Pacquiao Says: Mayweather showdown is inevitable

Without really looking ahead of the Miguel Cotto fight, Manny Pacquiao yesterday said what seems to be his inevitable dream fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. is looming on the horizon. Once the fight pushes through, Pacquiao could earn from $25 million to $30 million or roughly P1.5 billion. But Pacquiao said it would all depend on the outcome of his fight with Cotto, the reigning WBO welterweight champion. Both Pacquiao and Mayweather are favored to prevail, and should no one spoil the fun, they could end up facing each other for what could be the fight of the decade or even greater than that, later next year. “Kapag nanalo kami pareho ni Mayweather, kami na yan (If me and Mayweather prevail, then it should be us),” said Pacquiao on board the Gulfstream G200 eight-seater plane that took him out of San Francisco. “Nag-uusap na. Basta. Nag-uusap na (Talks are on),” said Pacquiao who was joined in the 50-minute flight to Burbank in LA by trainer Freddie Roach, top-ranked publicist Fred Sternburg, Mike Koncz, Geng Gacal and Roger Fernandez. Cotto took a separate plane, a private one as well, to Los Angeles and was joined by his father, Miguel Sr., lawyer Gabriel Penagaricano, coach Phil Landman, Top Rank big boss Bob Arum and his dynamic duo of Lee Samuels and Ricardo Jimenez. Arum said Pacquiao stands to earn as much as $20 million for the Cotto fight, and while he has yet to confirm that there are indeed talks with the Mayweather camp, he’d rather have Pacquiao focusing on the coming fight. At the AT&T Park in San Francisco, Pacquiao and Cotto came to watch the San Francisco Giants clobber the LA Dodgers, and for the fourth straight day the two boxers stood close to one another. They were together up inside a VIP box, enjoying some cold drinks and hotdogs. They seem to like each other’s company but when they part in a couple of days, they should start training, thinking of ways how to beat each other. After the match, played before a sell-out crowd of 40,000, Pacquiao and Cotto took over, holding a conference just off the Giants dugout, in front of some 3,000 fans that came to see the two world champions in the flesh, and not necessarily the ballgame. A cold afternoon drizzle was not enough to shoo the crowd away as Pacquiao, Cotto and Arum fielded questions from the media and some of the fans, which occupied eight sections of the lower stands, as well. Pacquiao hardly talked about his plans for the fight, and instead invited the fans to come to Las Vegas in November because “I’m going to hold a concert at Mandalay Bay after the fight.” Cotto was bolder this time, saying he’d train as hard as he can because “it’s going to be war” out there at the MGM Grand. Pacquiao played basketball with friends in San Francisco at noon before leaving for LA. From the airport, Pacquiao was taken straight to his $2 million home at the plush Hancock Park, took some rest and enjoyed dinner of grilled Angus beef and steamed rice. Roach was asked about Pacquiao’s training, and said they will be ready to go 12 rounds against Cotto. But boxing’s hottest trainer today may have something else in mind when he said training will be held in “Boracay.” He was quick in making the correction that it should be Baguio. Later on, before boarding the private plane, he had a good laugh about having mentioned Boracay, which he fondly remembers as the island paradise in the Philippines.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Floyd Jr.: I'm the ‘only mega-superstar’

The undefeated American fighter (40-0, with 26 knockouts) also assured that he will be exactly the way he was before he momentarily left the sport. When he retired, his “mythical crown” of being the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world was passed to Pacquiao, said a Reuter’s article. Pacquiao was named the Ring Magazine No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer because of his stunning victories over Oscar de la Hoya and Ricky Hatton. For Mayweather, however, Pacquiao’s second round knockout win over Hatton was not sensational. “When you look at the tape of when Hatton fought Manny Pacquiao, when Pacquiao hit him he wasn't even looking when he threw the punch. He threw a Hail Mary punch,” he told Reuters. “I'm not saying Pacquiao's not a good fighter,” he noted. “I'm not saying that I'm the only star in boxing.” “There are other stars in boxing. But there's only one mega-superstar,” declared Mayweather. His last match before his 2008 retirement was against Hatton where he defeated the Briton via technical knockout in the 10th round. “People seem to forget, I fought Ricky Hatton when he was undefeated and I laid down the blueprint for how to beat him,” he commented.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Roach: Three more fights to go for Pacquiao

After his November 14 clash with World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico, Manny Pacquiao is expected to have two more bouts before he finally calls it quits. “Manny has said three more fights and that’s it,” American trainer Freddie Roach revealed to David Tyler of DoghouseBoxing.com. Roach, the 2008 “Trainer of the Year” awarded by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA), added that he wants to see a showdown between Pacquiao and WBA welterweight super champion Shane Mosley. Pacquiao’s trainer then went on to speak about his ward’s incomparable legacy, saying he believes it would be difficult for fighters to follow the footsteps of the Filipino boxing icon. Pacquiao, the world’s No.1 pound-for-pound fighter, is a six-division world champion. He was the 2008 BWAA “Fighter of the Year” award recipient. “We will not see another Manny Pacquiao for another decade or more,” declared Roach. “Guys like Manny Pacquiao and Muhammad Ali come along once in a lifetime.” Meantime, when asked if he would retire when Pacquiao hangs his boxing gloves, Roach replied: “I will not retire because I just don’t know what I would do. I have been in the boxing business all of my life and I don’t know anything else.” “I just can’t see sitting at home all day so I probably will never retire,” he remarked.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao donates P1 million other leagues also help

Boxing champ Manny Pacquiao has donated P1 million in cash to typhoon victims even as he enjoined his fellow Filipinos to continue praying for Divine help while he was in training in Baguio City yesterday. “I will take a rest from training on Sunday and I hope Team Pacquiao will be able to go to Manila to give relief goods to victims,” said Pacquiao in a phone patch interview. Officials of SBP, the PBA, PBL, Liga Pilipinas, NCAA and UAAP will also join hands this morning in a press conference at the PBA office in Libis, Quezon City to announce their charity event for typhoon victims Monday at the Araneta Coliseum. They will hold two exhibition matches pitting the UAAP-NCAA selection versus PBL-Liga selection and Smart Gilas versus Powerade Pilipinas. Proceeds from gate receipts will be donated to victims of storm Ondoy. Coach Yeng Guiao is reuniting with his Tianjin Fiba Asia RP team going up against coach Rajko Toroman and his Smart Gilas developmental team. The cream of the UAAP and the NCAA, meanwhile, join forces in this endeavor before returning to their respective teams for the closing stage of the collegiate season. Meanwhile, PBA board chairman Lito Alvarez said there will be no tug-o-war for the services of Japeth Aguilar during the Powerade Pilipinas-Smart Gilas dream exhibition match as he’ll allow the controversial player to play for the RP developmental team. After that, Alvarez, however, is hopeful SBP executive director Noli Eala will keep his word that they will not touch Aguilar until he has come to terms with Burger King. “Admittedly, Japeth has no contract with the PBA. This is a noble project, so how can we say no,” said Alvarez. “But this will be Japeth’s last game with Smart Gilas. After this project, I’ll request to SBP not to allow Japeth play with them anymore, even in scrimmages,” Alvarez added. “He (Aguilar) must come to terms with us already. We will show how supportive we are to SBP, and I expect them to return the gesture.”

Official Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao dedicates his fight to Nazario

Manny Pacquiao declared Sunday that he would do everything he can to fulfill the dying wish of late boxing manager Rod Nazario: win the WBO welterweight title from reigning champion Miguel Cotto. The Filipino champion, hailed as the “National Fist”, said winning his match against Cotto is one of Nazario’s requests before he passed away last Thursday. “Sa araw ng laban, alam kong naroon siya upang ako ay suportahan kahit wala na siya sa mundo,” said Pacquiao of Nazario in his column Philboxing.com column “Kumbinasyon”. The 30-year-old Pacquiao is greatly saddened by the death of Nazario, who was credited for helping him break into international superstardom. It was Nazario who brought Pacquiao to the US in 2001 for his breakthrough fight with then IBF super bantamweight champion Lehlo Ledwaba. Pacquiao, who stepped into the fight as a late replacement, eventually won the title. “Siya ang isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit ko tinatamasa ang karangalan at kasaganahan ng buhay at ang kanyang pagpanaw ay isang kawalan sa aking buhay,” said the hard-hitting boxer from General Santos City. The other request made by Nazario to Pacquiao is that he’d help the other boxers handled by the late manager. Nazario urged the Filipino champ to give them the same break he received when he was just starting out. “Kaya naman puspusan ang aking paghahanda dahil pareho kong tutuparin ang mga kahilingang ito ng isang taong naging malapit sa aking puso,” he said. 'Every punch for Rod' Pacquio vowed to win his match against Cotto. He would dedicate his win to his beloved “Ninong Rod”. “Bawat suntok na aking bibitawan ay para sa iyo (Nazario), gaya rin ng inspirasyon na nakukuha ko mula sa inyong lahat. Ninong Rod, May You Rest in Peace,” said Pacquiao, who is currently training in Baguio City. The boxing superstar was supposed to visit Nazario’s wake on Sunday. However, the calamity brought about by tropical storm “Ondoy”, which has caused deaths to many and millions of pesos in damages to property, has prevented Pacquiao from leaving Baguio either by air or by land.

Official Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Pacman thinking filling a case against Floyd Sr.

Retaliation is coming. Expect it to come hard. International boxing star Manny Pacquiao is seriously considering pressing charges against Floyd Mayweather, Sr. for insinuating that the Filipino fighter is using steroids to enhance his performance inside the ring. “We’re thinking of suing him (Mayweather) for what he said,” Pacquiao said in a report posted on Philstar.com. The pound-for-pound king said he has already instructed his lawyer, Jeng Gacal, to study any possible legal action they can take against Mayweather Sr. Mayweather Sr. is the father of former top pound-for-pound boxer Floyd Jr., Mayweather Sr., who trained British boxer Ricky Hatton for the Pacquiao fight last May, claimed that the Filipino champ may have been on the “juice” "In my honest opinion, I believe that he's on some type of supplements," Floyd Sr. told Michigan's Grand Rapids Press. "I think they're pushing Pacquiao too much -- even if he's got [ste]'roids in his body." Pacquiao, however, denied the claim made by Mayweather Sr. "Maybe all of them -- they're using the steroids, and not me," Pacquiao said in a report by FanHouse.com. "You know what? I don't even know what a steroid is. I've never done that."

Official Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Manny Pacquiao Sparring Mate

Roxas City, Philippines - Unbeaten super-welterweight Shawn Porter of Ohio and lightweight hotshot Urbano Antillon of California arrived in the Philippines Sunday morning after a 15-hour flight from Los Angeles. Porter and Antillon were selected by Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach to work with Manny Pacquiao, who is revving up for a Nov. 14 bout with Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Roach, who is camping out with Pacquiao in Baguio City, Philippines, said sparring could start as early as Tuesday afternoon. “We’re ready to go (sparring),” said Antillon, who is of Mexican lineage. Porter and Antillon are scheduled to travel to Baguio by land on Monday morning. They’ll be joined in the five-to-six hour journey by Shawn’s dad Ken. Porter, the 2007 US National Golden Gloves middleweight champion, is said to be a clone of Cotto. The Porters and Antillon were fetched at the airport by movie bad guy Cris Aguilar, who, in reality is a nice fellow. Aguilar used to be one of Pacquiao’s bodyguards. “Just give my regards to Manny,” said the hefty Aguilar. Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc. is staging the Pacquiao vs. Cotto slugfest dubbed “Firepower.” For more information about the fight click this link Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto.

Source: fightnews.com