Pacquiao vs. Mayweather - The Biggest Fight of the Century

Floyd Camp Wants Drug Tests

2009-12-13T12:33:00.002+04:00

By NICK GIONGCO
December 13, 2009, 4:01pm

The camp of Floyd Mayweather will make sure Manny Pacquiao — and even the American fighter himself — undergo an Olympic-style drug testing to make sure both fighters are “clean” when they collide on March 13, 2010.

Mayweather adviser Leonard Ellerbe told the Grand Rapids Press over the weekend that the random drug test would be done in the weeks leading up to the fight and that he and another adviser, Al Haymon, said they acted without the consent of Mayweather.

“Al and I made sure this will be implemented. It is going to be done,” said Ellerbe.

“It’s not a one-way thing, it’s both fighters who are subject to testing. And this is not Floyd saying this.

This is me and Al. This is one of the biggest fights in the history of the sport and the fans deserve it to be fair.”

Ellerbe denied that the decision to mandate that Pacquiao be tested extensively was based on suspicions that the Filipino has been using performance-enhancing drugs the last few fights as he has been looking sensational as if he is not going up in weight each fight.

“Floyd’s got nothing to do with this. It’s our job to protect him and give him the best chance to be successful.

Inside the ring, he’s got that. He’ll have no problem with Pacquiao, none whatsoever. Our job is to take care of things outside the ring.”

The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), which holds office in Montreal, Canada, is the main agency that administers such tests but Ellerbe did not say whether another group will do the job.

“With the standard commission testing, they only test for specific things. The Olympic-style testing tests for everything. The commission testing is nowhere near as sophisticated,” added Ellerbe.

Pacquiao’s camp found the move to tap an anti-doping agency “amusing.”

“We’ve got nothing to hide so if that’s what they want, no problem,” said Pacquiao adviser Mike Koncz. source

***
I think this is a Psychological war of Mr. Mayweather, Pacquiao should not be intimidated by this kind of tactics, he should be more focus now on training and prove that he is the best fighter ever live.

My son's too much for Pacquiao: Mayweather Sr.

2009-12-09T12:07:00.003+04:00

Floyd Mayweather Sr. knows nothing but a trash talk. But when Manny Pacquiao knocked out Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton in less than two rounds the odler Mayweather had suddenly disappeared. I will not be surprise if his son whom he says is too much for Pacquiao will suffer the same fate that of Hatton when they clash on March 13,2010.

Here's the latest news from ABS-CBN about Floyd Mayweather Sr.'s trash talk about Manny Pacquiao.

MANILA, Philippines – Floyd Mayweather, Sr. has always chosen Manny Pacquiao’s opponents to prevail over the pound-for-pound king, but the Filipino boxing icon always proved him wrong.

Not this time, though. Floyd Sr. predicted that his son, the undefeated Floyd Jr., will outpunch Pacquiao.

“Pacquiao could never beat something that came out of me,” Floyd Sr. told FightHype.com.

The outspoken trainer said Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto would get the better of Pacquiao, but the seven-division world champion conquered them instead.

Floyd Sr. was the trainer of Hatton for his fight against Pacquiao.

“With Pacquiao, it’s not even going to be a figuring out process. Pacquiao is terrible, man. The man don’t move his damn head, he jumps straight in,” commented the elder Mayweather.

“Lil Floyd hasn’t taken any damage in the fight game and Pacquiao knows he is fighting a different animal; ain’t going to take no damage,” he added.

Mayweather (40-0, 25 knockouts) and Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) are slated to clash on March 13 in the battle between the world’s top ranked pound-for-pound fighters. It was reported that a press conference on January 11 will officially announce the fight and its details.

Pacquiao’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title will reportedly be at stake. It was also reported that both fighters agreed to a 50-50 purse split.

Pacman shrugs off Floyd Sr.'s comments

Pacquiao, meanwhile, refused to get himself dragged into a "war of words" with the Mayweathers.

That's just not his style, said the reigning pound-for-pound king ang current World Boxing Organization welterweight champ.

"I don't wanna say trash talks.... tahimik lang ako siguro," Pacquiao said during the official opening of his memorabilia shop in Manila.

In fact, Pacquiao has nothing but good words for Floyd Jr.

"Mabilis at malakas din [si Mayweather], siyempre dati siyang Number 1 pound-for-pound," said the Filipino boxing star.

When asked about his choice of site where the fight should be held, Pacquiao said he would still pick Las Vegas.

"Kahit saan, basta Las Vegas," he said.

His wife Jinkee is concerned about her husband's choice of fight date with Floyd Jr. Both camps have reportedly agreed to have the fight staged on March 13, which is just three months away.

"Parang nakakatakot kasi maaga pa so mas-okay siguro kung May," said Jinkee.

She, however, said it is still Pacquiao who has the final say regarding such matters.

"Sabi niya siya ng nakaka-alam sa sarili niya," said Jinkee.

Khan as sparring mate

Pacquiao’s trainer, meanwhile, talked about his plans for his ward’s upcoming training.

Freddie Roach said he wants World Boxing Association light welterweight champion Amir Khan to be Pacquiao’s sparring mate in his training camp for the Mayweather bout.

“Amir's speed is good for Manny, and Amir is the only guy who can keep up with Manny in the gym. When they train, they are like machines,” Roach told The Daily Mirror.

Khan, who is also coached by Roach, sparred with Pacquiao before the Filipino boxing great took on de la Hoya and Hatton.

Moreover, Roach said he wants Khan to fight in the Pacquiao-Mayweather undercard. “Amir would be ready by March, no problem, for another world title defense.”

Khan recently defended his WBA title against Dmitriy Salita by technical knockout in Round 1.

“There are a lot of big names for him now, here in Britain, and in the States. [Juan Manuel] Marquez is one, while [Jose Luis] Castillo is making a comeback and has told me he wants to fight Amir,” Roach continued. “The only guy I don't want him to fight is Manny.”

– With reports from Percy Crawford of FightHype.com, David Anderson of The Daily Mirror (Mirror.co.uk) and Dyan Castillejo of ABS-CBN News

Manny Pacquiao’s one advantage Floyd Mayweather can’t counter

2009-12-08T12:28:00.003+04:00

Manny Pacquiao is quicker and stronger than Mayweather. This is the biggest advantage of Pacman over Mayweather who knows only to hit and run.

When Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. meet next March, they will be fairly evenly matched in most aspects of boxing. Sure both have their strengths and weaknesses, but on paper they will be a close match.

The one thing that only one of them has however is Freddie Roach, widely regarded as the best trainer in the world at the moment. His game plans have turned what would have been difficult fights for Pacquiao into quick victories.

Roach was successful long before he ever met Manny Pacquiao though, he has racked up 20 world champions under his tutelage as well as moving into the world of mixed martial arts and training several fighters there also. Everyone from former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski to up and coming British Welterweight talent Amir Khan have come to Roach in the past to improve various aspects of their boxing, and he rarely disappoints.

Arguably Roach is also the trainer who has come closest to beating Floyd Mayweather so far, having trained Oscar De La Hoya in his split decision loss against ‘Money’ in 2007. Following a similar game plan as De La Hoya alone Pacquiao has an excellent chance of being the first man to beat Mayweather Jr. although Roach will likely come up with an even better one this time around.

Manny also relies on Roach and his training during fights more than Mayweather does with his trainers, following game plans to the letter and trusting that Roach knows better than he does. Many boxers, Mayweather included, prefer to test things out for themselves, and will often deviate from tactics that they don’t like, even if their trainers are disagreeing

Can the Mayweather clan match wits with Roach? (AP Photo)On the other side of the ring Floyd Mayweather Jr. will probably have either his father or uncle. The reason for the uncertainty is due to his uncle having pending charges against him at the moment, although he will probably still be the trainer come March.

Roger Mayweather is undoubtedly a good trainer, although his nephew is the kind of fighter who likely trains himself for the most part. One of the biggest strengths of Floyd Jr. is that he has great ring awareness, and will often change tactics on the fly during a round, where most other boxers would have to wait and be told what to do by their corners at the end. The fact that Pacquiao is this type of boxer could well mean that if Floyd adapts after each round, Pacquiao will struggle to counteract him. Of course coming up with different game plans for each round is far from easy, particularly against someone like Pacquiao who has so few holes in his game.

Floyd Mayweather Sr. is not the same as Roach in the coaching department, witnessed from the Ricky Hatton debacle. Hatton was left without much of a hope after Sr. failed to plug a huge hole in his defense, and Hatton himself said that he had no idea what to do after the complicated plan that Mayweather had told him wasn’t working out.

Bob Arum Arrived in the Phils for Final Talks

2009-12-06T17:37:00.005+04:00

In three months time, two of the most exciting boxers of the century are going to create a history in boxing. Manny "Pacman Pacquiao" vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is now finally set on March 13,2010. So mark your calendars folks and fasten your seat belts. Below is the latest news from Los Angeles Times with Arums arrival in the Philippines.

By Lance Pugmire

Promoter Bob Arum arrived in the Philippines and expected to start face-to-face talks Wednesday with Manny Pacquiao to try to reach terms for a mega-fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Despite reports Tuesday that Mayweather agreed to terms and that a Pacquiao fight was virtually set, Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach cautioned Wednesday that that idea was premature because the Filipino star hadn't reviewed any contract terms.

Roach, in a telephone conversation from England, said, "Manny believes he should get a 60-40 [purse] split too, because he did better in pay-per-view than Mayweather this year. Manny's the bigger draw."

Roach is referring to the 1.25 million pay-per-view buys for Pacquiao's 12th-round technical knockout of Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14, compared to the 1 million buys for Mayweather's fight against Juan Manuel Marquez in September. Yet Mayweather's December 2007 bout against Ricky Hatton generated more pay-per-view sales than Pacquiao-Hatton in May.

"I'm obviously over here to talk to Manny," Arum said from the Philippines. "At this point, I've got to find out what my fighter wants to do."

By being there, Arum may avoid the drawn-out theatrics that occurred when Pacquiao handlers complicated the negotiations before his Hatton fight. Arum and Roach were kept at arm's length, and several Arum proposals and Hatton offers were met with delayed counterproposals that nearly led Hatton to walk.

Alone, Arum boarded a flight to Manila, where he was to meet with Pacquiao and his business advisors.

"Bob will sit there and walk everybody through it, so Manny has a full grasp of the situation," Arum's lead matchmaker, Bruce Trampler, said. "He has to respect the culture. Everybody will have eaten and had their libations, and then Bob will start talking turkey."

Roach said his agent, Nick Khan, told him "Arum had a [Mayweather] deal together" when he left the U.S.

This could be a game of leverage too. Mayweather's camp may want to appear more receptive to a deal, casting Pacquiao as the one holding up the welterweight super-bout for more money.

Arum revealed only that he has negotiated with Mayweather's designated promoter, Richard Schaefer. Schaefer declined to comment.

Arum and Roach both said they are uncertain whether a Pacquiao-Mayweather bout has to be fought by March 13 because of Pacquiao's planned run for a congressional seat in the Philippines in May. HBO, which will televise the bout on pay-per-view if it occurs, instructed promoters to make the fight on whatever date is possible.

Roach prefers a Pacquiao-Mayweather bout on May 1.

"March 13 is too fast a turnaround," Roach said. "Manny has a broken [right] eardrum" suffered in the Cotto fight. "I'd like to have more time. I hope the fight happens, yes, but I want us to be in the best possible shape."

Sports book directors in Las Vegas are already posting odds on the unsigned fight. Jay Kornegay of the Las Vegas Hilton has opened the fight as a pick-'em after two other books split by making Mayweather or Pacquiao nearly 2-1 favorites.

"I love Pacquiao, but people forget how good Mayweather is: He never gets touched and rarely looks like he breaks a sweat," Kornegay said. A Pacquiao-Mayweather fight "is obviously a huge event, and doing it right before [college basketball's] March Madness would be a great time."

lance.pugmire@latimes.com

twitter.com/latimespugmire

Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather JR agree to fight in March 2010

2009-12-05T21:52:00.004+04:00

This is it, the fight the world has been waiting for finally comes to reality. I always believe that Manny Pacquiao will become the greatest boxer of all time.

The teams are currently working out the specifics but have tentatively agreed to a showdown early next year, which shouldn’t be a surprise to any boxing fan.

What other fight does either man have that the boxing public would want? Floyd Mayweather, JR., could take on the winner of Shane Mosley-Andre Berto, but it will not attract the masses and will not settle the score. The people are divided and even the biggest fans of each fighter are not certain of who will come out victorious.

There are arguments to be made on each side. You have Floyd’s defensive genius, timing, underrated power, and ability to adapt versus Manny’s speed, crushing power, timing, and ability to adapt. Both men have found ways to win and have not suffered defeats, ever, in Floyd’s case, and hardly ever in Manny’s. The losses to Pacquiao, outside of the decision defeat to Erik Morales (which was avenged twice by knockout), were early on in his career and cannot be considered when going into this showdown.

Even when you point to the defeat at the hands of Erik Morales, you have to admit that Pacquiao is a much better fighter now then he was at that point. He is more developed and more dangerous. His confidence is through the roof after his three straight knockout wins over popular and established warriors: Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto.

Floyd needs this fight with Manny more than the other way around. There have been several instances throughout the career where Floyd took the easier money and elected not to face off against an opponent the people hoped he would. Antonio “Hands of Plaster” Margarito comes to mind. You cannot fault him for being a great businessman, but there is some sketchiness when you analyze the opponents he chose and when he chose to fight them.

Even his last opponent, Juan Manuel Marquez, was a safe and smart choice for his return. Marquez nearly beat Manny Pacquiao on two occasions, and since Floyd is always under the threat of the Filipino, he perhaps thought a dominant win over Marquez would silence the people. It hasn’t. Marquez had nearly zero chance of upsetting Floyd due to his size and style. Marquez had to be the aggressor, which is something that he is not comfortable doing and his weaknesses in that department were exploited quite nicely by Mayweather.

Mayweather made a point in that fight that he did better against Marquez, but the same can be said about Manny and his performances against De La Hoya and Hatton. He destroyed them both as Floyd struggled at times. What does all this mean?

Nothing.

Styles make fights and the style match up between Manny and Floyd seems perfect on paper. You have the aggressive and quick Pacquiao, trying to find a way in and you have Floyd, trying to counterpunch the quickest fighter he has ever faced. Considering that Zab Judah beat him to the punch on several occasions bodes well for Pacquiao, but Floyd is a better boxer than Marquez and has a lot more savvy…this is why this bout is so intriguing. Enjoy the fight, but don’t put too much money on it. It looks like a pick’em to me.

There are so many things that can be examined going into this fight and they will be. Because the fans are cut down the middle, both siding with their fighter to win the bout, and both citing reasons, publications will turn over every stone to try to predict an outcome.

What is promising for Pacquiao’s fans is his ability to put punches together in combinations and from different angles. Floyd loves fighting guys like Arturo Gatti and Carlos Baldomir, men that throw one or two punches at a time and they come at a snail’s pace. Pacquiao is a speed demon and it is debatable if Floyd can dodge them all. It is possible that Floyd’s counters won’t be fast enough and that he will be hit while trying to hit return fire.

A weak chin can be put to rest too. Manny Pacquiao took shots from a very strong and powerful Miguel Cotto and didn’t flinch. He won’t drop on one punch from Mayweather, but Mayweather doesn’t just throw one punch either. He will launch in with that left hook, which is a punch that Manny is open for. Unfortunately for the Pacman, that is Floyd’s best punch and if it lands, it could send him into a series of punches by “Money Mayweather.”

The best piece of evidence supporting the Floyd fans and their contention that he will win is the Miguel Cotto fight. It is Manny’s most recent outing and although he won it in spectacular and dominating fashion, there is something in there that should be pointed out.

In the first round, Cotto controlled Manny and easily won the round. He used his jab and a tight defense to keep the bout under control, but he did little after that. Did Manny adjust that well or did Cotto lose focus? Floyd never loses focus and if he gets control, he will be able to maintain it much better than Cotto.

A toss up. A “pick’em.” Whatever way you cut it, this is the bout that the public wants to see. The two very best in the sport going head to head in their primes. I, like all of you cannot wait and am happy to say with some confidence that it is close to be delivered.

A March showdown between Floyd and Manny will begin 2010 with a bang. The biggest fight in probably 10 years of boxing will take place for all the pound for pound marbles. The momentum is with Pacquiao, but he has never faced a puzzle like Mayweather. This is the type of fight that you would hope would reinstate the 15 round limit. It is a classic showdown, much like Thomas Hearns – Sugar Ray Leonard and should be treated as such.

Pacquiao Agrees to 50-50 Split

2009-12-05T11:33:00.003+04:00

Hi to all boxing aficionados out there, here it is as promised to keep you posted regarding the biggest fight in boxing history. Manny Pacquiao agrees to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a 50-50 split on March 13,2010 despite Pacman's trainer Fredie Roach's disagreement that his fighter needs to recuperate from his right eardrum damage he suffered during his fight with the Puerto Rican fighter Miguel Cotto Last November 14,2009. Pacquiao made a history in boxing for capturing 7 title belts in seven weight classes division by demolishing the bigger and stronger Cotto in a 12 round TKO victory. Please wait for more posting to come on this blog with regards to Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. most awaited fight of the century.

Manny Pacquiao has signed a contract to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. in boxing's biggest fight on March 13, a source with knowledge of the meeting told ESPN.com on Friday night.

Arum and Pacquiao met for two hours Friday to discuss the proposed deal, according to Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz, who told the Associated Press that "Manny has some additional requirements, requests, which Arum didn't think was a problem. The requests of Manny were so realistic that Arum doesn't feel it's a problem and it's pretty much a done deal."

Later Friday it became a done deal, at least on the Pacquiao side, when he signed the paperwork, the source said.

Mayweather had previously agreed to terms with Golden Boy Promotions, his promoter for the HBO PPV fight, but it was unclear if he had signed a contract.

The source also disclosed other aspects of the fight, which will take place at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds for Pacquiao's title and match the top two fighters in the world, pound-for-pound.

The camps agreed to a 50-50 split of the money, which could be gargantuan. Many experts expect the fight to eclipse the all-time pay-per-view record for sales, which is the 2.44 million buys generated by Mayweather's 2007 victory against Oscar De La Hoya.

Both fighters will wear 8-ounce gloves but each fighter will be allowed to select the brand of gloves he will wear for the fight.

For promotional purposes, the bout will be referred to as Mayweather-Pacquiao, but Top Rank will receive first billing over Golden Boy throughout the promotion.

However, instead of a full-scale media tour, there will only be a single press conference in New York during the second week of January. With the schedule compressed because of the March 13 date for the fight, rather than May 1, which the promoters and HBO PPV preferred, it didn't leave time for a lengthy media tour.

The fight is going to take place March 13 because Pacquiao is running for a congressional seat in the Philippines and the elections are in May, which would have been a conflict between his training and the campaign.

Pacquiao will spend the first half of his training camp in Baguio in the Philippines, where he also trained for the first part of his camp in preparation for his 12th-round knockout victory against Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14. For the final few weeks of his training, Pacquiao and trainer Freddie Roach will relocate to Roach's Wild Card gym in Hollywood, Calif.

The site of the bout has not been finalized. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has expressed interest in bringing the fight to his new stadium as have representatives from the Superdome in New Orleans. Also in the mix is the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, which has hosted several Pacquiao and Mayweather bouts. Arum has also received a proposal for a 30,000-seat temporary stadium on the Las Vegas Strip across from the Wynn resort.

Dan Rafael covers boxing for ESPN.com.

Negotiations begin for Manny-Floyd clash

2009-11-29T21:00:00.004+04:00

Hi guys, after Manny "The Pacman" Pacquiao over demolishes the bigger and stronger welterweight champion Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico via 12 round TKO , here are some of the developments on the ongoing talks with Mayweather camp for a possible clash in 2010. Please wait for more updates on this much awaited fight.

By Roy Luarca
Philippine Daily Inquirer

EXPLORATORY TALKS HAVE BEGUN FOR the fight the world wants to see—Manny Pacquiao versus Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, told ESPN.com, that he is meeting Bob Arum, top honcho of Top Rank and Pacquiao’s promoter, over lunch Monday (yesterday in Manila) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas to find common points with which to start talks for the showdown early next year.

“The fact that I am flying to Las Vegas to meet with Bob shows you how serious our side is about making the fight,” Schaefer told ESPN’s Dan Rafael.

Arum, according to Rafael, confirmed the planned meeting, but the former refused to talk about the specifics.

Both sides have reportedly agreed to keep the negotiations short and silent for the fight projected to make each fighter richer by as much as $50 million.

Initially, Mayweather’s camp was talking of a 65-to-35 revenue split in their favor, but will have to settle for less following the smashing success of the Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto bout won by the Filipino superstar on Nov. 14 also in Las Vegas.

That bout, which gave Pacquiao an unprecedented seven world titles in as many weight divisions, netted 1.25 million pay-per-view buys and drew about 16,000 paying fans to the MGM Grand.

In contrast, Mayweather’s fight against Juan Manuel Marquez in September only tallied 1.05 million PPV buys and drew 13,000 paying fans to the same venue.

Pacquiao’s chief trainer, Freddie Roach, said in earlier interviews that a 50-50 split would be ideal.

Some boxing pundits are also proposing a 40-40 sharing with the remaining 20 percent going to the winner.

The unbeaten Mayweather, 40-0 with 25 KOs, was the pound-for-pound king when he retired two years ago.