ARUM AGREES TO GIVE MANNY A BIGGER GUARANTEE THAN HE INITIALLY PROPOSED

By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 07 Dec 2009

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum not only knows the business of boxing which he has been involved in since 1966 when he promoted the Muhammd Ali-George Chuvalo heavyweight title fight in Canada, he knows his prized possession – pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao.

When Arum met with Pacquiao and his adviser Michael Koncz who is completely trusted by both the fighter and his promoter, to discuss the details of the March 13 classic showdown against Floyd Mayweather Jr, Arum said he had “offered him a number against his percentage” which we understand was a guaranteed $20 million.

In an exclusive interview with www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports along with Dyan Castillejo of ABS-CBN, Arum revealed that Pacquiao “asked for a bigger number and I tried to come with a number that was sort of in-between. A compromise. But you know Manny always loves to win so when I agreed to his number there was a big smile on his face and he was like in seventh heaven.”

Arum said ”you know my thinking was that Manny always comes through on his pay-per-view fights and done a big number and he’s performed in the ring and in the promotion and I think it will do the same on this fight so I agreed to his guarantee, ” which is reportedly $25 million.

HBO Sports believes the fight could generate a record-breaking 3 million pay-per-view homes which would, at a price of $60, gross $180 million. With all the deductions for expenses and the promoters percentage the net figure expected to be available for the two fighters would be around $90 million which, based on an even 50-50 split would give Pacquiao an additional income of around $20 million or a total of $45 million.

However, if the PPV numbers are in the vicinity of 2.5 million which Arum projects then the additional income for Pacquiao would be $12.5 million or a total of $37.5 million.

Arum said reaching an agreement didn’t take long even as he remarked that Pacquiao “may have known more when we started” in terms of negotiating but “he was a little shy about it.”

Arum also disclosed that when he first sat down with Schaefer he said "in the first meeting I had with the Mayweather people I said you want me to spend two hours saying why Manny deserves more than fifty percent and then you'll spend three hours telling me why Mayweather is entitled to more than 50 percent. So let's save a lot of time and cut out the nonsense.

He felt that the excitement about the Mayweather fight demonstrated by Pacquiao can be attributed to “his competitive juices. This fight is for boxing the equivalent of ten American Super Bowls. It is the biggest fight that we’ve had in boxing in the last 20 years from the standpoint of people talking about it, the buzz all over the world. I got up this morning and I couldn’t get off my cellphone. Mexico was calling me, France was calling me because everybody wants a statement. It is the biggest fight in boxing probably since the first Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier fight in 1970.”

Arum said “Pacquiao is participating in the biggest fight and he is on the biggest stage and he is pumped up and energized.”

However, Arum admitted that “the only thing I fear is the politics takes away some of the focus. I mean all Filipinos are going to be rooting for Manny like never before. This is the biggest fight, the biggest thing on the world stage so Filipinos as one – and I don’t want to get involved in Philippine politics – this person running against Manny should really reconsider whether it will be best for him to pull out of the fight and to take that one worry off Manny’s head.”

He invited Roy Chiongbian who is reportedly a reluctant candidate who is being pushed into the fray by his family to “come to the fight, cheer for Manny and run again for office for congress or even higher office. But he shouldn’t be running against Manny and trying to distract Manny so that he could possibly lose the fight.”

Arum said that he and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer who met early in the week over lunch in Las Vegas top discuss the fight “were very careful this time and went through every conceivable item and got that out of the way. I really believe that once we select the site the battle for tickets starts. Everybody including my cousins whom I haven’t see in 50 years am sure will be on the phone asking for fight tickets.”

Arum said he hadn’t been in contact with the Mayweather people but as of Saturday noon he had been in contact twice with Schaefer since he arrived in Manila since Schaefer was tasked with representing the Mayweather camp in the negotiations.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

PACQUIAO THRILLED ABOUT MAYWEATHER FIGHT

By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 07 Dec 2009

Manny Pacquiao, a hero to millions across the Philippines and around the world and the world’s pound-for-pound king is thrilled about his fight for the ages against undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr, the former pound-for-pound maestro.

An exuberant Pacquiao met us at the lobby of the New World Hotel early Saturday morning after returning to his hotel following an all-night shooting of his movie “Wapakman” and a few racks of pool and said “come on, let’s go up to my room” which happened to be a suite.

He raised his T-shirt to show us his finely chiseled abdomen and had us feel his upper arms which were like rock and then covered up like he did at times in his “Fire Power” showdown with WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto and said “come on Mayweather, lets see what you’ve got.”

A smiling, confident Pacquiao said he used the same tactics against Cotto because “it was mind-conditioning. I wanted him to be scared. I wanted to show him I could take his best shots because before the fight they always said Cotto was stronger and bigger. That’s why in the fight I wanted to prove that I was bigger and stronger.”

Many fights fans have wondered how the skinny kid who fought as a light flyweight when he was 16 years old could have blossomed into a 147 pound welterweight as he nears the age of 31 and hit with such incredible power. “My power comes from God and in my heart” he answered without batting an eyelash.

Pacquiao didn’t wish to in anyway belittle Mayweather but indirectly gave him and his trash-taking father Floyd Mayweather Sr some unsolicited advice.

With a hearty laugh when asked about the remarks of Mayweather Sr, Pacquiao said “we can become famous without being arrogant. We can stay humble without resorting to trash talk. It's not good being a champion idolized by everybody especially the young kids. Trash-talking is not a good example to the young. That’s very important.”

Pacquiao revealed that for some time now he hasn’t fallen prey to the temptation of having a beer or any hard liquor while shooting his movie or playing pool and has maintained his physical condition by playing basketball. He stressed, “I haven’t touched a drink.”

Sharing Pacquiao’s enthusiasm over the Mayweather fight, adviser Michael Koncz who was the only member of Team Pacquiao to sit in on the discussions between Pacquiao and Top Rank promoter Bob Arum and reportedly provided valuable insights and inputs that helped get the deal done comparatively quickly, said he too was “very excited about this fight."

Koncz told www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports "Mayweather was the pound-for-pound fighter for many years. He has a different and very unique style compared to anybody that Manny fought. But I still think he’s going to be surprised with Manny’s power and I think Manny will be able to tag Mayweather because of his speed, not only his hand-speed but his foot-speed.”

Koncz recalled that former WBC lightweight champion David Diaz said it best when he remarked “we all hear and we all know Manny has fast hands but until you get into the ring you don’t know how fast. I think people underestimate his footwork and his lateral movement and what catches his opponents tremendously off-guard is that Manny can throw a power-punch when one shouldn’t be able to do it. Most boxers have to have both feet planted on the canvas but Manny can do it off one foot and has knocked people out that way.”

The fighter whom Top Rank promoter Bob Arum considers the greatest of all-time surpassing even heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali who was a towering international personality promoted by Arum himself, indicated that his running for the lone congressional district in Sarangani won’t interfere with his training for the Mayweather fight or diminish his focus.

Ranged against a reluctant candidate who is much older than him, Pacquiao said as far as his campaign is concerned “everything is in place and we are ready.”

Source: PhilBoxin.com

Arum's "it's now or never" sales pitch negligible!

By Granville Ampong
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 07 Dec 2009

Straight Notes from Jetweight Theory of Inspiration, December 7, 2009 - I am not a fan of Manny Pacquiao, nor am I beholden to his wishes at all. But, I feel his pain. It's not easy to be caught in a situation that demands drastic choice especially in the confluence of two extremes.

Fresh from another alleged affair with Krista Ranillo, Pacquiao feels the need to reestablish bonding with his family more than ever, that he must, just as when he was alleged as well to have an affair with Ara Mina two years ago. He must have felt that taking a break from secluded training for boxing is the right thing to do, at least at this time, especially holidays rhyme all over the corner, for his family.

Even just doing a small thing with his wife, Jinky, and his kids during his election campaign can spell a big difference to his family.

Conversely, I doubt if Pacquiao really knows well the activities of daily living of his kids by now. And let me brag this irreverently and rhetorically: I don't think Pacquiao has richer relationship with his kids than what I have with my two boys, 5 & 8. Even though I am considerably "chasing" from one paycheck to another, I still think I have more of what is unseen: that joy of being with my kids and my wife daily and that elation I get of being able to play and laugh with them in moments of their need for moral support, other than those special moments of watching them sleeping in their glorious smile.

You see, spending less time with family is nothing less than eating junk foods daily and just taking quality meals once in a while. It's pathetic, indeed.

Meanwhile, "pop-out" bloggers have shown misunderstandings about the requirements of a contract. Contrary to widespread reports, the contract for the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight has not been signed yet by either parties. Finer points such as the size of gloves, the weight class at which they must agree to fight, are not immaterial to the perfection of the contract. Both camps are still in negotiation.

Yes, the pressure he gets from the "it's now or never" pitch of Arum is totally negligible. In as much as the boxing public wants Mayweather-Pacquiao fight, Pacquiao must be the master of his own schedule, whether it be for business or personal matters, let alone the interferences from the leeches all around.

On the other hand, March 13, 2010 is too close and too soon for Manny Pacquiao. And I think twelve weeks of preparation for this magnitude of a fight cannot give forth the same quality for him than having such fight scheduled sometime after the honeymoon of May 10 elections in the Philippines. He would only be so unfocused, too hasty as a matter of fact.

Another thing, election campaign does not really start on the day the law enforces each candidate to observe. Building a stronger political machinery is something that requires Pacquiao's physical presence even days before the official campaign period starts, if he so intends to win over Roy Chongbian, the annointed one of Chongbian dynasty that reigns in Saranggani for over two decades now.

What more conflicts can he have than what he has now?

Source: PhilBoxing.com

Is Floyd Happy Or Annoyed Pacquiao Accepted?

Published by Scoop Malinowski on December 6th, 2009

Do you think Floyd Mayweather is happy or annoyed that Manny Pacquiao has accepted to do battle on March 13?
This is not such an easy and obvious question to answer because neither Floyd nor Leonard Ellerbe has made a public statement or comment upon learning last week that the Pac-Man wants to come back to America to trade fists with the self-proclaimed greatest fighter in history.

So we really can’t say for sure if Floyd is happy or annoyed or worried to know that he now has to man up and fight the
most dangerous, most ferocious, most complicated challenge of his life on March 13, which could pay the talkative American in upwards of $20, 30 or even $40 million.

I am one of the belief that had Pacquiao rejected the fight date of March 13 – reasonably saying he needed more time to
rest after Cotto or prepare for elections – Mayweather would have been all over the media, declaring victory and that Pacquiao
was ducking him.

And Mayweather would have been able to justify to HBO and Golden Boy about proceeding with plans to box Matthew Hatton in London in March or April.
I believe it is entirely possible that Mayweather attempted to force Pacquiao with an ultimatum last week that he fully
expected Pacquiao to reject the aggressively rushed date of March 13.

But once again, like how he unexpectedly shocked everyone by easily destroying Oscar, Hatton and Cotto, Pacquiao has bewildered and
confused Floyd who does not know exactly what to say at this time about having to fight Pacquiao.

Of course, Mayweather could say or release a simple statement saying:

“I’m very happy that Manny has accepted to fight me on March 13 and I look forward to proving I am the best boxer in the world.”

or “I want to thank HBO, Golden Boy, Bob Arum and Manny Pacquiao for this opportunity. I am honored and privileged to be a
part of a prolific event like this. And may the best man win.”

or “I respect Manny Pacquiao and thank him very much for making this super-fight possible. But I will rise to the occasion
and show the world I am the most skilled and exciting boxer of all time when I easily beat Manny on March 13.”

or “I have waited my entire career to be involved in such a defining fight and be assured I will be the winner.”

or “Manny Pacquiao is a good little fighter with a whole country behind him but I will show everyone he is making a big mistake
picking a fight with me.”

or “I have grown bored with boxing again as all fights are a no-win situation and therefore I have decided to immediately retire from the sport for the second time.”

But no. We have heard nary a peep from Mayweather Headquarters. And the strange silence is sparking suspicion and curiosity.

Could Floyd be in secret panic and examining all possible excuses to use as an escape from the March 13 date, such as by coming up with an injury?
Or could Floyd be celebrating with a 72-hour party in Las Vegas at having secured the biggest payday in boxing history? Or could Floyd be so inspired by the challenge, he is already busy studying films and already engaging in two-a-day training sessions, to make sure he is more than ready for Pacquiao? Could Floyd have bolted all windows and doors, shivering and suffering
from repeated nightmares of what Manny Pacquiao might do to him on March 13?

We don’t know. We can’t tell what Floyd is thinking because he hasn’t officially said anything about Manny Pacquiao agreeing to
fight him.

Could Floyd be busy? Sure. Could Floyd be partying? Maybe. Could Floyd be struggling with the reality that after all these
years he has finally been cornered and must put his skills to the ultimate test, against a man even his own father
advised him to avoid? Yes.

Could he be…scared? Any boxer, now matter how talented, who saw what happened to Oscar, Hatton and Cotto, and knows he has
to fight that monster next, has every right and reason to be even a little bit scared. Floyd Mayweather included.

Source: boxinginsider.com

Freddie Roach vs Floyd Mayweather SR

Mississippi Fight Sports Examiner | Brad Cooney

Trainers Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr do not like one another, that much is clear. There will be no Christmas cards sent to one another that's for sure. Each time this writer interviews either guy, more than likely before it ends, both men will take a shot at one another of some sort. Mayweather Sr loves labeling Roach as, "No coach joke Roach.' Roach usually returns the favor by pointing out that Big Floyd would be the one who presents him with the Hall of Fame trophy, because that's the closest Floyd will ever get to it.

During the Manny Pacquiao vs Oscar De La Hoya camp both men couldn't resist the opportunity to take swipes at one another. Floyd Sr talked a lot of smack throughout that camp, but it would be Roach that would get the final knockout, compliments Manny Pacquiao's beat down over Oscar.

When Pacquiao took on Ricky Hatton, once again Floyd Mayweather Sr did a lot of talking. He was convinced his Ricky Hatton would defeat Manny Pacquiao. Once again, it would be Roach delivering the knockout punch, and once again compliments of Pacquiao's beat down over Hatton. Mayweather Sr has no respect for Freddie Roach, and he has no respect for Manny Pacquiao.

Recently this writer was talking to Floyd Mayweather Sr and tried to get him to admit that Manny Pacquiao was great, and he cut me off in mid sentence. He would go on about how he feels Pacquiao is up to something, "fishy." He's gone on the record many times now and made indirect allegations of steroid usage by Pacquiao. Roach is furious with the allegation, and fired back saying that Manny has,"passed every drug test ever given to him." There is a lot of bad blood between the two men, and if this fight between Manny and Floyd does happen, it's going to be interesting to see how Roach and Big Floyd conduct themselves.

Seems to be just a lot of good old fashioned jealousy and envy going on here. Why else would someone carry so much anger in them towards another person? With the success that both Roach and Pacquiao enjoy, you would think that most people would respect them, and praise their accomplishments. Well most do, except Floyd Mayweather Sr, and perhaps one or two others here or there....but not many.

Source: Examiner.com

Brian’s Boxing Mailbag (Debating Floyd Mayweather JR vs. Manny Pacquiao)

By Brian Wilbur-December 7, 2009

Hey Everyone. Thanks for visiting Ringside Report and checking out my column. I have a ton of emails to get to this week since the Pacquiao fans are out in full force trying to convince me that their guy is going to beat Floyd Mayweather, JR. in the proposed mega fight.

I will get to the questions, but first I would like to recap the week’s fights. Between MMA and boxing there are a handful of important events. In case you have been away, here is what you missed:

-Roy Jones got knocked out, this time by Danny Green, once again proving that he is in even worse shape than Evander Holyfield and needs to retire five years ago.

-Some fat guy won the Ultimate Fighter.

-Paul Williams had a tough time in a fight he was supposed to dominate.

-We found out that Sergio Martinez is a much better boxer than Pierre Benoist is a Boxing Judge.

-Bernard Hopkins thinks that Australia is in Europe.

-Kimbo Slice won a fight, but still could not convince anyone that he isn't a fraud.

-Chris Arreola's ego is overinflated to the point where he actually thinks he can beat Tony Thompson. I'd have “Tiger” Thompson as a 3 to 1 favorite if that bout comes to fruition.

If you would like to talk about those topics, about Pacquiao vs. Mayweather, or any other boxing related topic, send in your emails and questions to be answered in next week's mailbag. Thanks and enjoy.

Wilbur The Biased Pacquiao Hater

Sir Brian,

I just can't help but notice your enormous faith, boarding on fanaticism, in Mayweather's skills. I have great respect in your opinion, but looking at your past to mailbags, makes me wonder if you do really keep an open mind.

Your quote from last week:

"If a tired and defeated Miguel Cotto could still snap Manny's head back with a jab, the surely Mayweather's better quicker jab could do even more damage. If the above average technical boxer Erik Morales could outbox Manny, then what would the extraordinary boxing genius Mayweather do to him?"

Have you considered the thought that maybe Pacquiao just didn't respect Cotto's punches to the point that he would even ignore whether those punches would hit him, as long as he can hit back? And Mayweather has way, way softer jab than Cotto. Yes, sharper and faster maybe. But harder? I don't think so. Though I don't really give much weight on Erik Morales out-boxing Pacquiao in their first match (Pacquiao was cut early, surely, that would affect him), I am also really disappointed in the way you demean Erik Morales by calling him "above average" so just you could somehow "exaggerate" (by calling him a genius) your point on Mayweather's skills, which is (for your realization) suspect to most boxing pundits if you consider the quality of his opponents.

Your other quote from last week:

"I see this as a styles match up between two elite, evenly matched boxers. My personal choice favors the length, jab, and defensive ability of Mayweather over the speed, power, and relentless aggression of Pacquiao."

"Evenly matched," you say?! Well, it sure didn't read like it in your past two articles.

Respectfully yours,

-Reagan Loberternos

Reagan,

You took my first quote out of context. I was playing devil's advocate to an emailer who was saying similar quotes in favor of Pacquiao. I was showing him that you could play two sides to that game.

When I called Erik Morales an above average boxer I was not talking about his prowess as an overall fighter. Morales will be in the hall of fame some day and I have tremendous respect for him. When I say that "Morales is an above average boxer" I was talking solely about his defensive boxing ability (ie. his ability to stick and move). Morales, for all of his assets, is not known for that kind of fighting. Morales is known for his guts, fighter's instinct, bravery, versatility, and at the lower weight classes, his power. He is not known as a Pernell Whitaker-type slick boxer. Morales out-boxed Manny Pacquiao even though that kind of fighting is not his trademark fighting style.

Floyd Mayweather, on the other hand, is known exactly for that kind of fighting and he does it better than anyone else in his generation. His greatest examples of his unbelievable technical skills were the rematch against Jose Luis Castillo, Genaro Hernandez, and Carlos Baldomir. Mayweather has fought enough excellent opponents to prove his greatness against. It is true that he could have fought better opponents at the higher weight classes, but he still beat Hatton and De La Hoya before Pacquiao did and Baldomir was the recognized Welterweight Champion at the time. I've seen enough to know what Floyd can do.

So, when it comes to defensive boxing based off the jab, Morales is above average and Mayweather is a genius.

But as much as I am amazed at Mayweather's boxing skill, I am equally amazed at Pacquiao's speed, quickness, power, stamina, etc. That is why I see this as virtually an even fight.

Pacquiao Not Top 30 All Time Great

Mr. Brian,

Thanks for your response to my very first email to any boxing writer ever!

I'm a middle-aged Filipino boxing fan. Since my early teens in the mid 70's, I have followed not only my country's boxers but any good boxer before, then and after regardless of race, religion and creed.

In my boxing's all-time greats book, Manny Pacquiao is "only" in the top 75. That's because of the quality of the opposition at the time Manny Pacquiao faced them.

Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, and Juan Manuel Marquez had been beating each other up before Pacquiao fought them. Oscar De La Hoya was way past his prime, Hatton got clobbered by Floyd Mayweather already and Miguel Cotto was completely destroyed by Margacheato physically, but especially mentally.

I'm in no way downgrading my countryman's achievements. IMHO, he is not only just the best boxer the Philippines has ever produced, he is also the best Asian and southpaw boxer ever!

Mayweather is the closest still in his prime great boxer Pacquiao could face. If that fight happens and Pacquiao beats Mayweather, only then would I include Pacquiao in my top 30 all time great boxers (pound for pound).

-Tito

Tito,

I vehemently disagree with your take on Pacquiao's all time great status. I can't believe you can poo poo his wins over Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, and Juan Manuel Marquez. Pacquiao stumbled upon a golden age of featherweights (similar to how Sugar Ray Robinson fought in a golden age of middleweights, or how Muhammad Ali fought in a golden age of heavyweights). Barrera, Morales, and Marquez will all be in the hall of fame one day, and Pacquiao beat all three of them, and arguably he beat them in their primes.

The fact that the other fighters that you mentioned, like Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto had lost previously does not take away the fact that they were very well respected and considered to be at the top of their respective divisions.

Floyd Mayweather is a fellow all time great in his prime and is the best boxer that Pacquiao will have ever faced. You say a win over Mayweather puts him top 30 all time. I say Pacquiao is already top 30 and a win puts him in the top 10.

Interesting email since I was expecting flack for not having Pacquiao high enough, not the other way around.

Mayweather Can’t Represent Himself

Hi Brian,

I read some of your replies to your mailbag, and I agree with some of your judgments. I just want to know where are the Mayweathers now? I haven’t heard much about them after the Cotto destruction (the legitimate), and I’m quite surprised that no one from them could show up and do some sharing about what’s on their minds.

I wonder how big Pacman is now because Floyd needed aid from the Golden Boy Promotions CEO to make this fight happen. I thought Floyd was a businessman, that he was the boss. Why then, does he need someone to represent him on this fight? Can’t he handle Pacquiao now?

-Dax

Dax,

Richard Shaeffer, the Golden Boy CEO, also represented Mayweather in the negotiations for the Juan Manuel Marquez fight. They must have some kind of business relationship and Floyd trusts him.

Don't think that the Mayweathers will stay quiet. They will be making all kind of accusations and wild statements during the fight build up, assuming this fight gets made.

Why Mayweather Will Lose

Hi Brian,

First time to send you an email. I just have some facts you have to consider as to why I believe Pacman will win.

1. a. If you watch Jose Luis Castillo vs. Floyd Mayweather 1 over and over again you will definitely see that Castillo clearly won that fight. Even Lederman and Merchant said so at the end of the fight. Hence, Mayweather thinking he is invincible is all smoke and mirrors. He is beatable.

b. Knowing that Castillo fought Mayweather twice. He has an idea of how strong Mayweather's punches are. That leads us to how did Castillo rate Pacman's punches? (Castillo was the sparring partner of Pacman for the Cotto fight) He said by far that Pacman’s punches were way harder and stronger than Mayweather’s.

2. Manny will take one punch to get four punches in. We all know Manny can take a punch. He is also elusive with his bob and weave but we also know if he gets hit he will retaliate with four or more punches in return. He is such a pressure fighter that he will cut and cut until he traps Mayweather on the ropes and I do feel his shoulder role won't hide everything because when Pacman throws combos from top to bottom something will open up whether the body or the head and surely Mayweather will get hit. Pac need milliseconds of an opening to get his punches through.

3. Castillo, Zab Judah, Oscar De La Hoya, and Ricky Hatton had all given Mayweather a hard time.

a. Zab, was effective in the early stages. He was fast and gave Mayweather a lot of problems, even gave Mayweather his first knockdown (his hands touched the canvas), but referee called it a slip. What Zab doesn't have that Manny has is there both fast but Pacman is a sharp shooter, even Bernard Hopkins noticed it. If you think Mayweather is accurate, Manny is as lethal in accuracy to.

b. De La Hoya was pressuring Mayweather throughout the fight. And he only got a split decision. Some can argue De La Hoya could have won the fight because he was the aggressor throughout the fight. Pacman obliterated De La Hoya. If De La Hoya can pressure Floyd, what more will a fast iron-chinned Pacman who will trade punches and is very accurate coming in do? Pacman will take one punch to get a lot more punches and punches that are so unorthodox even Mayweather won't expect to defend.

c. Castillo is slow and flat footed when he fought Mayweather twice, but still he landed some pretty decent shots, most especially when he got Money trapped on the ropes. What more will Pacman do who is so fast and accurate, small opening is all that Manny needs to throw his wicked left and let’s see if Floyd can hold on.

d. Hatton was competitive in the first and middle half of the fight with Mayweather and if you can recall Hatton got Money May with a left hook that almost dropped Mayweather to the canvas. A slow hooking Hatton can get his punches through and almost knock mayweather down, what more if it was Pacman's vaunted left that is faster and stronger? How will may take that punch? For me, Mayweather is a great defensive fighter but to say he will not get hit if he fights Pacman is ridiculous. Same as what roach said before the Cotto fight that they will take Cotto's left away from him. It doesn't mean Manny will not get hit with Cotto's left, they will just lessen getting hit by Cotto's left. Same as Mayweather even though I know how good a master he is in the art of defense. Pacman will hit him surely and we all know when you get hit flush by Pacman the fight changes; so fast like how Pacman got Cotto on the 3rd and 4th making a different tide. Pacman chewed him up. Mayweather can run 12 rounds but when Pacman get his straight left or his right hook perfectly I'm sure Mayweather will be too dazed to see all of Pacman's combos and it will be over by then.

All I'm saying with these facts is that I can clearly say Mayweather will have a very hard time winning over Pacman. If you guys think Mayweather is the Kryptonite for Pacman it can also be said Pacman is the Krytonite for Mayweather, it can go both ways.

So for me it’s a 50-50 fight. But if Manny wins it's going to be by KO. If Mayweather wins it will be by split decision because he will win by pot-shotting and running, pot-shotting and running, rinse, repeat.

If that happens and Mayweather wins by that style then he should change sports because that truly is bad for boxing. If he doesn't show any combos hitting Pacquiao, it will definitely be uncalled for and an act of cowardice on his part. If he doesn't mix it up with combos, even if he wins, I will have Pacman as the better fighter because we all know Pacman has the heart of a lion.

Thanks for reading my email. Hope to hear your point of view knowing these facts. God Bless.

-Spoon

Spoon,

1. I agree with you that Mayweather was beaten that first fight against Jose Luis Castillo. In the rematch though, Mayweather boxed his way to a clear unanimous decision. Mayweather perhaps was sluggish and was not 100% mentally prepared for Castillo the first time.

I don't need Castillo's input to know that Pacquiao hits harder than Mayweather. Punching power is clearly an advantage for Manny.

2. Pacquiao has the edge in hand speed over Mayweather and that could present some problems. However, Floyd's greatest asset is his ability to completely nullify and shut down the offense of dynamic fighters. Nobody is able to tee off against Mayweather. Marquez was hardly able to land a punch. Corrales, one of the best offensive forces of his generation, hit nothing but air.

Pacquiao's last few opponents (Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto) were all very good opponents but great defense was not their forte. They were all there to be hit and that spelled doom against Pacquiao. Mayweather will not be there to be hit like those recent opponents. Mayweather is going to fight more like Marco Antonio Barrera did in his second fight with Pacquiao.

3. Mayweather did struggle in those fights (well he hardly struggled against Hatton), but I never said that he was invincible. Pacquiao has struggled in many of his fights as well!

Where we agree is your last paragraph. Mayweather has never felt guilty about winning a fight ugly and I mentioned this when I originally picked Floyd to win. He is going to pot-shot, run, dodge, and run some more, just barely doing enough to win each round. Millions of people are going to tune in to give boxing a try only to be bored to tears by Mayweather's safety first approach. After the fight is done with, these potential new fans are going to say "I don't like boxing because it is boring".

I predict that Mayweather is going to hurt the sport because he does not care one bit about putting on a good show. That is the unfortunate truth. What could be and is being hyped as one of the greatest boxing matches of all time is going to end anticlimactically in disappointment as many of Floyd Mayweather's fights have.

Only those hardcore fans who paid extremely close attention and were scoring at home will have an opinion about who won because not much action at all will have transpired over the twelve rounds. A dominant performance on either side would surprise me because I don't think Mayweather will take enough chances to allow that to happen. He is so good defensively that it will not be a good fight unless he allows it to be.

Mayweather All Time Great Rank

Brian,

Simply put, where and how would you rate Money Mayweather as the Greatest of All Time?

-Rotciv54

Rotciv54,

He is in the top 80 or 90 range for all time greats. He is there based on his excellent track record at 130 and 135 pounds, knocking off top notch guys like Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo, Genaro Hernandez, and Jesus Chavez.

The move up to 140 and 147 pounds obviously helps his legacy, but not as much as it could have. Ever since moving up from lightweight, Mayweather has not consistently fought the elite of those divisions like he had in the lower weight classes. He also struggled a bit against Zab Judah and Oscar De La Hoya. Wins over Juan Manuel Marquez, Ricky Hatton, and Carlos Baldomir were among the best of his career but still failed to move him to the next tier of all time great status. Those wins, for instance, pale in comparison to Manny Pacquiao's wins over Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Miguel Cotto.

Had Mayweather fought the likes of Kostya Tszyu, Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, and/or Paul Williams when he had the chance then his legacy would be much better (assuming he would win those fights).

Pacquiao’s Secret Weapon

How are you Brian? Many boxers and Floyd Sr. accused Manny of taking steroids after his successive brilliant wins against good fighters. I think the secret of Manny’s success was his faith in God. He always emphasized that fight after fight. That's why he didn't predict any of his fights unlike Floyd Jr., he leaves it to God to decide who wins in his every fight. He believes in him and he knows that God always protects him, he prays every fight and he knows a lot of people are praying for him to win. He just does his best to make people happy and against Floyd Jr., if this fight is going to happen, it will be the best fight in this generation.

What can you say about steroids issues? Are you religious Brian? Do you believe divine interventions in boxing? Thanks and more power to your mailbag.

-jr2quiapo

Jr2quiapo,

I am not a very religious person. I have no problem with religion and was introduced to Christianity growing up, but I just don't think about these things very much if at all. So no, I don’t believe that God intervenes in boxing matches to help Manny Pacquiao.

I don't believe Manny Pacquiao is on steroids either. He has passed all of his drug tests. I don't blame people for pondering the question though. What he is doing at the higher weight classes defies logic and he does look ripped out of his mind with muscles. If you look at baseball, all of a sudden players started getting very muscular and did amazing things like ripping off 600 foot home runs. Pacquiao is doing the equivalent of hitting 600 foot home runs in boxing so naturally people are going to wonder if something is up. I think Manny is simply an amazing, freakish specimen. But I also thought that about Mark McGwire so maybe I am too naïve and trusting of people.

Advantages vs. Mayweather

Hi Brian,

Appreciated your blogs because you give such knowledgeable reasoning to your responses. Anyway, with regards to the awaited showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, I think Manny could give Money his first loss. Here are my reasons:

1. Manny proved that he can take a heavy punch from a natural welter. So, how could Mayweather hurt or make Manny think twice about assaulting him?

2. Mayweather’s shoulder roll is a good defense, but Pacquiao won't be targeting his head but his body and arms which could be a factor.

3. Heavy punches from Manny versus sharp punches of Mayweather. Both could be lethal, but Pacquiao throws volume of combinations that Mayweather could not possibly evade or block all of it. My point is Mayweather needs to land a couple of punches to be damaging, while Pacquiao only needs to land one KO punch to end the fight.

4. Game plan and conditioning: I think Roach can produce a better game plan than Roger, but I don't think conditioning will be a problem for either fighter.

5. Will to win: Mayweather for money and Pacquiao for legacy.

Both could be the winner, it just depends on the first quarter of the fight. If Pac can have a lead or at least an even in the judges scorecard, then probably he can force Mayweather to engage more in a battle which is in favor to Pacquiao. But if the first three or four rounds is in favor Mayweather, then he could just keep on running and maintain his lead on scorecards.

Best regards,
-Suma

Suma,

1. I don't think that Mayweather can hurt Pacquiao either. Perhaps a perfectly timed shot would ring his bell but that is beside the point because that can happen to anyone. Mayweather doesn't need to hurt Pacquiao in order to win. Mayweather didn't hurt Carlos Baldomir and he won that fight with a near shut out.

2. Body shots from Pacquiao may or may not be a factor. I don't think they will be the difference in who wins the fight.

3. Again, Mayweather doesn't need to hurt or damage Pacquiao. Trading punches or gunning for the KO is the last thing that Floyd is going to, or should be trying to, do against Manny.

4. Conditioning is very strong for both fighters, with perhaps the slight edge for Pacquiao because he throws so many punches yet still does not get tired.

5. Mayweather doesn't know how to lose because he never has. “Money” Mayweather loves money but he is also mindful of his legacy. Mayweather loves to brag about his greatness and his undefeated record is his main talking point. Pacquiao wants to win due to legacy but also because he does not want to let down all of his fans in the Philippines.

I agree completely with your last paragraph. The first few rounds are going to be very important because they will set the tone of the match. If Mayweather shuts Pacquiao down in the first few rounds, it will be very hard to get Floyd to open up down the stretch. Manny needs to make an impression early and often against Mayweather. Mayweather is going to fight like a coward but that will probably cause him to end up with the win.

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao at 154?

Hi Brian,

Seems like Pacman vs. Mayweather is almost a done deal. However, I heard from some corners that Mayweather wanted to fight Pacman at 154lbs. With 10 oz. gloves. If this is true, it would seem like he is the champion instead of a challenger in this bout. It would be a shame on his part to fight Pacman at this weight (154lbs.) when even he just recently fought at 147lbs. and he knew that Pacman could not even reach 147lbs at his peak. What's your take on this?

-Erniepep

Erniepep,

This is the first I have heard of Mayweather insisting on 154 pounds. I am going to ignore it as just a rumor until I hear more about it. If this is true, this would be a Mayweather tactic for gaining an edge over Pacquiao, much like Pacquiao wanted his opponents to come down in weight so that he could gain an edge. In this case, I don't think that is fair to Manny. 147 pounds is where this fight should take place.

Opponents Pacquiao Passed Over

Hi Brian,

Good job in answering our questions, RSR really takes time to answer all the boxing fans around the world. I tried writing sensible questions to other mailbags and they don't even bother to answer, so kudos to you.

I'm a big Pacquiao fan but am a realist as well, I still think there are other boxers who can beat him as a matter of fact I think Mayweather might win if he plays it safe and does his usual hit and run boxing. I think Mayweather will have a hard time adjusting in the 1st and 2nd rounds but I think he will figure out Pacquiao rhythm in the 2nd half of the fight.

With so many challenges available it’s so disappointing watching Pacman go since there is no boxer I can see that can match his intensity, hard work and charisma. Philippine politics is dirty as well and I think he still has more years left in him since he is just peaking. Do you think he still has any mountains to climb once he fights and wins his last fight, may it be Mayweather or Mosley or Foreman?

With this I can't help but think what would have happened if Pac had time to fight all the challengers from Super Featherweight to Welterweight. Can you give us some predictions and analysis on the matches below if these fighters had challenged Pacquiao.

1. Pac vs. Edwin Valero @ SF
2. Pac vs. Humberto Soto @ SF
3. Pac vs. Joan Guzman @ LW
4. Pac vs. Nate Campbell @ SLW
5. Pac vs. Shane Mosley @ WW
6. Pac vs. Paulie Malignaggi @ SLW
7. Pac vs. Michael Katsidis @ LW

More power man.

Regards,
Maginoo "Pero" Bastos

Pero,

If Pacquiao beats Mayweather he should retire. That would cap off a near perfect career, and what a fabulous storybook ending. Any other fight after that, whether it was against Shame Mosley or whoever, would be a big step down. There would be nothing else left for him to prove. Perhaps he could fight once more in a farewell fight in the Philippines against someone who would trade with him, like Jose Luis Castillo.

Here are my picks for those match-ups:

1. Pacquiao vs. Valero - Pacquiao gets knocked down then gets up to win by KO.
2. Pacquiao vs. Soto - Pacquiao dominates from bell to bell.
3. Pacquiao vs. Guzman - Pacquiao by close decision in a tactical match.
4. Pacquiao vs. Campbell - This is a dangerous fight based on which version of Campbell shows up. Nate is wildly inconsistent, but when he is on, he is one of the best out there. I'll go with Pacquiao although Campbell has a penchant for upsets.
5. Pacquiao vs. Mosley - Mosley is slick and skilled but at his age I don't think he has the stamina or reflexes to keep up with Pacquiao. Manny by decision.
6. Pacquiao vs. Malignaggi - Pacquiao slips in a sweet straight left to win by KO.
7. Pacquiao vs. Katsidis - Absolute war! But one that Pacquiao would win, probably by TKO.

Guzman Exposed By Funeka

It seems that Ali Funeka’s job is to expose the black fighters who claimed that Pacman feared them because of their skill and color. Well, Nate Campbell and Joan Guzman were exposed by a mere Ali Funeka. If an Ali Funeka level guy can bust up Guzman, maybe Pacman feared he would kill Joan if he fought him! That would be a big burden to his conscience.

-Vinjo

Vinjo,

You talk as if Ali Funeka is a scrub. He obviously is not. Guzman was not "exposed". That term is reserved for up and coming prospects that are all hype and no substance. Guzman is a multiple division world champion with many impressive scalps on his resume. You cannot take away any of Joan's accomplishments because he had one bad outing.

Still, I was surprised at how poorly Guzman was able to do against Funeka. Guzman is, or at least was, one of the most skilled boxers in the world. Perhaps he had a one off, maybe Funeka is an emerging star, or perhaps he is past his prime already. We'll see based on the performance in his next match. But I repeat; he was not exposed. Joe Frazier wasn't exposed when he lost to George Foreman. Tommy Hearns was not exposed when he lost to Iran Barkely. Muhammad Ali was not exposed when he lost to Ken Norton. Good fighters lose from time to time.

There was a time that Guzman would have made a good opponent for Manny Pacquiao, but those days are obviously long gone.

Have a great week, see you next time!

Source: ringsidereport.com

A FIGHT ‘MADE IN HEAVEN’ SET

By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 07 Dec 2009

The Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight, an encounter everyone has long been waiting because of its potential to become the most lucrative in history, is on.
If plans don’t miscarry the 12-round encounter that is expected to break the existing record 2.4 million pay-per-view, which, incidentally is held by Mayweather in his fight against the now-retired Oscar De La Hoya two years ago, will be held March 13.

Promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank left Manila yesterday after a brief three-day visit here to talk with Pacquiao and bringing with him an offer from Mayweather, which, the Filipino boxing hero could not refuse.

Neither Pacquiao nor Mayweather had signed the dotted line, but Arum said that would only be a formality and that he will be talking to Golden Boy’s Richard Schaefer as soon as he arrived in the United States Monday (Tuesday in Manila) about the nitty-gritty of the contract.

Arum refused to disclose how the mega-purse will be split although a leaked report said it will be divided evenly between the protagonists. The fight will be at the welterweight limit 147 pounds and a pair of eight-ounce gloves will be used.

Reports spread quickly Friday that the much-anticipated fight between the top two finest pound-for-pound fighters in the world will push through after that Arum-Pacquiao meeting at a Makati Hotel.

Such reports stemmed from an interview with Pacquiao by a television network where the seven-division champion was quoted as saying “March 13 is OK.” Surprised by the fast development, Pacuiao’s chief trainer Freddie Roach, who was very vocal in his opposition to a March date, nevertheless welcomed the reports.

“We're happy it could be happening, but I'm surprised it's happened so quickly,” Roach told The Los AngelesTimes’ Lance Pugmire via a telephone conversation from Britain where one of his fighters had a fight date over the weekend.

Arum said that next Thursday he, Schaefer and the head of HBO Sports, Ross Greenburg, will visit Cowboys Stadium, one of the venues bidding to host the fight.
A big press conference has already been scheduled January 11.

Pacquiao himself said the talk between him and his promoter went well even as he affirmed that no signing of the contract took place as there are still some things to be ironed out.

“We agreed to everything in principle, but there are still some finer points that need to be negotiated. Bob is going to take all of this back to Floyd Mayweather and then, hopefully, it will be all worked out. We believe that the deal will get done,’’ he assured.

He said running for congress will not affect his preparations as well as the movie “Wapakman” he is presently shooting.

“Yes, I am. I'm not worried about that. The filming of the movie will be completed on Dec. 9, and the movie is scheduled to be released on Christmas.

“I am fine. I will be healthy. My hand was only bruised, but there is not going to be a problem with it,” he said in reference to his ruptured eardrum and broken right hand suffered in his fight against Miguel Cotto. “Also, my ear will not be a problem. I know my body, and I would never do anything to seriously jeopardize my health.

“If Manny says yes, if Manny is ok for March 13, then I say, I’m also ok,” Roach said, adding, ”we’ll have to start training after New Year’ day so that we can get our customary 10 weeks in I guess we will have a month in the Philippines then the remainder in my gym at Wild Card.”

Source: PhilBoxing.com