Mayweather heads for 2014 bout with Pacquiao: belt or no belt?

12/17/201312/16/2013 Reni M. Valenzuela

007FloydIMG_4768 If you can’t be a part of the people, at least don’t be a party to the problem that the people are intending to solve. Where in the rule of reason or any sanctioning body in boxing we can find a provision which states that beating Adrien “The Problem” Broner can be translated into a credential to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr.? What if Robert Guerrero and Canelo Alvarez would whip Broner in an even more convincing fashion which is highly probable? Does that earn Guerrero and Alvarez the fresh mandate to battle Mayweather again?

Such a “timely” suggestion but foolish.

NO solid fight for the unbeaten “number one” boxer except the resurrected eight-division champion whom he got accustomed to avoid. Thus who is the Money Team looking for to challenge their “man” outside of the Filipino sports icon? Nobody.

continue

“People power” in boxing: Pacquiao-Mayweather (part II)

12/14/201312/13/2013 Reni M. Valenzuela

Floyd Mayweather Jr. runs on the wrong side of the road if he is not fighting Manny Pacquiao next, while Pacman has an unfinished business to do with Timothy Bradley if Floyd decides to stray in barren grounds. The world has yet to see the best of Mayweather and no opponent but Pacquiao can bring it out in him.

FMJ will do a calamitous disservice to himself, his promotional outfits and Showtime if he opts to continue ignoring his worst fear in Pacquiao. Counter flows are forbidden in a single-way-narrow-street game called boxing.

continue

Manny Pacquiao To Visit Mayweather Jr. In United States

12/12/2013 Vitali Shaposhnikov

pac04 Like an avalanche, the possibility of a Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight in the near future is starting to swallow people whole.

After Pacquiao secured a solid victory over Brandon Rios, Manny Pacquiao fans began chanting an ever ancient, never forgotten mantra of a showdown between Floyd and Manny. Not only was this idea elevated by Pacquiao’s performance, but it was also fed by certain, barely relevant and indirect statements by Top Rank’s Bob Arum, and lately by Mayweather J. himself.

Now, it seems that Pacman is joining in, by suggesting that on his next visit to United States, he intends on meeting with Team Mayweather and discussing the potentiality of the fight.

continue

Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Mayweather/Pacquiao, Shawn Porter, Andre Ward’s Contract Dispute, & RIgondeaux!!

12/12/201312/10/2013 Vivek Wallace

pac931 Anand G. (San Antonio, TX): Manny Pacquiao is now the mandatory challenger for Floyd Mayweather’s WBC strap. How do you see this set of negotiations going between the two camps now that there’s a governing body both men respect at the center of it?

Vivek W. (ESB): At the core of this drama between the two camps, we’ve seen it all and heard it all, but this new wrinkle marks a first! With Pacquiao being a mandatory challenger, it puts Mayweather in an odd situation. He owns the upper hand at the negotiating table, but does Pacquiao’s mandatory challenger position carry enough weight to force Mayweather into taking a deal that isn’t commensurate to what he rates at this stage of his career? No! Not at all. That said, I do think it serves as a breeding ground for new results. One thing few have considred is the fact that contrary to popular belief, Pacquiao doesn’t have an exclusive deal with HBO.

continue

When enough is not enough

12/06/201312/05/2013 Paul Strauss

pac784 Boxing fans and sports fans in general have recently had some good and bad news bounced off of them. Momentary rekindling of their hopes (for the big fight) grew to be a flicker, only to be doused with negative news.

This is how is went. Fans were gradually pumped up with a good bit of worldwide ballyhoo, hawking Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao’s return to the squared circled against a worthy opponent, who was presented as a dangerous slugger with only one loss on his record. Questions were going to be answered. Either a new star would emerge from the USA, or another would re-emerge brighter than ever.

Colorful tidbits of Information were supplied, making old news new news, and the ordinary extraordinary. Top Rank promoter Bob Arum carefully orchestrated the one ring circus, so fans could understand the potential of the fertile ground he was about to exploit. The octogenarian and the sport of boxing were about to conceive a new fruitful baby in Maucau, China.

continue

Bob Arum: “We’re Willing To Make Anything Happen”

08/02/201412/04/2013 Vitali Shaposhnikov

Of all the things that seem to be in the way of a Mayweather Jr. vs. Pacquiao fight, and there are many, the boxing fans claim that Bob Arum of Top Rank is one of the primary causes of the inability of this bout to materialize.

While there has been, and possibly still is some bad blood between Top Rank and Mayweather Promotions (along with Golden Boy Promotions), it is the money that dictates the flow, and it’s the promoters who would ultimately secure a safe and financially care free life for their families’ future.

In a recent interview with USATooday, when Arum was asked whether he still intends on pursuing the mega-fight, Arum gave a long answer:

continue

Do Mayweather and Pacquiao Respect Boxing Fans?

05/29/201412/03/2013 Alexander Caldwell

It’s funny how things work out sometimes. When Juan Manuel Marquez knocked Manny Pacquiao out with the punch of the century, most people thought it represented the final nail in the coffin for a Mayweather-Pacquiao clash. That perfectly timed right hand not only put an end to Pacquiao’s recent aura of invincibility, but also seemingly sealed the fate of what could have been the biggest fight in boxing history.

Demand for Mayweather-Pacquiao had reached an all-time high in 2009-2010. But by the end 2012, however, all hope seemed lost compliments of Pacquiao’s Mexican nemesis.

continue

Roger Mayweather: Pacquiao needs to beat Bradley to create interest for Floyd fight

08/01/201411/30/2013 Rob Smith

Trainer Roger Mayweather believes that for Manny Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KO’s) to attract a lot of interest in a Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight in the future, he needs to defeat WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley (31-0, 12 KO’s).

Roger thinks a win over Bradley will get boxing fans excited for the Pacquiao-Mayweather bout because Roger thinks that fans really like Bradley. I’m not sure if that’s actually the case, to tell you the truth. A win over Pacquiao over Bradley would say about as much as a win for Pacquiao over Brandon Rios. There are better fighters at 147 than Bradley, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he were knocked out if he were to ever face Ruslan Provodnikov again.

continue

Manny Pacquiao: “I Am Willing To Fight Floyd. So It Is Up To Him”

08/01/201411/25/2013 Vitali Shaposhnikov

pac6838 As expected, the two names that are involuntarily intertwined forever, Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. are back where they belong: in people’s heads and forum boards.

Now that Pacquiao disposed on Brandon Rios, winning every single round of their fight according to most, Mayweather Jr. is being mentioned as a possible opponent sometime in 2014. Their match-up, at least in my opinion is unavoidable, and the two stepping inside the ring across each other is just a matter of time.

The question that Pacquiao vs. Rios was supposed to answer is whether Manny is still a viable competitive opponent for Mayweather Jr., but was that question really answered? Was Rios the test? According to Freddie Roach, the fight is still hot.

continue

Left-Hook Lounge: Pacquiao that “Great” or Rios that “Bad”?, Is Pacquiao a Threat to Mayweather?, Froch “Gift” Victory?

11/25/201311/25/2013 Vivek Wallace

Alain B. (Cebu, Philippines): In the past you said that Pacquiao would give Mayweather a good run for him money. After seeing this performance, would you still say that he is a threat to Mayweather?

Vivek W. (ESB): From day one, I’ve maintained that Pacquiao’s offense would be a great threat to Mayweather, and that his ability to pepper the opponent with power shots would be a threat to anyone in the sport, and yes….that does include Floyd Mayweather. His offense was never a question. The only question about Pacquiao was his ability to handle punches. Now that we know he can, without doubt, he remains a threat to Floyd Mayweather and everyone else. Now…..that being said…..when you peel back the layers of excitement and fanboy-isms attached to this potential showdown and see it for what it is, I don’t think anyone thinking clearly can tell me that Pacquiao is the lock to win that fight.

continue