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Jul 24, 2005
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Pacquiao vs. Clottey to take place at Cowboy stadium – News

By Dave Lahr: According to Dan Rafael of ESPN, the bout between World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao and challenger Joshua Clottey will be taking place at the Dallas Cowboy stadium, in Arlington, Texas. Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboy football team and Dallas Cowboy stadium, was very eager to land the Pacquiao-Clottey fight for his large stadium in Texas. Jones reportedly offered up $25 million site fee for the bout.

As such, the Pacquiao vs. Clottey bout will move ahead to March 13th. Floyd Mayweather was supposed to be Pacquiao’s opponent, but he made the mistake of asking for random blood tests to take place before he would fight Pacquiao. Although Manny was willing to take three of the tests, Mayweather wanted them to take place within the last 30 days before the fight. Pacquiao agreed on taking the last test at 24 days, but Mayweather wanted 14 days.

The Dallas Cowboy stadium would have been perfect for the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight, but it’s unclear whether they will be able sell it out or even come close to selling it out with the Pacquiao-Clottey match up. The stadium seats 100,000. Arum, however, thinks it’s going to be a huge event, even though Clottey isn’t a big star.

“This is going to be one of the biggest events in the history of boxing,” Arum says. It also might be a disappointment. Pacquiao has done well recently with big pay per view bouts, but he’s been blessed by a big name star opposing him. Clottey, good but flawed fighter, isn’t well known to casual boxing fans of the sport. He’s not an Oscar De La Hoya or Floyd Mayweather.

This fight will be a good test to see how popular Pacquiao is. If he can sell out the Dallas Cowboy stadium against Clottey, there would be no reason for Pacquiao to waste time fighting a big named star like Mayweather in the future, even if Mayweather is agreeable to fighting Pacquiao without blood tests for PEDs. Pacquiao could then pick and choose and fight anyone in the top 10, and still do well.
 
Jul 24, 2005
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Khan eager to fight Ricky Hatton in 2010

By Sean McDaniel: Coming off of his impressive 1st round knockout win over mandatory challenger Dmitriy Salita, World Boxing Association light welterweight champion Amir Khan is looking for bigger mountains to climb and would like to get a shot against former IBF light welterweight champion Ricky Hatton later on in 2010. Khan must first get by WBA interim light welterweight champion Marcos Maidana, who the WBA has ordered Khan to fight next. However, once that fight is out of the way, Khan will be free to go after Hatton for a fight that will likely break records in the UK in terms of pay per view buys.

Khan had this to say about fighting Hatton in the Heraldscotland: “I would hate to get to the end of my career and look back at it and not have had the chance to fight Ricky Hatton. I still think Ricky has a bit left in him and I think he also has something he wants to prove to himself after the defeat by Pacquiao. I’d hate to get to the end of my career and look back at it and not have had the chance to fight Ricky Hatton.”

Hatton, 31, is coming off a 2nd round knockout loss to Manny Pacquiao in May 2009, and he might not want to take on a faster mover like Khan in his first fight back from suffering such a bad knockout like the one he experienced in the Pacquiao fight. There’s questions in the minds of boxing fans whether Hatton’s punch resistance has gone down since his 10th round TKO loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2007.

To add to that problem, Hatton has put on a great deal of weight since his defeat to Pacquiao and needs to take the fat off before he’ll be in any kind of shape to fight someone as young and talented as Khan. There are rumors that Hatton could be facing Juan Manuel Marquez. However, Hatton might need more time to train before he can fight someone as dangerous as Marquez, who will be fighting in May.

Khan says “Obviously, I have a mandatory defence of my WBA title to make [against Maidana] and Ricky probably would want a warm-up fight but maybe later in the year it could happen. It would be the type of fight that would be great at an outdoor venue like one of the big football grounds.”

Khan might be looking ahead a wee bit. Maidana is a huge puncher, and it’s not a certainty that Khan will be able to get by the Argentinean in one piece without being knocked out again. Khan was destroyed in one round by Breidis Prescott in 2008. And since that time, Khan has been in with mostly light punchers. Khan’s trainer Freddie Roach will have to put together a perfect plan which would include a lot of movement for Khan to beat a hard puncher like Maidana, that is, if Khan doesn’t vacate his title.

About Hatton, Khan says “I think I would beat Ricky and I also believe that maybe his style is good for me and the way I box. But Ricky is a proud fighter and he would maybe see a fight with me as a great way to go out on a high. We are at different stages in our careers and maybe the timing would be better for me than it would be for him but that is the way it sometimes goes in boxing. Fighters cross each other at different stages in their careers but I think it would make for a great fight.”

Hatton would be a huge test for Khan. He hits very hard, and is a much better inside fighter than Khan. If Hatton was able to force Khan up against the ropes for any length of time in the fight, there would be a good chance that Hatton would take Khan out. Khan would literally have to be moving at all times in the fight, because if Hatton is able to bull him to the ropes or corner him, it wouldn’t be good for Khan.

“I think I would have the edge in reach and speed while Ricky would be looking to cut the space down and get to work on the inside, but I think I could catch him on the way in,” Khan says. “But who knows. We have different styles and I think that is what would make it a great fight.”
 
Jul 24, 2005
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Graham: “At his peak, Ricky [Hatton] would have destroyed Khan”

By Sean McDaniel: In an interview at the Mirror, Billy Graham, the former trainer of Ricky Hatton, had a lot of positive things to say about his former fighter. “Ricky was the complete package. A fighter like Ricky Hatton comes along cone in a lifetime. Khan will never be able to match him.”

Graham trained Hatton through his entire boxing career until the two separated after Hatton’s fight with Juan Lazcano in 2008.

Graham was the one that molded Hatton into an all out attacking fighter who rolled over most of his opponents, including Kostya Tszyu, until being defeated by Floyd Mayweather Jr. by a 10th round stoppage in 2007. Graham thinks that WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan won’t be able to achieve the same kind of fame and notoriety that Hatton has accomplished during his career, saying “However good Khan is, he will never be as big as Ricky.

What made Ricky so special was not just his exciting style and his great wins. It was the way he appealed to everyone.” Graham seems to be touching on Hatton’s personal charm. There’s no question that Hatton has a great deal of charisma, and seems to have the golden touch with making fans like him as a person and not just a fighter.

Besides that, Hatton has a huge sense of humor and is comfortable talking in front of huge groups of people. If Hatton wasn’t a boxer, he could have been a standup comedian because he’s funny and natural on stage. Khan is shyer, and not quite as relaxed in front of big crowds like Hatton. Another thing that boxing fans like about Hatton is his modesty. He’s never been one to brag, and is the first one to point out his own weaknesses.

Graham says “No one else could attract the crowds he [Hatton] did, and take so many fans over to American to watch him fight. It was unbelievable.” Khan may end up being a huge star like Hatton some day, but it will take wins over top fighters like Marcos Maidana, Timothy Bradley, Devon Alexander and Kendall Holt for that to happen.

Even that might not be enough for Khan to become as popular as Hatton. Khan still might need a fight against a major star like Hatton or Floyd Mayweather Jr. to become the same kind of star that Hatton currently is. Right now, fans are wondering whether Khan will fight his Maidana. This is the kind of fight that Hatton would have likely had no second thoughts about taking. Hopefully, Khan takes the fight and then continues to move forward with his career so that he can become as big as Hatton someday.

As for who would have won had Hatton fought Khan in Ricky’s peak, I think Hatton would be too strong for Khan and would have likely been too tough for him. Freddie Roach, Khan’s trainer, would have designed a style of movement for a fight against Hatton, but I don’t think that would be good enough for Khan to beat him. Hatton would have caught up to Khan at some point in the fight, and unless Khan’s chin was able to stand up to the big punches from Hatton, he would be stopped by Ricky.
 
Jul 24, 2005
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Roach: Pacquiao could fight Mosley-Berto winner

By William Mackay On Friday Night Fights, trainer Freddie Roach said that World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao could face the winner of the January 30th unification bout between WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto vs. WBA title holder Shane Mosley. Roach went on to say that Pacquiao didn’t need a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr., this after their negotiation talks collapsed last week with a failed last ditch effort by an outside mediator.

One thing that Roach seems to be forgetting about the unification bout between Mosley and Berto is that if Mosley emerges as the winner, he might insist that Pacquiao take random blood tests in order for him to fight him. Mosley is part of Golden Boy Promotions and it’s difficult to imagine that he wouldn’t want Pacquiao to take blood tests before fighting him.

That would be a killer if Mosley asks for Pacquiao to do that, because this was what brought the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight down. However, Mosley, if he’s smart, will forgo the blood tests and just take the fight anyway, letting the random urine tests be the drug testing choice for the fight. Mosley would get a huge payday by fighting Pacquiao, so it’s difficult to imagine that Mosley would want to flush his bout against Pacquiao down the drain by insisting on random blood tests.

Last year, Mosley was willing to drain down to a 143 pound catch weight just so that he could get a shot at fighting Pacquiao. However, instead Pacquiao was steered towards WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto. That fight turned out to be an easy one for Pacquiao, as he dominated Cotto for 11 rounds before taking him out with a flurry of punches in the 12th. Mosley would be a very tough fight for Pacquiao.

Mosley, even at 38, might be the best welterweight in the division aside from Mayweather. Mosley is a tough fighter who can slug as well as box. He also has fast hands and would be able to match Pacquiao in the hand speed department. He’s not a come forward type of fighter like Pacquiao’s last two opponents Ricky Hatton and Cotto, so Pacquiao would have to move more than he’s been accustomed to doing in his last several fights.

If Berto emerges the winner of the Mosley bout, this would seem to be a much easier fight for Pacquiao compared to the Mosley bout. Berto comes after his opponents and tries to slug with them. He’s changed his style dramatically in the past year and become a punch and grab type fighter, but that style wouldn’t help him much against Pacquiao. Berto would have to keep away from Pacquiao and try to minimize his exchanges if he didn’t want to get beaten up in the fight.
 
Jul 24, 2005
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Mayweather: Is he an Underachiever?

By Philip Green: Floyd Mayweather Jr is unquestionably a great boxer and amongst the current crop of pound for pound stars, but an all time great he most definitely is not in my view. Not only do I see his record lacking much of the credible opposition that could accord him such lofty status, he is symptomatic of the over-hyped and underachieving American boxers of the modern era. In recent years, Floyd has shown little signs to challenging himself in the way that has endeared rival Manny Pacquiao to so many supporters worldwide and has instead left fans to repeat the absurd assumption that ‘he would have probably beaten him anyway.’

Although their styles occupy opposing ends of the boxing spectrum, the hype surrounding Mayweather reminds me very much of Prince Nameem Hamed. The aura of invincibility vanished after Naz’s first defeat and I think Mayweather’s enormous ego would cause him to suffer a similar fate. Before the Barrera fight ‘The Prince’ floated to the ring in a metal cage, to which HBO commentator Larry Merchant exclaimed, ‘I love guys who are willing to put themselves out on the line’. Sure, Naz left the arena in something resembling a body bag, but at least he tried.

What was arguably Mayweather’s career defining fight against Ricky Hatton was put in to context by Pacquiao within two rounds and left Floyd futilely claiming to have provided the ‘blueprint’ for defeating the Brit. Hatton showed heart and tenacity to step up and challenge at 147 pounds, ‘Money’ in contrast chose to retire from boxing after this fight and take on WWE’s ‘Big Show’. After his self imposed exile he returned against Juan Manuel Marquez, a pumped up Super featherweight who confessed to drinking his own urine. It’s fortunate Floyd’s diva like pre-fight demands did not include random urine testing, because there would have been none left!

I see Mayweather’s fame as largely based on his record breaking 2007 fight against Oscar de la Hoya and role as pantomime villain on HBO’s new 24/7 series. Whilst Floyd played the part perfectly, De la Hoya was already the pay per view king having amassed over 10 million career sales. His bout with Felix Trinidad eight years earlier sold to over 1.5 million viewers and this was before he had even founded Golden boy Promotions.

Don’t get me wrong, I accept that Floyd possesses incredible boxing ability but the hyperbole surrounding his greatness is becoming detached from reality. Until he exhibits the true heart and courage of a champion, he simply does not deserve to be considered within the upper echelons of the sport in my view. After becoming World Champion at 22 and claiming ‘I am the greatest’, Cassius Clay (Mohammad Ali) went on to prove this throughout the course of his career. Floyd Mayweather Jr is yet to do this.
 
Jul 24, 2005
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Arum: “This [Pacquiao-Clottey] is a better fight” [than Mayweather bout]

By Chris Williams: In an article at the Daily Mail, World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum seems to be under the impression that Pacquiao is better off taking the alternate fight against former International Boxing Federation welterweight champion Joshua Clottey instead of unbeaten star Floyd Mayweather Jr., saying “This is a better fight. [Clottey’s] a real strong, aggressive and hard punching African from Ghana and he poses a real test for Manny.”

That’s nice to hear. However, it’s hard to buy what Arum is saying about Clottey being a better fight than Mayweather. If Arum means better, as in easier, then I can agree with him on that. I think Pacquiao can actually win this fight, although Clottey is going to beat him up a little in the process. No one beats Clottey without taking an enormous amount of punishment in the process.

Pacquiao will beat Clottey, I have little doubts, but Manny is going to take an awful amount of head shots in the process of getting the win. Because of his fast hands and good power, Clottey will be able to give Pacquiao a lot of problems. Clottey will be the bigger fighter and will come into the fight against Pacquiao at 160 or so the night of the fight.

It’s probable that Pacquiao’s management will have a high penalty in place so that if Clottey comes in overweight for the fight, he’ll have to pay a lot for it. However, Clottey doesn’t come in overweight for his fights, so this won’t have any effect on the fight.

The location of the fight hasn’t been determined as of yet, but there is talk about it taking place at the Dallas Cowboy stadium in Texas. It’s hard to see the huge stadium, which can accommodate as many as 100,000 fans, selling out, as least not for this fight. There are lot of Pacquiao fans in the United States, but it would be asking a lot for them to travel all the way to Texas to fight Clottey, a non champion, who was defeated only last year by recent Pacquiao victim Miguel Cotto.

Mayweather is still interested in making the fight with Pacquiao. However, it doesn’t seem likely unless Mayweather is willing to forgo the random blood tests for Pacquiao. Arum says “There’s always later in the year and there’s next year, it’s up to Mayweather. But if he starts this nonsense again with testing or anything than let him take a walk.” That sounds like if Mayweather wants to fight Pacquiao, he will have to forget about blood testing or else he won’t get the fight with him. As things stand, Pacquiao didn’t want to have blood testing to take place any closer than 24 days before the fight. Mayweather asked for 14 days, but it was not accepted.

The Clottey fight will be a good test to see how much money and fan interest can be generated for a Pacquiao fight without facing a major star. Pacquiao’s popularity has surged in the past year with wins over Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto, all popular fighters. Clottey isn’t nearly as well known as any of those fighters.
 
Jul 24, 2005
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Frank Warren: There is a rumour a certain British fighter is using HGH – News

By Liam Santiago: In his weekly column in the sun, Frank Warren claims that there is a strong rumour that a certain British fighter is using human growth hormones. However, Warren did not state which boxer it is. You must figure that out for yourself. Warren said, ”The use of growth hormone could be an increasing problem within boxing. There is a strong rumour one British fighter – and his trainer – have been taking it”.

Warren went on to say, ”HGH, a naturally-occurring substance, adds bulk if taken in excessive amounts and is seen by some idiots as the perfect pill for fighters who want to move quickly into higher weight divisions. The British Boxing Board of Control get a lot of things right when it comes to protecting the safety and interests of boxers, and I’d like to see fighters randomly tested for HGH”.

Personally, I could not begin to even think about which fighter he may be talking about. I have not got the slightest clue who it may be. I honestly thought all British fighters were, as they say in the drug industry, clean.
 
Jul 24, 2005
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Lopez vs. Luevano, Gamboa and blasts Caballero; Celestino fires back at Juanma

By Peter Wells: Puerto Rican fighter Juan Manuel Lopez has been criticized badly for moving up for featherweight to fight Steven Luevano instead of fighting the Super Bantamweight number #1 Celestino Caballero.

Lopez is the current World Boxing Organization Super Bantamweight champion while Caballero holds the WBA and IBF titles. Lopez has had plenty to say about Caballero, and he better prove his trash talk right by fighting Celestino next.

According to the latest boxing news, Lopez is saying he feels a lot better at 126lbs and he was feeling drained at 122lbs. So is there any chance he’ll be coming back down at all. So Lopez has done his homework and should be really ready for this fight, and hopefully will have the solutions to winning.

So Lopez is looking forward to fighting Gamboa despite keep pushing the date back from June to next year.

First thing Caballero is number 1 at Super Bantamweight ahead of Lopez. Just because Lopez has moved up a division he thinks he owns it. Of course the fans and HBO want it, no one wants to see him destroy nobody’s anymore, and the way he’s trash talking makes people want to see him get a beating.

Caballero is no doubt going to make sure he gets this fight, but also the fans will as well, after Lopez saying Caballero isn’t in his class it has enraged many fans and now Lopez will have nowhere to hide. This fight needs to happen, and Caballero doesn’t have to prove himself, he’s the 8th best boxer pound for pound and nicely ahead of Juanma.
 
Dec 9, 2005
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Sucks for me. I booked my flight and hotel for March 13th in Vegas, like a dumb ass.


Considered going to Texas, but fuck that. Not unless its for Pacquiao-Mayweather. The Clottey fight is going to be more exciting, no doubt. But it just isn't the same magnitude.

Texas judges are crooks though.
 
Jul 24, 2005
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Nathan Cleverly - Is He Ready For Tavoris Cloud Now

by James Slater - Unbeaten Welshman Nathan Cleverly is now ranked at number-three in the IBF light-heavyweight ratings. The 22-year-old (23 in Feb.) who already holds the British and Commonwealth titles at 175-pounds has spoken of his desire to become a world champion, yet he has made it clear he is in no immediate hurry. However, with his (vacant) European title fight with Italian Antonio Brancalion (originally set for Jan. 29th) now off and with his high rating with the IBF, could Cleverly conceivably opt to face unbeaten IBF champ Tavoris Cloud sooner than anyone expected?

Even if he sticks with his plan of first winning the European title (assuming he can get the seemingly reluctant Italian to face him), there's a great chance Cleverly, 18-0(8) will face Florida's Cloud sometime this year. And, as good as he's looked thus far in his exciting pro career, could the tall-for-the-weight talent manage a win in 2010?

Cloud, a fine, all-action fighter who throws a ton of shots in every round, may not have even heard of Cleverly, and he may instead be focusing on facing next the winner of the Yusaf Mack-Glen Johnson IBF elimination bout. But as long as he keeps on winning, thus retaining his lofty ranking with the IBF, Cleverly is sure to make Cloud's acquaintance pretty soon. And what a clash of styles the fight would be.

28-year-old Cloud, 20-0(18) is the bigger puncher of the two, yet the 5'10" warrior is not perhaps as skilled a boxer as Cleverly. Winning the title from Britain's Clinton Woods in a good fight, Cloud was hit a few times - with his ambition along with his speed and class, maybe Cleverly could hit him a whole lot more than Woods did?

So far, Cleverly has shown he has all the tools necessary to go all the way. Experience at the very top level aside, the exciting prospect has achieved most everything so far. He has proven he has skill, he has sucked it up and gone 12 hard rounds, he has taken some decent shots without being hurt and Cleverly has also sat down on his puncher in recent fights, proving he does hit a little harder than his record suggests, the Welshman is also a proven body puncher. And, even though a fight with Cloud would/will be the real acid test for him, I think Cleverly is up to the challenge - even right now.

Yes, Cloud is a tough nut and he is also in excellent shape every time out and seems to enjoy a good, hard fight, but I can see the taller, more naturally gifted boxer winning a hard-fought decision. Without a doubt, Cleverly is one of the most talented up-and-coming fighters we should be watching in the coming 12 months. Would it be an upset if the 23-year-old beat Cloud in his next fight or two? Yes, but not a terribly shocking one. Here's to hoping we get to see the new wannabe star get his shot this year.
 
Jul 24, 2005
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Dawson-Pascal Being Targeted For June 19 on HBO

By Rick Reeno

BoxingScene.com has been advised that IBO/WBC-interim light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson is going to return on June 19. HBO will televise the fight. The opponent and venue is unknown but Dawson's camp would like to get the full WBC champion Jean Pascal in the ring, and Pascal wants the fight as well. If they finalize a deal for Pascal, it would make the most financial sense to hold the fight in Canada.
 
Dec 9, 2005
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http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=4814829

By Dan Rafael
ESPN.com
Archive
Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao will still compete against each other on March 13, but not in the ring. Instead, they will be duking it out for pay-per-view buys.

Two days after Top Rank's Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter, announced plans for Pacquiao to defend his welterweight title against former titlist Joshua Clottey on March 13, Mayweather is making plans to fight on the same night.

While Pacquiao will face Clottey at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, just outside of Dallas -- Arum concluded a deal with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on Sunday -- Mayweather will face an opponent to be determined at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com on Sunday night.

"It's a date Golden Boy has had for a long time and nothing has changed," Schaefer said. "We have been talking to Team Mayweather to see who the opponent will be. I hope to have something to announce in the next few days."

The MGM Grand was supposed to host the Pacquiao-Mayweather megafight before it broke up for good on Friday over a month-long dispute between the camps on the drug testing protocol for a bout that many believed would be the highest grossing fight in history.

According to sources, Mayweather's list of potential opponents includes former junior welterweight titlist Paulie Malignaggi and Golden Boy-promoted former lightweight titlist Nate Campbell, both smaller men than Mayweather, as well as former welterweight titlist Kermit Cintron, who is a similar kind of opponent as Clottey is for Pacquiao. There is also a more remote possibility of Mayweather facing junior welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley Jr., who has ties to Showtime, which may not want to let him walk away for a possible fight on rival HBO PPV.

One opponent Mayweather will not be facing is Matthew Hatton, the brother of former junior welterweight champ Ricky Hatton, whom Mayweather knocked out in a 2007 welterweight title fight. Reports in Matthew Hatton's native England indicate that he is under consideration.

However, Schaefer said that is not the case.

"There is absolutely no truth to the rumors about Matthew Hatton. I can't tell you for sure who Floyd will fight, but I can tell you for sure it won't be Matthew Hatton," Schaefer said.

With Pacquiao and Mayweather going their separate ways against lesser opponents on competing pay-per-view cards, HBO, which has broadcast both fighters' biggest bouts on pay-per-view, is in a position where it will have to make a choice on whether it will support one fighter over the other or neither.

The network has been mum on its plans for March 13, although Arum and Schaefer both told ESPN.com that they have spoken to the network about their fights. Arum is also prepared to put on his event as a Top Rank-produced pay-per-view.

It would be highly unusual for there to be pay-per-view cards on the same night featuring major stars in separate bouts, but that is exactly what could happen.

"It is unusual, but what can I do," Schaefer said. "It wasn't Floyd who walked away from the Pacquiao fight. There is nothing I can really say about it. I've had the date [March 13] for a long time. Initially it was for the Bernard Hopkins-Roy Jones fight [which won't come off because Jones was knocked out in a Dec. 2 interim bout]. You know what? It is what it is. I'm not getting excited about it anymore. I am sitting outside having a cigar and [expletive]. It is what it is.

"It's not good. Its not good for Pacquiao to go on that date, which we had for a long time. We had that date, end of story. So it's not good. How can it be good? It's not good for boxing. It's not good for boxing that Pacquiao and Mayweather are not fighting each other. I worked really hard to make that happen and it's not. And I am not belittling Pacquiao's fight with Clottey. It's OK. Hey, we have a piece of [the promotional contract of] Pacquiao. But is it ideal? No it's not. Is it the end of boxing? Is the world collapsing? No it is not. We all have to look to March 14. March 13 will pass and on March 14 boxing will still be there and there will be exciting fights, and nothing will change that."

Schaefer said he was unsure what HBO planned to do, but he hoped it would support Mayweather's bout.

"Nobody wants competing fights. HBO doesn't want it," he said. "Nobody in their clear mind can be happy about Mayweather fighting somebody else or Pacquiao fighting somebody else. But we all have to live with it and accept. I'm a boxing fan too and I am pissed off about what happened. Anyone who says anything different is lying. I wish there had been something I could do about it, so I am very frustrated and disappointed, but Floyd Mayweather will still fight."

If Mayweather wins his March bout, Schaefer said he could next meet Shane Mosley, the welterweight champion (and Golden Boy partner) who first faces Andre Berto in a Jan. 30 unification fight. Before taking the fight with Berto, Mosley spent months trying to land a bout with either Mayweather or Pacquiao.



Dan Rafael covers boxing for ESPN.com.
 
Aug 31, 2003
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By Rick Reeno

BoxingScene.com has been advised that IBO/WBC-interim light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson is going to return on June 19. HBO will televise the fight. The opponent and venue is unknown but Dawson's camp would like to get the full WBC champion Jean Pascal in the ring, and Pascal wants the fight as well. If they finalize a deal for Pascal, it would make the most financial sense to hold the fight in Canada.
Wow .. June 19th? I'll never understand why fighters take such long layoffs in the process of making names for themselves .. both Dawson & Pascal should take a fight before this happens. Pascal could take a semi easy defense in Canada and still make decent money and have Dawson defend on the undercard to build it up .. and boom you got a fight people want to see. This should be a pretty dope fight though ..
 
Jul 24, 2005
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Universum responds to Felix Sturm’s breach of contract

Contrary to stories in the press put about by Sturm’s side in the last few weeks, Felix Sturm remains under exclusive contract to Universum. Universum will take any legal steps necessary to ensure that Felix Sturm remains obliged to fulfil his exclusive contract with Universum until 2012, when the contract ends. We will not tolerate his participation in any boxing matches which violate our exclusive contractual rights..

Following Mr Sturm’s rejection of an offer by Universum of a voluntary title defence bout to be fought in November or December 2009, the WBA (World Boxing Association) ruled that Mr Sturm must defend his world champion title in a mandatory title bout by April 2010 at the latest. The official challenger was named by the WBA as Gennady Golovkin, who is currently ranked no. 2 in the world and who is also under contract to Universum. Universum has asked for Mr Sturm’s cooperation in arranging this fight to ensure that it can be carried out in accordance with contractual provisions and with the WBA Rules.

Universum and Felix Sturm have worked together for years, and until recently (Mr Sturm’s last title defence bout at the Nürburgring on July 11, 2009), their partnership has been successful and mutually satisfactory. We have put much time, energy and patience into enabling Mr Sturm to attain the status of world champion – including procuring him a fight against boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya in Las Vegas. We stood by him unconditionally when a KO defeat lost him his title in the summer of 2006, and continued to work with him and for him to become world champion again. Until our last joint boxing match at the Nürburgring, we had not the slightest indication that Mr Sturm was anything other than completely satisfied with this extraordinarily successful and loyal partnership. We can thus only conclude that his entirely unforeseen attempt to terminate the contract in August 2009 and the public provocations of the past few weeks are primarily the result of the influence of external advisers.
 
Jul 24, 2005
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Pacquiao's Goal Will Be To Knock Joshua Clottey Out

By Mark Vester

When Manny Pacquiao defends his WBO welterweight title against Joshua Clottey on March 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Texas, the fists will be flying. Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach recently said the overall goal in the fight is to knock Clottey out. Clottey has a jaw of steel and that gives him more motivation to train Pacquiao for a KO win.

"I think we're going to get him out in twelve easily, but he's definitely a tough guy to knockout though. That's our goal, to knock him out and be one of the first ones to do that," Roach said to Fighthype.com's OnTheGrind radio show.

As expected, Roach will train Pacquiao to fight Clottey in a similiar manner as he did with Oscar De La Hoya in 2008. There will be a lot of movement and explosive, fast combination punching to break Clottey's good defense.

"We have to box this guy, in-and-out, side-to-side motion, and really, really be very tactical because he's a very strong and big puncher and has a good chin of course. Again, it's not an easy fight, but it's a fight that we want to fight because it's a fight that the fans will enjoy and that's what we want."


this aint happing manny
 
Jul 24, 2005
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Mayweather vs. Pacquiao: Two Egos Too Big, One Fight Not Too Big To Fail

by David P. Greisman

There are no good excuses. There are no good explanations. There are no winners.

It is no wonder.

It is no wonder that the biggest fight featuring the biggest talents, the biggest stars, became the biggest disappointment, the biggest embarrassment, all as a result of the biggest egos.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao had a mandate – fight each other. Put the two best boxers, pound-for-pound, in the same ring. See who is better.

They could do it for pride. How often do two of the best fighters in a weight class face each other, much less two of the best fighters in the sport?

They could do it for money. Mayweather, in his past three pay-per-view appearances, had buy rates of 2.44 million (Oscar De La Hoya), 920,000 (Ricky Hatton) and 1 million (Juan Manuel Marquez). Pacquiao, in his past three pay-per-view appearances, had buy rates of 1.25 million (De La Hoya), 850,000 (Hatton), and 1.25 million (Miguel Cotto).

At best, Mayweather-Pacquiao could break records and make millions upon millions. At worst, everyone involved would still make millions upon millions.

It was too big to fail.

They found a way.

For once, it wasn’t about money. They had agreed on who would get paid more – it would be a 50-50 split.

It was about pride.

Mayweather wanted Pacquiao to be tested for performance enhancing drugs. He wanted the tests to be more stringent than any done in boxing, beyond the normal urine tests. He wanted blood drawn, and he wanted the testing to be done randomly, unscheduled.

It is possible that Mayweather, unbeaten after 13 years and 40 bouts, wanted to be sure his toughest fight to date would be a fair fight. It is also possible that Mayweather, after 13 years and 40 bouts in which he never asked any of his other opponents to undergo random blood testing, wanted not just to get under Pacquiao’s skin literally, but figuratively, too.

There is no solid reason to believe Pacquiao is on performance enhancing drugs. None. There is only suspicion fueled by Pacquiao’s success, suspicion voiced by former 140-pound beltholder Paulie Malignaggi and Mayweather’s father, Floyd Mayweather Sr.

“I believe he’s on some type of supplements,” Mayweather Sr. said in September in an interview with the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press. “Everybody should be checked a little bit more thoroughly. Sometimes people know what’s going on, but they ain’t saying nothing.”

“I think there is something up with Manny Pacquiao,” Malignaggi said in an interview in November with Ryan Burton of BoxingScene.com, shortly after Pacquiao had beaten Miguel Cotto by technical knockout. “Full blown welterweights don’t take those type of punches from Miguel Cotto the way he took them with total disregard for his power, nor do they hurt him with every punch they hit him with. These are full blown welterweights I am talking about. This guy is coming up in weight and doing all these things.”

It didn’t matter that Pacquiao weighed about the same on fight night when fighting as a welterweight as he did on fight night when fighting as a lightweight.

It didn’t matter that Pacquiao had never failed a drug test, though admittedly the state commission urine testing is not as stringent as the necessarily paranoid blood testing that goes on in the Olympics and in the Tour de France.

It didn’t matter what Pacquiao was beating fighters by using his speed and his style, which made him harder to hit, made his punches harder to see and made his punches harder to take.

It didn’t matter that Pacquiao is similar to Mayweather.

Pacquiao, at 16 years old, was a 106-pound professional boxer. At 31, he is an undersized welterweight who doesn’t need to boil down to make weight, who uses movement, speed and smarts to win and has enough power to keep his opponents honest.

Mayweather, at 15 years old, was a 106-pound amateur boxer. At 32, he is an undersized welterweight who doesn’t need to boil down to make weight, who uses movement, speed and smarts to win and has enough power to keep his opponents honest.

It is about pride.

Pacquiao didn’t want blood testing to be done, potentially, at any time, possibly disrupting his training. He balked at the proposed terms of the fight. It didn’t matter that Mayweather would have to undergo the same testing. Pacquiao was offended.

It is possible that Pacquiao felt that Mayweather was attempting a power play, attempting to force Pacquiao to accept terms he had never had to fight under before, to defend himself against unfounded accusations, to prove a negative when there had never been any proof positive.

It is also possible that Pacquiao has used performance enhancing drugs. But that is only because there is never any certainty anymore. Not when so many professional athletes have been caught by tests. Not when so many other professional athletes have been implicated in investigations, even when they found ways not to be caught by tests.

There is no solid reason to believe Pacquiao is on performance enhancing drugs. Pacquiao could have provided even more proof he is not.

Pride comes in several forms. Pacquiao could stick to his pride and refuse to give in to demands that arose out of allegations, especially allegations that arose without evidence. Or Pacquiao could show his pride and show his doubters just how wrong they are.

This isn’t the first time Pacquiao’s pride has gotten in the way.

Pacquiao’s fight with De La Hoya nearly fell apart because Pacquiao wanted more money. Pacquiao’s fight with Hatton nearly fell apart because Pacquiao wanted more money.

Winning the fight is no longer the only thing the boxer worries about. Now it is just as important to land the first blow during negotiations.

Negotiations between Mayweather and Pacquiao’s promoters failed. Mediation failed to produce a compromise both sides could accept. Mayweather’s team said blood testing could end no sooner than 14 days before the fight. Pacquiao’s team wanted 24 days, which is the same point that Pacquiao had given blood prior to another bout.

Now the fight is off. There are no good excuses. There are no good explanations. There are no winners. There are just two too big egos.

The fight could still happen. The money is still on the table, even if the timetable has changed. The fight would still be huge. But it has diminished from what it could have been.

Mayweather has often found ways to tear down fighters others wanted him to face. They have losses on their record. They haven’t beaten anyone. They turned him down in the past.

Meanwhile, Mayweather’s detractors have found ways to tear down the fighters he has faced instead. They are past their prime. They have no chance of winning. There are better opponents out there.

Through his demands of Pacquiao, Mayweather has given his detractors reason to tear down a fighter they wanted him to face. If Mayweather were to face Pacquiao and defeat him, it would be a victory over a Pacquiao who was no longer the unstoppable force supposedly boosted by performance enhancing drugs.

In 2009, Pacquiao reached the pinnacle of a long, brilliant career. He was in “Time” magazine, on television, in the news, in conversations. Now his name has been tarnished without him even losing in the ring.

The accusations had no proof. But with Pacquiao failing to provide proof otherwise, those accusations linger and fester, maligning his reputation, no matter how unfair the situation.

How often do two of the best fighters in a weight class face each other, much less two of the best fighters in the sport? This should have been a year remembered for such a momentous match. Instead, when it comes time to recall what Mayweather and Pacquiao have done, we will be reminded of what Mayweather and Pacquiao did not.

The 10 Count

1. Media coverage of the Mayweather-Pacquiao imbroglio proved to be a double-edged sword. It gave what seemed like play-by-play coverage of the negotiations and eventual collapse, but it also included the compromising of journalistic principles.

It is one thing for media to quote the boxers and promoters as they tear into each other – at least they are doing so on the record. But it is another thing for media to use unfounded rumors or hearsay, never following the basic tenet of “Trust, but verify.”

One longtime boxing writer, Tim Smith of the New York Daily News, cited “a source familiar with the talks” as saying representatives of Pacquiao’s camp asked how Manny Pacquiao would be penalized if he tested positive for performance enhancing drugs – and asking if a positive test could be kept secret “so that the integrity of the fight wouldn’t be ruined in the public eye.”

(The quoted sections were Smith’s words.)

Was this “source familiar with the talks” with Team Mayweather or Team Pacquiao? Political reporters are often chided when they let a member of one party speak anonymously solely for the purpose of attacking the other party. Boxing writers should be held to the same standard.

This very well could have been a calculated leak put forth to shame Pacquiao, and done so anonymously so the source could keep from being held responsible. But we won’t know. We have no clue as to the veracity of and the motivation behind this information.

2. Teddy Atlas seconded Smith’s report in a segment on last week’s season premiere of ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights.”

“From sources that told me, they said that people in the Pacquiao camp sent a couple of e-mails to the Mayweather camp a few weeks ago, about two, three weeks ago,” Atlas said. “And the first e-mail was ‘What would the penalty be if our guy tested positive?’ The second e-mail was ‘If he did test positive, could we keep this a secret for the benefit of boxing?’

“Again, I don’t know other than my source, who I trust, told me that he saw those e-mails,” Atlas said. “I also know that Tim Smith, the columnist from the Daily News, reported on the same thing I just said.”

Did Atlas see these e-mails? Or is he just reporting what someone told him without verifying what he was told? Wouldn’t journalists for ESPN.com be held to a higher standard than this?

3. And then there was Michael Marley, repeating on Examiner.com an unfounded rumor that appeared to have gotten its start on a couple of boxing message boards. The rumor claimed that Michael Moorer, the former champion who had worked as an assistant at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club, tipped off Floyd Mayweather’s camp about Pacquiao and performance enhancing drugs.

“I don’t put any credence into this rumor,” Marley wrote. “I simply report to you to underline that the dirty pool games will continue between the opposing sides.”

Marley said the rumor came from “some Mayweather caddy,” but the only place I saw it was through message boards, where it spread like how swine flu was supposed to do.

What was the news value to the story? How many message board rumors get similar treatment?

To Marley’s credit, he did follow up in an article that ran Sunday after he got in touch with Moorer.

“Moorer made it plain that he’s no snitch in the first place and, in the second place, he has nothing illegal to report on concerning Pacman,” Marley wrote.

4. The problem doesn’t stop with Smith, Atlas and Marley. The issue is that each has been around the sport for some time, and as such the words of each carries weight. Their words are parroted on boxing news sites, blogs and message boards, and rumor gets repeated and repeated and repeated until it doesn’t matter whether it is even true.

One quick note: I wasn’t sure whether to name Smith and Marley. I was once blindsided by one boxing writer chiding me for something I wrote, and even though he didn’t name me, I was taken by surprise.

But it would have been silly for me to refer to Atlas’ words without naming him, especially when so many boxing fans saw and heard what he said. And it would have been unfair for me to name Atlas without naming Smith and Marley. This was not meant to disrespect any of the three, but rather to ask questions I felt should have been asked.

5. Boxers Behaving Badly update, part one: A judge last week tossed out a weapons charge that had been filed against Daniel Judah, the light heavyweight brother of Zab Judah, according to the New York Daily News.

Judah, 32, was arrested in July 2008 after police were called to a construction site in Brooklyn for a report of a robbery. He was charged with trespassing and criminal possession of a weapon.

But the judge ruled that the gun police found came as a result of an illegal search, that there was “nothing more suspicious than a person holding their pocket” when officers saw Judah.

A spokesman for the prosecutor’s office said they are considering their options as to whether to continue forward with what remains of the case.

Daniel Judah last fought in February 2009, losing a 10-round decision to Glen Johnson. His record is 23-4-3 with 10 knockouts.

6. Boxers Behaving Badly update, part two: Oh, to have been a reporter in the courtroom last week during the trial of light heavyweight titlist Jurgen Brahmer.

Brahmer, 31, is accused of assaulting a woman last year in a bar in the German city of Schwerin.

According to BoxingScene.com correspondent Per Ake Persson, Brahmer’s defense team decided to play a song: Bob Dylan’s “Hurricane,” which tells the story of how former middleweight contender Rubin Carter was wrongly convicted of murder.

The verdict in Brahmer’s case is expected to come this Tuesday (Jan. 12).

7. The prosecution should’ve responded with Inner Circle’s “Bad Boys.”

And if Brahmer is found guilty? The Clash: “I Fought The Law.”

8. Boxers Behaving Badly, part one: British lightweight Henry Castle has been arrested and charged with sexual assaulting a 17-year-old girl early on New Year’s Day, according to the Southern Daily Echo.

Castle, 30, appeared in court last week and was remanded into police custody until Jan. 15. He is also facing a charge of wounding with intent.

Castle’s record is 20-5 with 11 knockouts. His last fight came in July, a points loss to Gary Buckland in an elimination bout for the British Boxing Board of Control lightweight title.

9. Back, for a moment, to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao – because isn’t that the only story in boxing these days?

Top Rank, which promotes Pacquiao, wasted little time in finding another opponent for its biggest star. Pacquiao will face Joshua Clottey on March 13 at Cowboys Stadium. The fight will be aired on pay-per-view. And though Clottey is coming off a split decision loss to Miguel Cotto (whom Pacquiao went on to stop), this seems like far from an easy fight for Pacquiao.

As for Mayweather, his next opponent has not yet been chosen, according to Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, which represents Mayweather.

Schaefer told Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports that they’ve contacted several potential opponents, though he did not name them, and that a deal could be reached soon.

Many names have been floated in the rumor mill, but, well, we know how I feel about rumors. One name, Matthew Hatton, the welterweight younger brother of Ricky Hatton, claims Mayweather’s camp has contacted his team three times.

10. Matthew Hatton? Really?

It could be worse…

It could be Bobby Pacquiao…
 
Oct 18, 2003
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By Mark Vester

When Manny Pacquiao defends his WBO welterweight title against Joshua Clottey on March 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Texas, the fists will be flying. Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach recently said the overall goal in the fight is to knock Clottey out. Clottey has a jaw of steel and that gives him more motivation to train Pacquiao for a KO win.

"I think we're going to get him out in twelve easily, but he's definitely a tough guy to knockout though. That's our goal, to knock him out and be one of the first ones to do that," Roach said to Fighthype.com's OnTheGrind radio show.

As expected, Roach will train Pacquiao to fight Clottey in a similiar manner as he did with Oscar De La Hoya in 2008. There will be a lot of movement and explosive, fast combination punching to break Clottey's good defense.

"We have to box this guy, in-and-out, side-to-side motion, and really, really be very tactical because he's a very strong and big puncher and has a good chin of course. Again, it's not an easy fight, but it's a fight that we want to fight because it's a fight that the fans will enjoy and that's what we want."


this aint happing manny
i'm looking at a tko. clottys muscle bound arms gonna get tired.
 
Jul 24, 2005
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Jorge Arce Says Retirement Looms, 2010 To Be His Last

By Mark Vester

Former champion Jorge Arce (52-6, 40KOs) is training for what may be the last fight of his career. He takes on Angky Angkota (23-4, 14KOs) of Indonesia on January 30 for the vacant WBO super flyweight title in Toluca, Mexico. Arce lost two of his three fights last year and admits that he isn't the same fighter that he used to be a few years ago.

Arce will retire from the sport if he loses this fight. A winning outcome will not play a role once this year is out. Arce plans to retire at the end of the year and start working full-time in the broadcast booth like other Mexican fighters like Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., Raul Marquez and Ricardo Lopez.

"I'm training hard for Angkota, because if I lose it's going to be my retirement. Either way this will be my last year as a boxer," said Arce to ESTO. "Angky likes to fight, so I should give an excellent performance for the people. I will not disrespect him, I expect a tough contest. When I leave this sport I will be commentator for TV Azteca. I've made a decision to hang up his gloves and I spoke with my family. I have two girls and another on the way. We must recognize that what goes up will eventually come down over time."

"My wish is to finish my career with a world title so my people can remember me in the right way. Angkota is aggressive. We'll hit the body to test his condition. Like I said if he wins, I will automatically retirement."