Bleacher Report - Articles by victor

Pacquiao Vs. The Bests Of Lightweight & Jr. Welterweight?

victor — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:43:48 -0400

Just as the current pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao used to wish to land a fight with the big names then, almost everybody from lightweight to welterweights are either vocal, or silently hoping, to land a mega-fight with boxing's top dog.

Supposing Pacquiao have no intention of running for office in his country and intends to fight a couple more years and sweep through the bests of the lightweight and junior welterweight division, how would he fare?

History had given us true boxing warrior kings in the past; those who gave their all despite being quite aged before getting conquered by some new comer who was then expected to take that warrior king's place in the boxing kingdom.

The great Mexican fighter Julio Cesar Chavez was such an example. Despite getting bloodied and battered by the budding Oscar De La Hoya, he never gave up, and put up a great fight that, despite losing the bout, earned him a tremendous amount of respect from his countrymen, and the world.

In light of that wishful thinking, how would Pacquiao fare against these young fighters? This list includes only those that Pacquiao has not fought before.

1. Juan Diaz - Lightweight

Diaz is not a power-puncher, and his compiled KO's are mostly from flurries. Diaz throws a great volume of punches on his bouts. To be able to throw that volume, he closes in on his opponents. That way, it was always easy for him to retract his thrown fist while the other is on it's way to its mark.

If he closes in on Pacquiao, it'll be the end of his dreams of being a prize fighter.

2. Michael Katsidis - Lightweight

Katsidis is an awkward fighter, much like Vic Darchinyan. Though he packs decent power on his punches, he's not a technical defensive fighter, and thus almost always leaves himself open for the taking. Aged, and dizzy Joel Casamayor took him down with a single counter right hook, and he was never able to recompose himself.

Katsidis can consider himself a winner if lasts five rounds with Pacquiao, even if he loses on the sixth.

3. Breidis Prescott - Lightweight

Prescott is a notorious power-puncher, with most of his wins coming by way of knockout within the first three rounds. He has a very good chance of upsetting Pacquiao if he lands a clean shot.

If he can match up Pacquiao's technicality and in-ring intelligence, he has a good chance at winning; that is, if he has a very good defense, too.

4. Amir Khan - Lightweight

Khan had sparred with Pacquiao a number of times in the past. Freddie Roach use him against Pacquiao for dual purposes; to match up Pacquiao's speed, and give him real sparring competition, while developing Khan's defense and in-ring smarts.

Though Khan is quite accustomed to Pacquiao's tactics, his chin will always be his curse. KO loss within four rounds.

5. Timothy Bradley - Jr. Welterweight

Bradley is a slick boxer, but has no real power behind his punches. He's easy to drop as well. He can use his height and reach advantage to prevent Pacquiao from coming in, but as soon as Pacquiao finds his reach, it'll be over for him.

Pacquiao had no trouble finding De La Hoya in his range, and Bradley can not fend off Pacquiao a whole fight.

6. Paulie Malignaggi - Jr. Welterweight

Malignaggi's a slick boxer as well, and quite technical, both defensively and offensively. Malignaggi's problem, however, is that he can not drop an opponent. Despite that, he's a sturdy fighter, able to withstand flurries and power punches.

He may last longer than expected, and the only stoppage the bout may get is from the third man inside the ring.

7. Marcos Maidana - Jr. Welterweight

After upsetting Victor Ortiz on his last fight, I can consider Maidana to have that capability to upset Pacquiao as well. He packs power on his punches, and is strong-willed and hungry. Though he's quite easy to drop, too, Maidana recomposes himself very easily like Juan Manuel Marquez.

If he can develop great defense to fend off attacks, he can win a punchfest with Pacquiao. But if Pacquiao catches him with a clean shot to begin with...Pacquiao is no Ortiz in terms of power.

I just hope Pacquiao realizes that boxing is a warrior's sport, and that the only way to go down is to lose and hand over the mantle in a gentlemanly manner.

History has proven that fighters of that sort earn even more respect than those who choose to come off the sport "just like that".

Top Four Recent Prospects Who Blew It

victor — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:54:10 -0400

Contrary to some quarter's belief, boxing is never a dying sport. If you browse through the net, chances are you'd still find more news on boxing than any other contact sport.

Every decade, a fighter is hailed as boxing's main draw and awarded the "mantle"—expected to carry the sport itself on his shoulders. And traditionally, some budding young warriors are tagged as possibly the next King.

In the mid-80's to mid-90's, "Iron" Mike Tyson was the baddest man on the planet by issuing KO's like instant pancakes on those who cared to line up for him.

In the mid-90's, the young "Golden Boy" Oscar De La Hoya awed the world by his division-hopping conquest. Never mind that he lost some, he "pied-pipered" a lot of female followers into the sport.

Still at the peak of his career, De La Hoya was defeated by Floyd Mayweather, Jr. with his highly technical yet quite unorthodox skills. Mayweather, however, opted to retire sooner than the man he defeated and was either never really able or never really cared to carry the mantle.

Manny Pacquiao, who was still making his name known earlier this decade, was able to capture the mantle by defeating De La Hoya and retiring him thereafter. However, his reign may be short-lived as he's got plans to retire sooner than everybody expected.

So, who do we expect to carry on the tradition of being the sport's most coveted and looked-upon fighter?

Here are four current fighters tagged as prospects you can doubtfully expect to fill the shoes of today's stars:

1. Victor Ortiz

Ortiz is ESPN's 2008 Prospect of the year, a title fairly coveted by budding young warriors. GBP wasted no time in marketing the young fighter like a new product, conditioning every body else's mind that this is the future of boxing.

Just very recently, battered and bloodied Ortiz was stopped in the sixth round by Argentinian brawler Marcos Maidana. GBP made the mistake of having their ward face a very tough brawler who also happened to be rated within the top ten in the Jr. Welterweight division. Not only was the "Vicious" incapable of finishing, he succumbed to the pressures of El Chino.

2. Alfredo Angulo

Angulo was a Bronze medalist in the 2003 Pan American Games and had represented Mexico in the 2004 Olympics. Twelve of his 15 wins came via knockout. Last May, Angulo lost via unanimous decision to Kermit Cintron, the man whose two losses was "handed" over by one man—Antonio Margarito.

Come to think of it, had it not been for Margarito, who's under suspension by the way for loaded hand wraps, Cintron would be undefeated. "The dog" was too tame for "The Killer."

3. Deandre Latimore

Latimore had a world-class fight experience in Sechew Powell, stopping him in seven rounds. Though the glitter of the victory was lessened after Powell tested positive for drugs, Latimore showed great development in terms of skills.

Though having experienced a loss in the past courtesy of Ian Gardner, Latimore garnered eight wins right after, with six of those wins via knockout. Last April, Latimore fought veteran Cory Spinks and lost via split decision. "The Bull" took a school bus ride to "The next generation."

4. Amir Khan

Amir Khan was a silver medalist in the 2004 Athens Olympics and was regarded as the future of British boxing right after.

He had a great run after turning professional in 2005, garnering 18 straight wins before losing for the first time against Breidis Prescott within the very first round of their bout. He took elite trainer Freddie Roach and won against relatively unfamiliar Oisin Fagan, stopping him in two rounds.

His next fight was with Marco Antonio Barrera, who was more or less fpur years out of his peak after being battered twice by Manny Pacquiao and fought senseless fights right after merely to relieve his itch to box.

Downside: Aside from fans having a hard time figuring out what his career plans really are, fighting an unknown and a universally acknowledged shot veteran is no way to redeem a humiliating loss.

Every budding fighter aspires to be tagged as a great prospect and be given breaks. But when promotion and marketing transcends fighter's actual skills, the fall hurts as much as that of a humiliated braggart.

Can Klitschko-Chagaev Bring Back Light To The Heavyweight Division?

victor — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 01:05:27 -0400

Ukrainian Vladimir Klitschko, with a record of 52W-46KO-3L, is currently the title holder of IBF, WBO and IBO Titles in the Heavyweight Division.

At a towering 6'7" stature and with an 88.5 percent knockout ratio, he is called "Dr. Steel Hammer" for clinically handing out knockouts.

Uzbek Ruslan Chagaev (25W-17KO-1D) on the other hand is currently holding the WBA Heavyweight Title, which he shares with Nikolai Valuev when he was declared "champion in recess" for failing to defend his crown for sustaining injury during training.

Though still at halfway compared to Klitschko's record, "White Tyson" Chagaev has faced tough opposition in the past and had been in the most intense punch fests in the heavyweight division.

Klitschko and Chagaev are set to face each other in a unification bout on Saturday, which includes the claim to the vacant Ring Magazine Heavyweight Title.

The Klitschko-Chagaev fight was made possible after the second failure of the fight between Chagaev and Valuev which should have determined the sole claimant to the WBA title.

Chagaev failed to pass a Finnish medical test as a pre-requisite to his fight against Valuev. It was noted that he contracted Hepatitis B in 2007 which led to the cancellation of what could have been the first unification bout since 1997 with Sultan Ibragimov.

Despite having lack of charisma in the heavyweight division, Klitschko is expected to bring in his experience along with his wide array of skills against Chagaev, promising an action-filled heavyweight bout.

Klitschko has fought five times since 2007, winning four, with one bout against Lamon Brewster that led to a sixth round stoppage.

Chagaev fought only once in 2007 and once in 2008, as well. His latest fight was last February against then unbeaten Carl Drumond.

Though it was a spectacular come back fight for Chagaev, the fight was stopped halfway through the bout due to accidental clash of heads, and Chagaev's endurance, which many speculated was a bit on the rusty side was not tested much.

Chagaev's career has been idle a notable number of times in the past, but he has always been spectacularly active inside the ring.

Unlike Klitschko, Chagaev has not lost yet in his career despite having faced some of the fiercest heavyweights. Klitschko had a history of getting floored a number of times in his career.

However, the sheer size of Klitschko along with his power and ring demeanor will play a major part in the outcome of the up-coming Klitschko-Chagaev fight—more than Chagaev's lack of action in the last two years.

But Chagaev is expected to give a fight and may have moments of his own in displaying his ability to trade punches with opponents much bigger than him.

The fight is supposedly a unification bout and is supposed to revive attraction in the heavyweight division, but in its current state of as to who really holds what, the results may just add up to the confusion.

It is a unification bout indeed, save for the WBC title currently held by Valdimir Klitschko's brother, Vitali.

And unless the WBA title can be claimed by only one of its current title holders, Chagaev and Valuev, a Klitschko victory will actually be just a "half-belt" gain.

The heavyweight division is in need of a major re-organizing, and needs to proclaim an ultimate champion to pump some blood into its veins and keep it alive.

If any of the victor will unify all the belts there is (no matter how many) and lay solid claim to each belt, it could be an igniting spark to attract full attention once again.

But if Vladimir wins against Chagaev and Valuev right after to laying solid claim to the WBA title, and chooses not to fight Vitali for his WBC crown, things will remain as they have always been in the heavyweight division—unattractive; organized but not interesting.

Words "Mayweather" and "Smart" Are Like Pancake and Maple Syrup

victor — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:06:39 -0400

The uncertainly much-anticipated match between the un-vacationed Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez had been cancelled. Apparently, Mayweather sustained a rib injury while in training.

Prior to that, most people think the scheduled bout is absurd, and some quarters had been very vocal about their dismay on why Mayweather chose a comparably small opponent for a come-back fight.

Now that it seems the fight will no longer happen, what will Mayweather do next?

Some are calling on him to make the real dream match happen by challenging the current pound-for-pound No. 1, Manny Pacquiao. Mayweather used to hold the top spot prior to his vacation from the sport.

If he truly means what he always says—he left on top and came back on top—the challenge for a showdown against Pacquiao would be the most logical thing to do.

Some critics even say that if Mayweather is smart, he would issue the challenge, in an attempt to lure him to make the truly much-awaited match of the decade possible.

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is indeed smart. That's why he will not issue the challenge to Pacquiao. He's such a slick businessman, he knew that he's got no cards at this moment to even push for an even-split deal.

He always knew he's the draw, against any other opponent that is. But against Pacquiao, he'll have to bargain.

If Mayweather is a real warrior, he would have issued the challenge to reclaim his throne right away on his comeback announcement. Terms of the deal should have been second.

Understandably, a tune-up fight will have to be settled first. But at least the drama of the challenge is right there already, and there's nothing else the world can do but to wait for the event to happen.

Pacquiao and Bob Arum are very much aware of the schematics of Mayweather posturing. And they knew that Mayweather, despite having the opportunity, will not make a move that will lead both of them into the ring.

And so, all systems are go in terms of negotiation for a Pacquiao-Cotto match up.

Throughout his career, Mayweather had always been described as smart. Personally I haven't read a sentence yet that have both the words "Mayweather" and "brave" on it.

"Dead" Pacquiao Is "Even" For Cotto

victor — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:44:51 -0400

Welterweight champion Miguel Cotto retained his belt after a gruesome battle with challenger Joshua Clottey last Saturday in New York City.

They boxed and they brawled. Cotto's blood was all over, and when the bout was over, he managed to get himself a mere split-decision over Clottey.

Does this put him ahead of those who were lining up to sign Manny Pacquiao for a fight? Only Top Rank honcho Bob Arum was very delighted to proclaim so.

"Dead even" was how Arum described the comparison between Cotto and Pacquiao. After Cotto's performance against Clottey, I think Pacquiao would have to be dead to make the bout even.

Cotto must assess himself very well on his vacation before jumping eagerly into the Pacman train.

By his name and his record alone, Cotto strikes awesome impressions. But recent outings tell differently. Cotto may just be a shell of what he used to be, and he may not be fully aware of it.

He didn't do well on his last two fights after Antonio Margarito devastated him.

Cotto's fight against Michael Jennings, who is considerably notches below his level, was not as impressive as expected. He looked rather thankful than triumphant, after being awarded a split-decision, which Clottey and many more protested right after.

Cotto's victory can be credited more on Clottey's failure to launch his full offensive prowess over Cotto rather than Cotto's domination of the fight.

It may not be a good idea to be matched up with the pound-for-pound king who's on a roll, and whose latest feat was literally putting to near-comatose in less than two rounds the man considered by many as "invincible" in the junior welterweight division.

Prior to that, he out-boxed Oscar De La Hoya in eight one-sided rounds that caused the man to retire—on his stool and from the sport.

Pacquiao's last three fights struck the world in awe and disbelief.

Cotto's last two fights left the world in "oh?" and disbelief that what they were seeing is short of what they expected.

That alone should be a factor for serious consideration.

Enter Pacman train's terms and conditions to launch the fight, and Cotto will have himself a business class ticket to forced retirement from the sport.

P4P King Manny Pacquiao: Reaping the Harvests of His Hard-Earned Kingdom

victor — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:23:10 -0400

It's no secret that Pound for Pound King and Jr. Welterweight Champion Many Pacquiao of the Philippines earned 13 million American dollars plus 52 percent of the total Pay-Per-View revenues for his less than six minutes of demolition work on Ricky "The Hit-man" Hatton.

He earned so much for so little time of work, which is considerably a leisure as well for the most avid boxers.

It can not be denied either that at his current status, he's in the position to choose his next opponent, and lay the terms for his next fight.

To some, it may be cherry-picking or tilting the playing field his way, or simply getting the most out of the deal.

And yet to some, it's simple royal exercises, reaping the perks of being the king.

Mike Tyson exercised it, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. did, too, when very few can argue that they're on top.

Oscar De La Hoya capitalized on his being a huge draw and got the most out of every deal, no matter how ridiculous it seemed for most of the time.

Whether it's plain destiny to be on top, or fruit of hard labor, they literally fought for it.

Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao: their lives had been told on many different occasions.

Dramatic as all of their stories may seem, nothing can be more dramatic than that of Pacquiao.

He sold stolen cigarettes and re-priced doughnuts on the streets of his hometown as a kid.

At free time, he would listen to radio broadcasts of fights of his favorite fighters, then throw punches at an old rubber flip-flop tied to a tree trunk, which serves as a punching bag.

He ran away from home when scarcity turned his pet dog to dinner.

Their father left the family, and he went to the capital city of Manila to provide food on his family's table, working on construction and taking on other heavy jobs not fit for a young under-nourished teen, while pursuing boxing aspirations at the same time.

He wasted no time at every opportunity that he was on the ring as a young man on a mission of pulling his entire family out of the proverbial poverty, and he did.

I wouldn't say the rest is history, as he's not quite done yet and bigger things still lie ahead.

The story's been told in many ways, but only one fact remains consistent: he had the toughest past among all top fighters of to date, and not only did he get past through it, he climbed all the way to the top of the entire boxing world, too.

He fought every fight for the entertainment of every fight fan—his or to that of his opponent.

He experienced terrible ring losses, but gracefully accepted each defeat and learned from them and worked his way to the top of the boxing ladder.

He carries an entire nation of more than 90 million people on his shoulders every time he fights, most of which lives in dire poverty as much as he did so in his past, and brings hope to each and everyone who look up to him as an inspiration.

His religion is unbreakable and he prays for his and that of his opponent's safety everytime he fights.

His good-natured character is entirely the opposite of the vicious fighter that he is when he steps in the ring, almost always ready to sign an autograph and pose for a picture with an impatient fan.

His charities is a cause for concern for those who closely witness them, and in the words of Bob Arum, he's his country's one-man social welfare department.

No matter how some people may object, Manny Pacquiao is definitely entitled to his royal perks.

By blood, sweat, and tears, he earned them.

And nobody can deny the king his right to savor his kingdom's harvests any which way he likes.

Shane Mosley Swallowed Pride: Will It Really Pay Off?

victor — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:38:48 -0400

Elections in the Philippines are set for May 2010, and current Jr. Welterweight champion and P4P king Manny Pacquiao has shown every intention in running for a congressional seat to further serve his "kababayans".

Pacquiao, at the most, is planning on having two more fights before campaigning full time for his political ambitions.

Or depending on how his next fight will turn out, his set October bout may very well be his last.

Just recently, welterweight Champion Sugar Shane Mosley agreed to the catch weight set up by elite trainer Freddie Roach for a possible fight with Pacquiao.

Along with it, he agreed to take the lesser of the 60-40 revenue split.

Pacquiao responded yesterday in an interview with Philippines' GMA News network that now that Mosley had reconsidered his initial stance, he is seriously considering pushing through with the negotiations to lock-in the fight.

Personally, I believe Mosley-Pacquiao negotiations will not push through until after the Miguel Cotto-Joshua Clottey and Floyd Mayweather-Juan Manuel Marquez fights.

Mayweather, in all aspects, is considered to be advantageous over Marquez and is expected to win their bout.

The recent turn of events, however, is sure to be an added leverage for Bob Arum against the former P4P No. 1, Mayweather Jr.

In full consideration of every factor involved, Pacquiao wants to have his next bout as the biggest PPV attraction fight he can have, and one that will generate more for him—money-wise.

Though a lot of people are clamoring for a fight between the two speedsters—Pacquiao and Mosley, despite having stirred hot debates all over the web, it cannot be denied that a showdown between Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Pacquiao promises to be more lucrative.

Recently, Mayweather, declared that should a bout between him and Pacquiao occur, it will be a 60-40 split in his favor.

Arum blasted Mayweather with a verbal jab right after, calling Mayweather "disillusioned" and isn't worth even a 50-50 split against Pacquiao.

Should Mosley's fight-luring offer does not deter Mayweather from his stance and reconfigure his chosen ratio. The Pacquiao camp will still have the outcome of Cotto-Clottey to await.

Cotto is seriously being considered as a possible big fight for Pacquiao as well, but the Cotto camp wouldn't in any way look past Clottey and issue an offer to Pacquiao.

Presumably, the Pacquiao camp is expecting Cotto to win against Clottey and is expecting the same offer as that of Mosley.

The only thing left to straighten out is whether Cotto will agree to the catch weight or not.

Between Cotto and Mosley, Arum is leaning more towards Cotto against Pacquiao as both fighters are under his promotion.

Should Cotto and Pacquiao come into terms, Mosley will be nothing more than leverage, a wrench in an attempt to twist Mayweather.

Pacquiao will surely have a hard time against Cotto, but is expected to come out victorious nonetheless.

A Pacquiao victory against Cotto will surely mean another ace under Arum's sleeve on his own tactical poker match of a posturing against Mayweather.

In an interview on a British Sports Television broadcast, Mayweather stated that he's not so interested in regaining his position as king of the Pound for Pound Rankings.

Those statements, and his posturing on the possible revenue split may not really interest Mayweather in a fight against Pacquiao.

Should that be the real case, I can see Mayweather attempting to negotiate with Cotto right after their matches, or with Mosley.

But, if I am Mayweather, who would I rather fight—A fast paced bomber such as I, or a sturdy bomber but not as fast as I am?

Pacquiao's fast-paced...so is Mosley. That leaves Cotto out of the speed issue.

Only then do I think that Mosley's stance reconsideration will pay off, and he will have his much anticipated showdown with the Pound-4-Pound king, Manny Pacquiao.

The Bantamweight Division Is Equally Interesting As That Of The Welterweight

victor — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:25:37 -0400

On July 11, Armenian-born Australian Vic Darchinyan (32W-1L-1D-26KO) will challenge Ghana's knockout artist and reigning IBF Bantamweight Champion Joseph Agbeko (25W-1L-22KO) in Sunrise, FL.

Raging Bull

Darchinyan is an offensive-minded southpaw, highly entertaining and often controversial.

After winning the IBF Junior Bantamweight Title back in August of 2008 from what was described as a career-best performance against Dimitri Kirilov, he went right back into action three months later, unifying his IBF belt with the WBA and WBC Super Flyweight Belts at the expense of it's holder—Christian Mijares of Mexico.

Darchinyan is as of to date the only man in history to unify all three belts of the 115 pound division, making him the Undisputed World Champion of The Super Flyweight or The Junior Bantamweight Division.

Last February, he successfully defended his championship, winning by TKO over the bloodied and battered Jorge Arce.

King Kong

Agbeko is the current IBF Bantamweight champion, and isn't called King Kong for nothing. His 86 percent knockout percentage is staggering.

His only loss came via a highly controversial 12 round majority decision against Wladimir Sidorenko in Germany 2004. Sidorenko is a Germany-based Russian.

When he defended his title last December against William Gonzalez, he was inactive for more than a year due to his contraction of Malaria on his last trip to his native land.

Nevertheless, he successfully defended his title and won via majority decision against Gonzalez last December.

The Raging Bull Vs. King Kong

Both fighters are heavy hitters, and capable of shooting the lights out of their opponent.

Agbeko is a slick boxer capable of adjusting well to an opponent. His style, whether offense or defense, varies accordingly.

But Agbeko had often been inactive. And his last defense was not as impressive.

Darchinyan's defense is almost always a cause for worry, as he always has the tendency to drop his defense and lunge forward to attack.

But a good fighter is a busy fighter, as Freddie Roach stated.

Thus, a busy fighter learns much more after each fight than the idle one.

Looking at the Darchinyan-Mijares bout, Mijares was only able to land a couple of combinations to Darchinyan on the fifth round, and nothing more before and after that.

It was a Darchinyan domination throughout the Darchinyan-Arce bout.

Having said that, Darchinyan must have developed some defense after his devastating KO in the hands of Donaire.

If so, The Raging Bull will be unstoppable against the often-inactive King Kong.

Cochulito's (The Rooster) Early Cock-A Doodle-Doo

Current WBO Interim Bantamweight Champion Fernando Montiel of Mexico has stated interest in the up-coming Darchinyan-Agbeko Hard-hitter Showdown by "wishing"Darchinyan to capture Agbeko's IBF Belt.

Though having an up-coming fight himself, Montiel is already looking past his next opponent - Eric Morel, and is looking forward for a unification bout with Darchinyan at the bantamweight level.

The Filipino Flash's Silent Stalking

After his recent four-round slaughter of Mexican-American Raul Martinez for his third defense of the IBF Flyweight Title, Filipino-Amercian Nonito Donaire expressed intention to go up a notch and have his next fight at the Bantamweight level.

The defense landed Donaire in the No. 8 spot of the Pound for Pound Rankings, followed only by Darchinyan.

Donaire's camp is currently in the midst of transaction for a possible fight with Jose Lopez, for the latter's WBO Super Flyweight Title.

It is important to note that Donaire and Darchinyan fought in 2007, handing Darchinyan his only loss.

Donaire knocked Darchinyan out during the fifth round of their bout, catching The Raging Bull with a lightning-fast left hook as the latter lunged forward to throw a left of his own.

The knockout went down as Ring Magazine's 2007's "Knockout of the Year", and the fight as 2007's "Upset of the Year".

The clamor for a rematch was suppressed as Donaire parted ways with Gary Shaw, the promoter he shares with Darchinyan, after a conflict which resulted from the promoter's apparent failure to disclose past fights revenue.

***

Should Darchinyan manage to capture Agbeko's IBF Bantamweight Title and Montieldefends his WBO Interim Bantamweight Title, I'd love to see both fighters attempt to unify the belts of the Bantamweight Division.

I'd love to see Darchinyan capture his second Undisputed Championship in the Bantamweight Division.

After which, I'd love to see Donaire go up another notch should he win the WBO Super Flyweight Title from Lopez, and issue a challenge for the Bantamweight Championship.

It'll be one hell of a story to tell....

"The hyper-active Raging Bull maimed the dreaded but lazy King Kong and got his crown as the king from another kingdom - the Rooster observes from a distance. The Rooster had wanted so much for the Raging Bull to capture King Kong's crown for his own mysterious reasons...maybe in his own mind, it is easier to tame the Bull than the giant ape and unify the Kingdom. Meanwhile, a traveller-warrior by the name of the Filipino Flash..."

Show Mosley the Money, And Hand Him His Glasses, Too

victor — Sun, 31 May 2009 23:07:46 -0400

"I want Pacman now".

Last May 29, WBA Welterweight Super Champion Sugar Shane Mosley declared that he's willing to fight Light Welterweight champion and P4P king Manny Pacquiao at a catch weight set up by Pacquiao trainer, Freddie Roach.

If Pacquiao-Mosley happens on Oct. 17 this year, it didn't happen by Mosley's decision. He was led into it.

All this talk by the Pacquiao camp the past few days about shunning Mosley as the next possible fight due to weight disagreement, but all the while praising him as the most dangerous opponent in line for the Pacman, were all so methodical to lure Mosley to reconsider.

And now, Mosley's willing to shed weight, make it to 142 pounds and make the fight happen.

Unless he's got his own schemes regarding the matter, Mosley seems to be led into a trap set up for him, or should I say he took the bait: hook, line and sinker.

Since Pacquiao's dominant performance over big man Oscar De La Hoya last December, Freddie Roach had apparently unlocked the secret to levelling the field for his ward, midget Pacquiao.

If the fight indeed happens at 142 pounds on Oct. 17, Mosley will come into the fight at 38 years of age....or 38 years OLD.

Maybe the thought of going after a big money fight occupied his mind so much that his welfare's no longer a priority. He was very vocal about getting one since after his impressive last fight.

The biggest money fight right now can be had, at the light welterweight.

Maybe the thought that "Pacquiao is an instant aging agent" never enters his mind.

Barrera looked like a 35-year-old on his first encounter with the Filipino version of the Tasmanian Devil.

Though Morales won his first fight with Pacquiao, he seem to have grown 10 years older on their next encounter. By their third fight, he's a withered man.

It's important to note that Morales had trouble making weight.

Diaz was moving in slow motion against Pacquiao, like an old man with stuck joints.

De La Hoya was like a father, trading shots with his budding young adult son.

Only Juan Manuel Marquez was able to fight competitively with Pacquiao for 12 full rounds of their Super Featherweight bout, where Pacquiao appeared sluggish.

It was noted that Pacquiao normally walks around 145-pound then when not in action, and had to make the 130-pound weigh-in limit for the bout.

Whether to gain advantage or to at least make things even, common knowledge is that the catch weight is designed to squeeze some power and stamina over the naturally bigger man.

When Mosley systematically dismantled Antonio Margarito last January, it was set at 147 pounds and both fighters must have came into the fight at their ideal weight.

Mosley dominated the fight feeling 10 years younger, and was beaming at the post-fight conference like a teenager.

I wouldn't be surprised if he fights Pacquiao at 142 pounds, he'd come out of it feeling a lot older than his 38 years.

Cotto-Clottey Will Be a Fight to Remember

victor — Wed, 27 May 2009 00:53:35 -0400

Boxing's a fight, but it's not just a legalized way for two men to reconfigure their opponent's facial structure. The proper ratio of hair-raising brutality and awesome scientific approach prior to launching an attack or maneuvering for defense is what makes this sport a beauty to behold, live! either ringside or on pay-per-view.

Cotto-Clottey is such a fight, a classic event set to occur, June 13, at the Madison Square Garden—location of some of history's most memorable fights.

Miguel Cotto is The Ring Magazine's Pound for Pound No. 7 rated fighter. He is a true welterweight since the start of his professional career, despite having fought on lightweight early on his amateur days. Cotto possess both a solid defense and the knack for raining punch after heavy punch on his opponent.

Out of 34 professional fight, he has garnered 33 wins with 27 wins via KO, and a single loss "handed" by Antonio Margarito.

According to most aficionados, the loss is considerably an asterisk rather than a digit on Cotto's records, after Margarito's recent exposure as a fighter who uses loaded hand wraps to gain sizable advantage over an opponent.

Cotto factions, and even non-Cotto fans who follow the sport do not acknowledge the loss of Cotto to Margarito, although it is yet to be resolved legally. But proven or not, Cotto poses an aura of invincibility in him.

Joshua Clottey is the former IBF Welterweight Champion. Early in his career, he won 20 straight fights, with 14 of those wins via KO.

Two of his losses were controversial and were far from being a reflection of his skills as a fighter. His first loss came via a disqualification.

But in rebound, he garnered another 10 fight winning streak before losing via a disputable decision against Margarito, where he sustained a hand injury on the fourth round but fought for the full duration of the fight, displaying great boxing ability and sportsmanship.

Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey. Both men posseses tremendous boxing ability, with styles expected to collide in a thrilling and explosive manner. Both men are the real welterweight deals, despite having a pound for pound king among them residing at the light welterweight level.

This is a fight. Two men out to make a statement of welterweight domination, and just maybe have the opportunity to fight the reigning pound for pound king. Or at their own discretion, they can make a trilogy out of this for a solid claim at the contested weight category.

This is not a battle of too much technical display that renders a fight a total bore, and not a fight of all-out offensive madness of dumb warriors either. It has elements of both science and brutality in it that will make it a fight to remember.

We can expect both fighters to size up each other for a couple of rounds. Both fighters attempting to come forward and launch some bombs not in an attempt to finish the fight early but to find the right distance for some sinister attacks later on.

Domination will change hands for the most part of the early rounds, alternately, giving the defensive fighter the opportunity to test the other's offensive capabilities and power.

The rest of the middle rounds can be expected to be explosive and thrilling, in an attempt to gain domination over each other.

Late rounds will be crucial for both fighters, as both will feel the need to assert themselves over the other. Both men will have their minds set on finishing the other in a dramatic and convincing fashion, with a career-defining win as the objective.

The fighter with the ability to push one's self to perform beyond what is expected will be triumphant. Each fighter will be put in a situation where the real opponent is themselves, testing their own capabilities and pushing their own limitations, as both contenders are almost equal in every aspect coming in to the fight.

This is a fight, in the real sense of the word. Sit back and enjoy.

Boxing Is the Team Sport Of the Sweet Scientists

victor — Tue, 26 May 2009 01:08:36 -0400

Boxing is a sport.

Whether it is contested over a belt or a ranking, this sporting event is sanctioned by a sporting committee, where fighters wear protective gear both for themselves and their opponents, and is regulated by a third party inside the ring.

It's always about two pairs of gloves, two trunks, two men from opposite directions ultimately crashing against each other in a conflict laid out by the sport itself.

Last December 2008, Oscar De La Hoya was peppered into submission by shot after shot of stingy lefts and rights from midget Manny Pacquiao, an opponent seemingly chosen to provide thrill to the fight, as well as glitter retouch to De La Hoya's career via a loss.

The outcome however, was a bitter pill to swallow for the Golden Boy. The domination of the foe on fight night itself is inexcusable, leaving only a narrow excuse on the training camp, and the weight issue surfaced as a glass of water to wash down the pill's after taste. Pacquiao, as a result, never got the full credit over the victory.

Just this May, Ricky Hatton, the pride of Manchester, England and undefeated at 140 pounds, was crushed with a devastating left hook that stunned both Hatton and Pacquiao fans. Heck, for a moment there, the world shook, too.

HBO's 24/7 provided fans with the general idea that the Hatton camp has solved the mystery moves of the pesky little Filipino.

"Same move every time," are the words of both Hatton, and the ever-poetic trainer Floyd Joy Mayweather, referring to Pacquiao's signature move on the dream match—a hook and roll.

Now, what does this past fight have to do with the topic?

Looking at the fight, anybody can see that the De La Hoya camp—Nacho Beristain, Angelo Dundee—have nothing under their sleeves to cope with the problem at hand.

De La Hoya himself could not adjust on his own and come up with anything to level the plane a little. De La Hoya was weight drained. Whether it be a fact, or just an excuse for the humiliation, now whose fault is it?

Ricky Hatton walked in a straight line towards annihilation. Up until now, I'm still trying to figure out what the game plan was.

"Keep your hands up! Ricky!" and it's no poem from Mayweather, but Hatton doesn't seem to hear it. Maybe he was trained to acknowledge only orders that rhyme.

There was no weight issue after it. No solid excuse that may be attributed to either Hatton's physique or health. What surfaced after the fight, however, is the rift within the Hatton camp. Professionalism caused it and disobedience was the outcome.

The argument is simple: Fighters check in eight full weeks before the actual fight to train. Within that period, weight, conditioning, and health are checked by a conditioning coach. Nutrition and diet are overseen by a nutritionist. Overall skills and fighting techniques are assessed by a committee of trainers, with the head coach devising proper strategies for the fighter to comply.

In short, the training camp has more than three pairs of hands that mold the fighter into shape. The fighter doesn't come into the ring at 100 percent with all the preparations done just by himself. Everything had to be done in a near perfect manner, by the whole team for success to be guaranteed—everything from nutrition to conditioning to skills and fight night strategies.

Boxing is a team sport, and boxing is a sweet science. Boxing is a sport where the team with the best scientists become victorious. It's a team effort—pure, simple, and scientific.

After Mayweather-Marquez: One Less Foe for Pacman

victor — Mon, 25 May 2009 04:19:28 -0400

In a recent interview with British Sports Television, Floyd Mayweather Jr. calmly stated that he's not so interested anymore in being the popular boxing rating's top fighter. Accordingly, Manny Pacquiao may be the best fighter in the eyes of most people, but only of this decade. He, however, is one of the best of all time.

I don't buy it.

In an interview with Brian Kenny, he was told that Pacquiao had just cemented his hold on the throne through his last three fights' accomplishments. It was obvious that Mayweather felt the need to assert himself again, verbally.

So what made Mayweather appear as calm as a morning sea breeze in front of British television this time? It's not acknowledgement that he was overshadowed. It was more of a ploy to cut him some slack. After all, who doesn't get tired of being tagged as a second fiddle, or a fraudulent No. 1? It gets to him emotionally, and the more people drill that thought into his head and hurt his insurmountable pride, the more he loses his composure

Mayweather have an upcoming fight with Pacquiao's arch rival and pound-for-pound second, Juan Manuel Marquez. The fight, accordingly, is battle for numero uno; but smells like second in the words of elite trainer Freddie Roach. The upcoming fight became possible first, by Marquez calling out "the real No. 1" referring to Mayweather, and second, Mayweather accepting the challenge all the while praising Marquez as the "best out there."

This is excruciating for a fan's head to absorb. Everybody's claiming to be the No. 1, or the best, or the hot shot, or whatever. Why can't just everybody respect and acknowledge the rankings as they are? Pacquiao is at the top, followed by Marquez, and then by Bernard Hopkins, and so on. Now, where would Mayweather be, considering that he used to be No. 1?

This is where I find the need for the Mayweather-Marquez fight to occur, despite the negative criticisms raining down on Mayweather for picking on the smaller Mexican. To begin with, the Mexican called on him.

It can be recalled that Marquez had never accepted his loss to Pacquiao. The fight was so close and could have gone either way, but Pacquiao got the nod for a knockout over Marquez. Some factions were claiming Marquez was robbed, and that he's actually a notch better than Pacquiao. Mayweather is well aware of this, and by simply defeating Marquez, he's back on the limelight as somebody who defeated somebody close to defeating Pacquiao. He wouldn't feel the need to fight Pacquiao at all after that.

With those who do not acknowledge Pacquiao's reign on the top spot, he can just argue that he's back as No. 1. Never mind that the argument will never end, he's got the number tagged back to his name.

Marquez has his own reasons for taking on a fight with Mayweather. The Mexican's bent on proving himself to be the best out there.

He feels like Pacquiao is handing him false hopes for a third fight, like a carrot on a stick. In his mind, being No.1 can be achieved without having to really fight Pacquiao, whom he described as "afraid of him." By defeating Mayweather, he can argue solidly that he's defeated the No. 1 man in boxing, and his faction will no doubt proclaim him as such.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao is not bothered with these schemes at all. He's the legitimate No. 1. Rankings have his name on the top spot. Somehow he knew that for him to be overthrown, a challenge to the throne must be issued by way of notice for a fight. In his mind, he's got both Mayweather and Marquez after his throne, and he doesn't need to fight both of them one after the other.

The Mayweather-Marquez fight will eliminate one of them as a legitimate contender, leaving Pacquiao with one less foe to fight, and leaving the boxing sport one less claimant to the word "Best."

Pacquiao-Valero: A Must, For the Meantime

victor — Sat, 23 May 2009 04:30:51 -0400

Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao has verbally issued a date for his next fight this year—Oct. 17—and Bob Arum is already busying himself with studying the feasibility of holding the fight in MGM Grand, Madison Square Garden, or the Alamo Dome.

But against whom?

Floyd Mayweather, Jr., apparently in a failed attempt to steal the spotlight from the Pacquiao-Hatton fight last May 2, announced his return, but opted to fight the smaller Juan Manuel Marquez instead. According to Freddie Roach, he only had to wait a day and the much-awaited "Fight of the Decade" could be due for negotiations already.

Marquez on the other hand, obviously in an attempt to get under Pacquiao's skin for not granting him his much awaited third fight, chose to fight the unretired Mayweather, whom he regarded as the best, and not Pacquiao. After Juan Ma dismantled the baby bull Juan Diaz in a lightweight fight last February, he called on the former P4P No. 1 to end his vacation, since accordingly, the current No. 1 is afraid of him.

Shane Mosley had just turned down the Pacquiao challenge with the weight as the primary issue. Sugar Shane fights at 147 pounds, and he's got remarkable speed and power, having bruised and KO-ed the unloaded Margarito at that weight level. Having to go down at 140, or 142 at the most, will have a notable toll to both his speed and power. Sugar Shane is a dangerous Pacquiao opponent, and Roach is very well aware of it and will not advise the fight to be beyond 142.

Miguel Cotto is booked until Jun. 13 against Clottey. Of all the next possible Pacquiao opponent, Cotto is most likely to be the next one. However, Joshua Clottey is Miguel Cotto's force to reckon with, and a Clottey upset threatens the Boricua bomber's chance to slug it out with the Pacman.

The King has set the date, and re-scheduling doesn't seem to be an option. Personally, I think Pacquiao is set on having a tune-up fight strictly between 140 to 142 pounds in anticipation of any of the outcome between the Mayweather-Marquez and Cotto-Clottey fights.

Pacquiao fought Diaz at 135, then fought the Golden boy at 147, and very recently demolished Hatton at 140 in a spectacularly brutal fashion. Apparently, he had found his most suitable weight level where both his speed and power are at their maximum. The next fight is of a little less risk with the intention of just to settle the king firmly and comfortably on his new throne.

I can only think of three fighters who're best-suited for the job.

Humberto Soto

A fighter who reminds us of the old Pacquiao's "best defense is offense" days, but never similar to Hatton's "walk in a straight line-all offense-no defense" strategy. With no intention of downplaying Soto, he is expected to give fight fans an exciting fight, good for about six to eight rounds only, until finally crumbling down. Soto knocked out Pacquiao's brother, Bobby, in the past, and revenge is definitely a selling factor.

Timothy Bradley

At 24 wins, 11 by way of knockout with no loss, Bradley can be expected to perform, again, for about six to eight rounds or more. Bradley is one of the rare fighters who can not be counted out on a single punch-Juan Marquez style.

Last April, Bradley fought Kendall Holt and got tagged with a huge left hook in the very first round. He got back up, regained composure and gained upper hand by outboxing Holt until the 12th round. Despite being downed again on the last round, Bradley got back on his feet to conclude the fight and won by Unanimous Decision.

Edwin Valero

Valero is boxing's urban legend. And all urban legends have no factual basis. At 24 wins, 24 KOs, he is very dangerous, but nothing Pacquiao can't handle. Valero fights at lightweight, and with his unblemished record, he is still out to prove himself before the world.

The issue on the quality of boxers he fought darkly shadows his accomplishment. By comparison through past opponents, Valero will not be in the same class as Pacquiao. If Roach entertained the idea of having Pacquiao exchanging blows with Cotto, he must definitely consider having this one.

Personally, I'm salivating for a Pacquiao-Valero showdown. I'm a boxing fan, and I'm definitely looking forward to round after round of exchanging blows. If the rest of the world wants to see this kind of a fight for a tune-up, then this fight is a medium risk/high reward fight that can rake in money.

After all, who never wants to see another Pacquiao fight?

It's Not the Goldenboy, Money, Or Pacman...Boxing Fans Kept Boxing Alive.

victor — Fri, 22 May 2009 01:14:05 -0400

I'm an avid Boxing fan, and I have my own stable of fighters. The day a training camp commences for a fight is the day I commence my personal HBO 24/7, spending an hour or two sitting in front of the computer to monitor the latest happenings that has something to do with "my fighter".

I watch my fighter's weight and conditioning just as the conditioning coach does. I observe his sessions with the head coach just as the assistant trainer does on the sidelines. I watch previous fight videos of his next opponent, see how the guy moves and positions himself in the ring, and think of how to dance properly with the guy to either launch an appropriate type of attack or defense...head coach style.

Barely two weeks before the event, I have my own prediction on how the fight will go down. There's no need to bring up how I predicted "my fighters" past fights. I'm no sports analyst. But personally, I rank myself around 80% accurate.

On the actual event, that's when I'm on my loudest vocal mode, in complete disregard to poise and my usual calm tone. I actually tell "my fighter" what to do, like I turned him from a one-hand-face-reconfiguring-machine to the best fighter in the planet regardless of weight.

Jab! Duck! Flush his face with a left! Slip away to your right! I even go as far as throwing expletives to his opponent. This is done all while in the comfort of my own home, sipping on my favorite ice-cold beverage to cool me down a little.

Days after the bout, like every one else, I get the hangover. I find fulfillment in reading articles and watching news about how "my fighter" dismantled his opponent. I feel good about how "my support made him won", brought up something for the boxing writers to write about, and "kept the Boxing sport alive".

I'm an avid Boxing fan...or a hugger, if you can call it that. And I definitely play a part in shaping the sports history.