sports mania

Hopkins Versus Pavlik

2008-10-19T18:28:00.000+09:00

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP)—Bernard Hopkins gave Kelly Pavlik a boxing lesson and a first loss that he will never forget.

The 43-year-old Hopkins used lightning quick combinations and a cagey, near-perfect defense to embarrass and confuse Pavlik in a 12-round non-title bout Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall.

Hopkins, who dominated the middleweight class for a decade, made the 26-year-old Pavlik—the WBC and WBO middleweight champion—look slow and powerless in fighting at 170 pounds, 10 pounds over his weight class.

“I think this was my best performance, better than (Antonio) Tarver, better than (Felix) Trinidad, better than Oscar (De La Hoya), better than my 21 defenses,” Hopkins said. “I am extremely happy.”

Hopkins received winning scores of 119-106 from judge Alan Rubenstein, 117-109 from Barbara Perez and 118-108 from Steve Weisfeld.
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The mismatch was obvious from the opening bell, and Hopkins reveled in the beating he gave the Youngstown, Ohio boxer. By the fifth round, Pavlik was bleeding from the nose and by the seventh Hopkins was taunting him.

During one stretch in the round, Hopkins landed four or five straight punches, and then stepped back started winding up on his punches before delivering them.

“He was a great fighter but I knew my style and quickness was underrated and it was going to give him problems tonight,” Hopkins added.

Pavlik (34-1) never stopped stalking Hopkins of Philadelphia, but he never seemed to hurt him.

“I just could not get off tonight,” Pavlik said. “I don’t know why? It was not his slickness. It just wasn’t me out there tonight. I couldn’t do anything I’m used to doing. We’re going back to the drawing board. it just wasn’t me tonight. I’ll be more comfortable going back to 160.”

With tinges of gray in his beard, Hopkins even looked the fresher fighter. He came into ring wearing an executioner’s mask and black robe with an ‘X’ on both, and he terminated Pavlik’s perfect mark in improving to (49-5-1).

The crowd had come to hail Pavlik, who had battered Gary Lockett in his first title defense in June.

When he was in trouble early, they chanted “Kel-lee! Kel-lee!”

Halfway through the fight the chants become “B-Hop! B-Hop!”

Hopkins landed a barrage of blows in the 12th round and started yelling at Pavlik in a move that was no more than a gleeful taunt.

“I wanted to pick it up and step it up,” Hopkins said. “I wanted to stop him.”

When the final bell sounded, both fighters continued to throw punches, forcing referee Benji Esteves to dive between them.

Hopkins then walked over to the television cameras and glared, wondering how so many had predicted that Pavlik would knock him out for the first time in his career.

In hindsight, it’s a wonder Pavlik was still standing at the end.

Hopkins praised Pavlik after the fight.

“I was a fan of yours before the fight and I am a fan of yours now,” Hopkins told Pavlik in the corner. “You just need to get a little more slickness. You need to bend you knees more like your coach was telling you. Middleweight is your destiny.”

Underage Chinese Gymnast

2008-08-22T14:42:00.003+09:00

BEIJING (AP)—The International Olympic Committee said Friday it had asked gymnastics officials to investigate whether the Chinese women’s gymnastics team that won the gold medal had underage athletes, saying “more information has come to light.”

“We’ve asked the gymnastics federation to look into it further,” IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said. “If there is a question mark and we have a concern, which we do, we ask the governing body of any sport to look into it.”

The IOC, which also asked the Chinese gymnastics federation to investigate, would not give details on what new information prompted it to act now, three days after the gymnastics competition ended.

Messages for the International Gymnastics Federation were not immediately returned.

Chinese coach Lu Shanzhen told The Associated Press they gave the FIG new documents on Thursday to try to remove the doubts about He Kexin’s age, including an old passport, a residency card and her current ID card.

He said all these documents were issued by various departments of the Chinese government and that he felt there was nothing more that they could do to put peoples’ minds at ease.

The FIG has said repeatedly that a passport is the “accepted proof of a gymnast’s eligibility,” and that China’s gymnasts have presented ones that show they are age eligible. The IOC also checked the girls’ passports and deemed them valid.

A gymnast must be 16 in an Olympic year to compete at the games. But questions about the ages of at least three of the athletes have persisted. Online records and media reports suggest three Chinese gymnasts—He Kexin, Jiang Yuyuan and Yang Yilin—may be as young as 14.

The IOC had said previously that it had verified the passports of all athletes competing at the games.

“We are not in a position to say ‘It’s good, it’s not good.’ It’s a government document,” FIG president Bruno Grandi said earlier this week in an interview with The Associated Press.

The Chinese women won six medals, including the team gold and a gold on uneven bars by He. The media reports include a Nov. 3 story by the Chinese government’s news agency, Xinhua—that suggest He is only 14. She was asked about her age again after winning the uneven bars title, beating American Nastia Liukin in a tiebreak.

If the FIG would find evidence supporting the questions that the gymnasts are underage, it could affect four of China’s medals. In addition to the team gold and He’s gold on bars, Yang won bronzes in the all-around and uneven bars.

“I was born in 1992 and I’m 16 years old now,” He said Monday. “The FIG has proved that. If I’m under 16, I couldn’t have been competing here.”

Age falsification has been a problem in gymnastics since the 1980s after the minimum age was raised from 14 to 15 to protect young athletes from serious injuries. The minimum age was raised to its current 16 in 1997.

North Korea was barred from the 1993 world championships after FIG officials discovered that Kim Gwang Suk, the gold medalist on uneven bars in 1991, was listed as 15 for three years in a row. Romania admitted in 2002 that several gymnasts’ ages had been falsified, including Olympic medalists Gina Gogean and Alexandra Marinescu.

Even China’s own Yang Yun, a double bronze medalist in Sydney, said during an interview aired on state broadcaster China Central Television that she was 14 in 2000.

Team USA Montage

2008-08-22T14:39:00.001+09:00

See the moves of the USA Team in gymnastics event held in Beijing..

Women's Artistic Gymnastics- Team Beijing 2008

2008-08-22T14:31:00.001+09:00

See the moves.

Pacquiao Funny Pictures

2008-08-16T10:39:00.001+09:00

my funniest collections..

Olympic Delegates

2008-08-09T12:12:00.001+09:00

The Beijing Olympics has started this August 8, 2008 (for obvious reasons) with a colorful celebration or festivities. The Olympics will run from August 8-24, 2008 and everybody is hoping to bring home the beacon.

In line with this event, he Philippine delegates composed of Hidilyn Diaz (weightlifting); Henry Tanamor (boxing); Daniel Coakley, and Christel Simms (swimming); Henry Dagmil and Maristella Torres (athletics); Tshomlee Go and Mary Antoinette Rivero (taekwondo); Mark Javier (archery); Miguel Molina, James Wlsh, Ryan Arabejo, Rexel Ryan Fabriga and Sheila Mae Perez (diving); and Eric Ang (shooting) flew to China this AUgust 7, 2008 to compete. The delegates fly via Philippine Airline Flight PR358 from Ninoy Aquino International.

Since the Philippines have not yet bring home a gold in the history of olympics, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will give a reward amounting to 15 Million whoever wins the gold. The money will not from here alone, some sponsors maybe.

World Sports Travel

2008-08-05T13:40:00.003+09:00

The best ticketing company is here. Introducing world sport travel, as its name implies they provide ticketing assistance for your sports needs.

They all have sort of sports including the famous rugby, golf, football, cricket, horse racing, and among others to name a few.

Yao will Resume His Workout

2008-07-16T13:32:00.003+09:00

Chinese newspapers say Yao Ming is likely to resume working out with China’s national basketball team later this week.

The Houston Rockets’ center has a “very high” chance of playing in China’s three games at the Stankovic Cup Olympic warmup tournament in the eastern city of Hangzhou, Hu Jiashi, deputy director of the Chinese Basketball Association was quoted as saying by newspapers.
China’s first game is against Serbia on Thursday.

Yao’s health for the Beijing Olympics has been of great concern to organizers since he suffered a stress fracture to his left foot in February, ending his NBA season.

Tied 3-3 in 10th

2008-07-16T12:59:00.003+09:00

NEW YORK - Evan Longoria hit an RBI double off Billy Wagner with two outs in the eighth inning, pulling the American League into a 3-all tie with the NL and sending the All-Star game into extra innings Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.

J.D. Drew hit a two-run homer for the Americans off Edinson Volquez in the seventh, tying the score at 2.

Matt Holliday homered in the fifth for the NL, which took a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth when Miguel Tejada helped manufacture a run.

Tejada singled off Boston reliever Jonathan Papelbon, who was booed lustily by the sellout crowd. Tejada stole second and went to third on catcher Dioner Navarro’s throwing error before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Adrian Gonzalez.

San Francisco closer Brian Wilson retired the first two batters in the eighth before giving way to Wagner. He gave up a single to Grady Sizemore, who stole second without a throw and scored when Longoria golfed a 2-2 delivery down the left-field line for a ground-rule double.

Manny Pacquiao vs David Diaz

2008-07-01T13:19:00.003+09:00

Once manny "pacman" pacquiao won against david diaz last june 28, 2008. Today, he has a total of four belts.

manny pacquiao highlights

2008-07-01T13:15:00.003+09:00

Pacquiao vs Diaz ROUND 1

2008-06-30T11:04:00.003+09:00

Round 1.

Pacquiao vs Diaz ROUND 2 and 3

2008-06-30T11:02:00.005+09:00

Rounds 2 and 3.

Pacquiao vs Diaz ROUND 4 and 5

2008-06-30T11:02:00.004+09:00

Rounds 4 and 5.

Pacquiao vs Diaz ROUND 6 and 7

2008-06-30T11:01:00.002+09:00

Rounds 6 and 7.

Pacquiao vs Diaz ROUND 8 and 9

2008-06-30T10:48:00.002+09:00

Wow! Pacquiao is really great! Another belt for him.

CONGRATS!

Pacquiao vs Diaz Countdown

2008-06-30T10:43:00.002+09:00

Once again People Champ Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao won against Mexican Boxer David Diaz after a 9 rounds of great boxing.

So, see him again on November as he fights against Hatton.

Congatulations Manny!

MANNY PACQUIAO - DAVID DIAZ in Jessica Soho

2008-06-28T20:19:00.001+09:00

An interview with Manny Pacman Pacquiao before his fight.

Manny Pacquiao shocked Juan Manuel Marquez

2008-06-28T20:15:00.001+09:00

See the fight of Pacman with Juan Manuel Marquez.

Best fight of all time: Muhammad ALI VS Joe FRAZIER

2008-06-28T20:11:00.001+09:00

Hernandez hits first Grand Slam

2008-06-25T13:53:00.005+09:00

Felix Hernandez hit the first grand slam by an American League pitcher in 37 years when the Seattle Mariners ace connected Monday night off Johan Santana of the New York Mets.

With two outs in the second inning, Hernandez took a healthy hack at Santana's first pitch and drove an opposite-field shot over the right-center fence to give Seattle a 4-0 lead.

Three innings later, Hernandez sprained his left ankle while trying to cover home plate on a wild pitch. He left the game one out short of qualifying for a win and had to be helped to the dugout by team trainers.

Earlier, Hernandez hit the first home run by a pitcher in Mariners history, and the first slam by an AL hurler since Cleveland's Steve Dunning connected off Oakland's Diego Segui on May 11, 1971, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

That was two years before the American League began playing with a designated hitter -- and six years before the Mariners' expansion season of 1977.

The last National League pitcher to hit a grand slam also did it at Shea Stadium. Dontrelle Willis, then with Florida, accomplished the feat against the Mets on July 7, 2006.

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Hernandez clapped his hands while rounding first base as the ball cleared the fence. The home run came in his first plate appearance of the season and made him 2-for-9 with five RBIs and six strikeouts in his major league career.

Just before Hernandez connected, an error by Mets third baseman David Wright extended the inning.

His next time up, Hernandez dropped down a successful sacrifice bunt. Interestingly, Mariners pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre also hit a grand slam while pitching in the big leagues. He did it on July 20, 1965, an inside-the-park slam at Yankee Stadium against Boston.

In the fifth inning, Carlos Beltran dashed home when Hernandez's wild pitch squirted away from catcher Jeff Clement.

Hernandez rushed in to cover home but Clement held onto the ball and made an unsuccessful dive at Beltran. That left Hernandez standing on the plate when Beltran slid into his feet, scoring safely to make it 5-1 Mariners.

Hernandez hobbled away from the play, then crumpled to the ground as manager Jim Riggleman and a trainer came out to check on the 22-year-old right-hander.

He got up and threw a warmup pitch, but jumped off the rubber in pain. Hernandez asked to try one more, but Riggleman waved him off and signaled to the bullpen.

A frustrated Hernandez then slammed his cap to the ground and was relieved by Roy Corcoran.

Pacquiao vs Hatton in November

2008-06-19T13:22:00.002+09:00

Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao wants British ring icon Ricky Hatton for his next fight in November 2008.

That dream megabuck bout, however, is dependent on Pacquiao emerging victorious in his June 28 showdown with Mexican-American David Diaz for the latter’s World Boxing Council crown in Las Vegas, Nevada.Though, Hatton is a natural light welterweight (140 lb), Pacquiao, who started his professional career at 112 lb, believes the weight difference won’t really matter.

Pacquiao explained that he tipped the scales at 145 lb when he bested Marquez in their rematch, also held in Las Vegas, and is used to sparring with fighters who weigh between 140 lb and 150 lb.

Actually, Hatton has been on Pacquiao’s radar ever since Manchester’s finest was beaten by Floyd Mayweather Jr. last December.

Hatton’s father, Ray, confirmed that Pacquiao indeed approached them after the Mayweather fight and that they are still considering the Filipino lefty’s (fight) proposal.

“Pacquiao’s big at his weight and it would be a wonderful fight,” the elder Hatton told Sporting

Life.

“They’ve just about got the two biggest followings in the world—where would you stage a fight like that?”

Even before his showdown with Marquez, however, Top Rank chief honcho and Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum broached the idea of staging Pacquiao-Hatton either in Dubai, United Arab Emirates or Las Vegas in November.There may be a hitch, though, as Hatton—who is fresh off his victory over Juan Lazcano last month—is also keen on battling Italian-American Paulie Malignaggi in November.

Three Filipinos to carry 2008 Olympic Torch

2008-06-19T13:06:00.003+09:00

Three Filipinos will carry torch in the 2008 Olympic torch in China, including CNN's Beijing bureau chief Jaime FlorCruz, his daughter Michelle FlorCruz, and marketing executive Maroc Torres.

Mr. FlorCruz was scheduled to carry the Olympic torch on August 6 in Beijing, two days before the opening ceremonies of the Games.Michelle, a student at the International School in Beijing, will carry the torch on August 3 in Tangshan City, and Torres on July 5 in Lanzhou, Gansu province.

FlorCruz and Michelle, 17, were selected by the Beijing City government for their contribution to China, while Torres placed second among eight foreigners selected by an Olympic sponsor company to carry the Olympic torch through an Internet voting competition called "expats for Olympic torchbearers" last year.

Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Cataumber Brady said it would be a "great honor" for the Philippines to be represented in the event.

"We also hope that during the Beijing Olympics, we will finally win our very first Olympic gold medal," she said.

FlorCruz, was a former Time magazine Beijing bureau chief, he first arrived in Beijing in August 1971. One of the 15 Filipino youths who were invited by the China Friendship Association for a three-week study tour, FlorCruz stayed on when martial law was declared in the Philippines; he has remained there for the past 37 years.

"I covered the 1988 Seoul Olympics for Time Magazine and Sports Illustrated. Now I am looking forward to covering the Beijing Games as well, this time as CNN's Beijing Bureau Chief. It would be fun not just to report on it but to actually participate as one of the torch bearers during the relay," he said.

His daughter Michelle has this to say about her forthcoming experience: "I was "Made in China," born in the Philippines, and bred in Beijing. I guess that makes me a top quality product, a fusion of different cultures."

"I love Beijing and I love the Olympics. Proof of this is that I declined an opportunity to move to Shanghai if only for the Olympics. I also know now that my destiny of being in the Olympics will be fulfilled," Torres said.

Pacquiao claims pound-for-pound No. 1

2008-06-10T13:48:00.001+09:00

When Manny Pacquiao fights David Diaz on June 28, he will carry with him the awesome reputation as the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter.

Formerly ranked No. 2 by FightFan.com, the Filipino ring icon was elevated to the top on Sunday following the retirement of former topnotcher Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Saturday.

The Filipino ring superstar also used to hold Ring Magazine’s pound-for-pound honor.

Pacquiao, the reigning World Boxing Council titlist, is seeking Diaz’s WBC lightweight belt at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

A victory over Diaz will make the GenSan superstar the first Asian to hold four crowns in different divisions and the first Filipino to rule the 135-pound category.

The 29-year-old Pacquiao, also acclaimed as the world’s best fighter in 2006, made his professional debut at 106 lb in 1995 and has been fighting top boxers since 2003.

Among Pacquiao’s prominent victims are Mexican greats Marco Antonio Barrera, whom he beat twice, and Eric Morales, whom he defeated twice in their fight trilogy.

Pacquiao beat World Boxing Organization British super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe for the honor.

Another Mexican, Juan Manuel Marquez, from whom Pacquiao wrested the super featherweight crown in March 15 also in Las Vegas, was rated No. 3.

Mexican WBC super bantam champion Israel Vasquez came in fourth, followed by unbeaten Puerto Ricans Miguel Cotto, the WBA welterweight champion, and Ivan Calderon, respectively.

Ranked from seventh to 10th were Bernard Hopkins, Kelly Pavlik, Winky Wright and Rafael Marquez.

Meanwhile, Diaz turned 32 on Sunday in his hometown in Chicago, where he has been in training at the JABB gym since last month.

But Pacquiao should have been more careful for what he wished for because he is going to be in the fight of his life. The battle is on and I am going to leave the ring as boxing’s new No.1 pound for pound fighter.‘ - Marco Antonio Barrera

Pagulayan the Man to Watch

2008-06-10T13:26:00.003+09:00

Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan, a World Pool Championship in 2004, is the man to watch in the Cebu leg of the Senate President Manny Villar Billiards Cup at the Atrium of SM City Cebu on June 20 to 22.

Even though he played poorly in last week’s Guinness 9-Ball Tour at the Genting International Convention Center in Malaysia, I’m picking the 29-year-old Pagulayan to figure prominently in Cebu City against a star-studded field that includes the fabled Efren “Bata” Reyes and Ronnie Alcano, who are both former world champions; former world No. 1 Francisco “Django” Bustamante and current world No. 1 Dennis Orcollo.

Not to be ignored, too, is Cebu native and three-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Warren Kiamco, who will be gunning for back-to-back wins after ruling the inaugural leg of this nationwide tour at the Star Mall in Muntinlupa City last May 10.

Despite Pagulayan’s loss to upcoming Marvin Gentapa of Cebu City and rising star Joven Bustamante in the recent Magnificent 7 Winner-Take-All 9-Ball Invitational in Mandaue City, Alex still managed to win the championship.

I feel Alex is well-placed to win in Cebu because he is playing on familiar territory.
Sometime last year, at the height of his falling out with the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines, Pagulayan proved his critics wrong by winning, with a flourish, a major tournament in Cebu.

While Pagulayan is not yet in the class of Hall of Famer Bata Reyes, Alex is pleasant to watch. He dazzles pool circles with his relentless, often comic, ways in establishing himself as a terror with the cue stick.

“I’m always nervous when I compete,” Pagulayan admitted. “However, I’m confident of doing well in this (Cebu) event.”