Pacquiao 'agrees to Mayweather's demands' -- ESPN

ESPN.co.uk

The much-anticipated super-fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jnr has taken a significant step closer after Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, said his charge is willing to agree to random drug testing - but not by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

Negotiations have previously collapsed over the timing of sampling, with Pacquiao refusing to accept Mayweather's demands of Olympic-style probes right up until fight night.

But while Arum's revelation does fuel hopes of a bout materialising, the situation is clouded by Pacquiao's decision to file a defamation lawsuit against Mayweather, which has done nothing to quell the animosity between the camps.

"We have agreed in the Pacquiao camp to unlimited random testing done by a responsible, neutral organization," Arum told Yahoo. "We don't believe USADA is a neutral organization.

"I don't think anybody's test is as vigorous as the test administered by the Olympic Organization. And we can arrange for the Olympic Organization to handle the test under the supervision of the Athletic commission respective of the state where the fight is going to be held.

"We're not going to make this into a cowboy situation. We have an organization that has no authority [USADA] and even does it [blood testing] without reporting to an organization that is responsible for the conduct of the fight.

"We are focusing on Pacquiao v Marquez fight [on November 12]. And if Pacquiao beats Marquez again and then if Mayweather says he's agreeable to us, then we can have the Mayweather vs Pacquiao fight next year.

Source: espn.co.uk

Final act for Ricky Hatton linked with era-defining Manny Pacquiao -- Telegraph

By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk

So, Ricky Hatton is finished in the ring as a fighter. He saw sense. A wise move. The final act which saw the curtain fall on the British folk hero’s last scene in the square circle came from the flashing fists of the Filipino phenomenon Manny Pacquiao – whose inexorable rise, in the ring and within politics – knows no bounds.

Hatton suffered depression after the loss to Pacquiao. After Floyd Mayweather Jnr had inflicted Hatton’s first career defeat and created the blueprint on December 8, 2008, the whirlwind from Mindanao ripped Hatton apart and bludgeoned him to flatness on the canvas. Two rounds of devastation. Part Pacquiao, part Hatton.

Hatton, a consummate professional with the media, the fans, with wedding parties…with a host of celebrities and sportsmen he had come to endear himself to, had come to the end of the road. After being released from hospital, having been brutally knocked out in the same ring in the MGM Grand Garden Arena where he had lost to Mayweather, Hatton had failed to show up, as he always did, to speak to the British media the next morning. It was a sign. The writing was on the wall.

Hatton always had a story to regale us with, a new angle, another twist. But on this morning, just silence. One or two writers, not those regularly on the boxing beat, were up in arms. Gareth Williams, CEO of Hatton Promotions, had turned up instead. He copped the flak.

No one knew then if it was all over. Though we all knew. Hatton looked finished. Depression came for him soon afterwards. And tears for a long time. He didn’t want to call time on the end of a drubbing. We all offered our sixpence worth, but to be frank, it was nothing to do with us. Only the fighter can decide. Ask Angelo Dundee. He told me recently he tried it many times with Muhammad Ali, but it went in one ear and out the other. Ali ducked and dived the issue with Dundee, every time it was broached.

At different times over the last two years, tales have emerged of Hatton, drunk, saying to those close to him that he could not face the long road back. Or that he was back in the ring; that he was no longer 190 lbs (fighting weight 140-147lbs); that he would fight Oscar de la Hoya, who was making a comeback; or Erik Morales…I believe that one or two of those came close, too. Thankfully, the demons have not left Hatton. He can walk away from the ring that has defined the 32-year-old as a man.

Two of his final four acts were against the two boxers who defined this age. We can all blame the brilliance and brutality of Manny Pacquiao for Hatton’s end, and Floyd Mayweather, perhaps, for loosening the strings on that, by being the first man to knock the Mancunian out. With the US $50 million fortune he amassed in the ring still intact, Hatton is still standing. He remains enormously popular.

The build up to his fights, visiting his old gym in the musty former Denton Hat Factory, the crushed coal voice of trainer Billy Graham and his iguana in the stifling back room behind the ring, will never be forgotten. The travelling fans, the march on America, the repetition of disbelief from the ‘liccle lad from the Manchester council estate’ seeing his name up in lights in Las Vegas, the fight capital of the world. The glory, and the pain.

There’s only one Ricky Hatton…

Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk

Nevada to begin random drug tests -- ESPN

By Brett Okamoto, ESPN.com

The Nevada State Athletic Commission is once again in position to randomly drug test licensed fighters who are out-of-competition. Regular testing of athletes is expected to start this month.

The commission has had the authority to randomly test its athletes since 2008, but financial restrictions have limited its ability to do so since 2009. That changed last month, when Gov. Brian Sandoval signed into law a bill that will feed close to $200,000 into the state's program during the next two years.

"We have the money this month, so I would be surprised if we didn't do some tests in July," Keith Kizer, executive director of NSAC, told ESPN.com. "Each test runs right around $200, so when it's all said and done, we'll test a pretty good chunk."

Out-of-competition testing provides the commission a strong tool to catch athletes who are abusing banned substances during training camps. Typically, fighters are tested the week of competition, which allows time to cycle off certain supplements.

Although all licensed fighters are fair game to be tested, Kizer said the commission would likely focus on those who have a fight scheduled in Nevada within the next two months, as those are the ones most likely to be using.

"From my understanding, about 4-to-6 weeks out is the best time to test somebody for steroids or similar substances because that's probably when they're at their peak," Kizer said.

The NSAC is aware, however, the more predictable testing schedules are, the easier it will be for athletes to navigate around them.

To counter that, the commission will vary the timing of the tests as well as test fighters who might not have a fight scheduled at all or are scheduled to fight in another state.

"We don't want to be stationary with these tests," Kizer said. "If a guy is a user but has no fight coming up, he might not be on it. So, we want to test them when they're planning to use.

"But, we'll probably have a few guys who may have fought a couple months earlier we'll call up. They might say, 'What the hell?' but I don't care. They're going in."

Should a case come up where a fighter fails a drug test and is scheduled to compete in another state, the athlete would have the right to a hearing before the NSAC ruled on a suspension. Although it would be case by case, chances are the fighter would be pulled from his scheduled fight.
"It wouldn't be an automatic prohibition of them fighting somewhere else," said Kizer, regarding that situation. "But I can say on the flip side, if it happened in another state and was brought to our attention, they wouldn't be fighting here."

Any licensed athlete that does not comply with a random drug test request would not be automatically suspended, but would have to explain his or her circumstances to the commission.

"If you don't do it, that can be used against you," Kizer said. "You're going to have to explain why and if you have no explanation, you'll be denied a license for failing to comply."

The program was put to use in 2008 and early 2009 before funds dried out. During that time, 100 percent of the athletes who were randomly selected took the test and passed. The list included high-profile names such as Brock Lesnar, Tito Ortiz, B.J. Penn, and boxing champions Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

All results of the random tests will be available on public record, according to Kizer.

Brett Okamoto covers mixed martial arts for ESPN.com.

Source: sports.espn.go.com

Ricky Hatton announces retirement -- ESPN

By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com

Ricky Hatton, who had not fought since suffering a brutal second-round knockout loss to Manny Pacquiao in May 2009, formally announced his retirement from boxing on Thursday.

Hatton, the former junior welterweight world champion and former welterweight titleholder, was one of the most popular fighters of his time. With his everyman attitude and fierce fighting style, Hatton, 32, became a beloved figure in England and something of a folk hero in his hometown of Manchester.

"After a lot of soul searching over the last couple of years I have finally decided to confirm I will never box again and there will be no coming back," Hatton said. "There have been so many times since the Manny Pacquiao fight when I have woken up and thought I would give it one more go, but it was not to be.

"There have been amazing highs, and although I always wanted to be a world champion, I went beyond my wildest dreams."

Known as "The Hitman," Hatton was 45-2 with 32 KOs during a career that began in 1997 but, following his loss to Pacquiao, fell apart due to his battles with alcohol and depression and admission to a rehab clinic after the News of the World published a video that showed him snorting cocaine.

Hatton said Thursday that he will now focus on his promotional company, Hatton Promotions, which has been promoting fight cards for about two years.

Hatton reached the pinnacle of boxing in June 2005 when he won the junior welterweight championship by making Kostya Tszyu -- who was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame last month -- quit after 11 grueling rounds in what was Tszyu's final fight.

"Beating Kostya Tszyu was my greatest triumph, but there were plenty of other great nights and memories," Hatton said.

In his next fight, Hatton scored a highlight-reel knockout of Carlos Maussa in the ninth round to unify alphabet titles.

Then Hatton decided it was time to come to America, where he made his debut in Boston in May 2006 in the first fight of a multifight contract with promoter Artie Pelullo and HBO. He moved up in weight and scored a controversial decision against Luis Collazo to win a welterweight title.

Hatton never defended the welterweight belt, instead returning to junior welterweight to defend his lineal championship via lopsided decision against Juan Urango and by fourth-round knockout against former lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo.

Hatton's passionate fans followed him to the United States by the thousands, but the scene was overwhelming in December 2007, when he moved back up to welterweight to challenge Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas after his deal with Pelullo expired and he signed with Golden Boy.

Some 35,000 Brits flooded the city just to be part of the event, even though most did not have tickets to the fight. But that did not stop the Brits from spending a week partying, waiving British flags, chanting and singing "There's Only One Ricky Hatton!" (to the tune of "Winter Wonderland") before Mayweather knocked Hatton out in the 10th round.

Still the junior welterweight champion, Hatton returned home for his next fight in May 2008 and outpointed Juan Lazcano in front 58,500 at City of Manchester Stadium.

"Since I put on the gloves as a 10-year-old in Hattersley, boxing has been my life and still is," Hatton said. "My promotional company is going well and I am looking forward to taking one of my fighters on a similar road to me. People say no fighter will ever have the fan base I had, but one of my aims is to make sure one of my boxers gets a bigger one and achieves more than me."

Hatton returned to the MGM Grand to stop former titlist Paulie Malignaggi in the 11th round in November 2008 before being knocked cold in a scary scene by Pacquiao in the second round, also at the MGM Grand, six months later.

"Defeating Jose Luis Castillo, unifying the light welterweight title against Carlos Maussa, winning a world welterweight title when I fought Luis Collazo, beating Jon Thaxton to become British champion, fighting in front of almost 60,000 fans on Manchester City's ground -- it seems endless," Hatton said. "And when I look at my record the only men to beat me were Manny and Floyd -- still No. 1 and 2 in the pound-for-pound lists on the day I retire."

Hatton, who loved to tip pints of beer and would famously balloon in weight between fights to the point where he playfully referred to himself as "Ricky Fatton," had his share of problems and scandal after the loss to Pacquiao.

Hatton also had a falling out with original promoter Frank Warren, who had guided him to his first world title, as well as longtime trainer Billy Graham, who wound up suing him, claiming Hatton owed him money.

Besides his promotional company, Hatton, who has a son, Campbell, said he will also continue to focus on family life. His partner, Jennifer Dooley, is expecting their child later this year.

"Away from boxing, I have so much to look forward to," Hatton said. "My son, Campbell, is a boy any parent would be proud to call his lad and is growing up so fast I wonder where the years have gone. I am about to become a dad for the second time and that cannot happen quickly enough. Jennifer and I are so excited. She is my rock.

"There are so many people I want to thank for supporting me throughout my career and who made 'The Hitman's' journey possible. My family were there for me every step of the way. My mum and dad, brother Matthew, my amateur trainers Ted Peate and Paul Dunne, who taught me to box, my agent Paul Speak, my lawyer Gareth Williams, the British Boxing Board of Control and everybody at Hatton Promotions.

"Sky TV has been fantastic to me and I look forward to continuing my association with them as a promoter, the British media were fair and the local BBC and Granada followed me to Las Vegas. As big a thanks as any must go to the fans that would never stop singing and so often turn Las Vegas into a corner of England. Thank you all, but the fighting in the ring is over and I look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new friends on my journey as a promoter."

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

Source: sports.espn.go.com

Ricky Hatton Retires: Only the Very Best Could Ever Live With the Hitman -- FanHouse

By Chris McKenna, FanHouse

Ricky Hatton's decision to finally confirm his retirement is a massive relief to everyone in boxing and they will all be hoping the former two weight world champion is never tempted to put on a pair of gloves again.

The Hitman has decided against a shock return to the sport despite massive cash offers to step into the ring again.

The 32-year-old was reportedly offered a deal to fight ring legend Erik Morales in what would have been his first fight since he was knocked out by Manny Pacquiao in 2009.

Hatton has been deliberating over a comeback ever since that brutal knock out but finally decided today that he will not step into a ring again – and now all fans of the Hitman can breathe a sigh of relief.

He told the News of the World website: "I will never box again and there will be no coming back. There have been so many times since the Pacquiao fight when I have woken up and thought, 'I will give it one more go', but it was not to be.

"There have been amazing highs and, although I always wanted to be a world champion, I went beyond my wildest dreams."

There have been plenty of highs along the way for the 32-year-old who lit up a packed MEN Arena on more than occasion over his 12-year professional career.

The pinnacle of those coming when Hatton forced the highly-rated Kostya Tszyu to quit and claimed his first major world title as he picked up the IBF light-welterweight crown.

It didn't take long for Hatton to unify the title as he brushed past WBA title-holder Carlos Maussa before stepping up to welterweight to become a two-weight world champion with a points win over Luis Collazo – both within a year of his victory over Tszyu.

Hatton was dreaming of becoming the pound for pound best but the man who stood in his way proved to be a step too far.

The British fighter brought 35,000 raucous fans to Las Vegas for his fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2007 in what was a massive spectacle.

Sadly Hatton fell short in the welterweight division and Mayweather forced a 10th-round stoppage, but the Hitman's dream continued and he pressed on.

Wins over Juan Lazcano and Paulie Malignaggi put Hatton back in place for another shot at becoming a pound for pound legend with a fight with Pacquiao lined up.

Again the Brit brought over a massive crowd to Vegas with a massive expectancy that he could topple the Filipino.

But this time Hatton's shortcomings at that level were brutally exposed by Pacquiao who left the British fighter sprawled on the canvas in the second round with his fans unable to look as he was attended to by his cornermen.

Hatton has had his struggles outside of the ring since that faithful night culinating with a national newspaper sting catching him snorting cocaine in a hotel that left the 32-year-old seeking help in rehab for his issues.

But he now seems to have fully recovered and has got his mind back on his promotion company – Hatton Promotions – who are slowly but surely building a strong stable of potential future world champions.

Now he has cleaned up his lifestyle and confirmed he will never fight again, the 32-year-old can now focus on his new ambition of making a world champion rather than being one.

All his supporters will be hoping that focus will keep him clean and also out of the ring for the good of his health.

And although he may not have reached his dream of pound for pound king, Hatton can now bow out knowing that the only men to have beaten him are still the two best active fighters in the world.

Follow FanHouse UK's Chris McKenna on Twitter (@cmckenna87)

Source: fanhouse.co.uk

Former world champion Ricky Hatton announces retirement from boxing -- Guardian

guardian.co.uk

Ricky Hatton, Britain's former two-weight world champion, has announced his retirement from boxing.

The 32-year-old has refused to confirm his retirement since his last fight two years ago when he lost to Manny Pacquaio.

Hatton has been linked with several big-name fighters since, most notably the only two men to beat him – Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr – but he now appears ready to call time on his 14-year professional career.

The Manchester Evening News reported that the Stockport-born fighter will announce his retirement on Thursday afternoon signalling the end of a dramatic career that has seen him achieve success at welterweight and light-welterweight level.

Hatton beat Jon Thaxton to become the British light-welterweight champion in 2000 and went on to dominate the division, with his most notable victory at that weight coming in 2005 against the IBF champion Kostya Tszyu.

Hatton then beat Carlos Maussa before moving up to welterweight where he defeated Luis Collazo to claim the WBA world title.

Rapidly earning a reputation as one of Britain's most popular sportsmen, Hatton went on to challenge Mayweather in Las Vegas. Billed as the defining fight of his career, watched by millions around the world, Hatton failed to take the American's WBC welterweight title after being knocked out in the 10th round.

Undeterred by his first loss in boxing, Hatton returned to winning ways with victories over Juan Lazcano and Paulie Malignaggi before calling out Pacquiao.

The two met at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in May 2009, when Hatton was knocked out cold in the second round to leave the Mancunian with a 45-2, 32KOs record.

Source: guardian.co.uk

Manny Pacquiao Foundation approved by IRS -- Asian Journal

By Cynthia de Castro, Asian Journal

ON June 23, The Manny Pacquiao Foundation was officially approved by the United States Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and designated as a public charity. Donations to the Foundation are tax deductible. The Foundation is organized and operated exclusively to foster, support and transform the health, education and overall social well-being of disadvantaged communities in the Philippines and other countries.

Manny Pacquiao is the Chairman of the Board leading a team of accomplished professionals in the medical, educational, arts and nonprofit sectors with untarnished reputations and volunteer experience under their belts. With his charitable arm up and running with projects slated to launch as early as August 2011, Mr. Pacquiao will likely add one more title under his belt, “World Champion Boxer. Politician. Humanitarian.”

The Foundation has existed since December 8, 2008 as a California nonprofit public benefit corporation. However, its first set of board members and officers deemed it better to receive donations as a donor advised fund under Give2Asia (a public charity based in San Francisco) until the Foundation’s tax-exempt was obtained from the IRS. The Foundation grants, scholarships and fellowships are specifically off limits to relatives and members of the Foundation’s grant selection committee, officers, directors and substantial contributors.

The Foundation plans to launch a 2-year fundraising campaign to support individuals and organizations engaged in charitable work in the Philippines focusing on health care, education and sports. When asked about what’s in store for the Foundation, Milania dela Cruz, its President, stated, “We hope that Manny Pacquiao fans and supporters worldwide will welcome the real Manny Pacquiao Foundation. We will raise more funds and give more resources to help as many Filipinos fight hunger, disease and illiteracy. Charitable work is closest to Manny’s heart. Please, come join us.”

The Foundation’s official website will be launched mid-July 2011. For additional information on the Foundation or donation inquiries, please contact Marsha-laine F. Dungog, Esq. at (213)235-9193 or email: mdungog@hobsondungog.com. Hobson Dungog Bernardino + Davis LLP is US legal counsel to Mr. Pacquiao and general counsel to The Manny Pacquiao Foundation.

Source: asianjournal.com

Eddie Mustafa Muhammad says Mayweather, not Pacquiao, is boxing’s savior -- Examiner

By Chris Robinson, Examiner.com

During a recent visit to the H.I.T. Factory Gym in Las Vegas, trainer Eddie Mustafa Muhammad could be found working with budding amateur and soon-to-be professional Taylor Larson. A former light heavyweight champion in his own right, Muhammad is always a busy man and outside of working with former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, lightweight contender Jorge Teron, undefeated super middleweight prospect Badou Jack, and proven veteran Ishe Smith, he claims to get calls on a daily basis inquiring if he is open to working with new talent.

Muhammad was thrown a bit of a curveball last year when he found out that former light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson would no longer be working with him after the pair’s technical-decision loss to Jean Pascal up in Montreal last August. Dawson ended up jumping ship with renown coach Emanuel Steward and last saw action in May as he won a clear decision over tough Romanian Adrian Diaconu.

Asked for an assessment of his former charge’s performance, Muhammad cautiously showed some criticisms.

“I don’t want to say anything bad about him because, first of all, I don’t wish nothing bad on Chad Dawson first and foremost,” said Muhammad. “There are some things that he could have done better. But I just felt like he wasn’t comfortable enough in there. Emanuel wants Chad to be a little Tommy Hearns; that will never happen. Chad doesn’t have the power like Tommy Hearns, so right then and there that leads him down the wrong path. Chad is a pure boxer, he has pop in his punches when he puts them in combination, but you can’t make a guy what he’s not.”

Dawson is scheduled to be facing light heavyweight king Bernard Hopkins next, who himself fought Pascal to a debated draw in December while rightfully turning the tables and coming away with a decision on May 21st. At 46 years old, Hopkins has little plans of slowing down and Muhammad felt that he had Pascal’s number all along.

“I picked Bernard to beat Pascal,” continued Muhammad. “I talked to Bernard in the airport during the first Pascal fight. We talked and I told him ‘You can beat this guy but you gotta go right to him’ and that’s what he did. He went right to him and he let his hands go and it was no problem.”

Wanting to get Muhammad’s take on some other fights on the horizon, I asked him about the July 23rd Amir Khan-Zab Judah junior welterweight title unification at the Mandalay Bay. Judah trains out of the H.I.T. Factory gym himself and Muhammad knows him well, having worked his corner leading into his blowout over Jose Armando Santa Cruz blowout last July.

But Khan is not Santa Cruz, obviously, and Muhammad feels that a different plan of attack would benefit the 33-year old Judah this time around.

“I think it’s going to be a great fight. Zab is a puncher, so he’s going to have to be the puncher. He can’t try to outbox Amir because he has long arms, so Zab has to go right to him with his hands up and let his hands go,” he continued.

Two months later one of the biggest events of 2011 will go down when Floyd Mayweather Jr. makes his return inside of the MGM Grand as he attempts to derail WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz. For Muhammad, it’s not just another fight, it’s the return of boxing’s knight in shining armor.

“The savior of boxing is back,” Muhammad laughed while chuckling slightly. “No doubt, Floyd is the best fighter out there, bar none. Say what you want to say about Pacquiao, I give Pacquiao all his props, because he carried boxing, but as far as pound-for-pound, Floyd is the pound-for-pound best boxer. If I’m not mistaken there are 41 guys who tried to beat Floyd and 41 guys who failed. To me he’s still the best out there.”

I asked Muhammad for his thoughts on Ortiz’s gutsy victory over Andre Berto last April, a fight in which the two both tasted the canvas twice while trading bombs throughout, and he was immensely impressed. But as for Ortiz’s chances against Floyd? Forget about it, says Muhammad.

“He has two chances; slim and none.”

If Pacquiao isn’t boxing’s savior, as Muhammad states, what exactly does he think of the eight-division Filipino champion? For starters, he expects his third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez this November to be a good one despite the uphill battle facing the Mexico City star.

“It’s going to be another barnburner,” Muhammad stated. “It may be a little in Pacquiao’s favor because they are going up in weight. Every time Marquez goes up in weight, he loses. He’s not a 140-pounder and they are fighting at 144 pounds; that’s a lot of weight and he may be a little sluggish. But I’m looking forward to that fight.”

And you can probably already guess what Muhammad has to say about a possible Pacquiao-Mayweather duel.

“All said and done it would be a terrific fight, I just see Floyd picking him apart. Pacquiao’s going to have his moments, it won’t be a runaway, but I see Floyd picking him apart.”

Chris Robinson is based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. He can be reached at Trimond@aol.com

Source: examiner.com

Likar Ramos still stands in way of Marquez vs. Pacquiao -- 8CountNews

By Darren Barcomb, 8CountNews.com

Eager fans hungrily await the November 12th matchup between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez. Unable to lure Floyd Mayweather Jr. into a fight, Pacquiao’s camp instead settled for a third matchup with Marquez as the next best thing. Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KO’s) faced Marquez (52-5-1, 38 KO’s) in 2004 fighting to a draw and again in 2008, garnishing a split decision victory. Now moved up to welterweight, Pacquiao’s WBO title is on the line in a 12 round bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

As both previous fights have shown, the two fighters match up well and this one should approach pay-per-view records, but there is one forgotten obstacles that has been lost in all the pre-fight hype. The 37 year old Marquez still has a “tune-up” fight scheduled against 25 year old Columbian Likar Ramos (24-3, 18 KO’s) on July 16th at the Plaza de Toros in Cancun, Mexico. Ramos does not sport the fight resume of Marquez, but he has won his last three fights by KO and he’s certainly not viewing this as just another tune-up. He will be fighting hard for the win, some respect, and perhaps a future big payday of his own.

So how important is the Ramos matchup to Marquez? Well, it’s pretty important because the following Pacquiao showdown totally depend on him not only winning, but doing so in convincing fashion. Any other outcome would jeopardize the November bout and all the hoopla and hype that are sure to come with it.

A fighter of Marquez’s caliber should have no problem though, right? Most people are viewing this as a simple tune-up, as Marquez has been out of action since a November of 2010 TKO of Michael Katsisis. In the end, that will probably be the case for the superior boxer, Marquez. History has taught us valuable lessons though. Just remember Mike Tyson’s 1990 tune-up against Buster Douglas or Michael Bentt’s shocking upset of Tommy Morrison in 1993. Both fights were tune-ups that not only went wrong, but they both cost the heavy favorites championship titles. History should always be respected, and so should every opponent in the ring.

Marquez is looking forward to fulfilling his trilogy with Manny Pacquiao, and rightfully so. Somewhere in a gym right now though, Likar Ramos is training hard, hoping to be the next tune-up fighter to make history of his own. What is meant as an easy fight for Marquez could prove devastating if taken too lightly…..and that’s probably what Ramos is hoping for.

Source: 8countnews.com

Miguel Cotto to face Antonio Margarito -- ESPN

By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com

Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito, who waged a blistering -- and ultimately controversial -- slugfest in 2008, will meet in a rematch on Dec. 3, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN.com.

Arum said he has deals with both sides, although the paperwork is not complete. Representatives for both fighters also said that they have accepted the fight and are in the process of finalizing agreements with Arum.

"We're on board and moving forward," Sergio Diaz, Margarito's co-manager said. "We've met with Bob. We want the fight. Cotto wants the fight. We're just finishing everything."

When Arum was in Puerto Rico last week to announce the signing of junior lightweight Luis Cruz to a co-promotional deal between Top Rank and Cotto's promotional company, he met with Gaby Penagaricano, Cotto's attorney.

"In our meeting, we had the opportunity to discuss all aspects of the Cotto-Margarito II deal," Penagaricano said. "Although we no doubt made progress, there are some aspects that will require further discussion (but) Miguel is certainly happy and even looking forward to having the opportunity to avenge his first loss."

The fight, for Cotto's junior middleweight title, will take place either at New York's Madison Square Garden or the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Arum said.

"We need to hammer out the site and we're doing an analysis now of New York and Las Vegas," Arum said. "The costs are so high in New York. The unions will kill you in New York."

Margarito is lucky he is able to fight after suffering a severe injury to his right eye during his lopsided decision loss to Manny Pacquiao in November. In that bout, Margarito suffered a broken orbital bone and also developed a large cataract in the right eye as a result of Pacquiao's repeated blows.

Arum hoped to make the rematch first in July and then in September, but the date was pushed deeper into the year so Margarito, who had surgery to remove the cataract in mid-May, could continue his recovery. The orbital bone has healed, Diaz said.

Diaz said that Margarito was originally told he could continue to box only as long as he didn't have cataract surgery, but that the blurry vision in his right eye would not improve. Diaz said at that point, Margarito strongly considered surgery and retirement.

"(His vision) was pretty bad, really blurry," Diaz said.

But Arum suggested that Margarito visit an eye specialist he had once seen. So Margarito arranged to visit Dr. Alan Crandall in Salt Lake City about two months ago.

"He told us Antonio's problem was very fixable and not a career-ending injury," Diaz said. "Antonio had pretty much accepted the fact that he would have surgery and have to retire. But they did this different kind of surgery that day, a half-hour surgery. They removed the cataract and put in a new lens. His vision is a whole lot better and will continue to get better. We have to do a minor laser surgery in a couple of weeks, but Antonio is going to be fine. He has been released to continue his career."

Like the first fight, the sequel will be on pay-per-view, although the company that will handle the event -- HBO or Showtime -- has not been determined. HBO PPV produced and distributed the first fight (which generated approximately 450,000 buys), but Arum said the network that he makes a deal with for the rights to the Nov. 12 pay-per-view fight between Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez will also land Cotto-Margarito II.

The first fight was one of the most memorable battles of 2008 and one of best fights in the rich history of the Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry.

"Cotto and Margarito can't help but be a terrific fight because of their styles," Arum said. "Margarito knows how to fight only one way, and that is to come straight ahead. Cotto has to be more intelligent this time and have more gas in the tank. I talked to Cotto about that and he said, 'There's one big difference for me in this fight as opposed to the first fight, the smart old guy in my corner.'"

Puerto Rico's Cotto was referring to Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward, who has been with him for his past two fights.

In the first fight, Mexico's Margarito (38-7, 27 KOs) came on strong in the late rounds to stop Cotto (36-2, 29 KOs) in the 11th round of a bloody battle and take his welterweight belt on July 26, 2008 at the MGM Grand.

Margarito, who has lost two of his three fights since, was given tremendous credit for the victory as he ended Cotto's undefeated run. However, the win was eventually tainted because before his next fight, against Shane Mosley, Margarito was caught in the dressing room trying to wear loaded hand wraps containing illegal pads coated in a plaster-like substance. Mosley eventually knocked Margarito out in the in the ninth round and Margarito subsequently had his license revoked.

Because Margarito had fought Cotto in his previous fight -- and administered significant facial damage to him late in the fight -- many suspected he had gotten away with wearing illegal hand wraps.

Margarito, 33, sat out for 16 months after the license revocation before moving up to junior middleweight. He returned in his native Mexico, where he was welcomed with open arms and won a decision against low-level opponent Robert Garcia.

The hand-wrap scandal continued to swirl around Margarito, who was not licensed to fight in the United States until Texas granted him one for a November bout against Pacquiao. In their fight for a vacant junior middleweight belt, Margarito lost a lopsided decision and suffered the injuries.

Diaz said Margarito was ready for the scrutiny that will accompany a rematch with Cotto and the questions about whether he cheated in the first fight.

"When I was sitting with Bob, we were talking about going to Puerto Rico on the press tour," Diaz said. "Antonio said he was prepared for anything. He said, 'I could go anywhere and people don't like me, but this is the business. I'm a fighter and I have to face people who don't like me. I love Puerto Rico and I have to be prepared for it.' When he told me that, I felt relieved. I've been with him since he was 18 and it bothers me, it hurts me (that many people believe he cheated against Cotto). But Antonio is a strong guy. He knows he didn't do anything wrong, but he also knows he has to answer the questions."

Cotto, 30, moved up to junior middleweight in June 2010 and stopped Yuri Foreman in the ninth round to win a 154-pound title, which he defended March 12 with a 12th-round TKO of former titleholder Ricardo Mayorga.

"I think the rematch will continue from the first fight," Diaz said. "Antonio is really excited about the fight. He knows it will be a war. Antonio knows it will be another exciting fight. Cotto is a tremendous fighter, a four-time world champion. Antonio's a three-time champion. There are a lot of skeptics out there to show that Antonio's win the first time was no fluke.

"If Antonio was questioning himself he wouldn't have taken this fight. A lot of fighters say, 'I beat him once why do I need to do it again?' But Antonio is ready to get back in the ring. The payday is always good and the thought of being retired, I could see in his face when hit him. He was like, 'I'm 32 (at the time) and I have to retire already?' He wasn't taking it good, so when he was told he could continue he said it was a blessing. This fight is a blessing."

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

Source: sports.espn.go.com