Pacquiao's latest win: Shellacking of highest order

To fight analysts, Manny Pacquiao proved how vastly superior he was in terms of experience, punching power and boxing prowess compared to Chris Algieri.

ESPN’s Dan Rafael described Algieri’s whipping as a “shellacking of the highest order” as the Filipino fighter sent the American tumbling to the canvass for a total of six times.

But Rafael considered Pacquiao’s failure to get a knockout win as forgivable considering the beating he dealt on Algieri.

“The 35-year-old southpaw, who is still speedy and offensive-minded, did as he pleased other than get a knockout,” the boxing pundit said in ESPN.com.

Rafael said Algieri’s much-hyped left jab looked meaningless in front of Pacquiao who unloaded a variety of attacks, including the left straight that nearly flattened out the New York fighter in the ninth round.

“It was a shellacking of the highest order as Pacquiao won his third fight in a row (second overall in Macau) since the stunning knockout loss to rival Juan Manuel Marquez in their fourth fight in December 2012,” he said.

RingTV’s Doug Fischer, for his part, admitted that he was impressed to see Pacquiao outclass younger and very athletic fighters like Algieri and Tim Bradley.

He said both fighters were undefeated and were already battle-tested before they lost to Pacquiao.

“Bradley and Algieri were athletic, undefeated beltholders (with a combined record of 51-0) who were battle-tested and in their primes when Pacquiao faced them. And at 35, after more than 60 pro bouts and almost 20 years in the game, he handled them. For the record: I’m impressed,” said Fischer.

He said he also stopped scoring the bout after seeing the American tumbling to the canvass numerous times.

“Chris maybe won one round (the fifth), maybe. I stopped scoring fight after the two knockdowns in Round 6. What was the point?” said Fischer.

He added that Pacquiao’s ring generalship showed that he is already at par with Floyd Mayweather Jr., Andre Ward and Vladimir Klitschko.

“The only difference is that Pacquiao doesn’t control a fight by holding on the inside; he does it with his footwork and angles,” he said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Bradley to Pacquiao: It's my time

American boxer Timothy Bradley Jr. insists he personally has nothing against Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao. But he firmly believes that the time has come for him to take his place as a superstar in boxing.

During Bradley and Pacquiao’s appearance in “Face Off” with Max Kellerman, the American did not hold back as he expressed his confidence ahead of their rematch on April 12.

“I don’t think that you’re old,” Bradley told Pacquiao, as quoted by RingTV. “I don’t think that you’re not a great fighter. You are a great fighter. You are a tremendous fighter.”

“But I just feel that it’s my time, and that’s it. That’s all. That’s all that it is. I have nothing bad to say to you, Manny. I just feel that it’s my time,” he said.

Bradley faced great criticism following his controversial victory against Pacquiao in their first fight two years ago. But he believes that he is better equipped now to claim a decisive win.

“I’m right in the forefront of greatness, and to being a superstar in the game. I’m a lot better than when I first faced Manny,” he claimed. “I’m a lot better now.”

“I’m a very smart fighter, and a very intelligent fighter. He (Pacquiao) doesn’t know what I’m going to do. He can guess and train for whatever,” he added.

Directly addressing the “Pacman,” Bradley said: “You know what the hardest thing about me is, Pacquiao? It’s that you just can’t train for one thing. I can do it all in there. I can brawl and I can box.”

Pacquiao, who does not usually engage in trash talk with opponents, merely told Bradley: “My time is not finished yet. My time is not yet done. I can say that.”

The Filipino idol seems to want his fists to do the talking instead.

“They should watch the fight to get rid of all the question marks in their minds,” said Pacquiao. “This will answer all of the questions from the past. The last fight that we had, this is the answer on April 12.”

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao can bounce back after KO loss, says Duran

MANILA – Another ring legend has bared his observations regarding the coming Manny Pacquiao-Brandon Rios fight.

Panama’s Roberto Duran, widely regarded as one of the best fighters of all time, said Pacquiao is capable of coming back and that Rios may be in trouble.

Duran said in an interview on Ring TV that the Filipino’s knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez may even make Pacquiao a difficult foe for Rios.

"Sure, he's embarrassed because of the Marquez loss, and because it happened in front of millions of people, and he feels that he needs to redeem himself. So Brandon needs to be very, very careful," said "Manos de Piedra" or Hands of Stone.

Just like Pacquiao, Duran suffered back-to-back losses to Marvin Hagler and Tommy Hearns in the 1980s.

Against Hearns, he fell flat on his face after getting clipped with a big right hand in the second round.

Years later, he was still able to win the WBC middleweight title by outscoring Iran Barkley.

"I was knocked out ... but I was able to come back and win the title, so by no means can you count out Manny Pacquiao,” said Duran.

He said in order for Rios to survive, the Mexican-American will have to give Pacquiao an intelligent fight.

“I just give Brandon Rios the advice to go in and attack and to not hesitate, because he can win if he just fights intelligently," said Duran.

Earlier, Duran's rival "Sugar" Ray Leonard said Pacquiao's knockout defeat could be a factor in the coming bout.

Leonard added that if Pacquiao loses to Rios, then it might be the end of the road for the fighting congressman.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao, Rios undergo drug testing ahead of fight

MANILA – Filipino ring legend Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao and American fighter Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios have been tested by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) ahead of their November 24 fight.

VADA founder Margaret Goodman told RingTV that both fighters have already been tested, as stipulated in their contract.

“I can confirm that both fighters have been tested by VADA,” Goodman said. “The results that we get go directly to the fighter, or to whomever he designates from his camp.”

“They got to the promoter, which is obviously Top Rank, the China Commission, and it goes to the Association of Boxing Commissioners,” she added.

Goodman said VADA will not release the results to the public, but “the fighter can release results to the public at any time.”

It is the first time in his career that Pacquiao is undergoing random drug testing for a fight. It has been a controversial issue with the Filipino boxer, as random drug testing was one of the demands of unbeaten American Floyd Mayweather for a mega-fight between the two.

Top Rank chief executive Bob Arum confirmed last May that they are paying for the random drug testing.

It is the third time that Top Rank has utilized the services of VADA. The organization also conducted the random drug testing for Timothy Bradley and Ruslan Provodnikov in their March 2013 fight, as well as for Nonito Donaire and Guillermo Rigondeaux in their April 2013 fight.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Golden Boy exec says Arum, Donaire making excuses

MANILA, Philippines – Golden Boy chief executive Richard Schaefer believes his Top Rank counterpart, Bob Arum, and world super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire are making excuses when they rejected a $3-milion offer for a fight.

Golden Boy had offered Top Rank $3 million for the services of Donaire in order to put together a fight between “The Filipino Flash” and Mexican champion Abner Mares.

But in a RingTV report, Arum called the contract a “bulls--- offer,” while Donaire said he has not yet even seen the contract.

Schaefer told RingTV’s Lem Satterfield that both Donaire and Arum were making excuses.

“I don’t have a problem with Donaire not wanting to fight Mares or Top Rank not wanting to do business with Golden Boy,” he said.

“But then they should just say so and stop making excuses. Don’t ask for a contract, and then, when they have it, they come up with other excuses,” he added.

In a separate Boxing Scene report, Schaefer refuted the assertion that the contract they sent was not legitimate.

“Donaire stating that this is not a contract is wrong,” he told Rick Reeno. “If he does not want to fight Mares, then just say it. If Arum does not want to work with Golden Boy then just say it.”

“If Donaire is not his own boss and can not fight who he wants, then just say it. But they should stop making excuses,” Schaefer added.

With Mares out of the picture, Donaire is likely to fight another fellow champion, Guillermo Rigondeaux, on April 13.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Arum assures Marquez of bigger pay in 5th Pacman bout

MANILA – Boxing promoter Bob Arum assured Juan Manuel Marquez that he will be paid handsomely should he agree to a fifth clash with Manny Pacquiao.

Marquez reportedly got a guaranteed $6 million in his December fight against Pacquiao, which he won via a stunning sixth-round knockout.

"Marquez made his career-high pay day the last time, and he knocked out Pacquiao, so he's not going to get less than he got the last time," said Arum in RingTV.

Despite rumors that he’s likely to go on fighting, the 39-year-old Marquez has yet to formally announce if he’ll continue his boxing career after conquering Pacquiao.

This fueled speculations that Marquez is withholding his decision to raise his stock.

But Arum believes otherwise.

He pointed out that Marquez is already financially secure, and that the purse won’t be an issue in a fifth Pacquiao fight.

"That's not a negotiating ploy. If you're Marquez, and he's a real proud guy who, unlike a lot of fighters, saved his money. So, he's got a university degree in accounting,” said the Top Rank CEO.

Marquez's trainer Ignacio "Nacho" Beristain, earlier, said that a “rich prince” has offered Marquez $15-million to fight South African boxer Zolani Marali in Dubai.

But Beristain admitted that the fight is unlikely to take place since Top Rank and Zanfer Promotions have the inside track in staging Marquez’s next fight.
 
source: abs-cbnnews.com

Marquez wants 'strong victory' over Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines – Juan Manuel Marquez promised that he will be the stronger, more explosive fighter when he trades punches with Manny Pacquiao this December.

The Mexican showed off his ripped physique during an open work out at the Romanza Gym in Mexico as he promised to bring the fight to Pacquiao when they clash for the fourth time in Las Vegas.

"We've done a lot of preparation, and we know Pacquiao, how to fight him and how to win," Marquez said in a report by RingTV’s Lem Satterfield.

Marquez promised that he will step in the ring in very good shape, even better than his conditioning in 2011 when he nearly outpunched Pacquiao.

The Mexican maintained that he’ll be going for a knockout to prove that he’s a better fighter than the Filipino superstar.

"I'll be faster, more explosive and more aggressive," said Marquez. "I will be much better than a year ago. Pacquiao can say whatever he wants. I'm prepared to knock him out...and offer another great fight to pubic."

Despite holding a record of zero wins, two losses and one draw in his previous meetings with Pacquiao, Marquez claimed that he has already beaten the Filipino thrice.

"I am convinced that we were superior in the past, but the judges have said otherwise. Now we are on our way to a victory that leaves no doubt. A strong victory,” said Marquez.

“We are on the way to a knockout to make clear, once and for all, who is better."

source: abs-cbnnews.com