Miyerkules, Enero 25, 2012

Save super fight from super brats


There’s one thing that could save the delusive Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. dream fight—if it’s worth saving at all.
Truth is many exasperated fans have long given up on both boxers.
But if the so-called super fight has to take place, both fighters must start behaving like true gentlemen.
How?
“They both need to mature,” advises Art Dimayuga, a former advertising world standout, product of the old Faculty of Philosophy and Letters (Philets) in the University of Santo Tomas.
* * *
You mean for them to both suffer a sudden attack of humility?
No, Art replies, that could take a lifetime, but we can pray for them to behave their age and stature.
Yes, the super fight must be saved from the super brats.
Of course, that’s a distant possibility based on how both Mayweather and Pacquiao have pinned boxing to the floor with their hateful hesitance and endless taunting.
* * *
What’s truly odd is that international media has continued to cover this pest of a verbal sparring as though the fate of the world hinges on the dream bout.
What assurance do they have that it would not drift into a dumb, tasteless bout?
Come to think of it, asks Art, didn’t Pacquiao say he was willing to take less money in order to make the fight a reality?
But wasn’t this before Mayweather bragged that a 50-50 sharing would be fine with him?
Last heard of, Mayweather has resumed his original insistence for a heftier cut from the dream promotion.
Anyway, if he could have his way, Art, with a doctorate in humanities from the University of Hard Knocks, has offered a ploy: stop selling the fight.
* * *
Now is the time for all media to pay attention to other more relevant events and happenings.
You mean a boycott, a news blackout?
Not necessarily, he advises, but a sort of cooling off until such a time both Mayweather and Pacquiao have decided to show respect for both media and the fight public.
That’s easier said than done, going by how some members of the sports media have allowed themselves to be led by the nose by schemers from both camps.
* * *
Says Brad Cooney of 8countnews: “Its one of the most confusing, drama-filled, messy, corrupt scenarios that boxing has seen in a long time. Both camps have done their fair share of screwing things up. In my opinion, the sport will be better off if both of these guys retire.”
He added: “Bob Arum’s and Mayweather’s people need to either make the fight or just get lost and let the sport to move on.”
John Chavez of Boxing Truth marked the date—Dec. 17, 2011—“when Pacquiao agreed to take a smaller purse, less than 50-50, as long as the fight happens.”
* * *
Teddy Atlas, avowed Floyd Jr. supporter, has a more valid view:
“If they are really sober, I don’t see how they are not going to give 50-50 to Pacquiao, now the biggest engine in boxing… To be honest with you, if you’re Mayweather, I think you should be happy to get 50-50 because he’s getting it in probably the biggest money fight in the history of the sport. Mayweather supports his position by referring to past Pacquiao comment he was willing to take less money.”
Was this a right tack?
“I don’t think that’s a road Mayweather wants to travel down because there are a lot of things he said in the past he doesn’t want to be held to.”
So when do they cut off the proposed news boycott, if ever?
Not before the first bell rings, with both Mayweather and Pacquiao already facing each other.
They could let go a day earlier, once they’re both done with the weigh-in.

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Manny Pacquiao’s millions; Luisito Espinosa’s lost purse


COLMA, California—In this tiny town where the dead outnumber the living, it seems like the only place alive is a casino on Hillside Boulevard.
Lucky Chances Casino also happens to be the first Filipino-owned gambling establishment in the United States. The proprietor, self-made millionaire Rene Medina, hails from Arayat, Pampanga.
The casino is across a huge Jewish cemetery—among the 17 or so memorial parks in a 2.2 square-mile community founded as a necropolis in the roaring 20s. That was when San Francisco to the north, then in the midst of a land boom, banned human burial grounds within city limits.
Colma’s population underground of over a million, outnumbers above-ground residents of about 1,800, according to the 2010 US census. Among those buried here—baseball great Joe DiMaggio, newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, jeans magnate Levi Strauss and Wild West lawman Wyatt Earp.
After a city tour of San Francisco we haven’t done in years, my wife and I spent the night in the Filipino enclave of Daly City, Colma’s northern peninsular neighbor. The next morning, we drove to the Lucky Chances cafĂ© frequented by
Filipinos for its hearty $8.95 tapsilog. The plan was to see an old friend for a chat and a quick breakfast.
But Luisito Espinosa was off from work that day, scuttling our desire to catch up with the guy called “Lindol” in the ring. His career effectively over, Luisito works both as Medina’s goodwill ambassador to casino goers aware of his boxing past, and a carpet cleaner at the casino.
Espinosa was the Manny Pacquiao of yesterday. Filipino pride was bottomless when he ruled both the world bantamweight and featherweight boxing classes.
But Luisito fell on hard times as a result of domestic turmoil and managerial missteps. Even a $150,000 prize from a world featherweight championship bout Espinosa won against Argentina’s Carlos Rios 15 years ago is still owed him by absconding, shameless promoters.
Luisito’s lost purse comes to mind again amid news of million-dollar deals involving Pacquiao and Filipino descendant Tim Lincecum.
It’s been widely reported that Manny wants $28 million guaranteed to face Juan Manuel Marquez again. If Manny’s fourth fight versus a dangerous guy happens and goes the distance again, that’s roughly $2.3 million per round for the Pacman, the highest paid Filipino athlete. Manny’s take would be mind-blowing for an abbreviated bout.
Meanwhile, Lincecum wants to be paid $21.5 million to throw a baseball for the San Francisco Giants next season. The Giants management said that it felt $17 million was more than a fair figure for the two-time Cy Young Award winner for a year.
Lincecum, a member of the Asis family of immigrants from Mindanao, made $13 million in 2011. Tim’s money pitch shatters the figures requested by Derek Jeter ($18.5 million) and the New York Yankees ($14.25 million) in 2001.

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Pacquiao, Mayweather could fetch record cash


That’s how much the mega fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. could earn, based on the estimates of Long Beach Boxing Examiner.
The website, quoting an unknown source, said the fight could fetch an all-time high record earnings considering all factors like pay-per-view buys, sponsors, live gate ticket sales and merchandise.
The sheer magnitude of the fight, which according to the website has transcended far beyond boxing and into mainstream pop culture, could earn between $300 million to $500 million. It also pegged the PPV buys at $89.999 each.
Though Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz is reportedly doing everything to save the Pacquiao-Mayweathersuper fight, there were also contrasting reports that the much anticipated bout has once again fell through.
Fighthype.com claimed that Koncz is “giving people false hopes,” saying Tim Bradley will instead be the next Pacquiao foe. Mayweather thumbed down the fight after Pacquiao asked for a 50-50 revenue split.
It also said Top Rank boss Bob Arum has already given up on it happening in June, but pointed to a possible November date.
“The clock is ticking,” Arum was quoted by Fighthype.com as saying. “And that’s not good. So we need time to get this thing done. And you know, the end of May is really rushing it.
“Maybe Mayweather can get a further [postponement] from the judge (regarding his court sentence), because it’s so big. Or maybe they can each do interim fights, and do the fight in November, but what’s going on now is totally and completely ridiculous.”
If and when the “big thing” happens, Examiner.com said it could surpass the Mayweather-Oscar De La Hoya’s all-time record of 2.4 million PPV buys.
Pacquiao’s biggest PPV yield to date was 1.4 million PPV buys in his last of the Juan Manuel Marquez trilogy. He commanded 1.25 PPV buys during fights against De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto, and 1.3 against Mosley.

Martes, Enero 24, 2012

Mayweather confirms fight with Pacman


LOS ANGELES—Floyd Mayweather Jr. has spoken to Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao by telephone to discuss a possible megafight next May, advisers to each fighter confirmed to several media outlets on Thursday.
Mayweather adviser Leonard Ellerbe confirmed the call to ESPN while Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum did the same to BoxingScene.com and Pacquiao himself talked with ABS-CBN in the Philippines about the short conversation.
The Philippine report quoted Pacquiao as saying there would be no problem if Mayweather would agree to a 50-50 split of income from what is expected to be the richest fight in boxing history—as much as $100 million—if it ever comes off.
Unbeaten US star Mayweather and Pacquiao, regarded as the world’s top pound-for-pound fighters, nearly made a deal for a fight once before but the American’s insistence on unique antidoping blood tests helped kill the talks.
This time, Mayweather has a May 5 date booked at a Las Vegas arena while Pacquiao’s promoter wants a late May date to assemble a huge outdoor arena so tickets can be sold to boost profits by as much as $50 million.
“Floyd wants to fight Manny Pacquiao on May 5 and he went as far as to reach out to Manny Pacquiao personally,” Ellerbe said.
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Huwebes, Enero 19, 2012

Mayweather phones Pacquiao after calling him out


LOS ANGELES—Floyd Mayweather has spoken to Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao by telephone to discuss a possible megafight next May, advisers to each fighter confirmed to several media outlets on Thursday.
Mayweather adviser Leonard Ellerbe confirmed the call to ESPN while Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum did the same toBoxingScene.com and Pacquiao himself talked with ABS-CBN in the Philippines about the short conversation.
The Filipino report quoted Pacquiao as saying there would be no problem if Mayweather would agree to a 50-50 split of income from what is expected to be the richest fight inboxing history — if it ever comes off.
Unbeaten US star Mayweather and Pacquiao, regarded as the world’s top pound-for-pound fighters, nearly made a deal for a fight once before but the American’s insistence on unique anti-doping blood tests helped kill the talks.
This time, Mayweather has a May 5 date booked at a Las Vegas arena while Pacquiao’s promoter wants a late May date to assemble a huge outdoor arena so for tickets can be sold to boost profits as much as $50 million.
“Floyd wants to fight Manny Pacquiao on May 5 and he went as far as to reach out to Manny Pacquiao personally,” Ellerbe said.
Ellerbe told ESPN that Mayweather called from Las Vegas to the Philippines after earlier this month calling out southpaw Pacquiao on Twitter, taunting “Step Up, Punk” to the world welterweight champion.
Mayweather has spoken with Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz several times in recent weeks, according to all reports.
Pacquiao, 54-3 with two drawn and 32 knockouts, has won his past 15 fights over a span of nearly seven years while Mayweather, 42-0 with 26 knockouts, must serve a 90-day jail sentence starting June 1 after a domestic violence conviction.
Arum said that the issue of who Pacquiao would next fight would be resolved this coming week.
Arum presented four other possible foes for “Pac-Man” as next opponents, including Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto and Americans Lamont Peterson, Tim Bradley and Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez.
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