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Saturday, October 30, 2010

Manny Pacquiao makes a pit stop in Las Vegas to show support in electoral rally

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Las Vegas must have the feel of a second home to Manny Pacquiao. Ever since his debut in the city in June of 2001 when he trashed Lehlo Ledwaba to capture the IBF super bantamweight championship, people in the area have become accustomed to his tenacious style in the ring. The MGM Grand in particular has captured several of his telling moments as he rose up in weight to defeat a slew of formidable foes in recent years.

Even so, it was a little out of the ordinary to hear that Pacquiao would be taking a break from training and paying a visit to Las Vegas on Friday night to show support to his promoter Bob Arum’s good friend and Senator Harry Reid at a rally inside of Orr Middle School on the East side of town. Pacquiao reportedly left after another day of training with Coach Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles earlier today and will likely resume training tomorrow.

<--- Slideshow: Manny Pacquiao makes a pit stop in Las Vegas

Reid is in a close race with opponent Sharon Angle and could be in danger of losing the election. Arum, who is close with Reid, felt that Pacquiao’s presence at the rally would help garner his friend the victory. The ploy obviously seemed to work as the turnout for the event was impressive. Pacquiao also shared his thoughts on the race between Reid and Angle.

"Senator Reid has been a great leader in the Senate,” Pacquiao claimed. “He works hard and has a good heart. I think it's important that Nevadans re-elect him."

While the Reid and Angle duel will likely be a race to the finish, Pacquiao has a battle of his own to focus on as he will be meeting Antonio Margarito in two weeks at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Some felt that it was a bad move from Pacquiao to break camp in the midst of training and it doesn’t help that he reportedly had a shaky first leg of his camp overseas in Baguio City in the Philippines.

Pacquiao and Margarito both participated in open media workouts earlier this week and each man appears to be in tremendous shape. Pacquiao’s fluidity and speed was in full effect while Margarito made a great impression when he showed off his power as he hit the mitts with trainer Robert Garcia.

Source: Examiner.com

Margarito camp focused primed and ready

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During my two day stay at the Margarito camp I quickly realized that they are primed and ready to go. The focus inside of the ring was evident, and the relaxed and calm atmosphere outside of the ring stood out as well. The first day that I was there the mood in the gym was playful yet focused, especially inside of the ring. Tony Margarito showed up around 1PM and following him into the gym were a few HBO 24/7 camera guys. The former champ looked relaxed and smiled big as he entered the room. He approached each person in the gym and shook their hand, he didn't miss one person, including me.

The entire team seems focused, and all of them are very confident that their guy will come out on top. Margarito sparring partner Brandon Rios, the life of the party, gives the gym a fun jump start. He's a fun loving guy that likes to joke, but inside of the ring he's giving Margarito some very good work. Margarito sparred 3 different guys the first day, and as each sparring partner entered the ring, he got stronger and stronger. The former champ looked good, really good.

Margarito trainer Roberto Garcia when asked if Tony was ready for the biggest fight of his life, he smiled and said, "He's very ready. We have worked hard and on November 13th, Manny Pacquiao will have his hands full." Garcia is very confident and even predicted that Tony would stop Manny Pacquiao, "I don't normally make predictions, but for this fight I believe that Margarito will knockout Manny Pacquiao by the 11th round." I don't know if Margarito will win this fight, but I do know that he will show up on November 13th ready to go.

The former world champion just wants to put the hand-wrap situation behind him. He wants to move on and continue with his boxing career, and a win over Manny Pacquiao would certainly help. Tony firmly believes that he will win this fight, and his team is 100 percent behind him in that thinking. They do not go into this fight feeling like underdogs, they are only looking at a victory and nothing else.

Source: 8countnews.com

Pacquiao denies retirement rumors, will fight on after Margarito

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Despite reports from Freddie Roach that training has not been going well until very recently, and that his mind is not properly focused on the fight, the consensus from Manny Pacquiao's recent media day was that he is looking back to his best and ready for his November showdown with Antonio Margarito.

Throughout his training camps, both in Baguio City and now in Los Angeles at the Wild Card gym, there have been mixed and often conflicting reports as to how well the training is going. Even yesterday for example there are reports both that Pacquiao broke the nose of one of his sparring mates and that he was badly stunned by WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan, forcing the sparring to be stopped while he recovered.

So clearly, just how well things are going is not always easy to ascertain. Pacquiao's team are likely in favor of letting disinformation and rumor slip out from time to time, if only to boost the pay per view sales of his upcoming bout. If something were seriously wrong, it seems more likely that his trainers and promoter would be trying to keep it under wraps.

As a result of his supposed lack of focus, it was also widely reported that Pacquiao could be nearing retirement, further fueled by statements from Roach to the BBC in which he stated that boxing would lose the (currently) 7 weight champion to politics in the near future.

In a recent interview with my Examiner colleague Michael Marley though, Pacquiao himself stated plainly that he isn't thinking of retirement right now, which will no doubt come as welcome news to many fans. When asked about the rumors, Pacquiao's exact answer was:

“I'm not thinking of retirement now. I can fight a few more fights.”

The full interview can be found here: Manny Pacquiao reveals: I am praying for Floyd Mayweather Jr.

That being the case, and so long as he gets past Antonio Margarito next month, there are several fighters that Pacquiao could face in the new year.

The most obvious and desirable choice for all concerned is of course Floyd Mayweather, although that particular fight has always had its problems. From disagreements over the drug testing regime to be used to Floyd and uncle Roger's recent and continuing legal troubles it still isn't entirely clear even when and if Floyd will fight again.

Aside from Floyd, several names have been mentioned, but most have some way to go in making their cases for taking on the pound for pound king. Shane Mosley for example is coming from a loss and a lackluster draw in his last two, Andre Berto has been inactive and despite network backing is still not a big name amongst casual fans. Paul Williams is another name mentioned by some, although Bob Arum has voiced his doubts in that case already, and the height difference would likely represent to much of a risk for the comparatively diminutive Pacquiao.

Without any obvious opponent choice, where he goes from here isn't clear at this stage. A third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez or second encounter with Miguel Cotto are also choices, although without big performances from both in the coming months, would perhaps be difficult to justify.

Sean Spencer, Pitt: "Pac's next opponent will be either Floyd or Cotto, and seen as the first one won't happen it will be Cotto because he's Top Rank"

Harry Cross, Liverpool: "Floyd can make just as much money and have an easier fight against Khan, why would he even want to go near Pacquiao after all the problems they had the first two times?"

Source: Examiner.com

Margarito to struggle at scales?

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MANILA, Philippines - Even as trainer Robert Garcia insists that Antonio Margarito will easily make the “catchweight” limit of 151 pounds, it appears the Tijuana Tornado may find it difficult when he finally tests the scales the day before his Nov. 13 appointment with Manny Pacquiao at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

GMA News’ Chino Trinidad, reporting from Los Angeles, paid Margarito a visit in his training camp the other day and noticed the Mexican looked pale as if dehydrated from drastically taking off pounds. Margarito was observed to be out of breath in between rounds during his workout.

Trinidad estimated Margarito’s weight to be about 158 pounds. If his walking or natural weight is 160, it will be a struggle for the Mexican to make 151 in two weeks. In contrast, Pacquiao is eating heartily while maintaining about 148 and won’t have difficulty scaling within 151.

Pacquiao and Margarito are disputing the vacant WBC superwelterweight title in their 12-round bout. The limit in the superwelterweight or junior middleweight division is 154 pounds. But Pacquiao, the reigning WBO welterweight or 147-pound champion, and Margarito agreed to fight at a “catchweight” limit of 151.

“Catchweight” is a term used in setting a “compromise” limit or a “middle ground” for a championship fight where the protagonists straddle between two weight categories. In the Pacquiao-Margarito case, a “catchweight” of 151 was set as a compromise between welterweight and superwelterweight.

It won’t be a first for Pacquiao to fight at a “catchweight” limit. In November last year, he battled Miguel Cotto for the WBO welterweight crown at a “catchweight” limit of 145 although the division has a cap of 147. Pacquiao halted Cotto in the 12th round.

When Pacquiao took on Oscar de la Hoya in December 2008, they agreed to face off at the welterweight limit of 147. De la Hoya’s walking weight was much more but he punished himself in the gym to make the limit and overdid it by scaling 145. A source from Pacquiao’s corner swore that De la Hoya entered the ring with I.V. marks on his arm, indicating an infusion to counter dehydration. De la Hoya failed to answer the bell for the ninth round as Pacquiao won by technical knockout.

Pacquiao’s gamble is Margarito will be severely drained trying to make 151. De la Hoya and Cotto burned themselves out shedding weight to fight Pacquiao and paid dearly for it.

Margarito, 32, weighed 154 pounds for his fight against Roberto Garcia in Mexico last May. In his previous bout 16 months before, he scaled 145 3/4 in losing to Sugar Shane Mosley. The heaviest he ever weighed for a fight was 157 in halting Efrain Muñoz in California in 1999 when Pacquiao moved up from flyweight (112 pounds) to superbantamweight (122). In all, Margarito has scaled over 151 pounds in four fights.

Pacquiao, 31, was at his heaviest when he tipped the scales at 145 3/4 for the Joshua Clottey bout last March. He turned pro weighing 106 pounds in 1995 and gradually grew into a flyweight (112), superbantamweight (122), featherweight (126), superfeatherweight (130), lightweight (135), lightwelterweight (140), welterweight (147) and now superwelterweight (154). Pacquiao could’ve annexed two more titles as a superflyweight (115) and bantamweight (118) but chose to jump from flyweight to superbantamweight. With two more titles, Pacquiao would now be chasing a 10th championship in 10 divisions instead of an eighth.

Pacquiao has fought only thrice weighing over 140 pounds – 142 against De la Hoya, 144 against Cotto and 145 3/4 against Clottey. For the Margarito fight, he is expected to scale less than 150. Margarito may enter the ring weighing as much as 165.

Margarito attempted to win the WBO superwelterweight crown in 2004 but lost to Daniel Santos on a 10th round split technical decision. As a WBO welterweight titlist, he turned back seven challengers in a row.

Pacquiao’s ability to retain his speed and elevate his power moving from one division to another is phenomenal. Nobody in boxing history has been able to do what he has done. Weight has not been a problem for Pacquiao since he gave up the WBC flyweight title on the scales in 1999. Trainer Freddie Roach knows what is Pacquiao’s optimal fighting weight and when up against a bigger opponent, sets a “catchweight” limit to even matters.

At this point in Pacquiao’s career, he is probably in his peak at welterweight. Moving up to superwelterweight may mean biting more than he can chew. But with the “catchweight” limit as the equalizer, Pacquiao is confident of beating Margarito for the WBC 154-pound crown.

The burden of proof is on Margarito to show he can make 151 easily and fight Pacquiao without taking a step back or losing steam. If Margarito answers the first bell in tip-top condition, Pacquiao may be in for more trouble than he expects.

Source: philstar.com

Manny Pacquiao: The Antonio Margarito Challenge

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The world’s pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, 51-3-2, 38 KO’s, of the Philippines threads another unfamiliar course when he fights former World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight titlist Antonio Margarito, 38-6, 27 KO’s, of Mexico on November 13th 2010 at Dallas, Texas, USA.

Pacquiao had been known to brave the odds as a fighter (or even as a kid growing up in his hometown General Santos City in southern Philippines). But against Margarito, Pacquiao faces for the first time the biggest and heaviest opponent he will ever trade punches with. Aside from differences in weight, Pacquiao also faces, in this fight, unique challenges, such as demands of his new calling as an elected member of the national legislature which debase his focus as a professional athlete and, to some extent, physical wear and tear.

Ever since Pacquiao started fighting professionally at age 16, there always seemed to be an issue with either his or his opponents’ weight. He once admitted before American media that he put coins in his pocket during his professional debut at the minimum weight ceiling of 105 pounds. At that time, he said, he weighed 98 pounds. At 17 he had problems making the 111-pound catch-weight limit against Rustico Torrecampo and was penalized with wearing a heavier pair of gloves. Torrecampo defeated Pacquiao by knock out in the third round.

At 20, Pacquiao failed to make the weight limit of 112 pounds in the defense of his WBC flyweight title against Thailand’s Midgoen Singsurat. Stripped of his belt even before the fight started, Pacquiao went on to engage Singsurat in a lopsided bout. Pacquiao lost by knockout, also in the third round.

Pacquiao seemed to be comfortable at 122-126 pounds, as indicated by either knocking out or retiring 13 of his next 15 opponents. The other two bouts ended in draws.

But starting two years ago at age 30 in his fight against Oscar De La Hoya, Pacquiao’s issue about weight had something to do with the opposition being naturally heavier than him. The difference between his weight at weigh in and fight night averaged at 5.95 pounds. In comparison, the difference in weight at weigh in and fight night for his opponents (De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey) averaged at 11.75 pounds.

Against Hatton in 2009, Pacquiao weighed 138 pounds on the day of the weigh in, but weighed 148 pounds during the day of the fight itself. Hatton weighed 152 pounds on fight night.

Later in that year Pacquiao contended for Miguel Cotto’s World Boxing Organization welterweight (147 pounds) title at the catch-weight limit of 144 pounds. Pacquiao tipped the scales at 144 pounds during weigh in and 148 pounds on the day of the fight itself. Cotto was reported to have weighed at 160 pounds on the day of the fight.

Four months later, Pacquiao gave away 16 pounds to Clottey on the night of the fight. Against Margarito, Pacquiao (regardless of the unlimited food intake he gets) is expected to climb the ring with his biggest weight handicap ever.

Another fresh challenge for Pacquiao as he prepares to face Margarito is how to manage his time as a full-time congressman and a part-time professional boxer. While quite surprising for many who thought Pacquiao’s foray into politics was nothing more than an exercise in vanity, those who followed his rise to power inside the slippery ring of politics should be pleased with the way he has taken his legislative work seriously.

As shown in the first episode of HBO’s 24/7 series, nothing of what he does in training camp is sacred where his congressional duties demand his attention. This definitely is one such rare exclamation mark in public service imagery. On the other hand, that also makes it hard for Chief Coach Freddie Roach to hide his dismay, and on that basis alone it leaves hardcore fight fans alarmed over the possibility that The Pacman may meet his match this time.

As the fight looms closer, the impression that Pacquiao could be in for a long and tough night of fistic battle gets clearer. Not necessarily because of a superior opposition (no disrespect intended to Margarito), but more likely because Pacquiao could beat Pacquiao.

Finally, there is the issue of physical wear and tear. Pacquiao has tried to hide his recurring physical pain from the public. In his fight against Marquez in 2004, he blamed his socks for the sore foot he got. The injury was more serious than that. The pain is back and recently he slipped into a Manila hospital as “Jun Jamora.” Also, courtesy of the times when he was young and barely able to eat, he suffers from attacks of stomach pain.

As a fighter ages, something in his physical make-up must give. And that something differs from one fighter to the other.

In his youth, Sugar Ray Robinson lost only once in his first 132 fights. After competing for 11 years at age 30, he lost 18 of his succeeding 68 matches.

Roberto Duran lost only once in his first 73 fights. But starting at age 29, he lost 15 of his next 46 bouts. And at age 43, he lost 7 of his final 18 fights.

Julio Cesar Chavez was undefeated in his first 90 fights. But after he turned 32 and being active for 14 straight years, he lost 6 of his next 25 fights.

Oscar De La Hoya never lost until his 32nd fight, at age 26. From age 30 onwards, he lost 4 of his next 7 bouts.

The examples can go on and on. But the message of each story is the same: nobody beats time. Old age may not be a curse. But like all properties of nature, it needs to be managed. Many legends were found wanting not because of lack of skill or physical fitness. Rather, they embarrassed themselves for not knowing when to retire.

Manny Pacquiao will soon turn 32 (Margarito will turn 33 in March next year). And the legends like him have shown wear and tear at this point of their respective careers. He has shown none of it in his last 6—even 7—fights so far. But sooner or later something will have to give. If time—or age—had stopped the best of athletes, it could stop the Pacman, too.

As to when it happens, however, only time can tell. Not a few well-meaning friends, like Roach, have in fact advised him to plan his exit while he is on top.

What can make retiring an easy decision for Pacquiao to do is the secure and solid standing he has established for himself in the sport. Excepting hecklers and those who just can’t leave so much money on the table (which may not necessarily be wrong), many people think there really is nothing left to prove himself.

Source: ringsidereport.com

Robert Garcia Quips: Beware of Metal in Antonio Margarito's Wraps

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Antonio Margarito has claimed no knowledge of the illegal hand wrappings in his gloves that led to a scandal that cost him his American boxing license for more than a year, and the actions of the ex-champion's present trainer, Robert Garcia, in a FanHouse video by Elie Seckbach will do little to silence the fighter's detractors.

Shortly after Margarito (38-6, 27 knockouts) is shown slamming his fists against a body pad being held by Garcia in the ring during a recent media day workout, Garcia dons a thick, crescent-shaped, silver slab of metal that is draped across the knuckles of his right fist.

Garcia then jokes that not only was Margarito wearing the metal slab beneath his gloves while sparring moments ago, but that he will also do so during his Nov. 13, HBO pay per view televised Top Rank Promotions battle opposite WBO welterweight (147 pounds) king Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs), the latter of whom takes a 12-fight winning streak that includes eight KOs into their clash in pursuit of an eighth title in as many different weight classes.

Prior to his ninth-round knockout loss to Shane Mosley in January of 2009, Mosley's trainer, Naazim Richardson, discovered a plaster-like substance in one of the gloves of Margarito that was removed and confiscated prior to Margarito's defeat.

"That's [metal] what he [Richardson] found.Do you believe that? He [Margarito] got caught," said a chuckling Garcia, later adding, "That's what fell out when Naazim Richardson saw it. ."


Margarito, who has claimed that his former trainer, Javier Capetillo, acted alone, was banned a month later and did not receive a license until being granted one by Texas in August.

But that has not stopped many observers in the boxing community, including Pacquiao and his popular, outspoken trainer, Freddie Roach, from speculating that Margarito not only knew that his hands were wrapped illegally, but that his gloves may have been loaded against vanquished rivals such as Kermit Cintron and Miguel Cotto, who were savagely beaten and bloodied before being stopped by Margarito.

"You have fu****g rocks in your hand, you know it. Against Daniel Santos and Paul Williams and so forth, he doesn't look like he's that big a puncher," Roach told Robert Morales of BoxingScene.com, referring to decision losses by Margarito, respectively, in September of 2004, and July of 2007. "Against Cintron and Cotto, something was different."

Roach said that after having studied up to seven of Margarito's recent fights, he believes that Margarito may have had loaded wraps in some of them.

"What is the first thing a fighter wants to do when he's done fighting? Take off his gloves," said Roach, referring to video from the second fight with Cintron, whom Margarito stopped in the fifth, and sixth rounds of separate bouts. "He kept the gloves on the whole fu****g time."

Top Rank Promotions' CEO, Bob Arum, who promotes both Margarito and Pacquiao, called Roach's assertions 'Ludicrous."

"I think Freddie's just playing mind games. I mean, that's ludicrous," said Arum, who has vehemently defended his belief that Margarito is being truthful in his denials.

"Everybody listens to what Freddie says," said Arum. "And Freddie can weave a very big tale, and people will listen to it and pay attention. But I think that you have to disregard that."

In the video, Garcia bates Pacquiao and Roach, while wearing the metal across his knuckles.

"Manny, be careful," Garcia says in the video. "Freddie Roach, you had better be in the dressing room like you said. You had better be there all of the time. Watch out, Freddie Roach."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

HBO paints clear picture of Pacquiao’s distractions in ‘24/7’ premiere

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Antonio Margarito isn’t letting his guard down much, but HBO has penetrated the defenses of Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach in this week’s premiere of its “24/7” buildup to the Nov. 13 Pacquiao-Margarito bout in Texas.

Trainer Roach, for example, doesn’t fight the mob that surrounds him at a mall in Baguio -- a passel of schoolgirls from the Justin Bieber demographic. This demonstration of Roach’s popularity in the Philippines is not the core of the episode, but Roach’s sweet reaction to that flattering attention is symbolic of what we see happening to Pacquiao.

That’s whose defenses are really down. You will love the guy more than ever after watching “24/7,” but you will come away less convinced that Pacquiao will destroy Margarito in the manner he has done away with Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto since his move to welterweight two years ago.

Keep in mind that Pacquiao’s No. 1 job as a congressman is trying to fulfill tons of requests from constituents for help and congressional intervention. It gets personal. If a few little girls can soften up Roach, imagine how a few thousand needy citizens provoke Pacquiao’s best intentions.

We’ve been hearing reports that Congressman Pacquiao is having trouble giving boxing his undivided attention, and “24/7” makes it easier to see why helping people is becoming a more rewarding profession than punching people for Pacquiao.

Training for a fight is a delightful diversion, he seems to be saying, but the public servant gig is starting to preoccupy him.

“It worries me a little bit when he says he misses his job. Because then I know it’s in his mind,” Roach says. The trainer is candid about what this means Pacquiao is risking by taking on his largest target yet, at a catch weight of 150. He thinks Manny will prevail, but that his boxing career is nearing the finish line.

“We haven’t lost him to politics yet,” Roach says, “but someday soon we will.”

Margarito’s loss to Shane Mosley in January 2009 finished Margarito’s run as an immovable object who was smothering every welterweight in sight, including Cotto. But he’s not finished as a fighter, and he is looking better-conditioned than Pacquiao with less than a month to go.

The episode revolves largely around Margarito’s I-had-no-idea defense of his hand-wrapping scandal that unfolded at the Mosley fight. Speaking low-key in Spanish amid subtitles, Margarito seems slightly insincere, and manager Javier Diaz (in English) is even less convincing, although new trainer Robert Garcia seems sold on Tony’s innocence, and that is a strong endorsement. (I’ve conversed with Garcia, who trains Bay Area star Nonito Donaire, and he is a thoughtful, impressive person.)

Margarito seems determined to win hearts – and redemption -- in the ring Nov. 13, and not before.

Pacquiao says for the record that Margarito has been punished, and now, “We have to give him a chance to recover his career.”

But Pacquiao lets down his guard by scoffing at Margarito’s account of the scandal. “Of course he knew!” Pacquiao exclaims, never before so animated on camera while speaking English than he is a couple of times in the new episode. “Common sense!”

Pacquiao giggles as he mocks Margarito’s rationale in a shtick that has Margarito averting his eyes while Javier Capetillo is doing the deed. It’s a very effective assault.

But Manny’s prospects for dismantling Margarito in the ring, while still more favorable than not, are left wide open to second thought in this thoughtfully produced episode.

Source: Examiner.com

Manny Pacquiao: Zips through 10 rounds of sparring, ready for Margarito now

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TUESDAY NIGHT UPDATE FROM THE WILD CARD GYM: I spent the afternoon in Oxnard watching an extremely "well rested" Antonio Margarito go through a non-sparring day workout with trainer and my old fighter, Robert Garcia.

But more from the Stawberry Fields of Oxnard later.

I pen this at 7:18 pm Pacific time and five minutes ago I caught Pacman coming out of Nat's Thai Food and zipping into his black "Pacmobile" after his usual dinner with conditioning/nutrition guru Alex Ariza supervising.

Pacquiao, according to three observers and himself, "zipped" through 10 rounds of sparring, split between three sparmates and seemed as fresh at the finish as at the start. If he had any jet lag from the long flight from Manila to LAX Saturday, he appears to have shaken it off. Pacman also had his usual morning Griffith Park hill run although I don't know if Pacman the dog was nipping at his heels as is their custom.

"I feel good, I feel fine," Pacquiao said. "I feel ready to go."

Bob Arum hits town Wednesday afternoon for a Media Day at Coach Freddie Roach's Wild Card.

***

HOLLYWOOD—It's quite obvious that master multitasker Manny Pacquiao does not eat, sleep and breathe boxing.

What Pacman calls multitasking, many others view as distractions from his position as the world's finest fighter, unless and until proven otherwise by Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr.

I keep looking for telltale signs that the Pinoy Idol, turning a not so ripe or so old 32 in December, has lost some of his fighting edge or the proverbial “fire in the belly,” but so far, I see nothing of the kind.

Now admittedly, I've only been in Room 201 at the adjacent to the Wild Card Gym Vagbond Gym for one full day and Tuesday I may miss some Manny action by rolling up to Camp Antonio Margarito in Oxnard, about 60 miles north of here.

But from what little I saw of Pacquiao Monday after his closed door pads and exercises only workout, I do not see a jaded performer who is halfheartedly going into this Nov. 13 bout against the Mexican Outlaw.

To the contrary, Congressman Pacquaio seemed as engaged as ever, posing for photos with a one month old baby girl and with other fans who got passed the magic portals of Nat's Thai Food Restauarant, kittycorner from the gymnasium in this seen better days long ago mini strip mall.

While Pacman ate, and he ate like a horse with conditioning/nutrtition guru Alex Ariza supervising and watching each and every food morsel and the famous protein shakes go down into the Pacquiao gullet, he also enjoyed watching some of his early fights, including the fight in Thailand where as a scrawny flyweight he captured the green and gold WBC belt.

Pacman's brown eyes lit up when he flattened Chatchai Sasakul with a devastating combination in the eight round. It looked to me like he was still excited, sort of like Rembrandt viewing one of his masterpieces, even though he has seen that title bout replayed I'm sure 1,000 times.

That was Pacman's first world title diadem and, if he is any less enthused about adding an eight weight class world title strap at Cowboys Stadium or any less focused on his fistic chores, I have not seen it as of yet.

Keep in mind the doom and gloom outlook coming out of Coach Freddie Roach's mouth, the jawing about “the worst training camp we ever had,” is designed to lit the box office and PPV flames, to lure the public into thinking that Margo is better than the 6 1/2-1 underdog the bookies have him down as.

And keep in mind this is the same Roach who barks about his prized pupil will flatten Margarito in eight or nine rounds.

I'm sure Angelo Dundee, who used to deliver the same type of doubletalk and palaver for Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard bouts, would be proud of Coach Roach.

I repeat myself but, although I see no easy waltz for Manny, I don't think Tone Loc's best effort will be enough for him to time the darting in and out Pacquiao with too many solid blows.

The bookmakers do mistakes but not very often.

Not to say that Pacquiao's preparation is flawless or that his fight night effort will be.

But it says here he gets the job done and the final scorecards are more wide than they are close.

Again, I don't see the physical strength and battered pride of Margarito permitting even a charged up Pacquiao from stopping or KOing him.

Unlike the bookies, I am wrong on the regular.

Source: Examiner.com

Pacman ready, Roach predicts KO

Pacquiao Margarito 24/7, Pacquiao vs Margarito, Pacquiao vs Margarito Coverage, Pacquiao vs Margarito News, Pacquiao vs Margarito Online Live Streaming, Pacquiao vs Margarito Updates
LOS ANGELES – Manny Pacquiao is back in training in Los Angeles. Day one of his training camp began Monday at 8:30 a.m. with a morning run and ended with some abs exercises shortly before 6 p.m..

Pacquiao described, “13 rounds, then shadowboxing, speed bag, and punching ball, and skipping rope, as usual, we do like 29 rounds today so that’s a lot.”

Recent reports revealed that trainer Freddie Roach was concerned that the Sarangani congressman is not focused on boxing. The four time trainer of the year said everything is looking good, and is happy that Team Pacquiao is back training in the US.

“He told me at the first week of training that he missed his job. I said this is your job, and he said I missed Congress. So I was a little bit worried, but we got over those distractions in Manila and Baguio. And we’re here now, he’s on fire today,” recalled Roach.

The Pacman will continue sparring against Junior Welterweight champion Amir Khan, Rashad Holloway, and Ray Beltran.



Source: ABS-CBNNews.com

Manny Pacquiao's camp expressing concern

Pacquiao Margarito 24/7, Pacquiao vs Margarito, Pacquiao vs Margarito Coverage, Pacquiao vs Margarito News, Pacquiao vs Margarito Online Live Streaming, Pacquiao vs Margarito Updates
NEW YORK — Former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik and undefeated welterweight contender Mike Jones joined promoter Bob Arum at the Friars Club on Tuesday to discuss their fights on the Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito undercard Nov. 13 at Cowboys Stadium.

The conversation inevitably turned toward Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs), specifically Pacquiao’s reported problems preparing for his junior middleweight debut against a big, strong, rugged Mexican attempting to repair his damaged image.

Arum admitted that he was concerned after a recent visit to Pacquiao’s training camp in the Philippines, where Glen Tapia (7-0, 5 KOs), a junior middleweight prospect from Passaic, more than held his own against one of the top two pound-for-pound boxers in the world. Even Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s primary supporter, admitted on HBO’s "24/7 Pacquiao-Margarito," that he believes Pacquiao’s election to Congress has hindered his preparation for Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs, 1 NC) more than they expected.

Panicking Filipino fans and media members are concerned that their country’s answer to Muhammad Ali cannot continue a dominant run the southpaw superstar started after a split-decision defeat of rival Juan Manuel Marquez (51-5-1, 37 KOs) in March 2008.

"To some extent, it was accurate," Arum said, referring to Filipino media reports regarding Pacquiao’s preparation. "But, you know, there’s plenty of time for him to get ready."

Or so he hopes.

Pacquiao is the flagship fighter for Arum’s promotional company, which also represents junior middleweight champ Miguel Cotto, undefeated featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez, Margarito, Pavlik, and about 30 other fighters. With undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. entangled in a legal mess stemming from his domestic incident last month in Las Vegas, Pacquiao is boxing’s flagship fighter, too, the only boxer "60 Minutes" profiles and Jimmy Kimmel regularly invites to his late-night talk show on ABC.

A loss to a 5-1 underdog would make Mayweather-Pacquiao pointless, even if the most popular boxer in the world loses in a competitive fight. It would cost everyone involved in the sport, including HBO, tens of millions of dollars.

Source: northjersey.com

Weekend Review: Pacquiao will be ready

Pacquiao Margarito 24/7, Pacquiao vs Margarito, Pacquiao vs Margarito Coverage, Pacquiao vs Margarito News, Pacquiao vs Margarito Online Live Streaming, Pacquiao vs Margarito Updates
MOST OVERBLOWN

Concern for Pacquiao: Word out of the Philippines was that Manny Pacquiao is distracted by his outside responsibilities, including his work in the Filipino congress. He supposedly had fallen behind in his training, in part because of a typhoon. Cause for concern? C’mon. Pacquaio and trainer Freddie Roach have been at this for more than nine years. They know exactly what is required for him to reach peak performance and wouldn’t accept anything less. Pacquaio is human, which means he fallible, but he’s also as focused and dedicated as any fighter in the world. The chaos has never hindered him before; why should it do so now? He’ll be 100 percent when he steps into the ring to face Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13.


MOST CONTRADICTORY

Hand-wrap debate: A dour Margarito was very convincing in defending himself during the first Pacquiao-Margairto 24/7 episode on HBO, explaining with apparent sincerity that he had no idea that trainer Javier Capetillo placed illegal pads in his hand wraps before his fight against Shane Mosley. I wanted to believe him even if I find that very difficult. Then Pacquaio made anyone who might accept Margarito’s story as the truth look like an idiot, explaining that fighters aren’t so naĂŻve as to overlook what is placed on their hands. So who is right? We’ll still be asking that question long after Margarito retires. And we’ll never get a definitive answer.


MOST AMBITIOUS

Guillermo Rigondeax: The Cuban defector, who faces Ricardo Cordoba for a 122-pound interim title on the Pacquiao-Margarito undercard, and his handlers believe the two-time Olympic gold medalist is ready for a real title fight. What’s unusual about that? He has had six professional fights. More remarkable: He probably would be given a good chance to beat even the best fighters around his weight. The polished boxer-puncher gained his experience in the top amateur program in the world, reportedly taking part in around 400 amateur fights. The 30-year-old last lost a fight in 2003. Toshiaki Nishioka, Celestino Caballero, Steve Molitor and Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. hold 122-pound titles – for now.


MOST TYSON-LIKE

Dereck Chisora: Wladimir Klitschko would be wise to protect his ears in addition to his face and body when he fights unbeaten Dereck Chisora on Dec. 11 in Germany. Chisora pulled a Mike Tyson when he bit the ear of journeyman Paul Butlin in the fifth round of the eight-round fight, for which he was suspended for four months and fined. Butlin complained immediately after the foul but the referee didn’t see it. However, it was clear on replays that Chisora sunk his teeth into his opponent, although he apparently did little damage. Still, Chisora denied that he bit Butlin. And it certainly hasn’t hurt his career. After all, he’s fighting the top heavyweight in world.


MOST UNDERAPPRECIATED

Roman Gonzalez: Francisco Rojas was the one guy who could give the unbeaten Nicaraguan mighty mite a bit of resistance. Not anymore. Gonzalez put his rival down three times and stopped him in two rounds, thus erasing a surprising majority-decision victory over Rojas in February of last year. Gonzalez (27-0, 23 KOs) appears to be a complete-package, a balanced boxer-puncher who probably would receive more pound-for-pound consideration if he weren’t a 108-pounder. The more he wins, though, the more people will take notice. The sad thing, at least for Americans, is that we don’t get to see him on TV. Thank goodness for YouTube.


MOST FINISHED

Jesus Chavez: One of the sport’s good guys said after a brutal knockout loss to Michael Katsidis in April of last year that he would likely retire after a long, productive career. It didn’t happen. Since then, he has lost three fights – a grueling majority-decision to David Diaz, a one-sided decision to Humberto Soto and a fourth-round TKO to Jorge Linares on the Toshiaka Nishioka-Rendall Munroe undercard Saturday in Tokyo. Chavez has officially become an “opponent,” a recognizable name used to build the reputation of another fighter. The Texan was never a great boxer but he was a damn good one. He doesn’t deserve this. It’s time for Chavez to walk away.


MOST CONSISTENT

Toshiaki Nishioka: THE RING’s No. 1-rated junior featherweight met his match in Veeraphol Sahaprom, going 0-2-2 in four fights with the Thai champion between 2000 and 2004. Since then, Nishioka has been untouchable. He has won 14 consecutive fights, including a one-sided decision over a very good fighter in Rendall Munroe on Saturday in Tokyo. Nishioka, 34, has plenty more challenges at 122 pounds. A matchup with No. 2-rated Ryol Li Lee of Japan, who recently upset veteran Poonsawat Kratingaenggym, would be a natural matchup of countrymen. Of course, we like the idea of Nishioka-Rigondeaux. And Nishioka has three fellow titleholders -- Caballero, Molitor and Vazquez -– to target. More lies ahead.


MOST OVERDUE

Boxers on Walk of Stars: The Associated Press reported that Fernando Vargas will be the first boxer to receive a star on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars, which is patterned after the Hollywood Walk of Fame and includes such luminaries as Frank Sinatra and Wayne Newton. It’s about time a boxer was so honored given the important role they’ve played in Sin City. Vargas will be honored on Dec. 9 at the Encore Las Vegas hotel. Stars for Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao on Las Vegas Boulevard also have been approved. Why Vargas? Well, No. 1 he lives in Las Vegas. And, No. 2, we forget both how good and how popular he was. The night he beat a prime Ike Quartey in 2000 he was one of the best and biggest fighters in the world.


BEST QUOTE

Bernard Hopkins, explaining to The Associated Press how his fight with Jean Pascal came about: “I’m in my rocking chair, minding my own business, and this guys says Bernard Hopkins is the guy I want to fight. So I rocked my chair a little harder, grabbed my cane - before I grabbed my teeth - and I called my promoters.”

Source: ringtv.com

Pacquiao Watch: The (mis)fortune of Margarito

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Poor Antonio Margarito. If his fight with Manny Pacquiao happened before he was knocked almost out of the ring by Shane Mosley, he would have been the heavy favorite heading into their fight. He would have received more than the US$3 million that is reported to be his guaranteed purse. His skills and strengths would be filling the columns of newspapers everywhere.

Instead, Pacquiao’s supposed inescapable retirement and which round Margarito is likely to fall have been the hottest sidebar stories with barely three weeks left before the two clash in Arlington, Texas – home of the Dallas Cowboys.

Margarito’s outcast image - for being caught trying to cheat with his hand wraps against Mosley - is doing him in and it took away his reputation as once one of boxing’s most feared fighters.

Good thing for him. He has Bob Arum as his promoter who happens to also promote Pacquiao.

Bob Arum, after all, is the master of hard sell. Why? He could even sell a mismatch short of pitting deposed flyweight runner, err champion, Ivan Calderon against another disgraced champion ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson and still be proclaimed the irascible genius.

For taking on Pacquiao, Margarito will earn the biggest paycheck of his life when all the upsides of the pay per view proceeds are counted in.

So when Arum says he is not satisfied with Manny’s state of training and that the Filipino buzz saw is a tad slow these days, give it to him. Arum was just both expressing concern for Manny and at the same time showering boxing fans with intrigue and drama.

Manny, after all, is his biggest cash cow and without drama and intrigue, the fight could bomb. At least by Manny’s standards.

Now, the pressure is on Arum to sell 1.3 million PPV buys to make true his promise to bring Manny laughing all the way to the bank with US$25 million in gross earnings and Margarito with his US$10 million total.

Well, if I am in the shoes of Margarito, losing like others suggest he will lose to Pacquiao will not be so bad after all. Ten million dollars is a fortune. And if on the side of luck, he pulls an upset, it would make his fortune even more savory.

After all, everybody loves a winner.

Source: asiancorrespondent.com

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

"Goodnight Margarito," Freddie Roach Says

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MANILA, Philippines — As Manny Pacquiao and his team bid the Philippines goodbye, his trainer Freddie Roach shared what could be his final wish for his ward’s nemesis come November 13.

“Goodnight Margarito,” says the 50-year-old famed trainer as he capped Pacquiao’s session at the mitts, as seen during the primer of HBO Boxing’s “Pacquiao-Margarito 24/7.”

“He (Margarito) says you’re scared of him,” Roach eggs Pacquiao on one part of the program. “Make him cry. Make him cry.”

Pacquiao and Roach, along with other members of their team, have just landed in Los Angeles, California where they will resume training camp anew, less than three weeks before the fighting congressman from Sarangani faces off against his biggest opponent ever, Antonio Margarito of Mexico.

“I think that we will knock Margarito out along the way,” Roach says in an interview quoted by the Boxing Scene. “I think that Margarito’s defense is terrible; he’s slow... Pacquiao's going to be too fast and Margarito's defense is going to be too poor, and we will dominate him.”

Junior middleweights Vanes Martirosyan and Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. are expected to provide Pacquiao with more action during their sparring sessions at the Wild Card Boxing Gym, which will start soon.

Roach and conditioning coach Alex Ariza shrugged off rumors that they are having a terrible camp in Baguio City, something that prompted Top Rank big boss Bob Arum when he recently visited Pacquiao in more than a week ago.

“You’ve got to put things in perspective,” Ariza said in a story posted by Ted Lerner on The Ring Blog. “Manny’s sparring with kids who are twice as big as he is. Look at Medina. That’s a 175-pound kid right now. The other kid is 6 feet. Amir is 5-foot-10, he’s the fastest 140 pounder in the division and he’s at 150 right now. Manny’s got his hands full with some really, really tough sparring. Getting the range, getting used to these guys trying to bully him, that’s what it takes. You’re not going to have easy, great, 100-percent sparring. You’re not going to get pay-per-view sparring out of Manny in the middle of camp.”

“We’re still having a little bit of difficultly measuring these big guys that we’ve been sparring with,” Roach said, echoing Ariza’s statements. “It’s a concern. But it’s getting better.”

Over at Oxnard, also in California, Antonio Margarito has revealed that he’s totally focused on trying to win back the people’s trust and confidence and forgetting about his troubled past that has seemingly become bigger that what it really was.

“People can think what they want. May people believe I didn’t know anything; others don’t believe me,” Margarito tells the HBO crew during the filming of their presentation at the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy. “I can’t change the way people think, but I didn’t know what was in the infamous wrappings. The important thing is that I’m back.”

“When it happened, I was all alone; I asked myself a thousand questions,” Margarito revealed, referring to his 16-month layoff from boxing after having his license revoked by the California State Athletic Commission.

Setting his eyes on the bigger prize ahead, Margarito is all set to get back on track and regain his lost pride on top of the ring.

“This (fighting Pacquiao) is the moment to prove to the people that I don’t need any unfair advantages to win my fights. I’ll prove to the boxing world that I can win and I’m back.”

Pacquiao will eventually say goodbye to boxing — Roach
Despite the successes that he has had with Pacquiao during their nine-year journey together, Roach admits that he is anticipating the day when his prized boxer will come to him to say that he’s “calling it a day” to focus on his newfound career as a champion of his people.

“He loves his job — he misses his job as a Congressman. His mind was on Congress for the first few weeks of training and you could tell,” Roach reveals. “He’s so proud to be a politician, and he walks the walk.”

“He loves being a Congressman and trying to improve his country, and I feel that eventually, yes, we’ll lose him to politics.”

Source: mb.com.ph

Antonio Margarito: Pacquiao Will Regret Picking Me

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Antonio Margarito doesn’t want there to be a shred of doubt in anyone’s mind: He is not afraid of Manny Pacquiao.

Talking with the Los Angeles Times, the Tijuana-born fighter said he believes Pacquiao and the Top Rank camp made a huge mistake by selecting him as the supposed “Floyd Mayweather placeholder” for his Filipino opponent.

"I guess they were thinking it's an easy fight against a guy with a lot of issues and a lot of weight on his shoulders," Margarito said. "They chose the wrong time to pick me as an opponent."

While he couldn’t come out and directly say it, by “issues” Margarito was referring to the one-year suspension that is just ending.

Up until a few months ago, he had been under suspension for loading up his gloves with an illegal substance prior to his fight with Shane Mosley in 2009. (He's still barred from fighting in the state of California because of the incident.)

Margarito will square off against Pacquiao on Nov. 13 at Cowboys Stadium for the world super-welterweight title.

Seeing as both boxers fight under the Top Rank umbrella, company head Bob Arum made it clear that an upset win by Margarito would immediately open the doors for a re-match even if there was no clause requesting one in the contracts signed by the two men.

According to Margarito, Pacquiao should plan for that rematch.

Source: opposingviews.com

No Natural Disaster: Why An Antonio Margarito Victory Would Be Good For Boxing

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In the months and now weeks leading up to the November 13 WBC junior middleweight title bout between Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito, one would think that hardcore boxing fans have collectively ejected their Jean Pascal tapes and opened Blaise Pascal texts instead.

Margarito's ignorance, false or genuine, to the fact that his handwraps were illegally stuffed with plaster prior to his 2009 loss to Shane Mosley has fans and critics of the sport questioning the morality of licensing and enabling a cheater. In a calendar year in which a neurologically damaged fighter was licensed to take part in a title bout that also might have been fixed by a Lebanese street gang, a fighter with numerous broken facial features and a blown shoulder was allowed to be pummeled by a future Hall of Fame heavyweight, and any number of ludicrous judging errors have been made, these folks have waited all the way until November, for this fight, to hoist their picket signs the highest.

Calls to boycott the fight were prevalent as soon as Top Rank formally announced the event, with some protesters trying to thicken their soft moral argument with silly claims that Margarito is unqualified to fight Pacquiao, and that better choices were available. Slowly however, that picket line has disbanded to catch the Manny bandwagon before its departure next month. For reasons that don't need to be justified by a promoter, whose job is to attract as many fans as possible and make money, this fight is intriguing.

It's the most loved fighter in the sport against the most controversial: The ultra-exciting, beloved marvel future Hall of Famer, conquerer of 10 weight classes, against his largest opponent yet, who happens to be hopelessly aggressive, dangerous, accomplished, and marketable as a heel in the United States and a hero in Mexico.

Some have accepted this, so fans and media have a new doomsday outlook: If Margarito wins, it's a black eye for boxing.

It seems as if this rally needs a little cheer, so, ahem...1, 2, 3, 4!...ways a Margarito victory could be good for boxing.

1. You don't want to believe that Margarito's career is tainted, do you?

If you believe that Margarito's championship run at welterweight took place because he was slinging 100 cinder blocks per round, then there's a lot of years, let alone great fights that are tainted -- unless you're Paul Williams campaign manager Tim Starks, then you essentially believe that your man defeated The Juggernaut.

But deeply rooted in the allure of boxing are the ideals of history and tradition. They're the reason why people are so outraged about Margarito in the first place, because he may have broken the ancient code of ethics (and a few federal laws). Right now, it's impossible to enjoy Margarito's 2008 war with Miguel Cotto, or get goosebumps when Max Kellerman poignantly blurts “that was a modern boxing classic.” After all, you could be watching a crime.

However, if Margarito were to defeat Pacquiao, fans could suspend their suspicion and appreciate the brilliant pressure fighting Margarito displayed for the better part of the decade, and the time capsule bout he gave us with Cotto.

2. The boxing schedule opens up.

Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather may have caused boxing fans plenty of tears, but there are lots of fighters between 140 and 154 who could have at least given them a hug. Instead, plenty curled up with them and a tub of Ben & Jerry's until the megafight replaced “Terms of Endearment” on the television. For two consecutive years, most have sat idly and wasted roughly five months as the two superstars negotiated fruitlessly, just hoping they'd be the one either man chose as their back-up date.

A Margarito victory would do two things on this front. First, Margarito immediately becomes a third “big money” option for fighters to chase, opening up any number of possible matchups. Secondly, Pacquiao becomes a tad less untouchable, and although it isn't immediately plausible, it becomes a tad more realistic for the Timothy Bradleys and Andre Bertos--the types the rabid boxing audience wants to see but general public is unaware of—to get a crack at Pac.

The idea that fans care too much about one loss doesn't get tossed out just because Pacquiao has lost. In the eyes of most, this Manny Pacquiao is undefeated anyway. But would a Pacquiao with a loss to Margarito be any less exciting to see in the ring afterward, maybe with imaginative opponents?

Of course not.

3. Pacquiao and Mayweather suddenly won't be the only fighters worth covering.

Even if a Margarito victory is dubbed a fluke, the mainstream media will have no choice but to congratulate and sing the praises of The Tijuana Tornado. There's no way for them to spin out of it. They've built Pacquiao up that much.

Remember that theory that there'd suddenly be three “big money” fights available? Along with that comes a third true star, and a 50% increase in media coverage. It might not be much, but assuming all three fighters keep a two fight per-year pace, we'd see pugilism in our newspapers six times a year, as opposed to four!

4. A rematch makes big money.

All of the storylines that make this fight intriguing are amplified, because the notion that Margarito is unclear, unfit and unworthy all go out the window. Add the element of revenge, and as someone once pointed out, you have the possibility for another classic.

And for those morally inclined, you do want men risking death to be properly compensated, so that their worried families, and storm-torn homelands can be aided, right?

Source: queensberry-rules.com

24/7 Review: Part 1--Manny's Behind, Margarito Looks To Get Past Wrapflap

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With HBO producing, and Liev Schrieber narrating, a 24/7 spotlighting me would be engaging, evocative, poignant and dramatic. They could make the bland grand, turning my rather pedestrian existence into something majestic.

"Editor Mike changes Juliette's diaper, deftly using a moist wipe to make certain that his most precious offspring is clean, and for the time being, serene. He stands over her a contrast in size, and a stranger might see his bald dome and hulking form, and register surprise as he makes goo goo sounds, and grins goofily, in an attempt to make the newborn smile. She does, and gurgles, and Editor Mike scoops her up, tenderly, and hands her off to his wife, Jessica. Because The Sweet Science needs his attention, because TSS Universe demands new content. If they don't get, they get as cranky as Juliette, protesting her soiled diaper."

Please read that last bit in Schrieber's voice, and add some soundtrack music of your choice to juice it up...

HBO's latest 24/7 takes a comprehensive look at the two principals in the November 13th junior middleweight clash pitting Manny Pacquiao against Antonio Margarito. The first installment ran Saturday, and we got a look at Pacquiao in the political ring, as Congressman. "That's my dream, to serve people. I want to help them, because I know what they're feeling. I know the feeling of being nothing in life," says the seven division champion, who is gunning for a title in an eighth class. The Congressman has taken leave from the current session to train for his fight, and we hear that he gets constant updates from aides.

Is it possible, we wonder, is the man spreading himself too thin? Will he leave the sweet science to put more emphasis on politics?

Freddie Roach admits that he worries some when Manny talks about "missing his job" and he reminds the fighting pol that boxing is his number one vocation.

Viewers see in contrast that Antonio Margarito, referred to as "a disgraced ex champion," is fully on message, looking to shore up his rep, tainted by his hand wrap flap. He tells viewers that he didn't know what was in his wraps as he waited to face off with Shane Mosley. Most folks find that hard to believe, but we'll likely get as much closure on this as we have on the JFK assassination. Margarito, in street clothes, tells us that he grilled trainer Javier Capetillo, asking him about the hardened wraps, and wondered why ingredients for plaster of Paris were found on the confiscated pads. His co-manager Sergio Diaz tells us Tony was depressed as he sat out for 16 months, after California pulled his license. "I'll prove to the whole boxing world that I can win and I'm back," Margarito said.

Roach and Pacman both tell viewers that they are sure Margarito knew. "It's common sense," Pacquiao says.

"We have to give him a chance to recover his career," says the benevolent Filipino.

Moving on, we see Manny's advisor Michael Koncz say that Team Pacquiao did compromise on the issue of drug testing while negotiating with Team Mayweather for a superfight, to a point. "We pretty much agreed to anything on the drug testing, except not within seven days," Koncz says. We'd heard before that Manny had agreed to be tested at any time, no constraints, so there ya go...

Margarito doesn't look like a man holding on to a sick secret, a toxic knowledge that drains his energy. His dimples are on display, and his team seems confident that he'll get it done against Manny. Trainer Robert Garcia says he accepted the job training Margarito after accepting Margarito's explanation about the wraps.

We hear that he'd had to drop 35 pounds in a seven week camp to get ready for Mosley, but we see him weighing 158 for a fight which is set for 150 max, or less. Team Margarito had battled for a few pounds more, but they hold little leverage, and lost this skirmish.

Footage is shown of Coach Roach in the Philippines, as schoolgirls giggle like it's Paul McCartney and 1964.

Footage of Pacquiao sparring is offered. Glenn Tapia and Michael Medina are in to approximate Margarito. Pacquiao's timing is off, and we see him getting whacked around some. "In Roach's view, training is slightly behind schedule," we hear, ominously, and add to that a balky left heel, which keeps Manny from doing all his roadwork. Also, the politics thing is worrying Freddie slightly.

Much ado about nothing much? Storylines to pad the show? Or legitimate points of worry? We shall see come Nov. 13. EM leans toward the search for storylines theory...

Margarito's wife of 12 years, Michelle, says that the wrapflap has been tough on them. But she stood by her guy, we see.

Garcia smacks Marg's belly with a stick for three minutes, a Signapore special of sorts, and EM wonders if he can last three..seconds, that is...

I am left giving Margarito more of a chance at toppling Manny, which is, I believe, the point of the show. "I feel powerful, I feel good about knocking him out," the comebacking Californian says.

Part 2 premieres next Saturday.

Source: thesweetscience.com

Pacquiao will Regret Fighting Me — Margarito

Pacquiao Margarito 24/7, Pacquiao vs Margarito, Pacquiao vs Margarito Coverage, Pacquiao vs Margarito News, Pacquiao vs Margarito Online Live Streaming, Pacquiao vs Margarito Updates
MANILA, Philippines — Antonio Margarito said Manny Pacquiao and Top Rank have committed a huge mistake in choosing him to fight the world's pound-for-pound king.

Margarito is facing Pacquiao in a world super-welterweight title fight at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas and the Mexican slugger said he is preparing like never before and that he will shock the world on Nov. 13.

"I guess they were thinking it's an easy fight against a guy with a lot of issues and a lot of weight on his shoulders," Margarito told the Los Angeles Times. "They chose the wrong time to pick me as an opponent."

Margarito is obviously referring to his one-year suspension that was only lifted a few months ago for using loading up his fists with a Plaster of Paris-like substance in a fight with Shane Mosley in 2009. Mosley's trainer discovered the loaded handwraps during an inspection just before the match and Margarito's licensewas later revoked.

Pacquiao and Margarito both fight under the Top Rank banner of Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, who hinted last week in Baguio City that an upset win by Margarito would certainly pave the way for a much-awaited rematch even if there is no rematch clause in the contract signed by the two parties.

Margarito's training hasn't a missed a beat and trainer Robert Garcia is of the belief that an upset is possible.

Garcia said he knows how to capitalize on Pacquiao's so-called weaknesses and that Margarito's sheer size and pressure would be too much for the Filipino star to overcome.

Meanwhile, the next phase of Pacquiao's buildup – something that taskmaster Freddie Roach said would be the toughest and most crucial – would kick off Monday (Tuesday in Manila) at the Wild Card in Hollywood.

Roach said Pacquiao is sure to regain his focus once he begins working out at the Wild Card.

Source: mb.com.ph

Pacquiao goes to basketball game on 1st day in US

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MANILA, Philippines -- Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao gave his training mentors the slip Sunday, spending his first day in the United States on a trip from Los Angeles to San Diego to coach his basketball team in an exhibition game.

San Diego resident Pat Michael told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that Pacquiao did not play in the game that pitted his basketball team against a high school selection at the Mira Mesa High School gymnasium.

He also said that assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez and the other members of Pacquiao’s team from Los Angeles “played for laughs,” even though they won both games they played.

Michael said that Pacquiao, who was supposed to rest before the start of his grueling two-week final grind Monday, was merely keeping a commitment and his presence in San Diego “made a lot of people happy.”

Present during the game was Pacquiao’s congressional chief of staff lawyer Franklin “Jeng” Gacal and members of his entourage. They travelled to San Diego in three vans.

Pacquiao earlier attended Mass at the Christ The King Church where he was mobbed by fans. Then he took the two-and-a-half hour drive to San Diego.

Pacquiao’s nightly basketball games while training in Baguio and two weekend trips to Manila to fulfill various commitments had raised concern from his trainer Freddie Roach and conditioning coach Alex Arriza.

The Filipino ring icon, who will clash with Antonio Margarito for the WBC super welterweight title on November 13 in Arlington, Texas, resumes his buildup at the Wild Card Gym on Monday.

Roach, who has vowed to shut down the gym from 12 noon to 5 p.m., said Pacquiao has been set to spar on Tuesday against “some good punchers and some fresh people” who would push him to the limit.

Among his spar mates is undefeated light middleweight Vanes Martirosyan, who vowed to score a knockdown against Pacquiao and win the $1,000 bonus put up by Roach for anybody who drops Pacquiao in sparring.

With growing concern among some Team Pacquiao members and long-time supporters about the superstar’s focus, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum reluctantly spoke about a possible loss to Margarito.

“If Manny loses, then I would assume there is going to be a clamor for a rematch with Margarito,” Arum told the Philippine Daily Inquirer last week.

Arum, however, made it very clear that, “when dealing with Manny and his people and also my mental outlook, it’s very hard to consider him losing.”

Source: sports.inquirer.net

Monday, October 25, 2010

Pacquiao - Margarito HBO 24/7: Episode 1

Pacquiao Margarito 24/7, Pacquiao Margarito 24/7 Episodes 1


After Margarito, Pacquiao must stay put at 147

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I AGREE with Bob Arum.

“After this, no more fights for Manny beyond 147 pounds,” said Bob.

I seem to like that.

So, enough of this business of tossing Manny Pacquiao into outer space to shoot for the stars, if not Jupiter or Mars, please?

He’s not getting any younger.

Yes, Manny Pacquiao, 32 in December, has become a boxing phenom, but let’s all be clear about this: He isn’t a robot.

He’s also a human. As warm a body as Angelina Jolie. Congressman now even.

In his next fight on Nov. 14 (Manila Time), Pacquiao will be pitted virtually against a giant in Antonio Margarito – and that’s where Bob Arum is worried. Genuinely.

At 5-foot-11, Margarito enjoys the tremendous height advantage of almost six inches as Pacquiao is barely 5-foot-6.

They fight for the vacant World Boxing Council super welterweight crown at 154 lbs, which is right down Margarito’s alley.

It’s as if we are constantly hearing Margarito tell Pacquiao, “Come to my parlor, amigo.”

While Pacquiao has actually achieved the almost impossible feat of clinching the 147-lb World Boxing Organization welterweight title for an unprecedented seventh crown in seven different divisions, his target of capturing an eighth world crown in another weight category seven pounds heavier at 154 does not only boggle the mind.

It’s scary, plain and simple.

Bob Arum sums it best.

“At fight night, Margarito will most likely weigh 165 pounds,” said Bob, Pacquiao’s promoter, breaking the news with terror etched in his eyes.

That’s 14 pounds beyond the catch weight 151 stipulated for the fight.

And Bob’s not joking when he said that.

At nearly six-feet, Margarito’s normal boxing weight is 155 lbs that’s why he’s as comfortable at 154 as a baby fast asleep in its crib.

And who can dispute Bob, who’s been around in the boxing business so long he would know what kind of a punch thrown by anyone atop the ring with his eyes closed.

In his farewell statement in Baguio before flying home to Las Vegas, Bob said Pacquiao should sit still at 147 lbs after the Margarito fight.

“At the most, Manny will weigh 155 on fight time,” said Bob. “He’ll be at an undue disadvantage against the taller, heftier Margarito coming in at 165.”

But Bob said Pacquiao would compensate for his lack in height and heft with his speed and, yes, punching power.

Well, the truth is, Pacquiao packs a wallop almost triple his weight division that’s why he has become the biggest hitter of his generation.

It is this facet in his arsenal that I base my prediction that, despite his physical edge, Margarito will still kiss the canvas come Nov. 14.

To say that Margarito will last the distance would be a complement of the first order.

Place your bets.

Source: manilastandardtoday.com

Antonio Margarito: “Pacquiao’s Going to Eat My Punches”

Pacquiao Margarito 24/7, Pacquiao vs Margarito, Pacquiao vs Margarito Coverage, Pacquiao vs Margarito News, Pacquiao vs Margarito Online Live Streaming, Pacquiao vs Margarito Updates
Deep in a training session for his upcoming match with Manny Pacquiao, former welterweight champion Antonio Margarito took a bit of time out to make sure fans knew he wasn’t intimidated by the Filipino fighter.

“Pacquiao won’t stand up to my punches,” Margarito told Boxscore News reporter John Martinez about the fighters' Nov.13 fight. “He’s been shook by smaller fighters than me and he will find out the hard way that his punches won’t hurt me.”

Despite having 38 wins (27 knockouts), the 32-year-old Tijuana-born Margarito has been ruled the underdog against the much smaller Pacquiao.

For his part, Margarito admits that he hears the murmurs amongst fans that he stands no shot against his November opponent. Not only does he want to prove the doubters wrong, but he’s also looking to show that more than a year after being caught with illegal hand wraps prior to getting beaten by Shane Mosley in January 2009, he’s still an elite boxer.

“I know that everyone’s saying that I’m going to lose and get knocked out and that I’m no match for him (Pacquiao),” Margarito said, referring to Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach’s repeated claims that the Filipino will take him out before the eighth round of their fight.

“Manny’s not going to have everyone’s help in there (on the ring); he’s going to fight me and me only. He won’t have anywhere to go once I start to apply the pressure and throw my punches at him. I will knock out him out because of this.”

While most casual fans expect Pacquiao to make short work of his opponent, some red flags were raised over the course of the last week or so from the Filipino boxer’s camp. According to Top Rank boss, Bob Arum, Pacquiao looked “really bad” in his sparring session over the weekend.

However, Margarito’s confidence doesn’t come from anything that Arum, or other members of Pacquiao’s camp are saying. Rather, he’s simply sure in his own technique, power and studies of his opponent.

“I’ve seen other guys hit him and give him pressure, but then they don’t continue their attack,” Margarito tells. “I am going to go nonstop if I see or think he’s hurt and I’m not going to stop until he’s on the floor.

“The way he (Pacquiao) fights, he is open to uppercuts. He’s going to be eating mine and when he does, he won’t want to come inside.”

Source: opposingviews.com

Antonio Margarito believes he has received a bad rap

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The California State Athletic Commission revoked Margarito's license for more than a year.

Margarito is now training for his first fight in the U.S. since his suspension. But his Nov. 13 opponent, Pacquiao, believes Margarito knew his wraps had been tampered with.

Margarito contends he's an innocent party to deception conducted by his since-fired trainer Javier Capetillo. "There's never been a shred of evidence Antonio knew what was in there," Margarito's promoter Bob Arum said.

What is clear is that Margarito's reputation has taken a pummeling.

Margarito followed a tough 2007 decision loss to Paul Williams at Carson with three consecutive knockouts — including a vicious beating of previously unbeaten world welterweight champion Miguel Cotto.

Cotto, and another opponent who lost to Margarito, suggested he relied on loaded gloves to beat them.

"It really hurt to hear and read what people were saying about me," Margarito, 32, said. "I've tried to let people know this was not my doing. I was innocent."

In the Staples Center's dressing room where the plaster was seized, state inspector Dean Lohuis said Margarito was "indignant" about accusations that he knew there was something amiss with his hand wraps. "I don't believe he knew," Lohuis said.

Capetillo declined to be interviewed.

"They were my hands, and I should have been more aware what was in there," Margarito said. "But because Capetillo had been around me so long, the trust was there … Knowing I might not be able to step into the ring again, that was the low moment."

After being suspended, Margarito retreated home to Tijuana with his wife, Michelle.

"I did what I had to do as a spouse," Michelle said. "Support him, give him his space."

Margarito established a routine of waking early and meeting a group of six schoolchildren outside his home, driving them in his pickup to a nearby track to run, mentoring the boys — even if that seems mind-boggling to those who don't buy his hand-wraps account.

Out of habit, he'd also make routine visits to a small Tijuana home with an antiquated boxing ring in its basement, putting himself through the familiar paces. He was unsure what for, except that he knew little else.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., Arum failed to overturn California's banishment.

So Arum scheduled a May 8 comeback bout in Mexico for Margarito, and he won in a lackluster decision. But no U.S. boxing commission expressed interest to let him return. California even extended its license revocation over the summer, chiding Margarito for training for his Mexico fight in the U.S. without a sparring permit.

Source: latimes.com

24/7 Pacquiao-Margarito Episode 1 Recap

Pacquiao Margarito 24/7, Pacquiao vs Margarito, Pacquiao vs Margarito Coverage, Pacquiao vs Margarito News, Pacquiao vs Margarito Online Live Streaming, Pacquiao vs Margarito Updates
Anthony Wilson recaps the first episode of HBO's 24/7 Pacquiao-Margarito Series and gives his thoughts on next month's PPV match-up.

I don’t think I really believe Antonio Margarito when he claims - as he does yet again during the debut episode of HBO’s "24/7 Pacquiao/Margarito," which premiered Saturday night as part of the build-up to the November 13th clash on HBO pay-per-view – that he was unaware that his hand wraps contained illegal content prior to his January 2009 fight with Shane Mosley.

Freddie Roach surely doesn’t believe him.

"In my opinion, did he know? 100%, yes," says the superstar trainer in the premiere of this latest installment of the hit reality mini-series. "You would definitely know."

Nor does Roach’s mega-star pupil, and Margarito’s opponent three weeks from now at Cowboys Stadium, Manny Pacquiao.

Star-divide

"Of course he knew!" Pacquiao says. "What do you think of us, stupid? ‘Oh coach, put my hand wrap on my hand, I’m going to close my eyes.’ Like that right, right? Common sense!"

Nor do most fight followers.

Which is (one of the reasons why) the upcoming fight between the most popular fighter alive and the most disgraced fighter alive has drawn the ire of boxing fans, who detest the idea of an assumed cheater of the highest order like Margarito receiving a big pay-day ($3 million guaranteed and up to $8 million when it’s all said and done, Bob Arum recently revealed) and big-fight opportunity of this magnitude.

The devout Christian Pacquiao, however, believes Margarito deserves a second shot.

"We have to give him a chance to recover his career," says the Pacman. "We’re just human. We’re not perfect."

No matter how you feel about the fight, it’s on its way, and Pacquiao is the heavy favorite. Though significantly smaller than the 5’11", arguably at least two divisions larger naturally Margarito, the 5’6" Pacquiao’s far superior hand and foot speed are expected to carry the day against an opponent who looked less than stellar in, albeit, winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Roberto Garcia in his comeback fight in May.

With that being said, red flags are arising. In May Pacquiao was elected Congressman of the province of Sarangani in his native Phillipines, and Roach blames his fighter’s newfound political duties for a Baguio City-based training camp that he says is behind schedule.

"I think Congress is getting in our way a little bit. I didn’t think it would but it has a little bit," Roach says. "His focus isn’t right so he’s not consistent. Going into big fights and so-forth, you can’t have even the slightest distraction. It could throw a guy off."

Margarito, on the other hand, is in no need of motivation as he looks to redeem himself by shocking the world and beating Pacquiao. And the episode reveals that, while many have speculated that Margarito will struggle making the 150-lb catchweight the junior middleweight title fight will be fought at, he is already at 158 pounds with four weeks left in his Oxnard, CA-located camp. Contrast that to his poor showing against Mosley, when, we learn, Margarito had to cut 35 pounds in a short 7-week camp before the 147-pound championship match. Physically, Margarito looked quite drained that night, and mentally he was as well, out of sorts following the fiasco that had taken place in his dressing room just a little earlier.

He was not impressive against Garcia, even in victory, but we need to remember that he was fighting for the first time in 16 months, so it was reasonable for him to be rusty.

Can Margarito pull off the upset? Let us assume, for a second, that he is, at 32, with a style that does lend itself to wear and tear and without a possible reliance on illegally loaded gloves, merely 80 percent of the fighter that he was before his downfall – but with that 20 percent lost compensated for with sheer determination. And let us also assume, for a second, that he will be fighting only 80 percent of Pacquiao, that other 20 percent of him resting in his congressional seat (assuming Roach is being sincere with his concerns, and not just trying to drive up drama for the fight). At that point, does size finally matter in a Manny Pacquiao fight? With his recent dominant wins over larger men at the larger weights, Pacquiao has made a near mockery of the historic importance of size in boxing (and really, fights in general).

"That’s my role, to fight a bigger guy," says Pacquiao, laughing. "Like Oscar [De la Hoya]…[Miguel] Cotto…[Joshua] Clottey…[Ricky] Hatton."

"After Manny beat Oscar, I asked Manny, ‘Who do you want to fight next?’ Roach discloses. "He said, ‘Margarito.’ I said, ‘Manny, he’s a little too big.’ He says, ‘No, I’ll destroy him.’

"There’s going to be a point there somewhere where we might be too small. I don’t think this is it."

But could it be? Even moreso than was the case in Pacquiao-De la Hoya, this is a fight between two men of entirely different body types. And unlike the shot, weight-drained, and with-nothing-left-to-prove Golden Boy that Pacquiao sent into retirement, there is a chance that Margarito has something meaningful left, and he has everything to prove. Mosley cracked Margarito’s vaunted chin, and they say that’s a sign of bad things to come, but does Manny punch as hard as Mosley? I’m not certain he does. Could 100 percent of Margarito (80 percent ability+20 percent motivation) beat 80 percent of Pacquiao? Is that not possible?

Margarito seemed to me the picture of a man on a mission Saturday night. And I just can’t shake the feeling that, contrary to popular belief, he’s got a real shot in this thing.

Source: theboxingbulletin.com

Video Exclusive: Manny Pacquiao Interview in His Los Angeles Home

FanHouse was there on Saturday night in Los Angeles not only for the arrival from the Philippines of WBO welterweight (147 pounds) king Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 knockouts), but also, for an interview with the fighter at his California home.

Pacquiao will meet former world title holder, Antonio Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs) in a Nov. 13, HBO pay-per-view televised, Top Rank Promotions fight for the WBC's vacant junior middleweight (154 pounds) title at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium.



Source: FanHouse.com

Pacquiao Enters Crucial Phase of Training

Pacquiao Margarito 24/7, Pacquiao vs Margarito, Pacquiao vs Margarito Coverage, Pacquiao vs Margarito News, Pacquiao vs Margarito Online Live Streaming, Pacquiao vs Margarito Updates
Even though there appears to be a slight delay in the progress of Manny Pacquiao’s buildup, Freddie Roach is not about to press the panic button.

Not yet.

Three weeks before D-Day in Dallas against Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13, Roach remains upbeat that the Filipino pound-for-pound will regain lost ground when he kicks off the final and most crucial phase of his training beginning Monday (Tuesday in Manila) at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.

“Too many distractions here (in the Philippines) and LA will have no distractions whatsoever,” said Roach on Saturday afternoon just hours before he and Pacquiao boarded a Philippine Airlines bound for Los Angeles.

Pacquiao and his team was welcomed at LAX International by a large crowd upon their arrival and the fighter will have one full day to recharge his batteries for the most pivotal part of his preparation.

Roach’s heartbeat is racing because he will once again work under familiar conditions, unlike during his month-long stay here that saw him getting upset by Pacquiao’s antics.

Even during the last sparring session just before they left for the US, Pacquiao was still in a playful mood against his sparring partners, something Roach believes won’t be the case once he starts working out at the Wild Card.

“We have three weeks coming and I don’t see any problems,” said Roach, who could not hide his displeasure with the way things happened in Baguio and in Manila.

“This has gone a little bit overboard with the trips coming down from Baguio to Manila and so forth, and it doesn’t seem like much when you do it on your day-off but it’s really a draining trip, a dangerous drive even,” said Roach, who had wanted that the final sparring be done behind closed doors.

With some members of the media and acquaintances of friends being allowed entry into the Elorde Gym, Pacquiao could not help but take it nice and easy.

But sparmate Amir Khan is not concerned.

“You cannot judge anyone from a sparring session because when we guys spar, we only spar 50 to 60 percent if you think about it. People should not be alarmed and you should see Manny at 100 percent and that’s when you know how good he is.”

And as soon as they landed in Los Angeles, Roach predicted that Margarito will not make it past eight rounds.

Source: www.mb.com.ph
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