What HBO has to say about Pacquiao-Floyd fight

MANILA, Philippines – HBO has denied that it is an "impediment" in the negotiations for a potential mega-fight between superstar boxers Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

HBO airs Pacquiao's fights, but Mayweather has an exclusive contract with rival network Showtime/CBS.

"We are not an impediment to this fight," HBO said in a statement. "We stand ready to go."

"The principals need to agree to terms and come to a deal," the network added.

HBO and Showtime have previously worked together to promote a fight, when Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson faced off in June 2002.

RingTV reported that among the "major stalling points" is that HBO is insisting on being able to show the replays of the fight.

For the Lewis-Tyson bout, the network who represented the winner earned replay rights; in that case, HBO did after Lewis, their fighter, knocked out Tyson.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Marquez knows he could lose in 5th fight - analyst

MANILA, Philippines – One of the reasons why Juan Manuel Marquez has been holding back from a fifth ring encounter with Manny Pacquiao is the possibility that he could lose to the Filipino boxer, according to a boxing analyst.

According to RingTV’s Doug Fischer, the Mexican counterpuncher is aware that he might get beat if he gets in the ring again with Pacquiao.

“The Mexico City technician knows that he could lose a fifth bout, maybe by knockout,” Fischer said in Dougie’s Friday Mailbag.

In his past statements, Marquez said he wasn’t keen in fighting Pacquiao again since he already knocked out the Filipino during their fourth fight last December.

It was the Mexican’s first win against the Filipino superstar in their eight-year rivalry.

“I think for me, there is no point,” Marquez said. “We already achieved the desired result.”

Fischer cited that it took a big risk for Marquez to score the sixth-round knockout against Pacquiao.

“I agree that Marquez took a gamble that paid off by looking for the one big shot against Pacquiao in their fourth showdown, but he had to pay the price for that strategy as evidenced by his busted nose and bloody face after six rounds,” said the boxing analyst.

If Marquez agrees for a fifth fight, he’s guaranteed to earn the biggest paycheck in his storied career.

Aside from that, Fischer said, the Mexican enjoys a certain advantage going into the bout.

“He also knows that he’s got a psychological edge over the Filipino icon having just knocked his rival out and having never been stopped himself.”

source: abs-cbnnews.com