Manny Pacquiao – Floyd Mayweather JR – The Popularity Contest Settled -- Ringside Report

By Siri Karri, Ringside Report

Chocolate or Vanilla?

Team Edward or Team Jacob? (If you don’t get the reference that means you are a good person at heart)

Batman or Superman? (Bruce Wayne over Wuss Kent any day)

Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao?

Somehow, determining the Pound-for-Pound King of boxing has divided fans just as handily as the trivial questions preceding it . . . in a time when boxing is constantly under attack and needs its fans united more now than ever.

The debate isn’t one-sided by any means; Mayweather is an astounding 41-0 and Pacquiao is not far behind at 53-3-2. Mayweather represents the epitome of technical brilliance, while Pacquiao is the scrappy fire plug with hand speed to rival Bruce Lee. Floyd has enjoyed an unending stretch of dominance, while Pacquiao has enjoyed playing underdog knockout king for a good part of his career.

Each of their strengths counterbalances the other’s standstill; Mayweather got his opponents when they were younger, but Pacquiao usually finished his opponents in a more devastating fashion. Mayweather is undefeated, but Manny has a good deal more professional fights as well as belts.

That’s where the debate tends to get ugly.

This is the part where, after a skillful debate, fans often devolve into attacking their opposition on facets that have only minimal significance. Fans of “Money” Mayweather will point out Manny’s ability to fight at much larger weight classes while still physically overwhelming opponents and immediately accuse him of steroids. “Pac-man” Pacquiao fans will meanwhile attack Mayweather on his host of personal problems (despite their insignificance to his boxing skill) and accuse him of ducking Pacquiao recently when he poses the only legitimate threat to his legacy.

This is going to either be revelatory or irritating to both parties, but I’m going to go ahead and point out what this is nothing more than a popularity contest.

This is like voting for senior class president.

On the one hand you have “Frank Moneyway”. He has a perfect 4.0 GPA in his high school career but he’s been slacking off on his extra-curricular activities recently and his ex-girlfriend can attest to the fact that he’s a royal a-hole with an ego that could blot out the sun. However, there’s no denying that this guy was the best dude for the job last

Standing opposite to him is “Manvel Packer”, a kid who moved to the school only a year ago. He has a 3.7 GPA and literally does every sport imaginable, not to mention that he’s taking advanced classes at the local university. He’s also charming to a fault; he could sell ice to the Eskimos and firewood to the Devil. There are some unsettling rumors, however, that he’s been cheating to keep his high GPA at the University and that his parents pulled strings to get him onto the varsity lacrosse team.

You’d think it’s an impartial vote, but it’s not. Many students have had lunch with Manny and are taken up by his foreign charm. On the other hand, Frank has had four years to gather legions of admirers who praise his skill and tenure.

I’ll be honest, I believe Manny Pacquiao is the pound-for-pound king and is 2nd behind Sugar Ray Robinson for the greatest of all time. I’ll cite his spectacular athleticism, his knockout victories, his absurd hand speed, literally everything I can to convince you that I’m right. But in the end, I know what this is.

It’s a popularity contest.

Source: ringsidereport.com

Has Manny Pacquiao finally silenced Floyd Mayweather Jr. -- Examiner

By Rick Rockwell, Examiner.com

On Friday, unbeaten American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. skipped a court ordered deposition in the defamation suit that Manny Pacquiao filed by the beginning of 2010. Normally, the brash boxer enjoys to hear himself talk but this time Floyd decided to remain silent, begging the question "Has Manny finally silenced Floyd?". In a Friday report by The Grand Rapids Press, Pacquiao's attorney Daniel Petrocelli said that Floyd was supposed to answer questions about his accusations of Manny taking PEDs, but decided to skip out instead.

For 1 1/2 years, nobody could get Floyd Mayweather Jr. to stop talking about Manny taking the drug tests and implying that Pacquiao had uses PEDs. And now, when the time comes for him to provide factual evidence, Floyd remains silent.

All Floyd had to do was apologize to Pacquiao for making these harsh comments. A few weeks ago, two other defendants Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer formally and publicly apologized to Pacquiao and they were removed from the defamation suit. But Floyd decided to do the opposite. Instead, Floyd makes "take the test" t-shirts, which were clearly aimed at Pacquiao to adhere to his drug testing demands.

Source: examiner.com

It's Manny Pacquiao's world, we just live in it: Nike line, global media tour -- Examiner

By Michael Marley, Examiner.com

Unless and until Floyd Mayweather Jr. clears his decks and states affirmatively “I want Manny Pacquiao next,” I guess we really can’t call he and the Pinoy Idol rivals.

Pacman will get busy with the third chapter of his rivalry against Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12 while Mayweather ends a 16-month absence from his day job on Sept. 17 in a Las Vegas ring against tenacious southpaw Vicious Victor Ortiz.

In another sphere, it might be said that Pacquiao is starting to rival big sporting endorsers such as Michael Jordan and the now diminished Tiger Woods.

Can you say Air Pacquiao?

Pacman promoter Bob Arum revealed to me Tuesday night that the world’s top pound for pound fighter (again, unless and until Unbeaten “Money” proves otherwise) will come back to the United States for a family vacation six days hence.

According to Arum, wife Jinkee and their four children will have Manny’s full attention on the sojourn except for one huge commercial visit.

“Manny is going to Oregon, up to Nike headquarters to meet the big boss, Phil Knight, and all the other top people with the company. Nike is planning a huge Pacman product line along the lines of Air Jordan and all the things they did with and for Michael Jordan,” Arum said.

You might call it a vacation with a “Swoosh” pit stop.

After the weeklong stay in SoCal, Arum said, Pacquiao and family will return to the Philippines.

As far as the massive buildup for the third bout between Pacman and the slick Mexican counterpuncher, Arum said the media tour is going global.

“We will start at the end of August in the Phillipines,” the 79 year old promoter said. “We start in Manila and then we will be going over to Singapore, where they have huge interest in Manny.

“We’ll also go to the Middle East, to Abu Dhabi. Then we come back to America and we will finish the media tour up, appropriately enough, in Mexico City.”

Pacquiao is really starting to embellish the "world" part of world champion, is he not?

Thus proving, I guess, it is Pacquiao’s World…we just live in it.

(mlcmarley@aol.com)

Source: examiner.com

Forget Floyd Mayweather JR: Manny Pacquiao is the Pound for Pound King -- Ringside Report

By Donald C. Stewart, Ringside Report

Manny Pacquiao, 53-3-2 38 KO’s, is undoubtedly the best pound for pound fighter on the planet.

What is also undoubted is that the potential of a fight against Floyd Mayweather, JR., is probably the most boring non event in sport. But if the Pac Man is not going to get it on with the undefeated Mayweather who is he likely to face after his third battle with Juan Manuel Marquez.

With a draw and a split decision defeat already between the pair this is a very decent fight for both but the unusual nature of a third professional contest seems to suggest there isn’t a lot of decent competition out there for the best fighter on the planet.

Or is there just a lot of guys who could, perhaps should but just wouldn’t? After all Pacquiao will fight whoever is in front of him and a fight against him means worldwide coverage and potentially, should he win, riches beyond belief for the successful fighter.

There are contenders out there and the number of undefeated guys who could make up the numbers in the ruing is beginning to grow. The problem may be that they need to prepare to be ready for Pacquiao.

It would or could lead us into the same problem as the Heavyweights. There have been few if any credible contenders for years to the Klitschko’s and the pound for pound rankings has these two big guys in the top three says far too much about where we are and far too little about how we get out of there!

For Pacquiao it is a worry that he runs out of creditable opponents but is also a worry for the rest of us as Pacquiao may hang up the gloves, leaving us to reflect on his glory rather than salivate over another contest where this time may be the time he loses. So what is out there? There are a few. Here are the potential highlights!

What about Timothy Bradley?

It would launch Bradley into a stratosphere. His name has already been linked with Pacquiao’s though he has denied that he was fighting him in the Fall. Amir Khan’s claims that Bradley ducked a fight with him leaves him seriously needing some credibility. Pacquiao may just achieve that for him! Unfortunately it has to be said that the Pac Man would be, at his stage in his career a step too far for Bradley. I would have Bradley down as a notch in the Filipino’s belt.

Andre Berto is somewhere down the list but this could be a good test for Pacquiao. Despite having lost his only fight to Victor Ortiz, the man Mayweather climbs into the ring with in September, last time out, Berto has a decent pedigree. He is a fighter, like Bradley who has plenty to prove and it should be fascinating to see who would come out in front.

Again Pacquiao may not break sweat over this but he needs a battle against a hungry guy. The Shane Mosley fight was the closest thing to a love in outdoors in the US for years…

Jan Savek is another up and coming pretender to the throne who would be putting his undefeated tag up for grabs against Pacquiao. His pedigree though spells more of European contests than World platforms. It may be to Europe that Pacquiao has to look as the opponents in America – North and South are fading from the scene as potential opponents.

Europe also has Amir Khan 25-1 17KOs but Freddie Roach has already said no to that particular contest. It’s a pity but Khan vs. Pacquiao in a year or so would be a fantastic contest. I would hope that Khan keeps Freddie Roach and Pacquiao dumps him if there was to be such a contest!

From that same land of his last European opponent – England – also comes the highly impressive Kell Brook. Brook fights again on June 25th and an assessment of whether he would be ready in 2011 or early 2012 can be made.

Around light welterweight there are few fighters that have not already been at the temple and returned disappointed. Would Pacquiao fancy moving another weight division or is his legacy already assured? Is he not a world champion already at a ridiculous number of weights so it would mean a step up which could mean a leaner and weaker Pacquiao? Funnily enough that hasn’t quite happened so far in his career.

Sergio Gabriel Martinez is a wild card due to the weight difference but stranger things have clearly happened. Pacquiao’s legacy may already be assured but the hunger we all have for more fights, better contests and ANYTHING that stops another press release, internet discussion forum or lengthy article on why Mayweather and Pacquiao should get it on is to be welcomed!

Roll on Marquez III and Mayweather – the return.

Source: ringsidereport.com

PICTURE: Manny Pacquiao poses with United shirt -- The Busby Way

thebusbyway.com

As they say life imitates art.

So is there any surprise Manny Pacquiao is posing with a Manchester United shirt having knocked Man City fan Ricky Hatton out cold in 2009?

Floyd Mayweather also wore a United shirt in the run up to his 2007 fight with Ricky Hatton, a fight where he also stopped the ‘Hitman’ (starting to see a pattern emerge).

Personally I think he could do a job for us in midfield but he may need to bulk up!

Source: thebusbyway.com

Pacquiao pushes P125 wage increase -- Manila Bulletin

By RIO ROSE RIBAYA, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao Tuesday co-authored a bill seeking for a legislated P125 across-the-board wage hike, assuring his fans who are mostly Filipino workers that he would lobby the measure to get the support of his fellow congressmen.

Pacquiao, who used to work as a construction worker and janitor before rising to become a boxing sensation, signed House Bill No. 375 in support to labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and party-list Anakpawis pushing for wage increase for workers.

“Before I reached where I am now, I became an ordinary worker. I worked in utility as a janitor. I accepted the job even if the salary is very little so that my family can eat. I also worked as a construction worker. I even sold sampaguita (flowers) on the streets,” Pacquiao said.

“You can count on my support. My life was not easy. I want to let the workers know that I understand what they have been fighting for the right to a living wage, which is provided for in the Constitution,” the Sarangani legislator added.

Pacquiao, who supported the Church in expressing opposition against the reproductive health (RH) bill, explained that the minimum wage rates in the country have been stuck in the standards of the pas after being overcome by recent increases in food, fuel, and transportation prices.

He expressed confidence that employers managing different kind of businesses can withstand and survive a legislated across-the-board wage increase, rejecting that the measure would make them bankrupt.

“That is what they always tell to discourage the workers in getting wage increases. I am hiring many employees, each of them is happy with the compensation and I am not complaining. The P125 across-the-board wage hike is not too much to ask, it’s just fair,” he stressed.

Source: mb.com.ph

Floyd returns but Pacquiao fight is all that matters -- ESPN

By Steve Bunce, ESPN.co.uk

I suppose it's good that Floyd Mayweather Jr is back but I still wonder how many years he's going to hold us to ransom. Is he going to come back every 14 months, every 18 months, every two years? Is he ever going to come back and fight Manny Pacquiao? At what point do we say, 'so what Floyd?'.

Victor Ortiz, who will put his WBC welterweight title on the line when the pair clash in September, is a perfectly good fighter but he's never going to sell out a big venue in America, he's never going to create a massive buzz. Thankfully with this fight a) he gets a big pay day and b) his profile goes through the roof. It's fantastic for Ortiz, is it good for Floyd? I don't know. Is it good for boxing? I'm not sure.

Boxing doesn't need Floyd v Ortiz, it needed Floyd against Pacquiao 18 months ago. If this Ortiz fight leads to a formal announcement of a Pacquiao match-up in April then fantastic. But if this leads once again to Floyd leaving into the Las Vegas night, assuming the clash takes place there, then we're going to have another 18 months of speculation - he said, she said, I said, we said. I'm sick and tired of will he, won't he; will they, won't they.

Pacquiao's always going to be a possibility for Floyd because we know the type of money that people are talking about - we've gone from $8 or $9 million each to $35 million each. Let's just hope by the middle of November a deal has been signed for next April because if it's not then surely we've got to pull the curtains down on it.

Against Ortiz, I'm expecting an aggressive Floyd to make a statement. We saw a cautious, careful Floyd when he fought veterans Juan Manuel Marquez and Shane Mosley but I think we might see him push for a KO. At some point Mayweather, who is 10 years older than Ortiz, is going to slow down and his speed will diminish. At some stage his timing is going to suffer and Ortiz is the type of guy who could cause a slightly slower Floyd some problems. However, there are still some questions marks about Ortiz's mental toughness after he quit in a fight with Marcos Maidana in 2009 when he complained that the punches were hurting him - Monty Pythonesque, I know, and we shouldn't forget it.

If they have a tear-up I know which chin I fancy, and it's not Ortiz's. A shocking win could in theory push Pacquiao into a fight. It seems the two need to embarrass the other in order for terms to be agreed. A big victory here could do the trick.

Twelfth Round

At 34, Ryan Rhodes is hoping it's third time lucky. The Sheffield-born fighter takes his third tilt at a world title by facing off against Saul Alvarez for his WBC light-middleweight crown on Saturday in Mexico - 14 years after his first attempt.

It looks a tall order - Ryan's going to 6000ft of altitude in Guadalajara, he's fighting a guy who is 14 years younger, he's fighting a guy who's unbeaten in 37 fights (26 KO's), he's fighting a guy who is a Mexican idol and as Ryan said himself, 'I must be mad'. If you look at the basic facts he must be. However, I don't think Alvarez's as strong and as unbeatable as some people are trying to paint him.

Oscar de la Hoya, his promoter, is desperate to tell everybody that Alvarez is going to be the greatest Mexican fighter of all time. In his last fight he won the title in a 12-round points decision against Matthew Hatton, who is a welterweight. No disrespect to Hatton but the so-called best Mexican fighter ever would not take 12 rounds to beat him, especially when Hatton's fighting above his usual weight. Ryan's got the power, he's got the strength.


Enlarge That said, I am worried about the altitude factor - it's a sickener. I don't care how Ryan says he feels. You can adjust to normal, everyday things like walking and shopping but in two weeks I'm not sure you can adjust properly. Alvarez goes to Big Bear in California and trains at altitude, where he's been for six weeks. Rhodes has been training in the steel city of Sheffield and Rotherham. There's aptitude in Yorkshire not altitude!

There's no problem with belief but he may be found wanting in this stage of his career. He is much older and he will be fighting in a very foreign land. It's remote, it's at high altitude and the Mexican crowds are savage. Ryan can prepare himself for that in his head but it's another thing on the night when 15,000 people are trying to basically abuse you. That said, he understands the enormity of the task and he can do it. I don't think Alvarez is even half as good as we're being told he is. My gut feeling tells me the altitude and Rhodes' legs, coupled with Alvarez's youth, will mean Rhodes will get stopped on his feet at some point in the last few rounds.

Fireworks can wait for Haye

Watching Wladimir Klitschko's media days last week, I'm amazed that people are surprised he's preparing well. What did people expect, for him to prepare in a nightclub?! Wladimir is a very intelligent, smart guy. This is what he does - he's cold, calculated and scientific. He won't cut a corner, he's a brilliant tactician and technician and he'll be sparring with guys who are the same height, same weight and fight at the same pace as David Haye.

I expect no stunts when David goes in front of the cameras this week, because he's got his man exactly where he wants him. David's been selling this fight since 2008, he's got the bout he wants and all he wants is to get Klitschko out of his hair now.

He's done all the selling, he's got the fight and he'll be itching to get in the ring. It will shut his critics up because most still believe Haye still doesn't want the fight. That's rubbish, he always wanted the fight, he just wanted it on his terms - which he has now got. Fantastic, let's get it on.

Source: espn.co.uk

Celebrity Boxing Fan: Maurice Greene -- Boxing Insider

By Scoop Malinowski, Boxing Insider

The former Olympic Champion and World Record holder in the 100 meter sprint Maurice Greene is a devoted boxing fan who has attended many world championship fights live and has met and befriended many boxers, including Mike Tyson.

Known as one of the greatest sprinters ever after winning the 2000 Olympic 100 final and setting the world record of 9.79, Greene is also known as one of the most entertainingly colorful characters of track and field. After one spectacular sprint on national TV, Greene quickly removed his running spikes and had a friend run out on track and use a fire extinguisher to cool them off, suggesting he had run so fast his feet were on fire. The Kansas City native Greene also wore a body tattoo that stated simply GOAT (Greatest of all time).

In the 100 meters, Greene undoubtedly was one of the finest athletes in history. He won four Olympic medals including a bronze in the 2004 100, was a five-time world champion, won three golds at the 1999 World Championships, won the 1999 World Indoor championship. He retired from athletics in 2008 and currently coaches and takes care of business interests.

Now 36, Greene, who appeared on “Dancing With The Stars” (he took fifth place), took time out at the recent Diamond League Adidas track and field event in New York City to talk about his love for boxing…

BoxingInsider: What is your first memory of boxing?

Maurice Greene: ”It would have to be seeing videos of Muhammad Ali boxing.”

BoxingInsider: What is the appeal of boxing for you?

Maurice Greene: ”It’s a glamorized sport. The Heavyweight Championship fights always get a lot of big press and I guess, just to see two men get in the ring and to give their all for – what they used to go – 15 rounds is pretty tough.”

BoxingInsider: Were you at ringside for any Heavyweight Championship fights?

Maurice Greene: ”Oh yes, I’ve been to a couple of them, couple of Mike Tyson, Tyson-Holyfield the first one. I’ve been to so many boxing matches.”

BoxingInsider: What’s a standout memory of being there live at ringside?

Maurice Greene: ”It’s just the whole atmosphere is very thick. It reminds me of when I’m walking into the stadium during the Olympics, the atmopshere. Just to be around all the excitement is great.”

BoxingInsider: Your favorite boxers of all time?

Maurice Greene: ”Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, Roy Jones, Trinidad. Now I like to watch Pacquiao and Mayweather.”

BoxingInsider: Who’s gonna win that fight – if it ever happens?

Maurice Greene: ”Geesh (rolls eyes)!! I don’t know, you know, I mean.”

BoxingInsider: Do you want to see it?

Maurice Greene: ”Of course I want to see it. But, I mean, it’s hard to say who’s gonna win. Mayweather is a defensive fighter. Pacquiao is an offensive fighter. I think whoever goes with the best gameplan basically. It’s gonna be tough.”

BoxingInsider: Who are some of the boxers you have been lucky to meet?

Maurice Greene: ”Oh, I met ‘em all. Basically, I’ve met ‘em all. Everybody is different outside the arena, I got to see the person they are outside the ring.”

BoxingInsider: Do you have a Tyson behind the scenes memory?

Maurice Greene: ”We were really cool. We were in New York one time. I was in – I can’t remember the store – but we were just in there shopping. And we just ran into each other. Hey, Mo Greene! So it was really cool.”

BoxingInsider: What do you think the sport needs to do to get back on top of the mainstream?

Maurice Greene: ”Like every other sport, you gotta have the great matchups. You have to get people to go out there and publicize it a lot more. Just like every sport that has a hard time. The more good publicity you can get the sport, the better it is.”

BoxingInsider: Did boxing inspire you in your career?

Maurice Greene: ”Of course it did. I guess that’s why I kept pacing back and forth (before getting in the starting blocks), they always used to say I looked like a boxer on the track, so it was good.”

BoxingInsider: Which boxers do you think would have made great track and field athletes, if any?

Maurice Greene: ”I’m not for sure about sprinters. But when you have the heart of a boxer, when you have the competitive factor comes in, they are athletes. So who knows what they could have done.”

BoxingInsider: Do any boxers remind you of yourself?

Maurice Greene: ”All the great ones [laughs]!”

Later during the day I overheard Greene make this interesting quote about U.S. sprinters regaining world honors from the current Jamaican domination by Usain Bolt, which could also be applied to boxing: ”The heart of a champion is never how you win, it’s how you come back from a loss.”

© 2011 BoxingInsider LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed with out written permission.

Source: boxinginsider.com

Ortiz hits pay dirt with fight against Mayweather -- Miami Herald

By SANTOS A. PEREZ, Miami Herald

Elite fighters often encounter their “aged-in-one-fight” moment. A fighter’s seemingly invincible reputation is shattered with one subpar performance, and the result is an onset of declining skills.

The inverse scenario is the young fighter eager for a break-out opportunity. Victor Ortiz had his “coming-of-age” match with his hard-fought victory over Miami native Andre Berto on April 16.

Not only was he involved in one in one of the best fights of the year, but also Ortiz won a sanctioning-body welterweight title, ending Berto’s reign after five fights.

And the reward for Ortiz’s performance just got sweeter. Ortiz, 24, will cross the threshold into pay-per-view matches after last week’s announcement that he will fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Sept. 17 in Las Vegas.

The fight, for Ortiz’s World Boxing Council welterweight crown, will be Mayweather’s first since his lopsided decision over in May 2010.

“I’m a strong fighter, and I have worked really hard to silence my critics,” Ortiz said in a statement. “I’m a world champion for a reason, and I am not going to let go of my title any time soon.”

Ortiz hit an early career setback with his sixth-round technical knockout loss to junior-welterweight contender Marcos Maidana in June 2009. The critics surfaced when they considered Ortiz indifferent when he reflected on his performance against Maidana during a postfight interview.

Ortiz overcame the loss to Maidana with four consecutive wins in 2009 and 2010. Two of Ortiz’s victories were over former world champions Nate Campbell and Vivian Harris.

Although a draw against Lamont Peterson in December might have set him back in the title-fight chase, Ortiz nonetheless earned a shot against Berto and more than capitalized on his opportunity.

The fight public continues to clamor for a Mayweather- Manny Pacquiao bout. But with two failed attempts at making the fight, Mayweather and Pacquiao have used their pay-per-view dates on opponents such as Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez, Antonio Margarito and Joshua Clottey.

Now it is Ortiz’s turn. Thanks to his victory over Berto, Ortiz has cashed a significant chip that involves him in the marquee matchup with Mayweather.

Hall of Fame

The International Boxing Hall of Fame welcomed one of its most high-profile classes in years with Sunday’s induction of former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, three-division world champion Julio Cesar Chavez and junior-welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu.

Tyson’s knockout power made him the sport’s youngest heavyweight world champion with his two-round flattening of Trevor Berbick in 1986.

His continued dominance through the late 1980s, and his combustive personality later in his career made Tyson one of the most recognizable athletes of the past 25 years.

Chavez now is considered as arguably the best fighter born in Mexico. His 115-fight career was highlighted by world titles in the super-featherweight, lightweight and super-lightweight divisions.

Russia-born Tszyu became the first fighter from the former Soviet bloc of Eastern European nations to reach professional boxing superstardom. Tszyu enjoyed a five-year run as junior-welterweight champion in the late 1990s to early 2000s.

Tyson, Chavez and Tszyu were inducted in their first years of eligibility.

Other inductees in the 2011 class include trainer Ignacio Beristain, referee Joe Cortez and actor-screenwriter Sylvester Stallone, whose six Rocky movies the past 35 years have kept boxing a popular sports theme in film.

Obituary

Genaro Hernandez, a two-time super-featherweight world champion in the 1990s, died Tuesday in Los Angeles after a two-year battle with cancer. Hernandez was 45.

Recognized as one of boxing’s good guys, Hernandez retired in 1998 after losing his title against Mayweather. Hernandez, who finished his career with a 38-2-1 record and 17 knockouts, worked as a TV analyst and for promoter Bob Arum after he retired as a fighter.

sperez@MiamiHerald.com

Source: miamiherald.com

I’M WLADIMIR BRIT-SCHKO - UK FANS BACK ME SAYS DAVID HAYE FOE -- Daily Star

By Nick Parkinson, DailyStar.co.uk

WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO claims he has the backing of British fans who have turned against Londoner David Haye.

The Ukrainian says he has a growing army of UK supporters ahead of his world heavyweight title unification clash with Haye in Hamburg on July 2.

IBF-WBO champion Klitschko, 35, insists he has been inundated by messages of support from Brits who want him to silence Haye.

Klitschko, who is a huge star in Germany where he lives, reckons WBA king Haye’s trash-talk has backfired and alienated him from some of his home fanbase.

He said: “I’m surprised but I’ve met a lot of British people who wish me good luck. I said this is your countryman I don’t understand why you are telling me that. Do you just want to make me feel good and will you tell the same thing to David Haye?

“I don’t understand, guys. You should be supportive of your countryman. I was ­really surprised how many people over there in Britain were more supportive of me than of David Haye. It’s shocking actually.

“It’s not about nationality. It’s about the personality. It doesn’t matter where he is from.

“I have a lot of friends that are from London in particular, so they are British. I’m aware of a certain rivalry between Germany and ­Britain in soccer.

“But I wouldn’t put this as competing ­between two countries. Sport has one language and that is performance. If you perform well people will accept you, it doesn’t matter where you come from.

“Manny Pacquiao is not American but he ­creates a lot of excitement in the US. It doesn’t matter where you are from, Britain or ­Germany, that’s the language that sport has.”

Klitschko’s American trainer Emanuel ­Steward, who guided London-born Lennox Lewis to the undisputed world heavyweight ­title, added: “Haye has made comments about gang rape that have not been received well publicly. He has done a lot of unethical things that haven’t made him popular like guys like Lennox.”

Klitschko is currently training with Steward at a luxury spa hotel in the ­Austrian Alps where guests dressed in nothing but white dressing gowns look on as he does his sparring in the Stanglwirt Hotel ­complex’s tennis centre.

It is a bizarre place to find a world ­heavyweight champion preparing and in total contrast to Haye, who prefers to do his training under a railway arch amid the commotion of central London.

But despite the peace and tranquility ­of ­Klitschko’s Alpine hideaway, he insists he will still be ready for a fearless, aggressive and ­explosive Haye because of his split personality.

He said: “I’m two people, I’m not a person in the ring. I’m like an actor getting into the role.

“It’s not Wladimir Klitschko in the ring. I need two weeks after the fight to get out of the role. I have to rediscover myself.”

Klitschko claims his tough upbringing in a Soviet sports academy has left him with no fear of The Hayemaker.

He added: “I was 14 years old when I went to the Soviet School of Sport. Trust me it was tough, really tough.

“There were guys there a lot more talented than me, but some were broken by the system. The coaches treated them in a brutal way.

“The training system was ­horrible. But if you survive it, if you make it, you are made out of steel.”

Haye v Klitschko is exclusively live on Sky Box Office HD & 3D on Saturday 2 July. Book now on: sky.com/orderboxoffice

Source: dailystar.co.uk