boy Promotions acknowledged that Ortiz was “really happy and thrilled when he got that call from Manny Pacquiao. “A simple phone call from a champion that might have added extra motivation for Victor Ortiz to be a champion himself. For in boxing as in life, words of encouragement does help everybody go the extra mile."

Source: philboxing.com

AMIR KHAN IS CUT OUT FOR TILT AT TIM BRADLEY -- UK Express

By Niall Hickman, express.co.uk

AMIR KHAN can sail serenely towards a showdown with his hero Manny Pacquiao and ignore the spurious calls for a rematch from Paul McCloskey’s camp.

Boxing’s authorities may have shot themselves in the foot for a second time only a few months after the Audley Harrison-David Haye fiasco by calling a premature halt to McCloskey’s challenge, but the Ulsterman was never in danger of taking Khan’s WBA world light- welterweight title.

After a clash of heads in the sixth round, the ring doctor ruled that McCloskey’s cut was too severe to continue. McCloskey has probably cut himself worse in the shaving mirror, so to take away his stab at stardom was wrong and cruel.

British Boxing Board of Control secretary Robert Smith said: “I have absolutely no problem with the competence of the doctor. Fraser Pinkney is very experienced, has worked with the board for many years and it was his judgment call. He felt there would be a considerable amount of blood getting into McCloskey’s eye.”

The fact that Khan had bossed each round by an increasing margin means calls for a rematch should be ignored and McCloskey’s cut, requiring just seven stitches, cannot cloud the simple truth that he would not beat the champion in a month of Sundays. McCloskey does not have the tools to beat a global talent like Khan.

It was not vintage Khan – he took two or three rounds to find his range against an elusive opponent – but it was enough to prove that under Freddie Roach’s tutelage he is now ready for the step up to Tim Bradley. They are close to securing a fight in Las Vegas on July 23.

Roach said: “I know Tim Bradley well and he is one hell of a fighter, but would I put Amir in with him in the ring tomorrow and expect my boxer to win? Yes I would.

“Their fight will determine who is the best at 140lbs and then the winner should go up to 147lbs and take on Manny Pacquiao. That is my feeling.”

Khan admits he is desperate to unify the titles as the Californian holds the WBC and WBO belts.


“Bradley and me belong in the same class, world class, whereas I have proven that McCloskey does not,” said Khan.

“Bradley is a good fighter but that’s just going to push me and motivate me.

“Bradley is quick, fast on his feet and he can punch. He is a proven world champion.

“When I go back to LA for my training camp, knowing it is Bradley I’m fighting is going to push me even more.

“I have to go over to America and take his world titles but I am very willing to do that.

“I want to be in with Tim Bradley next. What would be the point of a rematch with McCloskey? It was an easy fight for me.”

Khan showed in glimpses some of the lightning hand speed which has made him such a marketable talent and although he will be facing a far more formidable opponent in Bradley, he has the tools to win Stateside.

Khan may not have liked to beat McCloskey this way, but compared to Harrison v Haye, this was at least a contest.

Source: express.co.uk

Manny Pacquiao: Headed to the UFC? -- Ringside Report

By Sean Farrell, Ringside Report

Manny Pacquiao, considered by many to be the best pound for pound boxer in the world uttered the wrong words in an interview when he said, “I want to (fight in MMA), but they (his management) don’t want me to,” when asked about fighting in mixed martial arts.

Now, before anyone jumps to any conclusions, he isn’t coming to MMA. Just think about what it would cost to get him into the Octagon for a way below average performance. Pacquiao was guaranteed $12 million for his fight against Joshua Clottey, and at this time, there is no MMA organization who could guarantee that kind of money or be dumb enough to do so, let alone the rumored $40 million Pacquiao would earn in a fight with Floyd Mayweather, JR.

To even think he would sign with either Ultimate Fighting Championship or Strikeforce for a fight is beyond stupid, because no promotion would pay that much for one fighter to not succeed.

Pacquiao is wildly popular and it turns my stomach as he isn’t anything special just a great boxer and has no need for the UFC. Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, could easily put together an MMA card that would feature Manny against a fighter that would suit Manny’s skill set and make him look good, but even then Arum has been racist on his stance towards MMA stating:

“For me, I look at the UFC audience and the boxing audience as being two different audiences entirely. Our audience in boxing is ethnic. Hispanic, Filipino, Puerto Rican, Mexican, and the hardcore boxing fan who can’t watch … like me … can’t watch UFC. UFC are a bunch of skinhead white guys watching people in the ring who also look like skinhead white guys. And you don’t have any tattoos. Ninety percent of the people in the audience wear tattoos. I don’t care. That’s up to them. But those aren’t people that would have any interest, at any time, in boxing. For me, and people like me, it is not something they ever care to see. They’ve watched it. It’s horrible. Guys rolling around like homosexuals on the ground. It is not a sport that shows great, great talent.”

That statement is everything wrong with the way boxing fans view MMA, MMA is predominantly minorities with very rich history’s just look at two countries in particular, Brazil and Japan and case closed.

An MMA match such as this would be a total sideshow, but in the end would it be any different from the recent Randy Couture-James Toney fight? Toney and his skill set yet alone physique, had no business being in the Octagon with a former UFC champ who was 47 years old by the way. Yet there he was, not even knowing how to properly tap out to a Couture arm triangle within minutes of their fight.

If Arum promoted a fight with Pacquiao and a clearly overmatched MMA fighter with limited skills would there be a significant difference? Simply put, the answer is no, not much of one anyway.

In three to five years if Mayweather still hasn’t been convinced to get into the ring with Pacquiao, or does and is beaten by him (Which IMO is ridiculous to even comprehend). I wouldn’t think MMA would be completely outside the realm of plausible for Pacquiao to have at least one MMA fight. If the UFC wanted to really break some gate records and Pay-Per-View buy records or make a big splash in the Philippines(Which is where the first international edition of Ultimate Fighter is taking place), booking a Pacquiao-MMA fight would be a sure fire ticket to do so.

If I were Manny and Arum, I’d want at least 18 months to train for MMA and a couple of buildup fights against guys with limited grappling abilities before facing anyone really relevant. But even in the best case scenario, I don’t see Manny ever being an MMA champion in any major promotion and any losses he took in the cage would damage his “brand” value and that of boxing as a whole significantly, which is why it’s not plausible and just him talking.

But if boxing can’t provide the epic matchups worthy of such a popular fighter, maybe it’s his time to seek a real challenge and not fight a bunch of over the hill or past their prime fighters, but in all honesty Manny is milking the system and doing a phenomenal job of doing so.

Source: ringsidereport.com