‘Young lion’ will slay ‘Tasmanian Devil’

LAS VEGAS—What happens when a young lion tangles with a Tasmanian Devil?

According to Jessie Vargas and his trainer, Dewey Cooper, the king of the jungle should prevail over the fierce, carnivorous Australian marsupial.

Vargas, the World Boxing Organization welterweight champion and Cooper, took the posture of the young lion in the interview following Tuesday’s Grand Arrival at Wynn here.

Cooper, a former boxer and kickboxer, referred to Pacquiao as a Tasmanian Devil-type of fighter that could be slain by fighting from a distance and moving with timing and precision.

Vargas agreed.

“He’s had a great career, but I’m here to beat him,” Vargas said. “I hope the best Pacquiao shows up. No excuses.”

“Him and Floyd are the best (of this generation),” Vargas added. ” But there is always that younger lion who wants it more.”

At 27, Vargas is 10 years younger than Pacquiao, who’s returning from brief retirement to try to reclaim the 147-pound title for the third time.

Vargas, who took the crown by stopping Sadam Ali in the ninth round, swears by the effectivity of Cooper’s training methods.

“He (Cooper) can tell me so many things to do. He knows what he is doing. I admire his work.

“This is the reason why I have power, something that’s important. My conditioning is good, excellent.  My power has improved much more that’s why we got a big KO over somebody (Ali) who’s never been knocked out.”

That’s why, Vargas entrusts his fate completely to Cooper on Nov. 5 (Nov. 6 in Manila) when he battles Pacquiao, who’s the heavy favorite, for 12 rounds at Thomas & Mack Center.

“Julio’s the one who started me to start dreaming. This Saturday night will be a memorable night for me and I’m going to live that dream,” said Vargas. “Once inside that ring, you don’t hear anything else but your trainer.”

The admiration is mutual.

“There was nothing to change about him (Vargas),” said Cooper. “He is willing to do unconventional things. Jessie has a versatile mind. He’s just not one-way, he is intelligent, bilingual, nice and he’s a warrior. He’s very athletic.”

Cooper was also generous in his praises for Vargas.

“He can make adjustments, real time real speed. He has a high IQ. He can do when and not to do things. He sees information fast and that’s what he can do.”

Cooper added that Pacquiao’s southpaw stance poses no problem.

“Me being a southpaw, I know certain weaknesses of both,  techniques conducive to a right hander. Will they work on Manny? A lot of those will. We’ve seen things that work on Manny. Manny is not undefeated, (he’s) not 49-0 (Mayweather). He’s (Pacquiao) not unbeatable, he’s beatable.’

Cooper, who fought as a cruiserweight and heavyweight,  regards Pacquiao as an uncoventional boxer.

“He’s got fast feet but his feet go out of control. All these things make him very awkward.

“He’s a Tasmanian Devil-type of fighter You got to have sharp eyes and ready to go. You beat these with distance and timing. At some point, that will cost him the fight.”

Though he’d yielded the floor to Vargas at the tailend of the interview, Cooper found a way to drive home their rallying point

“Never underestimate the hunger of a young lion champion,” Cooper, already standing, hollered repeatedly.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Donaire defeats Mexican, back as world champion

Nonito Donaire once again became a world champion after surviving a slugfest against Mexican fighter Cesar Juarez to capture the WBO junior featherweight title on Saturday (Manila time).

The Filipino Flash scored two early knockdowns in the fourth round but won via unanimous decision, 116-110, 116-110, 117-109.

With the victory, Donaire completed his year with three wins, bouncing back tough to clinch his first belt after losing to Nicholas Walters in 2014.

Earlier in the year, he defeated Brazilian William Prado and French Anthony Settoul both via technical knockouts. —ALG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

With fight talks ongoing, Mayweather takes another jab at Pacquiao on social media

 

Floyd Mayweather hasn't expressed whether he would finally fight Manny Pacquiao, but the unbeaten American took another jab at the Filipino ring icon on social media.

 

On Wednesday, Mayweather posted on his official Facebook page a video of Pacquiao getting knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez.

 

 

 It isn't the first time the brash fighter has taken this tack. Last September, Mayweather also posted photos of that same knockout.  

The latest stunt comes amid news that talks for a much-awaited fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao are back on.

After Pacquiao demolition of Chris Algieri this past weekend, the pressure is on Mayweather to finally say yes to a fight. Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum said American television bigwigs are taking the lead to make the fight happen. — JST, GMA News

 

source: gmanetwork.com

Pacquiao dominates Algieri to retain world title

Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao fashioned out a masterful unanimous decision, knocking down Chris Algieri six times on Sunday to retain the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title in Macau.

"Tonight, I did my best," Pacquiao said after the fight. "I'm satisfied with my performance tonight."

The win improved Pacquiao's record to 57 wins against five losses and two draws. Algieri suffered his first defeat in 20 fights.

Pacquiao dealt the American fighter the first defeat of his career, and the eight-division champion did it in style, snuffing out Algieri's hopes right from the start.


Talking about his improved power, Pacquiao said it was a priority during training camp with trainer Freddie Roach.

"We improved our strenghth, we did more heavy bag training," said Pacquiao, who admitted he was looking to stop Algieri.

"I'm looking for a knockout, but he's fast, he's moving."

Despite giving up four inches in height, Pacquiao stalked Algieri early on, putting the American on the backpedal.

The first knockdown, in the second round, was a combination of a Pacquiao punch and Algieri slipping on the canvas but in the sixth round Algieri tumbled head over heels after a Pacquiao barrage and went down again in the same round from a right hook.

A fierce left cross in the ninth sent Algieri to his back. He beat the count, but dropped to his knees from a follow-up flurry and seemed on the verge of being stopped as Pacquiao unleashed a fusillade of punches against the ropes.

Somehow the American survived that round and despite being knocked down by another left hand in the tenth, made it to the final bell.

After the fight, Pacquiao dedicated the win to his countrymen, especially those who filled the Cotai Arena with cheers.

"Lots of Filipinos came here tonight to watch the fight," said Pacquiao. "Thank you so much for the support of all the fans around."

Overmatched Algieri

Algieri had earned the shot against Pacquiao by overcoming a swollen right eye and two knockdowns against Russia's Ruslan Provodnikov in his previous outing but he was never remotely in this contest.

Although he circled constantly to his left and attempted to keep Pacquiao at a distance with his superior reach, he rarely landed any consequential punches.

Algieri holds a master's degree and an ambition to become a doctor once his boxing days are over. All week in the build-up, his trainer Tim Lane had been declaring that he would destroy Pacquiao by "master boxing".

They proved hollow words and Pacquiao's Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach mocked them afterwards.

"The master boxer was given a master class by Professor Pacquiao," said Roach.

Filipino pride

Pacquiao's victory will inevitably heighten calls for him to face the unbeaten Floyd Mayweather in what could be the first billion-dollar fight in history

"I really want the fight. The fans deserve it," said Pacquiao afterwards, throwing down a challenge by imitating a new TV commercial in which he mocks Mayweather.

It brought huge cheers from the sellout 13,202 crowd at the Venetian Macau venue, where the vast majority appeared to be Filipinos.

Many hundreds more of Pacquiao's compatriots were waiting patiently outside for just a glimpse of their national hero, having arrived at the venue in the early hours of Sunday to find all the tickets gone.

Back in the Philippines, the nation stopped to watch en masse.

"The Filipinos were united in celebrating the victory of our national fist, Congressman Manny Pacquiao in his fight against Chris Algieri in Macau," said President Benigno Aquino's spokesman Herminio Coloma in Manila.

"His strength, speed and skill were on display on the canvas. Every punch that scored caused the millions of Filipinos to cheer together in every corner of the world.".  — JST, GMA News with reports from Reuters and Agence France-Presse

source: gmanetwork.com

Chris Algieri makes weight after two tries

MACAU — Flamboyant Chris Algieri beat the catchweight at 144 pounds, formally removing a major roadblock to his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title showdown with Manny Pacquiao at the Cotai Arena inside the Venetian Macao here on Sunday.

Beaming with confidence in a red college football jersey, aviator shades and jogging pants, the 30-year-old Algieri tipped the scales at 143.6 pounds, much to the delight of a small delegation which cheered for him all the way from his hometown in New York.

His opponent, Pacquiao, on the other hand, looked fresh and vibrant as he stepped on the scales, which read 143.8 pounds.

"I'm excited to share my speed and bring back the early days of my boxing career," said Pacquiao amid the thunderous chants of over a hundred flag-waving Filipino and American fans who trooped to the venue to see their ring hero for one last time before he embarks on one of the biggest battles of his professional boxing career.

"I still have the same hunger which I used to have when I was young."

But making the weight didn't come easy for Algieri.

Sources from the Algieri camp bared that he was over the weight limit by four pounds on the eve of the official weigh-in.

With that, he was instructed by his trainer, Tim Lane, to sleep early and have an early breakfast before breaking a sweat moments before he steps on the scales.

On his first try, Algieri weighed 144.2 pounds, prompting him to remove his trunks and give it another try.

Still, it yielded the same result.

WBO president Francisco 'Paco' Valcarcel, instead, gave him a grace period of two hours before returning to the weighing scale.

Algieri stepped out of the arena, put on his sauna suit, did stationary jogging for at least 30 minutes and reportedly took a quick pee before formally tipping the scales at 143.6.

"I'd rather be well-fed than show up dry and sucked up," said Algieri, a nutritionist by profession who claimed that he brought the same weighing scale up to his room and had easily beaten the weight limit.

"There's no reason for us not to make the weight. We tried it a hundred times with the same scale."
Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, earlier bared that Algieri is struggling to make the weight.

In fact, with merely three days before the fight, he still looked hefty, giving the impression that the good-looking American will be slow and sluggish come fight day as he scampered to beat the limit.

And he did.

Roach was right, after all. — JST/JDS, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Can Pacquiao finally get first KO in five years against Algieri?

On Sunday, Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao will defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against Chris Algieri at Cotai Arena in Macau. Is Algieri an easy opponent for Pacquiao, as many observers believe? Will the unbeaten American fighter give "Pac-man" a run for his money? And could Pacquiao finally get the elusive knockout win after five long years?

Here are three expert takes and predictions for the bout this weekend.

JC Manangquil, boxing manager and promoter:

This fight is interesting as everybody knows that Algieri is so much taller and uses his jab very well, which happens to be his key weapon in the fight. The only way Algieri is going to win the contest is if he uses his distance, jab, and footwork.

Algieri's reach will be effective against a shorter man, but I don't think he has the footwork to keep Pacquiao off, which means he has very small chance of avoiding Pacquiao's barrage of punches.

You can't beat the best fighter in the world with just a single weapon. Algieri doesn't have the power to make Manny think before he attacks with combinations.

Manny will have some trouble closing the distance with Algieri in the early going, so the fight figures to be competitive for a few rounds. After that, as good as Manny is, he will get his proper offensive distance and attack Algieri on the ropes.

Manny will take over in the middle rounds, then completely dominate in the late rounds. Unless Algieri has a Plan B.

PREDICTION: Pacquiao by decision if not by KO/TKO

Mark Villanueva, boxing advocate and founder of Mark Villanueva Boxing Academy:

As the fight draws closer, the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that Christopher Mark Algieri can't fight any other way even if he wanted to. At least not at this vital point in his career.

There won't be any surprises in Macau, or a need for Manny Pacquiao to install a Plan B once the fight progresses. Algieri will fight practically the same way he fought Ruslan Provodnikov, Emmanuel Taylor, Jose Peralta Alejo, and all the boxers he defeated before them. Most boxing fans think he doesn't deserve a shot at Pacquiao. Chris Algieri seems like a bright kid. As he transitions into the big leagues, taking the biggest challenge against the Filipino champion he will do what he does best, the best way he knows it — stick and move.

But there's a bigger reason behind his fighting style.

The American boxer lacks punching power. He needs to draw fighters in. He learned from fighting Provodnikov that he can get knocked down quite easily. Going toe-to-toe with Pacquiao will end up with him getting destroyed in one round. No master's degree needed to derive to that conclusion.

I see Algieri trying to dictate the pace early in the fight with more jabs. It worked against Provodnikov, but Manny does way more head movement. He can suspend Algieri's jabs with his right arm pawing (which Manny doesn't do) or go under it and pop over the top with a hook. He could slip it and go to the side, too.

One fault I see is how Chris Algieri halts dead on his track to defend against body shots. That is what I forecast Pacquiao doing early, to pin Algieri down and slow his movement. If Algieri pauses, as he usually does to cover up, Pacquiao could spin around him and overwhelm him with all sorts of shots from different angles.

In the end, Manny Pacquiao will be too much for him.

PREDICTION: Pacquiao by late round KO.

JM Siasat, sportswriter:

Contrary to general belief and misconception, Chris Algieri won't be an easy fight for Manny Pacquiao at all. Other than Algieri's age, height, and reach advantage, he has the style that could spell trouble for Pacquiao all night long.

I've heard chatter that Algieri's height won't be a factor since Pacquiao has experience fighting taller guys such as Oscar De la Hoya and Antonio Margarito. Personally, I think it would be still be a factor.

While Pacquiao definitely has experience fighting taller guys, he has yet to encounter a tall fighter who will actually jab, box, and move inside the ring. De la Hoya was too drained to make a fight out of the Pacquiao bout; his physical condition was at its poorest in his legendary career and would have been beaten by lesser fighters that night.

Margarito on the other hand, is a face-first brawler who has no defense and technique. Add to that the fact that two fights before Pacquiao, Margarito went through a career-changing beatdown at the hands of Shane Mosley. Then, in his very next fight, Margarito immediately looked mediocre against an unheralded journeyman in a 10-round contest.

I can't reiterate this enough, Algieri isn't anything like De la Hoya or Margarito. His height can trouble Pacquiao. Algieri will box circles and use his jab to frustrate Pacquiao. When profiling a contest, we always have to take into consideration that styles make fights.

Pacquiao has a history of getting frustrated against moving fighters, shorter ones if I may add. Just imagine the frustration that a young, tall, volume-punching and jabbing Algieri can give the Filipino icon.

Another factor is Algieri's right hand. As history has shown, Pacquiao's kryptonite has always been defending and avoiding the right hand. Not only does Algieri throw punches and combinations all night, he also knows how to unleash his right hand from different angles — a strength that most writers overlook.

As proven in the Provodnikov fight, Algieri is capable of taking a punch, recovering, and adjusting within a fight. While I honestly think that Provodnikov has heavier hands than Pacquiao at this point, Manny has more weapons in his offensive arsenal. If Pacquiao can somehow drop the challenger, I'm pretty confident that Algieri can rise up and continue the fight.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, will throw punches in bunches and create angles to hit Algieri. The Filipino phenom is known to have a tough chin, an overwhelming advantage given that Algieri don't pack power in his punches. It is almost certain that Pacquiao would have neither respect nor second thoughts when coming in to attack the challenger.

Algieri's lack of power he makes up for with volume punching and excellent conditioning, but it remains to be seen if it will be enough against an elite fighter like Pacquiao.

At 35 years old, Pacquiao proved in his last fight against Timothy Bradley that he still belongs among the boxing elite. But while he still seems to have plenty of gas left in the tank, it's also obvious that Pacquiao is not the same fighter he used to be four or five years ago.

Turning 36 next month, Pacquiao's dreaded speed and power — the tools that elevated him to pound-for-pound status — have declined. Even so, Pacquiao's experience level and dedication in training is still a notch above most fighters in boxing, to the point that it makes up for his whatever decline he has had over the years.

I see Pacquiao getting frustrated in this fight, because he is bound to get hit with jabs and right hands multiple times. Still, I believe, that Pacquiao's undying relentlessness and chin will carry him through in a fight that would be tougher than he and his fans expected.

We are not in 2010, Pacquiao is past his prime, and I'm not living in the past. Nevertheless, I pick Pacquiao to win this fight but not without Algieri finally earning his much deserved respect.

PREDICTION: Pacquiao by decision (115-113 or 116-112)

source: gmanetwork.com

Odds show Pacquiao remains heavily-favored against unbeaten Algieri

MACAU — Manny Pacquiao remains heavily favored to dominate Chris Algieri when they slug it out for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown this Sunday at the Cotai Arena inside The Venetian here.

A quick check with Las Vegas sports books peg Pacquiao a 4-to-1 favorite over the 30-year old Algieri with still a couple of days left before the opening bell rings.

Pacquiao, who vowed to gun for an early stoppage, is a -750 favorite, which means that one has to come up with a wager of $750 to win $100 should Pacquiao emerge victorious. Bettors for the underdog Algieri, on the other hand, need only $475 to win $100.

The odds that Pacquiao would win by way of knockout, technical knockout or disqualification is 5-9, while odds of a decision win for Pacquiao is pegged at 17-10. For Algieri to win by way of knockout, technical knockout or disqualification, odds are 14-1, and for him to win by decision, 11-1.

The betting odds for the fight to end in a draw is 25-1.

Despite being a longshot, Algieri's trainer Tim Lane is unfazed.

"I don't thing we are at a disadvantage," Lane said. "Chris is a young lion. He is an upcoming boxer who envisions himself to become a world champion one day. We don't care about the odds. All we care about is the fight and how we're going to win it."

On the other hand, Roach also showed no concern about the latest odds.

"Odds don't dictate the outcome of the fight," he said. "As soon as the bell rings, Manny would come charging at him and beat the hell out of this Algieri kid. Manny is the hungrier fighter. He will go down hard whatever happens." — STR/JST, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Bob Arum sees blockbuster hit in Pacquiao-Algieri

MACAU — The opening bell has yet to ring, but Bob Arum is already predicting the overwhelming success of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title clash between Manny Pacquiao and Chris Algieri this Sunday at the Cotai Arena inside The Venetian here.

Arum, the 82-year old Top Rank founder and CEO, said Thursday that the event will be way bigger than the previous year's card in terms of attendance, publicity, pay-per-view buys, production and all-out boxing action, especially with Pacquiao trying to essay an emphatic finish for the first time since knocking down Miguel Cotto in 2009. Last November, Pacquiao fought American banger Brandon Rios in his first outing in the Asian sin city.

In fact, the world's top sports journalists are in attendance, together with a handful of international icons led by action stars Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger with a Christian choir singing the Philippines' national anthem.

According to Arum, the pay-per-view buys have already moved to close to a million, more than doubling the 475,000 buys generated by last year's Rios fight.

"This is so much bigger than last year," Arum told a handful of Manila-based reporters.

"Every New York paper is here as well as the LA Times, the Associated Press, Yahoo, ESPN, Reuters. Everybody is here to witness this fantastic show. The publicity is tremendous. People are very interested in witnessing this fight. I'm looking forward to a great promotion, a great week and an even greater result."

Arum said with the tremendous result of their promotion in this Chinese gambling resort city, they are planning to come up with more boxing shows and other activities while developing potential Asian boxers aside from Pacquiao and Zou Shiming, who will battle Kwanpichit OnesongchaiGym of Thailand in a flyweight match in one of the undercards.

According to him, the market has the ability to match, or even surpass, the income generated by boxing promotions done in the United States.

"The plan is to develop good Chinese fighters," Arum said. "It is necessary to do that to further take advantage of the good Chinese market. We have to develop Chinese contenders because the market is so good and full of potential."

"I think Macau can afford anything they want. Money is so enormous here in Macau. It dwarfs anything that can be done in the United States. The numbers here are totally crazy compared to any place in the world."

He added that they have no plan of slowing down.

"We're still working on four more events here in Macau. Three will be shown in regular Asian time and one in the morning to accommodate viewers from the United States," said Arum, who once promoted the epic clash between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.

"People here want to see a show, a complete show. And that's what we're giving. This is just the start." — STR/JST, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Pacquiao gets his revenge, dispatches Bradley for WBO title

It took two years, but Manny Pacquiao can finally say he has defeated Timothy Bradley Jr.

The Sarangani congressman, who lost the first time the two met in a controversial split decision, took down the previously-undefeated American by unanimous decision, 118-110, 116-112, 116-112, Saturday (Sunday, PHL time), in their WBO welterweight title bout held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, also the site of their first bout.

[Review the round-by-round coverage here]


The Filipino ring icon improved to 56-5 with two drawn and 38 wins inside the distance as he regained the World Boxing Organization welterweight world title he lost to Bradley on June 9, 2012.

Although he couldn't get his first knockout win since 2009, Pacquiao lived up to his pre-fight promise to come out with more aggression, denying Bradley's avowed aim of sending him into retirement with another defeat.

"I think I can go another two years," said Pacquiao, who has won world titles in an unprecedented eight weight divisions. "I'm so happy to be world champion again. Tim Bradley was not an easy fight."

Bradley, who said he fought from the first round with a right calf injury, fell to 31-1, with 12 knockouts.

"Life goes on," Bradley said of his first pro defeat. "It's back to the gym. Not a big deal."

Judge Glen Trowbridge scored the bout 118-110 for Pacquiao, while both Michael Pernick and Canada's Craig Metcalf saw it 116-112 for the 'Pacman,' whose every move was cheered by the star-studded crowd of 15,601 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

After a tight first round, Pacquiao made his power felt in the second.

The third saw both fighters exchange at a furious rate, Pacquiao again landing the more damaging blows.

But Bradley shook Pacquiao in the fourth, and Pacquiao said California's "Desert Storm" was an improved fighter from the one who took a bitterly debated split decision in their first fight.

"Bradley is better from the first fight," Pacquiao said. "He hurt me on the chin. He made adjustments.

"I knew I had to do more this time than I did the last time," he added.

Although the pace slowed in the later rounds, Pacquiao put together multi-punch combinations in the seventh, and out-worked Bradley in the remaining rounds.

After throwing few punches in the 11th, a desperate Bradley swung wildly in the 12th, and Pacquiao finished the fight with a cut over his left eye from a clash of heads late in the final round.


For Pacquiao, his win opens the door to a fifth battle against Juan Manuel Marquez, should the Mexican win against Mike Alvarado on May 17, 2014 (May 18, PHL time). The Sarangani congressman though wouldn’t discuss any specifics, saying, “It depends on my promoter Bob Arum…my job is to fight in the ring any opponent.”

Back in 2012, Bradley won 115-113 115-113 113-115 despite Pacquiao looking like he dominated most of their match. Pacquiao followed that up with a shocking KO loss to Juan Manuel Marquez, prompting some to consider him too old to become a serious contender in the sport.

However, in this bout, Pacquiao made sure there was no room for doubt, en route to his win.  - with a report from AFP / AMD, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Bradley’s trainer says Pacquiao’s ‘compassion’ will be his undoing

LAS VEGAS - As outspoken as Tim Bradley is, so is his trainer Joel Diaz.

Bradley's return bout with Manny Pacquiao this weekend, according to Diaz, will be the last in the colorful career of the Filipino ring icon, as he vowed another win for the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion.

"I think this will be Manny Pacquiao's last fight. Like everything in life, there is a beginning and an end. And I think this is Manny Pacquiao's end," he said.

Bradley's trainer said the legendary Filipino fighter's advanced age and lifestyle change has a lot to do with it.

A former world lightweight contender, Diaz said he's trained fighters who are both in the prime and at the end of their careers, and at 35-years-old, he said Pacquiao is obviously showing signs of slowing down.

"Common sense that Manny Pacquiao at his age, he's got a lot of wear and tear in his body. I don't remember when was the last time he had a knockout.” he said.

And becoming a devoted Christian also affected his performance inside the ring, according to Diaz, who observed the eight-time world champion become more compassionate to his opponents.

"If you're compassionate to your opponent, you don't belong in the sport, because this [boxing] is all about fighting, you have to execute against the opponent in front of you.

"But if you feel sorry for them, you don't belong here. Go find another sport, hopefully, golf or tennis," he said.

And Diaz guaranteed Bradley would try to take advantage of it, if Pacquiao becomes too considerate inside the ring on Saturday night (Sunday, Manila time).

"He's determined to show he can beat Manny Pacquiao," Bradley's trainer said. "You’re gonna see Bradley attack Manny Pacquiao. At his age, a young fighter like Tim Bradley can't be worn down. We have a lot for Manny on that night and I can see their worry and concern.

"He's gonna box, he's gonna brawl, it depends on what Manny Pacquiao brings every round. Every round I'll make adjustments, but you won't see Bradley backing down." - Gerry Ramos, SPIN

source: gmanetwork.com

 

Pacquiao eager for decisive win in Bradley rematch

LAS VEGAS - Manny Pacquiao wants a decisive victory over Timothy Bradley in their eagerly anticipated welterweight world title rematch Saturday (Sunday, PHL time) in Las Vegas as he bids to avenge a controversial loss two years ago.

America's Bradley, renowned for his amazing durability, snapped the Philippine icon's 15-fight unbeaten streak with a debatable split decision triumph in their first showdown on June 9, 2012.

The 30-year-old Bradley is out to prove he was deserving of the World Boxing Organization belt he seized that night and has since defended twice.

For Pacquiao, 35, whose loss to Bradley was followed by a sixth-round knockout defeat to Juan Manuel Marquez, it's imperative he prove his unanimous decision victory over Brandon Rios in his only fight of 2013 marked a real rebirth of his ring career.

"This is a 'must-win' situation for us," Pacquiao's Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach said.

Even though Roach and "Pacman" want a clear-cut victory, both said Pacquiao - who has had to fend off talk of retirement - can't go in aiming for a knockout.

Instead, they say he must press his attack consistently, avoiding the fallow minutes that apparently cost him the decision in the first Bradley fight, even though Pacquiao landed more punches and more power punches overall.

"I'm not thinking about a knockout," the Filipino said. "My focus is to throw a lot of punches. I'm going to be aggressive. If the knockout comes, it's a bonus."

Added Roach: "We're looking to win every round, one at a time."

'Manny can punch'

Southpaw Pacquiao, the only man to win world titles in eight weight divisions, staked his claim to boxing's pound-for-pound crown with a spate of impressive knockout victories in 2008 and 2009.

That included a ninth-round stoppage of David Diaz that proved Pacquiao could step up to lightweight and retain his fearsome power.

He went on to stop Oscar de la Hoya in a 2008 welterweight bout, and delivered a spectacular second-round knockout of Britain's Ricky Hatton in 2009.

Later that year, he punished Miguel Cotto en route to a 12th-round technical knockout in another welterweight bout - but Pacquiao hasn't finished off an opponent inside the distance since.

Debate has raged as to whether he has lost his knockout power, or perhaps become too "compassionate" towards opponents after a deepening of his Catholic faith.

"Manny can punch - he does have knockout power," Roach insisted Thursday (Friday, PHL time) as the fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena drew near.

If Pacquiao has held back out of compassion for his foes, Roach said he'd likely learned his lesson in his most recent defeats.

In the 2012 loss to Marquez, Pacquiao had the Mexican star on the canvas in the fifth round and in trouble in the sixth before Marquez connected for a stunning one-punch knockout.

Pacquiao, who owns a record 55-5 with two drawn and 38 knockouts, puts that defeat down to "carelessness."

However, it's given Bradley some boasting rights since the American has since edged Marquez in a duel between the last two men to beat Pacquiao.

That win over Marquez followed Bradley's 12-round decision over Ruslan Provodnikov, in which the American absorbed a massive amount of punishment before emerging triumphant.

'Tough guy'

Bradley's durability - on display against Provodnikov - is one reason not to seek a knock-out, Roach said.

"He's a very resilient, tough, tough guy," Roach said.

But Roach believes that Pacquiao has the skill to cope with Bradley's slick movement, and showed against Rios that he can still put together long combinations that will make the difference against the counter-punching Bradley.

"We're using a lot of angles and hopefully that will nullify his defense," Roach said. "We'll set traps, catch him on the ropes - when we have him on the ropes, Manny knows what to do."

And if the chance to knock out Bradley does come, Roach believes Pacquiao will take it without hesitation, fired by Bradley's pre-fight claim that Pacquiao had lost his "killer instinct."

"When we're on the mitts we talk sometimes about strategy and what's going to happen," Roach said.

"He told me one day, 'When I hurt him, this is the combination I'm going to finish him with.'

"I was so happy to hear that." - AFP

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

Manny Pacquiao dismisses Bradley's trash talk about his lethal left hook

HOLLYWOOD – Manny Pacquiao could only smirk when told Tim Bradley was going to use him for target practice with his supposedly lethal left hook. when they meet in the ring again almost a week from now.

The Filipino ring icon let out a short grin upon learning about Bradley’s boast during the media workout of the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion on Thursday.

“Kawawa [naman],” Pacquiao blurted out without further elaborating.

During his media workout at the Fortune gym, Bradley was asked if he had the same powerful right just like Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez, who knocked out Pacquiao cold in the sixth round of their fourth meeting in December of 2012.

Bradley, still unbeaten in 31 professional fights, said he doesn’t have the mean right hand of Marquez, but boasted his left hook will take care of Pacquiao in their April 12 (April 13, PHL time) rematch.

But other than the one-liner, Pacquiao refused to comment about the champion’s recent boast.

The 36-year-old Filipino, who will challenge Bradley next Saturday (next Sunday, PHL time) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, did six rounds of sparring behind closed doors at the Wild Card gym as he tapers off in the final week of his two-month training for his first fight of the year.

Pacquiao had a full meal shortly after the two-hour workout with trainer Freddie Roach, feasting on chicken, a bowl of soup, tapa, and a platter of fruits in his favorite haunt, the nearby Nat’s Thai restaurant adjacent to the famed sweatshop along Vine St. in Hollywood.

The eight-time world champion said making weight is not a problem at this point.

“Kain lang ng kain,” said Pacquiao after finishing his meal inside the packed eatery.

Pacquiao’s training camp has been observing strict rules of late with only a few people allowed inside the gym to watch the boxing great prepare for his rematch against Bradley, two years since being beaten by the American via a controversial split decision.

Haplas Fernandez, a longtime training assistant of the Pacman, however, described training as very intense, with sparring-mates being hammered one after the other.

“Nagbabagsakan [the spar-mates]. Sabi nga namin yan ang sparring, walang awa-awa,” said the brother of Pacquiao childhood friend and trainer Buboy Fernandez.

Pacquiao said he’ll still spar for four rounds each on Saturday and Monday before finally leaving for Las Vegas five days before his rematch with the 30-year-old Bradley. - Gerry Ramos, SPIN

source: gmanetwork.com