Fight at 147 lbs if Pacquiao wants title

By NICK GIONGCO

July 30, 2009, 8:04pm

If Manny Pacquiao wants their November 14 fight to be a title fight, Miguel Cotto said the Filipino has to agree to meet him at the welterweight limit of 147 lbs.

In the event that the fight would get into trouble with the World Boxing Organization (WBO), the Puerto Rican reiterated that he is willing to vacate the throne.

“If Pacquiao wants that the fight be for the title, (it) will have to be in 147 pounds. I won the title in that, the welterweight (division) and that is 147 pounds,” Cotto told the Primera Hora newspaper yesterday during the launch of his clothing line.

Cotto, the reigning WBO welter champion, stressed that the issue of the title was not raised during the negotiations with the Pacquiao camp.

Top Rank head Bob Arum echoed Cotto’s statement.

“No,” said Arum, when asked if Pacquio’s people raised the matter of Cotto’s WBO title during the negotiations.

“The weight of 145 pounds is not a category. If the OMB (WBO) is having a problem with my decision (not to stake it), I will gladly hand over the title. I do not have problems with that,” said Cotto, who was represented during the negotiations by Gabriel Penagaricano, one of boxing’s premiere lawyers.

“The OMB (WBO) has the legal authority to dismiss me as champion and gladly I deliver them the title. (WBO president) PacoValccel, better than nobody, knows that the 145 pounds is not a division,” added Cotto, who beat Joshua Clottey in his last outing last June.

Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/213609/fight-147-lbs-if-pacquiao-wants-title (July 30, 2009)

Maybe Arum wants Oscar's Ring belt for Pacquiao

A doctor who is personable and empathetic is said to have a good bedside manner.

I’ve never heard a similar expression as to lawyers but I suppose “collegiality” comes close.

Mark WBO president and attorney Francisco “Paco” Valcacel, whose gaudy world championship belts have just been mocked as worth “only five dollars” by acerbic attorney and promoter Bob Arum, as someone who can laugh at foolish criticism.

“I know that Manny Pacquiao wants to fight Miguel Cotto for the WBO welterweight title. I know that Manny will have a chance to make real history if he can win a seventh world title in his seventh weight division. That is meaningful and important to Manny and all his fans but apparently not to Bob.

“So why doesn’t Bob have them fight for The Ring magazine title?” Valcarcel said laughing heartily.

(Sidelight: Bay Area Bomber and Examiner Colin Seymour takes the opposite tack on the subject, preferring I guess "the man makes the belts" view. I agree with Seymour as to the Old School way of eight weight classes and one belt per division being superior but now we live in a world in which boxing has more "champs" than pro wrestling does. Meanwhile, Examiner Dennis Guillermo is not snoozing and losing in Naptown because he agrees with his favorite magilla White Gorilla (meaning me) that Arum is disregarding the emotions and desires of the great Pacquiao fan base.)

That would never happen, Pacman vying for the magazine strap as Arum is not going to have two of his star fighters battling for a title bestowed by a publication owned lock, stock and barrel by rival promoter Oscar de la Hoya.

Today’s fun fact is, of course, that Pacman would be smashing Oscar’s record of six world titles in as many divisions if he can dethrone the Puerto Rican.

Valcarcel is a social friend of Puerto Rico resident de la Hoya and the two have frequently played golf together.

I asked Paco what kind of response he’s been getting from Pacquiao’s Worldwide Army (PWA) on this hot button issue as to when and if the $150,000 per fighter sanction fees will be rendered to the Puerto Rico base WBO.

“Have I?” Valcarcel said, chuckling. “I have got 4,000 emails and we’ve gotten many phone calls at the WBO office. Many of the Manny fans are saying we favor Cotto because he’s Puerto Rican but that is not true.”

As far as Arum’s estimate of what the WBO strap is worth, Valcarcel said he is only off by $1,195.

“I would say the belt costs about $1,200,” Valcarcel said. “But, to a world champion, the value is in the history of winning the world title. I don’t think anyone would tell Miguel or Manny they have a five dollar belt, do you?”

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-5699-NY-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m7d30-WBO-Boss-Maybe-Arum-wants-Ring-belt-for-Pacquaio (July 30, 2009)

Pacquiao Wants Cotto’s WBO Title to Be On the Line For the Fight

By Manuel Perez

Manny Pacquiao is hoping that Miguel Cotto’s WBO welterweight title will be on the line for their November 14th bout at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada. For Pacquiao and his legion of loyal boxing fans, the title is important because it will somehow give Pacquiao more validity as a great fighter because it will – if Pacquiao wins – be his 7th world title victory. Cotto, however, doesn’t want to have to pay the sanctioning fees to, which is what he’d have to do if his title was going to be on the line. The sanctioning fees would be in the neighborhood of $300,000, so it’s hard to blame Cotto for not wanting to dish out that kind of money for this fight. Additionally, the fight is being held at a 145 pound catch weight instead of the normal 147 pound limit for a welterweight bout, meaning that Cotto might be weaker than he normally is for a fight because of the extra water weight he’ll have to take off to get down to 145.

It seems logical that he wouldn’t want to have to put his title on the line if he’s being forced to strip off weight that’s below the normal welterweight limit. The World Boxing Organization president Franciso Valcarcel is fine with the title being on the line for the 145 pound catch weight.

However, that doesn’t solve the problem of the sanction fees. Cotto doesn’t want to fork over that kind of money, whereas Pacquiao has no problems with paying it. His, though, will be a reduced amount of only $150,000. Pacquiao is the one that wants the title. Hence he sees no problems with paying the sanction fees for it to be on the line.

But, unless Cotto or his promoter Bob Arum springs for the bigger sum, Pacquiao will have to be satisfied with just fighting Cotto without the title. It’s hard to say what the hang up is about the title being on the line, because you really can’t call it a title fight if the bout is being held at a lesser weight.

The WBO president seems to be taking an odd look at this. If Pacquiao wants to fight for the title, then he should agree to take the fight at 147 and not push for a lower weight and still want the title on the line. That’s a bit unfair and I can’t blame Cotto one bit for not wanting to pay the sanctioning fees. Let Pacquiao come up to the normal weight, and then they can talk about sanctioning fees.

Hopefully, Arum doesn’t try to push Cotto into making this a title fight. It seems unfair to the Puerto Rican star to have his title on the line if it’s not going to be at the full weight. It just seems wrong. The belt wouldn’t change anything whether Pacquiao won the title or not.

It isn’t as if the public really cares whether Pacquiao has won one title or ten. Their main focus is that he’s fought good opponents and not the weaker, weight drained variety. This is why Pacquiao blew it in the first place when negotiating for the fight.

He should have agreed to fight Cotto at the full 147 welterweight limit if he wanted the title to be on the line. You can’t make a champion agree to come in at a lower weight, a move that benefits Pacquiao, in an effort to fight for their title. That’s really a joke as far as I’m concerned and makes it seem as if Cotto is being set up to fail.

Source: http://www.boxingnews24.com/2009/07/pacquiao-wants-cottos-wbo-title-to-be-on-the-line-for-the-fight/ (July 30, 2009)

Pacquiao eager to be a seven-division champion

Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao is eager to gun for another world title in an unprecedented seventh division against World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico in their Nov. 14 duel in Las Vegas.

The Pacman, the current International Boxing Organization and Ring Magazine light-welterweight champion, had previously owned titles at flyweight (World Boxing Council), super-bantamweight (International Boxing Federation), featherweight (Ring Magazine), super-featherweight (WBC), and lightweight (WBC) and another one would further cement his status among the sport’s elite.

The Pacquiao - Cotto fight is penciled at a catchweight of 145-lbs (two pounds below the welterweight class) but no less than WBO president Francisco Valcarcel himself said it could still be a WBO-sanctioned welterweight title fight, citing a similar precedent, the Oscar De La Hoya-Bernard Hopkins duel for the middleweight (160-lb) crown which was fought at 158-lbs.

“Let Manny fight for the title and if he wins, he will get the title as WBO Welterweight Champion of the World," Valcarcel said a recent interview by PhilBoxing.com.

So upon knowing the WBO’s position, Pacquiao has insisted on having Cotto stake his WBO 147-lb belt as he guns for more glory in possibly his last fight. “Sa pamamagitan ng pagsanction ng WBO sa laban namin, mangyayaring magkaroon ako ng tsansa na maging isang seven-division champion, na hindi pa nangyayari kasaysayan ng boxing," Pacquiao wrote in his Kumbinasyon column for Abante and PhilBoxing.com.

Currently he shares the rare distinction of being a six-division champ with retired legend Oscar De La Hoya, whom Pacquiao disposed of in a non-title duel at 147-lbs last December. The "Golden Boy" held world titles in the super-featherweight, lightweight, light-welterweight, welterweight, junior middleweight, and middleweight wars.

“Magkakaroon ako ng tsansa na malampasan ang ganitong record (De La Hoya’s feat in six divisions)," said the Filipino ring icon.

Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, had earlier dismissed a title fight, reportedly saying “No one cares about a belt."

But Pacquiao has now instructed his lawyer, Jeng Gacal, to coordinate with Valcarcel and Arum to make the necessary arrangements, including payment of the $150,000 sanction fee, to make the Cotto gig a showdown for the latter’s welterweight strap.

“Binibigyang papuri ko ang WBO sa kanilang pagbigay ng espesyal na kunsiderasyon na ang labang ito ay para sa korona ni Cotto, ang pinakamagaling na welterweight sa mundo sa kasalukuyan," Pacquiao said.

As always, the 30-year-old dynamo is prepared to kill himself at the gym as he takes on Cotto’s tough challenge.

“Alam kong matinding pagsubok na naman ang nasa aking harapan at matinding ensayo na naman ang aking gagawin," he said, adding he’s inspired to plunge into serious training by September. - GMANews.TV

Source: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/168621/Pacquiao-eager-to-be-a-seven-division-champion (July 30, 2009)

Pacquiao doesn't need belts, the way he administers a whuppin'

The subject, as usual, is Manny Pacquiao and the issue is whether it matters that no welterweight belt will be at stake when he fights Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 at a catch weight of 145.

You won’t often find me agreeing with Bob Arum and disagreeing with Michael Marley and dSource Guillermo here on examiner.com, but . . .

Marley and dSource think a beltless fight is a travesty, and so do a lot of Pacquiao fans, because he can’t set the all-time record for divisions ruled unless he’s winning belts, willy-nilly. He won a lightweight belt for beating David Diaz 13 months ago, to go with five others he’s won from flyweight to junior lightweight, but he got none for beating Oscar De La Hoya or Ricky Hatton subsequently.

Apparently, then, the two fights that have sextupled Pacquiao’s Q ratings don’t mean squat without the imprimatur of the WBO.

Arum, the promoter who is a primary beneficiary of Pacquiao’s eminence, says Pacquiao don’t need no stinkin’ belt for beating Cotto, or anyone, as long as he ranks No. 1 or even No. 2 on the mythical pound-for-pound list.

Arum is being pragmatic, as usual, trying to save himself and the two fighters $340,000, but his position has appeal for a boxing idealist. The lust for the 70-odd belts that signify world titles these days seems so shallow, so, well, Western, that one might have hoped Filipinos would proclaim themselves above this fray. But Marley supposedly received 18,000 e-mails via philboxing.com and Pacquiao’s site that reflected heavy support for Marley’s stance. (See his cameo appearance on HBO’s artistic “Assault in the Ring” documentary, reviewed July 16, which premieres this weekend.) And Guillermo guarantees that Pacquiao’s fans, especially his Filipino fans, will shun the Cotto fight if the record isn’t at stake.

Marley and your Welterweight Champion here both go back to the days when there were eight belts, when having one actually meant something. But even then, accumulating several would not have assured ascendance.

When I think of Sugar Ray Robinson’s records, I’m thinking Charlie Parker and Duke Ellington, not “most knockouts rendered in rounds seven through nine” or “belts won.” Pacquiao’s legacy is entering the Robinson realm, which far eclipses all six belts won by De La Hoya.

So I’m with Arum. Belts, shmelts.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-802-SF-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m7d29-Pacquiao-doesnt-need-belts-the-way-he-administers-a-whuppin (July 29, 2009)

Does Bob Arum consider Pacquiao fans irrelevant?

Without the WBO belt, Pacquiao-Cotto's Nov. 14 bout will flop.

Mark my words, if Bob Arum insists on staging a beltless Pacquiao-Cotto bout on November 14, the returns will be significantly less than he expects it to be and burn him a lot more than the $150,000 sanctioning fees the WBO demands for him to pay for the bout to have Cotto's title on the line.

See it's not really about the luster of the WBO belt. We all know the value of ABC belts in boxing have depreciated similar to houses all across the US but the fact is, Pacquiao is on the verge of making history.

Besides, haven't we been here before? Wasn't it just a few months ago when Pacquiao's value was being underestimated during discussions about the purse-split between him and Ricky Hatton? At the time Arum was also quoted expressing his disappointment with Pacquiao asking for more than a 50/50 split when he could've very well fought for his ward. We all know what happened in that one and after his destruction of Hatton and how he made the proud Brit look like a bum sparring partner, one has to wonder how Hatton was even paid remotely anywhere close to 50 percent of the pot against Pacquiao. Okay I get it, The Hitman has a huge buying fan base, but the theme is increasingly disturbing as to how Pacquiao's fan base, arguably the most active followers of the sport today, is being taken forgranted once again.

After all, without great fighters that always provide great fights, nobody will buy Pay-Per-Views anyway. Manny Pacquiao by far is the best in the business of doing that right now. Floyd Mayweather Jr. may have suckered people in the past into buying his fights next to more popular dance partners like De la Hoya and Hatton, but a lot of those same fans know better now to stay away from purchasing his fights because of his boring style. There's a reason why nobody is really talking about Mayweather-Marquez right now.

It's a slap on Pacquiao's face and his fans to say that nobody cares that he wins a seventh divisional crown, something nobody else in history has ever done. Perhaps Arum is banking on Pacquiao's newfound non-Filipino related US boxing fanbase to pull thru in terms of buying the fight card because I'm guaranteein you right now, Filipinos from all around the world will not purchase this fight if they continue to belittle their significance in the grand scheme of things.

So nobody cares in the US cares about Pacquiao making history? You can either interpret that as saying America simply wants to see Pacquiao fight Cotto regardless of what's at stake or that Bob Arum considers Pacquiao's fans in the US as "nobodies". Truth be told, all you have to do is have Michael Marley forward you a copy of the 18 thousand names and signatures he received in a span of 24 hours expressing their desire for Pacquiao and Cotto's fight on November 14 to be for all the marbles.

It's not even about weight. Two pounds under 147 is acceptable and is a far-cry from the 143 Pacquiao said to have wanted. Even Floyd Mayweather's trainer Roger Mayweather gave props to Pacquiao saying he has "some major balls" to have the audacity and move up to challenge Cotto. For one, his nephew never even bothered take that challenge and opted to fight the smaller Juan Manuel Maruez instead.

Perhaps Arum’s master plan is percolating as we speak. Maybe this is a publicity stunt as some people say it is, but one thing's for sure, if Arum wants this fight to exceed expectations in terms of PPV sales, he needs to throw Cotto's belt in the mix which isn't such a bad promotional tool either. The people have spoken, and I do not condone ripping these fights off and watching them for free on online stream sites but I know how these things go. Filipinos know how to use their technology and fight back when they are being pinned against the wall and signs are pointing towards a boycott of Pacquiao-Cotto if they don't feel like they will get what they and their idol deserve. The ball is in your court Bob. Make the right move!

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-10947-Indianapolis-Fight-Sports-Examiner~y2009m7d29-Without-WBO-belt-PacquiaoCottos-Nov-14-bout-will-flop (July 29, 2009)

A case of one world crown too many?

By Recah Trinidad
Philippine Daily Inquirer

NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL FILIPINO boxing fans, regardless of age and creed, to come to the aid of promoter cum laude Bob Arum.

Let's all join hands and save Arum from himself.

While there's still time, let's march to have Manny Pacquiao's forthcoming bout with Miguel Cotto officially declared a world welterweight championship.

* * *

Cut it, please.

What you just read was the first part of a column originally meant to share in the monumental protest mounted by the eminent Michael Marley, when he called on fight fans to shake Arum back to reality.

What sparked Mr. Marley's indignation was an uncharacteristic quote from Arum, who tried to undermine the sublime significance of a world title belt being staked in the Nov. 14 showdown in Las Vegas.

* * *

"Nobody in the US cares about it," Arum was quoted as stating against the importance of a Pacquiao-Cotto world title bout.

Either Mr. Marley was on his third margarita or driving home, but the stunning quote must've tasted like a spoiled lemon in his drink.

It was an atrocity that should be stricken out of a future Arum bio.

"He's already over 70," said WBO president Paco Valcarcel, "and Mr. Arum sometimes says things he [doesn't] mean."

* * *

OK, the rest of that original column that barked against Arum's insensitivity had to be junked.

Instead, here's an assurance from Mr. Marley, who yesterday wrote on boxingconfidential.com that "Arum has folded like a $5 umbrella."

Arum has vowed to make sure the Pacquiao-Cotto fight at 145 pounds will be for the WBO welterweight crown, Mr. Marley wrote.

* * *

The indignation was inevitable.

Not only was Arum in the strongest and best position to process the staging of the world title bout.

As Pacquiao's promoter, he should've been in the lead pack to see to it that the RP superhero achieves what has never been done in world boxing before.

After taking away crowns from Sasakul (flyweight), Ledwabah (super bantamweight), Barrera (featherweight), Marquez (junior lightweight), Diaz (lightweight), Hatton (junior welterweight), Pacquiao is strongly favored to also wrest Cotto's welter crown, which should count as the Pacman's seventh title in seven weight divisions.

* * *

Well, as for Michael Marley, he must've overshot his tequila quota musing on what had caused Arum to lose grip.

It was not the Arum who, as one pundit put it, always had a sparkling quote to turn the dullest prospects into a best seller.

OK, maybe it was a case of one crown too many.

Not many boxing fans here in Manila have realized it, but the Marley call to action generated a total of 17, 489 enrollees in less than three days (at mlcmarley@aol.com).

He does not say it, but it goes without saying Sir Michael agreed to turn activist in order to prevent dear Uncle Bob, 77, from being totally unfair to himself.

Source: http://sports.inquirer.net/columns/columns/view/20090730-217876/A-case-of-one-world-crown-too-many (July 30, 2009)

Arum rips WBO: 'Why pay $150,000 for five dollar belt?'

Man your battle stations!

It looks as though promoter Bob Arum’s “surrender” in the battle over whether Manny Pacquiao should be fighting Miguel Cotto with the WBO welterweight title on the line was nothing of the kind.

His Top Rank headquarters in Las Vegas is turning into the Waffle House as Arum tosses and turns on the burning issue.

It appears that Arum, who flips and flops more than John Kerry ever did, really just intended to have a brief cease fire in the raging controversy which he now blames “the press in the Philippines and Michael Marley” for causing. Arum did admit that “now Manny is pushing the issue.”

I appreciate the plug, Bobola, but please add “of Examiner.com and Boxingconfidential.com” next time.

According to the Pinoy sports scribe, Arum repeated his odious and onerous assertion “that nobody in the US cares” if it is a world title bout.

OK, Uncle Bob, shoot the messengers if you must but be advised I now have over 20,000 men, women and children solidly lined up and reporting for duty in the Pacman Worldwide Army.

Arum spoke to Boxingscene’s Ronnie Nathanielsz and began hedging on his earlier vow to pay the approximately $340,000 in sanction and promoter fees for the Nov. 14. Out of other side of his mouth, Arum crowed about how the fight is almost soldout and how less than 3,000 seats will be offered to the general public.

A solid, deeply analytical piece by the Dean of all Filipino Journos, the estimable Recah Trinidad, really gets to the heart of the issue which is my valient effort to save Brother Arum from total embarrassment.

Arum being Arum--never forget his motto “yesterday I was lying but today I am telling the truth”--he then took a cheap shot at the WBO and its leader, Puerto Rican lawyer Paco Valcarcel.

Arum said he would talk to both fighters to see if they will fork over $150,000 each for “a belt that is worth five dollars.”

Valcarcel could not be reached for comment.

Arum is correct in asking the fighters to pay the sanction fee as that is boxing custom.

But he remains arrogant and dismissive about Pacquiao possibly winning a record world title in a seventh weight class.

What part of history don't you understand, Mr. Arum?

Pacman has already won six world titles in six divisions so supporters are calling this “Manny Pacquiao 7 for 7.”

Stay combat ready, troops, because that was no surrender by Arum, just a typically sneaky time out.

Until further notice, all leaves and weekend passes are canceled for the Pacquiao Worldwide Army.

Our mission has not ended.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-5699-NY-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m7d29-Arrogant-Arum-waffles-Why-pay-150000-for-five-dollar-belt (July 29, 2009)

Manny Pacquiao: Too Old To Make History?

By
Vivek Wallace

Many have made the pending Pacquiao/Cotto fight a measure of speed versus power, but considering the fact that both men technically possess both, the focus shifts to another, less prominent factor that could ultimately decide the outcome. Pacquiao has been in a countless amount of showdowns over the years. [Morales (3), Barrera (2), Marquez (3), and many others]. After a laundry list of battles against such marquee opponents, extensive wear and tear comes without question, but when you parallel that with the fact that Pacquiao will enter the ring for the first time since going north of the super-featherweight class as the older man, facing an opponent who's younger, stronger, and in his prime, the plot thickens considerably. There have been no signs of Pacquiao slowing down at this stage in his career, but the Filipino slugger made it pretty clear in multiple interviews within the last year that politics isn't the only reason why he's considering to hang 'em up. 54 fights under his belt by the age 30! That's a pace that no longer exist in the sport. Clearly, Pacquiao has hustled throughout his career to get to the top where he now stands, but Cotto's plan is to remind him that there's only one direction to go in when you reside that high. A good question here is exactly what role will Pacquiao's past history play in his ability to make current history?

Pacquiao/Cotto: No Belts...Cool...Let It All Hang Out!

Ok, a little over a week ago, we were told that the Cotto/Pacquiao fight was a done deal by Top Rank head man, Bob Arum. Here we stand nearly two weeks later, and suddenly we're slapped with the realization that not only is there more negotiations necessary, but the two fighters at the center of this spectacle have yet to put their autographs on the paper! They say money is the root to all evil, and in this case, that statement holds true. To my understanding, the whole snag about the sanctioning fees not being paid is born out of the fact that Cotto (by Arum's own admission) "doesn't want to pay his fee". But it goes deeper than that. What hasn't been said is that Cotto won't pay his portion of the sanctioning fee to accommodate Pacquiao's bid for history without Pacquiao agreeing to divide a larger portion of the gate/PPV money. There's a total of $340K that needs to be paid. $150K from both fighters, and $40K from Arum. Cotto isn't trying to make history, Pacquiao is, so the logical question here (if this is in fact the case).....If Pacquiao doesn't want to concede extra money in the gate/PPV area, why not simply front the money for the sanctioning fee himself since it is his bid for the unprecedented 7th world title in 7 different weight classes? I think he deserves the historical accolade, but looks like it'll have to be done by him and Arum since Cotto apparently won't comply. To kill this massive headache, if it can be done this way, why not?

Roach/Pacquiao: Speed Kills or Speed Killed?

Master-mind Freddie Roach recently stated that he wants Manny Pacquiao to use speed "to tire" Miguel Cotto out. When you look at the dynamics behind that request, things get awfully intriguing. Clearly, Pacquiao is the faster fighter, but coming into their respective fights, so was Shane Mosley and Zab Judah. Cotto isn't known as a speedster, but Joshua Clottey once stated to me boldly that not only is Cotto the hardest hitting welterweight in the division, but his speed is very deceptive, because his timing is deadly. Few fighters in the sport have the lower base power (legs) of Manny Pacquiao, but against Marquez many can remember Pacquiao being timed on his way in and had it not been for the end of that particular round being only 10 seconds away, we may not be waiting to see this particular fight. Pacman's conditioning is always superb and will clearly play a huge role, but the operative question here is how well does Pacman handle this type of power if Cotto is able to use that "deceptive speed" to catch him off guard first?

Vernon Forrest: Another Loss Soldier

The sport of boxing has tragically lost another soldier in the recent murder of "The Viper", Vernon Forrest. Recent months have been very tough in the world of boxing. After the stunning and sudden losses of Alexis Arguello and Arturo Gatti, it was a dreadful feeling to be awakened by a text message bearing this news. What's even more upsetting is that there's no logical reason for this. These weren't soldiers who were lost at combat, but they were soldiers lost...unfortunately, forever, under odd circumstances, and all clearly too soon. What is this world coming to? Condolences to his family, and may he rest in peace.

Bernard Hopkins: Pacman Will 'Execute' Scarface

Legendary boxer Bernard Hopkins has come out and stated that he thinks Manny Pacquiao will get the nod over Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto because he "doesn't see Cotto's face holding up for 12 rds". This is an interesting perspective, because no doubt, Pacquiao will aim to tenderize that twice badly opened gash above his left-eye. What's ironic about this whole thing is that despite Pacquiao being left-handed, within recent months he has put in solid work with his right-hand and some would argue it's actually a better weapon because when he uses it, few are still standing for the follow up left. This truth means that Cotto will need to find a way to watch out for both...a wicked left, or a polished up right. The odds of him avoiding both are about as slim as he'll need to be to step in the ring for this 145lb catchweight fight. Pacquiao may or may not get to that cut mark, but if he does and the blood starts to rain, we've learned in two fights now that Cotto is a different man when his blood hits the canvas. Hopkins has been long known for his ring intellect and appears to be right on point. But what he didn't point out here for Pacman is....how can he make it easier to get close enough inside to open that old cut or a new one?

Timothy Bradley: Snitches Get Stitches

The old adage has it that "snitches get stitches". In this case, Bradley didn't tell on someone else....what he did was tell on himself. The talented jr. welterweight was honest enough recently to reveal that after watching Nate "Galaxxy Warrior" Campbell defeat Juan Diaz a year ago, he said "I don't ever want to get in the ring with that dude"! Well, what a difference a year makes? Fast forward a few months, add a few pounds, a new belt, and a few extra dollars to the equation, and suddenly, that's exactly what he's on the brink of doing. Anyone who has seen Bradley go to work know that he brings a lot of heart and tons of talent, but never before has he stepped in with a fighter like this. He said that getting mega fights is his biggest dream. Unfortunately for him, his rite-of-passage will be going through a man that plans to give him nightmares. Is he ready?

Oh, Buddy: Tough time for Boxings Buddy McGirt

Lost in the various other topics around the sport is the fact that the recent tragic losses have been felt by one man more than any other. That man is none other than famed trainer Buddy McGirt, who once steered the careers of both Vernon Forrest and Arturo Gatti. McGirt, never known to make a lot of noise in the first place, has been fairly quiet in wake of the devastating news, but one could imagine the pain he must feel to lose two of his most coveted fighters in a three week span. A silent prayer goes out to him. Hopefully he can manifest their warrior spirit within him to carry on.

Kelly Pavlik: Any Press Is Good Press? Well, Then Again....

It seems that lately, the only time we hear about Kelly Pavlik is when there's some not-so-good news to pass. First there was rumors of issues within his camp. Then there were rumors of him being admitted to AA for alcohol related problems. Now, there's mention of an alleged bar house brawl. With all of that in the rear-view, I thought at least we would get some good news about his still up in the air showdown with Paul Williams. Unfortunately, the ticker that addressed this topic recently was in no mood to change the tone, as even that was reported to have hit a snag. I guess when it rains, it pours, and considering the last 12 months in the life of Pavlik, there's no better time than the present to usher in a little sunshine. The fight with Williams isn't quite dead in the water, and hopefully by the time this piece hits the airwaves, a deal would be struck. Arum and Team Pavlik don't appear to be in the mood to budge on their current offer, but realistically, what else is left for him?

Source: http://www.8countnews.com/news/138/ARTICLE/1788/2009-07-29.html (July 29, 2009)

Upcoming Super Fight Between Pacquiao and Cotto

By Richard Bailey:

To start with WOW! This is a fight fans fight. A fight the fans want to see, and now it’s happening. Bravo, Mr. Bob Arum, bravo indeed. Why is this fight a great match up? Simple! It’s the real POWER V PRECISION a title that should not have been given to the Ricky Hatton v Paulie, oh what’s his face. With respect to Ricky Hatton and Paulie, well Ricky really, their fight was exciting but only because we was all waiting for the knockout punch that we all thought was coming, but never did.

Instead, a ref stoppage ended their fight which showed very little POWER in Ricky, and absolutely no PRECISION on Paulie’s part. Let’s face it Paulie never really had a chance in their meeting, and on that BOMBSHELL, neither does Manny. I mean yes Manny is the number one pound for pound and yes he is a five division champ, but his last 3 fights at the higher weights are questionable at least.

David Diaz is a very tough opponent, but at the very best maybe 4th best in the lightweight division. Why didn’t Manny fight the likes of Juan Diaz, or Joel Casamayor the recognized lineal champ of the lightweight division and the number one respectively, why Diaz, because he knew he would beat him with ease.

Same as De la Hoya, in his prime was a fantastic entertaining boxer with so much heart and skill it was uplifting almost to watch him beat the likes of Julio Cesar Chavez and Ricardo Mayorga, but everyone knew from past examples, when you fight in a higher weight class and then drop down a division you are going to show a bad performance and get beaten BADLEY! Am I right Roy Jones Jr. fans?

The fact Manny came up two divisions to fight him doesn’t even enter my head anymore because the bottom line is, he wasn’t fighting De la Hoya in there, he was fighting a washed up chump who knew he was shot and was going to lose.

Now we have Ricky “the Hitman” Hatton, one of my favorite boxers of all time to come out of England along with Chris Eubank and The Dark Destroyer Nigel Benn. He was a monster at light welterweight but it was a very weak division and his biggest win was over Kostya Tszyu.

With Ricky’s style of fighting we all knew Manny would destroy him and he really, really did. In fact I have only ever watched that knockout once because of the sheer devastation of it. We were all worried for Ricky at that moment and sad as it is to say, he should defiantly retire because he has nothing left to prove and while Manny is number one, Ricky never will be.

Ricky was a brilliant fighter but by no means GREAT. Now however Manny’s not fighting an over rated fighter, or a washed up fighter. He is fighting Cotto, a man who quite simply has never ducked anyone in the sport or the 2 weight classes he has fought in, but he has also beat them all, apart from his loss to Antonio Margarito, but until a rematch between them is held I don’t hold it against him.

Purely because of the loaded gloves controversy Cotto has beat Sugar Shane Mosley, Zab Judah, Joshua Clotty, Michael Jennings, Carlos Quintana, Lovemore Ndou, Paulie Malignaggi, and Ricardo Torres. That’s 7 world champions in two divisions (Light Welterweight and Welterweight) who were at their peaks and considered the best in their weight class.

Manny is now fighting a man who holds unique boxing skills, mixed with a warrior and brawlers heart, that just so happens to have some of the most accurate punch records of the sweet science. He also hits hard, 27 knockouts in 34 wins is impressive. He is a very good body puncher which is where Manny is weak his two knockout losses were to the body.

He has great footwork and can handle speed mixed with power very well. He beat Sugar Shane for goodness sake who is arguably one of the hardest hitters in the sport and is just as fast as Manny. He also has the height and arm length advantage, and of course the major one, the natural weight advantage.

Cotto will come into the fight weighing easily 156 pounds where as Manny will maybe if he is lucky weight 149- 150, and Manny does not have a great chin any ways. The one shot Ricky manages to land shocked Manny and backed him up a bit, neither has he really had a competitive fight since his questionable victory over Juan Manuel Marquez.

Who in my opinion and many others won both of their fights. Speed does kill indeed, but in the sweet science of boxing, the right timing and skill mixed with power can KILL SPEED. So my prediction for this fight is simple, the first round Manny will try and work out Cotto’s style and pace as will Cotto with Manny.

Then maybe round 5 or 6 when a few punches land and a bit of dancing happens around the ring, Cotto will land some heavy blows and Manny will go down for the count. Although he will rise, I see a Cotto victory by ways of TKO by maybe end of round 6 or mid round 7.

This fight has all the makings for Ring Magazine’s Fight of the Year award. Two true warriors who fight for their fans and countries on their backs, plenty of skill, danger, excitement, and precision and power all in one. I for one can’t wait.

Source: http://www.boxingnews24.com/2009/07/upcoming-super-fight-between-pacquiao-and-cotto/ (July 29, 2009)

Miguel Cotto's deal: No golf, Oscars, lobsters, Pacquaio rematch

Miguel “I’m No Angel” Cotto has a new promotional contract with his Uncle Bob Arum, formerly known as the Parsimonious Promoter until he flip flopped and decided to pay WBO sanction fees for Cotto and Manny Pacquiao,

Arum has done more gymnastics lately than Mary Lou Retton, contorting himself on the Nov. 14 title bout issue.

But the promoter overcame his reach impediment and his alligator arms and will go into his own pocket to pay the WBO fees.

I’ve learned exclusively (no one else cares, right Bob?) that there are some neat wrinkles in Cotto’s new deal including:

1. NO GOLF CLAUSE. As fallout from his totally coincidental golf round with rival Oscar de la Hoya, Cotto is not permitted to play golf, watch golf or to even eat a sand wedge at a golf course. This ban extends to miniature golf and to hitting the plastic balls into the clown’s mouth. Cotto cannot even mention the names of Tiger Woods or Ernie Els.

2. NO MALIGNING THE CRIMINAL HABITS OF ANTONIO MARGOCHEATO. While Harper Valley Hypocrite Arum demands a lifetime boxing ban for caught cheating trainer Panama Lewis, he seeks justice tempered with mercy for his Mexican clinet and Cotto victor, Antonio Margarito. Under his new TR deal,
Cotto can only say kind and wonderful things about the Plaster of Paris handwraps cheater. One suggestion was this, “Margarito has done more for the great Mexican people than Pancho Villa ever did.”

3. HANDWRAPPING IN WELL LIT ROOMS ONLY. Since Arum will throw Cotto in, after Pacquiao is done with him, into a revenge rematch against Tone Loc, it is specified that Antonio cannot come to the arena after having his cement handwraps put in place in a dark alley next to the Chicago Club in Tijuana. His wraps must be put on in a totally floodlit room with 10 SWAT cops and their Uzis carefully trained a few feet away from the surely nervous hand wrapper. This special place will be called “The Honesty Room” but has no connection to the CD of the same name by great singer Dar Williams. (Attention: Lucinda “Car Wheels On A Gravel Road“ Williams, I love you just as much as I do Dar!)

4. OSCAR BAN EXTENDS TO TELEVISION. Cotto promises in the contract that he will never use the expression “but Oscar says” in conversation, especially in media interviews. This ban on anything related to Oscar extends to the Academy Awards which Cotto promises not to attend or to even watch on TV. Cotto can only make reference to the movie honors by calling the famed awards “those little statuettes.”

5. OSCAR BAN EXTENDS TO EATING. I can now "re veal" that Cotto is not permitted to order Veal Oscar from any menu.

6. NO REMATCH CLAUSE WITH PACMAN. Even though he will put up a fearsome fight, Cotto knows Arum is using him for Pacman cannon fodder and thus has insisted on a No Rematch clause. There was no mention of any other claws, including those from lobsters or stone crabs. In the same vein, Cotto is prohibited from ever referring to the smaller Pacquiao as “that little shrimp from GenSan.”

Arum is investing heavily in shrimp distribution companies in Packy’s hometown although the highly religious promoter will steer clear of crustaceans as he considers them “treyf” meaning trash and cockroaches of the sea. “Lobsters are not kosher, they are losers,” Arum said. “I can’t sanction or stomach lobsters. I thought they were born red but it turns out they only get that way after a killer steam bath. Same thing happen to me. At my age, my skin has more wrinkles than Kim Kardashian’s backside. I’m so glad Reggie Bush finally dumped her! Now Matt Stolow, Dallas bachelor of the moment, has a real shot at being her next beau and I don’t mean Bo Belinsky.”

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-5699-NY-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m7d29-Cottos-deal-with-Arum-No-golf-Oscars-lobsters-Pacquaio-rematch (July 29, 2009)

Pacquiao-Cotto Fight (or Cotto-Pacquiao Depending on Whose Side Are You) is On!

After weeks of negotiation and a 15-minute phone conversation with Bob Arum, Manny Pacquiao finally agreed on the megablockbuster Pacquiao-Cotto fight (or Cotto-Pacquiao depending on whose side are you).I don’t know what Arum offered to make “Pacman” accept the 145-pound weight limit insisted upon by Miguel Cotto’s physical trainer but the deal must be sweet, ka-ching! ($$$) This early, Pacquiao is already in the running for next year’s highest paid athlete list. :-D

Pacquiao and Cotto will meet on November 14 at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, USA at a catchweight of 145 lbs. In fighting Cotto, Pacquiao will attempt to win his 7th world title in as many weight classes, which is a feat no other boxer in history has done.

The 2008 Fighter of the Year Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs) has won titles in six weight divisions from 112 to 140 pounds beating the likes of Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar De La Hoya, Marco Antonio Barrera and Ricky Hatton (via a 2nd round KO) and is on a 10-fight winning streak.

Puerto Rican Miguel “Junito” Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) owns the WBO welterweight belt and defended it last June 13 via a split-decision victory over Joshua Clottey. His only loss is to Antonio Margarito, who had his boxing license suspended after putting hardened plasters inside his gloves before a bout. The legitimacy of his win over Cotto is now being questioned.

In Cotto, Pacquiao will be facing the biggest opponent of his career. When I watched “Junito” survived Joshua Clottey on that welterweight match, I saw how big he is for “Pacman”. He has big arms and with biceps exploding! Pacquiao was also at ringside watching that fight scouting his next opponent.

You might say that Pacquiao has already defeated another welterweight in dela Hoya but at 35, the “Golden Boy” was already past his prime at that time and he was drained trying to shed pounds just to make the weight limit. At 28, Cotto is undoubtedly in his prime. He is also two years younger than Manny, has fought at welterweight since 2006 and has gone into the ring at fight night as high at 160 lbs. Pacquiao has never weighed more than 148 lbs at fight night. That’s a significant weight advantage for Cotto right there.

Being the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world, early betting line favors Manny about 2-1.

The fight contracts are expected to be signed by the end of the week. HBO pay-per-view will televise the bout.

Source: Pacquiao-Cotto Fight (or Cotto-Pacquiao Depending on Whose Side Are You) is On! (June 22, 2009)