Pacquiao-Provodnikov: Is this as good as it gets for Manny?

provodnikov673With Ruslan Provodnikov (23-2, 16 KO’s) talking himself up as a possible next opponent for Manny Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KO’s) for his next fight on April 12th in Las Vegas, Nevada, it could be that this is as good it’ll get for Pacquiao for the remainder of his career if he stays with Top Rank until retirement.

A rematch with WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley promises to be a boring affair, because Bradley will no doubt choose to move around the ring for 12 rounds like he did with his recent win over 40-year-old Juan Manuel Marquez. We’re not going to see Bradley use the same fighting style that he did in barely beating Provodnikov last year. Bradley already said that he won’t make that mistake again.

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Khan signs for Mayweather fight but is also willing to face Pacquiao – which match-up is most appealing?

khan#11As boxing fans may have read by now, Amir Khan, the former WBA/IBF 140-pound champion, has put pen to paper to face superstar Floyd Mayweather Junior next May and is awaiting Floyd’s signature on the contract. This match-up, though derided by many, has long been expected (at least for a number of months now) and not too many people would be shocked if the match-up went ahead.

But Khan, in speaking with The Mail, also said he would be more than willing to face former friend and spar-mate Manny Pacquiao if Mayweather instead opts to face the fighter seen as his other option for May in Marcos Maidana.

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Khan says he’s willing to fight Pacquiao if Mayweather won’t ink contract

khan4045In an interesting confession, Amir Khan (28-3, 18 KO’s) says he’s already inked his part of the contract for a big fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. (45-0, 26 KO’s), but he’s still waiting and hoping that Mayweather will sign. Khan isn’t saying when the contract was sent to him and how long he’s been waiting on Mayweather.

What Khan is saying is that he’s willing to fight Manny Pacquiao next if Mayweather doesn’t sign the contract. Khan says he would try and bring Pacquiao to Dubai to make the fight happen. Whether that’s feasible given the Golden Boy – Top Rank freeze is the question. Khan’s says he wants Pacquiao, but unless the two promotional companies can work with each other then he’s wasting his breath.

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Provodnikov saying he could get Pacquiao fight on April 12th

provodnikov65WBO light welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov (23-2, 16 KO’s) thinks he has a good chance of being the next opponent for Manny Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KO’s) on April 12th in Las Vegas, Nevada. Provodnikov says he didn’t want the fight originally, but he’s changed his mind about it and he’s willing to fight Pacquiao in April.

This could be a very difficult fight for Pacquiao if it takes place, because Provodnikov is more rugged and powerful than the guys Pacquiao’s been facing. This is a much tougher fight for Manny than his last opponent former WBA lightweight champion Brandon Rios. Provodnikov is naturally bigger, faster and stronger than Rios. He also appears to be a smarter fighter than Rios, so it would be a tougher fight for Pacquiao.

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Pacquiao won’t get Mayweather fight until he changes promoters, says Showtime’s Espinoza

pac78311Showtime President of Sports Stephen Espinoza doesn’t have a lot of faith than we’ll be seeing a fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao in he near future unless Pacquiao bites the bullet and chooses to leave Top Rank. Espinoza sees that as being the issue that is keeping the fight between Manny and Floyd from taking place. Espinoza has no doubts in his mind that Mayweather would take the fight with Pacquiao immediately.

Espinoza could be right. If Pacquiao was with Golden Boy Promotions are some other promotional company instead of Top Rank, he’d probably agree to take the fight with him in a heartbeat. After all, it’s a fight that would give Mayweather a huge payday if he could get it. We just saw in his last fight against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez that Mayweather isn’t afraid to take on a tough opponent, if it means that he’s going to get a big payday out of the fight.

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Pacquiao still very interested in Mayweather bout

pac783While Manny Pacquiao’s close adviser Michael Koncz met with Top Rank promoter Bob Arum this past week to discuss the two names – Tim Bradley and Ruslan Provodnikov – that Arum has for Pacquiao’s next bout April 12th in Las Vegas, Nevada, Pacquiao is still very much interested in fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr. That’s his first choice of who he’d like to fight, but unfortunately Mayweather’s not on Arum’s list of opponents for him to fight. It’s going to be one of Arum’s Top Rank fighters that Pacquiao faces next.

Earlier today Pacquiao was asked if he’d like to fight Mayweather, and he said “Anytime. We’re just waiting.”

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Bradley could get ruined by Pacquiao, says Nate Campbell

bradley25WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley (31-0, 12 KO’s) really lucked out last year when he was given a controversial 12 round split decision over Manny Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KO’s) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Few people believe that Bradley won that fight, and he’s seen by many fans as a paper champion because of the win that was given to him.

As of now, it’s looking like Bradley will likely be Pacquiao’s next opponent in April in a rematch. Former lightweight champion Nate Campbell, who previously fought Bradley back in 2009, thinks he could end up getting permanently ruined by Pacquiao if he takes the rematch. Campbell saw how Bradley was slurring his words after his fight against Ruslan Provodnikov last March, and he sees him possibly having a worst outcome against Pacquiao due to his speed, power and desire for revenge.

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No to any Mayweather opponent but Manny Pacquiao

pac#1The issue is no longer between Pacquiao and Mayweather or between Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions. It has come to a point that the “unbeaten” boxer has to contend with the entire boxing world excluding puppets.

There’s not much problem with a boxer avoiding another boxer. But for a boxer to belittle the boxer he avoids and fears, malign and mock him with a litany of unfounded accusations, and then proclaims himself to be the best on the planet, it is the height of irony and delusion combined for any fans, aficionados and media to continue believing and supporting such a boxer.

Nothing is more defined than this: Boxing will have to ever say NO to Amir Khan, Marcos Maidana, Devon Alexander, Danny Garcia or any other Mayweather “solid guys” as future opponents for Mayweather until the fight with the eight-division champion “not on his level” is made first. Floyd’s latest vulgarity using social media proves one thing: He defies and challenges YOU, the people.

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Koncz: Marquez will never fight Pacquiao again

marquez7787It looks like it’s finally dawned on Manny Pacquiao’s team that they won’t be able to count on having Juan Manuel Marquez continue to fight him and help pump up his pay-per-view numbers anymore, as Pacquiao’s personal adviser Michael Koncz is now saying what everyone has known for the past 6 months in that Marquez will never fight Pacquiao fight Pacquiao again.

What this means in the immediate future is that the options for Pacquiao’s next fight on April 12th are mighty slim down to him either fighting a rematch with WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley or fighting one of his former sparring partners Ruslan Provodnikov.

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Manny’s Always On My Mind: Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s Obsession with Manny Pacquiao

floyd#101Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s auxiliary goal in the sport of boxing, for over four years now, seems to have been to tear down the image of Manny Pacquiao in any way he can. Floyd can’t and/or won’t do it in the ring so he does it outside of the ring with racial and ethnic slurs, mocking insults, false and damaging accusations, and various other attempted belittlements. A mission of sorts, clearly Manny has been on Floyd’s mind more than Floyd has been on his.

Floyd likely hoped Manny was done, once and for all, after Marquez knocked him out last year, likely betting that he would never have to face him in the ring or to compete with him again in any venue or on any level. But Manny came back in impressive style and now, Floyd can’t handle it. He thought Marquez had put out Pacquiao’s lights permanently. Instead, they are shining again, and even if not as brightly as before, there remains a strong glimmer of hope and confidence for, and in the man. Floyd Mayweather Jr. simply cannot handle this truth.

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