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

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

Conor McGregor a no-show, and off of UFC 200

LAS VEGAS — Conor McGregor’s seat was vacant, and so now is his spot headlining the big UFC 200 card this summer.

The Irish fighter was a no-show at a press conference Friday promoting the card, and UFC President Dana White said he would not meet Nate Diaz in a rematch on top of the July 9 card in Las Vegas.

“You have to show up to promote the fight,” White said. “It’s part of the job. It’s what we do here.”

Not to be outdone, McGregor tweeted that he respected the fact other fighters traveled to the press conference “but not everyone up there made the company ($)400 million the last 8 months.”

The dispute over promotional duties means UFC’s biggest card of the year will be without McGregor, the wildly popular fighter who lost to Diaz last month in a major upset. Diaz indicated he might not fight, either, though White said he was looking for an opponent for him.

“If it doesn’t happen I’m going on vacation,” Diaz said.

White left a seat on the dais vacant at a press conference at the MGM Grand, though McGregor made it clear earlier this week that he wouldn’t be attending. McGregor posted on Facebook that he couldn’t afford the time he would need to leave his training camp in Iceland for a series of promotional appearances for the card.

But White noted the fight was nearly three months away, and that UFC is spending $10 million to promote the card and needed McGregor to participate in the promotion.

“People (other fighters on the card) came from Poland and Brazil. Is that fair?” White asked. “It sets a bad precedent. These guys came in from all over the world and they’re here.”

McGregor had asked for a quick rematch with Diaz, after moving up in weight to lose to him in a fight he dominated early. The two signed contracts, but McGregor disrupted plans when he refused to travel to Las Vegas from Iceland to promote the bout.

White said he is not angry with McGregor and expects him to fight again, just not on the landmark UFC 200 card that will be held at the new T-Mobile arena on the Las Vegas Strip. He said McGregor could fight the winner of the bout between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar, which is on the UFC 200 card.

Also on the card is Miesha Tate, who upset Holly Holm last month and will meet Brazil’s Amanda Nunes. White said it is also possible that light heavyweight Jon Jones could meet Daniel Cormier on the card if Jones wins his fight Saturday against Ovince Saint Preux.

McGregor is the biggest pay-per-view attraction the UFC has, but White said the card will have plenty of attractive fights. He said he understands fans want to see McGregor on UFC 200, but that he had to take a stand.

“It’s an unpopular decision, but it’s the right decision,” White said.

The press conference took place before the weigh-in for UFC 197, which features Jones vs. Saint Preux for the light heavyweight title and Demetrious Johnson against Henry Cejudo in a flyweight title bout.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Pacquiao beats Bradley via unanimous decision in ‘last fight’

LAS VEGAS–Manny Pacquiao hammered out a unanimous decision over Timothy Bradley Jr. Saturday night (Sunday, Manila time) at the MGM Grand here then acknowledged an emotional farewell from a crowd that was bent on sending its hero into the sunset with a roar of appreciation.

All three judges scored it 116-110 for Pacquiao, who scored two knockdowns en route to the decision.

“Every round, I was looking for a knockout but Bradley was too tough,” Pacquiao said after the match.

Pacquiao’s lefts landed in such a frequency that didn’t allow Bradley to do much except for the start and end of the match.

With a minute to go before the end of the 12th, the crowd at the Garden Arena suddenly gave a standing ovation despite a seeming lull in the action, as if to bid farewell to a hero.

“Thank you to all the fans of boxing. I really appreciate all your love and support to this industry,” Pacquiao said when asked for a final message to the fans, who roared back in approval. With a report from Mark Giongco

source: sports.inquirer.net

Pacquiao-Bradley: What to expect

LAS VEGAS—The continued reinvention of Timothy Bradley Jr. has forged under a veil of mystery, thus making it hard for experts to come up with cheat sheets on what to expect when he fights Manny Pacquiao for the third time Saturday at MGM Grand here.

It didn’t help, too, that Freddie Roach kept Pacquiao’s sparring sessions under wraps until the final day of training at Wild Card gym.

So most of the guesswork in a fight preview will rely on past bouts of the two and some of the clues provided by interviews with the trainers and glimpses of open workouts.

Manny Pacquiao expects the third fight to have a lot of fistic fireworks if only for the pronouncements coming out of Team Bradley that trainer Teddy Atlas has reshaped the American’s offense.

“There’s going to be more action in the ring because Bradley has a new trainer in Teddy and Teddy made some new strategy for this fight,” Pacquiao said.

While Atlas has only provided verbal clues as to what that strategy is, Pacquiao and Roach don’t want to take long to find out during the match. Roach’s key adjustment for the third fight is to get Pacquiao going earlier than usual.

“We want to shorten the feeling out stage,” Roach said.

That means Pacquiao is going to put his vaunted footwork to use early on and hope that whatever leg or foot problems he’s had in the past—and he’s had quite a lot—remains there.

Roach admitted that Bradley is the better inside fighter and an improved offense under Atlas might give the American more confidence to step inside the pocket and turn to his tireless punching to try and chip at Pacquiao’s defenses.

“Manny, I think, is better working on the outside,” said Roach. Pacquiao’s foot feints and side-to-side movement helps him work from outside going in.

But Atlas has said he will take a page or two out of the playbook of both Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez.

“It makes sense because those are the two guys that gave him some problems,” said Atlas. Mayweather avoided the hurt by staying out of the pocket as much as he could so Bradley will probably try to step inside, deliver blows and then move out before Pacquiao can react.

Atlas is also hoping that Bradley can constantly decode Pacquiao’s movements inside the ring so that he can decipher when the Filipino ring icon will make his move and turn into some sort of an active and aggressive counterpuncher like the Mexican warrior Marquez.

Marquez timed Pacquiao’s foot movements perfectly when the Pacman tried to set up his jab-straight killer in the final moments of round six in their fourth fight last December, 2012 and caught Pacquiao with a looping right hand that switched off the lights for a resounding knockout victory.

Atlas wants Bradley to achieve that level of foresight.

“[Bradley] already knows what the end result is, that is [Pacquiao] coming forward with just a bushel of punches and, again, that explosiveness,” said the TV analyst. “But before that there’s some warning; there’s something there, some delay before that happens.”

Both fighters also tend to lower their guard a bit. When not leaving his midsection open coming in, Bradley has the tendency to drop his left hand a lot and that could bring Pacquiao’s right hook into play.

When going for a blitz, Pacquiao has been known to be prone to the overhand right, a shot Marquez has expertly landed—sometimes at will—against Pacquiao. Also, that chin is sometimes open as he works his way inside with foot movement-fueled misdirection, leaving the eight-division champion sometimes open to a hybrid looping right counter.

However, Bradley has never been a big puncher and Roach knows that.

“Tim Bradley is not a big puncher. He’s a little bit slow and he’s never hurt Manny. He’s not a power puncher at all.”

This might embolden Roach and Pacquiao to unload in volumes without worrying much about counters. Bradley will have to really work his jab to keep that from happening. Otherwise, he might be reduced to backing out of exchanges and end up being the same Bradley as in the first two bouts.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Mayweather farewell fizzles at box office

Hundreds of tickets were still available Friday less than 24 hours before Floyd Mayweather's welterweight world title defense, an embarrassing blow to the champion for what he says will be his last fight.

It is in stark contrast to the feverish anticipation for May's showdown with Manny Pacquiao, when all seats at the MGM Grand were snapped up in mere minutes.

Mayweather has attempted to drum up interest in Saturday's bout at the same venue in Las Vegas by declaring challenger Andre Berto -- rated by many pundits as a massive underdog -- a genuine threat.

Berto's respected trainer, Virgil Hunter, has talked up "personal issues" between the two fighters.

But it would appear that the paying public are not buying it.

The lukewarm interest from fight fans will be particularly galling for Mayweather, 38, because victory over Berto would put him equal with heavy legend Rocky Marciano with a perfect 49-0 record.

Ticketmaster was still offering several hundred tickets for between $150 and $1,500 late Friday and its website showed whole rows lying empty. —Agence France-Presse

source: gmanetwork.com

How Pacquiao can beat Mayweather, according to Juan Manuel Marquez

 

Juan Manuel Marquez has been in four wars with Manny Pacquiao, so he knows better than anyone what the Filipino fight icon is capable of inside the ring.

 

The proud Mexican champion has also fought against Floyd Mayweather, giving Marquez a unique perspective about the upcoming mega-fight on May 2 in Las Vegas.

 

And unlike most observers, Marquez sees Mayweather struggling with Pacquiao.

 

"Floyd Mayweather isn’t really used to fighting with southpaws," Marquez said on the Mexican show Golpe Y Golpe. 

 

Marquez detailed how Pacquiao can break through Mayweather's vaunted defense.

 

"We know how Floyd Mayweather uses his shoulder roll, so with an orthodox fighter he can dodge many of those shots and wait for openings in his opponents than counter. Manny Pacquiao on his part has to use his speed, and lateral movement and in turn do not give Mayweather any space or minimal space to make him uncomfortable on that very stance," said Marquez.

 

The Mexico City native also took note what punches Pacquiao could use to bother Mayweather.

 

"The right hook will be key as a lefty for Manny Pacquiao.  can set it up by using a left jab to the body and following it up with a hook from the outside and repeating a double hook and he can finish it off with a straight left. The repetition will be key in landing those combinations and Pacquiao has to change it up for Floyd not to adapt," said Marquez, adding that Mayweather's boxing IQ makes the brash American formidable.

 

"He sets traps and throws nice uppercuts from long distance, and he will use that reach advantage to do so. He will follow that up with counter rights and straight lefts from range because of that advantage." —JST, GMA News

 

source: gmanetwork.com

Pacquiao has chance if he could slip through Mayweather’s defense – ESPN

Veteran ESPN commentator Teddy Atlas has picked Floyd Mayweather Jr. to win over Manny Pacquiao in the much-anticipated superfight scheduled on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Atlas said in a video that Mayweather has the size advantage as the bigger fighter, standing an inch taller and having a longer reach than the smaller and lighter Pacquiao.

Pacman's knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012 also adds a psychological upper-hand to the unbeaten pound-for-pound king, according to the former boxing trainer.

"The edge goes to Mr. Mayweather, the Money man," he said. "He is the better defensive fighter, the guy that will take advantage of reckless aggression of Pacquiao."

Atlas, however, said that Pacman still has a chance if he could slip through the American boxer's seemingly impenetrable defense, which won him 47 fights in his professional career.

"Pacquiao needs to understand that sometimes Mayweather gets intoxicated with his defense," he said. "He starts slipping and sliding a little too much sometimes and allows you to get into him."

Still, Mayweather will be brimming with confidence as he never had a single taste of loss, according to Atlas. The eight-division champion needs to utilize his speed, his greatest weapon, in order to land some shots and steal rounds.

"Pacquiao can match Floyd just about with hand speed," he said. "He’s a little busier than Floyd. Pacquiao will have opportunities with Floyd when he is in the defensive mode a little too much." — Marisse Panaligan/LBG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

No rematch clause, no problem for Arum: Pacquiao will beat Mayweather

Bob Arum is not bothered that there is no rematch clause in the deal for the megafight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 2.

The Top Rank promoter is confident that the eight-division champion will defeat the yet unbeaten Mayweather in the single-bout affair.

"I tell you, there's going to be one winner from this fight, and it's gonna be the congressman from Sarangani, Manny Pacquiao," Arum told 24 Oras in an interview.

The fight was officially announced by Mayweather on his Shots account on Saturday (PHL time), ending five years of on-and-off negotiations.

The talks to make the happen took months after Pacman called Mayweather following his demolition of Chris Algieri in Macau in November.

According to Arum, the negotiations were stalled due to the "mistrust" between the two camps and the "lies" spread by the press.

"The negotiations were very difficult," he said. "A lot of it was impeded by some elements of the Philippine press who were reporting lies that had no basis in reality but impeded the negotiations." — Marisse Panaligan/JDS, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Freddie Roach laughs off Bradley's knockout threat

HOLLYWOOD – Timothy Bradley’s threat of beating Manny Pacquiao with his vaunted left hook hardly fazed Freddie Roach.

“He can’t punch with either hand,” the highly-respected trainer said, mocking the reigning welterweight champion, who stakes his World Boxing Organization (WBO) belt against Pacquiao on April 12 (April 13, PHL time) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“I’m not worried about it [left hook]. He can kick me if he wants to.”

Bradley made the boast on Thursday during his media workout at the Fortune gym when he proclaimed that his left hook will finish off the 35-year-old Pacquiao in their rematch in the same manner the right hand of Juan Manuel Marquez sent the Filipino boxing superstar to dreamland during their fourth meeting in 2012.  



But Roach simply laughed off the remark by the unbeaten title holder, stressing Bradley is obviously just trying to make noise for the 12-round bout.

“For Timothy Bradley to say that is quite surprising because I thought he is a good guy and a gentleman like Manny,” said Roach Friday shortly after training Pacquiao and former world champion Miguel Cotto one after the other at the Wild Card gym.

“He’s talking trash like I am. He’s just trying to talk himself into the fight.”

The Hall of Fame trainer, a disciple of the late great Eddie Futch, however, maintains his respect for Bradley, who dealt Pacquiao his first loss in seven years during their 2012 fight when he scored a split decision to dethrone the pride of General Santos City as the world’s 147-lb. king.

“This guys has never been knocked out before. He’s a tough guy, maybe one of the toughest guys in the world, and he took a lot of punishment in some real tough fights. He’s very game,” he said of the 30-year-old Bradley, whose record stands at 31-0 with 12 KOs. - Gerry Ramos, SPIN

source: gmanetwork.com

Pacquiao closes camp at Wild Card, arrives in Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nevada -- The hard-hitting and aggressive version of Manny Pacquiao that the boxing world has come to know and love will be making a comeback this Saturday (Sunday, PHL time) against Juan Manuel Marquez.

This was the consensus among the people who watched him train for the last time at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, before his fourth fight against Marquez at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

After just four rounds of sparring, Pacquiao completed his traditional training circuit before packing and heading for Las Vegas. Following his workout, the Sarangani congressman exchanged pleasantries with an American congresswoman from Hawaii before answering questions from the press.

"I pray for my safety and I also pray for Marquez," Pacquiao said. "I pray for everyone who will fight in the undercard because I believe that boxing is not about hurting each other."

Pacquiao and a handful of Team Pacquiao members then made their way to Nat's Thai Food to have lunch, before heading out to Las Vegas. The caravan of more than 20 vehicles, including a bus bearing Pacquiao's image, left the Wild Card Gym a little past four in the afternoon for the drive to Las Vegas, with Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee leading the way in his Lincoln Navigator.





 The group arrived a little past eight in the evening and went straight to Pacquiao's suite at the hotel, where the boxer, his family, and his entourage had dinner served.

The meal, good for about 100 people, was composed of some of the fighter's favorite food. Mike Koncz, Pacquiao's advisor, had the hotel prepare adobong manok, nilagang baka, bistek tagalog, chopsuey, sweet and sour fish, pancit, and steamed rice. The food was mostly gone 30 minutes after it was served, as throngs of family members and supporters arrived in waves to be with Pacquiao.

The eight-division world champion was in a light mood after he arrived. He started singing lines from the song "This is the Moment," perhaps signifying how the time he has been preparing for for all these months is finally near. Pacquiao also helped Koncz distribute the room keys for all his guests.


Asked why he was extra intense during his sparring for this fight, Pacquiao sheepishly said "I was only making examples," before letting out a quick laugh. The way he answered might lead some to think that he is taking things lightly, but hidden behind the boyish playfulness is a stern warning to his opponent. - AMD/OMG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com