Pacquiao captures WBA super welterweight crown after split decision over Thurman

LAS VEGAS — Manny Pacquiao knocked down Keith Thurman in the first round and persevered for an exciting split-decision victory Saturday night, adding a third straight win to his career resurgence after turning 40 years old.

Pacquiao (62-7-2) dropped his previously unbeaten opponent with a combination late in the first round, and the Pac-Man dominated the opening rounds with a combination of flair and power that recalled the incredible prime of the only eight-division champion in boxing history.

Thurman (29-1) showed remarkable tenacity in rallying through the middle rounds, repeatedly testing Pacquiao’s chin with big shots. Neither fighter managed another knockdown, but they pushed relentlessly in front of a sellout crowd at the MGM Grand Garden that repeatedly chanted the Filipino senator’s name from the moment he reached the ring.

“It was fun,” Pacquiao said. “My opponent is a good fighter and boxer. He was strong. … I think he did his best, and I did my best. I think we made the fans happy tonight because it was a good fight.”

Two judges scored the bout 115-112 for Pacquiao, while Glenn Feldman scored it 114-113 for Thurman. The Associated Press also scored it 115-112 for Pacquiao.

Pacquiao appeared to be declining as recently as two years ago, when he lost a listless decision to Jeff Horn. But while his political career flourished, Pacquiao returned to the ring a year ago and put together solid back-to-back victories over Lucas Matthysse and Adrien Broner.

Thurman represented another major step up in competition to rejoin the welterweight elite — and Pacquiao bolted out of the gate to show he was worthy of this matchup between two fighters who owned versions of the WBA welterweight title.

Both fighters started quickly with a series of good-looking exchanges, but Pacquiao changed the bout in an instant. He moved forward to land a left to the body and a right hook that sent Thurman to the canvas with 25 seconds left in the first round.

Thurman got up comfortably while the ecstatic crowd roared, but Pacquiao kept up his superior work for the next two rounds, repeatedly rocking Thurman with a variety of shots. Even when Thurman put together a solid fifth round, he was stunned several times in the final minute and left with blood on his face.

But Thurman gathered himself and soundly beat Pacquiao through the middle rounds, forcing Pacquiao to show off his durable chin. Pacquiao reversed the momentum in the 10th with a series of big shots, including a punch to the body that sent Thurman stumbling away in obvious pain.

Both fighters pushed to the final bell and embraced.

“I knew it was close,” Thurman said. “He had the momentum because he got the knockdown in Round 1. … I wish I had a little bit more output to go toe to toe. My conditioning, my output was just behind Manny Pacquiao’s tonight. Tonight was a blessing and a lesson.”

Thurman called for a rematch, and the crowd vocally approved.

Nearly 25 years after a 16-year-old Pacquiao stepped onto the scales for his pro debut with rocks in his pockets just to make the 105-pound minimum weight, the 40-year-old politician showed he could have several years left in his day job.

Thurman had been eager to retire Pacquiao, but he couldn’t hurt the ageless wonder.

Thurman has held a version of the WBA 147-pound title for six years, but he had fought just once since March 2017, when he edged Danny Garcia to earn two welterweight belts. He sat out the next 22 months with injuries, and he looked rusty and tentative at times in his comeback victory over Josesito Lopez last January.

But Thurman embraced his guaranteed $2.5 million payday and the chance to take on Pacquiao, and he pumped up the promotion with a series of bold statements about Pacquiao’s age, ability and motivation. He even managed to irk the normally placid Pacquiao, who acknowledged that even his mother hadn’t liked Thurman’s trash talk.

Before the bout, Floyd Mayweather got into the ring before the bout to wish both fighters good luck. The retired superstar watched intently from the crowd in the same arena where he beat an injured Pacquiao four years ago. Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, has said he hopes Mayweather will come out of rematch for a rematch with Pacquiao.

On the undercard, Cuban welterweight Yordenis Ugás battered previously unbeaten Omar Figueroa Jr. for a decision victory featuring three identical 119-107 scorecards. Caleb Plant also defended his IBF super middleweight title with a dominant third-round stoppage of previously unbeaten Mike Lee.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Stats don’t lie: Manny Pacquiao dominates Adrien Broner in punches

MANILA, Philippines—Adrien Broner may have felt he won a lopsided fight and oppose the judges’ ruling, but he can’t ever argue with numbers.

Punch stats showed that Manny Pacquiao dominated in every category making Broner a human punching bag during their fight for the WBA World welterweight title at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.


The numbers showed that Pacquiao landed 112 of his 568 punches while Broner, who backpedaled and defended for most of the fight, connected on 50 while throwing a total of 295.

Pacquiao’s power punches stat line of 82-of-197 dwarfs Broner’s 39-of-180 in the same category and the American’s total punches.

The Filipino icon earned the nod of all three judges. Dave Moretti had it 117-11 while Glenn Feldman and Tim Cheatham both scored it 116-112.

Broner argued that Pacquiao “was missing” and that he had more clean hits. Well, numbers don’t think so.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Manny Pacquiao goes hard in sparring as training rolls on for Broner fight

MANILA, Philippines—Manny Pacquiao isn’t slowing down on his preparations for his title defense against American Adrien Broner.

Boxing’s only eight-division World champion schooled three of his sparring mates on Saturday at Wild Card Boxing Gym—the house where he built his legacy with former head trainer Freddie Roach.


Pacquiao (60-7-2) sparred for a combined 10 rounds against Arnold Gonzalez, Lydell Rhodes, and George Kambosos Jr.

Gonzalez, who suffered a bloodied nose, and Rhodes went three rounds each with Pacquiao, while Kambosos, who owns a 15-0 professional record, fought for four.

Pacquiao, 40, will defend his WBA World welterweight title against Broner (33-3-1), who is 11 years his junior, on January 19 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

This will be the first title defense for Pacquiao of his welterweight championship that he took via seventh round technical knockout from Lucas Matthysse on July 15 in Malaysia.

And if Pacquiao’s been steamrolling in his preparation, Broner hasn’t had the same path after he was arrested days before Christmas for a driving-related case.

Broner, who was quickly released, hasn’t won a fight in almost two years after his split decision win against Adrian Granados in a non-title fight in February of 2017.

The American’s last two fights ended in a loss to Mikey Garcia and a draw with Jessie Vargas.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Golden Knights continue healing process for Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS — With the city reeling from the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland delivered an emotional 58-second speech last October that continues to echo through Las Vegas today.

Engelland’s address came days after the Oct. 1 massacre during a pregame ceremony honoring victims and first responders. It ended with the reassurances: “We’ll do everything we can to help you and our city heal. We are Vegas strong.”


As the one-year anniversary of the massacre on the Las Vegas Strip that left 58 dead approaches, Vegas’ beloved NHL team remains very much a part of the healing process, true to Engelland’s words.

“Anything like that happens, you definitely want to keep helping the process of the healing,” Engelland said following a recent preseason game as the Knights prepared for their second season. “I think last year was a good stepping stone and I think we can still do more this year.”

The Golden Knights, who became a rallying point for many residents after the shooting, will make their way around town Monday, with several players and team personnel visiting command and dispatch centers for police and other first responders and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority for a blood drive.

“Being from here, you want to do as much as you can for the community you call home,” Engelland said. “I think every guy in this room wants to do what they can for Las Vegas. A lot of guys are going to be calling this home for a long time. We got a lot of great leaders in here that step up and do a lot of good things. We just try to help each other out and do whatever we can for the community.”

Lifelong Vegas resident Tina Cartwright, who was at the outdoor concert when the gunman opened fire from a room in the Mandalay Bay casino-resort, said it took a long time for her to attend a crowded event after the shooting, during which she remembers running her life. It was a Golden Knights game that brought her back to enjoying her social life.

“They gave me hope, because I didn’t want to go out in crowds and put myself in that position where I wasn’t close to an exit,” said Cartwright, 47. “I didn’t want to go out right away, so they were an immediate part of the healing process. I have friends who still won’t go to concerts or big gatherings, and I think the longer you wait it can be detrimental. They just gave us something to look forward to in times that were dark.”

Knights newcomer Max Pacioretty was with the Montreal Canadiens last season but said he remembers the shooting vividly. He said it was tough to watch on television. But he said watching the Knights from afar as they helped with the recovery process helped him see how special the team had become to the community.

They had become much more than the town’s first major sports franchise, and much more than a team embarking on an inaugural campaign that would end in the Stanley Cup Final.

“It’s something I feel that this community will never forget, and it’s a big reason why there’s such good chemistry between the fans and the city and this team,” Pacioretty said. “I feel as if people didn’t really know what to expect, what type of people and human beings hockey players are in a general spectrum. But I think they learned real quick. As soon as they knew that they were going to have to help this community overcome what they were going through, you saw them step up to the occasion right away.”

During each home game last season, the Golden Knights recognized the Vegas Strong Hero of the Game, a first responder or citizen who risked his or her own life during the shooting to aid others. Engelland would talk to those heroes after the games.

In September, Engelland and his family announced the Vegas Born Heroes Foundation. The mission of the foundation is to publicly recognize and reward charities and community members who consistently and selflessly help others to benefit the city.

“It’s been an honor to honor those people who sacrificed their lives or made it out of there,” Engelland said. “We still talk to a lot of them here and there. We wanted to start our foundation and kind of branch a little bit away from that but not completely. Those first responders, we wanted to grow it and make it the heroes around Las Vegas that do the little things that might go unnoticed.”

Unnoticed, until now.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Crawford dominates Horn to seize WBO welterweight world title

Unbeaten Terence Crawford punished Jeff Horn en route to a ninth-round technical knockout on Saturday to seize the Australian’s World Boxing Organization welterweight world title.

America’s Crawford, the former undisputed super lightweight world title holder, outclassed the Aussie who was defending the title he won in a huge upset of Manny Pacquiao in July of last year in Brisbane.

Horn defended the belt with a technical knockout of Gary Corcoran in December, but he was dominated by Crawford all the way at the Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.



Crawford, who improved to 33-0 with 24 knockouts, battered Horn for eight rounds, knocking him down in the ninth with a flurry of blows.

Horn beat the count, but Crawford unleashed another barrage and referee Robert Byrd called a halt at 2:33 of the round.

With the win Crawford claimed a world title in a third weight division.

He defeated Julius Indongo last August to become the undisputed super lightweight world champion.

A former WBO lightweight world champ, Crawford made the move up to welterweight in impressive fashion.

He won every round and was never really hurt by Horn, who fell to 18-1 with one draw and 12 knockouts.

A vocal Australian contingent among the crowd of 8,112 lustily backed Horn, but he was in trouble from the start as Crawford caught him with a hard left just seconds in.

Crawford, using his speed and his ability to switch stances to good effect, landed almost at will, Horn absorbing the punishment without finding a way to answer.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Top takeaways from 2018 Consumer Electronics Show

LAS VEGAS — The 2018 Consumer Electronics Show, which concluded Friday in Las Vegas, drew some 4,000 exhibitors from dozens of countries and more than 170,000 attendees, showcased some of the latest from the technology world

Here are highlights from the show:

Artificial intelligence battle

The duel between Amazon and Google for supremacy in artificial intelligence played out at the show. Amazon pushed its “Alexa Everywhere” strategy bringing its digital assistant to eyewear, wristwatches, televisions and even a toilet.

Not to be outdone, Google counterattacked with deals of its own, and with a massive ad campaign including a two-story “Google Assistant Playground” complete with a spiral slide from the roof to the pavement.

The rival virtual assistants were part of a larger trend to “smart” homes and cites where door locks, lights, security systems, traffic, and more are commanded or coordinated with the help of internet connections and machine brains.

Compassionate robots

Tech developers began moving beyond artificial intelligence to “emotional intelligence” and empathy with robots that can recognize people and their feelings, and respond in a more human manner.

Those on display included a ping pong-playing robot from Japan’s Omron Automation which adapts its game to its opponent by reading body language. SoftBank robot Pepper entertained guests in a private suite adjacent to the show.

Revving up car tech

More players began gunning for Tesla with premium electric cars, including Chinese startup Byton and a revamped startup led by designer Henrik Fisker.

The show included a large presence from automakers and showed a commitment to advancing self-driving cars.

South Korea’s Hyundai showed its new Nexo vehicle, betting on fuel cell technology, while Toyota unveiled a concept of an autonomous box for ridesharing and retail service.

Beyond the car

Even as car tech was on display, industry players sought to showcase alternative transport options. These included a self-driving motorcycle from Yamaha, and a range of electric bicycles, scooters, and hoverboards.

“We are seeing with personal mobility that some people like to skate; some people like to scoot, and some people like to ride,” Swagtron chief operating officer Andrew Koven said as he unveiled a line of rideable gadgets.

Let’s get medical

The tech world took a deep dive into the medical field, using virtual reality and sensors for health and medical applications.

Exhibitors showed how tracking and sensors used in self-driving cars can help keep the elderly from wandering off or determining distress. Other devices offered new ways to deal with stress and pain, or predict the onset of disease.

Medical professionals at a CES conference discussed how new pain management techniques such as virtual reality could help address the opioid addiction crisis.

Virtual reality headsets have been used to take people’s minds off pain by immersing them in soothing environments. VR programs have also eased trauma by letting patients work through troubling experiences.

Sensors and the cloud

Sensors, cloud computing and artificial intelligence are becoming so ubiquitous and affordable that they are popping up in tech items tailored for pets, babies, seniors, new moms and other niche categories.

From wearable breast pumps to hip air bags triggered when people fall, and dog or cat doors that open automatically for pets, internet age innovations are reaching into the farthest corner of everyday life.

On the lighter side

Streaming television powerhouse Netflix played with people’s minds with a booth for a fictitious company named Psychasec that offered replacement bodies in a promise of immortality.

It turned out to be a promotion for a coming Netflix show titled “Altered Carbon,” set to debut in February.

Other offbeat items at the event included self-driving suitcases which follow its owners through airports and navigate around obstacles.

Outside the official show, robotic pole-dancers made their Las Vegas debut at a nightclub, with the artist who created the devices seeking to make a point about technology, surveillance and voyeurism in today’s society.

The show was marked by a rain and flooding in usually dry Las Vegas, and a power outage in the main convention hall.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Las Vegas rings in 2018 under unprecedented security

LAS VEGAS — Las Vegas welcomed 2018 with fireworks, big-ticket musical acts and unprecedented security in the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. modern history just three months ago.

Law enforcement officers kept a close eye Monday on the estimated 330,000 people who traveled from all over the U.S. and beyond to pack in the Las Vegas Strip and downtown’s Fremont Street. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department had every officer working throughout the weekend and was aided by the Nevada National Guard and federal agents.

Rosy-cheeked visitors took selfies and livestreamed the celebration amid temperatures in the mid-40s (4 Celsius), much warmer than most of the U.S. They wore glittery hats, tiaras and other 2018-themed paraphernalia as they hugged and cheered on the new year.

“One bad incident is not going to deter us from having a good time,” Honolulu resident Pettra Stark, who planned her trip after the Oct. 1 shooting, said while standing underneath the massive video canopy on Fremont Street.

For Stark, the heavy presence of armed officers was reassuring. But not everyone felt the same way, including Adrian Dominguez, who traveled for the festivities with 10 other relatives.

“It’s not pleasant to see so many officers,” Dominguez, a resident of the northern Mexico border city of Ciudad Juarez. “They are everywhere.”

The heightened security comes after a high-stakes gambler killed 58 and injured hundreds more after he shattered the windows of his suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino on the Strip and unleashed gunfire on a country music festival below before killing himself.

On Saturday, two security guards were fatally shot while investigating a disturbance at Arizona Charlie’s Decatur, a hotel-casino just west of the Strip. Police said the suspect was hospitalized with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities described it as an isolated incident and assured that it was not terrorism-related.

A roughly eight-minute fireworks display at the top of seven of the city’s world-famous casino-hotels started at the Stratosphere 10 seconds before midnight Monday and continued to Venetian, Treasure Island, Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood, Aria and MGM Grand. More than 80,000 pyrotechnic firings that illuminated the sky in gold, red and green. 

Megastars performed at venues up and down the Strip. The Foo Fighters played at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan, Maroon 5 was at the Mandalay Bay Events Center and Britney Spears performed at The Axis at Planet Hollywood.

At a lower-key celebration in downtown Las Vegas’ casino-flanked Fremont Street Experience, bands played under a massive video canopy while visitors danced and sipped giant beers.

Las Vegas police officer Larry Hadfield on Monday said there were no incidents related to the festivities to speak of. The Nevada Highway Patrol on Twitter reported the arrest of two suspected impaired drivers near the Strip.

Police cruisers, dump trucks and other large vehicles blocked key intersections during the night to try to prevent anyone from plowing into crowds.

Strollers, backpacks, large bags, coolers and glass bottles were banned from the Strip for the night. Ticket holders for the celebration on Freemont Street Experienced went through checkpoints where security guards used hand-held metal detectors.

New Year’s Eve is worth an estimated $254.3 million to Las Vegas, according to the city’s Convention and Visitors Authority. More than 97 percent of the destination’s nearly 149,000 hotel and motel rooms were expected to be booked.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

South Africa is the new Miss Universe

South Africa's Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters is Miss Universe 2017!

French beauty queen Iris Mittenaere turned over her crown to Demi-Leigh on Monday morning at The AXIS Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, United States.

 The 22-year-old beauty queen ended the 39-year title drought of South Africa.

Demi-Leigh is only the second South African to take home the crown after Margaret Gardiner (1978).

Demi-Leigh is a graduate of Business Management at North West University. Her passion is to train women in self-defense.

Miss Colombia is first runner-up, while Miss Jamaica is second runner-up.

Miss Philippines Rachel Peters bowed out early, failing to make it to the Final Five.


Congratulations! — Jannielyn Ann Bigtas/LA, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Shooting on Las Vegas Strip kills 20, wounds more than 100

LAS VEGAS – A gunman on the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas Strip casino opened fire on an outdoor music festival, killing at least 20 people — including two off-duty police officers — and wounding more than 100, officials said early Monday.

Country music star Jason Aldean was performing when the shots began ringing out Sunday night at the Route 91 Harvest Festival.

Officers confronted the suspect on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino across the street from the concert, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said. Authorities say the man died. Police did not release the suspect’s name but said he was a local resident.

Concert-goers reported hearing what they described as automatic gun fire during the shooting.

Lombardo said they believe this was a “lone wolf” attack but said they were looking for a roommate of the dead suspect as a person of interest.

The two slain off-duty officers were attending the concert, Lombardo said. An on-duty officer was in critical condition and another was wounded, Lombardo said.

Several officers from California were attending the music festival. A Bakersfield police officer was shot and taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Hours after the shooting, Aldean posted on Instagram that he and his crew were safe and said the shooting was “beyond horrific.”

Kodiak Yazzie, 36, said he and his girlfriend were watching Aldean’s performance when he heard what sounded like fireworks. The music stopped temporarily and started up again before another round of pops sent the performers ducking for cover and fleeing the stage.

Thousands fled as bursts of gunfire could be heard for more than five minutes, Yazzie said.

Jose Baggett, 31, a Las Vegas resident, said he and a friend were in the lobby of the Luxor hotel-casino — directly north of the festival — when people began running. He said people were crying and as he and his friend walked away, they encountered police checkpoints where officers were carrying shotguns and assault rifles.

“There were armored personnel vehicles, SWAT vehicles, ambulances, and at least a half-mile of police cars,” Baggett said.

Witnesses said they saw multiple victims and dozens of ambulances near the concert venue. Some attendees later huddled in the basement of the nearby Tropicana hotel-casino.

Authorities shut down part of the Las Vegas Strip and Interstate 15. Flights were temporarily halted at McCarran International Airport because of the shooting, the airport said on its verified Twitter account.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Fighting is family affair for Golovkin

Gennady Golovkin has travelled the globe winning boxing matches in 22 cities and seven different countries to earn his Las Vegas debut on Saturday.

The 35-year-old Golovkin has waited years for the arrival of this career-defining superfight against Mexico’s biggest star Canelo Alvarez.

It is also the three-belt champion’s first fight in Las Vegas and it fittingly comes against the toughest opponent he has ever faced in a career which has been defined by a steady jab and explosive knockout power.

“The biggest day is coming,” Golovkin said. “This is my game. My fight, I am the boss. I am the champion.”

That was a mouthful from Golovkin. All week long during the build up to Saturday’s fight at the T-Mobile Arena for middleweight supremacy, the reserved Golovkin has said he prefers doing his talking in the ring.

When reporters asked him on Wednesday about the birth of his second child, which happened last Friday, he said, “Please don’t ask me about my family. I am just focused on boxing.”

His boxing career started in his native Kazakhstan. Growing up in a family of four boys, if he wasn’t scrapping with his brothers at home he was fighting much older and bigger kids in the streets.

He had his first professional fight in 2006 at age 24 after a superb amateur career which included a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics. His fought in Germany and Denmark before joining forces with trainer Abel Sanchez who taught him how to maximize his strengths.

Sanchez and Golovkin teamed up for fights in Panama, Kazakhstan, Germany and Ukraine before Golovkin made his US debut in 2012.

Golovkin’s twin brother, Max, said Gennady is a very private person.

“Nobody knows about it because camp is always closed,” Max Golovkin said. “No one knows how dedicated and focused and concentrated he is.”

Max knows Gennady better than anyone. They had an older brother, Vadim, who helped introduce them to the sport and another brother, Sergey, who took time to work with them as well.

Two brothers died

Tragically both brothers were killed in separate incidents during Russian government service.

The funeral for Vadim, who died first, was held with an empty casket. The family is still trying to find out the details of what happened.

Gennady named his first child, a boy, Vadim.

Max is also on Gennady’s mind when he fights. The family didn’t have much money so when Gennady turned 18 he was the one they picked to pursue a boxing career.

“They chose Gennady should continue his career,” Max said.

When you consider Gennady’s difficult journey to the pinnacle of his profession it is easy to see why he insists on taking nothing for granted.

They say styles make fights and this one has the ingredients to be the start of a special rivalry.

Alvarez insisted on a rematch clause for the fight which some are hoping is the beginning of boxing’s newest trilogy series like Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera and Micky Ward and Arturo Gatti.

Golovkin says he’s willing to take on all comers and can’t wait to get into the ring with Canelo, comparing the excitement to being with a new lover.

“It is like you are going with your new girlfriend. Oh yeah,” he said.

source: sports.inquirer.net

50-0: Floyd Mayweather stops Conor McGregor in 10th round

LAS VEGAS — Floyd Mayweather Jr. figured out a 50th opponent, letting Conor McGregor have the early rounds before stalking him late and leaving the mixed martial artist defenseless and exhausted on the ropes.

Mayweather battered McGregor around the ring in the later rounds, finally stopping him at 1:05 of the 10th round Saturday night with a flurry of punches that forced referee Robert Byrd to stop the fight.

Before a pro-McGregor crowd that roared every time the UFC star landed a punch, Mayweather methodically broke him down after a slow start to score his first real stoppage in nearly a decade. He did it in what he said would be his final fight, against a fighter who had never been in a professional boxing match.

McGregor boxed surprisingly well early. But after landing some shots in the first three rounds, his punches seemed to lose their steam, and Mayweather went on the pursuit. McGregor backpedaled most of the way, stopping only to throw an occasional flurry as Mayweather wore him down.

“I think we gave the fans what they wanted to see,” Mayweather said. “I owed them for the (Manny) Pacquiao fight.”

McGregor had vowed to knock Mayweather out within two rounds, and he won the early rounds with movement and punches to the head. But the tide of the fight turned in the fourth round as Mayweather seemed to figure out what he had to do and began aggressively stalking McGregor.

“I turned him into a Mexican tonight,” McGregor said. “He fought like a Mexican.”

In a fight so intriguing that it cost $10,000 for ringside seats, McGregor turned in a respectable performance for someone in his first fight. But Mayweather’s experience and his ring savvy paid off as he executed his game plan to perfection.

“Our game plan was to take our time, go to him and take him out in the end,” Mayweather said. “I guaranteed everybody this fight wouldn’t go the distance.”

Mayweather was widely criticized for not going after Pacquiao in their megafight, and he didn’t make the same mistake this time. In a fight that could make him $200 million he seemed to stagger McGregor with a series of punches in the ninth round, then came back in the 10th eager to finish it off.

McGregor went over and hugged Mayweather. He seemed almost happy in the ring afterward, secure that he had given a good performance even in losing.

“I was a little fatigued,” he said. “He was composed in there, that’s what 50 pro fights can give you.”

Mayweather ran his record to 50-0, surpassing Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record and giving himself a great parting gift. He repeated afterward that he was not going to fight again.

“This is my last fight for sure. 50-0 sounds good, I’m looking forward to going into the Hall of Fame,” Mayweather said. “I picked the best dance partner to do it with.”

Irish fans arrived by the thousands in the days before the fight, filling the arena for the weigh-in and boisterously cheering for their man. They even went off in the middle of the night and spray painted an Irish flag and “49-1” on a billboard on Interstate 15 promoting Mayweather’s businesses.

The capacity crowd at the arena cheered McGregor on, but they quieted as the fight progressed and Mayweather showed his dominance.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Mayweather, McGregor ready to rumble in much-hyped fight

LAS VEGAS — Conor McGregor has been kept pretty much under wraps ever since his fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. was announced, emerging occasionally to trash Mayweather only to disappear again behind the closed doors of the UFC training center.


It’s not by accident. The biggest selling point of the spectacle that is Saturday night’s 154-pound fight is the unknown.

Is McGregor good enough to land a big punch on Mayweather? Did he acquire enough boxing skills in just a few short months to make what should be a lopsided fight competitive?

Inquiring minds want to know, and there are enough of them to make this the most watched fight in history. Some 50 million people in the U.S. alone are expected to gather with friends and family to see it all unfold.

“I will be the king of both sports,” McGregor crowed. “I’m already the king of fighting, I’ll soon be the king of boxing.”

Not so fast, said Mayweather, who comes from a boxing family and famously began throwing punches before he could walk.

“After 21 years I’ve been hit with everything and I’m still right here,” Mayweather said. “If you give it you must be able to take it.”

It’s a fight that really makes no sense other than millions of people want to watch it. But the economics of the fight wouldn’t make any sense, either, if people saw McGregor — the UFC star who has never boxed professionally — in action and decided he just wasn’t good enough to be in the ring with a fighter like Mayweather.

No mystique, no 5 million buys on Showtime pay-per-view. That’s why there was never any chance of McGregor having a tuneup fight.

And that is why the only boxing anyone outside McGregor’s inner circle has seen was him hitting the heavy bag in a comical media day performance and a few seconds of a UFC clip purportedly showing him knocking down Showtime announcer and former fighter Paulie Malignaggi.

No worries, said McGregor, who says his boxing talents shouldn’t be underestimated.

“I’ve been lacing up the gloves my entire existence,” McGregor said. “Of course, we will come with a different approach than people are used to, we will paint many pictures inside the ring. It’s not going to end well for Floyd. It’s not going to end well for all the people who are doubting me and are so convinced that this is what it is.”

McGregor weighed in at 153 pounds Friday to 149 ½ for Mayweather. A crowd that nearly filled the T-Mobile arena — many waving Irish flags — cheered loudly for McGregor while booing Mayweather.

McGregor’s fan base is driving this fight, united in their fervent hope that the Irish UFC champion can muscle Mayweather around the ring and deliver knockout punches to his head. Sports books in this gambling city have taken so many longshot wagers on McGregor winning by a knockout early that they will suffer their worst loss ever should it actually happen.

What should be a 100-1 fight began as 11-1 in Mayweather’s favor. Now it’s 5-1, though a lot of big money — including a few million dollar bets — has been wagered on Mayweather in recent days.

“I don’t see him lasting two rounds,” McGregor said. “He messed up with the 8-ounce gloves. Keep your hands up, keep them down. I don’t care. I’m going to break through whatever is in front of me.”

For the flamboyant McGregor the fight is a chance to make money he couldn’t dream of in the UFC and gain a fan base outside of mixed martial arts. Estimates vary, but he could take home $100 million for a challenge of Mayweather that seemed improbable when he first started talking about it two years ago.

He’s got youth on his side (he’s 29 and Mayweather is 40), and he’ll probably go in the ring much heavier than Mayweather after rehydrating following Friday’s weigh-in. He’s also got a reputation as a big puncher and the prevailing wisdom is he’ll try to maul Mayweather much like Marcos Maidana did in their 2014 fight.

Other than that, everything favors Mayweather.

He’s unbeaten in 49 fights as a pro and has a chance to pass Rocky Marciano on the perfect record list with win No. 50. Not only has he beaten every fighter put in front of him but he’s found ways to deal with big punchers like Miguel Cotto, Diego Corrales and Canelo Alvarez.

He’s also a pure boxer with an innate ability to adapt to any fighter put in front of him.

Mayweather is so confident of his chances that he’s spent much of the week before his fight having meet-and-greets in the early morning hours at the strip club he owns not far from the T-Mobile arena where they will fight.

Though he’s made hundreds of millions in the ring, Mayweather has a tax lien of $22 million to the IRS, so the lure of $200 million to come out of a two-year retirement and face a novice boxer was great. But he said this will be definitely be his last fight, and he wants to go out with a dominating performance.

“I gave my word to my children and once I did that it came to an end,” Mayweather said. “What better way to go out than with a bang.”

The fight is expected to match or surpass the 4.6 million pay-per-views sold for Mayweather’s 2015 fight with Manny Pacquiao at $99.95 a household. Industry observers say people across the country will use the telecast as an excuse to party in tense times and 10 people could watch each pay-per-view.

Tickets in the arena haven’t done nearly as well, largely because promoters wildly overestimated what people would pay to watch in person. Ringside seats were $10,000 and nosebleed tickets started at $2,500, though prices have been dropping rapidly as the fight approaches.

source: sports.inquirer.net

McGregor must get rough and creative to upset Mayweather

LAS VEGAS — Just 20 months ago, a former plumber from Dublin fought a fearsome superstar who hadn’t lost in a decade. Conor McGregor talked his way into a big-money showdown, but he had to back up his boasts against Jose Aldo, one of the greatest fighters in his sport.

McGregor finished the UFC featherweight champion in 13 seconds with one devastating left hand.

Floyd Mayweather presents an entirely different challenge when McGregor steps in the Vegas ring Saturday night. In his professional boxing debut, McGregor must figure out how to beat Mayweather at his own game — something the best boxers in the world have never done.

McGregor is a massive underdog, and deservedly so. But stop pretending the improbable doesn’t happen in combat sports, particularly when the self-proclaimed Mystic Mac is involved.

To declare McGregor can’t possibly win this fight displays more arrogance than, say, spending every night at a strip club the week beforehand, as Mayweather is currently doing.

Of course the hard-hitting Irishman has a chance — and there are several tactics he could employ to pull the biggest upset in boxing history.

“The people who don’t believe it don’t know anything about fighting,” said UFC President Dana White, who admittedly has a slight bias here. “This isn’t going to be a boxing match. This is going to be a fight.”

It’s also a fight between a 29-year-old southpaw in his prime and a 40 1/2-year-old veteran who hasn’t fought in nearly two years and doesn’t particularly want to be here, as he acknowledged repeatedly Wednesday. Mayweather isn’t the fighter he once was, and his competitive fire is dwarfed by his need for the mammoth paycheck from this endeavor.

But how does an MMA fighter with no competitive boxing experience since childhood take on a 21-year pro veteran with world championships in five divisions and arguably the most brilliant defensive skills in the history of the sport?

He gets in Mayweather’s face, both before and during the fight.

He charges forward from the opening bell and forces Mayweather to think defensively all night.

He throws hundreds of punches from every angle with the goal of setting up the vicious left hand that has turned out the lights on MMA opponents.

And if none of that is successful, McGregor could bend the Marquess of Queensberry rules to their breaking point in hopes of goading Mayweather into a brawl.

None of it is guaranteed to work. But it’s definitely worth a shot.

Looking back at Mayweather’s history is a daunting task, given his 49-0 record, but it contains clues for tactics that could magnify McGregor’s chances.

For instance, McGregor could amplify the strategy used by Marcos Maidana and Jose Luis Castillo. Both boxers pressed Mayweather constantly, using roughhouse tactics on the border of legality, and bombarded Mayweather with punches, many from unorthodox angles.

Mayweather won both fights, but definitely looked uncomfortable for long stretches. McGregor doesn’t have the hand speed of those professional boxers, but he should strive to emulate their urgency.

He should also attempt to show Mayweather things he’s never seen before in the ring, and his decision not to hire a boxing trainer for the bout might actually help in that regard. The UFC star should switch stances and try just about any punch, including the looping overhand shots rarely seen in high-level boxing matches because they’re easily countered, but common in MMA bouts because of the distance they create from the opponent.

If McGregor gets hit, so be it. Every punch absorbed is the price for a chance to reply.

McGregor believes Mayweather made a mistake by agreeing to fight in 8-ounce gloves instead of the typical 10-ounce pillows, but he shouldn’t rely solely on the unicorn one-punch knockout. While McGregor has definite power, only the biggest Mac homer would think it’s something Mayweather hasn’t seen from boxers — and Mayweather has shown a solid chin and excellent recovery skills on the few occasions he has been hit.

Instead, the key is to use that energy to get in a good position to unload the left hand or a combination through Mayweather’s shifty defense. McGregor could repeatedly tie up Mayweather and attempt to land shots in the clinch.

These things could all unsettle Mayweather, who typically doesn’t face trouble unless he takes a voluntary risk by moving into dangerous areas to throw combinations, or getting angry and brawling a bit.

And therein is another potential route for McGregor. Call it the Aldo Strategy: If he can get Mayweather feeling both confident and angry, there’s a chance Mayweather will let down his defense enough to attempt to finish McGregor in brute style — and maybe McGregor will have an opening.

Mayweather hasn’t seemed interested in McGregor’s typical trash talk during the buildup to the fight, but perhaps he could waver the champion’s focus with the wrong word, an errant elbow or a rabbit punch behind the head — enough to draw a warning, but not lose a point.

McGregor amplified his boasts this week, calling Mayweather “a broken man” and vowing to finish him within two rounds. Nobody knows whether McGregor actually believes his bluster, but the Irishman has defiantly vowed he will win.

It’s not probable. But with McGregor, anything is possible.

source: sports.inquirer.net

50 million could watch Mayweather-McGregor in the US alone

LAS VEGAS — Conor McGregor’s improbable challenge of Floyd Mayweather Jr. could be seen by a staggering 50 million people in the United States as fans and the curious gather in small and large parties.

The fight Saturday night threatens the pay-per-view revenue record set by Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao two years ago and could dwarf it in viewership as people use the event as a reason to have friends and family over for a little escapism and controlled violence.

“It’s a cultural event that crosses all demographics and all social and economic factors,” said Mark Taffet, who formerly ran pay-per-view for HBO. “People are getting together to have a great time and we surely need an excuse to have a great time.”

Taffet said that while an average of 5-6 people normally watches a pay-per-view, he wouldn’t be surprised if the fight averages 10 people a household. If it sells 5 million pay-per-views as widely anticipated, the fight could be watched by nearly one in six Americans.

The fight will also be seen by millions more worldwide, with promoters claiming it will be available either online or on a TV screen to more than 1 billion homes in 200 different countries.

“If you are in Manhattan or you are on a desert island somewhere, if you have Wi-Fi, you can buy this fight,” promoter Dana White said.

Each pay-per-view sale means more money in the wallets of both fighters. Though estimates vary widely, Mayweather is expected to make some $200 million, while McGregor will likely pocket at least $100 million.

Though ticket sales have been slow in Las Vegas — largely because of astronomical prices — the fight is shaping up as must-see TV at a price of $99.95. People are expected to buy the fight in record numbers, with many sharing the cost of the telecast with friends and family they invite over.

Taffet said people will treat it much like a Super Bowl by getting together in larger numbers than usual.

“I think this is first and foremost a television event,” said Taffet, who oversaw 190 pay-per-views in his career at HBO. “The success of this fight in the financial record books of history will be made on pay-per-view. And I believe it’s going to deliver.”

Industry observers say it’s hard to judge how many homes will buy a pay-per-view until the day of the fight many times, as people often buy late. But the anecdotal evidence — primarily the chatter on social media — indicates a good likelihood of it smashing the 4.6 million record of pay-per-view sales set by the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight.

That’s largely because the matchup will likely cross over from being just a sporting event to a party night.

“We have definitely seen massive general market interest in addition to the sports fan,” said Stephen Espinoza, who heads sports for Showtime, which will televise the fight. “These general market viewers are often not part of the audience for even the biggest combat sports event. So the ceiling is pretty high.”

Espinoza said the very nature of the fight — a matchup between a UFC star who has never boxed as a pro against one of the greatest fighters of his time — will drive the pay-per-view sales.

“We believe this is an unprecedented event, quite frankly no one knows what to expect,” he said. “The element of these two outspoken personalities in one unprecedented event is compelling.”

An early indication of interest in the fight is the massive betting both in Nevada and in other places where it is legal. Bookmakers say it will be the biggest bet fight ever, with an overwhelming number of the early tickets on McGregor to pull an upset.

Still, there are plenty of tickets left in the arena itself, where prices originally ranged from $2,500 in the upper sections to $10,000 at ringside. Ticket prices have been dropping in the resale market — with some available for less than $1,300 on Tuesday — and are expected to decline more in the days before the fight.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Mayweather warns of hefty fine if McGregor kicks him in their fight

It’s just over a week away from one of the most anticipated bouts in boxing, as undefeated fighter Floyd Mayweather Jr. returns to the ring to face off UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor.

The former is known to be the ultimate boxing tactician, while the latter is a complete mixed martial artist, adept in using both his arms and legs in combat.

In a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Mayweather was asked what would happen if his opponent decides to throw a kick or any other MMA technique during their 12-round boxing showdown on Aug. 26.

“That’s a fine, that’s a huge fine,” he told host Jimmy Kimmel.

“I don’t think he’d want to lose, probably 90 percent of his money or even more. I don’t know what it’s gonna be, but it’s gonna be a heavy fine,” he added.

Although it remains highly unlikely that McGregor would throw such a blatant illegal strike, the brash Irishman is known to be as unpredictable as it comes.

Aside from the probability of receiving a high kick, Kimmel also asked the 40-year-old boxing icon about the possibility of a second fight, this time inside the Octagon under MMA rules.

“As of right now, we gotta get past August 26,” Mayweather said. “Once we get past August 26, then we can talk about other things.”

A clip of Mayweather’s full interview is available.  /ra

source: sports.inquirer.net

McGregor vows fast finish against Mayweather

Los Angeles, United States —Conor McGregor believes he will knock out Floyd Mayweather inside two rounds but is ready for all scenarios when the two fighters clash in their eagerly anticipated superfight next week.

Irish mixed martial arts star McGregor told reporters on a conference call on Wednesday that a controversial switch to lighter gloves could lead to an explosive outcome in the August 26 showdown in Las Vegas.

McGregor, who is widely seen as a massive underdog against undefeated former welterweight king Mayweather, predicted an early finish to the fight.

“Particularly with the eight-ounce gloves, I don’t believe he makes it out of the second round,” said McGregor, nevertheless expressing the hope that the fight would last longer.

“I don’t want people saying ‘Oh, it was a lucky punch’ and all that. Part of me is hoping maybe he can last so I can show some skill and dismantle him that way.

“But I do not see him absorbing the blows in the first few rounds.”

The charismatic 29-year-old said a grueling training camp has taken him to “hell and back” and left him ready to face any kind of scenario inside the ring at the T-Mobile Arena.

“There is no way in hell that I’m not ready to fight in the deepest of trenches in this contest,” McGregor said.

“We are ready for both scenarios. I’m ready to go to war for 12 rounds and I’m ready to put him away early on.”

Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White also believes the gloves switch could shape the outcome of the fight.

‘Hits like a truck’


The move is widely seen as benefiting both fighters — Mayweather’s fast hands could be quicker with lighter gloves, while McGregor will be able to make his punching power more keenly felt, provided he can land a blow on his American opponent.

“I think it affects the contest a lot,” White said when asked if McGregor would be helped by the change.

“Yes, Floyd will be faster with eight-ounce gloves but he’s more defensive. Conor hits like a truck, so smaller gloves helps him big time. I think it absolutely does.”

McGregor and Mayweather will climb into the ring following an international publicity tour last month marked by expletive-laden tirades and trash-talking.

McGregor, who was criticized for addressing Mayweather as “boy” during one event, dismissed suggestions that there was a racially tinged dimension to the duel.

“For me, it’s athlete versus athlete,” McGregor said. “I’m disappointed to hear the way it’s being portrayed. All I can do is stay focused on my craft and go out and put a performance for my fans.”

McGregor, meanwhile, said he has used disparagement by the boxing community as motivation.

“It has certainly been motivating, the disrespect and the disregard for my skill set,” McGregor said.

“I look at people so many times and their mind is closed to how things can be done. It’s a set way and there is no other way. Well, if that was the case we would have never reached across the oceans in search of other lands. We would never have gone into space.

“You have to have an open mind and you got to realize that there are other ways. Fighting is a complex game. But I’m just looking forward to August 26 and proving what I’m saying and educating the world of what martial arts is.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Drake wins record 13 Billboard Music awards

LAS VEGAS — Rapper Drake grabbed a record 13 wins at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday, eclipsing Adele's previous record of 12 awards in 2012.

"I want to say, hold tight Adele, because when a new thing drops you'll be back to get the record back," the Canadian recording artist said in accepting one of his awards at the star-studded event held in Las Vegas.

Drake, who also won top artist, top male artist and top rap album for "Views", later posed for photographers surrounded by his microphone-shaped trophies.

The three-hour show -- hosted by hip-hop artist Ludacris and former High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgins -- included performances by Miley Cyrus, the Chainsmokers, Nicki Minaj and Imagine Dragons.

Beyonce and Twenty One Pilots each took five awards, although they were absent from the ceremony. The Chainsmokers earned four, including top collaboration and top hot 100 song for "Closer" with Halsey.

Blake Shelton took home the award for top country artist, and top country song went to Florida Georgia Line.

Justin Timberlake's "Can't Stop the Feeling" won top selling song and top radio song.

The Icon Award for achievement in music went to Cher, 71, who gave a heartfelt speech after performing two of her biggest hits -- "Believe" and "If I Could Turn Back Time".

"I want to thank my mom because when I was really young, my mom said 'You're not going to be the smartest. You're not going to be the prettiest. You're not going to be the most talented, but you're going to be special,'" Cher said.

Canadian singer Celine Dion delivered an emotional performance of her award-winning song "My Heart Will Go On" from the soundtrack of the movie "Titanic" to mark 20 years since its release.

Dion, who was Billboard's Icon last year, lost her husband and former manager Rene Angelil to cancer in 2016. —Reuters

Roof of Bellagio mall burns near iconic fountains in Vegas

LAS VEGAS — Flames ripped across the roof of the Bellagio’s shops and restaurants on the Las Vegas Strip as tourists watched the nighttime fire reflected in the iconic fountain show at the hotel-casino, authorities said Friday.

No injuries were reported in the late Thursday blaze, which didn’t reach inside the Via Bellagio mall, Assistant Clark County Fire Chief Larry Haydu said. Damage was limited to the roof.

Gusty winds fanned the flames, forcing employees to evacuate tony stores such as Tiffany & Co. and Chanel. Pedestrian bridges to Bally’s and Caesars Palace closed, and busy Las Vegas Boulevard was shut down.

Operations were not interrupted in the posh Bellagio casino or the 36-story hotel with nearly 4,000 rooms, said Yvette Monet, spokeswoman for owner MGM Resorts International.

She said the shops were either closed or closing at the time of the fire.

Investigators were trying to determine what sparked the fire, which burned what appeared to be foam building material, Haydu said. No construction was going on in the area, hotel officials said.

Haydu said the 77 firefighters who fought the blaze had trouble reaching the roof of the shopping complex, which also features celebrity restaurants such as Todd English’s Olives and Lago by Julian Serrano.

It wasn’t immediately clear if the building material was the same type that burned in a January 2008 fire atop the Monte Carlo hotel-casino a few blocks away, Haydu said.

That fire was sparked by welders on the roof and forced the evacuation about 6,000 guests and employees and caused more than $100 million in damage and lost business at the 3,000-room resort.

Investigators found an improper type of resin had been used in two decorative elements near the top of the 32-story hotel, which caused the fire to spread faster than expected along the roof and facade. Some upper-floor rooms received water and smoke damage.

* * *

Associated Press writer Sally Ho contributed to this report.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Pacquiao victorious in fight vs Vargas with Mayweather watching

LAS VEGAS—Manny Pacquiao put on a masterful performance to take the WBO World welterweight title from champion Jessie Vargas Sunday (Manila time).

Floyd Mayweather Jr. stopped by to see an old foe, and Pacquiao tried his best to give him a show.

With Mayweather watching intently from a ringside seat, Pacquiao dropped Jessie Vargas in the second round and bloodied his face Saturday night on his way to a lopsided decision that gave him a piece of the welterweight title once again.

Pacquiao won on all three ringside scorecards — 118-109, 118-109 114-113 — to take the piece of the title Vargas won in his last fight. The AP scored it 119-109.

It was vintage Pacquiao at times, even though he couldn’t stop Vargas like he desperately wanted to. And with Mayweather at ringside it certainly will stir talk of a second fight between the boxers who went at it last year in the richest fight ever.

That, of course, would depend on Mayweather coming out of retirement and Pacquiao being able to fight while still attending to his duties as a senator in the Philippines. Mayweather did not answer questions about a possible return to the ring shouted at him by writers at ringside.

“I came to take my daughter to the fights,” Mayweather said, with his daughter sitting next to him.

Just before the bell rang to start the fight, Pacquiao smiled and waved a fist at Mayweather. He then came out aggressive, trying to walk down Vargas and make it a short night.

But Pacquiao, who has not knocked out an opponent in seven years, wasn’t going to stop the younger Vargas in his hometown. Vargas had difficulty dealing with Pacquiao’s speed, but was more than willing to trade punches to try and lure him into a brawl.

In the eighth round he succeeded at doing that, hitting Pacquiao with a big right and punching his gloves together as if to tell him to stand and fight. Pacquiao went right back after him and they traded punches before staring at each other when the bell sounded to end the round.

Vargas was cut over the right eye by an accidental clash of heads in the eighth, and blood trickled into his eye but it didn’t seem to be a factor.

The taller Vargas landed some good right hands of his own, but they were infrequent and he rarely followed up on them. Still, they were enough to keep Pacquiao away at times and offset some of his advantage with speed.

Vargas fell again in the last round but it was ruled as a slip with 10 seconds left in the fight.

Mayweather took a ringside seat alongside his daughter to watch the man who helped make him untold millions when they fought in 2015. Mayweather won that fight, and Pacquiao’s performance was largely panned, though he claimed to have an injured shoulder.

Pacquiao acknowledged Mayweather after his in-ring interview with a smile as Money made his way out of the arena.

Pacquiao, fighting in his 22nd title fight in a pro career that stretches back to 1995, trained at night in the Philippines in the weeks leading up to the fight so he could tend to his day job as a newly elected senator. With the senate out of session, he was back in a more familiar place, with a crowd of some 16,132 nearly filling the UNLV campus arena to watch him take on Vargas, who was in only his second title bout.

Pacquiao, who earned a reported $100 million to fight Mayweather in the richest fight ever, was guaranteed $4 million plus a percentage of the revenue of the fight. Vargas got $2.8 million. With reports from Bong Lozada/INQUIRER.net

source: sports.inquirer.net

UFC: McGregor will return to FW after Diaz bout, Dana White says

Reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight champion Conor McGregor (19-3) has has yet to step inside the octagon for his rematch with Nate Diaz, but Dana White has already laid out the plans for his next fight.

According to the UFC president, the Irish sensation will make his return at 145 lbs, regardless of the outcome of his upcoming fight at UFC 202 in Las Vegas on Aug. 20.


“I fully expect Conor to come back and defend his 145-pound title,” White officially confirmed in a report on UFC.com.


“The Notorious” has been a hot commodity for fighters looking for a hefty payday in recent months, including recently crowned UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez (28-4), who also expressed his desire to have a crack at the victor of the UFC 202 main event.

“I know Nate Diaz is fighting Conor McGregor and I would like to try and get the winner of that fight,” Alvarez was quoted as saying in the report. “Hopefully somebody comes out on top there and they sign on the dotted line.”

Although there has yet to be an announcement on his possible opponent, longtime featherweight champion Jose Aldo (26-2) is believed to be the next in line for McGregor, after his hard-fought five-round victory against perennial contender Frankie Edgar.

White, meanwhile, hyped the McGregor-Diaz rematch as potentially the biggest in UFC history, and expects it to be just as good, if not better, than the first fight.

“If you look at how big Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather was and how big Diaz-McGregor 1 was – Diaz-McGregor delivered,” White said. “That fight delivered on all the hype and all the excitement and energy, and this one will, too.”

The 47-year-old UFC head honcho further explained his high hopes for the highly anticipated bout, which Diaz won in the second round with a rear-naked choke.

“Just stylistically and the way these guys fight, it’s impossible for Diaz-McGregor not to be a ridiculous fight,” White told UFC.com. “If you look at the first fight, Conor was absolutely just dominating and then gassed out. Diaz took every ounce of punishment and then as soon as he saw Conor started to slow down and was tired, he jumped right on him. It’s everything you love as a fight fan,” he added.

Aside from McGregor’s future, the UFC President also shed light on the current UFC Welterweight title picture, as reigning champion Tyron Woodley requested to be matched against the reportedly returning George St. Pierre  or Nate Diaz’ older brother and main event staple, Nick Diaz.

“I think that Nate feels his brother should have the fight at 170, but Nick is not going to come back and fight for the title right away,” White said.

“There are other guys deserving of a title shot. Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson is going to fight for the 170-pound title and then we’ll see what happens with Nick and Nate.”  Khristian Ibarrola

source: sports.inquirer.net