Haney blasts Kambosos as ‘not a true champion’ after missing weight

George Kambosos was slammed Saturday as not “a true champion” after initially failing to make the weight for his clash with Devin Haney to become the unified and undisputed lightweight world champion.

Unbeaten American Haney, the long-time WBC title holder who holds a 27-0 record, hit the scales at 134.92 pounds (61.19 kg) for Sunday’s blockbuster bout in Melbourne.

But when Australian Kambosos, who holds the WBA, IBF and WBO belts, stepped up he was 0.36 pounds overweight for the 135-pound limit fight.

After first changing his underwear then stripping naked in a bid to make the grade, he was given the mandatory two hours to lose the extra ounces.

Kambosos, also unbeaten at 20-0, returned 75 minutes later to weigh in at 134.49, but Haney was incredulous.

“He sucked up, he’s dry. But I’m a true champion and true champions make weight,” said the American who also got a huge boost with his father and lead trainer Bill granted an 11th hour visa.

Bill Haney had initially been denied permission to enter Australia over a three-decade-old drug conviction.

Haney, who easily defended his WBC title for a fourth time in December, winning by a unanimous decision over challenger Joseph Diaz, is considered favorite for the bout at Marvel Stadium in front of an expected 50,000 fans.

On the line are the lightweight titles of the sport’s four sanctioning bodies — WBA, IBF, WBO and WBC — for the first time in modern boxing history.

Whoever wins will be crowned the first undisputed lightweight champion since Pernell Whitaker in 1992 and the first ever in the four-belt era, which began in 2004.

Kambosos, who honed his craft as a former sparring partner of the great Manny Pacquiao, is currently the WBA, IBF and WBO champion after stunning Teofimo Lopez at Madison Square Garden in November.

He claimed coming in overweight was part of his plan to unsettle Haney.

“Art of war, baby. Deception. Let them believe everything,” he said. “Everything is for a cause, everything is for a process.

“It changes his mindset now. Bring it on, I’m ready.”

Kambosos had originally been in talks to fight Vasiliy Lomachenko in his first title defense, but the plans fell through when the Ukrainian opted to stay in his homeland after Russia invaded.

Agence France-Presse 

Boxing: Stevenson dominates Valdez in super featherweight unification bout

LOS ANGELES -- Shakur Stevenson dominated Oscar Valdez on the way to a unanimous decision victory Saturday to add the Mexican's World Boxing Council super featherweight title to his own World Boxing Organization belt.

American Stevenson improved to 18-0 as he handed Mexico's Valdez his first defeat in 31 professional fights.

Stevenson sent Valdez to the canvas with a left to the head in the sixth round on the way to his first defense of the WBO title he won with a 10th-round technical knockout of Jamel Herring in October.

Valdez upset Miguel Berchelt in 2021 to win the WBC title and retained it with a unanimous decision over Robson Conceicao in September.

The 31-year-old Mexican, a two-time Olympian, was embroiled in controversy when the bout against Conceicao was allowed to go ahead after he tested positive for the banned stimulant phentermine eight days before the fight.

Valdez blamed the positive result on herbal tea and authorities ruled the drug was prohibited only during competition.

On Saturday, Valdez had no answer for Stevenson's speed and movement. Two judges scored it 118-109 in favor of Stevenson and a third saw it 117-110 for the American.

"He is a tough champion, but I prepared to beat him," Stevenson said in an in-ring interview. "I'm ready for anyone, I want all the belts."

But Stevenson had personal business to attend to immediately after the fight. He dropped to one knee in the ring to propose to his girlfriend, rapper Young Lyric, who said yes. The couple have a baby daughter.

Valdez acknowledged that Stevenson was the better fighter on the night.

"He has a very great boxing quality and today he was the best in the ring," Valdez said. "He moves very well, he's a champion. He has speed, he's a great boxer."

Agence France-Presse

Boxing: Fury beats Whyte to retain world heavyweight title

LONDON -- Tyson Fury retained his WBC heavyweight crown on Saturday, stopping Dillian Whyte in round six of an all-British bout at a delirious Wembley Stadium before repeating his suggestion that he would now retire.

The win for the self-styled 'Gypsy King', fighting on UK soil for the first time in four years, was witnessed by 94,000 fans in London -- a post-war British record crowd.

Unbeaten Fury, 33, had said this would be his last fight and announced immediately afterwards: "This might be the final curtain for the Gypsy King. And what a way to go out."

After a cagey opening the defending champion took the initiative, controlling the fight and landing some telling blows to the head and body of his opponent.

Whyte could have few complaints at a halt being called with just one second remaining before the fight reached the midway point as he was clearly on unsteady legs after the first significant strike of the bout, a brutal right uppercut from Fury.

The 6 feet 9 inch (206-centimetre tall) Fury was able to use his considerable height and reach advantage to keep Whyte at bay while the challenger was made to look clumsy and cumbersome.

Whyte, cut over his right eye after an accidental clash of heads, was first installed as the WBC's number one contender nearly four years ago but he was unable to impose himself.

"I'm overwhelmed with the support," said Fury. "I can't believe that my 94,000 countrymen and women have come here tonight to see me perform. 

"I just want to say from the bottom of my heart, 'Thank you so much to every single person who bought a ticket here tonight or stayed up late to watch it on TV'."

- Unification bout -

If Fury does follow through with his plan to quit, he would spurn the chance to face either Oleksandr Usyk -- the current WBA, IBF and WBO champion -- or fellow British fighter Anthony Joshua for the undisputed crown.

No boxer has held all the major world heavyweight belts since Britain's Lennox Lewis, who became the undisputed champion in 1999.

But Fury, now unbeaten in 33 fights, appears to be sticking to his guns.

"I promised my lovely wife Paris of 14 years that after the Wilder three fight, that would be it," he said.

"And I meant it. We had a war. It was a great trilogy. And I meant that. But I got offered to fight at Wembley at home, and I believe that I deserved -- that I owed it to the fans."

Jamaica-born Whyte, 34, was greeted with boos as he emerged into the cavernous stadium, dressed in black.

Excitement levels hit fever pitch as Fury entered to the strains of Don McLean's "American Pie", which accompanied a video montage of his career.

Fury, wearing a white and red robe and gloves featuring the Cross of St George -- the flag of England -- sat on a gold throne as fireworks shot into the air before jogging to the ring.

After delighting the crowd with his victory, he led them in another rendition of "American Pie".

Fury hailed Whyte as a "warrior", predicting he would be a world champion one day but said his opponent had met a "great" in the sport.

"I'm one of the greatest heavyweights of all time," he said. "And unfortunately for Dillian Whyte, he had to face me here tonight. There's no disgrace."

Agence France-Presse

Boxing: Fury wary of Whyte threat as tensions mount before title fight

LONDON -- World heavyweight champion Tyson Fury said he will need his "A-game" to beat Dillian Whyte on Saturday as the tensions mounted ahead of the bout with his British rival.

Fury and Whyte joined forces to play peacemaker at their final pre-fight press conference on Friday after the champion's father John and a member of Whyte's camp became involved in a heated exchange on stage.

The unbeaten Fury is widely expected to retain his WBC title in front of a post-war British record boxing crowd of 94,000 at Wembley.

But, in what he says is the last fight of his career, the 33-year-old has no intention of taking a farewell victory for granted.

"I think everybody is underestimating how good this fight is going to be. I see the odds and laugh at them because they're obviously coming from people who don't know boxing," Fury told reporters on Friday.

"This is a heavyweight boxing fight, anybody can win with one punch. If I'm not on my A-game then that man's going to knock my head right off my shoulders.

"I'm going to have to be on form to beat him and he will have to perform at his best to beat me. He's definitely a man that needs a lot of respect and that's what I've given him.

"I've done everything I can possibly do to train for this. I've trained as hard for Dillian as I have for (Deontay) Wilder or (Wladimir) Klitschko. He'll be fighting the best Tyson Fury."

Ahead of Fury's first on British soil since August 2018, the mutual respect between the champion and his former sparring partner was evident as they shared a handshake after their staredown for photographers.

Mandatory challenger Whyte has waited years for his world title shot.

The Jamaica-born 34-year-old is no stranger to adversity, having been shot and stabbed when he was drawn into London's gang culture in his youth.

Whyte, who fathered the first of his three children aged 13, has turned his life around through boxing and is relishing the opportunity to fight for a world title.

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I'm that kind of fighter where whatever I've got to do I will do: it's victory by any means necessary," Whyte said.

"It means everything to fight in my home country for the world title. It's massive. I'm not scared to take risks, I've taken risks my whole life so it's nothing new. I'm ready to rock and roll."

Agence France-Presse

Boxing: Golovkin's blockbuster Canelo trilogy at stake in Murata showdown

TOKYO, Japan -- Middleweight great Gennady Golovkin returns to the ring for the first time in 16 months on Saturday, where victory against Japan's Ryota Murata could set up a long-awaited third fight against Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.

IBF champion "GGG" Golovkin (41-1-1, with 36 KOs) will face Murata (16-2), who holds the WBA version of the title, in a unification fight at Saitama, north of Tokyo.

The hard-hitting Kazakh has been hailed as the biggest name to enter a ring in Japan since heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, who was knocked out in Tokyo by 40-1 underdog James "Buster" Douglas in one of boxing's biggest upsets in 1990.

The prize at stake for Golovkin is a potential third crack at pound-for-pound king Alvarez in a blockbuster trilogy fight later this year, having pushed the Mexican all the way in two previous epic encounters.

If the pair, who appear to harbor genuine mutual animosity, remain unbeaten in their upcoming fights, then a September trilogy fight could smash box office and pay-per-view records.

The all-conquering Alvarez, having last year unified the four super-middleweight belts in just 11 months, will move up to light-heavyweight to challenge undefeated WBA champion Dmitry Bivol on May 7.

The veteran Golovkin, who turns 40 on Friday, has never beaten his Mexican nemesis.

Their first fight, in September 2017, saw Golovkin give an inspired performance, with many believing he had won, only for the judges to declare the bout a split draw.

The rematch eight months later was postponed after Alvarez tested positive for a banned substance. 

- 'Place in boxing history' -

When it eventually took place in September 2018, Alvarez battled to victory by majority decision after a pulsating contest.

Golovkin said his rivalry with Alvarez was not "the only thing that characterizes my career" in a recent interview with Bleacher Report, pointing to his 21 world title defenses -- a middleweight record.

"If I'm going to approach the third fight with Canelo, it'll certainly be with different thoughts and not with the idea of righting any wrongs," he told broadcaster DAZN, adding he was not "bothered by the results in the first two fights".

"I'm not in boxing to prove anything to anybody."

Having been out of action since December 2020, when he stopped Poland's Kamil Szeremeta in the seventh round, 'GGG' will need to remind the world that his power and skill are undiminished when he faces 2012 Olympic gold medalist Murata.

Murata (16-2) is even more rusty -- his last appearance was a successful defense of the WBA 'regular' world title belt against Canada's Steven Butler in Yokohama in December 2019.

Murata was then installed as WBA 'super' champion in 2020, the sanctioning body's premier belt, after Alvarez vacated the crown to move up in weight.

The 36-year-old Murata, who became a household name in Japan after winning Olympic gold, said his fight with Golovkin would decide his "place in the middleweight division and boxing history".

"My entire amateur and professional boxing career has been a preparation for this fight against Gennady Golovkin," he said when the fight was announced.

The bout had originally been scheduled for December last year but was postponed because of coronavirus travel restrictions.

Agence France-Presse

‘You’re scared to fight me:’ YouTuber Jake Paul calls out McGregor

YouTuber-turned-amateur boxer Jake Paul pulled no punches on Tuesday as he called out Ireland’s former UFC champion and king of trash talk Conor McGregor in a foul-mouthed tirade that sent social media into a frenzy.

Paul, fresh off a brutal knockout of former NBA point guard Nate Robinson, offered McGregor $50 million to step into the ring.

“My team sent you a $50 million offer this morning — 50 million cash, proof of funds, the biggest fight offer you’ve ever been offered,” Paul said while performing his best impersonation of McGregor, holding a cigar in one hand and a glass of whiskey in the other.

“But, you’re scared to fight me, Conor! You’re ducking me because you don’t want to lose to a YouTuber. You’re 0-1 as a boxer. I’m 2-0 as a boxer.”

Paul, whose brother Logan — also a social media influencer — will face Floyd Mayweather in February in an equally bizarre exhibition bout, also took aim at Dustin Poirier, McGregor’s next opponent, with a bizarre claim that his dog had more followers on Instagram than the 31-year-old American.

-reuters

Mayweather to return for exhibition bout with YouTuber Logan Paul

Floyd Mayweather will return to the boxing ring in February for an exhibition bout against YouTube personality aul, the undefeated former world champion announced on Instagram on Sunday.

Mayweather, 43 and with an unblemished record of 50-0, last fought professionally in August 2017 when he won by TKO over mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor, who was making his boxing debut.

The five-weight division world champion said he will step into the ring on Feb. 20 at a yet to be determined venue to face Paul, who has a record of 0-1, with that loss coming against fellow YouTuber KSI.

The fight is the latest exhibition bout featuring ageing former-champions and celebrities.

Former-heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, now 54, returned to the ring last month to face Roy Jones Jr. in a charity exhibition bout that was ruled a draw.

-reuters-

Justin says Manny better than Spence

MANILA, Philippines — Australian strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune said the other day he’s convinced that super WBA welterweight champion Sen. Manny Pacquiao will crush newly-unified IBF/WBC titlist Errol Spence if ever they face off.

“Let’s put it this way, I think the Manny who beat Keith Thurman last July would take down the Spence who defeated Shawn Porter last Saturday,” said Fortune who runs his own fitness gym in Los Angeles. “I also think that Thurman would beat either Spence or Porter, that’s how good he is. Thurman was at his best when he fought Manny and he couldn’t win, meaning that’s how much better Manny is than any of those guys.”

Fortune said Spence’s win by a split decision over Porter to unify the IBF and WBC welterweight titles wasn’t too convincing. “I think without the knockdown in the 11th round, it should’ve been a draw,” he said. “Personally, I wasn’t that impressed with Spence. He’s not as strong as people think he is. For me, Manny’s stronger. It took Spence 11 rounds to figure out Porter and land the left hook for the knockdown. Still, he didn’t really drop Porter. It was a good shot but Porter came right back. Porter didn’t lose his footing but his gloves touched the canvas so the referee (Jack Reiss), who’s one of the best in the business, rightfully called it a knockdown. I also thought Porter did a good job of turning Spence around along the ropes and had better footwork.”


If Pacquiao fights Spence, Fortune said there’s no doubting the outcome. “Manny’s stronger and quicker,” he said. “If Manny fights the way he did against Thurman, it’s over. He beats Spence by stoppage or decision. Let’s keep in mind that at this elite level, it’s rare to see a knockout.”

What impressed Fortune was the conditioning of both Spence and Porter. “Down to the last bell, those guys weren’t breathing hard,” he said. “They were totally in shape. It was a heckuva fight and the fans loved it. They’re both future Hall of Famers. Boxing needs and deserves fights like that. The welterweights, the 147-pounders, are keeping boxing alive today. And Manny’s on top of them all.”

Fortune said Porter was virtually unmarked after the fight. “If you look at the faces of Manny’s opponents after they fight him, they’re bashed up,” he said. “Some of Manny’s opponents don’t even make the post-fight press conference because they’re being rushed to the hospital. But Porter didn’t show too many signs on his face that he was in a brawl with Spence. Just compare what Manny’s opponents look like after a fight to how Porter looked like after his fight with Spence and you’ll notice Spence can’t be that hard of a puncher.”

Regarding Pacquiao’s next opponent, Fortune said Mikey Garcia appears to be the frontrunner. “I heard Mikey and Danny Garcia are in the running but since Spence announced he’s fighting Danny next, it could be Mikey for Manny,” he said. “Spence actually looked ordinary when he beat Mikey (by a unanimous decision last March). A fight against Mikey would be entertaining and exciting. Mikey always comes to fight and I notice every fighter who takes on Manny seems to fight 10 times better than he usually does because of the challenge of trying to beat one of the greatest fighters of all time.”

Mikey, 31, is the brother of former IBF superfeatherweight champion and trainer Robert Garcia. He has held the WBO featherweight, WBO superfeatherweight, WBC/IBF lightweight and IBF superlightweight titles in a career that started in 2006, 11 years after Pacquiao turned pro. Mikey’s record is 39-1, with 30 KOs and his only loss was to Spence.

Fortune said he’s busy supervising the construction of his new gym which is only a five-minute drive away from his former sweat shop in Los Angeles. “They’ve torn down every structure in the block where my old gym used to stand because the developers are building a new commercial complex so I’ve had to relocate,” he said. “Luckily, I found a place close by so I’m retaining 100 percent of my clientele. The new gym should be open by the first week of next month.”

source: philstar.com

Everlast champions first transgender boxer in 'Be First' campaign

MANILA, Philippines — Patricio Manuel, the first transgender professional boxer, is now part of premier boxing brand Everlast's "Be First" campaign.

Manuel, who was sidelined by an injury while competing in the 2012 Olympic trials, fought his way back into the ring after transitioning to become a male fighter.

"Everlast is humanizing the world of boxing in a way that's never been done before by shedding light on inspiring athletes like Patricio Manuel," said Everlast in an email to UK-based website Mashable.

"This is the first step of many campaigns you can expect to see from Everlast within the next year that defy norms and highlights all kinds of fighters," they added.

The "Be First" campaign champions underdogs in the sport, including amputee boxer Jinji Martinez.

According to Mashable, Everlast named the campagin after the boxing term "Be First", which encourages boxers to fore their opponents to follow their lead.

source: philstar.com

Pacquiao outpoints tough Thurman, wins split decision

LAS VEGAS  - Keith Thurman's will turns out to be as good as his loud mouth.

But Manny Pacquiao hands are equally still good.

Pacquiao on Saturday humbled the brash Thurman, scoring a split decision victory to become the WBA "super" welterweight champion at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here (Sunday, Manila time).

Scores were 114-113 for Thurman, and 115-112 (twice) for Pacquiao, who knocked Thurman down in the opening round of what turned out to be an entertaining fight in front of 14,356 fans.

The Filipino star sent Thurman down with a left straight to the body following by a quick right to the head. By the fifth round, the previously unbeaten boxer had a bloody face after eating a huge right hook from Pacquiao.


Thurman, though, came back and had many moments as well. After yielding the first five rounds to Pacquiao, the fighter from Clearwater, Florida stormed back in the middle rounds and caught his opponent with several solid one-two combos.

Pacquiao had Thurman in trouble in the 10th round when he tagged him with a powerful left to the body, putting his foe on survival mode for the rest of the round. Thurman eventually held on and went the distance with the 40-year-old Pacquiao.

Thurman earned Pacquiao's respect with his toughness.

"He's not an easy opponent. He's strong," Pacquiao said in the ring afterwards.

"He did his best, I did my best. We made the fans happy," he added.

Thurman, for his part, was fine with the result and put an end to the brash talk that highlighted the entire promotion.

"I knew it was too close. But he had the knockdown in the first round," said Thurman.

"Pacquiao is truly great, legendary," he added, even addressing Pacquiao as "senator."

"I wish I had a little more output. It was just behind Manny's output," Thurman continued.

Pacquiao improved to 63-7-1 (39 KOs, while Thurman suffered his first defeat in 30 fights (with 22 KOs).

source: philstar.com

Roach keeping a close eye on first round

LAS VEGAS – The first round of a boxing match is when fighters feel each other out.

But for the Manny Pacquiao-Keith Thurman clash here Saturday (Sunday, Manila time), the opening canto could very well spell the difference.

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s longtime cornerman, said the winner of the fight could be determined as early as the first round.

“I think whoever takes control of that first round is going to have a big advantage,” Roach told reporters Friday (Saturday, Manila time) after Pacquiao and Thurman cleared the scales.

“The first round will tell me who's gonna win the fight. That's why we're coming hot,” added Roach.

He said he expects Pacquiao to fight more aggressively than he did in his previous fights, especially with the fact that the Filipino icon is fired up by Thurman’s verbal jabs.

“I like how Manny's a little bit angry, I think he fights well. He's smarter and better when he is,” Roach continued.

Despite Thurman’s advantages in reach and height, Pacquiao, through his in-and-out movement and ability to punch from odd angles, can force the WBA “super” welterweight champion to the ropes.

This is where Pacquiao can excel, according to Roach.

“I think Manny can back Thurman up. I plan on putting Thurman on the ropes in this fight and Manny being a little more aggressive there.

“And once he puts him on the ropes, I think he'll have him,” he explained.

Roach already envisions Thurman’s downfall.

“I think he'll stand toe to toe until Manny hits him. Bye bye,” he said.

source: philstar.com

Sparmates like Manny Pacquiao’s chances

MANILA, Philippines — Manny Pacquiao’s sparmates Abraham (Abie) Lopez and Arnold Gonzalez are convinced the Filipino icon will beat Keith Thurman in their WBA welterweight unification championship showdown in Las Vegas on July 20 even as the fight is expected to be a tough grind.

Pacquiao engaged Lopez and Gonzalez over four rounds each in sparring when he opened training camp at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles last week, leaving a strong impression on the hired guns. Lopez, 23, is 5-9 and has a 69 1/2-inch reach while Gonzalez, 24, is 5-7. They both fight like Thurman who is 30 and 5-7 1/2 with a 69-inch wingspan. Pacquiao, 40, is 5-5 1/2 with a 67-inch reach. MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons and trainer Freddie Roach assembled Pacquiao’s sparring team. Gonzalez was one of Pacquiao’s sparring partners in the training camp for Adrien Broner early this year.

Lopez said it’s an “honor and blessing” to work with Pacquiao. “It’s my first time sparring with Manny,” said Lopez who describes himself as a dedicated fighter. “I know later on, I’m going to learn a lot. But from him, I know I’m going to learn a lot more. Manny has a heavy hand. He’s very quick. I see no speed going down. His power’s there. He’s not losing his speed. Manny is Manny. I love the way he moves, his jab, his right (hand). Manny’s not done yet. I’m very confident. Manny’s going to do great and do the best he possibly can. Hopefully, he’ll come out with the victory.”

Lopez totes a record of 10-2-1, with 3 KOs. He lost a four-round majority decision to Alfonzo Olvera in his pro debut then ran a streak of 11 unbeaten fights, including a draw, and last November, dropped a six-round verdict to Jesus Bibiano.

Gonzalez, a two-time Golden Gloves national amateur champion, works out of George Foreman III’s Everybody Fights Gym in New York. He turned pro last February, outpointing Stacey Anderson in a four-rounder. “On our first day of sparring, Manny looked really sharp,” said Gonzalez. “I can tell he’s been training in the Philippines. I was with Manny for the Broner camp and they invited me back to work for the Thurman camp. I don’t think age matters in Manny’s case. I remember sparring for the Broner fight and he’s just as sharp. His movement is just as good, he’s moving side to side, using angles, his feet are fast. He’s still got it.”

Gonzalez said Pacquiao is in for a hard fight but should prevail. “Thurman’s a young and strong fighter,” he said. “Thurman’s been hurt in the past and I can see Manny hurting him. So I would say a 10th or 11th round stoppage for Manny.”

What sets Thurman apart from other fighters is his insight, according to his trainer Dan Birmingham. He’s often described as cerebral. “It’s always been my dream to accomplish as much as I can accomplish,” said Thurman, quoted by Gary Shelton in The Ring Magazine. “Nobody’s going to stop me but me. I always say this: I’ve got 12 rounds to hit you one time. The odds are in my favor. I feel like a professor or a doctor, someone who is well-acquainted with speed, technique, footwork, stamina, angles. I’m thinking all these forms of attack at a rapid pace every single round.”

Since arriving in L. A. last June 15, Pacquiao has alternated morning runs at Griffith Park and Pan Pacific Park while working out at the Wild Card Gym in the afternoon. Los Angeles-based photographer Jhay Otamias closely monitors Pacquiao’s daily grind.

“The senator’s looking good,” said Gibbons. Pacquiao started sparring in Manila a month ago with Australian Tim Tszyu, Frenchman Jaber Zayani and Filipino Jestoni Autida. The plan is to move up from eight rounds to 10 to 12 then down to 10 to eight to taper off a week before the bout.

source: philstar.com

Roach 'pleased' with Pacquiao's first day at Wild Card

MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday (Thursday Manila time) made his return to Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, Los Angeles to resume training for his mammoth clash with Keith Thurman next month.

And Freddie Roach, now a training consultant for the Filipino icon, liked what he saw.

“I was very pleased with Manny’s first day at Wild Card. [Assistant trainer] Buboy [Fernandez] and [strength and conditioning coach] Justin [Fortune] have him in great condition for the rigors of this part of training camp,” said the bespectacled cornerman.

Roach said a stubborn Pacquiao even went the extra mile in sparring.

“We were scheduled for six rounds of sparring and Manny insisted on going eight with two sparring partners,” he added.

Pacquiao, the WBA’s “regular” welterweight champion, will get a crack at Thurman’s undefeated record (the fighter from Clearwater, Florida is 29-0, with 22 knockouts) along with the American’s “super” title.

The 40-year-old Pacquiao, as was the case in his recent fights, will again be at a disadvantage in terms of youth against Thurman, who is 10 years his junior.

But that doesn’t bother Roach at all.

“Manny loves beating undefeated fighters, especially the younger ones,” he continued.

“Heck, at this stage of the game, everyone Manny faces is younger. But that makes it fun for Manny,” added Roach.

Pacquiao, who arrived in Los Angeles over the weekend, begins training day with a morning run either at the flat Pan Pacific Park or the more challenging, uphill Griffith Observatory. In the afternoon, he checks in at Roach’s famous sweatshop for the hard grind.

Roach, for his part, is intrigued by the Pacquiao-Thurman collision, which will be staged at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on July 20 (July 21 Manila time).

“This is a great match-up. Thurman has youth and size. I’m sure he will come into the ring with 160 pounds behind his big right hand. Manny will be under 150 [pounds],” Roach explained.

“But we will have speed and movement. Winning this fight will come down to taking chances. Manny proved in his last two fights, against [Lucas] Matthysse and [Adrien] Broner, that he has his killer instinct back. Thurman better be prepared to shoot the works.”

Roach, a betting man, said he looks forward to a huge payday putting his money on his prized ward, who has been installed as the underdog against Thurman.

“I haven’t made a bet in a long time, but the oddsmakers have brought me back.  I’m going to make a huge score betting on Manny in this fight,” said Roach.

source: philstar.com

Alvarez beats Jacobs to unify middleweight world titles

LAS VEGAS – Mexican Saul "Canelo" Alvarez earned a unanimous decision over Daniel Jacobs in a fight that pitted two of the world's top middleweights against each other with three world titles on the line on Saturday (Sunday Manila time).

Alvarez kept his World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association titles and seized Jacobs' International Boxing Federation belt in a bout that marked the Mexican's return to the 160-pound division.

Alvarez won on all three judges’ scorecards, with two having it 115-113 and the other 116-112.

Since losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2013, Alvarez has gone 10-0 with one draw with five knockouts.

source: philstar.com

Broner cries robbery: ‘Everyone knows I beat Pacquiao’

LAS VEGAS – Adrien Broner just couldn’t believe what had just transpired.

A defiant Broner insisted he won his 12-round encounter with Manny Pacquiao Saturday (Sunday Manila time), saying he did well by controlling the fight and landing his punches.

“I beat him. Everybody out there knows I beat him. I controlled the fight, he was missing. I hit him clean more times. I beat him,” the 29-year-old fighter said in the ring shortly after losing to Pacquiao via unanimous decision in their well-attended fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here.


Broner made the declaration despite being on the defensive end throughout the fight, always wary of an aggressive Pacquiao.

Pacquiao shut Broner down with combinations and was effective in cutting off the ring. He had Broner hanging on to dear life in the seventh and ninth rounds after pinning the challenger to the ropes and again rocking him with flurries.


Additionally, the numbers clearly contradict Broner’s claim.

According to punch stats released by fight promoters, Pacquiao connected on 112 of the 568 total blows he threw against Broner. Broner, meanwhile, threw only a total of 298 blows and landed only 50.

Nothing it seems will convince the brash boxer from Cincinatti that he was the inferior man Saturday.

Broner even went as far as to suggest that the fight was fixed to accommodate a rematch between Pacquiao and Mayweater, who expectedly watched the bout at ringside.

“You know I beat that boy. They are trying to get that money with Pacquiao and Floyd,” Broner said.

“I beat him. Smart boxing,” he added.

Pacquiao must have rocked him badly.

source: philstar.com

Pacquiao, Broner again stress motivations for victory

LAS VEGAS — One is already a legend still working to become an even bigger one. The other is an underachiever fighting for respect and reevaluation.

Manny Pacquiao and Adrien Broner faced off for the last time Friday here (Saturday, Manila time), a day before trading gloves in a fight that would have major consequences for them — win, lose or draw.

The two fighters hurdled the last obstacle to their 12-round title showdown, making the welterweight limit of 147 pounds, then re-emphasized their motivations in notching a victory 24 hours from now.


Broner, the 29-year-old challenger known for his swagger and loud mouth, effectively crushed speculations about weight difficulties when he tipped the scales at 146.5 pounds — half a pound below the limit.

He had claimed to have the training best camp ever, and the weigh-in result is just part of the evidence.

“First of all, I feel good,” said the Cincinnati-born fighter, who is known to have talent but always comes up short when facing quality opposition.

Broner (33-3-1, with 24 KOs) is a four-division champion — having won titles at super featherweight, lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight. His career, however, has been tainted by losses to high-caliber fighters.

He is looking for that career-defining win that would inevitably lead to bigger paydays to support his flashy, carefree persona.

“It's a hell of an opportunity. After I win tomorrow, I'll be a legend overnight,” he told the packed crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena where the free-to-the-public weigh-in ceremony took place.

More importantly, Broner believes a victory over Pacquiao — a first-ballot Hall of Famer once he becomes eligible — will lead to his critics viewing him in a much better light.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao, as usual, had little trouble with weight. He was a pound lighter than the limit at 146 pounds.

The Filipino icon is buoyed by the opportunity to prove he can still put on a good show at 40 years old — at the site of his biggest fights.

“It doesn't matter if I am 40 years old, I still feel young,” he said after tipping the scales.

The two fighters engaged each other in a longer-than-usual staredown that lasted for at least 20 seconds. It was Pacquiao who first broke eye contact, while Broner continued looking at his foe.

Pacquiao had been ignoring Broner’s trash talks throughout the promotion. When their staredown finally ended, he tapped his opponent’s right butt, a clear sign that he understands

Broner’s antics are only for business purposes.

For the eight-division champion, pouring more cement to an already immovable legacy is something he won’t get tired of doing.

“It's my legacy to always give a good fight,” he said.

source: philstar.com

Adrien Broner wants Manny Pacquiao’s throne

HOLLYWOOD – Like others before him, those who tried, but failed, Adrien Broner sees Manny Pacquiao as a golden ticket.

“This win makes me an icon,” said the 29-year-old challenger, his thick beard like four inches long.

On Thursday, the native of Cincinnati staged an international conference call. He fielded questions on the coming fight.


In a nutshell, Broner said he’s ready for Pacquiao.

Broner paid respect to the Filipino senator and WBA welterweight champion. But he said it’s his time now.


“Pacquiao is a legend. He’s gonna go down as one of the best in the boxing business,” said Broner.

“But you know, I feel it’s my time to take over the sport.”

Broner had been to big fights, and had won world titles in four weight classes, from junior lightweight to welterweight.

“I’m well prepared and I’m ready to go out there and perform,” he said.

Broner wants to be king.

“A win here and I’m a legend overnight. I’m coming to take the throne from Pacquiao,” he said.

He sounded just like the others before him.

source: philstar.com

Vietnam War medic new Pacquiao cutman

MANILA, Philippines — A decorated Vietnam War medic has been tapped to join WBA welterweight champion Sen. Manny Pacquiao’s corner as a cutman in his title defense against Adrien Broner at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Jan. 19.

Dave Martinez, a professional cutman who has worked with former world champions Miguel Cotto, Julio Cesar Gonzalez and Ruslan Provodnikov, was picked by trainer Freddie Roach to join Team Pacquiao. MP Promotions head Joe Ramos confirmed the appointment yesterday.

Roach’s former chief assistant Marvin Somodio, now on holiday with his family in Iloilo from their home base in Los Angeles, described Martinez as “magaling” and “marunong.” “I’ve worked with Dave in many fights, particularly those with Cotto,” he said. “What you like about Dave is he doesn’t interfere with what others in the team are supposed to do. He just does his job and does it well.” Roach, Somodio, Martinez and strength/conditioning coach Gavin MacMillan were in Cotto’s team for his last fight against Sadam Ali at Madison Square Garden in New York City in 2017.


Martinez follows in the footsteps of several cutmen who’ve worked in Pacquiao’s corner, including Ruben Gomez, Lenny de Jesus, Joe Chavez, Miguel Diaz and Dr. Ed de la Vega. It was De la Vega who was Pacquiao’s cutman in the fight against Lucas Matthysse in Kuala Lumpur last July. De la Vega will work as cutman with the Filipino fighters, including interim WBA featherweight champion Jhack Tepora, in the Pacquiao-Broner undercard.

A retired social worker with the Orange County Health Department, Martinez was an amateur boxer with the US Army for six months then was sent to serve in the Vietnam War as a 20-year-old medic. He risked his life on numerous occasions treating wounded men on the battlefield, earning the Soldier’s Medal and Silver Cross. After the military service, Martinez returned to his California hometown and started training kids in boxing to get them off the streets in 1981. He later founded the La Habra Boxing Club, transforming an over 100-year-old abandoned church into a gym. The non-profit club has now been operating for more than 30 years. It provides free training, primarily for at-risk youth, and has some 80 regulars with ages ranging from 8 to 70. Among those who’ve trained at the facility were Sugar Shane Mosley and Roger Mayweather and late actors Burt Reynolds and Ricardo Montalban.

Martinez, inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006, was quoted by writer Anthony Torres as saying he does what he does because he learned “that sharing what you have is more important than what you have.” Former female boxer Nadja Ropac described Martinez as “one of the good guys in the sport … boxing can be a barrel of snakes … trainers usually look at fighters and see only dollar signs, for Martinez, it’s about the community.”

Martinez, quoted by writer Chris Haire, said “to be able to train and help underprivileged or blue-collar kids and give back to La Habra, it’s gratifying.” He has lived in La Habra, a city in northwest Orange County, nearly all his life and grew up in the camps. Martinez said boxing is his vehicle to reach out to kids. “Boxing teaches you about yourself, about your skills and talents,” he said. “It gives you confidence you can take into life. The kids in this neighborhood need that. They need something to keep them off the streets and away from drugs and alcohol.”

source: philstar.com

Adonis Stevenson in stable condition after KO, say promoter

QUEBEC CITY — Canadian boxer Adonis Stevenson has been upgraded from critical to stable condition and remains in an induced coma Sunday (Monday Manila time) after being knocked out Saturday night (Sunday Manila time) in his light heavyweight title fight.

Boxing promoter Yvon Michel tweeted about the 41-year-old Stevenson's condition.

"The state of Adonis has gone from critical towards stable from yesterday to today which is a relatively good news. He is in controlled sedation to facilitate his recuperation." Michel said. "His family, his wife Simone and Groupe Yvon Michel would like to thank the many people who have taken the time to send comforting messages. New information will be published as we get it. No other comments will be made until then."


Oleksandr Gvozdyk stopped Stevenson at 2:49 of the 11th round Saturday night to take the Canadians' World Boxing Council light heavyweight title.

The Montreal-based Stevenson was put on a stretcher after the bout and left Videotron Centre in an ambulance. He was making his 10th title defense since winning the belt against Chad Dawson in 2013 and was ahead on two of the judges' cards and tied on the third when he was stopped.

Stevenson dropped to 29-2-1 with his first loss since 2010 and first in Canada. The 31-year-old Gvozdyk, from the Ukraine, improved to 16-0.

source: philstar.com

Rejuvenated Fury ready for heavyweight title showdown vs Wilder

LOS ANGELES — The sun shines on Tyson Fury every morning in California.

The larger-than-life heavyweight from Manchester has found comfort and calm far from home. Whether training in the high-altitude seclusion of Big Bear or sampling Los Angeles' good life at a Lakers game, Fury believes he has found the proper place to start again.

"It's been a long, hard road with many obstacles in the way," Fury said this week. "I think it's all been well documented. But it didn't get me. I found a way. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, more determined. My story has got more pain in it now. I believe that rain has passed and the sun is shining brightly."

When Fury (27-0, 19 KOs) takes on Deontay Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs) at Staples Center on Saturday night (Sunday Manila time) in one of the biggest heavyweight bouts in years, he is fighting for a victory in the ring that would mirror his extraordinary comeback from the brink of personal disaster.

The friends and co-workers who know every detail of Fury's remarkable rise and incredible fall sometimes marvel at his recovery from depression, drug abuse, heavy drinking and spectacular weight gain during a fraught, decadent two-year spiral.

Not many fighters have reached the pinnacle of their sport as sublimely as Fury did when he defeated the seemingly unbeatable Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015.

And while many boxers have fallen hard and fast after their greatest triumphs, not many have dusted themselves off and resumed their careers with the vigor displayed by the 30-year-old man named after Mike Tyson.

"To see where he's at today is a testament to this man and what he's done," said his promoter, Frank Warren. "Coming from rock bottom to being here, not as the contender but the lineal champion, it's truly remarkable. He's been a consummate professional for the last year. He has already answered a lot of questions about himself, and now he has to answer the biggest one."

Everything about Fury is enormous. The self-described "bald, big-bearded hulk of a man" is a thick 6-foot-9 with a voice that can sound like tires on gravel, yet he carries the physical presence of an elite athlete, not a bar bouncer.

Fury showed that athleticism while carving out a spot in Britain's crowded boxing landscape. He patiently maneuvered his way into a shot at the peerless Klitschko, and he dominated the long-reigning champ with a persistent jab and canny strategy in a shocking unanimous-decision win.

And then it all fell apart. A lucrative rematch with Klitschko had to be scrapped when he tested positive for cocaine use after a summer of partying, and he gradually lost all the title belts he had claimed. Fury also made a series of homophobic, sexist, transphobic and anti-Semitic statements in interviews, thoroughly eroding the goodwill established by his unlikely victory.

Fury apologized for some of his missteps, and he remained candid about his struggles with depression and the type of compulsive behavior that left him weighing nearly 400 pounds after a months-long diet of cheeseburgers, cakes and lager.

Fury didn't get himself together again until last year, and Britain's licensing board reinstated him in January. He returned to the ring for two moderately impressive wins over outmatched opponents last summer— but those were proper warmups for this shot at Wilder, Fury says.

"It took me about 2 1/2 years to actually start missing the sport," Fury said. "Once I started missing it, the fire re-lit again. I'm just happy that I've worked to reach this position again. As for the titles being taken away, they didn't get taken away. I gave them away myself because I had mental problems. I stand here as an ambassador for mental health, and I am the people's champion. I've got millions of people around the world that look up to me. I'm fighting for those people."

Fury never lost the ability to sell a fight. He cultivates a personality as a likable, garrulous brute, and he is a comic counterpart to the similarly verbose Wilder's more aggressive verbal style.

Earlier this week, Fury walked around Los Angeles with a video crew , asking people if they had ever heard of Wilder. He says he found only two boxing fans who had ever heard the name.

When they faced off at their final news conference Wednesday, they nearly came to blows — and while their camps held them back, Fury responded by ripping off his shirt.

Fury scoffs at any worries about ring rust or Wilder's fearsome punching power. After everything Fury has beaten to get back in the ring, he seems genuinely calm and grateful for the opportunity to get to work.

"I believe everybody deserves a second chance," Fury said. "I mean, just look at me."

source: philstar.com