We are not friends, we are just rivals - Juan Manuel Marquez

MANILA, Philippines - Mexican boxing legend Juan Manuel Marquez has acknowledged the rivalry between him and Filipino ring icon Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao but said he holds no animosity or hatred towards the current pound-for-pound king.

"After 2 hard fights, there is a rivalry," Marquez told Examiner.com. "But any talk of hate between me and Pacquiao is ridiculous. We are not friends, we are just rivals."

Pacquiao and Marquez are fighting for the 3rd time on November 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Their 2 previous fights both ended in controversy: their first bout in 2004 ended in a draw, while their 2008 rematch was a split decision victory for Pacquiao.

Pacquiao knocked down Marquez 3 times in the first round of their 2004 bout, and again in the 3rd round of their 2008 rematch.

But Marquez rallied both times and the fights went the distance.

Despite the close nature of both bouts, Marquez maintained that he and Pacquiao are just rivals and that there is no bad blood between them.

Marquez and Pacquiao, however, have vowed that all questions will be answered on November 12.

Pacquiao and his trainer, Freddie Roach, are both aiming for a decisive victory this time around, while Marquez is also promising to knock out the Filipino champion.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Marquez needs a KO to WIN against The Pacman

By Chris Williams: Former three division world champion Juan Manuel Marquez (53-5-1, 39 KO’s) realizes that in order for him to be guaranteed of a win over WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KO’s) he may have to knock the Filipino out on November 12th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s kind of sad that the soon to b 38-year-old Marquez has to win by KO just to get the ‘W’, but that’s probably the reality of it.

Marquez didn’t get the decision in his two previous fights with Pacquiao, even though he appeared to win both fights in the eyes of many boxing fans. I certainly had Marquez winning both fights, but it kind of shows you how tough it is to beat Pacquiao. You got to beat him badly if you want to win a decision, and the best way is to simply take the judges out of the mix by knocking him out.

Marquez has the best tools to accomplish that with his excellent body punching. If there’s an area where Pacquiao is vulnerable it’s to the body. You look as his fight with Antonio Margarito and in some of his other fights, and that’s where he’s been hurt before. Marquez needs to double triple up on his hooks to the liver to take Pacquiao out.

You got to pound his body and then come up with a good plan to defeat his grabbing once he makes it back to his feet. His trainer Freddie Roach no doubt has come up with a survival plan for Pacquiao to use when and if he gets hurt. You can expect a load of clinching. Marquez needs to continue to blast Pacquiao in the bread basket even while being held.

Source: boxingnews24.com

Juan Manuel Marquez in Superb Condition

By Chris Williams: The November 12th Pacquiao vs Marquez 3 fight is still three months away and Marquez, 38, already looks to be in fighting shape judging from the photo he took posing with Brandon Rios and Mikey Garcia in Los Angele, California on Tuesday.

Marquez looks lean and youthful compared to Rios, who appears to be out of shape and sporting a little paunch.

This isn’t good news for Pacquiao, because Marquez seems to be taking this fight very seriously by being in such good shape so early on.

Marquez and Pacquiao have fought twice before with the first fight ending up a 12 round draw in 2004, and the second with Pacquiao winning a very controversial 12 round split decision in 2008.

Many top boxers and writers think that Marquez should have won both fights, and was given the shaft. I’m in agreement with that.

I saw Marquez bettering Pacquiao in both fights, but it shows you how difficult it can be to defeat a guy like Pacquiao. You’re not just beating him, you’re beating his popularity as well, and that’s really hard to get past.

Marquez was the better fighter in those two fights. Pacquiao was just the popular guy that got the judges’ decisions. In some ways I think boxing is like professional wrestling unfortunately.

Marquez will have to be on Pacquiao early and take the fight to him to make sure he doesn’t get any momentum. That’s the advice that was given to him by Erik Morales, who defeated Pacquiao in 2005.

I’m sure Marquez really doesn’t need Morales’ advice given that Marquez arguably should have won both fights with Pacquiao. But Morales did a better job against Pacquiao by in his win over him compared to Marquez.

The difference was that Morales threw many more combinations, drove Pacquiao back repeatedly and stayed on his feet. Morales didn’t let Pacquiao knock him down the way that Marquez did in his two fights with him.

Marquez is going to have to stay on his feet in the third fight with Pacquiao because that will give the judges any excuse they need to give the fight Pacquiao.

Source: boxingnews24.com

Pacquiao is ridiculously strong right now - Andre Berto

By Dennis 'dSource' Guillermo

Recently at the Undisputed Gym in the Bay Area, I caught up with former WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto (27-1-0, 21 KOs) who is currently training hard for his IBF title fight on September 3 against the Slovenian champion Jan Zaveck (31-1-0, 18 KOs) in Biloxi, Mississippi to talk about his return to the ring after suffering the first loss of his career against Victor Ortiz last April.

Among a lot of things that I talked to Berto about, were his thoughts on the upcoming third fight between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez in November, and whether he thought that the 8-1 underdog Marquez has a chance in beating Pacquiao.

"You know what, Pacquiao right now... I believe he (Marquez) does have a chance, but Pacquiao, he's just looking so ridiculously strong right now and fast," Berto told me.

"He's completely different from when they fought back in the day, while Marquez is still a naturally small guy. He's coming up to fight Pacquiao. Pacquiao, like I said, is looking tremendously strong fighting big 147 pounders. It's almost ridiculous how strong and fast he looks. We're talking about Mosley, Mosley was like, "that's one of the hardest punchers he's ever fought," and I'm like "that's crazy". I believe it's going to be a good fight, but it's going to be tough to deal with Pacquiao's speed and power."

Asked how he would try to beat Pacquiao if the opportunity presented himself, Berto replied to me with a few interesting concepts.

"I believe a lot of people, they're, I guess afraid of his speed and power; they don't really want to commit too much. I think the only way to beat Pacquiao is to not be afraid to come in and commit," Berto claimed.

"Everybody that really committed with him, you see Cotto when he fought him, the first round was good. Cotto touched him pretty good. He's not too hard to touch, but you just got to remember that he's coming back with some heat, and I think that kind of gets people out of the game. But you just got to be there to fight. You just can't take a shot and ball up the rest of the fight and call it quits. That's the type of guy you need to fight with. Like I said, if it were me, I'm going to fight fire with fire; a lot of speed a lot of power, and be smart as well- turning off angles and keep him off balanced a little bit."

Source: boxingscene.com

Pacquiao's performance against Marquez an Indication of readiness for Mayweather Jr?

By Vitali Shaposhnikov: The following paragraphs are not only meant to express my own opinion, but to ask yours as well. Since there have probably been more articles on Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao than any other dream fight in the history of boxing, facts along with wild speculations blend into one big mess, allowing very little room for unbiased thought.

The following question came up in a conversation I recently had with a boxing enthusiast at a local bar where I live: “What if Juan Manuel Marquez gives Pacquiao a run for his money in their upcoming bout, and the fight ends up being much closer than most believe, will that indicate that since Mayweather Jr. was able to easily dismantle Marquez in their fight, he will do the same to Pacquaio if they ever meet inside the ring?” This was a pretty good and valid question, to which unfortunately there are two completely opposite possible answers of yes and no.

The YES: Despite the fact that Marquez is a smarter fighter as well as more technical one in his fights, both Pacquiao and him have one big stylistic commonality: they are both offensive boxers. Marquez and Pacquiao love to come in and trade anywhere in the ring, moving back only to readjust and change up the angle before coming back inside. Both fighters rarely come in with a single punch in mind, instead making it worth their while with multiple punch combinations upstairs as well as to the body. This way of boxing is Pacquiao’s bread and butter, as I have never seen him fight a patient fight. Marquez, as far back as I can remember, has always been the same fighter, with the same plan and identical execution. His ring IQ made all the difference in the world, as his ability to adjust turned the tables quickly, leaving his opposition in abandonment of their own game plan. There were multiple reasons why Marquez looked like a struggling amateur against Mayweather Jr., but one of the most important ones was the fact that Mayweather can fight real well off the back foot (something that neither Marquez nor Pacquiao have mastered in their careers). Jumping in and throwing a barrage of punches will land anyone in trouble against Floyd, as he quickly steps back and fires unbelievably accurate counters. We know that Pacquiao is not afraid of being hit, and that he is capable of keeping constant pressure for the entire fight if needed. Exactly this might end up being his downfall. If Marquez can give Pacquaio any trouble, and Pacquaio fights the same fight against Floyd, the Pacman will be chasing a ghost the entire night.

The NO: Styles make fights, and it’s the job of a good coach to re-mold their fighter into a properly adjusted boxer focused on the right plan. We have seen many fighters look a certain way in a given fight, only to come back completely different in a rematch. Game plans are mostly built on what the opponent is capable of, and how to take advantage of their mistakes. If for example your opposition poses no threat to your chin in terms of their punching power, a coach is likely to instruct you to get inside and knock them out. But if they are powerful yet slow, you might want to fight a more careful patient fight, pecking at them through the rounds. In case of Pacquiao and Mayweather Jr., Freddie Roach is the key to the solution. Being a master tactician, he concocts an individualistic game plan for every fight, giving Pacquiao just the right advice to take full advantage of the other fighter’s mistakes. Juan’s and Floyd’s fighting styles are on the opposite ends of the spectrum, thus I would expect Roach to plan accordingly. I wouldn’t necessarily be surprised to see a more reserved Pacquiao, although I feel that this style would play more against him rather than for him in any fight. I have been wrong many times about if and how Pacquiao was going to win, so my expectations and predictions on this man are no longer as solid as I used to think they were.

What do you think? Does it matter how Pacquiao performs against Marquez, and do you see it as an indication of his ability against Mayweather Jr.?

eastsideboxing.com

Manny Pacquiao is fading as a fighter?

(ThyBlackMan.com) I honestly don’t know what’s happened to WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KO’s). I’ve never seen an athlete slow down as much as I’ve seen Manny Pacquiao slow down in the past two years. He’s gone from jumping around like a young rabbit to fighting like a heavyweight carrying 100 pounds of sand in his trunks.

Manny Pacquiao, 32, is no longer jumping around and has become a total plodder. Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez on November 12th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Marquez turns 38-years-old on August 23, which makes him another old guy that Pacquiao has faced in the past three years. Manny Pacquiao has fought 36-year-old Oscar De La Hoya, 39-year-old Shane Mosley and now 38-year-old Marquez.

That certainly gives Manny Pacquiao a big advantage when he’s matched up against fighters at or near the ends of their careers. However, I think Manny Pacquiao is going to be the older fighter in the Marquez bout. He’s 32 and soon to be 33, but fighting like a guy that is nearing 40. I don’t know what’s happened to Manny Pacquiao. Maybe it’s the power feeding they’re doing with him by having him eat 7000 calories a day during training camp. Whatever it is they need stop and try to rejuvenate him.

Believe me, Manny Pacquiao was far better before he started putting on weight and going overboard with the calories. But it could be just age rearing it’s ugly head and not the eating and or training. I’ve seen guys that when they turned 32, they looked and fought like a 40-year-old and vice versa.

Look at Tiger Woods. He’s only 35, but he’s totally lost it since two years ago. The reflexes seem to have gone and he’s playing terrible golf. I think we have the same thing with Manny Pacquiao. He’s just not the same fighter he once was, and I think Marquez is going to be the younger fighter November and cause a big upset.

Source: thyblackman.com

Jorge Linares will be Pacquiao's sparring partner!

MANILA, Philippines — Freddie Roach said everything is in place for the start of Manny Pacquiao’s eight-week training camp for the rubber match with Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12 in Las Vegas: Three weeks in the Philippines and five weeks in Los Angeles.

Roach told the Bulletin that the first day of training will be on Sept. 19 in Baguio City, the homebase of Team Pacquiao until Oct. 8.

“I was told we start on that date and just like in the (Shane) Mosley fight, we will return to LA for the final five weeks of training after three weeks in the Philippines,” Roach said.

Jorge Linares, the 25-year-old Venezuelan lightweight, will join Roach in the Philippines and will be Pacquiao’s main sparring partner during the duration of the Baguio buildup.

“I think he’ll be enough for the first three weeks,” said Roach, who has been working with the stone-fisted Linares the past several weeks at the Wild Card Boxing Club.

Linares is in the gym getting ready to face southpaw Antonio DeMarco of Mexico on Oct. 15 in Los Angeles for the vacant World Boxing Council lightweight title.

Pacquiao is an 8-1 favorite to repulse Marquez, who battled the Filipino to an all-action 12-round draw the first time they met in May 2004 and lost a hairline split decision in the rematch in March 2008.

The third fight will be at a catch weight of 145 lbs with Pacquiao’s World Boxing Organization welterweight crown on the line.

According to TV boxing analyst Moy Lainez, who was part of the original Team Pacquiao that guided the fighter’s career from the start, said he doesn’t see any controversies taking place in the third fight.

“Once Manny hits him and Marquez goes down, Marquez won’t get up,” said Lainez, who had Pacquiao as a visitor to his birthday last Aug. 3.

“He (Pacquiao) told me that he feels very strong at welterweight that’s why he is very confident of getting the job done and leaving no chance for another controversy,” said Lainez.

Soource: mb.com.ph

Erik Morales Advises Marquez: "Attack Pacquiao Early"

By Miguel Rivera

Former three division champion Erik "El Terrible" Morales is advising his Mexican rival, WBO/WBA lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez, to attack Manny Pacquiao in the early rounds of their fight. Marquez moves up to a catch-weight of 144-pounds to challenge Pacquiao for the WBO welterweight title on November 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Morales gives Marquez the edge in skills but says the size and power of Pacquiao will be hard to overcome if the pushes into the later rounds.

"[Pacquiao has improved a lot] due to his involvement for so many years in this profession, but his technique remains the same, dare I say, bad, so I think Juan Manuel Marquez has to take advantage of the early rounds, which is the time to hurt [Pacquiao] - because otherwise you can not do anything and your time [to hurt him] has already passed and also you are entering a weight division that is not your own," Morales said.

Source: boxingscene.com

Juan Manuel Marquez is still the same fighter according to Michael Koncz

MANILA, Philippines – Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez has not changed much as a boxer, and this will hurt him when he faces Manny Pacquiao, said Pacquiao's business adviser Michael Koncz.

"Marquez is the same fighter that he's always been," he said in Pacquiao's official website, MP8.ph.

Koncz said that although Marquez is a splendid ring tactician, the Mexican has not shown improvements as a fighter.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, has gotten better with each bout.

"Manny is a totally different fighter than he fought before… he's improved dramatically and all that," said Koncz.

Pacquiao vs Marquez have fought twice.

Their first bout in 2004 saw Pacquiao settling for a draw, despite knocking Marquez down thrice in the first round.

Pacquiao won a 2008 rematch via a split decision.

The third fight will take place on November 12.

Fight Hype.com cited sources that the rematch is officially a go as Pacquiao has finally signed the fight contract.

"Evidently, that issue was also sorted out and after Pacquiao put pen to paper yesterday (August 4), Michael Koncz promptly boarded an airplane to return to the United States with contract in hand," said the report.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Tight Schedule for Manny Pacquiao on the World Tour

MANILA, Philippines — Manny Pacquiao will be jumping in and out of airplanes when he goes on a tour of US and Mexico next month to promote his rubber match with Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12.

Reporting from Los Angeles, Mike Koncz said the foreign legs of the four-city press tour will be tight and Pacquiao and a few members of his camp will try to squeeze in visits to New York, Los Angeles and Mexico City in span of just four days.

The kickoff leg will begin in Manila on Sept. 3 and after another event the next day, Pacquiao will go to New York for a gig on Sept. 6.

"The only rest day will be Monday (Sept. 5)," said Koncz, who had met with Top Rank big boss Bob Arum earlier in the day.

Immediately after the New York press conference, Pacquiao will head West Coast for another round of promotional activities at the Beverly Hills Hotel and board a flight to Mexico City so he can fulfill a comitment to meet the media there the following day.

Then from Mexico City, Koncz said they'll take a private plane to Los Angeles after the press conference so they can catch the late-night Philippine Airlines flight to Manila.

"Manny needs to get back to Manila on Saturday morning because of a very important commitment," said Koncz.

The Quirino Grandstand will be the Manila venue, while the Chelsea Piers will host Pacquiao and Marquez in New York. The Mexico City leg will take place at the sprawling Zocalo, where numerous significant events in Mexico have taken place.

Pacquiao is expected to start training camp in mid-September in Baguio, while Marquez will jumpstart his at the Romanza Gym in Mexico City with frequent drives to the city of Toluca for high-altitude roadwork.

Pacquiao is an 8-1 favorite to retain his World Boxing Organization welterweight title despite the two close calls with Marquez in 2004 and 2008.

Source: mb.com.ph

Manny returns to HBO for Marquez trilogy fight

When Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, with encouragement from stepson and Top Rank president Todd duBoef, took pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao from HBO to rival Showtime for his May 7 pay-per-view fight against Shane Mosley, it was a shocking development in the business of boxing -- one that eventually led to the ouster of HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg last month.

Three weeks after Greenburg's forced resignation, Arum said Friday he had decided to bring Pacquiao back to HBO after several weeks spent analyzing proposals from HBO and Showtime, who were competing for Pacquiao's next fight.

The deal means HBO PPV, long the industry leader in big boxing events, will produce and distribute Pacquiao's welterweight title defense against fierce rival Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KOs), who is 1-0-1 against Marquez (53-5-1, 39 KOs) in a pair of unforgettable fights with controversial decisions, had fought all of his major fights either on HBO or HBO PPV until the Mosley bout.

HBO PPV also has the fall's other major event, the Sept. 17 return of Floyd Mayweather Jr. to face welterweight titlist Victor Ortiz.

"In boxing we talk about great fighters coming back after a loss. Well, HBO came back just like a great fighter," duBoef, a key architect of the deal, told ESPN.com. "They came back from being on the canvas. They made their adjustments and came back and won the fight. You have to give them a lot of credit."

Since Pacquiao's lopsided win against Mosley, HBO and Showtime were both after Pacquiao-Marquez III. "We're thrilled that Manny Pacquiao's Nov. 12 fight with Juan Manuel Marquez will be presented by HBO Pay-Per-View," HBO spokesman Ray Stallone said in a statement. "We look forward to working with Top Rank on this special event."

Showtime, of course, was disappointed with the decision, but taking it in stride.

"The Pacquiao-Mosley fight re-established Showtime as a major player in the pay-per-view arena and we look forward to future opportunities with Top Rank and the other promoters in boxing," Showtime spokesman Chris DeBlasio told ESPN.com. "Right now we remain focused on a huge slate of sports programming we have lined for the fall."

DuBoef said he personally notified HBO co-presidents Richard Plepler and Michael Lombardo by telephone on Friday afternoon to tell them Top Rank was accepting their proposal. He also said he made the call to Showtime Sports chief Ken Hershman to tell him about the decision.

"I'm absolutely sick. This has been a physically and mentally very grueling process," duBoef said. "But it's invigorating to see how two major media companies have used incredible resources and assets to show how much they want to be involved in a boxing match.

"Showtime was disappointed and I'm disappointed. You're disappointed when someone puts in a terrific proposal and then you have to tell them they're not good enough because someone came across with a better one, a more appealing map for this fight. It was a tough call to make, especially when you've built relationships. I felt it was appropriate to be truthful and up front with Ken. I couldn't sleep last night. I'm disappointed I had to leave somebody that I have a lot of respect for. The proposals (both networks) put together were fantastic. They were unprecedented. I've never seen anything like it. When you have that it is very difficult to make your decision. I wish both could have distributed the fight."

Arum took Pacquiao away from HBO in the first place because he was looking for a broader platform on which to promote Pacquiao, the Filipino icon and boxing's biggest global star. Arum had hoped he could convince Greenburg to bring in the numerous other platforms at the disposal of Time Warner, HBO's parent company, to help promote the event and boxing. But Greenburg, who resigned July 17 after more than 30 years at HBO, steadfastly refused to entertain the idea, causing Arum to look elsewhere.

He found a willing partner in Showtime, a sister network of CBS, which put its considerable resources behind marketing Pacquiao-Mosley. CBS aired numerous commercial spots during NCAA basketball tournament games and episodes of Showtime's "Fight Camp 360" reality series following the build up to the fight in primetime.

"One of the things that motivated me personally (to make the HBO deal) is the attitude of Plepler and Lombardo," Arum told ESPN.com. "I think they are extremely bright guys and have the same vision that we have to make boxing big-time again and a desire to elevate it on a world stage. With this deal, they brought to bear all the resources of the Time Warner empire.

"HBO can do only so much because of the limited audience it has. I can tell when people are extremely motivated and will put the time and effort in and to have them behind it and working with us on a day-to-day basis, along with the HBO staff, like (HBO PPV chief) Mark Taffet, it will be a home run."

Arum said the deal was for only one fight.

"We're not tying ourselves to anyone," he said. "Let's see how this goes. But I have very high hopes that it will be a blockbuster."

Arum said the goal is not only to do big pay-per-view numbers, but to bring boxing more into the mainstream. With Showtime and CBS marketing Pacquiao-Mosley, it generated about 1.3 million buys, according to Arum -- the most ever for a Pacquiao fight.

Besides the usual promotional tools HBO would typically use for a fight -- including the "24/7" reality series following the buildup, "Face Off With Max Kellerman" and replays of classic Pacquiao vs Marquez fights -- Arum said the fight would be promoted across Time Warner's numerous platforms, which includes television networks (such as HBO, TNT, TBS and CNN), magazines (Sports Illustrated and People) and the websites for those outlets. They will be heavily utilized, Arum said. Among the plans, according to Arum and duBoef:

• CNN will show replays of "24/7" episodes.
• Arum and Pacquiao will appear for a joint interview on Piers Morgan's primetime CNN show as well as be interviewed on CNN international programming.
• The fight will be promoted during TBS' coverage of the Major League Baseball playoffs.
• If the NBA lockout is lifted, the fight would also be promoted during TNT's basketball coverage.
• There will be daily coverage of fight-week activities on HBO, including the final news conference and weigh-in.

"Being on shows on CNN, to me, is elevating the sport to new levels," Arum said. "To have the fight discussed on programs that intellectual elites watch is good for the brand. Time Warner is also going to pull out all the stops on their sports programs on TNT and TBS."

Said duBoef: "The currency of these deals isn't about the dollars. It was the currency of who could get my product out to the most eyeballs. It was an analysis. I didn't just do it on a gut feeling. I went through this very strategically and we had it analyzed. At the end of the day, it was HBO, Time Warner who had a better deal across the board."

Initially, Arum said whichever company got the rights to Pacquiao-Marquez III would also get the Dec. 3 Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito rematch, another major fight. HBO PPV did their initial fight in 2008 while Showtime PPV did Cotto's win against Ricardo Mayorga in March.

Arum said he eventually changed his mind about making the two fights a package deal.

"Showtime still has a position on the Cotto fight because they did the last one, so Monday we'll start talking to them," Arum said. "When Todd and I had further discussions and we realized that it wasn't the most advantageous thing to do, to make a package deal. Showtime did such a great job for us on the last Pacquiao fight and it would be important and good for the sport for Showtime to stay involved in these major pay-per-view fights. So if Showtime meets certain proposals that we're going to make, and we get the support we need from them, then it behooves everybody to go with them. That way we keep more people and entities involved and it's great for the sport.

"I don't want to go back to the situation where there is one entity doing all the major pay-per-views and that entity does the same thing over and over and gets into this narrow box, which I felt the pay-per-views were in because they had been successful and we kept repeating the same thing over and over again. That is not a way to grow a sport. You grow it by being innovative and having competition and new ideas."

Source: espn

Todd Dubeof: No decision has been made regarding HBO or Show Time

Despite reports that Top Rank was basically packaging their November 12 and December 3 pay-per-view events, Steve Kim spoke to Top Rank President Todd duBoef, who denied that any such package deal was in place"No decision has been made regarding HBO or Show Time for Pacquiao vs Marquez"

The idea of packaging the two pay-per-view events (Pacquiao vs Marquez and Cotto vs Margarito) was an interesting one, as it would have required someone to, in all likelihood, overpay a bit for Cotto vs Margarito.

Kim also reported on Twitter that Top Rank is looking at October 15 for the rematch between Juan Manuel Lopez and Orlando Salido, but that's the date of HBO's PPV headlined by Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson. Whether or not Showtime would want to pay for a Salido vs Lopez fight when they're going to lose a big chunk of a potential audience to an HBO PPV is debatable, but it wouldn't be a shocking little risk to take. Hopkins vs Dawson is destined to bomb on PPV (where everyone agrees it doesn't belong, but it's a budget issue), but even still, that's a night currently occupied by big name fighters. The October 15 date would also prevent HBO from bidding on the Salido vs Lopez rematch, but they just might not have any money available for it anyway.

Pacquiao-Marquez Fight is hot topic in Vegas

MANILA, Philippines – Four months before the 3rd bout Pacquiao vs Marquez is set to take place, it is already the talk of the town in the boxing capital of the world – Las Vegas.

The fight, which will take place on November 12 in the MGM Grand Garden Arena, is creating a stir in Las Vegas, and everyone seems to have an opinion regarding the fight.

Richard Schaeffer, the chief executive office of Golden Boy Promotions, said that Pacman will once again beat "Dinamita" Marquez.

"Marquez will not win, Pacquiao will win," Schaeffer said. "Marquez always comes to fight. It's not gonna be easy for Pacquiao, but Pacquiao knows that it's gonna be a good fight."

International R&B pop singer Jay Sean also gives his nod to Pacquiao.

"Pacquiao is on top of his game," Sean said. "Everybody wants to see Amir (Khan) fight Pacquiao, but they both train with the same guy."

Sean also said that he will definitely watch the trilogy bout.

"I think he is an inspiration for so many people, and he is very, very entertaining to watch, so definitely I'm gonna be watching," Sean said.

Marquez' quest to fight Pacquiao for the 3rd time is raising eyebrows, as boxing people believe that the Mexican is seeking revenge for their previous bouts.

Pacquiao and Marquez have fought twice before with controversial results each time.

Pacquiao settled for a draw in their 1st meeting in 2004, despite knocking Marquez down 3 times in the 1st round.

In their 2008 rematch, Pacquiao once again knocked down Marquez in the 3rd round en route to a split decision win.

But Marquez' fortitude inside the ring is not the only thing that is drawing attention, but also his practice in drinking his own urine while training.

Boxing scribe Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports, however, is not a fan of Marquez' unique training practice.

"I talked to him about that before, and he said that he will (continue to drink his urine). He believes that it helps him, it does not!" Iole said.

"It's been proven by doctors that it does not. If he wants to do it, go ahead. His wife is probably not gonna kiss him in the morning," he added.

Iole also said that Marquez' practice will not affect at least one aspect of his upcoming fight with Pacquiao.

"He is gonna get punched in the face no matter what," Iole said.

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer, called Marquez' practice 'ridiculous.'

"This is ridiculous. It's a waste system. We have a waste system for a reason," Roach said. "Waste means we throw it away."

The upcoming fall will be a busy season for the boxing world. Aside from Pacquiao and Marquez' trilogy bout, Floyd Mayweather Jr is also going to make his ring return against ‘Vicious’ Victor Ortiz in September.

But aside from the competition inside the ring, there is also the question of which fight will bring in more box office and pay-per-view sales.

HBO may bag Pacquiao-Marquez bout

MANILA, Philippines – Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao’s 3rd bout against Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez may be broadcast by HBO, according to various reports.

Michael Marley of Examiner.com said Top Rank boss Bob Arum will confirm by Wednesday or Thursday whether HBO will present the trilogy bout between Pacquiao and Marquez.

Pacquiao's last bout, a unanimous decision victory over Shane Mosley, was shown in Showtime. Despite being criticized as a 'boring' fight, it earned Pacquiao the highest pay-per-view numbers of his career.

Marley cites a source who said that Top Rank has gone back to HBO.

"They've gone back to HBO, nothing against Showtime, because for the trilogy bout with Marquez, HBO has come up with a superior offer," the source told Marley.

But Top Ranks public relations officer Lee Samuels told BoxingScene.com that no official decision has been made.

Samuels said that Arum and Top Rank President Todd duBoef are still reviewing the offers of both HBO and Showtime.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Pacman favors new show over Marquez fight buildup

MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao wants the press tour for his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez cut short.

“Sana ikilian na lang nila (I hope they cut it short),” said the Filipino pound-for-pound champion the other day.

The reason, he said, is because he wants to be back in the country for his live hosting of his new pet: a game show on TV.

The press tour for the Nov. 12 fight, promoter Bob Arum said, starts on Sept. 3 at the historic Araneta Coliseum.

Up next are stops in New York, Los Angeles and Mexico City. Already scratched from the original plan are stops in London and another Asian country.

Pacquiao’s newest game show, “Manny, Many Prizes,” is aired live on GMA-7 on Saturdays.

“We’ll be at the Araneta Coliseum in the morning and then I can host my show in the evening. Then we leave the following morning for New York,” he said.

For the Shane Mosley fight last May, the press tour took both fighters to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York and Washington, where the Filipino icon got the chance to meet President Barack Obama at the White House.


If Pacquiao insists, Arum will have to pull the strings to take the show to New York, LA and Mexico City in just five days.


Source: philstar.com

HBO or Showtime? Decision imminent?

Top Rank boss Bob Arum announced earlier this week that he has received the formal bid from Showtime to air the November 12th Pacquiao vs. Marquez III pay per view fight.

After reviewing Showtime's bid along with HBO's, an announcement of which network will air the fight is expected from Arum in the next few days. He told The Ring:

"We received Showtime's offer today,"

"We will review it and analyze it and make a decision probably within the next week."

Despite personal preferences from many fans, there is currently no favorite as to which will land the event although the recent shake up at HBO could well play a part in Arum's decision.

Arum claimed prior to Mosley vs. Pacquiao that part of the reason for taking his business elsewhere initially was down to the deteriorating relationship he had with HBO top brass.

Former HBO sports president Ross Greenburg is now gone however, and many believe current vice president Kery Davis will be soon to follow him out the door.

No replacement has been named as of yet for Greenburg and because of existing contracts and obligations, holding off on a new president seems a prudent move.

Any replacement for Greenburg named now would have little influence over bouts already scheduled for the rest of the year, and as such Arum dealing directly with the HBO bosses rather than the sports department is probably a good move.

That being the case Pacquiao vs. Marquez III could still go either way, and will likely come down to which network can help them sell the most pay per views.


Source: examiner.com

Manny Blasted Marquez "He’s got nothing different, nothing new"

Pacquiao said he watched the one round knockout of Likar Ramos by Juan Manuel Marquez whom he fights in a much-awaited trilogy on November 12 said “I know what his strengths are and I know what his strategy is. He’s got nothing different, nothing new.”

In contrast Pacquiao said “I am different now compared to the last time we fought. He has to train hard and of course I will also train hard so we can give fans a good fight.”

The “Fighter of the Decade” who has won eight world titles in eight different weight divisions said he plans to start his training in the Philippines “for the first month and the last month in the US” at the Wild Card Gym of trainer Freddie Roach.

He disclosed that Marquez is scheduled to arrive in Manila on September 3 to kickoff the media tour at the Luneta Grandstand of the Rizal Park followed by a press conference.

Pacquiao at the same time commended newly crowned WBO flyweight champion Brian Viloria saying “he did his best to win the fight and showed us a good fight.However, he seemed to tire out in the last few rounds which meant he was short on stamina. But he did well in that fight. He needs to practice in making boxing easier that what we think.”

He said that while boxing “is so hard and so difficult, there is a way to make that easier. When you have a fight you have to study the style of your opponent and when you train you apply the strategy you are going to use against your opponent while training in the gym.

Source: philboxing.com

Terrible miscalculation

If WBC lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez’s decision was to face Colombian southpaw Likar Ramos in a tuneup fight instead of former champion David Diaz, he made a terrible miscalculation.

Most fight fans, including ourselves, expected the fight to last at least six rounds so Marquez could have gotten rid of any ring rust and perfected his timing and counterpunching prowess in preparation for his trilogy with pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas on Nov. 12.

But the Colombian patsy caught one right straight and went down and remained on the canvas as though he was truly hurt (See story below).

No doubt he was, but watching the fight on ABC 5 immediately raised the question of whether Ramos merely decided to stay down, collect his purse and go home to Colombia.

* * *

There were even insinuations that it was a fix but that isn’t fair to Marquez or even to Ramos.

If ever there was a “fix,” it was in the choice of Ramos who, in February 2010, had been knocked out in the seventh round by lanky Jorge Solis, who himself was bludgeoned by a half-trained Pacquiao some years ago.

If the intention of Marquez was actually to get a mere gym-type workout and to score what seemed like an impressive victory to try and use it as a psychological ploy against Pacquiao and to scare the “Fighter of the Decade,” he’s got to be out of his mind.

Nobody scares Pacquiao as he has proven on so many occasions in the past.

As his strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza pointed out in a conversation we had with him after the fight, kids normally have no fear, that’s why they are unafraid to climb trees and do difficult things. But when they grow older, the fear factor sneaks in.

As Ariza emphasized, Pacquiao never had any fear, not as a kid and not now. It’s impossible to even try to scare him.

* * *

However, if it’s designed to build the inner confidence of Marquez, who will have to move up to fight Pacquiao at the catch weight of 144 pounds, it may help. Once he steps into the ring, though, we believe his confidence will dissipate as Manny catches him with devastating punches.

The knockout may add a little in terms of interest in the fight, as far as Mexican and Marquez diehards are concerned, but the knowledgeable boxing fans won’t bite.
What this all means is that either way, Marquez’ tuneup fight or his effort to try and scare Pacquiao or at least make him wary—if that was the intention in fighting a far less skilled boxer who looked more like a small-time club fighter—has failed. But, we must give Marquez credit for his effort.

Source: inquirer.net

Did Ramos take a dive against Marquez?

MANILA, Philippines – Boxing analysts and writers are questioning Juan Manuel Marquez' knockout victory over Likar Ramos last Sunday in Mexico.

Marquez had scored a first round knockout victory over Ramos in his tune-up bout for pound-for-pound king Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao.

But moments after the knockout, ESPN's boxing analyst, Dan Rafael, posted on Twitter: "Gotta be honest, that did NOT look like a knockout punch that would do such damage. Just did not look that bad."

Rafael also criticized how Ramos had seemingly braced himself for the fall after taking the punch from Marquez.

"Who stumbles like that and then goes out cold? Seriously?" he tweeted.

"It was almost like Ramos squeezed his eyes shut. When guys get KO’d COLD like he seemed to be it's because they hit their head. He didn't," Rafael added.

Rafael implied that Ramos had simply taken a dive when he tweeted: "A knockdown on that punch? Sure. Even a KO? Maybe. But out cold, didnt hit head, NO movement, eyes shut tightly? NO WAY."

Other writers also expressed their doubt over the knockout.

"It was a good clean punch, but the acting afterward was better," said Brad Cooney of 8countnews.com.

"Ramos fell backward and braced himself for the fall. He braced himself for the fall and once on the floor he then decided to go to sleep? Looked a little suspect to this writer," Cooney added.

Another writer from 8countnews.com said that Ramos' acting job spoiled the integrity of boxing.

"Ramos could have been one of the greatest 'spoilers' of the year if he had impressed against Marquez, instead it looks like the only thing that got spoiled was the integrity of boxing once again, undermining some of the truly great fights that did occur," wrote Darren Barcomb.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao - Marquez Trilogy Tickets on Sale this Friday

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions and MGM Grand, tickets to Pacquiao-Marquez III, priced at $1,200, $900, $600, $400, and $200, go on sale this Friday, July 22, at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT. Ticket sales at $1,200, $900, $600 and $400 are limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $200 are limited to two (2) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.