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

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.

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

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.

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And so we go down that road again…talks begin anew for Mayweather Vs. Pacquiao

pac931 I can hear the groans from some fight fans already, those who have suffered enough over the games both sides have played with regards to thus far putting the stumbling blocks on making the fight the whole world (still) wants to see: Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao.

No sooner had Pac-Man put a beat down on a game but outclassed Brandon Rios, did promoter Bob Arum and Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach begin banging the drum (again) for a Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown. Arum told AFP that the fight can finally be made because “where there is a will there is a way.”

Roach went further in hyping the would be fight, stating how he believes his fighter will “overwhelm” Mayweather should the two superstars get it on.

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A Message to Alex Ariza

(Photo by Chris Farina – Top Rank) by David Douglas: The sport of boxing, and the business of boxing, is reserved for men and women who have character, in and out of the ring. Respect and honor is earned, literally, by the blood, sweat, and tears of the boxers in the ring, the expert boxing trainers that help prepare them, by the cut man with their precision in the corner, the diligent managers and even the eager promoters that make or brake careers…and yes, at times, sometimes more than not, this family of pugilistic passion, rears its ugly head of dysfunction. But, because everyone knows the price payed and time invested by those subjected to a not so pleasant passionate exchange, at the end of the day, the deserved due respect is given.

So, in case you haven’t been properly informed, you are not of this family of pugilism…you are not even worthy of being in a boxing gym, or most importantly, in a ring corner. How you managed to hustle your way into a significant boxing gym is on you.

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Dusty Hernandez-Harrison Closes Out 2013 Campaign With Resounding First Round Knockout

Dusty Hernandez-Harrison, only 19 years old and just 20 days after winning the WBC Youth Welterweight World Championship, scored a devastating first round knockout over Marlon Lewis at Dover Downs Hotel and Casino on Friday night. The win was Hernandez-Harrison’s eighth of 2013 and increased the undefeated 2013 GFL.TV Fighter Of The Year and Knockout of the Year nominee’s record to an outstanding 19-0, with 11 wins coming by knockout.

Hernandez-Harrison used body shots sending Lewis (6-3-2, 3KOs), who had never been down in his career, to the canvas three times before the referee stopped the contest.

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Groves: Froch was on his last legs, gassing out

George Groves (19-1, 15 KO’s) confesses that one of the reasons why he wasn’t throwing a lot of shots back at IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch (32-2, 23 KO’s) last Saturday night in his 9th round stoppage loss was that he thought that if he let Froch expend a lot of energy that he’d gas out and he’d be able to take advantage of that in the remaining three rounds of the fight.

Unfortunately what happened was the referee Howard John Foster saw Groves not punching and he likely figured he was more hurt than he really was so he stopped the fight.

You’ve got to put a lot of the blame for the defeat on the hands of Groves for making the decision to let Froch use up energy throwing shots.

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Pacquiao has three good years left, says Roach

roach1 Trainer Freddie Roach thinks Manny Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KO’s) has found the fountain of youth following his incredibly easy win over one of Bob Arum’s Top Rank fighters former WBA lightweight champion Brandon Rios (31-2-1, 23 KO’s) last Saturday night in Macao, China. The win, a one-sided 12 round unanimous decision by Pacquiao, was enough to convince Roach that Pacquiao is as good as he’s ever been and able to fight for three more years before he should hang up the gloves.

Roach said to Boxing Channel “He’s got three good years left.”

There’s a problem when a trainer starts to get ahead of himself for a fighter that is getting up there in age like the 34-year-old Pacquiao. You can’t speculate that he or anyone will be able to fight for the next 3 years because things can change rapidly in the ring from injuries and the negative affects of the ring wear and natural aging.

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Groves feels Froch doesn’t want a rematch

George Groves (19-1, 15 KO’s) thinks he was done a huge injustice last Saturday night when the referee stopped the fight in the 9th round and took away his opportunity to try and beat IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch (32-2, 23 KO’s) in Manchester, UK. Froch and the referee were both both booed loudly by the crowd after the fight.

When Froch was interviewed by Sky, he told his promoter Eddie Hearn that they should set up a rematch with Groves to set things right. But Groves doesn’t think Froch was on the level when he said that. He feels that Froch just said it to get the crowd to stop booing him and to start giving him some applause.

Groves said to Sky “I think he said it because he was hoping for some cheers from the crowd, and he probably doesn’t believe that he wants a rematch. This is the biggest fight out there for him. There’s no reason for him not to have it. The last thing he wants is to get in the ring with me again.”

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Froch/Groves: Post Fight Videos

Carl Froch climbed off the canvas to stop the brilliant George Groves to retain his WBA and IBF World Super Middleweight titles in the ninth round of their epic battle at the sold-out Phones 4u Arena in Manchester.

Groves stunned the Froch in the opening round of the contest, delivering on his pre-fight vow land right hands and take the fight to the champion, by dumping the champion on his back with one of those brutal right hands. The Cobra managed to get to his feet and survive the round, and the tone was set.

The Londoner continued to pepper Froch with the right hand throughout the fight while Froch’s moments of success were fleeting. ‘Saint’ George was able to take those attacks and counter at as he retained the upper hand in the first half of the fight, before one of the greatest rounds seen in a British ring in a sixth when Groves landed some huge shots and Froch responded in kind.

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Froch vs Groves: Chewing the Froch

After having watched a childish Groves in the build up to the fight, he truly showed his class on the night, out jabbing and landing numerous vicious right hands on Froch’s granite titanium chin.

The commentator Jim Watt, a Murray Walker type was clearly loving Groves’ work and lamenting Froch’s poor jab, which only in his last fight against the viking Dane, had been praised so much. One thing is sure enough though, on Saturday, the Cobra was looking more like a grass snake..

Getting to the point of this mini-article, perhaps the stoppage was the best thing possible for Groves and the contrary for Froch. The fans have been quick to blast the referee. Groves has indeed the lost the fight in the literal sense, but in way he is the winner.

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