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Rudy Fernandez' Top 10 Dunks
Rudy fernandez is a Spanish professional basketball player. He is a 6'6" (1.98m) tall shooting guard who is currently a member of both the Spanish national basketball team and the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers.
NBA TV Top 5: January 29th
Visit http://www.nba.com/video for more highlights. NBA's Top 5 Plays for January 29th, 2009.
Hatton confident he'll beat Pacquiao
source: Danny Buenafe and Rose Eclarinal, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
British boxing star Ricky Hatton said he is confident that he will beat Pinoy ring superstar Manny Pacquiao in their May 2 face-off in Las Vegas.
"I don't think anybody would beat me. I've always said that. It's gonna be a very, very hard fight but I believe I can win it," Hatton said in a press conference in Manchester, England -- the first since the contract for the May bout was finalized last week.
Hatton admitted Pacquiao is aggressive and wise inside the ring, and that his Filipino opponent is the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world -- a title he wants to get for himself.
"If I wasn't fighting Manny Pacquiao, I think I'd be a fan of him 'cause he's always in outstanding fights, and I feel very privileged and proud that, you know, after a lot of hard work I'm finally in a position where I'm gonna fight him," he said. He added, however, that he is confident that he can hold on to his 140-lbs IBO junior welterweight title.
Hatton, who came to the press conference without any bodyguards and assistants, said his training will commence on February 16, after his Carribean vacation with his family.
Hatton will be trained by Floyd Mayweather Sr., whose son Floyd Mayweather Jr. gave the British sports hero his first defeat last 2007.
He has helped popularize boxing in his native England, where football reigns as the sport of choice by millions of his countrymen.
Despite overwhelming support in his homeland, some English newsmen believe he's going to have a difficult time.
"I think it's going to be a very, very difficult fight for Ricky... I'm favoring Manny at this stage," one newsman said.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, is scheduled to commence training on March.
Pacquiao, Hatton camps see own KO win
source: By Jun Medina, Special Correspondent, manilatimes.net
With their megabuck match for May 2 signed, sealed and delivered, the camps of boxing superstars Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao and Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton are predicting knockout wins.
Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s renowned American trainer, said he is confident that his prized student would find a way to knockout Hatton.
“Ricky’s style of constantly coming forward is perfect for Manny,” Roach said. Ricky is a great fighter, but I am quite confident that Manny will stop him in the later rounds.”
Pacquiao promised a “great fight” as he acknowledged Hatton’s impressive record of 45 win, 32 of them by knockout against a single defeat.
“All I can say is that we are going to have a great fight that the fans will love,” Pacquiao said in his column in the tabloid Abante.
Pacquiao, who is guaranteed $12 million for title fight at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, would be fighting in his fourth different weight class in four fights.
He won the junior lightweight championship in March via split decision against Mexican star Juan Manuel Marquez, then knocked out David Diaz in the ninth round to snatch the lightweight title. The Filipino ring icon then moved two weight classes up to welterweight and dominated Oscar de la Hoya in eight rounds in December.
Known as Pacman by his legion of fans worldwide, Pacquiao said his trainer has devised a game plan that is “completely different” from the strategy he used in his easy win against future Hall of Famer de la Hoya.
“Hatton is a very strong puncher so I must deal with that in the ring,” said Pacquiao, the reigning best boxer in the world pound-for-pound. “I promise I will be completely prepared and I will do my best to make all of my fans happy.”
Roach said such preparation would entail Pacquiao staying away from the ropes, using his superior footwork to advantage and guarding against Hatton’s body punches.
“Ricky Hatton is a very good body puncher and is very dangerous,” said Roach, a three-time trainer of the year. “Hatton likes to go to the body and the key for Manny to deal with that is his footwork. Manny has to keep moving and stay away from the ropes.”
Hatton said he is quite excited to get back in the ring in Las Vegas after beating New Yorker Paulie Malignaggi to successfully defend his International Boxing Organization and Ring junior welterweight title in November.
“I am confident that I am the fighter to take down the pound-for-pound champion and I believe I will be victorious on May 2,” said The Hitman from Manchester.
Hatton’s trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr., sounded even more confident, predicting Hatton would knock Pacquiao out in one round “unless he decides to run.”
Mayweather said Pacquiao is not strong enough to fight toe-to-toe with Hatton because the British brawler would blow him away with his power punches.
“Manny Pacquiao’s chances are slim and none,” said Mayweather, who wrongly predicted de la Hoya would knock Pacquiao out in the early rounds.
“If Manny doesn’t run, we’ll get him in one. Ricky’s gonna knock him out. So, all Manny can do is run. But even if he runs he won’t win,” Mayweather said.
De la Hoya, founder and president of Hatton’s promotional company Golden Boy Promotions, predicted a thrilling fight, which he said has the makings of a fight for the year candidate.
“I think Hatton will dethrone Pacquiao and become boxing’s pound-for-pound king,” de la Hoya said in a press statement.
RP to stage elite World Cup of pool
source: Nelson Beltran | Philstar.com
The World Cup of Pool, now among the biggest and most prestigious pool events in the world, will be held in the country on Sept. 1-6, the organizing Matchroom Sports announced in a press conference at Sports Plus Resto-Bar in Eastwood City yesterday.
At the same time, Matchroom official Eddie Hearn said he’s now in the process of inspecting possible venue for the event the Philippine pair of Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante won in its initial staging in 2006 in Newport, Wales.
“It’s important to come here because of the pool’s popularity and importance in this country. We know that very well,” said Hearn.
“I remember the initial staging of the event in Newport, Wales. It was as if it was held here because of the huge Filipino crowd coming from all over. We were asking, ‘Are we sure Efren and Django are not the home pair?’” Hearn also said.
The full details of the event have yet to be announced but Hearn said there’s a big possibility that the Reyes-Bustamante pair might be tapped again to represent the Philippines.
Ronnie Alcano and Dennis Orcollo teamed up in a semifinal finish for the Philippines last year in Rotterdam. Alcano and Orcollo were beaten in the semis by the US tandem of Rodney Morris and Shane Van Boening who went on to win the championship over the host team.
A total cash prize of $250,000 is up for grabs in the World Cup featuring all the big guns in the world including those from the United States, Taiwan, England and Germany.
Samsung's W7900, aka the Show, Projector Phone
source: popsci.com
The Samsung W7900, aka the Show, certainly lives up to its name. In fact, if it had just the gorgeous 3.2-inch OLED screen, the digital TV tuner or the five-megapixel camera, it would be a winner. But the Show combines all those features with the (current) Holy Grail of handhelds -- a digital projector that displays sharp, bright images up to 50 inches.
SAMSUNG SHOW W7900 specs:
Projector: 10 lumens, 480 by 320 pixels, up to 50 in. diagonal
Screen: 240-by-400-pixel, 3.2-in. OLED
Wireless: 3G HSDPA up to 7.2Mbps, global roaming (900/1800/1900 MHz)
Cameras: 5-megapixel main, VGA front-facing model for video calls
Size: 4.4 by 2.2 by 0.7 in.
Price: TBD
Roach sees another KO victory for Manny
By Abac Cordero (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)
Freddie Roach didn’t waste his time laying out his plan for the Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight on May 2 in Las Vegas.
“Knockout,” he told The STAR which caught today’s hottest trainer by phone yesterday noon (Friday evening in Los Angeles).
Roach said that like everybody else, he felt great that the fight, after all the negotiations and some useless debates, is pushing through.
“It’s great. Of course,” Roach said as he walked back to his apartment after closing the doors to his Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.
It’s time to do the homework.
“We’ll open up training camp on March 1. We’ll get ready, be in shape and take care of this guy,” said Roach.
And probably fight Antonio Margarito later on.
Roach still hasn’t talked to Pacquiao despite persistent attempts on his part. Over the last two weeks he’s been trying.
“Manny hasn’t talked to me yet. I wanted him to know I’m on his side, not like some crooks,” he said without elaborating.
The Pacquiao-Hatton fight, which could be the biggest this year, almost didn’t push through due to disputes on the purse.
Now there’s a deal, and Pacquiao stands to earn as much as $20 million or close to a billion pesos. Hatton will get just a little less.
“Manny had a problem with one thing in the deal but we worked it out,” Bob Arum told ESPN.com. “I massaged something in the deal, which I’m not going to tell you about, but it didn’t cost me anything. We got it done.”
Insiders say that “massage” was worth at least $1 million, giving Pacquiao a guaranteed purse of $13 million and a 52-48 share of everything else.
Roach said the impasse was all part of the game.
“You negotiate first and that’s how it is. It only becomes a deal when everybody is happy,” said Roach.
Pacquiao has won his last nine fights, including great ones against Oscar dela Hoya, David Diaz, Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales.
“And Hatton is the best fight for him right now,” said Roach, who sees Pacquiao catching Hatton in the later rounds..
“Nine is my favorite number,” he said, hinting of a stoppage inside nine rounds.
“Hatton is made for Manny. He’s a tough guy who comes forward. He’s a game guy looking to mug you. That’s the perfect style for Manny,” Roach told The Sweet Science.
“You don’t have to chase Hatton. You don’t have to look for Ricky. You know where he’s going to be. He’s right there in front of you, which is what Manny likes. He likes a guy who wants to try and make it a fight.’’
That’s half the job done for Roach.
Hackers break into job site database
source: AFP
Monster Worldwide Inc, the popular global website for job hunters, said Tuesday that hackers have broken into its databases and stolen personal data.
Monster spokeswoman Nikki Richardson confirmed that sites around the world had been targeted, but said some regions, notably Asia Pacific and eastern Europe, were spared.
She said Monster was working with the "appropriate law enforcement agencies" but declined to say in which countries. In the United States, where the company is based, "an investigation is in progress."
Monster operates in 36 countries with millions of users, including 4.5 million in Britain.
A statement on www.monster.com said: "We recently learned our database was illegally accessed and certain contact and account data were taken, including Monster user IDs and passwords, email addresses, names, phone numbers, and some basic demographic data."
The breach did not access resumes, social security numbers or financial data, Monster said.
The company advised clients to change their password and said it had taken its own "corrective steps."
Hackers could use email addresses to "phish" for further information, the company warned.
This is the second serious data breach at the company in 18 months, according to Computer Weekly magazine.
Earlier this month, payments processor Heartland Payment Systems, based in New Jersey, said that it had suffered a security breach in 2008.
"We found evidence of an intrusion last week and immediately notified federal law enforcement officials as well as the card brands," said Robert Baldwin, Heartland's president in a statement on January 20.
"We understand that this incident may be the result of a widespread global cyber fraud operation and we are cooperating closely with the United States Secret Service and Department of Justice."
The company processes 100 million payment card transactions every month for 175,000 businesses, USA Today daily reported.
Hatton signs Pacquiao deal, LA Times reports
source: GMANews.TV
A representative of Ricky Hatton confirmed in an online report that the British boxer has signed the deal to fight Manny Pacquiao on May 2 in Las Vegas.
Los Angeles Times sportswriter Lance Pugmire reported on Tuesday that Richard Schaefer, the chief executive of Golden Boy Promotions, had called up Pugmire to inform him of the development.
"When you make a superfight of this magnitude, it's very exciting," Schaefer, whose outfit promotes Hatton, said. "These guys have two great styles. It'll be a great night for the fans."
With Hatton’s name on the dotted line, the fight that hit a snag a couple of times finally gets underway, with the venue the only thing left unsettled in a fight pitting the sport’s most well-known brawlers.
The fight, which has been set at the super-lightweight (140lbs) level, will be Pacquiao’s fourth in a row in a different weight class, following victories at 130lbs, 135lbs and 147lbs last year.
Although Pacquiao (48-3-2, win-loss-draw) is tagged as boxing’s most bankable star today, the catch weight has been Hatton’s territory for some time now.
Hatton’s only loss in his career was at the welterweight class (147lbs) when he was kayoed by Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2007. Otherwise, the super-lightweight campaigner has been spotless in 46 professional career fights.
Mayweather says he's best, won't return for Pacman
By Abac Cordero | Philstar.com
Even in retirement, Floyd Mayweather Jr. thinks that he’s the reigning pound-for-pound champion. And not Manny Pacquiao.
"I take my hat off and congratulations to Manny Pacquiao if that’s what they (public) feel. But… he’s been knocked out before, and three or four years ago he got out-boxed by a washed out Erik Morales," Mayweather told Gabriel Morency of American radio sports program Sports Rage.
Mayweather said Pacquiao may have inherited his pound-for-pound title, but he raised some serious doubts about this, and at the moment, there’s no interest in fighting the Filipino superstar.
“I think Manny Pacquiao is a good fighter and I take nothing away from Manny Pacquiao. But didn’t Manny Pacquiao fight one of the Marquez brothers… knocked him down three times in the first round and still got a draw?”
“And then he fought him again and won by one point,” said Mayweather, referring to Juan Manuel Marquez who drew with Pacquiao in 2004 and took a controversial points loss in March last year.
Mayweather said he wouldn’t be surprised if Pacquiao beats Ricky Hatton on May 2 in Las Vegas, because when he fought and defeated the British superstar in 2007, he “took everything out of him (Hatton).”
“Early in his career he already fought all his hard fights and when he was at the pinnacle of his career he met up with the best and he lost so that took everything out of him. He has nothing left,” he said of Hatton.
He said Oscar dela Hoya, Bernard Hopkins, Sugar Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito and even Pacquiao are all great fighters. But he said no one comes close to the boxer they call “Pretty Boy.”
“Everybody’s beating everybody but there ain’t nobody who beat Floyd Mayweather (undefeated in 39 pro fights). And there ain’t anybody to leave the sport on top and undefeated. I don’t care who’s your name,” he said.
Even in retirement, he’s being paired with Pacquiao, and many are hoping by year’s end they will figure in a rare battle between two pound-for-pound champions.
Mayweather said he’s not interested – at least for now.
“If I sit down with my family, my mother and in my prayers God says it’s time to come back then I’ll come back. But as of right now I’m not looking,” he said.
“I’m sitting well over $300 million so it’s obvious I’m not doing it for the money. You know someday we have to pass the throne and right now if Manny Pacquiao is the guy who has (it) then congratulations. I wish him nothing but the best."
“But right now my main focus is my kids, and me outside of boxing, and making hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars… just being smart and being an entrepreneur,” Mayweather said.
Pacquiao to spar with brod’s ‘killer’
By NICK GIONGCO | mb.com.ph
More than a month before his prized pupil shows up for training, Freddie Roach has already called on a pair of Mexican-American fighters to spar with Manny Pacquiao, including a brawler who knocked out the Filipino’s younger brother Bobby.
"Yeah, the guy who beat up Bobby," said American tr ainer Freddie Roach, referring to the undefeated Urbano Antillon.
Antillon, who has won all his 25 fights, 18 of them by knockout, is best remembered by hard-core fight fans as the crew-cut body puncher who knocked out the younger Pacquiao in less than a round in March last year.
The other fighter being called to show up at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood sometime in the third or fourth week of March is David Rodela.
Pacquiao is set to start training on March 1 for his May 2 clash with British superstar Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
"These guys throw lots of punches like Hatton," said Roach who is expected to bring two more guys in the weeks that will follow.
Rodela has sparred with Pacquiao many times in the past but the addition of the heavy-handed Antillon in training camp could make the workouts even more intense.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao will embark on a whirlwind tour of England in late-February to promote the Hatton bout with Top Rank and Hatton’s promoter Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) making stops in London and Hatton’s hometown of Manchester.
From the United Kingdom, the fighters, members of their teams and the promoters will cross the pond to New York for the kickoff point of the US tour.
Bob Arum’s Top Rank is the lead promoter but the Oscar De La Hoya-owned GBP will also lend a helping hand in the promotional chores.
Antonio Margarito vs. Shane Mosley Video Stream, Results and Photos
SHANE MOSLEY WINS!! Shane Mosley dominated from start to finish, knocking out Antonio Margarito for the first time in his career in the ninth round to win the WBA welterweight title in a stunning upset.
Undercards:
Robert Guerrero vs. Edel Ruiz (Guerrero won via 1st round TKO!)
Saul Roman vs. Jose Varela (Roman wins via UD)
Jerry Belmontes vs. Jesus Hernandez (Belmontes wins via UD)
Juan Carlos Salgado vs. Cristian Favela (Salgado wins via UD)
FULL FIGHT VIDEO:
source: MelvynB of nowboxing.com
FULL FIGHT VIDEO DOWNLOAD (HDTV QUALITY):
http://rapidshare.com/files/189142930/Margarito.vs.Mosley.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/189146144/Margarito.vs.Mosley.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/189149432/Margarito.vs.Mosley.part3.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/189152748/Margarito.vs.Mosley.part4.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/189155789/Margarito.vs.Mosley.part5.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/189160766/Margarito.vs.Mosley.part6.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/189163961/Margarito.vs.Mosley.part7.rar
credit to: original uploader
or
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QCL9TJ57 (1 link download)
credit to: original uploader
PHOTO GALLERY:
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------- MMA DAY OF RECKONING FREE LIVE STREAM ----------
BREAKING NEWS: PACQUIAO ACCEPTS EXISTING OFFER TO FIGHT HATTON
By Dong Secuya | PhilBoxing.com
After a long night and as the sun glimmers in the Philippines' eastern sky Friday, Pacquiao has finally gave the nod to his team to accept the existing offer from the Hatton camp to maybe finally seal the May 2 Pacquiao-Hatton superfight at MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Pacquiao and his team are currently in Manila.
Pacquiao friend and confidant Rex 'Wakee' Salud informed PhilBoxing about the good news. The final financial deal is a 12 million dollar guarantee for Pacquiao and 52-48 PPV share in Pacquiao's favor.
The negotiation has been derailed after Pacquiao demanded a 60-40 PPV sharing in his favor from a 50-50 sharing being stipulated in the original contract. The Hatton camp countered with a 52-48 sharing in Pacquiao's favor and gave Pacquiao a Wednesday deadline to sign the contract. The fight has been called off as of yesterday when Pacquiao refused to budge as both parties issued statements blaming each other for the failed negotiation.
Over 3 bottles of beer
Pacquiao, whose playful antics would create joy and difficulty in his inner circle and this time reverberated into the boxing world by playing hard to get in the negotiation table, told Salud, who does not drink, that he would accept the contract only if Salud will down three bottles of beer. Salud, who had been trying to convince Pacquiao for days to sign the contract, was forced to drink this time around in order for the deal to be consummated.
Salud also informed that Arum was elated to hear the news that Pacquiao finally accepts the deal and that Arum may even come to the Philippines to do the press conference.
The Pacquiao-Hatton superfight on May 2 in Las Vegas is the year's most anticipated fight and is expected to sell out gate and short circuit tickets and break PPV records.
Pacquiao, Hatton looking for new foes
source: GMANews.TV
Now that their planned May 2 fight is officially called off, the camps of Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton are now looking for new opponents.
Hatton's promotional side already announce the cancellation of the expected mega-bucks match on Las Vegas in an online report on Wednesday.
Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions, which promotes Hatton, told Dan Rafael of ESPN.com that Hatton has instructed Schaefer to “go and lock in another fight".
“It’s off and we are now pursuing our other options. That’s it. The Hattons called me and asked again if we had a signed deal from Pacquiao and when I said we didn’t, they said they won’t sit around anymore," a clearly upset Schaefer said.
“They would like me to explore three fights they are interested in."
Schaefer, who recalled the time Pacquiao stalled his match with Oscar de la Hoya for prize-money reasons as well, said there was a slim chance Pacquiao-Hatton would push through. Minimally slim, however.
“We’re going to go and lock in another fight, but if Pacquiao calls in an hour or a day and I don’t have a fight locked in, I’ll call the Hattons and let them know," he said.
Rafael reported that Pacquiao could face world super-featherweight champion Humberto Soto of Mexico in a fight eons below the magnitude of a Hatton gig.
Hatton, on the other hand, might consider fighting either his promoter Oscar de la Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a rematch or the winner of the Juan Diaz-Juan Manuel Marquez bout.
Pacquiao refused to relent to an even-money split and has insisted on a 60-40 partition. Schaefer and counterpart Bob Arum seemed to have agreed at 52-48 favoring Pacquiao, but Pacquiao didn’t budge.
Like Schaefer, Arum appeared to have conceded.
“(Manny) was unhappy with the terms," Arum said in the same ESPN.com story. “So I contacted Schaefer and I told him the situation and he acted accordingly, which means the fight is off."
For making a stand, Pacquiao, the 2008 Fighter of the Year, has touched some nerves, not the least of which the promoters involved.
“I don’t really want to call the Hattons about anything with the name Manny Pacquiao on it because they want to chop off my head. They are pretty upset right now, and I don’t blame them," Schaefer said.
“This has just been a wasted effort. I’m just so sick and tired of the games Pacquiao keeps playing and so are Ricky Hatton and Bob Arum as well."
Arum said he couldn’t sit down and talk to Pacquiao, who told him to speak to his lawyer Jeng Gacal and adviser Michael Koncz. Gacal and Koncz “did everything short of tying Manny up and focring him to sign," Arum added.
“The suits can posture but it’s the fighters who have to go in the ring and fight. But I am not thrilled right now," Arum said.
“It’s really as close to bizarre as anything I have ever been involved in."
Pacquiao not keen on new Hatton offer
source: Abac Cordero And Joey Villar
Manny Pacquiao is just waiting for a substantial movement in the purse split, and he will waste no time putting his name on the dotted line for a May 2 showdown with Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas.
“Mag-adjust lang sila dahil hindi puwede ang fifty-fifty (They should make the adjustments because fifty-fifty won’t do),” Pacquiao told The STAR as the stalemate in the negotiations continued.
As of yesterday, there was no substantial movement.
“Wala pa din. Ayaw pa din ni Manny. Walang magandang offer (There’s none yet and Manny won’t budge. No good offer),” said Pacquiao’s legal adviser Franklin Gacal from General Santos City.
While he admitted there was a new offer, it wasn’t anything that could or should make Pacquiao, the biggest star in boxing today, change his mind.
“May movement pero parang nanglo-loko lang (There was movement but it’s like they’re just trying to fool us). It was not substantial enough,” said the lawyer.
“Parang nilipat lang yung pera (It’s like moving the money) from the right pocket to the left pocket,” he added without elaborating.
Hatton’s father, Ray, has joined the fray, insisting that his son is ready to pull the plug on Pacquiao, and fight someone else.
“We have the offer of another massive fight in the summer, in the British Isles, which would bring a crowd of 80,000 or more,” he said. “We are extremely serious in our threat that we will pull the plug on Pacquiao and go for that alternative if that contract is not signed. We will not be messed around.”
Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, has already struck a deal with Hatton’s camp, including his Golden Boy promoters, for a 50-50 share, and has told the Filipino there’s no way he will get the 60-40.
It seems that the line between Pacquiao and Arum isn’t open. It was reported yesterday over the Internet that Arum was on his way to the Philippines to personally talk to Pacquiao, but this was denied by Gacal.
Not for now, at least.
A 55-45 split, insiders believe, may be enough to make Pacquiao change his mind, and get the ball rolling for what could be one of the biggest fights of the year.
In a press conference in Bacolod, Pacquiao said British brawler Ricky Hatton offered a 52-48 sharing Friday night.
“They told us last night (Friday) they now want 52-48, we’re still looking at it if there’s going to be readjustment,” said Pacquiao in yesterday’s press conference for the 2009 Smart National Amateur Boxing Championship here.
“But they also say they could go up to 55-45, I might agree to that,” he added.
Pacquiao, who was accompanied by business manager Eric Pineda and Gacal, however, stressed everything will be up to his camp.
“All of the possibilities will be discussed in the next few days, maybe next week we’ll have a decision,” said Pacquiao.
Hatton’s group has been insisting on a 50-50 split on all revenues generated by the proposed fight in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 2 while Pacquiao’s camp wants 60-40 in his favor.
Pacquiao’s camp was so adamant that it threatened to abandon the Hatton bout in favor of a fight either against Venezuelan knockout artist Edwin Valero or the retired Floyd Mayweather Jr.
“It was supposed to be 60-40 but all of a sudden they’re changing their mind. We’ll see what happens next week,” said Pineda.
With the recent development, the much-awaited fight might just happen after all.
Pacquiao wants a 60-40 sharing with Hatton with the Filipino superstar, who agreed to 32 percent against Oscar dela Hoya last December, getting the bigger share this time. But Hatton wants 50 percent of everything.
Pacquiao has given Hatton until the first week of February to decide whether he wants a crack at the pound-for-pound champion. Otherwise, the fight is off and the Pinoy icon will shop for a different opponent.
Already in the radar are Floyd Mayweather Jr, the undefeated but retired American boxer, Venezuelan knockout artist Edwin Valero or even Mexican counter-puncher Juan Manuel Marquez.
Pacquiao believes that he can make as much money fighting anyone among these boxers.
Pacquiao stays firm on 60-40
source: Abac Cordero | Philstar.com
At least on this one, boxer Manny Pacquiao and promoter Bob Arum are not on the same page.
Pacquiao, the biggest star in boxing today, yesterday stood firm on a 60-40 split with Ricky Hatton, of course to his favor, just after Arum announced that all’s well at 50-50.
“Hindi ako papayag sa 50-50 (I won’t agree to a 50-50),” said Pacquiao last night from Gen. Santos City, saying he feels he deserves more than what is being offered to him.
Hatton, the pride of Manchester, said he will only fight Pacquiao and stake his IBO light-welterweight crown (140 lbs) on May 2 in Las Vegas if he gets 50 percent of everything.
Arum is amenable to this. Pacquiao is not.
“Hindi puwede (That can’t be),” said Pacquiao over the phone.
“I’m giving Hatton until the first week of February to agree to 60-40,” he added.
“Manny is not accepting what’s being presented on the table. He’s staying firm at 60-40. Fifty-fifty is not acceptable,” said Pacquiao’s lawyer Franklin Gacal.
He said Hatton only draws huge pay-per-view sales from England when he’s fighting a boxer the caliber of Oscar dela Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Pacquiao.
“But against Paul Malignaggi (last Nov. 22) did he do just 200,000 (PPV buys)? That’s why it can’t be 50-50,” said Gacal.
“Otherwise, Manny will no longer be interested in fighting Hatton,” added one of his advisers Mike Koncz later on as he got hold of the phone.
Earlier in the day, Arum said it was just a matter of time before the Pacquiao-Hatton contract is signed.
Arum said that after a day of confusion about money matters, negotiations for the May 2 bout looked rosy as before.
“There was a lot of confusion about why we did 50-50, but everyone now understands why this is a good deal. This thing is going to happen,” Arum told the LA Times.
“Yesterday was disarray. Today, everything’s back in order,” he added.
The negotiations came to a halt when Gacal said they want a 60-40 share of everything or they will look at someone else.
This seemed to have infuriated Arum since he had already made an agreement with the Hatton people and Golden Boy Promotions for an even 50-50 sharing.
Arum gave Pacquiao until yesterday to make up his mind, or the fight goes out of the window. He even said he couldn’t “care less” if Hatton decided to drop the fight.
Arum yesterday said Pacquiao’s trusted men, Wakee Salud, Koncz and Gacal, are back “on board” and he sees no problem with them making Pacquiao sign the contract.
“By tomorrow, I’ll have a signed contract,” Arum told the LA Times.
Arum made it clear that Pacquiao, now considered the face of boxing, would get 50 percent of the pay-per-view sales in Britain, a large cut “attributable to the star from Manchester.”
Then Hatton will get 50 percent of the live gate. There was no word regarding the guaranteed purse of the fighters, but at the end of the day they will both make more than in their previous fights.
Arum said when Mayweather, then the pound-for-pound champion, fought Hatton in December of 2007, the American champion did not get anything from the British PPV sales.
Arum, in a chat with boxing chronicler Michael Marley, said there’s no Plan B if the fight goes down the drain.
“What’s Plan B here? I don’t see one unless you talk about Manny fighting Humberto Soto for $2 million,” said Arum, adding that Pacquiao will get more than the $10 million he received for facing Oscar dela Hoya.
“Look, Manny himself was in the loop about splitting all the money 50-50 from the Hatton bout. They didn’t want us in on the British TV money but I battled for it and everything goes to the bottom line for a 50-50 split. I got Manny 50-50 all around,” Arum told Marley.
“This is why I think Manny will shortly agree to the 50-50,” he said. “It’s so much money. He is getting 50 percent in this fight where he got only 32 percent against Oscar (who got 68 percent of everything).”
“Nobody with any halfway sense would tell Manny not to take the fight and the 50-50 deal,” added Arum, the master of boxing promotions.
Lakers star Bryant to write blog for Chinese web site
source: Greg Heakes | AFP
Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant has signed a lucrative marketing agreement with Internet giant SINA.com to write a blog for their Chinese website.
The 30-year-old Bryant enjoys a huge following among the 1.3 billion people in China where his popularity rivals that of Houston Rockets star Yao Ming.
"As a kid growing up I never in my wildest dreams thought I would have this big fan base half way around the world in Beijing and Shanghai," said Bryant during a red-carpet reception Thursday at the Club Nokia bar to announce the launch of his new Chinese-language web site.
"They know everything about me and my family. We had such a great time at the Beijing Olympics. They treated us very well."
The blog will be featured on a website dedicated to Bryant and the Lakers. Under the terms of the agreement, the blog would be translated into Chinese and exclusive to SINA's readers.
"The only English version will be the one I type into my BlackBerry," said Bryant.
Upon his introduction Bryant appeared wearing a traditional Chinese-style jacket. He then stood in front of red-doored Oriental facade framed by hanging imitation firecrackers that lit up and crackled amid a swirl of confetti.
The only aesthetic glitch was the bandage over Bryant's right eye which covered a cut he sustained in a recent game against the Miami Heat that took four stitches to close.
The site will include interviews, pictures and video of Bryant. SINA and Bryant declined to reveal financial details of the agreement.
Bryant is the second National Basketball Association star to launch a website on SINA, following Chinese player Yi Jianlian. Bryant already has his own website in English, called kb24.com. SINA says 40 percent of the readers who go to its sports section are NBA fans.
Marco Antonio Barrera to fight UK's Amir Khan on March 14
source: The Associated Press
LONDON – Former multiple world champion Marco Antonio Barrera of Mexico will fight British lightweight Amir Khan on March 14.
The 34-year-old Barrera, who returned from a short-lived retirement in November by knocking out Sammy Ventura in his first lightweight bout, will be the biggest name opponent so far of Khan's 20-fight career.
The 22-year-old Khan, who won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, rebounded from a first-round loss in September to win the WBA international lightweight title last month with a second-round stoppage of Oisin Fagan. His record is 19-1.
Barrera, who has held world titles at three different weights, has won 64 of 71 professional fights.
He won his first world title in 1995, the WBO super bantamweight championship, and has faced fighters including Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez and Erik Morales.
"This is a huge step up for Amir, who had some serious thoughts about it," promoter Frank Warren said Thursday. "This is the right fight for Amir at this stage of his career. I believe it will bring out the best in him. This puts him well and truly on the world stage."
The venue, likely in Britain, will be announced next week. (AP)
KHAN VS BARRERA PRESS CONFERENCE
AMIR KHAN INTERVIEW ABOUT BARRERA
video source: frankwarren
Pacquiao won't settle for 50-50 earnings split with Hatton (VIDEO)
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Pacquiao: It's still 60-40, or I'll find somebody else
source: abs-cbnNEWS.com
Contrary to earlier reports, Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao said on Thursday he is still insisting on a 60-40 split for his proposed “superfight” with British champion Ricky Hatton.
In a text message he sent to ABS-CBN correspondent Dyan Castillejo, Pacquiao maintained that he has not changed his mind regarding the percentage split with Hatton.
“Basta hindi nagbago ang 50-50 sharing the fight will not happen,” said Pacquiao in his text message.
The Filipino boxing champ said he even gave Hatton’s camp until February to decide on the cut, or else, he will find another opponent.
“I will give them until February. ‘Pag bindi pa nagbago, hanap na lang ng ibang kalaban,” Pacquiao said.
The boxer’s statement is contrary to a report posted on Telegraph.co.uk, which said the Pacquiao’s camp has agreed for a 50-50 split.
The report said that Top Rank promoter Bob Arum was able to convince Pacquiao’s handlers about Hatton’s view of the revenue cut.
Arum reportedly said that the tension has already “calmed down”, with the fight expected to be announced officially in the next week.
Pacquiao’s lawyer Jeng Gacal said he has talked with Arum early Thursday morning about the negotiations.
“’Yon nga binigyan kami ng deadline to act on the matter. Otherwise they will pull the plug. I have talked to Manny a few while ago… he's firm on 60-40,” said Gacal.
Observers predict the Pacquiao-Hatton fight to generate at least $60 million.
Report: Pacquiao to sign Hatton deal this week
source: GMANews.TV
The purse split originally put on the table has finally been okayed by Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton, Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum told the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday.
Arum particularly directed his satisfaction at Pacquiao’s decision – made through Pacquiao’s battery of advisers – to agree to an even split in the prize money.
"There was a lot of confusion about why we did 50-50, but everyone now understands why this is a good deal," Arum told Lance Pugmire of the LA Times on Wednesday. "This thing is going to happen. Yesterday was disarray. Today, everything's back in order."
Arum added that he expects that, "by tomorrow, I'll have a signed contract."
Pacquiao has reportedly sought a 60-40 partition in his favor. When the matchmakers wouldn’t budge, the talks stalled to the point that scrapping altogether the Pacquiao-Hatton gig on May 2 in Las Vegas loomed.
Arum previously cited his respect for Hatton’s drawing power in England as the reason for the 50-50 percentage. Half of the pay-per-view sales in Hatton’s country will be added to Pacquiao’s earnings, a stipulation that Floyd Mayweather Jr. didn’t enjoy when he fought Hatton in 2007.
When that was brought to the attention of Jeng Gacal, Pacquiao’s lawyer, "everybody … calmed down," Arum noted.
The bout will be held at 140 lbs, the fourth consecutive time that Pacquiao will fight in a different division. At that weight, Hatton is undefeated.
The negotiations in the Pacquiao-Oscar de la Hoya match also went through some rough sailing after Pacquiao declined a 70-30 split in De la Hoya's favor and sought a 60-40 percentage.
The two sides eventually settled for 66-33.
Hatton's lawyer warns Pacquiao camp
source: RTE SPORTS (rte.ie)
Ricky Hatton's lawyer has warned he will take legal action against Manny Pacquiao if the Filipino fighter reneges on a verbal contract to split the proceeds of their projected fight 50-50.
After reports emerged this week suggesting Pacquiao now wanted a 60-40 financial split the highly-anticipated Las Vegas fight appeared to be in doubt.
But Hatton's lawyer Gareth Williams maintains the fighters agreed to share the purse equally and has not been made aware of any change in demands.
He said: 'We had all this before Christmas when they were talking about different figures and we agreed a 50-50 split with them. So having agreed that with them, we're not going to change our mind.'
After Pacquiao's lawyer claimed he would not accept a 50-50 share this week, Williams said: 'No-one has relayed that to me. The only way that was relayed to me was when his lawyer went and stuck it on the internet.
'My own view is that if you want to alter a deal, you speak to the parties involved. You don't do it on the internet.
'It's up to him how he conducts his business but the simple fact is we've got a verbal agreement of 50-50 and that's as far as it goes.'
Williams added: 'As far as I'm concerned I've got a firm contract that the fight is taking place.
'As and when I'm officially told that the contract has been breached, then I will do something about it legally. It's a verbal contract. As far as I'm concerned we have a contract that the fight will take place. Until such time that I'm officially told it's not taking place, then that's the position.'
Williams claims the Mancunian light-welterweight world champion has already conceded ground to make the fight happen.
'My own view is we've been reasonable from day one,' he said. 'We wanted the fight to be in the UK but we've conceded to pressure from both American promoters and the American TV company that the fight should be outside of the UK.
'In an ideal world we'd rather fight later in May but again we've been told early May is the time to fight. So again, we've conceded that.
'The easiest thing in the world would have been to have gone along and started saying "we're bringing more to the table" and posturing. But we didn't do that.
'We just said "we recognise both parties bring an equal amount to the table, we recognise Manny is a great fighter, a great draw and is recognised as the pound-for-pound number one fighter and that is who Ricky wants to fight".
'But we also recognise that Ricky Hatton, unlike any other boxer in the world who Pacquiao could fight, will bring UK TV money, an army of British fans and so in terms of where the money will come from, Ricky Hatton is bringing the lion's share.'
Manny wants 65-35 purse deal vs Hatton
source: Roy Luarca | Philippine Daily Inquirer
There will be no equal sharing of the total prize purse and revenues when Manny Pacquiao tangles with British “Hitman” Ricky Hatton on May 2.
Team Pacquiao is leaning on a 65-35 percent revenue deal in favor of the Filipino ring superstar—or at least 60-40.
If the Hatton camp is not amenable to this deal, Team Pacquiao could junk the British battler for a new opponent willing to agree to the Gen. Santos City southpaw’s terms.
“It’s time for Manny to call the shots,” Wakee Salud, a close friend and confidante of Pacquiao, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer on the phone Monday. “After all, he’s the world’s undisputed best pound-for-pound fighter now.”
Salud said Pacquiao deserves to get the same deal Oscar De La Hoya (65-35 percent) received when the 10-time world champion fought and lost to the Filipino in their “Dream Match” showdown last Dec. 6 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pacquiao’s lawyer Franklin “Gheng” Gacal bared in a television interview, also Monday, that the fighter is willing to settle for a 60-40 sharing scheme for the Hatton bout, which has already been slated in Las Vegas.
After spending two weeks with wife Jinkee, children Michael, Emmanuel Jr., Mary Divine Grace and newborn Queen Elizabeth, at their Palazzo residence in Hollywood, Pacquiao returned to Manila early Monday morning.
Jinkee and the baby was left behind in Los Angeles but will follow soon, according to Pacquiao, who took a connecting flight to Gen. Santos City.
The 30-year-old Pacquiao, acclaimed by Ring Magazine and other boxing award-giving bodies as the 2008 Fighter of the Year, intends to catch up with his studies at Notre Dame University and to honor previous commitments.
Earlier reports said Pacquiao would play for his team, GenSan MP, when the Warriors take on the Ilocos Bravehearts at the opening of the 2009 Liga Pilipinas in Gen. Santos on Jan. 14.
According to Salud, Pacquiao will also grace the amateur boxing summit slated Jan. 17 in Bacolod City.
If Pacquiao-Hatton pushes through as scheduled, Salud said Pacquiao will start training early in March at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.
Abe Concepcion TKOs Kenyan's Sande Otieno
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Round 1
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video source: pnoyboxer
Concepcion battles Kenyan for vacant WBC featherweight crown
source: GMANews.TV
Bernabe "Abe" Concepcion vs. Sande Otieno Free Live Stream - click here
Former North American Boxing Federation (NABF) bantamweight champion Bernabe Concepcion stakes his years of training with Manny Pacquiao when he battles Kenyan Sande Otieno on Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.
Concepcion, in a report at QTV 11, clashes with Otieno in a scheduled 12-round fight for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) international featherweight crown.
The Virac, Catanduanes-native, who is touted to be the Filipino boxer who would follow in Pacquiao’s footsteps, said he learned a lot from his years of training with the Filipino boxing icon who is also his adviser.
“He (Pacquiao) gives me advices whenever we talk. About my character, how to deal with other people and to be humble always," Concepcion said in Filipino.
This will be Concepcion’s first match in front of his hometown fans as the 20-year-old had a two-year stint fighting American and Mexican boxers overseas.
Concepcion, who is also a former WBC youth super bantamweight title holder, relinquished the NABF bantamweight crown to move up and fight in the featherweight division.
Concepcion amassed 27 wins, 16 by knockout, in the 28 matches he fought since his boxing debut against George Zerrudo on Fabruary 14, 2004. He also has one loss and one draw.
Otieno, meanwhile, is coming off a loss against Filipino Balweg Bangoyan in Davao City last year. It was the Kenyan’s first loss that snapped his 17-match winning streak.
PacMan also wants the ‘Tijuana Tornado’
source: By: Jun Medina | Manila Times
If Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao had his way, he wants to fight not just the best junior welterweights, like Ricky Hatton, whom he will challenge for the International Boxing Organization (IBO) title on May 2 in Las Vegas.
PacMan is willing to take on the big guys too, like the formidable Antonio Margarito, considered the best welterweight in the world today and known as the “Tijuana Tornado.” Or even the undefeated former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr.,
should he decide to come out of retirement.
Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum and many boxing experts find the idea of Margarito vs. Pacquiao absurd because of the physical disparity between the two fighters. Margarito, who is a Mexican, towers at 5’11” while Pacquiao is half an inch below 5’7”. But Manny thinks otherwise.
According to Pacquiao’s trainer and confidante, Freddie Roach, not only does Manny want to fight Margarito in the future—he believes that he can outbox the Mexican warrior, Roach told boxing scribe Ron Borges of the Sweet Science, a leading boxing website.
Roach says Pacquiao is not bothered by Margarito’s physical advantages.
“Manny wants to fight Margarito,” said Roach, Pacquiao’s celebrated American trainer. “Manny thinks he can outbox him. Margarito is a big welterweight. He’d have a lot of advantages physically but Manny doesn’t really worry about that. I don’t know but he believes he can beat him.”
Margarito, presently the World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight champion, earlier indicated that he would gladly accept a bout with Pacquiao if the fight was offered to him. Both Margarito and Pacquiao are promoted by Top Rank.
“Pacquiao looked very good [against Oscar De La Hoya] and showed that he can fight against the better welterweights. If he and the promoters agree, and want to do it [a fight with me.
Search continues for naturalized cager
By June Navarro | Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—The search for a tall and talented naturalized player who will reinforce the men’s national team is proving to be a difficult task for the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.
Executive director Noli Eala Thursday said the prospects recommended by scouts in the United States have failed to pass the standards of national team program director Rajko Toroman.
“They (scouts) have presented at least 15 foreign players who are willing to play for the national team but none of them made the grade,” said Eala. “We have them checked, but we’re not satisfied.”
Among those recommended were 6-foot-11 Terrence Gamble of Tarleton State University and 7-foot-3 Keith Closs, who played for the Los Angeles Clippers.
Toroman, who led Iran to the 2008 Beijing Olympics for the first time in 60 years, wants at least a 6-9 player who won’t be 30 during the 2011 FIBA-Asia Championship.
The tournament serves as qualifying for the London Olympics.
“We need a strong rebounder and a very good defender,” said Toroman. “He doesn’t have to be spectacular but somebody who could control the paint for us.”
Unbeaten Indon risks WBA title in US (Chris John Vs. Rocky Juarez)
source: Agence France-Presse
HOUSTON -- Undefeated Indonesian Chris John will risk his World Boxing Association featherweight title next month in his US debut against Rocky Juarez in his 2000 Olympian rival's hometown.
The February 28 showdown will serve as a co-feature with Mexican star Juan Manuel Marquez's lightweight matchup against American Juan Diaz.
John, 42-0 with one drawn and 22 knockouts, won his crown with a 2003 split decision over Colombian Oscar Leon and has defended the throne with nine wins and a draw since, making him one of the longest-tenured current champions.
The 29-year-old from Jakarta has never before performed in a US venue in more than a decade as a pro fighter, but a victory over Juarez, 28-4 with 20 knockouts, could set him on a course for richer fights and showcase opponents.
"This is an important moment in my life and my career - to not only defend my title against a worthy challenger like Rocky Juarez, but to do so fighting in the United States for the first time," John said.
"I promise all my fans that I will give my best as always and I hope to make even more fans in Houston."
That will require some conversion, since hometown hero Juarez took a silver medal at the Sydney Olympics and won his first 23 pro fights before losing his first title fight to Mexico's Humberto Soto by unanimous decision in 2005.
Juarez's other losses have come in his other title fights, all three for the World Boxing Council super featherweight crown, the most recent a unanimous decision defeat 14 months ago at the hands of Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez.
But Juarez, 28, stopped former world champion Jorge Rodrigo Barrios last September to earn another title chance.
"I'm grateful for this opportunity and I've always felt that I'm at my best when my back's against the wall," Juarez said. "I'm fighting this fight as if it's my last and I won't disappoint my hometown fans. I will win the title."
Promoter Oscar de la Hoya is happy to bring John to America in only his third fight outside his homeland, the others in 2005 at Australia and last October in Tokyo when he took a unanimous decision over Japan's Hiroyuki Enoki.
"Chris John has been one of boxing's most consistent world champions," de la Hoya said. "We're excited to finally bring him to the United States."
Marquez needs convincing win to attract interest from Pacquiao
Source: The Canadian Press
HOUSTON — Juan Manuel Marquez thinks a victory over Juan Diaz will draw him closer to one more shot at Manny Pacquiao.
Of course, he first has to handle Diaz, who has lofty aspirations of his own.
The two highly regarded lightweights met with reporters Thursday to promote their Feb. 28 fight at the Toyota Center in Houston, Diaz's hometown.
The 35-year-old Marquez (49-4-1, 36 KOs) isn't ducking tough competition while he keeps trying to convince Pacquiao's camp to set up a third bout between them. Marquez and Pacquiao fought to a draw in 2004 and Pacquiao won a close decision in the rematch in Las Vegas last March.
Marquez, who signed with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Productions, mostly blames Top Rank chairman Bob Arum for preventing another rematch from coming together.
"There is a reason he (Pacquiao) doesn't want to fight me again," the Mexican-born Marquez said through an interpreter. "But that's the fight I've wanted, I've made no secret of it."
Right now, Pacquiao's camp is close to securing a 140-pound fight with Ricky Hatton on May 2 in Las Vegas. David Itskowitch, the chief operating officer for Golden Boy Promotions, said Thursday that the Pacquiao-Hatton event is "still taking shape."
"It's not like there is any one issue holding it up," Itskowitch said. "Everything is moving along well."
Marquez moved up to lightweight after the loss to Pacquiao and knocked out Cuban champion Joel Casamayor on Sept. 13. He wants to do the same to Diaz, a former three-time lightweight champion, to increase the pressure on Pacquiao, who holds the WBC lightweight belt.
"That's the intention," Marquez said in Spanish. "Right now, I'm just concentrating on Juan Diaz 100 per cent."
The 25-year-old Diaz (34-1, 17 KOs), meanwhile, calls his matchup with Marquez a "dream come true." Diaz lost three lightweight belts to Nate Campbell last March, then beat Michael Katsidis in Houston last September.
Juan Diaz beat Julio Diaz on October 2007 to unify the WBA, WBO and IBF lightweight titles, but he's never faced an opponent as accomplished as Marquez, a former featherweight champion and a national hero in Mexico.
"This is the type of fight I've been waiting for my whole life," said Juan Diaz, who will graduate from the University of Houston in May. "Finally, I get my chance."
Diaz also has his eyes on Pacquiao's belt, and knows how much a victory over the well-respected Marquez would vault him up the list of contenders.
"By beating the man who a lot of people said beat the man, that will put me up there," said Diaz. "That's what is going to make this a more interesting fight, that if I beat him, my name is going to be up there with all the top guys."
Promoters also announced that 2000 Olympic silver medallist and Houston native Rocky Juarez (28-4) will fight WBA featherweight champion Chris John (42-0-1) on the undercard.
The Indonesia-born John, who defended the title against Marquez in March 2006, will fight for the first time in the United States, while Juarez will try to win for the first time in five championship bouts.
British boxing scribe belittles Pacquiao
By Cedelf P. Tupas | Philippine Daily Inquirer
Veteran trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. isn’t alone in his opinion that Ricky Hatton will pound Manny Pacquiao into submission in their May 2 light welterweight showdown in Las Vegas.
Noted British boxing writer Geoff “The Professor” Poundes of the ringsidereport.com joined Mexican great Erik Morales in belittling the Filipino hero’s chances against the “British Hitman.”
“Hatton will win inside the distance in a fight that may not even be close, if the Hitman turns up fit, healthy and ready for action,” he said.
Poundes went even further to say “Pacquiao is going to get his ass whipped by Ricky Hatton.”
“Hatton is demonstrably comfortable, and powerful, at 140, which is where the fight will be made, and he has never been close to being beaten at that weight,” he said.
“I say it giving full respect to Manny Pacquiao’s speed, agility and guile—having given the same respect to those qualities in Paulie Malignaggi, (whom Hatton defeated by knockout last November).”
Roach: Manny will stop Hatton
source: Abac Cordero | Philstar.com
(photo: Philstar.com) Freddie Roach drew his old, reliable gun early by predicting that Manny Pacquiao will stop Ricky Hatton in the later rounds of their scheduled match on May 2 in Las Vegas.
Speaking from his Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, the most successful boxing trainer these days said Pacquiao, the current pound-for-pound champion, should win via stoppage.
“Ricky is a tough guy and he’s durable but I think we will get him in the later rounds,” said Roach over the phone as he was wrapping up his day’s work at his gym at around 8 p.m. (LA time).
Is he predicting a stoppage in the ninth round?
“Ninth round? Yeah. That’s my favorite number,” he said with confidence.
Roach also predicted that Pacquiao would stop David Diaz in nine rounds last June, and said the same when his fighter faced Oscar dela Hoya last month.
On both occasions he was right, with the Filipino multi-millionaire stopping Diaz in the ninth round to win the WBC lightweight crown. Roach, however, fell a round short against Dela Hoya.
The Golden Boy of boxing, supposedly the bigger fighter, failed to answer the bell for the ninth round where Pacquiao said he would have gone for kill.
Hatton, according to Roach, will suffer the same fate when he puts his International Boxing Organization light-welterweight crown (140 pounds) against the hard-hitting Pacquiao.
“Yes, I think we’ll get Ricky in the later rounds,” Roach repeated.
The former boxer who seems all set to receive his third Trainer of the Year award said he talked to Pacquiao earlier in the day, and they agreed to start training for the Hatton fight in March.
“The first day of March will be our first day at the gym. We talked about it earlier, and I think eight weeks will be good for us,” said Roach of Pacquiao who’s still in Los Angeles.
Pacquiao’s wife Jinkee gave birth to a baby girl, to be named Queen Elizabeth, a day before New Year’s Eve, and the couple, with their three other children, should be back in Manila on Monday.
The press tour for the Pacquiao-Hatton fight will take both fighters to London and key cities in the US. Roach said by this time, around February, Pacquiao should be out running.
“He should be out running daily by February so we won’t have to start from scratch once we get to the gym,” said Roach, adding that 140 pounds is a good weight for Pacquiao.
“No problem,” he said.
Pacquiao graces 'The Ring' cover as 08's best
source: GMANews.TV
Manny Pacquiao owned Oscar de la Hoya in their Dream Match.
As the best of 2008, Pacquiao will be on the cover of the prestigious "The Ring". A magazine owned by De la Hoya.
"The Ring" named Pacquiao Fighter of the Year and the magazine more popularly called as "the bible of boxing" put him on its cover in the upcoming yearender issue.
"The Ring" used one of Pacquiao's photos during his training for De la Hoya. Underneath his name, a kicker read, "Can he carry the load from the man he conquered?" referring to Pacquiao being elevated as the sport's biggest draw after his eight-round demolition of De la Hoya last month.
De la Hoya is the majority owner of "The Ring" after Sports and Entertainment Publications LLC, a Golden Boy Enterprises subisidiary, bought the publication from the Kappa Publishing Group in September 2007.
This marks the second time "The Ring" awarded Pacquiao its highest honor. He was also named Fighter of the Year in 2006 after going 3-0.
Other boxers who were named Fighter of the Year twice were: Muhammad Ali, Ezzard Charles, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Marvin Hagler, Evander Holyfield, Ingerman Johansson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Floyd Patterson, Gene Tunney, Dick Tiger, James Toney, and Mike Tyson.
Former NCAA MVP Ekwe to play in Liga cage tilt
source: GMANews.TV
Sam Ekwe can’t play in any professional league in the country because he isn’t a Filipino.
That ended on Tuesday after the Nigerian-born center was drafted by a team in the Liga Pilipinas.
The Liga board members passed a resolution in December that granted “special playing status" to foreign-born players who played at least three years in any varsity league affiliated with the national federation Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.
Ekwe, a two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association MVP and three-time NCAA champion with San Beda, fit the bill. And with his participation in the Liga Conference II, the tournament is expected to gain an improved following as the league’s first legitimate superstar debuts for the Trace-Laguna team.
“We prayed hard for this and we are just so glad we bagged the big one," said Nomar Isla, the Laguna head coach who picked Ekwe in a special rookie draft held among 10 teams Tuesday.
Ekwe and Garcia’s Stallions will see action in the first leg of the elimination phase that starts on January 14 in the home court of expansion team GenSan MP Warriors in General Santos City. Other teams competing in the Gensan leg are Ilocos Sur and Zamboanga.
“Sam is a special player. He is a proven winner and an attraction in any league. His entry into Liga will provide added competitiveness and intensity to our games for all of our regional fans," Liga president Noli Eala said.
Other teams in the tournament include: Manila, Smart-Pampanga, Harbour Centre-Taguig, Quezon province Red Oilers, Iloilo Mang Inasals, Misamis Oriental Meteors, and defending champion Cebu.
TEAM PILIPINAS TRAINING SHIFTS TO HIGHER GEAR IN COMING WEEKS
source: PBA.ph
The easy, free-flowing training road to the FIBA-Asia Men's Championship will turn steep and arduous for the PBA-Philippine team three weeks from now.
National coach Yeng Guiao announced during Monday's resumption of team practice at The Arena in San Juan that he will be calling two or three two-hour sessions beginning February – maybe even by the last week of January.
"We're still in the familiarization stage," Guiao said. "We're trying to get as much in without bothering the teams playing in the quarterfinals.
"But as the tournament gets closer, we have to go deeper into training. At saka by February, apat na lang ang naglalaro sa PBA. Six teams will have their players free."
The August 6-16 FIBA-Asia tournament in Tianjin, China – qualifying competition for the 2010 World Championship in Istanbul – is the target of Guiao's preparation.
To get there, however, the PBA-backed national squad will have to go through the Southeast Asian Basketball Association tourney on April 2 to 6 – the same route taken by Chot Reyes' RP team in 2007 to qualify for the Tokushima FIBA-Asia Championship, the regional elimination for the Beijing Olympics.
No official venue has been set for the SEABA tiff although the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, under telecommunications czar Manny V. Pangilinan, is reportedly putting up a bid for its staging.
"As I've told the players, this is the time to do all family obligations, and to let all injuries heal. Gawin na nilang lahat ng dapat nilang gawin ngayon so they can focus on their obligation to the team when tournament time comes," Guiao said.
"We can be a little lenient with their schedule now. But as the tournament gets closer, we'll be stricter with attendance."
PBA commissioner Renauld 'Sonny' Barrios, who attended the RP team's first practice for 2009 along with league operations and technical chief Rickie Santos, said, meanwhile, that plans are afoot to send Guiao on a couple of scouting trips within Asia.
"Maybe that can be arranged since the team has very limited foreign exposure due to the tight PBA schedule," Barrios said. "Para masilip rin niya yung mga magiging kalaban. Puwede niya sigurong subaybayan pag may tournaments doon."
"Puwede siguro. After all, I have more time in my hands now," said Guiao, who announced his resignation as Red Bull head coach a few days ago.
More honors for Pacquiao, Roach
By Cedelf P. Tupas | Philippine Daily Inquirer
For Manny Pacquiao, there’s one more significant event in the week leading to his May 2 fight with British brawler Ricky Hatton.
For Hatton, that event could serve as a reminder of what Pacquiao is capable of.
Pundits have tipped Pacquiao and Freddie Roach to lock up the Fighter and Trainer of the Year honors, respectively, when the Boxing Writers Association of America hands out its annual awards on Apr. 27, just five days before the Gen. Santos City southpaw fights Hatton in Las Vegas.
In an article posted on the website www.mannypacquiao.com.ph, the Boston Herald’s George Kimball said that, although the votes have yet to be cast, the choice of Pacquiao and Roach appear to be a “foregone conclusion.”
“It would be a travesty of the highest caliber if Pacquiao is not named unanimous fighter of the year,” the cleveland.com sports staff said.
Pacquiao was also adjudged Fighter of the Year in 2006, succeeding Hatton, who won the award in 2005. Floyd Mayweather Jr., who looms as the next opponent of the winner of the Pacquiao-Hatton fight, was adjudged BWAA Fighter of the Year last year.
Under Roach, who has won two BWAA Trainer of the Year awards, Pacquiao produced three scintillating wins in three different divisions last year.
Pacquiao left no doubt as to his status as the world’s top pound-for-pound fighter by moving up two weight classes to conquer Oscar De La Hoya in a one-sided welterweight “Dream Match.”
That victory over De La Hoya, George Willis of the New York Post wrote, made Pacquiao the obvious choice for the award.
Pacquiao also beat Juan Manuel Marquez by split decision in March for the Mexican’s WBC super featherweight crown and followed it up with a swashbuckling ninth-round knockout of WBC lightweight champion David Diaz in June.
For fighting Hatton, Pacquiao is expected to earn more than the reported $15 million he received from the De La Hoya bout.
Morales puts money on Hatton
By Abac Cordero | Philstar.com 
(Photo: Eric Morales - Philstar.com) Once again, Mexican boxing hero Erik Morales is putting his name, his reputation or even his friendship with Manny Pacquiao on the line.
After missing out on his prediction that Pacquiao will have no chance against Oscar dela Hoya, the pride of Tijuana is now saying that the Filipino megastar will fall short against Ricky Hatton.
“Hatton has a good punch and he’s fast,” Morales, who fought three classic fights against Pacquiao in 2005 and 2006, was quoted by Mexican paper Esto as saying.
Morales beat Pacquiao the first time they met, a bloody 12-round decision, at the MGM Grand, but lost the next two fights by knockout at the Thomas and Mack Center.
He thinks he knows Pacquiao too well that this early, the last boxer to beat the current pound-for-pound champion is putting his money on Hatton.
“I can bet you that he wins,” said Morales, an excellent tactical fighter and future Hall of Famer, said of Hatton, the pride of Manchester.
Hatton and Pacquiao are all set to figure in a big showdown on May 2 with the British slugger putting his 140-pound IBO crown on the line.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, stakes his pound-for-pound title, a nine-match winning streak and his reputation as the greatest, most exciting fighter today on the line.
Morales, who became friends with Pacquiao after the Mexican did a series of commercials in the Philippines, is not with him this time.
Morales wasn’t on Pacquiao’s side, too, when the 30-year-old Filipino fought Dela Hoya exactly a month ago in Las Vegas.
“Pacquiao would get tired after six or seven rounds and will have nothing more left in him,” Morales told the press heading to the Pacquiao-Dela Hoya match that drew 1.4 million pay-per-view hits.
But Pacquiao proved him, and the other non-believers, wrong when he forced Dela Hoya into submission after eight brutal rounds of their 147-pound contest.
Another former champion, welterweight Carlos Palomino, now 59, has issued an early forecast, and like Morales is betting on Hatton.
“At 140 pounds, I think Hatton is too strong for Manny. He’d put too much pressure on Manny,” said Palomino, who lost his welterweight crown to Wilfred Benitez via a 15-round decision in 1979.
POC to train 100 elite athletes
By Abac Cordero | Philstar.com
The Philippine Olympic Committee is looking at the country’s top 100 athletes who will be placed under a special training program aimed at producing great results in the international arena.
Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, armed with a fresh, four-year mandate as POC president, said once identified, the athletes will undergo training the way the top athletes from other countries do.
“We’ll concentrate on looking for a hundred elite athletes. These 100 athletes will be given the kind of training that our competitors are getting,” said Cojuangco recently.
“They will specifically get the right nutrition, physical fitness program and technology,” added Cojuangco.
In the past, the POC and the Philippine Sports Commission identified the sport, actually 15 priority sports, to be placed under a special program. This time, the athletes are the ones being identified.
The Philippines is hoping to do well in the 2009 Laos Asian Games after a dismal performance in Thailand in 2007. The 2010 Asian Games in China, and the 2012 London Olympics will come next.
Cojuangco said he’d seek the help of the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp., the biggest benefactor of local sports and under chairman Efraim Genuino, regarding the “Top 100” program.
“I’m hoping to ask Mr. Genuino to accommodate some of them,” Cojuangco said.
The POC chief, who spent Christmas in the US, has prolonged his stay after elder brother Don Pedro Cojuangco and wife Dona Rosario figured in a near-fatal accident in Los Angeles.
Jose Romasanta, POC spokesman, said the 81-year-old Don Pedro was traveling with his wife and other relatives in a white Ford E-150 when an 18-wheeler truck went out of control and hit 11 vehicles on the highway.
The van carrying the Cojuangcos overturned, and after the accident, based on photos, which Romasanta saw on the Internet, was a total wreck.
“They’re out of danger in terms of not being fatal. But Don Pedro suffered a fractured collar bone while Dona Sari (Rosario) had internal injuries, broken ribs and punctured lungs,” Romasanta said.
The others in the van carrying the Cojuangcos back from Disneyland escaped serious injuries although one them, an in-law, underwent spine operation. A Cojuangco grandchild was unhurt.
The elder Cojuangcos were flown out of the accident site on separate helicopters, and were brought to separate hospitals depending on the injuries they suffered.
Nokia RP Youth U-16 bares 24-man pool
(Photo: Bobby Ray Parks Jr. - Philstar.com) Nokia RP Under-16 Youth team coach Eric Altamirano yesterday announced the members of the 24-man national pool from which a team will be formed for the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) youth tournament set this July.
Majority of the pool members are products of the ongoing Nokia National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) D-League, a grassroots program aimed at producing well-rounded players for future national teams.
John Aldrin Lunas of San Beda Taytay is the tallest at 6-5 while among those who made it were Kiefer Ravena (5-11, Ateneo), Cris Michael Tolomia (5-10, FEU), Bobby Ray Parks Jr. (6-4, St. George International School) and Michael Anthony Pate (5-11, International School for Better Beginners in Lucena).
“We thank all of those who attended the tryouts and congratulate those who made the pool. May their God-given skills approximate their willingness to play for flag and country,” executive director Noli Eala said about the team under the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas headed by Manny Pangilinan that will be trimmed down up to a 15-man lineup in time for the SEABA Youth tourney.
The team, which will be supported by Nokia Philippines and TAO Corp., is eyeing one of two seats for the FIBA-Asia 16-Under Tournament.
The advisory committee composed of San Beda coach Ato Badolato, Ateneo juniors coach Jamike Jarin and FEU juniors mentor Horacio Lim scrutinized over 170 aspirants during a special camp and open tryouts at the Jacinto Tiu Sports Center in Xavier School recently.
Altamirano said that the players in the pool are requested to attend practice starting Jan. 7, Wednesday, at the PhilSports Arena.
“This is only the start so we advise the members of the pool to religiously attend the practices to show their worthiness to make the final cut for the team,”Altamirano said.
Other members of the pool are Kristoffer de la Costa (San Beda-Taytay), Jay Christian De La Cruz (6’0”, Sacred Heart School in Cebu), Hero Tomilloso (6’0”, ICCS in Iloilo), Jasjit Dhaliwal (6’1 1/2, La Salle Greenhills), Mark Anthony Dia (6’1”, UST), Jasper Diaz (6’1”, La Salle Greenhills), Kevin Ferrer (6’2”, UST), Jeoffrey Javillonar (6’0”, Benedictine International School), Cederick Labing-isa (5’7”, UST), Raphael Nayve (6’0”, San Beda Taytay), Von Rolfe Pessumal (6’1”, Ateneo), Franz Luis Pumaren (5’9”, La Salle Greenhills), Jeron Teng (5’11”, Xavier), Gabriel Reyes (6’0”, Southridge), Paolo Luis Romero (6’1” 1/2 , Ateneo), Brian James So (6’1”, Letran), Rene Sta. Maria (6’1”, La Salle Greenhills), Thomas Torres (5’6” 1/2, La Salle Greenhills) and Joseph Trajano (5’8”, La Salle Greenhills).
US firm to open call center in SM North
By Lawrence Casiraya | INQUIRER.net
Stream Global Services will open its first call center in the country in the newly renovated SM North in Quezon City.
The US-based firm, formerly known as Global BPO Services Corp., is constructing a 1,500-seat facility at the sixth floor of the newly opened SM North Annex.
The company will start operating its facility this June.
Stream Global operates a temporary site at the Allied Bank in Makati City.
With the newly renovated Annex SM North, which is located along the main EDSA thoroughfare, is now being billed as the world's third largest mall with a total area of more than 90,000 square meters.
SM has likewise attracted operators like TeleTech and companies like American computer firm Dell, which also operate mall-based facilities.
"Call centers like operating in malls because one, it is accessible for their employees because we have our transport terminals and two, we are able to satisfy their requirements in terms of food places, for example," said Annie Garcia, president of SM Shopping Center Management Corp. (SCMC).
SM SCMC operates 33 SM malls all over the country and is set to open a couple more this year including one in Naga City (in the Bicol region), according to Garcia.
Hatton’s corner throws first verbal jab
By Cedelf P. Tupas | Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—Floyd Mayweather Sr. fired the first warning shot at Filipino hero Manny Pacquiao, who is set to take on his ward, Ricky Hatton, in a mega-buck light welterweight showdown on May 2 in Las Vegas.
The smooth-talking veteran trainer expressed confidence that Hatton will beat Pacquiao, who is coming off a sensational eighth-round technical knockout of Oscar De La Hoya last month that confirmed his status as the world’s top pound-for-pound boxer.
“Everyone is building up Pacquiao to be the next great thing but Ricky will handle him,” Mayweather Sr., whose son, Floyd Jr., looms as the next opponent of the winner of the Hatton-Pacquiao match, told fightnews.com writer Lee Bates.
“I know Pacquiao is fast, but Ricky has extremely fast footwork and he’s strong,” he said. “Believe me when I tell you we have a solid game plan for that fight.”
Mayweather Sr. was in Hatton’s corner when the British slugger hammered out an 11th-round knockout of American Paul Malignaggi to keep his IBO light welterweight crown last November.
Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, earlier said Hatton will be a tough customer for the Filipino star, but believes the Gen. Santos City lefty’s footwork will be the key to winning the bout.
The fight, which is expected to give Pacquiao his biggest payday yet, will not only be a battle between two fighters with aggressive styles, but between Mayweather Sr. and Roach, who have actually been feuding for the past two years.
Mayweather Sr. threw verbal jabs at Roach when the California-based trainer handled his De La Hoya, his friend and former ward, for his fight against Floyd Jr. in May 2007.
De La Hoya had cut Mayweather Sr. from his corner, after they failed to agree over financial terms and replaced him with Roach.
Although the fight has yet to be signed, a media tour hyping up the Pacquiao-Hatton duel has been tentatively set to start before the end of the month with New York, California and England as probable locations, Internet reports said.
Two British newspapers have reported that the two superstars will divide a $58.2 million fight purse, although Pacquiao’s camp has yet to announce how much he will be receiving for the fight.
In the De La Hoya fight, Pacquiao earned about $15 million, including his share from the pay-per-view revenues.
SMB defeated Air21, books Quarterfinals Seat
source: PBA.ph
San Miguel Beer survived its wildcard journey and, with the relief, is starting from scratch versus Barangay Ginebra in the quarterfinal round.
The Beermen outclassed the Air21 Express practically on all fronts, pulling off a 105-86 rout to gain entry into the KFC PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals at the Araneta Coliseum Sunday night.
Picking up from where they left off in their game against the Coca-Cola Tigers last Dec. 28, the Beermen made it 3-0 over the Express in their head-on duels in the conference.
It's Sta. Lucia versus Rain or Shine at 5 p.m. and San Miguel against Ginebra at 7:30 p.m. at the start of the best-of-three quarterfinals showdowns Wednesday in the same venue.
"Great players make great plays. Yung mga players ko ang nagpadali ng panalo namin," said San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen on their conquest of the Express.
Air21 became the fourth team booted out in the all-Filipino tourney after Red Bull, Purefoods and Coca-Cola. The Express are coming back in the Fiesta Conference playing under the Burger King banner.
Lordy Tugade, Dondon Hontiveros, Bonbon Custodio, Danny Seigle and Dorian Pena all scored in double figures as the Beermen eased out the Express with a torrid shooting.
"I know we're not expected to be here (wildcard round). But there's reason for everything and I think God has reason in bringing us here. Going into the quarters, we'll be a better team after going through the wildcard. We'll be more confident," said Tanquingcen.
"Ginebra's a tough team whether Mark (Caguioa) is there or not. But I'm not taking anything away from my team. We're coming out and making the best we can," Tanquingcen added.
Tugade and Hontiveros rifled in 18 points each, Custodio and Seigle fired 16 apiece while Pena added 12 as the Beermen easily negated Gary David's 31-point explosion.
Arwind Santos and Don Allado were the two other Express who put in double-digit outputs with the former making 20 and the latter 12.
With an impeccable game, the Beermen established control in the second quarter and kept the Express at bay the rest of the way.
Seigle had been hot, having made 10 points when hit by Santos' wayward elbow opening a one-inch wide cut on his right cheekbone midway through the second period.
The two teams figured in a highly physical contest from the onset with Wynne Arboleda being called an offensive infraction for swinging the ball hard on defender
Tugade late in the first half.Tugade took over from Seigle in the second period, knocking in a triple, a twinner and three charities to help the Beermen get a 48-41 spread at the half.
Custodio, Pena, Hontiveros and Olsen Racela also had significant numbers as the Beermen seized control after engaging the Express in two deadlocks and eight lead changes.
David made 17 points, three rebounds and two assists in the first 24 minutes of play for the Express. (NC)
The scores:San Miguel 105 - Tugade 18, Hontiveros 18, Custodio 16, Seigle 16, Pena 12, Washington 9, Racela 5, Pingris 4, Pennisi 4, Calaguio 3, Baguion 0.
Air21 86 - David 31, Santos 20, Allado 12, Arboleda 7, Baguio 5, Quinahan 4, Cruz 3, Kramer 2, Billones 2, Intal 0, Canaleta 0, Cruz 0.
Quarterscores: 25-23, 48-41, 75-64, 105-86
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