Pacquiao’s boxing career could extend after gay slurs - Analyst

MANILA - For boxing analyst Atty. Ed Tolentino, the historic and fruitful career of issue-ridden world boxing icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao will not be ending on his so-called last match in the ring against Timothy Bradley in April.

According to Tolentino, Pacquiao might postpone his retirement this year and opt to fight a couple of “big” matches more to repair his tainted image after his strong opposition to same-sex marriage that drew jeers from the LGBT community and its supporters across the world.

“Baka ma-extend pa ang career niya [Pacquiao] dahil sa nangyaring ito. I will not be surprised if he reach out to Floyd Mayweather for rematch because he needs big fights,” Tolentino said.

He likened Pacquiao’s current situation to retiring NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, who also faced controversy in his basketball career in 2003 after being accused of rape.

Tolentino shared that Bryant also lost endorsements due to the sexual assault case but he was able to redeem himself after focusing on where he is best at: basketball. He then added that Pacquiao should focus on boxing which he does best.

“He [Bryant] kept on winning. And now, magre-retire si Kobe, everybody is respecting him. If you want to repair your image, go back to what you do best. Compete like an athlete, win the big fights,” he said. “Doon ka bumangon, kung saan ka magaling.”

However, Tolentino stressed that, boxing-wise, the anti-gay issue that Pacquiao is facing won’t overshadow what he had done in the history of professional boxing.

“He will always be our ‘Pambansang Kamao.’ I keep on telling, ‘Pacquiao is a Filipino.’ His victory is our victory. His humiliation is our humiliation.”

He believes the senatorial wannabe won’t easily lose his followers but the boxing star should initiate the mending of fences among the offended groups.

“Sapagkat kung hahayaan niyang magbatuhan ang kanyang followers, kapag ito ay naging mudslinging, lahat din tayo descended to the level of animals,” he said.

“HALF-BAKED APOLOGY”

The boxing analyst, on the other hand, said Pacquiao should not defend his statement after issuing public apology.

“There’s no use of defending it because if you keep on defending your point despite your apology, people will start doubting your apology. That is a half-baked apology. Apology is absolute, own up to your mistake,” he said.

But Tolentino also urged the Filipinos to learn how to accept apology as forgiving makes everyone human.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Will Pacquiao go for KO vs. Algieri?

MANILA, Philippines – Boxing analyst Al Mendoza believes Filipino champion Manny Pacquiao will try to knock out American challenger Chris Algieri after he won his last two fights in solid, but not spectacular, fashion.

Talking to radio DZMM Thursday, Mendoza said Pacquiao will likely be fired up to go for a stoppage win this time as he has not won by knockout since 2009.

"Sinasabi natin na ang pamagat ng laban ay 'Hungry for Glory.' Gutom na gutom ng glorya at karangalan si Algieri, dahil pag nga naman na-disgrasya niya si Manny Pacquiao, superstar siya bigla," said Mendoza.

"Pero ang sa akin, mas malalim ang gloryang gustong makamit ni Pacquiao dito," he added.

Mendoza noted that in his past four fights, Pacquiao has a 2-2 win-loss record, having lost to Timothy Bradley and to Juan Manuel Marquez.

He bounced back with a unanimous decision win over Brandon Rios, then avenged his loss to Bradley. But Mendoza noted that Pacquiao did not display his fearsome form in both of those matches.

"'Yung mga panalo na 'yun, sa puntos lang eh," he pointed out. "Hindi Pacquiao 'yun. Hindi Pacquiao na kilalang-kilala natin na mabagsik, na pinapatulog ang kalaban. Sa huling limang taon ay wala siyang knockout."

Pacquiao's last knockout came against Puerto Rican star Miguel Cotto, whom he stopped in the 12th round.

Since then, however, he has won his fights via the judges' scorecards, the latest of which was a wide unanimous decision victory over Bradley in April.

Because of this, Mendoza believes Pacquiao will try his hardest to knockout Algieri, who has not been beaten in his professional career.

"Gutom na gutom na din siya sa glorya, dahil dito sa panglimang laban niya, kinakailangan manalo siya, at hindi lang panalo by puntos, kundi dapat by knockout," said the analyst.

Moreover, Mendoza believes a spectacular victory for Pacquiao will help him secure a fight against American superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr.

"Sa tingin ko, ang laban na ito kay Algieri ay gagamitin niya na tune-up para kay Mayweather sa isang taon," Mendoza said. "Kung tune-up fight ay kailangan matindi ang resulta, at ang matinding resulta ay panalo by knockout ni Manny Pacquiao."

But Mendoza also warned that Pacquiao should be careful, considering how he was brutally knocked out by Marquez when they fought in 2012 while the "Pacman" was also going for the kill.

"Sana lang, huwag siyang manggigil at magmadali muli, kagaya ng nangyari kay Marquez," said Mendoza. "(Sana) mapatulog niya ng magandang pagpapatulog si Algieri."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

'Rigo' no walk in the park for Donaire, says analyst

MANILA – Filipino champion Nonito Donaire Jr. is in for a very tough fight against Cuban Olympian Guillermo Rigondeaux, according to a boxing analyst.

Rigondeaux may only have 11 professional bouts under his belt, but this doesn’t mean he’ll be easily crushed by the more polished Donaire, said veteran boxing commentator Ed Tolentino Guillermo

“It's not gonna be easy, it's not gonna be a walk in the park because Rigondeaux is a very, very good champion,” Tolentino said in an interview on ANC.

Rigondeaux has an astonishing record as an amateur, having won the World Amateur Boxing (WBA) twice and is a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

He also became a full fledged world champion in his ninth fight as a pro, by knocking out Rico Ramos in 2012 for the WBA super bantamweight crown.

“We're taking here about a guy that had 400 fights as an amateur,” said Tolentino. “We're talking here of a WBA champion who was once called by Freddie Roach as one of the best counter-punchers he has ever seen.”

Tolentino said that against Rigondeaux, Donaire will have to exert extra effort by making calculated risks.

Both Donaire and Ringodeaux are counter-punchers which is why Tolentino expects a tactical fight in the early rounds.

“Donaire will have to be extra aggressive. I see this match dragging in the early rounds because both men are essentially counterpunchers,” he said.

But the analyst believes the Filipino boxer will employ every tactic to open up the Cuban.

“If he's (Rigondeaux) gonna counterpunch all night long, he's glad to do it. So Donaire right now is the more flexible fighter, he can box, he can slug, and he's gonna put on some pressure on Rigondeaux,” said Tolentino.

Tolentino said once Donaire finds an opening, he said the Filipino Flash surely go for the knockout.

A well-placed left hook will do the trick, said the analyst.

“Donaire, I believe, is gonna go for the kill. He has a statement to make, he knows that everybody's watching his fight right now,” he said.

“In his last fight against Roberto Marroquin, he (Rigondeaux) was rocked by a solid left hook. We all know that is the best weapon of Nonito Donaire Jr., the left hook.”

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