Boxing: Wilder, Fury engage in war of words ahead of rematch

Heavyweights Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury jettisoned their previously cordial tone in favor of a heated and personal exchange in the final news conference before their highly-anticipated rematch on Saturday in Las Vegas.

WBC champion Wilder 42-0-1 (41 KO) and lineal heavyweight champion Fury 29-0-1 (20 KO) shoved each other when they took the stage at the MGM Grand on Wednesday before both promising knockouts.

"Wilder is very nervous," said the English-born Fury.

"I can see his jumper going in and out from the big heart beat pounding out of his chest.

"He's terrified. He's nervous as hell. He doesn't know what to expect, and he's getting knocked out," Fury said, adding that Wilder would be begging him for a rematch after he is defeated.


The American responded with laughter at Fury's repeated claim that he will end the fight in the second round.

"When I knock you out, go do stand-up comedy. You've got a career there.

"You've got pillows for fists and that's why I kept running through you."

The first meeting between the pair in December 2018 ended in a controversial split-decision draw after 12 explosive rounds, a result that satisfied neither fighter but left both with their undefeated records intact.

The fight included a vicious right hand from Wilder in the 12th that send the towering Fury to the canvas and appeared to end the fight but miraculously Fury rose to his feet to reach the final bell.

Fury, who fought twice in Las Vegas last year, wore a jacket of the popular NHL franchise the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday and said he was a "bigger star than their homegrown heavyweight" Wilder, who hails from Alabama.

"Is there anything the Gypsy King can't do, including slapping him in the mouth?" he said, referencing his own nickname.

"There's nothing I can't do."

Wilder hit below the belt when he brought up Fury's past struggles with depression, drug use and weight gain, which cost Fury his heavyweight titles when he was unable to defend them after his stunning upset of Wladimir Klitschko in 2015.

Fury has since battled back from the brink of suicide and last year embarked on a speaking tour promoting mental health awareness.

"It's a big show and I'm very happy we could all get together and put this on for the fans around the world," Fury said.

"If it's anything good as the talking we're doing up on stage here, we're in for a real treat."

(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles, editing by Ed Osmond)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Kim Chiu speaks up on reporter's 'walkout'

MANILA -- Kim Chiu clarified that there was no "walkout" during a press conference held Tuesday where she responded candidly to a reporter's question about the status of her relationship with onscreen partner Xian Lim.

The 23-year-old actress faced members of the press anew during a bloggers' conference on Wednesday, also for her upcoming film "Bride for Rent," which she took as an opportunity to clarify the incident involving showbiz columnist Aster Amoyo.

"Wala naman pong nag-walkout, at nag-sorry naman ako agad," Chiu said. "Siguro na mis-interpret lang. Siguro may mga bagay na kapag inuulit-ulit… Ikaw, kapag tinanong kita nang paulit-ulit tapos ang sagot ko ulit-ulit din. Magagalit ka kasi ulit-ulit lang rin 'yung sagot ko."

During the press event on Tuesday, Chiu was asked by Amoyo to just confirm or deny whether she and Lim are officially together. The veteran reporter noted how the two have been evasive on confirming whether they are a couple despite being open about their close ties.

Chiu responded: "Ako, sinagot narin namin 'to sa last presscon namin [ni Xian]. We don't owe you any of our personal lives siguro. You can think whatever you want to think as long as you're happy when you watch us on TV, nakikita niyo kung paano kami ma-inlove, ganyan. And 'yun na 'yon. And lahat naman tayo merong mga hindi dapat i-share o dapat i-share, and it's our choice, and I hope you guys respect that."

"Hindi naman [ako] nakulitan, siguro medyo lang," Chiu said, when asked Wednesday about being made to answer the same question about Lim time and again. "Tao rin naman kami. Kahit artista kami, may nararamdaman din naman kami kapag medyo nasisindakan kami or kapag medyo iba na 'yung klase ng pagtatanong."

Shortly after the press conference on Tuesday, reports surfaced online that Amoyo supposedly walked out of the event. The actress on Wednesday denied this, saying, "Kung may na-offend man, pasensya na po."

Admittedly, however, Chiu said she was affected by the criticism directed at her for supposedly being rude toward members of the press. Reactions to her statement quickly reached her through social media, the actress recalled, but found comfort in her fans who came to her defense.

"Ang lungkut-lungkot ko tapos nagbasa ako ng Twitter at Instagram. Ay, parang nabuhay ang loob ko," she said. "Kagabi sobrang naramamdan ko... [na] sobra nila (fans) akong pinagtatanggol. Sa lahat kasi ng nangyayari sa 'kin nandiyan na sila sa likod ko eh. All out support sila, as in. Sobra akong happy, sobra akong thankful."

Directed by Mae Czarina Cruz and produced by Star Cinema, "Bride for Rent" will hit theaters nationwide on January 15.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Luis breaks silence on ties with Jennylyn

MANILA - Actor-TV host Luis Manzano finally broke his silence on reports that his relationship with Jennylyn Mercado is now on the rocks.

In a press conference on the film, "This Guy's In Love With You," held at the Dolphy Theater on Thursday, Manzano said these reports and blind items are not true.

"Once and for all, hindi po. Hindi ko alam kung saan nanggaling ang isyu na yon. Wala pong 'labuan' issue. Kahit noong lumabas pa yung alam nating issue, never po kaming nagkalabuan, not even for a single day. So kahit ako ay nagulat na mayroon pang 'on the rocks na lumabas.' ... We are still together," he said, referring to the alleged involvement of Mercado in the separation of actor Paolo Contis from his wife, Lian Paz.

According Manzano, he even talked to Paz about the issue although he refused to give details.

"I have to hear all sides ng istorya. We are still together. Huwag na nating ibigay yung detalye (ng usapan) kasi si Lian is going through something, may mga anak sila so huwag na nating i-elaborate. Pero the fact  na si Jen and I are still OK, ibig sabihin, kumbaga, yun na yon, it's something blown out of proportion," he said.

Manzano said Mercado is also clueless on where the issue linking her to Contis started.

"Si Jen, yun din ang gusto niyang malaman. Ang pinakaalam ko lang, nagkasama sila sa Futbolilits, yun na lang yon. Dumadalaw pa nga ako sa set nila kung saan nakakausap ko pa," he said.

The actor stressed that the issue linking Mercado to Contis really never affected their relationship.

"Wala, not for a single day. Kaya nagulat ako na may 'on the rocks' na," he said.

On Thursday, amid escalating rumors of her supposed role in the break-up, Mercado expressed her love for Manzano via the micro-blogging site Twitter , a move that seemed to address speculations on the status of their relationship.

In recent weeks, Mercado's name was dragged into the controversial separation of Contis and Paz. This, according to a blind item that alluded to the Manzano and the singer-actress, caused the Kapamilya actor to be "suspicious" of his girlfriend for over a year.

Prior to the published item hinting about their eventual breakup, Mercado had denied being a "third party" in Contis' and Paz's marriage, and even laughed off the issue.

The former child star, meanwhile, also cleared the name of Mercado in the separation, following Paz's reported admission of the reality contest alumnus' alleged role in their breakup.

In recent months, Manzano and Mercado have been vocal of their strong relationship, which was confirmed by the Kapamilya actor in March last year.

Manzano, in a number of interviews, has also shared his hopes of eventually settling down with the actress.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Heartbreaker? Jake Cuenca says the pain always cuts both ways

Actor Jake Cuenca didn’t expect that in the press conference for his newest soap on ABS-CBN some seers would be around to give the stars and the press a reading.

One fortune-teller told Jake how adventurous and courageous he is, adding that if he wanted to get married now, he could surely make it happen.

“Natakot naman ako. Natakot lang nung sinabing huhulaan ako. Siguro hindi lang ako comfortable. Eh, kasali pala ‘yun sa presscon,” he said.

So is the tarot reader right in saying that sooner than later, he might be planning to tie the knot already? Wait, where’s the bride-to-be?

“This year? Parang malayo pa. I am only 24 years old,” he said.

“Eh ang ini-imagine kong paglagay sa tahimik, ‘yung parang kay Kuya Goma (Richard Gomez). Mga ganoong edad at estado na. Syempre, iisipin mo kung kelan ito. Paano. ‘Yung nasa tamang lugar. And these are the questions I do not ask myself. Obviously, I won’t be getting married this year. I am taking it slow nga in everything I do. Ibig kong sabihin, pinag-aaralan din.”

The subject of heartbreak was on everybody’s lips because the title of the new soap is “Kahit Puso’y Masugatan”, which also stars Iza Calsado, Andi Eigenmann, Gabby Concepcion and Ms. Jaclyn Jose.

So Jake is besieged with questions about his reputation as a heartbreaker. First off, he thinks it’s patently unfair.

“Paano ako manugat ng puso? Hindi naman intentional ‘yun. Hindi ko naman intensyon makasugat. Kung may mga nangyaring gano’n, ang feeling ko naman at that point, hindi lang ako ‘yun,” he said.

“Doon din nate-test ang character ko. Kasi, may mga sitwasyon’g nag-aapologize ka na, hindi naman tinatanggap ang pagso-sorry o paghingi mo ng kapatawaran. Kaya pinadadaan ko na lang. Hindi ko na rin binabalikan.”

For Jake, this heartbreak business always cuts both ways.

“Hindi naman isang tao lang ang nasasaktan kung natatapos o nawawala ang isang relasyon, ‘di ba? Ang sa akin, nasa kanila na ‘yun kung tatanggapin nila ang pagso-sorry ko sa inakala nilang pagsugat ko sa puso nila,” he explained.

He declares he is currently loveless. IWhat is Lovi Poe to him?

“A friend. Nagkasama lang naman kami sa movie. And up to now, nagpatuloy naman ang friendship namin. So wala akong masasabing may relasyon kami whatsoever.”

He is not being coy but circumspect.

“’Pag handa na ako to talk about it, hindi ko naman itinatago ang mga relasyon ko. Naging very honest naman ako. Kaya lang, napapansin ko lang, ‘pag nagpapadala ako sa mga sinasabi ng mga tao sa paligid,’pag nagpapadala ako sa ganoong feeling, parang it never works out,” he observed.

“Sino ba naman ang ayaw na magkaroon ng girlfriend ‘di ba? Gusto ko rin naming mag-succeed aas a boyfriend o sa relasyon na papasukin ko. But when it comes to that part, ngayon, gusto ko na talagang maingatan ng husto. Marami na rin ako natutunan sa mga dinaanan kong relationships. Kaya ‘yung mga sa tingin ko, sumablay ako, doon ako iiwas. Baka kasi another failed relationship na naman. Kaya gusto ko, gradual naming mangyari ang lahat.”

So he is taking it slow this time. He admits that he and Lovi go out on friendly dates.

“Yeah, date. Pero hindi ako nanliligaw. Friends nga. Masarap na maging simple muna,” he qualified.

Apart from his new soap which will start airing on Monday, Jake is also excited about his role in “Lihis”, a Joel Lamangan film in which he stars opposite Baron Geisler.

He plays a gay character in the movie, a new challenge for an actor looking to expand his range.

“I couldn’t say no to Direk Joel. And comfortable naman ako sa sexuality ko. I liked the script. Nangyari siya in the ’80s. panahon ng mga aktibista. At a time na hindi pa tanggap ang mga ganoong relasyon. But it’s not ‘yung tipikal na gay film. Kung may kissing scene, hindi pa naman nakukunan. But I know, maaalagaan kami ni Direk if we need to do the scene. It will be a first for me. It’s a beautiful love story. Hindi stereotypical.”

source: interaksyon.com