Miyerkules, Disyembre 7, 2011

Pacquiao says Mayweather Jr., Marquez lead list of next possible foe

Manny Pacquiao: Either Mayweather, Marquez or Bradley.
MANILA, Philippines—It’s a three-way race for a juicy fight against Manny Pacquiao in May, with Floyd Mayweather Jr. ahead and Juan Manuel Marquez giving a spirited chase.
Lagging behind is World Boxing Organization light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley.
In a dinner with sports journalists Monday, Pacquiao said negotiations are going on for his next bout after scraping past Marquez in their third fight on Nov. 12 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
A bout with Mayweather, the unbeaten World Boxing Council welterweight champion, stands to be the most lucrative in the history of the sport with both boxers projected to earn at least $50 million.
Chances of the once derailed Pacquiao-Mayweather tiff pushing through got a boost when Mike Koncz, Pacquiao’s Canadian adviser, visited the camp of the flamboyant American for a new round of exploratory talks recently.

The bout is deemed too big that several quarters, including foreign investors from the Middle East and Asia, have expressed interest to undertake the gargantuan project that could shatter the record 2.4 million pay-per-view buys posted when Mayweather fought and edged Oscar De La Hoya in 2008.
But the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight could be a victim of its own magnitude, with would-be investors trying to figure out how to recoup the money they’ll put up to get the two fighters on the ring against each other.

Apart from the blood testing protocol to be used, the sharing of PPV revenues is a crucial issue for the fight to be forged.
Pacquiao’s PPV stock increased after his third fight against Marquez generated a personal-best of more than 1.3 million buys, surpassing the Mayweather-Victor Ortiz showdown, which reportedly drew 1.25M hits.

Marquez wants a fourth bout with the Filipino pound-for-pound king, claiming that he was again deprived of a victory by the judges, who rewarded Pacquiao with a very close majority decision instead.

Leaving fight negotiations to his promoter, Bob Arum, Pacquiao, who was accompanied by wife Jinkee at the Harbour View Restaurant, said he would be staging a $60,000 10-ball billiards tournament and a P1,000,000 darts event as soon as possible.


In Huddle Pacquiao sans his cordon sanitaire

The congressman from Sarangani flashed a wide, boyish grin as he stood to offer his hand.
It must have been the 57th time or so I was introduced to the eight-division world boxing champ, dating back to the 1990s when he was still a practical unknown.
There was a time when I had a lengthy one-on-one interview with him where he talked profoundly about a mystical experience with God that completely changed the course of his life.
Manny said God had spoken to him in one of his lowest moments and had urged him to change his ways if he wanted to receive his blessings.
Still, this time around, he did not recognize me.
“Kamusta,” he said, smiling. “Merry Christmas!”
* * *
A few moments after I arrived at the Harbor View Restaurant near the Quirino Grandstand in Manila where Manny hosted a dinner for select members of the press, Rose Tamayo took my hand and led me to the table occupied by Manny, his wife Jinkee and sports columnist-broadcaster Quinito Henson.
“Let me introduce you to the congressman,” Tamayo offered.
I did not resist. The press boys said she was Manny’s political publicist.
* * *
I deliberately made a late appearance at the affair because I was certain that the boxing superstar would make us wait, as he usually does.
I was surprised therefore to find him already there. He had arrived an hour earlier than I did.
Abante sports editor Virgie Romano said  Manny arrived on time because he had to leave early for another engagement.
Manny was formally dressed in a gray business suit. The boxing icon kept himself busy all night accommodating fans, foreigners included, who wanted to be photographed with him. Libre sports editor Dennis Eroa, who said he had not seen the Pacman “for ages,” admitted he was thrilled to be photographed with him.
* * *
At a little past nine, he stood up to deliver an informal speech.
“Merry Christmas. I hope you enjoyed the food and are all having fun,” he said.
As of last night, he said he could not yet tell who his next opponent would be, or when the fight would be scheduled.

“It could be Floyd Mayweather, (Timothy) Bradley or (Juan Manuel) Marquez, I don’t know,” Manny said.
Bradley was in the undercard of the recent Pacquiao-Marquez III.  He won by TKO over Joel Casamayor to retain his title.
* * *
Manny also talked about some of his plans for Philippine sports.
What I recalled most vividly is his plan to host another P1-million darts tournament next year.
“It will be the biggest darts competition ever, with a guaranteed prize pot of P1 million,” he announced.
The speech, short and sweet, was over in less than 10 minutes. There was no time for Q&A. The Pacquiaos left soon after.

And so last Monday night, I met the man described by the international press as “the greatest boxer in the world” for the 57th time or so. This time, he was more relaxed,  nicer, very accessible and very accommodating.
Perhaps it was because he did not come with his usual big entourage. There was no cordon sanitaire.


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Lamb-like Giovani Segura is like a lion in the ring

MANILA, Philippines—Giovani Segura fights like a a lion in the ring, but is a lamb at heart.
The Mexican challenger stole the show from Filipino-American champion Brian Viloria in their first meeting Wednesday when he unabashedly shed tears upon mention of Manny Pacquiao and the Filipino ring icon’s charity work for his poor compatriots.

Segura choked, buried his head in his palms and in-between sobs said that he was deeply touched by Pacquiao’s kind gesture because his family in Altamirano, Guerrero, Mexico, also experienced hunger before he found boxing as a way out of poverty.

But don’t be misled by Segura’s unexpected emotional show before sportswriters and representatives of the organizing Solar Sports and Zanfer Promotions at the Palladium of the New World Hotel in Makati.
When he climbs the ring on Sunday morning, seeking Viloria’s World Boxing Organization flyweight championship at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City, Segura will turn into a beast and go for the jugular right away.

Viloria, of course, knows what Segura, who boasts a frightening 28-win, 1-loss, 1-draw record with 24 knockouts, is capable of doing, having sparred with the former light flyweight titlist five times in the past.
“I’m very confident, I want to show a great fight and prove the doubters wrong,” said Viloria, who admitted that their battle is unpredictable. “Between five or six rounds, somebody’s going to fall.”
According to Viloria, 29-3-0 with 16 KOs, he’s going to use his experience, speed, and versatility to offset Segura’s aggression and power.
Like Segura, best remembered for knocking out Puerto Rican legend Ivan Calderon twice, Viloria trained for nearly three months in his bid to claim the Mexican’s No. 9 slot in Ring’s (Magazine) pound-for-pound ranking.

The Viloria-Segura showdown will be available on pay-per-view through the Integrated Sports Media at $29.95.
In the PPV co-feature, Martin Honorio (31-16-1, 16 KOs) and Thai Fahsai Sakkreerin (36-2, 20 KOs), will clash for the IBF interim super featherweight championship.
Filipino Al “Captain A” Sabaupan (17-0-1, 12 KOs) battles Roy Muklis (23-3-2, 18 KOs) for the IBF Pan Pacific lightweight title in the undercard.

Roach enters Hall of Fame

Freddie Roach, renowned trainer of eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao, and five-time world champion  Thomas Hearns head 13 people who were elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame on Tuesday.

Also selected were two-division champion Mark Johnson, ring announcer Michael Buffer, broadcaster Al Bernstein and journalist Michael Katz.


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Pacquiao sets KO for PH sports; another plea to SSS

Manny Pacquiao has agreed to help sponsor a bill in Congress for the
creation of a Philippine Ministry in Sports, cabinet level.
The good congressman representing Sarangani made the decision
after a brief welcome speech opening a warm get-together with members of the Manila sports media Monday evening.

Pacquiao did not bat an eyelash and said yes when asked if he would care to help.
He asked legal assistant Jeng Gacal to find ways to draft the bill.
* * *
Pacquiao was already heading out of the Harbor View in Luneta when asked for a favor.
He was busy shaking hands,
returning greetings, but took time out to listen to the suggestion.
Pacquiao, of course, knows it would not be easy to make an
airtight bill creating a national sports ministry.
Above all, the bill must be fool-proof, meaning its prospective head must not, and must never, be beholden to the powers-that-be in the national Olympic committee.
It must be comprehensive, with an annual budget, and should leave no space whatsoever for the usual insider politicking that continued to damn Philippine sports.
* * *

It must ensure the well-being not only of national athletes, but the
Filipino youth as a whole through a sound physical development program incorporated in the national school curriculum.
The proposed legislature must be wholly professional, with the ministry manned by competent experts of quality training and background.
The Pacquiao bill will surely put emphasis in leaving room for the poor and the underprivileged, like out-of-school kids, to get a chance at excelling in sports.
With Pacquiao agreeing to fight for the creation of the national sports ministry, it should also form part of his gift to his countrymen a few days before his 33rd birthday.
* * *

Pardon this, but we take this
opportunity to make angkas with the Pacquiao win-win bandwagon to print this appeal:
Mr.Joel Palacios
Vice President for Public Information
Social Security System
Dear Sir: This refers to the reassessment of pension promised by a lady assistant you assigned to help me when I filed for my back pay upon retiring over three years ago.
For the record, the kind lady did call the attention of the pension assessor upon learning that I would be getting less than what was originally expected.

May I request you to help me revive that request for reassessment of my pension?
For the record, a friend who works with SSS, who has helped several neighbors here in Mandaluyong, took it upon himself to check on my record.
After a review of my record, this fellow has asked me to submit a written request to your office—for adjustment of monthly pension.

He also said that based on my records, I should be getting more than I’ve been receiving every month.
For whatever, here’s my official SSS registry: RICARDO A. TRINIDAD 03-2409905-6 May 9, 1943.
Thank you very kindly for your attention.
Respectfully,
Recah Trinidad
Sports columnist


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