Pacquiao willing to accept Floyd's rematch offer

LOS ANGELES – After entertaining humanitarian groups in his home, Manny Pacquiao said he was open to the notion of a "sequel" to the so-called "Fight of the Century" against Floyd Mayweather Jr.

It was revealed Tuesday that Mayweather texted ESPN anchor Stephen A. Smith that he is willing to fight Pacquiao a second time, once the Filipino's shoulder had healed.

"Happy naman ako (na) okay siya sa rematch," Pacquiao said. "First, fix ko lang balikat ko."

"Sabi ng doctor (para) total 100% na magaling, kailangan pahinga ng four to six months," he added.

While the judges and punch statistics showed otherwise, Pacquiao and one of his biggest supporters still believe he won the fight against Mayweather.

"Actually panalo nga tayo doon sa laban eh. Talo lang tayo sa ink pero panalo tayo sa laban," said Pacquiao.

"He won the fight," former governor Chavit Singson said. "He only lost to the judges, like what happened to (Timothy) Bradley."

While the team said they won't take away credit from Mayweather, many believe there could have been a difference if Pacquiao had full use of his right hand during the fight.

Pacquiao reiterated that he had no injury before the fight, and the anti-inflammatory injection which was rejected by the Nevada State Athletic Commission would have only numbed the shoulder in case of pain.

"Ang sa akin naman, kung ba wala namang sakit ng balikat ko one week before the fight, nawala na," said Pacquiao.

"Hindi ako lumaban na may sakit. Sumakit lang talaga siya doon sa… maiwasan ba natin 'yun doon sa matinding aksyon sa fourth round," he added.

Pacquiao has delayed Wednesday's return home to the Philippines as he is set to undergo surgery to repair his torn rotator cuff.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Referee explains Floyd's 'hugging' tactic

For referee Kenny Bayless, the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. showdown was a good, competitive fight, as he opened up on the supposed "hugging" tactics that the American employed during the match.

Mayweather won a unanimous decision to extend his winning streak to 48 fights, but many of Pacquiao's fans were frustrated with the American boxer's penchant for clinching and "running" every time the "Pacman" tried to attack.

"Those things happen in a fight. I can't make an issue, it happens," Bayless said, adding that Mayweather cleaned up his act.

"I gave him a warning, and he cleaned it up. All that stuff had no effect on the fight at all," he stressed.

Mayweather himself explained that tying Pacquiao up was part of his game plan.

"When he came in, I kept using the check hook, using the jab, and the hook, and when he got close, defense, and tie him up, roughhouse him," said Mayweather.

Fans were not impressed with these tactics, but Bayless said it was all part of the game.

"From a referee's standpoint, it was a very competitive fight," Bayless said. "The fighters, in my opinion, went out and gave it their all." -- From a report by Bev Llorente, ABS-CBN News North America

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao may be penalized by Nevada Commission

Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao may be penalized by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) for failing to disclose his shoulder injury ahead of his "Fight of the Century" against Floyd Mayweather Jr., the Associated Press (AP) reported.

Pacquiao suffered a shoulder injury in training camp with three weeks to go before fight night, but elected to push through with the bout. He was under the impression that he will be allowed to take an anti-inflammatory injection to numb the pain in his shoulder before the match started.

The NSAC barred him from taking the injection, however, and Pacquiao went on to fight Mayweather anyway. He said he aggravated the injury in the third round, and wound up losing a unanimous decision.

NSAC chairman Francisco Aguilar told AP that the state attorney general's office "will look at why Pacquiao checked 'no' a day before the fight on a commission questionnaire asking if he had a shoulder injury."

"We will gather all the facts and follow the circumstances. At some point, we will have some discussion. As a licensee of the commission, you want to make sure the fighters are giving you up-to-date information," he said.

The AP reported that Pacquiao may face a fine or suspension for failing to answer the question accurately. The form was filled out before weigh-in on Friday last week.

A copy of the form was posted on the True.Ink website and showed that it was signed by both Pacquiao and his adviser, Michael Koncz. (Look at the form here.)

In a statement released Tuesday, Pacquiao's team said they notified the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) – which was in charge of the drug testing protocol for the bout – of the shoulder injury that the boxer suffered, as well as the treatment that the doctors proposed for training and on the night of the fight itself.

"USADA spoke to Manny's doctors twice, investigated, and confirmed in writing that the proposed treatments, if used, were completely allowed," Team Pacquiao said. "The medication approved for the fight was a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (Toradol)."

Team Pacquiao said the "Pacman" continued training, and that his shoulder was already improving in camp. "Manny decided to proceed with the fight anticipating that he could receive his pre-fight treatment," which had been approved by USADA, the team said.

Team Pacquiao further said that in a pre-fight medical form, Pacquiao's advisors listed all the medication that the boxer used in camp, as well as the medication that he will use on fight night. But as Pacquiao's doctors began the treatment, the NSAC stopped it saying they were unaware of the boxer's injury.

Aguilar said after the fight that he was only made aware of Pacquiao's shoulder injury a couple of hours before the fight.

"This was disappointing to Team Pacquiao, since they had disclosed the injury and treatment to USADA, USADA approved the treatments, and Manny had listed the medication on his pre-fight medical form," Team Pacquiao said.

The team further said that USADA "provided a copy of its contract with the fighters to the Commission."

But USADA's Travis Tygart told AP that the agency was "only a third party to the fight, charged only with testing the fighters for banned substances in training and the night of the bout."

Tygart said they had no medical information or any copy of an MRI scan or other documents.

"It was not an anti-doping issue," Tygart told AP. "The real question is why his camp checked 'no' on the disclosure."

"Either they made a terrible mistake not to follow the rules, or they were trying not to give information to the other side. I'm not sure there's a middle ground," he added.

Meanwhile, NSAC executive director Bob Bennett said of the situation: "It's not just the fact that (Pacquiao) didn't fill out the question completely. It was that he wasn't honest and they didn't tell us a month ago when he had the shoulder injury."

"They're not obligated to, but two hours before the fight, they wanted a shot that's a pain-killer in essence. That put us in a very precarious position," he added.

Some have wondered why Pacquiao did not ask for a postponement of the bout. The boxer told reporters yesterday that it was considered by his team, but eventually decided not to as they did not want to disappoint fans who waited for over half a decade for the bout. Moreover, his shoulder got better in the weeks leading up to the fight.

"As Manny has said multiple times, he makes no excuses," Team Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao is now set to undergo surgery on his injured right shoulder, which has a "significant tear" on the rotator cuff, according to an ESPN report. He is expected to be out for at least six months.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Floyd to earn at least $200M in Pacquiao fight

When all is said and done, Floyd Mayweather Jr. estimated that he stands to earn some $200 million after his "Fight of the Century" against Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao.

According to Mayweather, already the highest paid athlete in the world, he was already given a check for $100 million by his team after his fight against Pacquiao, which he won via unanimous decision.

"For my team to hand me a hundred million dollar check in the back is remarkable," Mayweather told reporters in the post-fight press conference.

"This week, in the last four days, I made $25 million before I even got to the fight, and then my team, after the fight, I was guaranteed a hundred million," he added.

"And then, I still got money on the backend, and other money that comes in. So we're looking upwards of $200 million," Mayweather said.

ESPN's boxing writer Dan Rafael confirmed Mayweather's assertion.


"Before leaving arena Floyd came over to me to chat (seriously) and to show me his check. $100M," he tweeted after the event.

Mayweather will earn a greater share of the revenue than Pacquiao, as the two boxers agreed to a 60-40 split.

Inside the ring, the "Fight of the Century" failed to live up to the incredible hype, but is still likely to break all of the sport's revenue records.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

WATCH: Floyd also wins in Punch-Out!!

MANILA -- Even in the video game Punch-Out!! Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s win over Manny Pacquiao disappointed a lot of people, albeit in an entertaining way.

The Punch-Out!! video, uploaded on YouTube, begins with the gamer asking to follow Mayweather's terms and conditions. After failing to agree, the game was terminated.

The gamer tried again and the whole game pretty much summarized what happened during the highly anticipated mega-fight with Mayweather running around and giving the "Pacman" hugs.

"This is EXACTLY how the fight went down! Pure COMEDY; great video!" one netizen said.

"The fact that you can run around like a scared little girl and win the 'fight' is why boxing is nowhere near what it used to be. It's dead," added another.


The video was posted before the fight, "accurately" predicting the Mayweather-Pacquiao clash.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Back in spotlight, boxers fighting to stay there

LAS VEGAS - Boxing was back in the headlines on Sunday, basking in the buzz generated by Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s win over Manny Pacquiao in a title fight watched ringside by A-listers and high rollers and millions more around the world on pay-per-view.

A smiling Mayweather exited the MGM Grand Garden Arena late Saturday night flashing a $100 million cheque, the first installment of perhaps a $200 million payday from what could be the top grossing prize fight of all-time.

The welterweight showdown between two boxers regarded as the best of their generation, hyped mercilessly as the 'Fight of the Century', failed to live up to those crushing expectations, but it did deliver an entertaining spectacle that had the capacity crowd of entertainment, sporting and business royalty on its feet roaring.

For a night, boxing, a sport many believe was down for the count, was back at the top.

"Many have said that boxing is dead," Peter Nelson, vice president of programming for HBO Sports which shared the pay-per-view rights with rival Showtime, told Reuters. "There's an inflection point where everyone is saying the sport is in decline, and another light shines.

"I think these things are cyclical. There are moments where it looks like there's a moment of pause, and then someone else picks up steam and acquires the fascination of the fans through their charisma in the ring and out of the ring and the sport replenishes itself.

"It's one of the great mysteries of the sport -- how the stars come to be."

Like every sport, boxing is built on stars and personalities and soon the fight game will be without its biggest and most marketable attraction,

The undefeated Mayweather (48-0) declared on Saturday that he will step into the rink just once more in September and then retire, having matched Rocky Marciano's record of 49-0.

Who will fill that void and take over as the sport's next headliner is unclear.

Heavyweights have traditionally commanded the boxing spotlight but there are no Muhammad Alis, Joe Fraziers or Mike Tysons waiting in the wings.

"Only heavyweight fights can be 'Fights of the Century'", former undisputed heavyweight world champion Lennox Lewis told Reuters. "This (Mayweather/Pacquiao) is a super fight , a mega super fight, because of the Internet and social media. I'm glad there is a mega fight in boxing.

"When you look at this type of money, boxing is still alive."

Mayweather's departure, if it comes, would be at a time when boxing is starting to lift itself off the canvas.

Battered by years of declining interest and in a battle with Mixed Martial Arts and the UFC for pay-per-view business, boxing has begun to hit back.

The week prior to the Mayweather/Pacquiao megafight, big time boxing returned to New York's Madison Square Garden where Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko defeated Bryant Jennings to match the legendary Joe Louis' mark of 27 world heavyweight championship fights.

More and more fight cards are popping up across the United States, offering another hint of a renaissance, but it is boxing's return to prime time television that will be the key to the sport's long term future in the United States.

Earlier this year major networks NBC Sports and CBS signed multi-year deals with the sport.

"In order to take this sport back to any level, you have to have it on more than eight times a year on HBO and six times a year on Showtime," boxing manager and promoter Shelly Finkel told Reuters. "You got to build a fighter.

"Returning the game to network television is fabulous.

"Is Mayweather-Pacquiao getting people talking about boxing? Definitely, but they will stop talking if there's not a follow-through afterward." (Editing by Gene Cherry)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao says Floyd knew about his injury

Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao believes Floyd Mayweather Jr. was aware that he had suffered an injury in his right shoulder, and that the American boxer repeatedly targeted it during their "Fight of the Century" in Las Vegas last Saturday.

Pacquiao suffered the injury three weeks before the fight but opted not to postpone the event, believing he would be allowed to take a shot that will numb the pain during the 12-round welterweight encounter.

Unfortunately for Pacquiao, the Nevada State Athletic Commission barred him from taking the anti-inflammatory shot, severely hampering his performance against Mayweather. He wound up losing a unanimous decision.

Pacquiao believes Mayweather knew about the injury, pointing out that the American repeatedly grabbed his right forearm during their fight.

"Alam niya, ito ang hinahawakan niya," Pacquiao told reporters Sunday in Las Vegas (Monday morning in Manila), while grabbing his right forearm.

"I'm sure alam niya. Nag-leak 'yun. Alam nila," he said.

"Nakita mo 'yung hinihila niya 'yung kamay ko? Kasi alam niya. 'Di ba, hinihila niya?" he also said.

In the post-fight press conference, Mayweather was unsympathetic when informed of Pacquiao's injury but gave no indication that he had any prior knowledge of it.

"I had injuries also going into this fight," the American boxer said. "Both of my arms are injured, both of my hands are injured, but like I said before, I will always find a way to win."

Mayweather also repeatedly tied up Pacquiao every time the Filipino boxer was able to tag him with a flurry of punches, something that irked many Filipino fans.

Pacquiao, for his part, just laughed it off.

"Mahal niya yata ako," he quipped, when asked about Mayweather's "hugs."

Mayweather also repeatedly raked his face with his glove, leading Pacquiao to say: "Buti na lang may gloves or puro gasgas ang mukha ko."

The "Pacman" said Mayweather should be given credit for his victory, but disagrees with the American boxer's assertion that he completely controlled the bout.

"Hindi niya na-control," Pacquiao said, shaking his head. "Hindi siya makagalaw kung kumpleto 'yung (kamay) ko."

As they were in the lead-up to the fight, Mayweather and Pacquiao were mostly cordial and respectful after the bout. They embraced at the start of the 12th round, and Mayweather went over to Pacquiao's corner to tell him that he was a tough competitor moments after the final bell.

Pacquiao even tried to invite Mayweather to a Bible study session the day after the fight, but said he couldn't reach his opponent.

"Kagabi nga, sinubukan ko tawagan ang phone niya kagabi. Imbitahin ko sana siya sa Bible study kanina," Pacquiao revealed. "Off 'yung phone niya."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Mayweather 'parang daga', says Mommy D

MANILA – Dionesia Pacquiao, the mother of Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, reiterated she wants her son to retire from boxing.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News’ Dyan Castillejo on Monday, Mommy Dionesia said even Pacquiao’s coach has told her to advise her son to stop boxing.

“Para sa akin, retiro na siya,” she said.

Mommy Dionesia also shared that she knew early on that American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. will not allow himself to be defeated.

Despite this, Mommy Dionesia said what Mayweather did was to run away, as if telling her son to come after him.

“Alam ko na hindi sila papaya matalo. Ganyan ang ugali nila. Ang ginawa ni Mayweather, runner. Parang daga siya,” she said.

Even though her son lost, Mommy Dionesia said she is still happy because in the hearts of many boxing fans, her son still won.

“Ang lahat ng mga kapwa Pilipino, kahit hindi Pilipino, narinig ko sabi ‘Ikaw pa rin, Manny.’ May Mexicano din na kumausap sa amin na si Manny pa rin ang kampyon nila,” she said.

“Relaks lang kayong mga Pinoy at sa mga umiidolo sa anak ko. Natalo man ang ating boxer sa ring, sa puso ninyo, hindi pa talo. Sa puso natin hindi siya talo. Mahal na mahal natin siya. Siya ang panalo sa taas,” she added.

During the much-hyped "Fight of the Century" at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday (Sunday in Manila), Mayweather backed up his claim of being "The Best Ever" as he out-pointed Pacquiao to win the bout.

The judges scored the bout 118-110, 116-112, and 116-112, giving Mayweather his 48th straight victory.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Floyd calls Pacquiao a 'remarkable fighter' but…

Floyd Mayweather Jr. commended his beaten opponent Manny Pacquiao but stopped short of calling the Filipino icon the toughest foe of his storied boxing career.

Mayweather came away with a unanimous decision over Pacquiao in their highly-anticipated "Fight of the Century," hiking his record to 48-0 and cementing his status as the best boxer of his generation.

Pacquiao fought well in the early rounds, but ultimately could not get past Mayweather's jab and repeatedly ran into the American's laser-like right hand. He revealed after the bout that he was hampered by an injured right shoulder that prevented him from putting together the multi-punch combinations that have become his trademark.

"Manny, he's a remarkable fighter. He's an unbelievable fighter," Mayweather said in the post-fight press conference.

"But I can't just say that he's the toughest fighter that I faced, and I can't say he's the hardest puncher that I faced," he added. "But I can see why he's where he's at in the sport."

Mayweather said Pacquiao used "little moves" in the fight, but his experience as a boxer allowed him to counter and calculate the Filipino fighter's moves.

The American also said he figured out Pacquiao as early as the opening round of the bout.

"I knew I had him from round 1," Mayweather said. "I came out there, feel him out. I want to see certain moves. I wanted to see his jab, because if he used his jab, I'm gonna counter over his jab. If he used his jab, I'm gonna slide over and counter him with the right hand."

"Everything is calculated moves," he added. "I'm 10 steps ahead of any fighter."

Mayweather noted that Pacquiao "hit me with a real, real good shot," likely in the fourth round, but he was able to take it well.

"I said, you've been here before, you know what it takes. Just wait, wait, make him miss, and what I do is go down to his body, slow him up, and when I slow him with the body shot, look him down, feint him, and touch him with the jab," he explained.

Pacquiao is a "tough competitor," Mayweather acknowledged, and the Filipino did win some rounds. But the American was also extremely confident of victory because he believed that he was the smarter fighter.

"I knew he was gonna be tough. You know, I knew he was gonna be a tough competitor," he said.

"He's tough, but his footwork compared to my footwork is totally different. When he comes in, I kept using the check hook, using the jab, and when he got close, defense, and I tie him up, roughhouse him," he explained.

"I got to do that with experience, roughhouse him, take him back to the center of the ring, counter, touch him with the jab," he added. "Just being smart."

Mayweather made great use of his 72-inch reach as he circled well out of Pacquiao's reach and refused to get sucked into a slugfest with the "Pacman."

"Other fighters got baited into engaging toe-to-toe with Manny, and that's what he wanted," he pointed out.

Pacquiao said after the fight that he believed he won, and although visibly disappointed, he maintained that he was happy to have fought well for 12 rounds even with an injury.

"I respect Mayweather," Pacquiao also said. "He's fast, he's a good boxer. You know, give the credit to him. He won tonight."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Holyfield: I thought Pacquiao won

Contrary to what the scorecards show, former world heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield thinks Manny Pacquiao is the rightful winner of the super fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Holyfield said it was Pacquiao who brought the action to Mayweather, whom he accused of running for most part of the bout.

“I thought Pacquiao was doing well. I don't know how people scored the fight, I thought he was doing well,” said “The Real Deal” in an interview with ESPN.

From Holyfield’s perspective, the judges should have scored the bout in favor of the aggressor. And in the case of the “Fight of the Century” he thinks the aggressor is Pacquiao. 

“The fact of the matter, you're the more aggressive one, you hit him with the shots... Pacquiao seem to hit him (Mayweather) more times than he hit Pacquiao,” said the four-time heavyweight king.

“Nobody got hurt really bad. None of the fighters got hurt so bad and one guy score the most punches then how do you score the card?”

He added that it takes two fighters to fight.

“You got one guy trying to catch the other guy, pretty much,” Holyfield said, referring to Pacquiao. “You have one guy moving [around].”

Mayweather outscored Pacquiao in the super fight, 118-110, 116-112, and 116-112, to unify the WBA (Super), WBC, WBO and The RING Magazine welterweight titles.

But the Filipino superstar didn’t seem convinced that he lost.

"It's a good fight. I thought I won the fight," said Pacquiao in an interview with HBO’s Max Kellerman. "He didn't do nothing. He was always moving outside."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Mayweather plans to relinquish all title belts

Floyd Mayweather Jr. will relinquish all of the championships that he currently holds sometime soon, and his last fight – scheduled for September – may end up being a non-title fight.

Mayweather made the announcement in the post-fight press conference following his unanimous decision victory over Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao that solidified his status as the best boxer of his era.

"I'm gonna relinquish all my belts," Mayweather said. "I made a decision at the back that my last fight may not be a championship fight. I'm gonna give up all the belts."

"It's still gonna be a 12-round fight, but I'm gonna relinquish all the belts," he added.

Mayweather may give up his titles as early as Monday although it may also take a couple of weeks, the fighter said.

The victory over Pacquiao allowed Mayweather to annex the WBO welterweight belt, adding it to the WBA (Super), WBC and The RING welterweight titles that he retained. Mayweather also owns the WBC and WBA light middleweight championships.

Asked why he plans to relinquish all of his titles, Mayweather said: "Other fighters need a chance… I'm not greedy."

"I'm world champion at two different weight classes right now. I'm undisputed welterweight champion, I got the WBC and the WBA at super welterweight… it's time for other fighters to fight for the belt," he explained.

In his 19-year career, Mayweather has won 11 world titles in five different weight divisions.

He will fight his last fight in September to fulfill a six-match deal with Showtime and CBS, but Mayweather admits that his passion for boxing has waned over the years.

"I don't really think I'm gonna miss this sport," he said. "I don't really watch boxing."

"At one particular time, I loved the sport of boxing. I wanted to go to every fight, I wanted to be at every boxing event," he added. "But throughout the years, I just lost the love for the sport."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao fought with injured right shoulder

Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. with an injured right shoulder that kept him from throwing as many punches as he wanted to.

Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports first reported that Pacquiao had injured his shoulder in training camp and was taking anti-inflammatory shots that were approved by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

Pacquiao lost a wide unanimous decision to Mayweather in their "Fight of the Century" Saturday in Las Vegas, suffering the sixth loss of his career.

Pacquiao confirmed at the post-fight press conference that he had injured his shoulder and even briefly considered asking for a postponement of the bout.

"We thought about planning to postpone… because of the right hand," he said. "I can't use my right hand."

Iole reported that Pacquiao requested to take a shot after arriving at his locker room in the MGM Grand Garden Arena, but was denied by the Nevada State Athletic Commission -- something that Pacquiao confirmed.

Pacquiao also said his shoulder was "getting better" but it was not 100% on fight night.

"Three weeks before the fight, I skipped my training for a couple of days because of that reason, and we went to an MRI and there's a tear in my right shoulder," he said.

Trainer Freddie Roach said Pacquiao suffered the injury when he banged shoulders with a sparring partner.

Pacquiao revealed he started feeling the pain on his right shoulder by the third round.

"I already felt the pain in my shoulder, that's why when I throw punches and combinations, I backed off because it hurts," he said.

Pacquiao nevertheless kept moving forward throughout the 12-round match but was ultimately unsuccessful in getting past Mayweather's jab and laser-like right hand.

He wound up throwing only 429 punches and landed only 81. Mayweather landed 148 of 435 punches.

Yet Pacquiao said he still felt he believed he won the fight.

"I thought I won the fight, and I have to review the DVD," he said. "I hurt him many times. I hurt him many times. You can see that if you watch the replay, but he didn't hurt me."

Mayweather, when informed that Pacquiao fought with an injured shoulder, merely shrugged.

"I had injuries also going into this fight," he said. "Both of my arms is injured, both of my hands is injured. But like I said before, I will always find a way to win."

Mayweather hiked his record to 48-0.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Reporter hit for 'disrespectful' interview with Pacquiao

MANILA - When Manny Pacquiao said in a post-fight interview that he thought he won against Floyd Mayweather Jr., HBO reporter Max Kellerman seemed surprised.

Moments after the judges handed Mayweather his 48th win, Kellerman asked the Filipino: "You thought you won the fight? Why?"

"He didn't do nothing," Pacquiao replied.

"He was always moving outside. It's not easy to throw punches if he's moving around. But if he stays, then I can throw punches," he explained to Kellerman, who is also one of the hosts of ESPN's radio show SportsNation.

The 41-year-old Kellerman insisted, however, that he felt that Mayweather deservedly won the fight, which he repeated hours later on his official Twitter account.

"The fight was competitive during some stretches, but ultimately not close. I had it 9-3," Kellerman wrote.

He also took to the social media site to address the criticisms he received from netizens, who thought that his line of questioning was "disrespectful" and "opinionated."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

SLIDESHOW: Floyd vs Pacman: round by round action

The Fight of the Century between Filipino Manny Pacquiao and American Floyd Mayweather in pictures.

Mobile users can view the desktop version of the slideshow here.

 

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao exchange punches in the first round for the undisputed welterweight title fight in Las Vegas, Nevada.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Roach says Floyd will go down in 9

MANILA, Philippines - Boxing coach Freddie Roach is aware that his fighter will be coming in as the underdog in their upcoming mega fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. this weekend.

But Roach isn't worried about Manny Pacquiao being the underdog, noting that his fighter has been in similar situations before.

"We are definitely underdogs and we love being the underdogs going into the fight. We're making a little extra money at the window and I love that when I'm an underdog," the 7-time Boxing Coach of the Year said in an interview with CBS Detroit.

Roach is sensing a stoppage victory by Pacquiao in the latter rounds and he explained why.

"I do think we'll knock him out in about the 9th round. We'll break him down in the body," said the boxing trainer.

One big reason for this confidence is that Roach believes Pacquiao has regained his old punching power.

"Manny hit the mitts the other day, he hit me with a couple of hard shots. I said, 'Are you really gonna hit your opponent that hard?' He said, 'Yes.' That's the best thing I've ever heard," Roach said.

Roach has been repeatedly criticized by Mayweather Sr. for supposedly being a "Joke Coach." The father of the unbeaten American even came up with a poem making fun of Roach.

"Freddie Roach is a joke, blowing smoke with no hope," Mayweather Sr. said.

But Roach said the joke is on Team Mayweather.

"His poems are a bit stupid, I don't do poems," he said. "The thing is, he's never beat me [in coaching] and he will never will. Ask him that question. Not once."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Vegas megabout spiced up by contrast in styles

LAS VEGAS - The hotly anticipated welterweight bout between undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. and 2-1 underdog Manny Pacquiao on Saturday offers an intriguing contrast in styles which most pundits expect to last the full 12 rounds.

American Mayweather is widely regarded as one of the best defensive practitioners of all time while his ability to out-think opponents and adjust strategy midway through fights is unparalleled among contemporary fighters.

However, the 38-year-old is also viewed by some as too cautious, and the level of entertainment he provides in the ring for the fans has very rarely reached lofty heights.

In Pacquiao, Mayweather will face the greatest challenge of his career, a Filipino southpaw who relies on lightning-fast hand and foot speed allied to an all-out, aggressive approach featuring unexpected angles of jabs and punches.

Yet Pacquiao's offensive style has occasionally gotten him into trouble and the wily Mayweather will be looking to lure the Filipino into traps whenever he can in what is expected to be biggest-grossing prize fight of all time.

"This is going to be an exciting fight," said Mayweather, who has a perfect 47-0 record with 26 knockouts and is acknowledged as the world's best pound-for-pound boxer.

"Our styles are totally different. He is very, very reckless. Every move I make is calculated. I'm always 5-10 steps ahead of my opponent.

"Pacquiao would be a better fighter if he wasn't so reckless. It's a gift and a curse. He's won a lot of fights by being reckless but being reckless can get you knocked out."

ROACH DISAGREEMENT

Pacquiao's experienced trainer, Freddie Roach, disagrees.

"Manny is not reckless at all," said Roach, 55, who has been voted trainer of the year by the Boxing Writers Association of America on seven occasions. "Everything we do is planned out and it's part of the game plan."

Roach has guided Pacquiao to a 57-5-2 record with 38 knockouts and he wants his fighter to cut off the ring whenever possible while staying in front of Mayweather as they duck and weave at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

"I think we can outpoint him and win a 12-round decision," said Roach. "If the chance for a knock-out comes, it will be a bonus."

Both Mayweather and Pacquiao, 36, are in the twilight of their careers but veteran boxer Bernard Hopkins is confident they will deliver a bout worthy of its billing as the 'Fight of the Century'.

"You're going to get your money's worth, back and forth over the first half of the fight while Mayweather tries to figure him out," Hopkins, 50, who defended the middleweight crown a record 20 times from 1995 to 2005, told Reuters.

"I believe Mayweather's got the experience to do that. If he can figure it out, he wins by a decision. But it won't be easy."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Mayweather, Pacquiao weigh in as frenzy builds

LAS VEGAS, United States - Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather comfortably made the weight for their world title showdown on Friday at a raucous weigh-in which underscored the frenzy of interest surrounding boxing's latest "Fight of the Century".

The key pre-fight ritual drew a stunning crowd of 11,500 to the MGM Grand Garden Arena, where the rivals will clash Saturday in a fight that has catapulted boxing into the public consciousness in a way that hasn't been seen for decades.

Tickets were sold at $10 apiece and some in attendance paid much more on the secondary market just for a chance to glimpse two of the most talented fighters of their generation step on the scale.

World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council champion Mayweather weighed in at 146 pounds (66.22 kg) -- one pound under the welterweight limit.

World Boxing Organization champion Pacquiao weighed in at 145 pounds.

"It is an unbelievable turnout," Mayweather said. "I am glad all the fans came out to support myself and support Manny."

While a relaxed-looking Pacquiao beamed at his followers, Mayweather kept his game-face on.

"My thing is to focus on what we've got to do tomorrow," Mayweather told the crowd. "I've dedicated myself to the sport of boxing for more than 20 years, and I'm ready."

The Filipino icon's fans made their presence felt, with loud chants and even a few boos for Mayweather.

Pacquiao's homeland is expected to grind to a halt when the fight airs on Sunday morning (local time) as the impoverished nation of 100 million cheers its "National Fist" in open-air screenings, cinemas, bars and homes.

For many Filipinos, the 36-year-old Pacquiao embodies their hopes of escaping the grinding poverty that affects one in four in the country.

His humble demeanor provides a compelling contrast to the image projected by Mayweather, a brash self-promoter who glories in his status as a money-making machine and trails the clouds of a troubling past that includes jail time for one of a string of domestic violence incidents.

While Nevada's legal sports books are taking some big wagers on Mayweather, the money coming in from Pacquiao believers has narrowed the odds to about 2-1 in Mayweather's favor.

"Public opinion is definitely Manny Pacquiao," Jay Rood, vice president of race and sports books at MGM Resorts International, said.

Boxing opinion is still Mayweather, most likely by 12-round decision.

Mayweather brings a perfect 47-0 record to the bout along with a reputation for defensive skills that will thwart even aggressive southpaw Pacquiao.

"The fight is already won," Floyd Mayweather Sr, Mayweather's father and trainer, said this week.

Pacquiao only smiles when asked about his underdog status -- a first for him since he defeated Oscar De La Hoya back in 2008.

"No one thought I could beat Oscar, and I was the underdog then," he said. "Maybe it's good for me."

Mayweather himself, a five-division title-holder, has blown hot and cold on the importance of the bout ever since it was announced on February 20.

"I never wanted to win a fight so bad in my life," he has said, at other times insisting that facing Pacquiao is "just another fight."

- Boxing history -

However the bout unfolds, it will be more than that, thanks to the labyrinthine negotiations that finally brought about a clash that will smash boxing's previous revenue records.

Old animosities between the fighters' camps and contractual hurdles involving rival telecasters Showtime and HBO have all been overcome, and the payoff will be huge.

Total revenue could reach $400 million, fueled by as many as three million pay-per-view purchases and live gate receipts of more than $70 million -- all adding up to a possible $200 million payday for Mayweather and a $100 million bonanza for Pacquiao.

Tens of thousands will pay about $150 to watch the fight on closed circuit television at MGM properties around Las Vegas.

The 16,800 crowd at the Grand Garden Arena -- where top tickets went for a face value of $10,000 -- will be stuffed with stars of sport and screen and the high-rollers that make casinos hum.

With 150,000 to 200,000 people expected to descend on the desert gambling haven, Las Vegas authorities warned they could take the rare step of shutting down the city's famous Strip to keep the peace on fight night.

Las Vegas officials are hoping to avoid a repeat of the chaotic February 2007 all-star game weekend which saw several people shot and around 400 people arrested.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Boxing and Las Vegas score KO with big fight

LAS VEGAS - The Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight has certainly grabbed the attention of sports and non-sports fans alike, turning Saturday's (May 02) welterweight championship contest into a "must see or be seen at event."

And while the fight has yet to fought and a decision has not yet been rendered, it's safe to say that the city of Las Vegas and the sport of boxing has already scored a massive knockout.

"To be realistic, Mayweather and Pacquiao are 38 and 36," says Top Rank's Bob Arum, one of the promoters on the fight. "The lifespan in the sport is going to be short, we have to recognize that. But, in the wings there are tremendously talented young people, young fighters who are going to be marquee and who people are going to fall in love with."

While boxing in general will benefit from this fight's mega drawing power for future bouts, the immediate financial gain is palpable.

"As people pour into this town, many of whom are without a prayer of having a ticket, just to be here," added Arum, a longtime veteran in the boxing promotion game. "That helps everybody in this town, it helps the cab drivers, the bartenders, the hospitality workers. It helps the economy, a real boon to the economy. Forget for a minute how much the hotel casinos are going to make, the rooms and the gambling. It is the ordinary people who will benefit greatly from this event."

The interest generated in the fight, which takes place MGM's Grand Garden arena has already translated in near record numbers for a boxing match.

"We are already at the point of the third biggest fight ever booked here at the MGM Grand," explained Jay Rood, Vice-President of MGM's sports betting book. "I would imagine that we would be surpassing the biggest fight that we have ever booked, that would be Mayweather-Canelo. I think what we are going to do to this fight is 2.5 times larger than what we have ever done with a boxing match in the state of Nevada."

The point is that for a sport that has floundered badly over the past several years, an event like Mayweather-Pacquiao shows that boxing still sells and brings an electricity to Las Vegas that is nearly unmatched, save for the Super Bowl.

The undefeated Mayweather (47-0), who is guaranteed 120 million - that could reach 180 million - from a megafight that is expected to be the richest of all time, oozed confidence as he predicted his record would remain perfect.

Pacquiao is a 2-1 underdog for a fight expected to earn him now up to 120 million.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao, Mayweather spark Hall of Fame buzz

CANASTOTA -- A worldwide buzz about Saturday's showdown between Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao and unbeaten US star Floyd Mayweather has brought a special spark to a small rural upstate New York town.

Attendance has been on the rise at the International Boxing Hall of Fame since the long-awaited showdown was announced months ago, executive director Ed Brophy said.

"Everybody is talking about the fight, from boxing fans and sports fans and beyond that, to non-sports fans," said Brophy. "We've had more people and that is the number one subject."

While Pacquiao and Mayweather finally come together on the neon-lit Las Vegas Strip, they have been linked for a long time on a wall for "Great Champions" in the southeast corner of the Hall of Fame main building, in the shadow of a toll booth off a quiet New York State Thruway exit.

Black and white photos of Pacquiao and Mayweather are side by side in the display of nine top fighters, in some ways a preview of coming attractions list for the Hall of Fame inductee plaques on the opposite side of the building.

"They have been like that for years," Brophy said, as if waiting for the day when they would finally be side-by-side in the ring after a failed 2010 effort for a Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown.

In the middle of three rows of three photos is Pacquiao, his arms folded in front of him, eyes glaring out the front of the photo, his right upper arm tattoo facing forward.

To the right is Mayweather, looking slightly to the right, both fists raised with a smile on his face.

Around the display room are artifacts, posters, tickets, souvenirs, gloves and trunks and robes and so much more from boxing history, as if waiting for what Mayweather and Pacquiao will contribute when the day arrives.

- 'Boxing finds a way' -

The big May fight 40 years ago in Las Vegas was Muhammad Ali against Ron Lyle, described as "worthy contender - Denver" in a poster for the Don King production.

And there is a good reason Mayweather and Pacquiao will shatter boxing revenue records. The Ali-Lyle fight had $12 for its cheapest ticket price and $100 for ringside at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Plaster fist casts of such legends as Britain's Lennox Lewis and Jack Johnson are humbled by the huge hands of Primo Carnera, but the romantic heyday of the sport's glamorous past is celebrated, many of these legends formed when print media and radio were the main ways people learned about fights and boxers.

Some of the inductees resonate to the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight. There's Bob Arum, the "Pac-Man" promoter inducted in 1999, 33 years after his first fight.

And there's Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach, the 2012 Hall inductee who worked under Eddie Futch to learn the art, opened his own WildCard Gym in 1996 and has guided such fighters as Mike Tyson, Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones and Amir Khan.

And there's Rocky Marciano, who died on the eve of his 46th birthday after a 49-0 career with 43 knockouts, the 1950s era heavyweight champion whose old gloves are on display and whose record is a target for Mayweather, provided he can stay unbeaten by dispatching Pacquiao.

The first televised US fight was on June 1, 1959, and is honored at the sport shrine, as is a welterweight title fight 80 years ago, when Barney Ross decisioned Canada's Jimmy McLarnin.

Now boxing faces challenges from other sports and battles for attention against the global array of games, but the best of fights once again commands global attention like few sports can.

"Boxing," Brophy said, "always finds a way."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao-Mayweather: financial facts

LAS VEGAS -- Saturday's welterweight title showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather is a lock to shatter financial records for a prize fight. Here's a look at current records the fight is set to break:


- Live Gate Receipts -

$20 million for a fight in Nevada, set by Mayweather-Alvarez in 2013

(Pacquiao-Mayweather projection: $70 million)


- Pay-per-view purchases -

2.48 million for Mayweather's 2007 fight with Oscar De La Hoya

(Pacquiao-Mayweather projection: 3 million or more)


- Total pay-per-view revenue -

$150 million for Mayweather v Saul "Canelo" Alvarez in 2013

(Pacquiao-Mayweather projection: $300 million in US, Puerto Rico and Canada alone)


- Fighter's earnings -

$70 million for Mayweather against Alvarez, as calculated by Forbes

(Pacquiao-Mayweather projection: more than $100 million for both fighters -- up to $200 million for Mayweather by his own estimate)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com