Arum to Mayweather: Goodbye

By Abac Cordero(The Philippine Star Newspaper)

Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Bob Arum

MANILA, Philippines - On Christmas Eve, Bob Arum closed the door on Floyd Mayweather Jr. and opened new ones for Paul Malignaggi and practically anyone else drooling for a fight with Manny Pacquiao.

“Life goes on. We’re not going to let Manny get pushed around by Floyd. Floyd wants to play his games, let him play,” the Top Rank chief told USA Today Thursday, the day before Christmas.

“This all has to do with Mayweather being Mayweather. He never wanted to fight Manny. He wanted a way out. Well, he’s got his way out. Goodbye,” said Arum, adding he’s not about to lose sleep over the matter. Arum, who represents Pacquiao, and Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, for Mayweather, took very little time to get the negotiations going for what should have been a historic fight on March 13. But because of certain issues regarding the blood testing, the fight came to a screeching halt and again, unless Mayweather sees the light shining on a $25 million paycheck, Arum is looking elsewhere.Mayweather wanted an Olympic-style drug testing by the US Anti-Doping Agency, one that may require as many as five blood test and a dozen urine tests, in the months, weeks or a day before and after the fight.

But Pacquiao would have none of it. He has agreed to do three blood tests, on the first week of January, the month before the fight and right after the fight, under the same agency that does the NBA or the NFL. But Mayweather would have none of it.

Pacquiao said it’s Mayweather’s way of running out of the fight.

Now, Arum is looking at Malignaggi as Pacquiao’s next opponent. It could happen on March 13, anywhere in the world, or past the May 2010 elections in the Philippines where Pacquiao is seeking a congressional seat.

There’s also Tim Bradley who wants a fight with Pacquiao, with or without the blood tests, or Yuri Foreman, Juan Manuel Marquez or Edwin Valero.

And Shane Mosley, too, if he beats Andre Berto on Jan. 30.

Whoever it may be, Arum said it’s going to be a big one.

Mayweather can go to England, face Matthew Hatton, earn a few millions and keep his unbeaten record without being touched at all, boxing sources said.

For the meantime, Pacquiao spent Christmas with his family in Gen. Santos City, and should be on the Flight to the United States the first week of January, not for the Mayweather press tour, but a family vacation.

Malignaggi, under Lou DiBella, is a fighter, lasting the distance with Miguel Cotto in 2006 then losing to Ricky Hatton before bouncing back with a victory over Juan Diaz. Now, his next fight could be against Pacquiao.

“Manny would absolutely love to fight Mosley. Shane is a super, super young man. We’re not going to start all this crazy nonsense with drug testing given Shane’s background with that unfortunate incident,” Arum told USA Today.

Updates on Pacquiao VS Mayweather JR

Pacquiao-Cotto pay-per-view buys to reach 2 million?

Manny Pacquiao’s historic win over Miguel Cotto could also post record number of buys in pay-per-view. AP

MANILA, Philippines - The recent welterweight megafight between Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and Puerto Rican WBO champion Miguel Cotto is expected to generate close to 2 million pay-per-view buys.

“They’re very good,” said Top Rank promoter Bob Arum in an interview with Boxingtalk.com., referring to the PPV figures. “Yeah, it’s well over one million but I really don’t know. It will be somewhere north of one million.”

Rey Colón of the “El Vocero” of Puerto Rico reported that the fight, which Pacquiao won via a convincing 12th round TKO, made approximately two million pay-per-view buys generating at least $120 million in revenues.

No word on what Pacquiao´s cut will be but Cotto was mentioned to be making at least $10 million. (Related story on Page 21)

Pacquiao had a guaranteed purse of $13 million in the Cotto fight.Arum has earlier indicated that he had “pretty much the final numbers” for Puerto Rico alone which he said “set a record” by surpassing the previous record of 80,000 for the Felix “Tito” Trinidad-Oscar De La Hoya fight.

He also guessed that the Pacquiao-Cotto duel, billed as Firepower and which drew 16,200 fans at the MGM Grand Arena, did a little bit more than 110,000, adding that the fight would do around 1.3 million although he said there were no numbers from New York, Pennsylvania and California, which are big points.

In an interview with Boxingscene.com, Arum, however, said that he had the figures for San Diego and Hawaii “which were good numbers.”

Arum recalled that the Pacquiao-De La Hoya fight last year did 1.25 million buys and in the East “so far we are doing 40 percent better and in the West we are doing about 10 percent less.”

Arum also said that “we are happy because we did well over a million homes and I think it will be closer to 1.5 million.”

There were keen interests on the number of PPV buys for the Pacquiao-Cotto fight since this will weigh heavily on the negotiations for the potential blockbuster fight between Pacquiao against the unbeaten Mayweather.

For one, Arum said he would wait for the final result of the PPV before making a move to negotiate with the Golden Boy Promotions, which handles Mayweather.

Even Mayweather Jr., who the world wants to be Pacquiao’s next opponent, has admitted that the Pacquiao-Cotto fight should do more buys than his bout with Juan Manuel Marquez which posted 1.1 million.

“I’ve done over a million homes by myself. Now we got Pacquiao and Cotto, two guys who have a pretty cool fan base, so if they do more homes than Mayweather, more power to them, but they supposed to. I don’t have no dance partner,” said Mayweather Jr. in an interview with Sky Sports. – Dante Navarro

From: Philippine Star Newspaper

(The Philippine Star) Updated November 19, 2009 12:00 AM

Will Floyd Mayweathered JR join Pacmans collection?

Clamor mounts for Pacquiao vs Mayweather

HOLLYWOOD – There’s only one fight to be made, and it’s the fight the whole world wants to see.

That’s Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather Jr. Nothing else.

More than 24 hours after turning Miguel Cotto’s face into a bloody Halloween mask, the 30-year-old Filipino megastar ruled out a third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, and that leaves him with probably no other option but to face Mayweather next.

It’s the fight that people have started talking about way ahead of last Satuday’s Pacquio-Cotto blockbuster, and in the days, weeks or months to come, how to put up the fight that should break all existing records will remain the big question.

Meanwhile, in an interview with CNN late last night, Mayweather said he is ready to make the big money fight with Pacquiao, saying “if he wants to fight all he has to do is step up to the plate”.

During last September’s press tour for Pacquiao and Cotto, the Filipino boxer, who just won an unprecedented seventh world crown in seven different weight divisions, said if he and Mayweather win their respective fights, which they both did, then it should be a go.

Pacquiao said if it happens, he could get around $25 in guaranteed purse. For the Cotto fight, he got $12 million, but may end up with close to $20 million once everything comes in. A fight with Mayweather will dwarf all his previous earnings for a single fight.

Mayweather beat Marquez last September, and Pacquiao stopped Cotto late in the 12th and final round the other night in Las Vegas. If this fight happens, these two pound-for-pound champions can fill any arena even if the fight is held in Antarctica.

“If it’s Marquez, no one’s gonna come to watch the fight,” said Pacquiao in the middle of a five-hour trip from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. He and his entourage of more than 50 people were back in the City of Angels past midnight of Sunday.

Pacquiao did not elaborate on the possibility of making the fight against Mayweather, but in last Saturday’s post-fight press conference said it should be all up to his promoter, Bob Arum, and those representing the flamboyant American, whoever they are.

Up to now, many believe that a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight won’t happpen because of one huge problem, and that’s how they would split the purse. Mayweather wants the bigger share, and Pacquiao wants nothing less either.

Arum said not even a 50-50 split would be fair for Pacquiao, regarded as the greatest boxer in the planet today, and one that can generate all the attention whoever he faces, wherever the fight is held.

Or Mayweather, the only undefeated superstar in boxing today, can dodge the fight by asking for the moon, and face lesser opponents, make millions just the same and preserve his clean slate.

“I think he doesn’t want to fight me,” said Pacquiao.

But in boxing, money talks. And in the end, everybody will listen.

“There’s so much money on the table they should be able to figure things out,” said the great trainer, and boxing analyst Emmanuel Steward after Pacquiao’s sensational and historic win over Cotto.

“This is what the public wants to happen,” he added.

The Pacquiao-Cotto 12-rounder should exceed the one million pay-per-view buys of the Mayweather-Marquez. And if Pacquiao vs Mayweather becomes a reality, then the giant cable network can look at something that could break the all-time record of 2.5 buys for the Mayweather vs Dela Hoya.

The New York Times has started drumming up a Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown, and even suggested that the fight be held at the New Yankee Stadium as early as May.

But it may not be a good date because Pacquiao is running for elections on the same month back home. One more thing, Arum said Pacquiao may never get to fight in New York because of tax matters.

The Times’ Greg Bishop talked to Ross Greenburg and quoted the president of HBO Sports as saying, “I get chills just thinking about it. The reality is there’s only one fight to be made. We’ve waited a long time to get one of this magnitude.”

Top Rank’s matchmaker, Bruce Trampler, said, “No matter who Manny fights right now, he’s going to draw a big crowd. That’s the difference between these guys. Floyd needs a Manny. He needs a De La Hoya, a Hatton. And that’s no disrespect to Floyd. But one guy is an attraction and the other is a good draw.”

By Abac Cordero (The Philippine Star) Updated November 17, 2009 12:00 AM

Pacquiao earns place among world’s elite

Boxing is known as the sweet science for a reason, and its technical workings have perhaps been more closely dissected and studied than those of any other sport.

Some believe this ceaseless search for the slightest and most intricate of advantages imposes a limit as to how much one performer can be better than his peers.

Manny Pacquiao’s latest demolition job may have started to smash through that mind-set with the same sort of force he used on Ricky Hatton’s face and body on Saturday night.

Rarely has a boxer raised the bar of his profession so quickly and emphatically as the Filipino superstar is doing as he marches through a series of weight divisions.

Worryingly, for those with future designs on facing him, there is no ceiling in sight.

The Filipino superstar’s progress since his last defeat, to Erik Morales in 2005, has not purely been built with his physical gifts or inscrutable technique.

His poor upbringing in the Philippines may have limited his formal education, but trainer Freddie Roach believes Pacquiao is a boxing genius.

And, crucially, he has not just the mentality of a fighter, but the sporting intellect reserved for sports’ all-time greats.

Pacquiao probably hasn’t heard of Blaise Pascal, a 17th-century French philosopher. But one of Pascal’s most famous phrases – “man’s greatness lies in his power of thought” – applies to him.

Pacquiao is not simply chasing recognition or success; his ultimate target is fulfillment.

Deep within the closeted mind of this introverted yet phenomenal athlete is the seed of thought that his upper limits are still some way from being tapped.

“I know I can improve my skills as a boxer,” Pacquiao said in an interview with Filipino television. “I am very pleased to have beaten Ricky Hatton but I think I can still get better. How much better, I don’t know.”

No one knows the full capabilities of the 30-year-old’s dancer feet and surgical fists.

However, fueled by the fulsome belief of Roach, the sense is that the end is not yet close.

The crushing flurry that struck out Hatton at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and sent the Englishman to a local hospital didn’t feel anything like a crowning achievement, more a stepping stone to future glories.

For the sport of boxing, the timing could not have been better. With Floyd Mayweather Jr. returning from his brief retirement, there are now two bona fide superstars of generational aptitude.

Pacquiao, though, is an athlete of the purest variety, for whom the essence of his profession is the essence of himself.

If the public began to tire of hyperbole and marketing shtick, it never sickens of witnessing greatness in full flow, and that is what Pacquiao is providing.

His understated personality is a wonderful antidote to the bling culture inherent in many professional sports and his methodology carries a powerful message.

“Every pro athlete should take what Manny does to heart,” said his promoter, Bob Arum. “This young man realized he didn’t know everything and that to be more successful he could still learn.

“He learns every fight, every training session, and gets better and better. The way he lives his life and the way he performs is an example to anyone.”

Pacquiao’s achievements speak for themselves and the way he sent Hatton crashing to the canvas for the final time was the most resounding of finishes.

It has been a long time since a boxer would have been mentioned in a mythical “pound-for-pound” list of the world’s finest athletes.

Yet while Pacquiao does not have the personality of a Tiger Woods, Usain Bolt or Rafael Nadal, his level of achievement must be considered on par.

“Manny Pacquiao is the best man out there in boxing,” said the New York Giants’ Super Bowl-winning running back Brandon Jacobs, an impressed spectator on Saturday. “I can’t think of a single athlete there who would not give him their total respect.

“Power comes in many forms, especially in my sport, but when you see it coming from a man who weighs 140 pounds it is an incredible thing to behold.

“This guy is an artist at what he does. He is the best pound-for-pound boxer and his ability transcends across all sports.

“He has to be one of the best athletes in the world.”

By Martin Rogers, Yahoo! Sports

Posturing starts over for Pacquiao-Mayweather battle

Manny Pacquiao's devastating fists sent a powerful message to Floyd Mayweather Jnr about his comeback - the path to deciding boxing's pound-for-pound king goes through the Filipino superstar.

Unbeaten American Mayweather, the former undisputed welterweight champion, tried to upstage Pacquiao's junior welterweight showdown with Ricky Hatton by announcing his return from a 17-month layoff just hours before the fight.

Mayweather, who will face Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18 in his return to the ring, dismissed the idea of fighting the Pacquiao-Hatton winner, saying he was taking his daughter bowling rather than watching the fight.

"I'm not worried about that," Mayweather said. "I don't have to call fighters out. They are all calling me out."

But it's safe to say Mayweather heard about Pacquiao's domination of English hero Hatton and the punishing left cross that knocked out Hatton one second before the end of round two to bring the Phillipines star a historic win.

Moments after the fight, Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum told the Filipino southpaw "You are going to be the greatest fighter who ever lived" and said he might be the best fighter he has promoted, a list that includes Muhammad Ali.

"If Mayweather wants a piece of the 'little Filipino', just be my guest," Arum said.

Pacquiao won the International Boxing Organization junior welterweight title to match a boxing record by claiming a crown in a sixth career weight class and back up his claim as boxing's pound-for-pound king.

Hatton was hospitalized as a precaution after lying unconscious on his back in the center of the ring, but doctors found no lasting physical injuries.

The top fight boxing fans hunger to see now is Pacquiao against Mayweather. It's the only mega-fight that will bring huge pay-per-view profits for both men and decide which is the true pound-for-pound king.

Posturing from both camps began with Mayweather's decision to book his first fight before Pacquiao's victory. Arum, who has the task of negotiating a deal, and Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach fired the next verbal volleys.
"Mayweather, he just had to wait one day and he could have fought Manny. I think he's afraid of Manny. He made the fight maybe not happen," Roach said before predicting "Pacman" would beat Mayweather if they do fight.

"He doesn't like to engage in the ring. He's going to run from us."

While there is hope Mayweather-Pacquiao can happen by the end of the year, Mayweather must first handle Marquez in July and Arum says Pacquiao will wait until Miguel Cotto fights in July before deciding upon a next opponent.

A potential foe for both men before they meet is US veteran Shane Mosley.

"He knows he is at the end of his career and he wants to make some big money off me," Mayweather said.

Roach had a considerably higher opinion of Mosley.

"The most dangerous guy put there for Manny right now is probably Shane Mosley," Roach said. "They both like to fight and his pace is dangerous."

Another issue will be weight. Marquez, a star at 135 pounds, and Mayweather, a force at 147, have yet to settle on a catch weight for their fight, likely to be at 144 pounds.

A similar size issue will come into play during Pacquiao-Mayweather talks.

"At the right weight? No problem. At 147? Forget it," Roach said. "Manny doesn't need it. Manny's best weight is 140."

Dividing the money will also be troublesome, with both men likely to want the lion's share of the profits from the rich pay-per-view spectacle. Pacquiao made 12 million dollars against Hatton, who made eight million.

Mayweather played the loudmouth to lure a record 2.4 million purchases against Oscar de la Hoya and one million more against Hatton, saying he pushed the numbers even though his rival's fan base drove creation of the fight.

With Pacquiao as Asia's super fighter, a new untapped market could test Mayweather's moneyspinner skills.

Another factor will be pay-per-view numbers for Mayweather's comeback and the Pacquaio victory. Should tough economic times hold down the profits, it could push organizers to delay a showdown for financial conditions to improve.

AFP

After Hatton ... Pacquiao VS Mayweather

On May 1, 2009, it was confirmed that Mayweather is coming out of a 16-month retirement to fight Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on HBO PPV.^[40] The fight will be a Catchweight of 143 lbs. HBO will also be bring back the 24/7 Series prior to the fight.

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http://mediagreatest.com/originalmediagreatest/pacmanvshattonfullfight.htm

Brilliant Pacquiao cements legacy with win

Pacquiao VS Hatton highlights

After Manny "PACMAN" Pacquiao's tremendous win over Ricky "Hitman" Hatton, Mayweather is next if ever he wins or loose to Marquez scheduled fight soon.

Pacquiao VS Mayweather will be the biggest fight soon, and it will be Pacmans last fight to prove his supremacy..

LAS VEGAS – It took just 359 seconds to add the latest devastating chapter to a legacy that will last for decades.

Manny Pacquiao’s flurried fists made short work of Ricky Hatton on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and delivered the most emphatic proof yet that boxing has a superstar for the ages operating at his peak.

Pacquiao sent the Englishman crashing to the canvas twice in a frenetic first round, then sealed the contest with a brutal left hook that had Hatton out cold on his back with one tick remaining in the second round.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. may have announced his comeback from a brief and scarcely-believable retirement on Saturday morning. But there can be no doubt that Pacquiao is boxing’s undisputed king as he continues to ride a remarkable wave of momentum.

“Our strategy was the one punch,” Pacquiao said. “Left hook. Right hook. That was going to be the key to this fight.”

The Filipino fighter is a quiet and reserved man out of the ring, but between the ropes he morphs into an electrifying machine – and Hatton felt his full force.

The Hatton camp had hoped their man’s power would be telling, yet he simply had no response to Pacquiao’s pace and precision. A right hook put Hatton down with 54 seconds remaining in round one and proved to be the beginning of the end.

“I knew it was over,” said Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer. “Ricky fights the same way over and over. He doesn’t have the ability to adjust.”

As Pacquiao moved in for the finish in the second round, Hatton tried to cling on only to be sent down again with a fierce straight left. Doctors immediately rushed to the aid of Hatton, who eventually and thankfully was able to walk from the ring under his own steam.

“I am surprised this fight was so easy,” said Pacquiao. “I did work hard in my training camp and it paid off. This is as big a victory for me as when I beat Oscar De La Hoya.”

That December triumph over De La Hoya did not convince the entire boxing fraternity of Pacquiao’s ability, primarily as the Golden Boy’s powers had so clearly dimmed from his prime. Now there is no speculation. Pacquiao is the top dog, until someone proves otherwise in the ring.

Floyd Mayweather Sr. was a no-show at the postfight news conference, leaving Hatton’s co-trainer, Lee Beard, to explain the mauling by Pacquiao.

“We knew about Manny’s speed and that it could play a factor in the fight,” Beard said. “What you saw was two rounds of action and Ricky got caught.”

Roach’s status as a trainer grows in line with each victory his top fighter posts and it became clear his game plan was perfect. Hatton could not avoid Pacquiao, who landed with 73 of his 127 punches. The Brit could only land 18 of 78.

“This is no shock at all,“ Roach said. “Hatton pumps his hands before he throws a punch, and it makes him a sucker for the right hook.

“Manny is a monster. He is the best fighter ever. There is no surprise here.”

Defeat was a bitter blow to the thousands of Hatton fans among the 16,262 in attendance who had journeyed across the Atlantic but saw their dreams dashed within a few brutal minutes.

The typical symphony of chanting carried on even after their man had been sparked out, but it may not strike up again. Hatton, who was alert in his locker room before being taken to the hospital, is one of the most popular boxers ever with an incredible fan base, but his fighting future is now in serious doubt.

For Pacquiao, the future is brighter than ever, and his legend continues to grow.

Said Pacquiao: “I can fight anybody.”

By Martin Rogers, Yahoo! Sports