by John Martinez: Boxscore News – “I have something I want to say. I am not afraid of anyone. I am a fighter; I am not a business man; I’m a fighter. I hope everyone understands this and on May 7 in (Las) Vegas, Shane Mosley will know this,” barked a usually subdued Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao.
What Manny is referencing of course is his next assignment in the ring. He will put his WBO welterweight title on the line against the former multi-divisional world champion, “Sugar” Shane Mosley, at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas on May 7th.
In a departure from his usual PPV events, this title fight will broadcast live on SHOWTIME NETWORK PPV as opposed to HBO PPV, or as it should now be called, “the house that Manny built.”
“I understand Mosley said I don’t have defense at all. But this isn’t true,” said Pacquiao.
“I want you to write this, please. Tell everyone I do have defense. I just rather fight. I don’t want to dance and run – I want to fight,” he said.
“Well that’s interesting because Shane (Mosley) told me that is how he classifies you as, a fighter, not a boxer,” I replied.
Boxing fans and critics alike are not hyped for this fight. As a matter of fact, the general consensus amongst the masses is that Mosley will get his wish and see the bright lights from his view on the center stage all-be-it from lying on his back looking up from the canvas.
“I hear people say this will be an easy fight for me, but I know myself it won’t be,” said Manny.
“People don’t understand that he has really fast hands and feet. They talk about his age (39), but he doesn’t fight like his age. He is a very good boxer and athlete. He can move a lot. But I don’t think that is what he will do.”
“Something people need to look at is the right hand of Mosley. He has been able to knock real good fighters out with his right hand.”
“We are concerned enough about his speed and power that we have worked on different techniques to try and counter his big right hand.”
“I see Shane fighting me. I said it before and I believe it now, boxing is about hitting and getting hit. It’s not about running. It’s about giving and taking hits and giving hits is something I do real well and I know that once we hit each other, we will stand and fight,” said Pacquiao.
“People write and say things all the time about this fight,. They say Shane is old and didn’t look good the last few times in his fights’, but I say, look at (Erik) Morales. He fought ( this past Saturday against Marcos Maidana) and I saw it. He did very good. Ring legends are born and they come out for the big fights when they aren’t feeling pressure to win because they are the underdog – they fight harder,” he said.
“Shane will be like Morales when we fight. I know I will be dealing with the vintage Shane Mosley, not the one that people talk about now.”
“I know that I have to be very fast and very strong against him. I will start fast and end fast, but I am not looking to knock out Mosley. I think that would be a mistake to train for that and to say these things because if I trained for a knock out against (Antonio) Margarito I believe that I probably would’ve lost.” He continued, “If I tried knocking out Margarito, then I would’ve thrown all my power and been too busy too early, but what if Margarito didn’t fall/ then I would’ve been too tired to put up much of a fight later in the rounds and that is why I won’t look for the knock out against Mosley. He is just too dangerous and strong and big for me to focus on winning like that against him.”
Despite what Manny says, one must consider the last few fights Mosley has been involved in.
In his last outing, Mosley fought to a draw against a former reality television contestant (Sergio Mora) and prior to that, he was shut out by the undefeated, welterweight semi-retired Floyd “Money” ‘Mayweather in what many scribes thought would be a serious test for the Michigan phenom, but ended up being “easy work” for the often outspoken Mayweather.
So why Shane Mosley? Why not a rubbermatch with WBO/WBA lightweight king, Juan Manuel Marquez? Marquez shares the public’s demand for a third fight with the Filipino bomber. In their two clashes against one another, Marquez got dropped three times in the first round only to rally back from an almost assured devastating stoppage to garner a draw against Pacquiao.
Then, in their highly anticipated rematch, Marquez would see himself lose a close decision to his rival. Ever since that last fight, Marquez has campaigned vigorously for a third stanza against his nemesis.
“Well, to answer your question, Shane only fights the best like I do. He is a legend. and I really want to fight Floyd Mayweather but it is obvious that he wants no part of me because he is ducking every way to fight me so that is why I am fighting Shane now,” said Pacquiao.
“I don’t pick my opponent. Freddie (Roach, Manny’s trainer) and Bob Arum (Manny’s promoter) show me fighters and then they tell me how much money I can make fighting each one. After that, they usually decide for me. So it is really up to them who I fight, not me.”
As Manny sets his sights on Mosley, I could not help but ask him what the future holds after May 7?
With the build, strength, and southpaw stance mirrored by amateur standout, Regis Prograis, Manny could easily slide back down to junior welterweight for the likes of WBO/WBC junior welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley or WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan in a super fight.
“I’m not thinking of Bradley and I would never fight Amir Khan because he and I are good friends and he will find his own way to superstardom without me. Amir is going to be the greatest fighter of his era. A fight between Amir and me will never happen,” said Manny.
“But I can say that I know I can make 135 pounds right now. I walk around weighing 142 when I’m not training so I can drop down to 135 and fight there.”
So does that mean fans can expect to see a much desired fight with Manny Pacquiao’s stalker, Juan Manuel Marquez?
“I can make 135 pounds. I know he is there. Who else is at 135 pounds?” he asked.
Along with shunning a fight with Bradley or Khan but teasing fight fans with a possible interest in Marquez, Pacquiao confirmed to this scribe his willingness to meet boxing’s newest star, Sergio Martinez.
“I will fight him; I am not afraid of Martinez. I will fight him, but we must meet at a catchweight around 150 (lbs). This would be a very good fight, but I have to protect myself too. I cannot gain too much weight for this and my opponent cannot be too big for me either.”
Manny Pacquiao, the congressman, fighter, humanitarian, and people’s champion.
How does he stay humble and at what price has he contemplated quitting, if ever?
Never quit and always dare to be great is his motto.
“Boxing has its ups and downs. I fight to be the best. The fight that I think of a lot is the first fight I had with Marco Barrera in San Antonio. I was an underdog and I was fighting my first big fight in the U.S. and no one paid attention to me. After that fight, everyone knew me.”
“I want to be great. I don’t want to just try. I want and expect to be great in everything. I talk about putting on a good show for fans but it’s not just my fans. It’s all of boxing’s fans because I know they spend their money and deserve to be entertained. “
“I do what I do for the people. Not just Manny Pacquiao fans but every fan of boxing. I win because they are in the ring with me.”
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The sports world loves an underdog and in the sport of boxing, fate is a fickle friend where dreams are often built or broken with one punch. This Sunday, the Los Angeles Matadors, will enter the ring with this in mind as they look to turn the tide on their best-of-two playoff series with the Astana Arlans.
The LA boxing franchise will try and rally Matador Nation around a feat that on paper seems daunting. Last weekend in Astana (Kazakhstan), the Matadors were defeated 4-1 by the Arlans. Two-time Olympian Rau’shee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio) picked up the lone win against the Arlan fighters.
With their backs against the wall in this World Series of Boxing (WSB) semifinal, the Matadors must win all five bouts if they stand any chance of moving on to the WSB finals to face either the Baku (Azerbaijan) Fires or Paris United. To do so, the Matadors will summon a home-ring advantage that has proved demoralizing for all that have entered having won all six WSB matches to date with an impressive 27-3 record.
Given the squad Arlan head coach Beibut Yeszhanov has assembled for the team’s long American road trip, there’s little chance the team will be making a stop at Disneyland or get lost in the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. The Arlans entering the ring Sunday have a combined 21-2 record and are comprised of the two top-ranked boxers at bantamweight and lightweight as well as an Olympic gold medalist at middleweight.
The Matadors have been resilient all season long and hope for more of that as they prepare. The team leaped out to a huge lead during the season but would stave off injury and a lack of depth at certain weight classes to fight off the Mexico City Guerreros to capture the regular-season crown. Combined, the LA Matadors team competing Sunday has a 10-2 record overall this season in WSB bouts.
One of the top surprises of the WSB season, Fernando Martinez, will compete in the bantamweight division for the Matadors. Known for his discipline, work ethnic and never-give-up attitude, the Argentinean fighter will put his 4-1 record up against Kanat Abutalipov, who enters with a 6-0 record in WSB bouts and is the No. 1-ranked boxer who will be competing in the WSB individual finals at the end of May. Abutalipov was a 2008 Olympian and a 2009 World Champs quarterfinalist.
At lightweight, Matador head coach Manny Robles has had to call upon the youth of 19-year-old Eric Flores (Inglewood, Calif.) to help bolster the team after it lost Eric Fowler (Houston, Texas) to a sparring injury last week. Flores will be contested by Yerzhan Mussafirov, a 2009 World Champs competitor with a 6-0 record in the WSB’s first season.
Chris Pearson (Trotwood, Ohio) was a late addition to the Matador franchise but has been among the team’s biggest surprises during the season’s second half. Pearson got the decisive Matador victory against the Mexico City Guerreros’ Yamaguchi Florentino during the team’s March 14 showdown for the league title. Pearson will have his hands full trying to contain 2008 Olympic gold medalist Bakht Sarsekbayev and his 4-1 WSB record.
Light heavyweight combatants will include Matador Elber Passos (Salvador, Brazil) and Marat Moldagereyev for the Arlans. Passos has been on the giving and receiving ends of TKOs in his two WSB bouts having served one up to Cristian Montenegro of the Mexico City Guerreros and falling victim to one by 2008 Olympic silver medalist Kenny Egan of the Miami Gallos in the last bout of the regular season
The heavyweight (+91kg) contest features a rematch from WSB’s test event held April 23, 2010, featuring Hungary’s Istvan Bernath and Matador boxer Javier Torres (Pico Rivera, Calif.). Bernath edged Torres that day in a very close match that came down to a split decision. With a 2-3 record, Torres has had an up-and-down season while Bernath has had just one WSB fight, albeit a win.
Javier Torres will help will lead a Matador team against the Astana Arlans in the WSB semifinals. The Matadors need to win all five bouts Sunday to help secure a spot in the WSB Team Finals.
The April 17 semifinal will take place at the Music Box Theatre and will kick-off at 7 pm. The Matadors will join forces once again with actress and activist Jenny McCarthy to help “Knockout Autism” with a portion of the proceeds from the evening benefiting Generation Rescue. Tickets for the event are now on sale by clicking on the following link: http://matadornation.eventbrite.com/
Check out worldseriesboxing.com for live results from all semifinal matches.
Night of future champions this Saturday night on GFL
Super Middleweight Scott Sigmon ; Undefeated knockout sensation Jonathan Cepeda and Heavyweight Elijah McCall to see action on championship card from North Carolina.
GREENSBORO / NEW YORK (April 12, 2011)—This Saturday night from the Greensboro Coliseum a night of championship boxing will take place
In the main event, undefeated popular Light Heavyweight Scott “Cujo” Sigmon takes on Tiwon Taylor in a ten round bout for the UNBC America’s Light Heavyweight title.
To order this championship night of boxing for just $9.99, click: http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Fight/Boxing/Saturday_Night_KO_Fights_3_Future_World_Champions/1013
The action begins at 8pm eastern time.
Sigmon of Bedford, Virginia has a record of 15-2 with seven knockouts and has a great fan base in the Virginia area.
Sigmon is riding a seven bout winning streak and has defeated the likes of Abdul Gillard (2-0); Frankie Filipone (2-0); Toris Brewer (14-2); Julius Kennedy (7-1) and his last fight he scored a 4th round stoppage over John Michael Terry.
Taylor is a veteran who has been in with the “whose-who” of the Light Heavyweight divisions.
The native of Las Vegas has a record of 26-19-1 with nineteen knockouts and has been in the ring with Jerry Ballard (18-1); Saul Montana (31-6); Former world champion Fabrice Tiozzo (42-2); Elvir Muriqi (25-1); Former world champion Adrian Diocanu (12-0); Daniel Judah (18-0-2); Former world champion Lou Del Valle (31-3-1); Max Alexander (8-0-1); Omar Sheika (26-8); Joe Spina (24-1); Yathomas Riley (6-0); Alfonso Lopez (17-0) and his last bout with Dyah Davis (17-1);
In a six round co-feature, undefeated middleweight and exciting knockout artist Jonathan Cepeda of West Palm Beach, FL taking on Brad Austin.
Cepeda has built a reputation for his knockout prowess in Florida and will be looking for his eighth consecutive stoppage. He is coming off a 2nd round stoppage over Rafael Gonzalez on April 1st.
Austin of Johnson City, Tennessee has a record of 8-10 with five knockouts and because of his ring experience should be a test for Cepeda.
Austin has been in the ring with prospects Peter Quillin (6-0); James McGirt (14-0); Edwin Rodriguez (8-0); Farah Ennis (9-0); Isaac Rodriguez (14-0); Daniel Kooij (7-0); and in his last bout Lamar Russ (5-0).
The son of former WBC Heavyweight champion, Oliver McCall, Elijah McCall (4-1-1, 4 KO’s) will take on Matt Green (14-20, 10 KO’s) in a four round Heavyweight bout.
Undefeated Middleweight Ronnie Glass (5-0-1, 3 KO’s) will take on sixty-nine fight veteran Kevin Carter in bout scheduled for four rounds.
In a Jr. Lightweight bout scheduled for six rounds, Jesse Carradine (6-1-1, 4 KO’s) battles John Willoughy (3-7, 2 KO’s)
Two pro debaters will get it on as Kwan Morgan and David Cook will see their first paid action in a four round Cruiserweight bout.
In a four round Light Heavyweight bout, Quinton Rankin (1-0, 1 KO) will tangle with Travis White in an all North Carolina battle.
In a ladies six round affair, Lisa Garland (5-4, 2 KO’s) will take on Ohio’s Natoya Ervin (2-7) in a Welterweight bout.
Rounding out the card will Cristian Dominguez making his pro debut when he takes on undefeated Mickey Osborne (3-0, 3 KO’s) in a Welterweight bout scheduled for five rounds.