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

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

Manny Pacquiao triumphant over Tim Bradley in retirement fight

Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao won what may have been his retirement fight as he dominated American opponent Timothy Bradley in a 116-110, 116-110, 116-110 unanimous decision win on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 37-year-old Pacquiao knocked down his younger foe twice on the way to the big win, which also earned him the WBO International welterweight belt.

It also capped the trilogy between the two fighters, with Pacquiao coming out on top in the last two meetings between them. The Filipino is now 58-6-2 for his boxing career.

The first few rounds started slow as both fighters began the feeling things out.

The action increased around the fifth round, though, as the two exchanged on several occasions. Bradley landed a clean left uppercut and nice hook but Pacquiao had some of quick flurries as well.

After the sixth, the action picked up again as Pacquiao threw some nice opposite hooks, landing a hard right behind Bradley’s ear that had the American touching the mat with his gloves, giving the Filipino the first knockdown of the round.

Manny came out in the eighth round aggressively, showing some of his vaunted hand speed but Bradley was able to take control of the round as he landed some blows that had Pacquiao leaning on the ropes twice.

But Pacquiao had a huge round in the ninth, as he smacked Bradley with a nice left and followed that moments later with a short uppercut that sent his foe tumbling down to the ground for the second knockout.

Bradley was unable to turn the tide in the last rounds as Pacquiao controlled the fight.

Pacquiao had previously announced that this was his farewell fight. He is running for senator in the May 9 Philippine national elections.

source: interaksyon.com

UFC 196: Tate dethrones Holm, McGregor stunned by Diaz

Miesha Tate scored a sensational victory over reigning bantamweight champion Holly Holm in Las Vegas, choking her out late in the fifth round to win the title Holm took from Ronda Rousey in November.

After a cagey first round in which few significant blows were landed, the 34-year-old Holm was in trouble in the second round but managed to survive by keeping Tate at bay with her longer reach.

Tate managed to get Holm back on the mat late in the fifth and final round, but despite an acrobatic attempt to escape by the champion, Tate clung on to render her unconscious and claim the title.

“She went out like a champion. I have so much respect for this woman,” the 29-year-old told the octagon announcer as she received the belt.

McGregor stunned

Meanwhile, UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor was choked into submission by Nate Diaz in a stunning reverse at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

McGregor, who was denied a chance to become the first fighter to hold two UFC belts at the same time when lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos pulled out with a foot injury, struggled in the second round after Diaz landed a heavy blow.

McGregor had landed some heavy shots of his own in the first round but couldn’t put the 30-year-old away, and an effort to take the fight to the mat backfired when Diaz got behind him to apply the rear naked choke hold that ended the fight.

source: interaksyon.com

Floyd Mayweather beats Andre Berto and says ‘it’s over’

Floyd Mayweather earned a unanimous decision over Andre Berto on Saturday to claim his 49th and he says final victim in a glittering unbeaten ring career spanning two decades.

All three judges ruled overwhelmingly in Mayweather’s favor and afterwards the American welterweight world champion confirmed that he was retiring, saying: “My career is over.

“It’s official.”

He equals the perfect 49-0 record of heavyweight legend Rocky Marciano and retains his WBA and WBC titles, embellishing his reputation as the best boxer of his generation.

Mayweather fell to his knees in the ring after the bell, taking in the moment.

“I want to thank all the fans… for 19 years I would not be able to do it without these fans,” he said, after the judges ruled it 118-110, 117-111 and 120-108, all to the champ.

“But you have to know when it’s time to hang it up. I’m knocking at the door; I’m nearly 40 years old now.

“There’s nothing else to prove in the sport of boxing. I’m leaving the sport with all my faculties; I’m still sharp and smart.”

The 38-year-old self-styled “TBE” (“The Best Ever”), who had consistently said that the Berto showdown would be the last time he steps into the ring, had too much guile and nous for the rank outsider.

Berto, who has now lost four of his last seven fights, was set up as the fall guy for the pound-for-pound king’s coronation — and he played the role perfectly, showing plenty of heart but not quite enough quality.

Mayweather has his critics, but he was given a hero’s welcome at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas by a boisterous crowd who had come expecting to see him give Berto, 32, an old-fashioned shellacking.

He did not quite do that, but instead used his sublime defensive skills to avoid the worst that Berto — a former two-time world champion — could throw at him.

Berto kept coming at Mayweather; Mayweather would land a quick-fire combination and then dart out of trouble again — to roars of approval for the man fans have taken to calling simply “Money.”

Turning the screw

Even when he had Mayweather against the ropes Berto found it hard to connect with anything meaningful.

The first real taste of a fight breaking out came at the end of the second round, when the two tangled after the bell, Mayweather giving his foe a dirty look.

The champion — hit by claims on the eve of the fight that he broke anti-doping rules earlier this year, which he denies — came out for round three clearly still riled.

Mayweather was sent scampering across the canvas after one exchange, bringing the crowd of 13,395 to its feet, but the move was more akin to wrestling than boxing.

Berto had his first real taste of success halfway through the fourth of the scheduled 12, forcing Mayweather to cower against the ropes as Berto chased one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.

Berto resorted to roughhouse tactics in the fifth, catching Mayweather with one particularly low shot that drew oohs from the stands.

The crowd were up on their feet again in the sixth as Mayweather turned the screw, bamboozling the underdog with three shots to the body in rapid succession.

Still Berto — dismissed as a dud by some critics who wanted to see Mayweather take on a bigger name — kept coming forward.

But he was mostly finding air, not Mayweather’s face, and Mayweather punished him in the closing seconds of the seventh, and Berto briefly looked in big trouble.

Mayweather was ominously gaining control and he knew it — striking a pose at the end of the eighth, and some in the crowd serenaded him with cries of “TBE! TBE!”

Referee Kenny Bayless had to stop the action in the 10th and  warn the pair to stop mouthing off at one another, and there was another flashpoint when the bell sounded.

Mayweather sealed his night’s work — and that of his career, if he is to be believed — by turning showman in the 11th, ducking brilliantly to avoid  several Berto haymakers and then looking behind himself as if to say mockingly to his opponent: where am I?

Asked what he and Berto were muttering to each other in the ring, Mayweather said: “Just trash talking.”

source: interaksyon.com

Mayweather lives up to 'Money' moniker

LOS ANGELES - As he finished speaking at the post-fight conference of his showdown with Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr. approached some reporters in their seats dangling a check he just claimed after a night's work.

It was a check issued by Bank of America indicating a staggering $100 million (about Php4.46 billion).

"No pictures, though," Mayweather, sliding the check out of an envelope. "Don't want any pictures of it."

On Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Mayweather reminded everyone why he proudly calls himself "Money".

He just outpointed Pacquiao in boxing's richest fight ever, fashioning out a unanimous decision victory in front of over 16,000 fans. And he was paid handsomely for it.

Since the fight went the full 12 rounds, Mayweather has made around $55,000 per second. He did it by side-stepping his way out each time Pacquiao cornered him on the ropes and countering the gritty Filipino with jabs and short rights.

The $100 million check was just the first of other possible paychecks Mayweather will receive, when income from the live gate receipts, pay-per-view buys and other revenue sources comes in. He walked away from the ring a big winner - unifying the WBC, WBA and WBO welterweight titles - and will even be a bigger winner when he walks into the bank.

His boxing brilliance has made him the world's highest paid athlete for several years now.

"The ultimate goal is to make nine figures in a night. And that's what I did," he said at the dais.

Mayweather has been a staple in Forbes' list of world's highest-paid athletes, ranking first in 2014 with total earnings of $105 million. Pacquiao, for his part, is at 11th with total winnings of $41 million.

Pacquiao, for his part, was handsomely rewarded as well, taking home around $80 million, or roughly P3.5 billion. He is also entitled to a share of other revenues generated by the fight.

But unlike the unbeaten Mayweather, Pacquiao isn't someone who loves to brag about it. - With report from AP

source: philstar.com

‘FIGHT OF THE CENTURY’ | Big hype, huge money for Pacquiao-Mayweather megabout

The countdown is on to Saturday’s showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, the $400 million “fight of the century” with a place in boxing’s pantheon of greats on the line.

More than five years in the making, it’s an epic clash of styles and personalities, pitting the craftsmanship and defensive savvy of “Money” Mayweather against explosive southpaw Pacquiao — an iconic figure in his native Philippines.

The welterweight world title unification bout looks set to smash boxing records for worldwide viewership and revenue, with Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum predicting it could generate as much as $400 million.

With a 60-40 purse split in favor of Mayweather, the unbeaten American stands to make an eye-watering $150 million and Pacquiao $100 million.

Fanned by instant Internet publicity and social media, global interest in the contest has skyrocketed.

The precious 500 tickets for seats at the 16,800-capacity MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas that were put on sale directly to the public at face values ranging from $1,500 to $10,000 sold out in minutes.

Promoters are even selling 10,000 tickets to Friday’s weigh-in, at $10 a pop.

The audience on fight night will read like a who’s who of A-list celebrities, casino high-rollers and others with the wherewithal to snaffle tickets that are going at secondary sales outlets such as StubHub for as much as $100,000.

The staggering financial figures and celebrity sideshows have only boosted the fight’s cross-over appeal.

The build-up has focused on such minutiae as Mayweather’s custom-made mouth guard, infused with diamonds and gold, and the $2 million-plus Pacquiao will rake in for advertising on his trunks.

Clash of characters

But once all that is stripped away, it will be up to the two men in the ring to deliver on the hype, in a duel that many feel has passed its sell-by date.

“The only thing the fighters can do is go out there and perform, and do what we do best,” says Mayweather, who brings an impeccable 47-0 record with 26 knockouts to the bout, along with the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association welterweight world titles.

Mayweather, trained by his father Floyd Sr. and continuing a family boxing legacy that stretches back for decades, is closing in on the iconic 49-0 record of 1950s legend Rocky Marciano, who retired as an undefeated heavyweight champion.

The American has held 11 titles in five weight divisions, his untarnished record and unabashed swagger making him the highest-paid sportsman in the world, according to Forbes.

Underlining his gift for provocative self-promotion, Mayweather last week compared himself favorably to heavyweight icon Muhammad Ali.

“I know there will be a backlash, but I couldn’t care less,” Mayweather said.

But beneath the glitzy surface runs a darker Mayweather story, studded by incidents of domestic violence.

It only makes Mayweather the perfect foil for Pacquiao, beloved in the Philippines as a humble humanitarian who has put his own womanizing ways behind him with a return to his Christian faith.

A lover of music and basketball, Pacquiao is a two-term congressman who many predict will one day be president of the Philippines.

At 38, Mayweather is two years older than World Boxing Organization champion Pacquiao, who is nevertheless considered the more ring-worn of the two, with his record of 57-5 with two drawn and 38 knockouts.

The only fighter to win eight world titles in as many weight divisions, Pacquiao’s stock plummeted with two defeats in 2012, including a crushing one-punch knockout by Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez. There were rumors of impending retirement.

He has since won three fights, although in his last bout, in November, he was unable to finish off Chris Algieri despite knocking him down six times.

Pacquiao hasn’t knocked out an opponent since a TKO of Miguel Cotto in 2009 — the same year he crushed Ricky Hatton in two rounds.

Mayweather’s last knockout win was back in 2011 and he too has showed signs of ring-wear, though that has not stopped him going into the fight as the favorite.

Big, but how big?

Even so, the bout tantalizingly brings together two of the most talented fighters of their generation in a clash that recalls such past classics as Joe Frazier’s victory over Ali in 1971, the first fight of their epic trilogy.

“The whole country stopped,” the promoter Arum recalled of the immense interest in that fight at Madison Square Garden.

Whether Pacquiao-Mayweather will surpass Ali-Frazier — or any other “fight of the century” — in lasting significance is immaterial, Arum said.

“This fight is tremendous,” he said. “The interest is tremendous. And we should really wrap ourselves around that fact rather than compare it to fights of another era.

“One thing is clear: it’s the biggest fight of this century.”

source: interaksyon.com

Manny Pacquiao embraces underdog tag: ‘It gives me more motivation’

Floyd Mayweather at 38 could be the perfect target for Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino ring icon’s trainer Freddie Roach said Wednesday.

As Mayweather and Pacquiao turned out for their only joint press conference in the build-up to their May 2 mega-bout, Roach said the unbeaten Mayweather’s vaunted defensive abilities are waning.

“His legs are little bit shot. He’s slowed down quite a bit,” Roach said, adding that he believes Mayweather would have had a better chance of beating Pacquiao five years ago, when attempts to make the fight fell apart.

“He is going to have to exchange more,” Roach added — with a pithy dismissal of the idea that Mayweather has recently become more willing to go toe-to-toe in an effort to please fans.

“That’s bullshit,” Roach said. “He doesn’t care about the fans. He has to exchange more because his legs won’t take him out of the way … if he has to exchange with Manny Pacquiao he is in trouble.”

Mayweather brings a record of 47-0 with 26 knockouts to the bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Although Pacquiao is two years his junior, it was the Filipino whose career appeared to be on the wane after back to back defeats in 2012.

Since then, however, the southpaw has won three fights in a row to take his record to 57-5 with two drawn and 38 knockouts.

He’s the underdog, but said Wednesday that just adds fuel to his competitive fire.

“I like that,” Pacquiao said. “It gives me more motivation, more determination to focus on the fight and prove something.”

source: interaksyon.com