Manny Pacquiao -- Boxing Champ!

Ricky Hatton will KO Manny Pacquiao

2008-12-14T16:25:00.000+08:00

THAT a card featuring new boxing superstar Manny Pacquaio and Manchurian Hitman Ricky Hatton is next year's biggest opening megafight to look forward to is beyond argument.

Not only will it be a blockbuster of phone booth brawl. It will also ignite and whet the appetites of the most rabid fight fans from United Kingdom and this part of Asia.

Whether it is held in Las Vegas (again), at the Wembley Stadium that will seat 100,000 fans or in Dubai where the two could meet halfway and where Manny will not be wanting with fellow Filipino partisans, it has money written all over.

But there is one side show I would like to see after the fight is over.

And I am placing my retirement fund that Ricky will knockout Manny cold and out of his feet.

Come to think of it, who do you guess will be the last man standing if you pit Manny against Ricky in a beer-guzzling post fight Gunfight at the OK Corral?

Hatton is the classic Brit who cannot seem to wait for his fight to be over before he rushes into the pub for his ale, welts and bruises all over.

Manny may not be as beer-thirsty in all his post fights, but tales of his indulging in booze when not in training is no tale at all. Manny drinks, too, period.

When the two square off inside the pub, it should be the biggest brawl in, nay outside of, boxing world.

I bet Manny will loose this one.

While Manny may down us leisure drinkers (his favorite is San Miguel Light), he will not be up against Hatton who does not drink water at all according to rumors.

But seriously, before we get punched by Manny for even daring him to face Ricky in dusk-to-dawn 'pa-morningan' beer guzzling draw, a May or June face off with Hatton would be the most interesting fight to look forward the whole of 2009 – that is if Floyd Mayweather Jr., does not come out from his retirement cocoon.

Ricky is fast to the draw and furious with his punches. He rushes forward like a speeding truck.

Manny, on the other hand, is a whirldwind – a tornado in fact. One who packs his punches in bunches. He also is like a bull. But a bull who could move sideways, backward and forward that bullfighter could not handle.

It is interesting to see if Hatton could hit Manny at all before he gets his arse kicked out.

For Ricky Hatton's WBC light welterweight crown, I will predict a Manny win. And this one will not go the distance.

We may yet again see Manny drive another champ into retirement. After all, Manny just earned his new moniker as the The Finisher.

No worry Ricky, you will get your pay and all the beer to drown all lifelong. You may even get to open a pub of your own.

Pacquiao likely to decide to run for QC congressional post

2008-12-09T13:01:00.000+08:00

Amid talks on Manny Pacquiao’s renewed interest in running for public office, a lawmaker on Tuesday said there are high chances that the Filipino boxing champion may seek another bid for a congressional seat.

“Siguro 70 percent (Probably 70 percent)," Quezon City's Rep. Mary Ann Susano said in an interview on dzBB when she was asked on the odds of Pacquiao running for congressman of the second district of Quezon City.

Susano on Monday disclosed that Pacquiao may run for the post in 2010 after his unsuccessful congressional run in his hometown General Santos City.

"Inalok sa kanya, inalok naman sa akin isang position. It's a dream team (He was offered the candidacy, while another position was offered for me)," said Susano on Monday, although she refused to disclose what position was offered her.

According to the lawmaker, Pacquiao said he will give his final decision when he returns to the Philippines . "He was there (in the meeting)... Sabi niya pagbalik niya final na (He said he will give his final decision when he returns)," she said.

In 2007, Pacquiao ran as congressman for the first district of South Cotabato but lost to Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio.

Pacquiao is set to arrive in Manila Wednesday.

Humility in victory

2008-12-09T12:59:00.000+08:00

ONCE more, Manny Pacquiao has demonstrated that the Filipino’s indomitable courage and abiding faith in the goodness of a caring and protecting God could overcome the non-believers and men of little faith with his overwhelming eighth-round TKO victory over The Golden Boy Oscar de la Hoya on Sunday morning, Manila time.

Undoubtedly the greatest Filipino and Asian champion of all time and a certified national treasure, Pacquiao not only showed his consummate skill, but also his incredible hand-speed and footwork, awesome punching power and a spirit that was unflinching.

His achievements in the ring through the years are a beacon of hope for millions of Filipinos mired in a sense of hopelessness. Manny, who broke away from the shackles of his childhood poverty, sent a message to all his countrymen that with grim determination, sacrifice and hard work there is nothing the Filipino cannot achieve.

Longtime Pacquiao supporter, Secretary Lito Atienza, said Manny serves as a good example for young Filipinos to follow. But the young are not this nation’s problem, it’s the older men and women many of whom should be ashamed of themselves for what they have done and continue to do to this beloved land and its people.

Those, who wanted the fight against De la Hoya stopped, branding it a terrible mismatch and a circus as well as a farce, were made to look farcical by the spectacular performance of Pacquiao, who was the master of a legend and effectively proved that simple, honest and dedicated individuals can achieve far more than grandstanding politicians and other miscellaneous individuals who prey on our people with scant respect for what the good Lord asks of them.

God’s gifts are special young men such as Manny Pacquiao, who have shown that discipline, integrity, hard work, commitment and love of God and their fellow human beings are the essence of what our nation needs as it searches for a hero, who can combine the virtues and values of a Pacquiao with a vision and a game plan for our nation. We may not need a lawyer as a leader for what we need is someone with an appreciation and feel for a sense of justice that is inherent in people who genuinely care such as Manny.

We have been gladdened no end that Manny has changed his sometimes wild and wooly ways and settled down to a good and decent family life realizing that to love his wife and children, to help his parents and to remember the goodness of God from whom all blessings flow, is paramount.

The sight of Manny praying in his locker room, going down on his knees in his corner in the ring before the fight and rather than celebrate his victory by beating his chest and prancing around the ring like a conquering hero, walked slowly to his corner, went down on his knees and whispered a fervent prayer to the Almighty to whom he turned to for protection, guidance and if it was His will, victory, filled our hearts. Even our parish priest at St. Paul the Apostle in Quezon City, Fr. Nong, himself a basketball player and official in his youth and a true sports fan, pointed to Pacquiao’s commendable gesture in his Sunday homily.

It was a victory he shared—as he always has—with his country and people. There was one other dimension to the story of unity that needs to be shared.

ABS-CBN, a fierce competitor of GMA-7 and perhaps to a lesser extent Solar Sports, which had the TV rights for the Philippines, recognized that the Pacquiao-De la Hoya fight was a legitimate news story and gave it unbelievable attention and coverage.

Dyan Castillejo was in the US for over a week and filed some excellent reports. Channel 2, ANC and dzMM Radio spent precious time on its various programs to talk about all aspects of the Dream Match. The men and women behind the giant broadcast network placed the worth of a story above any competitive differences which in itself sent a telling message to the rest of the country. Indeed, they earned our respect and admiration.

In his moment of triumph, Manny was respectful to the man he vanquished, Oscar de la Hoya, who has done so much for boxing with his class and his decency. When he told Oscar “you are still my idol no matter what happened,” Pacquiao showed his true class. And when De la Hoya replied: “No, now you are my idol,” it was class personified.

For all the pre-fight hype, the goodness of both men shone through with a glow that one hardly sees in boxing today. Manny was magnanimous and humble in victory, while Oscar was gracious in defeat.

In a troubled time with deception, deceit, mistrust and petty bickering wrecking the fabric of national society, Pacquiao helped us all forget our individual and collective pain and helped us rejoice like never before, proud of a simple young man from Mindanao, who achieved what many so-called experts said could not be done. Ah, men of little faith you failed miserably to realize that the Filipino has the sterling qualities of a champion. And that Manny Pacquiao is a champion for all time.

Watch De La Hoya, Pacquiao free live streaming, updates and results

2008-12-07T11:46:00.002+08:00

Watch De La Hoya, Pacquiao free live streaming, updates and results
here.

Manny Pacquiao is on the Cover of Readers’ Digest

2008-12-04T11:23:00.000+08:00

The cover says “More Power: Pacquiao in the fight of his life” referring not just about his biggest bout come December 6 versus Oscar dela Hoya but also about the trials and tribulations he had undergone to be the world champion that he is now.

This issue of the Readers Digest has increased in circulation by 50% due to market demand.

[source]

Manny Pacquiao Greatest Hits video

2008-12-02T12:42:00.000+08:00

These are Manny Pacquiao Greatest Boxing Hits -- HBO video

De la Hoya's Greatest Hits

2008-12-02T12:33:00.001+08:00

Oscar De la Hoya's Greatest Boxing Hits - HBO video

Oscar De La Hoya's diet

2008-11-22T14:01:00.000+08:00

Oscar De La Hoya has peculiar diet – consisting of deer and kangaroo meat and organic ingredients – specially made for him in the hope getting the needed power to topple Manny Pacquiao on Dec. 6 in Las Vegas.

"My diet is based on my blood type, O-positive," De La Hoya wrote in his blog in The Ring magazine website that came out yesterday. "We had my blood drawn and sent to nutritionists we use back east. They put together a diet based on my blood type, what works for me as an individual."

But since he is already pushing 36 early next year, De La Hoya had to make some changes in the way he eats.

"I have been doing this diet for around three years now. Finally, for this training camp, I have it down to a tee. I can eat unlimited amounts of good, a lot of deer meat, kangaroo meat, everything is organic."

Apart from game meat, De La Hoya drowns it with "milkshakes made with rice milk," making him feel very light but full of life.

"Everything I eat is natural," De La Hoya said, the prohibitive favorite in the scheduled 12-round welterweight war. "I can eat unlimited amounts of food and I’m losing weight. I even eat small amounts during workouts."

De La Hoya is so relaxed with his current condition that "a week ago, I weighed 145 (lbs) and was feeling strong. Something is working. And I owe it all to the diet. Weight has been easy for me to make. I really recommend this diet, although everybody has their own approach when it comes to eating."

The last time De La Hoya fought at welter was in 2001 when he mauled Arturo Gatti and he feels the difference between then and now.

"I felt strong, although obviously was younger. The weight was easier for me to make then. My metabolism was full steam ahead. Adrenalin pumped through my body. I worked out hard and I lost weight. Now, being 35 years old, it’s totally different. I’ve had to adjust my diet."

Even chief trainer Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Beristain, who supervises De La Hoya’s high-altitude training in Big Bear, is very surprised.

"When (trainer) Nacho (Beristain) found out, when he saw I was about 148 at one point, he said, "You have to eat more." I told him, "Nacho, I’m tired of eating. I’m eating everything I can." A few days ago, I came out of the gym weighing 146. Nacho tells me again, "Eat more." So I had two big plates of pasta, some deer meat, vegetables, two liters of water and I still weighed only148 in the morning. It’s really something else. The good thing is that I really do feel very strong."

De La Hoya and Pacquiao, whose diet is made up of white rice, veggies, fish, chicken and beef, should weigh not heavier than the welter limit of 147 lbs on the eve of the fight.

On fight night, De La Hoya will be at least 160 lbs, while Pacquiao not heavier than 150.

[via]

Pacquiao, De La Hoya results -- Pacquiao will win!

2008-11-20T10:30:00.000+08:00

December 6, the fight dubbed “The Dream Match” between the once golden Oscar De La Hoya and the now, very much in his prime Filipino sensation Manny Pacquiao will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas airing on the media outlet that Oscar built, HBO PPV.

Originally, I wasn’t interested in this match up. What others were calling a “Dream Match”, I was giving lying claim to the moniker of “glorified sparring session.”

However, after having repeated debates on this issue, I have now figured out what the entire buzz is truly about.

Oscar will lose. My recipe for Manny to be successful would require the little man to weather a vicious assault by De La Hoya early on. Oscar has a tendency to throw everything he has in the first four to five rounds. After that, he becomes flat footed and gassed.

Manny as we all know fights five minutes of every three-minute round allotted to him. He is built for the days when championship fights lasted 15-20 rounds, not twelve.

I also think that Pacquiao would be well served circling away from the daunted left arm of the “Golden” businessman. A thought that wasn’t lost on the Filipino warrior, but shared with me when I asked him what weapon of Oscar’s that HE was most concerned about.

“ I think it is the left uppercut. I should be careful of his (Oscar’s) left jab, but not just the left jab, but also the left uppercut. It is very dangerous.”

Manny’s ultimate job is to take this fight into the late waters in order to drown the part time fighter known as Oscar De La Hoya.

Before every fight, Oscar always claims that he is “in the best shape” of his life and that he has just completed “ the best training camp he’s ever had.”

And that being said, he always fades or begins to fade in the first third of a twelve round battle.

I asked the astute and former trainer of Oscar, the esteemed Freddie Roach what he makes of the older fighter’s stamina issue and he replied, “Well we are going to take him into deep water and make him work every minute of every round. Manny is very explosive and can go twelve rounds easy.”

When I pressed Roach for his views on the size and weight subject he said that Manny is currently “weighing 151(pounds) with a body fat of 6 percent.”
“Oscar will probably weigh in around 160 and Manny will come in at 150 or so. The ten pound difference isn’t going to mean much in the end.”

“You know, I’m convinced Manny can fight at 147 because he weighed in around that much when he fought Diaz and he was real strong and also, Oscar hasn’t fought at this (147) weight in years.”

Roach also told me that Manny got in great sparring work with the hard charging Amir Khan and that their sparring sessions were very heated and fierce.

“Kahn took it to Manny early on with his power and movement, but Manny would best him late in the sessions.”

Eric Brown, assistant to Freddie and Manny, said that “Manny will be too fast” for Oscar and that “he (Oscar) always has a fatal mistake of fighting small.”

I believe this is the key to victory for Pacquiao. Make the old man work for his hand to be raised by fighting Oscar with swift feet, head movement, staying off the ropes and eventually, making Oscar lean forward and fight small rather than tall.

My prediction is Manny will win on points or quite possibly a late stoppage around the 8-10 round via a wicked body attack to the part time, once golden Oscar De La Hoya.

[source of news]

It will be a KO, vows Roach

2008-11-20T10:26:00.000+08:00

Oscar De La Hoya badly wants a knockout and Manny Pacquiao will hand it over to him on Dec. 6 in Las Vegas, said trainer Freddie Roach.

"Tell Oscar not to worry, the fight will end in a knockout," Roach said through ace publicist Fred Sternburg yesterday from the Wild Card Boxing Club, the hotbed of Southern California fisticuffs.

"Mark my words he will flop too. Oscar can’t pull the trigger anymore.  Losing all that weight doesn’t impress me," said Roach in response to De La Hoya’s surprise appearance during his open workout in Big Bear, California, last week where he said he was under the welterweight limit of 147 lbs.

De La Hoya was in a jolly mood as he was holding court at close to 8,000 feet, boasting that he feels extremely good and couldn’t wait to get his hands on Pacquiao at the MGM Grand.

Roach said all that weight loss by De La Hoya will go down the drain.

"Twiggy is going to find out that looking the part is not equivalent to acting the part, a lesson Muhammad Ali learned when he fought Larry Holmes," said Roach, referring to British Lesley ‘Twiggy’ Hornby, who, despite her skinny appearance, became the first supermodel in the late-1960s.

During a teleconference call on Monday from Big Bear, De La Hoya told the media that he will be "extremely disappointed" if the bout goes 12 rounds.

While he is not irked by Roach’s statements, De La Hoya is not amused either.

"Freddie Roach has made comments. I’m still going to say and put on the line is that I still respect him as a trainer and I still respect him as a person," said De la Hoya, who will be fighting for the first time at welterweight (147 lbs) in almost seven years.

"So, I have nothing bad to say about Manny. And if Freddie Roach is going to say something bad about me, so be it. But I’m oozing with motivation, that’s for sure," said De La Hoya, who is four inches taller than Pacquiao at 5-10 1/2.

Roach had spent eight weeks with De La Hoya last year in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as the Golden Boy was revving up for Floyd Mayweather Jr. and it was right there that he claimed to have discovered that "he can’t pull the trigger anymore."

[source]

Oscar de la Hoya will knock out Manny Pacquiao in 6th round?

2008-11-14T09:36:00.000+08:00

Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer has predicted that the golden boy Oscar de la Hoya will knock out Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao in the 6th round of their much-awaited megabuck fight on Dec. 6 in Las Vegas -- and along the way, Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach, will also get laid.

Speaking to PhilBoxing.com at De La Hoya's training camp in Big Bear during the open media workout Wednesday afternoon, Schaefer took pains to disprove Roach's predictive abilities. Roach has been very vocal about his ward's chances of beating De La Hoya saying that Oscar could no longer pull the trigger and that Manny would finish the fight within the 9th round.

"Freddie makes a lot of predictions, remember that Freddie said that Vazquez should not fight Rafael Marquez?" Schaefer started with a poser, referring to Israel Vazquez who was formerly trained by Roach, "then Israel took another trainer, and he won twice against Rafael Marquez. Then Freddie said, after the fight with Calzaghe, that Bernard Hopkins is too old, he should not fight anymore. Then Bernard Hopkins took another trainer and he had the best fight of his life, against Kelly Pavlik."

After training Oscar de la Hoya in a losing effort against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in May last year, Roach also trained Golden Boy partner Bernard Hopkins for his fight against undefeated Welshman Joe Calzaghe last April in a fight where Hopkins knocked down Calzaghe in the first round but eventually lost by split decision.

"And now," Schaefer continues, "Freddie says that Oscar is old and can no longer pull the trigger, you know what? Freddie Roach is gonna be wrong, three for three."

The 'Dream Match' between boxing's golden boy Oscar de la Hoya and pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao is expected to gather more heat in the days leading to Dec. 6 where finally everything will be settled by the two combatants atop the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena before an expected full house crowd in the world's boxing capital in Las Vegas, Nevada and millions of viewers all over the world.

[source]

Nonito Donaire, Jr., Philippine Boxing Crown Prince

2008-11-08T13:42:00.000+08:00

Manny Pacquiao, the pride of Philippine boxing who will be 30 years old next month, is seeing the end of his fighting days after two or three more fights. He might be forced by circumstances to fight some more. But eventually, age will have the final say and must be obeyed.

Who could then fill in the void? I can see Nonito Donaire, Jr.’s figure more than the others’.

Donaire (pronounced in the Philippines as “Doo-Nigh-Ree”) has the IBF and IBO belts as a flyweight. He has defended his titles with TKOs over live contenders. While some boxing purists count only linear championships, it cannot be denied that Donaire won his title over the fearsome Vic Darchinyan, the man in the flyweight division at the time.

The win was a big one as proven by Darchinyan’s recent mountain of a conquest of Christian Mijares. I joined with the many who thought Mijares would give Darchinyan a neat boxing lesson as he expertly did to Jorge Arce. Vic proved to be Chritian’s teacher that night. Vic is now the man at super-flyweight to which Fernando Montiel might voice some disagreement.

Unable to have unification fights, Donaire has to move up to win some more championships. As has been proven, Nonito has it to wrest the super-flyweight titles from Vic and exercise reign in his second weight division. Despite the noticeable improvement in his defence, I can still see Nonito winning over Vic in a rematch should Vic find the courage to fight Nonito again.

Vic’s promoter, Gary Shaw, would like to show that it is Nonito who needs Vic so that Nonito has to beg for the rematch. The fact is Vic has to avoid Nonito so that Vic’s efforts to regain his tarnished reputation would not be derailed. But unless Vic avenges his loss to Nonito who has announced his return to the 115-lb division, Vic’s claim to be the man at super-weight would be denied.

After witnessing his explosive wins over Darchinyan and Luis Maldonado, Donaire has gained some semblance of a Pacquiao like following with Filipino fight fans eager to watch his recent fight with Moruti Mthalane. Donaire made us happy with his win although there were anxious moments in the fight that we thought he could have done more in defense and offense.

His reported injury is an acceptable excuse. His father-trainer’s confession that Donaire’s performance was only 5 of 10 is disturbing. Donaire should strive to be fit and fully prepared in his fights if he is to acquire that admiration boxing fans confer on non-stop action fighters like Manny Pacquiao.

Don’t get me wrong. Manny Pacquiao is Manny Pacquiao. Nobody can be another Manny Pacquiao. But somebody can step in his shoes and carry on his unprecedented habit of uniting Filipinos even for a brief moment when he fights and making them happy with his wins when Manny calls it a day.

Nonito, “the Filipino Flash”, has to keep on proving he deserves his ring monicker which, when announced, gives pride to Filipinos worldwide. Nonito fights intelligently and lands well timed thudding shots to the delight of his fans and dismay to his opponent. He can continue to score big wins if he is 10 of 10 or very close to it in every fight.

Nonito Donaire, Jr. should be at the highest level of conditioning and preparation when he fights if he is to give justice to his looming as Manny’s heir apparent, as the Philippine boxing crown prince.

[source]

Oscar De La Hoya forms ‘Dream Team’ vs Pacquiao

2008-11-01T12:20:00.000+08:00

Oscar De La Hoya is putting together a “Dream Team” of sorts in his corner.

Already training under a Hall-of-Famer, the Golden Boy hooked up yet another ring legend in Angelo Dundee, who will act as a consultant for De La Hoya’s corner for the Dec. 6 bout against Filipino ring sensation Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The tie-up was revealed Thursday in a special press event mounted by De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, which is co-promoting what is expected to be the year’s biggest ring showdown.

Dundee, a Hall-of-Fame trainer who has worked with 15 world champions—including such greats as Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and George Foreman—told reporters during the media conference that the deal allowed him to work with yet another boxing great also headed for the Hall of Fame.

“After working with Ali and Leonard, I think it’s only fitting that I now get the chance to work with the most important fighter of this era,” Dundee was quoted by ESPN’s Dan Rafael as saying Thursday. “This fight against Pacquiao is the biggest fight boxing has seen in years and I’m excited to be a part of it and to help lead Oscar to victory.”

De La Hoya already inked Nacho Beristain as his chief trainer, but the 87-year-old Dundee will help out in plotting strategies against the Pacman, who is acknowledged as the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter.

While having the two trainers may be a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth, Dundee said he will give way to Beristain’s decisions for the fight.

“They’ll dictate the role, but whatever is necessary I will do,” Dundee said. “I will speak with De La Hoya and Nacho, but I am not a guy who pushes. I’m there to help. I’m not there to mix anybody up.”

[source]

Manny Pacquiao energy surprises Arum

2008-10-29T08:44:00.001+08:00

Top Rank big boss Bob Arum dropped by the Wild Card Boxing Club on Monday afternoon and left a few hours later in disbelief.

"I have never seen anybody worked out so hard for three-and-a-half hours and he was never tired," said Arum, sounding as if he was a fan lucky enough to be invited to watch Manny Pacquiao’s training for his much-awaited Dec. 6 clash with Oscar De La Hoya, and not a grizzled veteran who has seen them all.

"Manny weighs around 151 to 152 lbs and looks very sharp," said Arum, who doesn’t see any problems why the GenSan fighter would not emerge victorious at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

"Freddie said Manny’s (training) is the most amazing thing he’s seen," added Arum, whose whirlwind visit to Los Angeles was to preside over a press conference hyping another card that happens this weekend at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao has been giving Roach plenty of reasons to smile each time they part ways at the end of training day.

Even after only two weeks in training, Roach and strength coach Alex Ariza have been left with their mouth agape over the 29-year-old’s progress that they kept on reminding Pacquiao that the fight with the Golden Boy will not be on Nov. 6 but on Dec. 6.

In the coming weeks, Pacquiao’s weight will go down and Roach and Ariza would like to see Pacquiao tip the scales during the official weighin at 145 lbs, two lbs under the limit.

During fight night, Pacquiao should weigh no more than 150 lbs so that the added weight won’t hamper his movement.

Ariza has injected plyometrics, a form of exercise that is meant to bolster speed and upgrade power, to Pacquiao’s training regimen.

Although not much is being reported from De La Hoya’s camp, he is likewise in the thick of training in Big Bear, California, under the watchful eyes of Mexican maestro Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Beristain.

[visit source]

Nonito Donaire ready to get it on

2008-10-29T08:41:00.000+08:00

With his title defense against South Africa’s Moruti (Babyface) Mthalane just three days away, IBF flyweight champion Nonito Donaire, Jr. said yesterday he’s ready for the cocky challenger and optimistic of retaining the crown at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas this Saturday (Sunday morning, Manila).

Donaire just finished his last week of sparring and declared making the 112-pound limit won’t be a problem. He hasn’t fought for nearly a year but insisted ring rust won’t be a problem in disposing of Mthalane who earned the title crack by outpointing Australia ‘s Hussein Hussein in East Cape last July.

“I’d be ready if the fight was tomorrow,” said Donaire in a text message from Las Vegas. “I’m waking up weighing 118 to 120 pounds. I’m on schedule with my weight program to hit 112 the day before the fight.”

Donaire, 25, joined other fighters in the Mandalay Bay card at a media workout yesterday in the Top Rank gym in Las Vegas.

At the media workout, Donaire announced his support of the Bantay Bata program. His wife Rachel said he will donate $2 for every sale of his personalized “Filipino Flash” T-shirt, produced by Cultured Roots. The shirt is in the market for $24.95.

Donaire initiated the donation to express his support for disadvantaged Filipino children. He was born in Talibon, Bohol and grew up in General Santos City in a life of poverty. As a boy, he sold whatever he could in the public market to augment his parents’ meager earnings.
* * *

“It was difficult growing up in my village in the Philippines ,” said Donaire, quoted in East Side Boxing. “My parents moved to America when I was seven. From the time they left until we rejoined them in the US, my two brothers, sister and I were raised by our grandparents. During those last few years living in that village, we hardly had any food and what we did have had to be rationed out. But nobody complained. We appreciated what we had. Some people had it a lot worse.”

Donaire said he hopes his show of support would trigger “a wave of change” to improve the lives of poor Filipino children.

“Whatever happens in the ring, nobody can take away Jun’s title – the Children’s Champion,” said Rachel.

Cultured Roots is a Bay Area-based outfit that produces merchandise for the Fil-Am market. Aside from Donaire’s T-shirt, it also produces skateboards, rosary chains and other products with a distinct Filipino identity. The group behind Cultured Roots is composed of Jason Cuison, Anthony Hilario, Lionel Domulot, Jon Segarra, Willard Hoot and Jem Cortes.

After this Saturday’s fight, Donaire and his wife plan to spend the holidays in the Philippines. There is talk of pitting Donaire against flamboyant Mexican Jorge Arce early next year but the fight depends on how they fare this weekend. Arce takes on countryman Isidro Garcia in a 12-round bout in the Mandalay Bay undercard.

Meanwhile, Mthalane’s chief cornerman Nick Durandt said he’s confident of victory.

“It will not be easy because Donaire is a good fighter who possesses one of the lethal left hooks in the business,” said Durandt who guided Thulani (Sugar Boy) Malinga to the WBC supermiddleweight title in Newcastle in 1996. “But we have detected some mistakes from his boxing armory which we intend to exploit.”

Durandt said fighting under the Las Vegas lights won’t intimidate Mthalane who has never fought outside South Africa.

“I have been in far bigger events with lots of pressure so it won’t make a difference to me,” said Durandt. But he couldn’t claim to speak for Mthalane.
* * *

Donaire said he’s not taking Mthalane, who has lost only once in compiling a 22-1 record with 15 KOs (including a first round stoppage of Flipino Apol Suico), lightly.

“I’m a lot faster and I’ve never been outboxed my whole life since my amateur days,” he said, quoted by Dennis Guillermo in Boxing Herald. “From the way I’m hitting now, I don’t think anybody can hit as hard as I can in the 112-pound division. Mthalane comes in 100 percent. He can throw all the punches in the world in all the rounds. I want to be able to do that as well. We’ve done so much to focus on being in the best shape possible.”

Donaire said ring rust won’t be a concern because he prepared two months for Mthalane.

“We’re ready,” he said. “Of course, when you go into the ring, it’s always different but we’ve prepared for the worst scenario in case the guy proves to be tough or whatever so we trained really hard for it.”

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7 Filipinas to vie in world boxing tilt

2008-10-26T09:38:00.000+08:00

The Philippines will be represented by seven fighters at the fifth World Women’s Championships in Ningbo City, Zhejiang province, China, on Nov. 22-29 and national coach Roel Velasco said the other day that while the competition will be stiff, the Pinays aren’t intimidated by the odds.

Over 200 female boxers from 44 countries are expected to participate in the event with a stipulated age range of 17 to 34. Bouts will be held in 13 weight classes from pinweight (46 kilograms) to heavyweight (over 86 kilograms).

The country’s Magnificent 7 are pinweight Josie Gabuco, 20, lightflyweight Alice Kate Aparri, 23, flyweight Annie Albania, 24, lightbantamweight Analiza Cruz, 24, bantamweight Redelyn Digmayo, 19, featherweight Ronijen Sofla, 23, and lightwelterweight Mitchel Martinez, 32.

Heading the cast is Martinez, a southpaw who took a pair of bronze medals as a lightweight at the World Championships in 2005 and 2006. She also claimed a gold at the 2005 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Manila.

Another medal prospect is Albania, the only Filipino fighter – male or female – to bag a gold at the SEA Games in Thailand last year. She was the sole winner of 13 Filipinos who fought in the finals and did it the hard way, knocking out local favorite Hansa Kadeewong with an overhand right in the first round.

Aparri is considered a medal contender, too. The University of Baguio fighter claimed a bronze medal at the 2006 World Championships and could be in line for the gold in Ningbo.

Also in contention are Gabuco and Digmayo, fresh from impressive finishes at the National Open. Gabuco of Palawan captured the gold in the pinweight division and Digmayo of Bago City, the silver in the bantamweight class at the National Open. Gabuco also won the gold at the Sir Lanka Invitationals.

Six of the seven Ningbo-bound fighters saw action in tune-up bouts at the Cantada Sports Center in Taguig last weekend. Martinez trounced 16-year-old upstart Nesthy Petecio of Davao City, 16-7. Aparri decisioned Gabuco, 13-11. Albania forced two standing eight-counts on Maryjoy Cacal, 18, before the referee stopped it on a 15-0 score at 1:27 of the second round. Digmayo upset Cruz, 6-0, as the 2005 Asian Championships silver medalist from Occidental Mindoro appeared to be slowed down by an injury in her right leg.

Petecio, a gold medalist in this year’s National Open, showed promise as he survived a standing eight-count in the first round to push Martinez to the limit. Petecio is half Martinez’ age and could be her successor in the national team.

AIBA president Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu of Taiwan recently announced he has formally applied for the inclusion of women’s boxing in the 2012 London Olympic calendar. The application was coursed through the Olympic Program Commission, which will submit its recommendation to the IOC Executive Board. A final decision will be made by the Board late next year.

Meanwhile, eight fighters in the male pool also tangled in the Cantada card. Pinweight Michael Paragoso decisioned Jenno Cabungan, 19-10; lightflyweight Albert Pabila outpointed Bill Vicera, 17-15; featherweight Orlando Tacujan, Jr. scored a knockdown in the fourth round and drubbed Jerjhigs Chavez, 20-7; and lightwelterweight Delfin Boholst defeated Adonis Cabalquinto, 13-9.

ABAP secretary-general Roger Fortaleza said the future is bright for Philippine boxing with the emergence of several outstanding teenaged simonpures eight of whom were recently sent to Havana for training with Cuban coach Dagoberto Rojas. He mentioned that from the core will come the fighters to represent the country in the London Olympic qualifiers.

The eight junior fighters were lightflyweights Conrado Tañamor and Jerson Nietes, flyweight Welbeth Loberanis, bantamweight Aston Palicte, featherweights Rolando Tacuyan and Jimboy Vicera and lightweights Mark John Melligen and Glicerio Catolico.

[source]

ESPN delves into Pacquiao’s life

2008-10-26T09:35:00.000+08:00

Just about everyone can’t get enough of Manny Pacquiao.

On Tuesday night (Wednesday in the Philippines), E:30, ESPN’s only primetime newsmagazine show will delve into the life and times of Pacquiao, who battled poverty at an early age to become a boxing icon in just a short span of time.

ESPN tapped ace chronicler Jeremy Schaap, son of the distinguished late scribe and broadcaster Dick Schaap, to spend some time with Pacquiao, who has a date with destiny when he battles Oscar De La Hoya on Dec. 6 in Las Vegas.

ESPN even dispatched a crew to the Philippines to get pieces of footages a couple of weeks ago at around the same time a team from HBO was also present to do the same thing as part of its 24/7 programming.

The decision to feature Pacquiao is obvious.

Pacquiao is the current toast of boxing and the 29-year-old left-hander is to boxing what Kobe Bryant is to basketball.

Following the retirement of Floyd Mayweather, Pacquiao became the recipient of the mythical title of pound-for-pound king, having defeated three of Mexico’s premier warriors — Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez.

The first Asian to be voted Fighter of the Year (2006) by the Boxing Writers Association of America, Pacquiao has also been named by the prestigious Ring magazine as its top puncher in the same year.

Pacquiao is also the first Asian to win four world titles in the same number of weight classes.

In his usual eloquent style, HBO Pay-Per-View senior vice president Mark Taffet describes Pacquiao as an athlete extraordinaire.

"Pacquiao weighs 135 lbs (but) his PPV numbers look more like heavyweight numbers,"

said Taffet, citing of course Pacquiao’s trilogy with Erik Morales and his rematch with Marquez as prime examples of his drawing power.

Top Rank big boss Bob Arum said the Pacquiao-De La Hoya welterweight war dubbed "The Dream Match," has what it takes to break the 2.4 million buys set by De La Hoya against Floyd Mayweather last year.

[source]

Top 5 Filipino Boxers/Fighters

2008-10-21T09:54:00.001+08:00

1. MANNY "PACMAN" PACQUIAO (46 (35) - 3 - 2) WBC Super featherweight Champion

Undoubtedly, the best fighter to come out from the Philippines. His rare combination of superior hand speed and knock-out power is an uncommon genetic gift. Combine that with his aggression and explosiveness - and you've got the perfect formula for extreme in-ring violence. His list of victims is boxing's who's who: "Dinamita" Juan Manuel Marquez, "Babyfaced Assassin" Marco Antonio Barrera, "El Terrible" Erik Morales, "Chololo" Oscar Larios, and the list goes on… His upcoming fight against WBC lightweight champion David Diaz (34 (17) - 1 – 1) will be another hurdle in Pacman's journey to greatness.

2. GERRY "FEARLESS" PENALOSA (53 (36) - 6 – 2) WBO Bantamweight Champion

This boxer is widely regarded as the best technical fighter ever from the Philippines. His set of skills is second to none. His duel against Daniel Ponce de Leon was a classic. Although Gerry lost that fight, he displayed his superior skills by outboxing the much bigger Mexican. And who can forget Mr. Fearless' performance against Jhonny Gonzales. That one-shot body punch was a thing of beauty. It was the sweet science at its finest.

3. NONITO "THE FILIPINO FLASH" DONAIRE (19 (12) 1 - 0) IBF/IBO Flyweight Champion

The skills of this fighter have yet to be fully displayed. He has shown great potential to be the next superstar among the current crop of young and talented fighters. His sense of timing combined with his incredible punching power can be devastating against hapless opponents. Just ask Vic Darchinyan and Luis Maldonado.If there is one fighter with a combination of Manny Pacquiao's God-given power and speed mixed with Gerry Penalosa's technical superiority and you've got - NONITO DONAIRE.

4. Z "THE DREAM" GORRES (28 (15) - 2 - 2) IBF Intercontinental Super flyweight Champion

This fighter has always been regarded as one of the superior technical fighters of the Philippines. He's fought against some of the big names in his weight category: Vic Darchinyan, Eric Ortiz and Fernando Montiel. His fight against Montiel ended in a controversial split decision loss. In my opinion, Gorres won the majority of the early to middle rounds. He lost steam on the last few rounds and ended the fight on a losing note. Although, I think he should have won on the majority of the judges' scorecards.The Dream came back strong against Eric Ortiz. He pummeled the Mexican in eight bruising rounds and won by TKO.His fight against Vic Darchinyan was one of the most controversial fights of the year. Gorres made a good account of himself in the early rounds and, in fact, scored a single knockdown. But the second half of the fight was a real struggle. But he did survive the duel which ended in a draw.His most recent fight against Nick Otieno was a dominant performance. The judges, in fact, scored a unanimous decision shut-out for the Filipino.

5. ALEX JOHN "BAZOOKA" BANAL (17 (14) - 0 – 1)

The most promising young fighter from Cebu, Philippines. This kid has legit knock-out power in both hands. His game is very mature for his age. He's got a comprehensive set of skills that can propel him to become a world champion in the near future. He is a superstar boxer in the making. Remember the name – AJ BANAL.

HONORABLE MENTION

DONNIE NIETES
FLORANTE CONDES
REY BAUTISTA
RODEL MAYOL

[source]

Nothing but Pacquiao for DL Hoya

2008-10-21T09:51:00.000+08:00

Somewhere deep in the mountains of Big Bear, California where the mercury drops to near-freezing point in the past few days, Oscar De La Hoya has been living, eating and breathing nothing but Manny Pacquiao.

"(His training camp is) totally isolated," Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) Chief Executive Officer Richard Schaefer told the Bulletin yesterday as he was traveling back to Los Angeles from Atlantic City.

"It is a closed camp which shows you how serious Oscar takes this fight," said Schaefer, who represented the Golden Boy during the Bernard Hopkins-Kelly Pavlik bout at The Boardwalk in the absence of his boss, now in the thick of preparation for the Pacquiao showdown on Dec. 6.

While Pacquiao’s training is regularly being updated, his routine being described word for word by those who have access to almost his every move, not much has been reported ever since De La Hoya went up to Big Bear, which has an elevation of 8,000 feet and is two hours from downtown Los Angeles by land.

Even the choice of sparring partners have been kept secret although Schaefer revealed that 21-year-old Victor Ortiz, a heavy-handed super-lightweight from Oxnard, is lending a hand to the training since he is also a left-hander like Pacquiao.

"Ortiz is right up there with Oscar," said Schaefer.

Nicknamed "Vicious," the Kansas-born Ortiz holds a 22-1-1 win-loss-draw record with 17 knockouts and has logged a total of 83 rounds of fights since turning professional in June 2004.

De La Hoya, accompanied by newly-recruited trainer Nacho Beristain and a retinue of men with specific roles, traveled to Big Bear upon the conclusion of the six-city, seven-day promotional tour early this month.

De La Hoya and Pacquiao will have to weigh 147 lbs or less during the eve of the scheduled 12-rounder and will wear eight-ounce gloves as agreed in the contract that they signed last month.

It’s been quite some time since De La Hoya trained in Big Bear where the weather is expected to drop even further in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao feels very much at home sweating it out at lowlands just as he had done countless times before.

Superstitious by nature, Pacquiao hardly alters his training arrangements, opting to exclusively train at the Wild Card Boxing Club, the once nondescript gym on Vine Street in Hollywood that has become a shrine among avid fight fans.

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Manny Pacquiao speaks about fight with Oscar De La Hoya

2008-10-16T11:55:00.000+08:00

Manny Pacquiao speaks about fight with Oscar De La Hoya. Manny Pacquiao speaks to media about upcoming fight against Oscar De La Hoya at one of the most cherished landmarks in the United States-the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island in New York City on October 1, 2008.

De La Hoya camp sees knockout win

2008-10-16T11:50:00.000+08:00

While Oscar De La Hoya appears to be not looking past Manny Pacquiao, the brains behind the rise of Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) is already training his sights on De La Hoya taking on British hero Ricky Hatton at the famed Wembley Stadium in London.

GBP Chief Executive Officer Richard Schaefer told Setanta Sports, an Ireland-based sports broadcast network that there are concrete plans for De La Hoya versus Hatton in 2009 assuming of course De La Hoya survives Pacquiao on Dec. 6 and Hatton gets past Paul Malignaggi on Nov. 22.

"I think he (De La Hoya) will knock him (Pacquiao) out in a rather brutal fashion," Schaefer told the network.

Schaefer is confident that his 35-year-old boss won’t have problems disposing of Pacquiao although he’s wary about Hatton’s bid to repulse Malignaggi, a New York-bred puncher of Italian descent.

"(The Malignaggi fight) will be no easy fight (for Hatton)," said Schaefer, adding that De La Hoya will make an assessment after the Pacquiao fight and should everything falls into place, would fight two more times before hanging up his gloves.

The De La Hoya-Pacquiao 12-round welterweight match dubbed "The Dream Match", will be staged in front of a sellout crowd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and before a large number of viewers on pay-per-view.

Interestingly, Pacquiao is also eyeing a megabuck match with Hatton assuming of course he polishes off De La Hoya.

[source]

Home Box office (HBO) crew arrives in GenSan

2008-10-10T09:33:00.000+08:00

A crew from Home Box office (HBO) arrived in General Santos Wednesday to start filming a television special on Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao.

The special will be aired on HBO's 24/7 and will form part of the promotional blitz by the US-based cable television giant for the December 6 megabout between Pacquiao and American boxing idol Oscar dela Hoya.

HBO producer Scott Boggins said they will chronicle Pacquiao's meteoric rise from dirt poor boy selling cigarettes and working in a construction company to the pinnacle of boxing success.
The Filipino southpaw was an amateur standout before deciding to embark on a professional career at the tender age of 16 and racked up 11 straight wins before suffering his first loss to Filipino journeyman Rustico Torrecampo.

He won the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight title on his 25th fight by knocking out Chatchai Sasakul in the eight round in Phuttamonthon, Thailand.

He defended his title twice, all by knockouts, before losing it on the scale to Medgoen Singsurat. Already stripped of the title because of showing up more than two pounds the flyweight limit, a physically-drained Pacquiao lost to Singsurat on a third round knockout.

He bounced back to capture the International Boxing Federation (IBF) super bantamweight crown via a sensational six round stoppage of defending champion Lehlohonolo Ledwaba.

Pacquiao went up in weight to challenge lineal featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera whom he bludgeoned into submission in the 11th round.

From there on, Pacquiao blitzed his way to boxing superstardom, piling up more knockout wins spiked only by a loss to Erik Morales, whom he beat twice via stoppage in subsequent rematches, and a draw with Juan Manuel Marquez.

Boggins said they will present the life of Pacquiao outside of his boxing career.

Michael Koncz, Pacquiao adviser and a confidante of Top Rank's Bob Arum, Manny's promoter, said they will also feature Pacquiao's well-reported philanthropic ways with friends and strangers alike.

HBO has yet to announce when the special will be shown.
A similar episode will also be aired featuring Manny's opponent Oscar dela Hoya.

[source]

Trainer can feel Pacquiao’s power punches

2008-10-10T09:30:00.000+08:00

Manny Pacquiao remains as lethal at lightweight (135 lbs) despite going up at 152 pounds.

"I can feel his power," said trainer Freddie Roach after presiding over Pacquiao’s workout at the Wild Card Boxing Club, less than two months before the Filipino sensation faces Oscar De La Hoya in Las Vegas.

Roach had to wear a body cushion to protect himself from getting hurt as teacher and student worked on ways to neutralize De La Hoya’s natural advantage in size.

"One time, I felt as if the energy was drained from me when he hit me on the body," said Roach, obviously more than pleased that the dreaded punching power of Pacquiao remains at a higher weight level.

As they head into training camp proper, the 48-year-old Roach said he doesn’t have any concerns about Pacquiao moving up in weight.

"I can’t see Manny losing this fight. I am really confident," said Roach.

Pacquiao and De La Hoya have agreed to meet at the welterweight limit of 147 lbs during the official weigh-in on the eve of the scheduled 12-rounder with the former expected to be at least 150 lbs and the latter not lower than 160 lbs come fight night.

Owing to their inability to spend quality time training during the recently-concluded press tour that brought them to six major cities across the America in seven days, Roach revealed Pacquiao hasn’t been displaying the lightning-quick reflexes that he is known for.

"We just arrived from the press tour and we’re still trying to get back to our normal selves after all that traveling," stressed Roach, sounding upbeat that after they spend a few days together in the gym, Pacquiao is going to regain his speed.

Roach disclosed that Pacquiao’s first sparring session will be on Tuesday (Oct. 14) and Rashad Holloway, a 5-10 super-welter from North Carolina will be the first to test Pacquiao’s mettle.

Then Roach will call in Arron Robinson and Yuri Foreman, fighters who can mimic De La Hoya’s style and who are also the same height as the Golden Boy, who is 5-10.

Asked whether sparring against these guys can do more harm than good, Roach shrugged it off, saying "Manny needs to work with these (bigger) guys and I know he’ll stand his ground."

In the coming weeks, Amir Khan, the highly-touted British lightweight, will check in and work out with Pacquiao.

"He’s got a good style that we need for this fight," said Roach, who has scheduled sparring days every Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays until the last Monday or Tuesday before the Dec. 6 bout.

[source]

Oscar de la Hoya and Manny Pacquiao photo

2008-10-05T06:40:00.000+08:00

Six Division and Ten-Time World Champion Oscar de la Hoya (left) and Ring Magazine Number One Ranked Pound-For-Pound Fighter Manny Pacquiao (right) pose at in front of the Alamo on October 3, 2008 at the San Antonio press conference for their December 6, 2008 bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada which will be broadcast live on HBO Pay-Per-View.

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Pacquiao underdog against the Golden Boy

2008-10-05T06:37:00.000+08:00

With the awesome Chicago skyline as a backdrop, Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao stood side-by-side on the 102nd floor of the Sears Tower. Right then and there -- amid all of the hoopla pumping up the most significant fight of the year -- one truth was undeniable.

De La Hoya is much larger.

Which is why the showdown between the "Golden Boy" and "Pac Man" Pacquiao -- scheduled for Dec. 6 in Las Vegas and dubbed the "Dream Match" -- has become such a lightning rod for controversy among boxing fans.

Common sense-wise, it probably shouldn't even be happening.

De La Hoya, at 5-foot, 10å inches, started his career at 130 pounds and has fought as high as 160 pounds. Pacquiao, standing 5-6å, started his career at 106 pounds and never has fought at more than 135. De La Hoya's shoulders are bigger. His hands are bigger. His head is bigger.

He's just a bigger man.

Why, then, will this fight have a chance to become the highest-grossing pay-per-view fight of all time?

Because, despite all of his physical disadvantages, Pacquiao is a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer who will be very difficult to beat, regardless of the weight. His abilities are extraordinary.

And who would know that better than his last victim, former WBC lightweight champ David Diaz, who supposedly was bigger and stronger than Pacquiao going into their June 28 fight. It didn't work out that way, however, as the Filipino knocked the Chicagoan out in the 10th round.

"I think Pacquiao has a great chance," Diaz said. "The will that he's got, it discourages people."

And if it's not the will, it's the blinding hand and foot speed and crippling power of Pacquiao that has made great fighters like Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales look mortal.

Under the tutelage of trainer Freddie Roach, Pacquiao actually has improved over a career that has seen him win titles in four weight divisions, from junior featherweight to lightweight.

Now he's jumping all the way to welterweight -- a mammoth leap.

"People who say he can't win this fight don't understand the history of boxing," said Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, who is co-promoting this extravaganza with De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. "Henry Armstrong and Barney Ross have done this (won titles in multiple divisions) before. One axiom that is true in all sports -- speed kills."

Of course, Pacquiao's incredible popularity in his homeland and among his countrymen will contribute to this promotion's success as well. It's another reason this fight could eclipse the De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather fight as the most profitable pay-per-view boxing match in history.

"Manny has a much bigger fan base (than did Mayweather)," said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer. "The sponsors we've been able to line up, the in-store activities -- it is much bigger than Mayweather. You've got the two most popular fighters in the world."

True. Which is why De La Hoya -- boxing's cash cow -- selected Pacquiao over a fighter his own size, such as welterweight Antonio Margarito.

Simply put, Pacquiao has the drawing power to make De La Hoya much richer than he already is. But it's a slippery slope for De La Hoya, a Los Angeles native. He wins? Big deal. He's supposed to win. He loses? Look out. The anti-De LaÊHoya brigade will be out in full force.

That he's making a business decision over a logical decision is not making him any more popular among fight fans -- particularly Mexican fight fans who want to see him rumble with Margarito.

Matthew Aguilar may be reached at maguilarnew@yahoo.com

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