News: Arum already has Pacquiao scheduled for April 20th next year

09/14/201610/03/2012 ESB

News: Arum already has Pacquiao scheduled for April 20th next year By Dwight Chittenden: Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has already penciled in his number #1 money fighter Manny Pacquiao for April 20th of next year against a still to be determined opponent. Arum scheduling Pacquiao ahead of time isn’t really anything new, but it is perhaps an indication that Arum isn’t all that interested in putting Pacquiao in with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

It’s either that or Arum just doesn’t think a fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao is attainable by that date. Arum would likely know, as it’s pretty clear that Pacquiao won’t be getting a 50-50 deal with Mayweather if they fight next year. Arum has always insisted that Pacquiao deserves nothing less than a 50-50 deal. But by setting a date in early 2013, you could interpret as a signal that Arum is trying to give Mayweather the brush off because this move will surely do.

Arum said to the Manila Bulletin “I have talked with Manny and we agreed to hold this fight on April 20th.”

Roach still wishes Pacquiao had chosen Bradley to fight rather than Marquez

10/05/201210/03/2012 ESB

By Rob Smith: Trainer Freddie Roach says he wished that his fighter Manny Pacquiao had selected WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley to fight next instead of facing Juan Manuel Marquez for a fourth time when they meet on December 8th. Roach has made it clear in the past that Marquez is a really tough fight for Pacquiao and he doesn’t see anything to be gained from fighting him yet another time after having already faced him three separate times.

Few tickets left for Pacquiao-Marquez 4 bout

09/14/201610/02/2012 ESB

By Rob Smith: While the hardcore boxing fans might be incredibly sick of seeing Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez fight endlessly, the casual boxing fans are clearly not bored as they’ve purchased nearly all of the 16,800 tickets for the Pacquiao-Marquez scheduled for December 8th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. As of Monday morning there were only 3000 tickets left with 13,00 having been sold over the weekend. By now the 3000 remaining tickets are probably reduced to even lower numbers.

Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum is pretty excited about this, saying to ESPN “We are ecstatic with the response.”

I bet Arum is. The last Pacquiao fight was against Tim Bradley and it reportedly didn’t do well on pay per view. This is one of the reasons why Bradley didn’t get a second chance to beat Pacquiao again.

Gamboa could fight on Pacquiao-Marquez 4 undercard on December 8th

09/29/201209/29/2012 ESB

By Michael Collins: Former IBF/WBA featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (21-0, 16 KO’s) could wind up on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez 4 fight on December 8th, according to Steve Kim. Gamboa hasn’t fought since last year in September in beating Daniel Ponce De Leon. Gamboa has been out of action due to promotional problems in leaving Top Rank.

What’s Behind Pacquiao’s Decision to Drop Lawsuit

09/14/201609/27/2012 ESB

By Paul Strauss: The latest news release reveals Manny Pacquiao is dropping his defamation lawsuit against the Mayweathers in exchange for an undisclosed settlement. In addition, the Mayweathers have to endure some humiliation by releasing a statement explaining they never intended to imply Manny used PEDs, and none of their previous comments should in any way be construed as such. Talk about foul tasting!

Don’t you find it interesting this is coming soon after a judge ordered Floyd Mayweather, Jr. to pay Manny’s legal fees? The judge apparently felt Floyd failed to cooperate. Floyd’s reason or alibi’s given for failing to appear on prescribed dates for depositions were not acceptable. Another way of looking at it is Floyd was refusing to comply with his legal obligation to be deposed. At least that’s the way the judge looked at it. The possibly of giving testimony under oath was obviously not something Floyd, Jr relished. That possibility was harder to swallow than the crow he is now eating.

Alas, it’s a safe bet the undisclosed amount Floyd, Jr. has agreed to pay to Manny is going to be somewhere close to five percent of the projected purse for their long awaited and hoped for match. Remember, just a few days ago, Manny announced he would take 45% to Little Money’s 55%.

Mayweather-Pacquiao settle defamation lawsuit out of court

09/14/201609/25/2012 ESB

By Rob Smith: Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao have reach an undisclosed out of court settlement to resolve Pacquiao’s defamation lawsuit against Mayweather. The terms are confidential, according to AP. Each party will pay for their own attorney fees for the case.

The lawsuit came about from alleged comments made by Mayweather and his father Floyd Mayweather Sr. that Pacquiao had used banned substances to accomplish his feats. Last week, Mayweather was ordered to pay $114,000 after failing to show up for the Pacquiao case.

With this case behind them this could be the last impediment to putting together a Mayweather-Pacquiao blockbuster pay per view bout in early 2013. Mayweather wants the fight, Pacquiao wants the fight, and the boxing public badly wants to see them fight. Although it might be a little late in the game for the fight to be put together, it’s better late than never.

Pacquiao can’t afford to wait because he’s clearly lost a step and isn’t the same fighter he was three years ago. He lost his last fight to Tim Bradley, and he perhaps should have lost his fight before that against Juan Manuel Marquez.

Pacquiao has to beat Marquez impressively this time

09/14/201609/24/2012 ESB

By Rob Smith: With Manny Pacquiao’s performances looking less and less impressive with each fight, Pacquiao now has to look especially good for him to be still considered as one of the best fighters in boxing. Getting beaten and/or winning controversial decisions isn’t helping him. You can’t look at Pacquiao’s last three performances against Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez and Tim Bradley and Pacquiao as a superstar type fighter. He lost to Bradley and should have to Marquez.

That’s two defeats in his last three fights. That’s terrible. While some boxing fans feel that Pacquiao deserved a win over Bradley last June, Pacquiao’s performance in that fight wasn’t superstar type material. Pacquiao just looked like an old guy that could no longer fight hard for three minutes of every round, and who also couldn’t cut off the ring to save his life.

If for no other reason that they can’t find another big money opponent to put him in with, Pacquiao will be fighting Juan Manuel Marquez on December 8th. With the Top Rank – Golden Boy rivalry limiting the number of options Pacquiao has in terms of opponents, sadly he’s reduced to fighting the same guys over and over again.

Pacquiao vs. Marquez IV: Can Manny knock-out JMM?

09/14/201609/23/2012 ESB

By Joseph Herron: “Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.” – Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

On December 8th, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao will take on Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez for a fourth time in what could prove to be another great war of wills.

Although neither fighter has ever dominated their respective nemesis, both men have publicly stated that they feel a sense of urgency to end the ongoing rivalry with a sensational and resounding knock-out.

But will the fourth installment materialize into another strategic but action filled tug-of-war, or will the boxing universe finally witness a decisive victory for the eventual winner?

Despite getting the decision in two of his three epic battles with JMM, the Filipino Congressman is coming off a disappointing loss to Timothy Bradley and is convinced he has much to prove to his fans as well as his critics.

Pacquiao vs. Marquez IV – “It has to happen…really?”

09/14/201609/22/2012 ESB

By Marc Livitz – Change is good…Complacency kills.

Neither of these well known socially accepted proverbs holds any weight if each of them is universally governed by the words of the great P.T. Barnum.

Oceans worth of fans still feel jilted from the fallout which resulted from the past three fights between a certain Emmanuel D. Pacquiao and a noteworthy Juan Manuel Marquez Mendez. To their credit, there is enough evidence however much it may be clouded by opinion and anger on each side to support their respective arguments.

Throughout the thirty six rounds contested between the two, we have been constantly reminded afterwards just how microscopic the differences have been in terms of how the scoring has played itself out. The knockdowns have made the difference, at least they have (or did) in the first and second contests, which took place in May 2005 and March 2008, respectively.

A show of hands, please. Who really wants to see a fourth meeting between the two?

Take into consideration for just a moment how age is certainly going to factor into the bout once the bell rings to commence round thirty seven on December 8 of this year. Manny Pacquiao will be closing in on his 34th birthday, while Marquez has already settled into the final year of his thirties.

Win?…pissed off at the result. Lose?…pissed off at the result. Draw?… pissed off at the result.

Pacquiao Agrees to 55-45 Split to Fight Mayweather

09/14/201609/21/2012 ESB

By John G. Thompson: Filipino Congressman, eight division champion, and pound-for-pound great Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KO’s) appeared on ESPN2’s “First Take” this past Thursday and announced something which could help make the long anticipated fight between him and fellow pound-for-pound great and five division champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. (43-0, 26 KO’s) actually materialize.

Pacquiao publicly announced that he is willing to cede the majority of revenue the fight would generate to Mayweather, who has been unwilling to fight under the normal 50-50 split. Though an even split is customary for two champions, Mayweather argued that his fights generate more revenue, and based on the numbers he is correct. Pacquiao stated that he would be willing to take a 55-45 split, possibly easing the barriers preventing a showdown between boxing’s two top stars.

Another point of contention from Mayweather has been Pacquiao’s refusal to accept random drug tests. Just to put this issue to rest as well, Pacquiao reiterated in the interview that he would be willing to submit himself for random drug testing. It seems that many fans are not up to date with this issue, so just for a little background: Mayweather and Pacquiao have attempted negotiations for this fight numerous times over the past few years. Mayweather accused Pacquiao of taking performance enhancing substances and demanded random drug testing from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).