FILE – This Tuesday Feb. 22, 200 photo from files shows former British and European heavyweight boxing champion Sir Henry Cooper after receiving his knighthood at an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London. Sir Henry has died aged 76, sources told Britain’s Press Association Sunday May 1, 2011. He was well known for two famous clashes with Muhammad Ali in the 1960′s flooring Ali in the 4th round of a 1963 non-title fight at London’s Wembley, though Ali eventually won the fight. He fought Ali again in 1966 but was again beaten. (AP Photo – Richard Pohle, Pool)
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
On May 1 2010, Floyd Mayweather Jr. (41-0, 25 KOs) clearly outpointed the heavy-fisted veteran Shane Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs).
Boxing historian Bert Sugar was one of many who felt this match would be competitive for Mayweather.
Mayweather survived a turbulent second round to thoroughly beat Mosley out of the pound-for-pound rankings at the time.
Thanks to the beating Mosley sustained at the hands of Mayweather, the majority of boxing fans do not give Mosley a chance at beating pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao in their scheduled fight May 7, 2011.
While Pacquiao may be the clear favorite, Mosley’s punching power can’t be disregarded and almost made a difference in the second round of his battle with Mayweather.
This leads to an interesting question: If Mosley happens to win, would you (the boxing community) want to see Mosley fight Mayweather again?
It’s a hard question to answer. On one hand, we can’t expect the superfight with Pacquiao to happen if Mosley beats Pacquiao.
On the other hand, Mayweather already thumped Mosley once. Many believe it will happen again if the two meet.
It’s possible the beating of Pacquiao could spark renewed interests, but more stock will likely be put in the inactivity of Mayweather.
Mayweather, a true welterweight (147 lbs), fought a lightweight (135 lbs) in Juan Manuel Marquez in order to brush the dust off his skills.
Though Marquez is legendary, he was still had to gain a lot of weight.
Beating Mosley while moderately active is one thing, but beating Mosley after over a year of not fighting is a totally different beast.
Can Mayweather do it? Mayweather’s inactivity and Mosley’s victory over Pacquiao may be the selling point but the question still remains.
Not all boxing fans are Manny Pacquiao’s fans. But according to most Internet opinion polls, most of these fans are supporters or followers of the Filipino boxing superstar. Yet a good number of these boxing fans are sick and tired of a mere mention of the pound-for-pound king’s name.
There are a thousand and one reasons for loving or hating Manny Pacquiao. But the real reasons for hating him are few and even understandable, to say the least. On the flip side of things, the reasons for loving him are far greater than the reasons cited by those who hate him.
Boxing fans who are mesmerized by Pacquiao’s meteoric rise to greatness are saying the Filipino boxing superstar is beyond compare in many ways.
These diehard fans say there is little reason why some boxing fans should hate him. It seems only those who are envious of his success find him not worthy of their support.
Family-oriented boxing fans say they find Manny Pacquiao a real good role model to their growing kids who are into sports in general and into boxing in particular.
But why is he considered by many as a good role model?
In one of the social functions where Pacquiao was conferred a special award for his concern about cancer-inflicted people, a couple who had three teenage kids was asked by a broadcast journalist why they were supporting Manny Pacquiao.
“Who would not support Manny Pacquiao?,” the family head asked. “He was once a poor kid but managed to rise above poverty through sheer determination and hard work. He was almost illiterate but he later pursued education, got a high school diploma and later went to college. And now he is an elected congressman representing his district in Southern Philippines.”
“Now that he is a millionaire many times over, he gives up a large chunk of his wealth to poor but deserving countrymen. He supports charitable institutions that help the poor and the sick, grants scholarship to poor but deserving students and shares his winnings to just about anyone who needs help and assistance,” the family man said.
“Certainly he is a good example for the youth of today,” he added.
Boxing critics are saying Pacquiao is nothing but a media creation. And a good number of boxing fans hate him for a number of reasons.
To the Pacquiao haters, just a mere mention of his name will almost instantly trigger a heated and lengthy debate.
In some debates, Pacquiao haters would almost zero in on the boxer’s alleged use of performance enhancing drugs, cherry-picking opponents and womanizing, among other things.
They are sick and tired of Pacquiao’s continued rejection of Floyd Mayweather‘s demand for a random blood test and point to it as the main reason why the long-awaited Pacquiao-Mayweather fight would not happen.
They are likewise sick and tired of Pacquiao’s continued practice of cherry-picking his opponents to assure his victory in every fight. A case in point they said is the upcoming Pacquiao vs. Mosley fight which recently created a media frenzy when boxing fans called for a boycott to the fight recently.
Pacquiao haters claimed the Filipino boxer knew Mosley is past his prime and the pound-for-pound king should not have agreed to the fight.
Boxing fans who hate Manny Pacquiao agree the popular boxer is nothing but a media creation. They said Pacquiao has to take on real opponent such as Tim Bradley, Andre Berto, Sergio Martinez, among others, to prove his widely admired boxing skill.
Still some boxing fans are sick and tired of Pacquiao’s womanizing despite media’s alleged cover-up. They asked why Pacquiao has been tagged as a good role model for the youth when he is setting a bad example by having relationship with other women outside of his marriage.
Boxing fans have a lot of different reasons for hating or loving Manny Pacquiao. But some boxing fans say they are sick and tired of the PacMan.
Shane Mosley has revealed he is aiming to run the gauntlet of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr before hanging up his gloves.
Mosley (46-6-1) faces Pacquiao for the WBO welterweight title at the MGM Grand on May 7, one year after he lost to Mayweather on a unanimous decision.
The 39-year-old Mosley, who is without a win since January 2009, is aiming to bow out on a high note, having shown signs of a steep decline in recent years. He was discussed as the pound-for-pound king at the turn of the century, before falling to back-to-back defeats against Winky Wright in 2002.
Now he wants to repair his bruised reputation by avenging the defeat he suffered against Mayweather. “I have to give it my 100% all, give it everything I got, beat Pacquiao, we can do a rematch, fight Mayweather, and I think that’s pretty much it for me,” Mosley told the On the Ropesradio show. “Then I will go off and I will stop helping these young fighters become world champions and get into another side of the business.”
Mosley has accused Pacquiao of being easy to hit, and he is taking heart from the efforts of Antonio Margarito, who battled valiantly against the Filipino last year before coming off worse in a points decision.
“Pacquiao’s not the hardest person to hit so I’m going to have a pretty good advantage with being able to hit him,” Mosley said. “I think it’s going to be an exciting fight because both me and Manny like to fight. We both fight hard and we come to fight.
“I think with my size it’s going to help me a lot because I’m a lot faster than the guys that he’s fought and my timing is probably a little better than theirs, especially Margarito’s, and being that Margarito was able to hit him a few times I think that I have a better chance of hitting him a lot on the button.”
Recently, Shane Mosley 46-6-1 (39) has been saying that he’ll look a lot better against Manny Pacquiao 52-3-2 (38) next month than he did Floyd Mayweather last year because Manny will engage him more than Floyd did when they fought. In other words Mosley is insinuating that Mayweather didn’t win by fighting him straight up. And if you buy Mayweather ran from Mosley when they fought you must have missed the fight or don’t know what you were watching.
Since Mosley was shutdown and out-thought and fought by Mayweather he was held to a 12-round draw by Sergio Mora in his next bout four months later. Ironically, in Mora’s next fight he lost a split decision to Brian Vera 18-5 (11). Shane has blamed Mora practically being a middleweight and a defensive first minded fighter as the reasons why he wasn’t impressive during the fight. And although that may be partly true, I believe it’s more the case of how Mosley has regressed as a fighter.
Before Mosley’s high profile bout with Floyd Mayweather in May of last year both fighters were subjected to Olympic style blood and drug testing. In the dressing room before going out to the ring the night of the fight, Mosley looked like an empty package shadow boxing and warming up. And it’s my belief that Mosley had to give up a lot more blood for the testing before the fight than Mayweather did. No, I cannot prove it but with the suspicion being around Mosley more than Mayweather in regards to fighters using supposed performance enhancing drugs, that’s what my instincts tell me. And when it comes to the behind the scenes goings on in professional boxing, I trust my instincts.
What I can speak to with impunity is what transpired over the course of the 12-rounds Shane and Floyd spent in the ring against each other. After a somewhat uneventful first round, Mosley almost put Floyd away with a right hand during the second round. Mayweather survived the round and seemed to be recovered by the bell ending it. Starting in the third round and all the way through the 12th and final round, Mayweather was in control of the bout. For 10 straight rounds Floyd out thought and fought Mosley – and he didn’t do it by running and using the circumference of the ring in order to avoid engaging with him.
Actually, Mayweather stood right in front of Mosley and beat him with his jab. Once Floyd saw that he could stymie and disrupt Mosley’s offense with just a jab, he picked it up and mixed in some one-twos. On top of being neutralized offensively, Shane was frozen mentally and physically. With him not being sure if it was smarter to try and lead or counter, Mayweather cut loose and gave him more to think about. And a lot of that had to do with Shane’s physical decline as a fighter. In actuality, there was no reason for Mayweather to fight Mosley the way Roy Jones did Antonio Tarver during their rubber match. And that’s what’s so disappointing about Mosley saying he’ll do better against Pacquiao than he did Mayweather because Manny won’t avoid fighting him the way Mayweather did.
The fact is Mayweather did try to fight Shane. And for whatever the reason was, Mayweather stood right in front of him and got the better of it. It didn’t matter what Mosley did or tried, Mayweather controlled the bout from a physical vantage point for the last 10 rounds. In fact he looked like the bigger and stronger fighter. Even when Mosley became desperate and attempted to impose himself physically over Mayweather, he looked unsure and out of sync.
Since he’s turned pro Mosley has been a great ambassador for professional boxing. He’s always been more than willing to fight the best available even when it wasn’t the best move for his career business wise. It’s great to see him getting his two biggest paydays at the end of his career. However, it’s dishonest for him to reiterate that he matches up better with Pacquiao because Manny will engage him unlike Mayweather. If you really think about it, Pacquiao engaging him will probably be the reason why there’s a good chance he’ll be subjected to the worst beating of his career.
As of 2011 Manny Pacquiao’s style is much better suited to thump Mosley more than Mayweather’s was/is. On the other hand Mayweather is much better equipped to deal with Pacquiao than an almost 40 year old Mosley. At this stage of the game both Mayweather and Pacquiao can better Mosley via boxing, counter-punching or attacking him.
I don’t think anyone would dispute that Shane Mosley was one of the two or three greatest lightweights since Roberto Duran ruled the division circa 1972-78. But if you buy that Shane looked so flat against Mayweather because he couldn’t find him, you’ve been mislead or didn’t see the fight. Mayweather held his ground and fought Mosley and got the best of it. Pacquiao will also be able to hold his ground and out fight him on May 7th.
“I think Floyd will win. I think a lot of the shots that Pacquiao is going to throw at him is not going to hit him. Floyd is an expert at counter punches,” – Zab Judah.
“He has the great defense. He can move, move, move. Pacquiao has the power, but Mayweather has the intelligence, the speed and the counter punches,” – Juan Manuel Marquez.
“Mayweather is so good he doesn’t let you get any punches off. If he makes Pacquiao miss he’ll take the sting out of him,” – Ricky Hatton.
“Floyd just called and woke my a** up. I’m still half asleep. That’s my boy anybody wants to do something to him get me first. Floyd told me I ain’t going to beat him [Pacquiao], I’m going to knock that motherf***** out. For what they been saying about me,’ – Curtis Jackson.
“The thing is, I don’t want the fans to be really shocked by what will happen when we do happen to meet up because it’s not going to be anything new – he’s been knocked out before and he’s taken losses. I’ll be victorious, you can believe it,” – Floyd Mayweather Jr.
The past few years have changed a lot for boxing sensations Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. We have learned that Mayweather Jr. likes to relax, taking long breaks and avoiding commitments. We have also learned that Manny Pacquiao can manage bigger and stronger guys, taking his chin to the ultimate test. Both fighters have been the hot topic of boxing for way too long, and time is of essence in this particular scenario.
Al Bello/Getty Images
This lag is frustrating to the boxing community, as both men are getting older and the chances for an explosive fight are shrinking. Whether this interval is due to fear, money, or even pride: all needs to be worked out in a timely fashion. As boxing legends, they owe this fight to the fans, and would leave many people unhappy if the fight never came to fruition.
The topic of Mayweather Jr. vs. Pacquiao has been chewed over more times than any other fight in boxing history. I believe this is so, due to the invention and the ease of use of internet, as sources explode exponentially year after year. Both fighters have been dissected over and over, with fans and the media digging in deep, looking at everything, from their sports related attributes to family issues.
Inarguably, the hypothetical result of their proposed match has gotten by far the biggest piece of the coverage pie. The Pacquiao fans stand by their hero, blasting Mayweather Jr. and his camp. The Mayweather Jr. army of followers has also been there to defend their fighter, pleading their case of the Mayweather Jr. dominance. Still, there is an evident misbalance.
Try going to Google, and searching for “How Pacquiao will knock out Mayweather Jr.” and you will find countless pages of the requested material. Then, try typing in the following and see what happens: “How Mayweather Jr. will knock out Pacquiao.” What you will find, is that the majority of the search finding will once again be talking about how Pacquiao can or will knock out Mayweather Jr. There will only be a handful of results accurately matching your query.
I am a fanatic of neither, simply a boxing fan and writer stuck between a rock and a hard place. Realizing this fight needs to happen, pressures everyone to keep up the writing, conversing, and hypothesizing on the topic. After seeing the gross lack of pieces on Mayweather’s possibility of knocking Pacquiao out, I have decided to cover just that.
I am one of the many boxing enthusiasts that believe that Mayweather Jr. has a chance of knocking out Pacquiao. Maybe that chance is slim; still it’s a very achievable result for Mayweather Jr. So what should Mayweather Jr. do in order to have a shot at knocking Pacquiao down, if not out?
1) Strategy: This opponent is going to be unlike any other Floyd has ever faced. Unrelentingly coming forward will be Pacquiao’s only moving direction. He will be glad to take punches only to give some back. Pacquiao is pretty quick on is feet, with immense hand speed. What I believe to be the best strategy for Floyd, is to utilize a mix of lateral and back movement (curved), causing Pacquiao to swing and potentially miss. With repetition, this would force Pacquiao to throw wider punches, allowing Floyd to counter. Strategy would need to be tailored carefully by team Mayweather Jr., taking time and looking into details. Floyd’s defensive style may leave him a bit too exposed for Pacquiao’s punishing body shots, and that’s something that also needs to be carefully thought out and improved. Floyd likes to lean on the ropes and use his shoulder roll defense to avoid getting hit; this will definitely fail against Pacquiao. Staying away from corners and ropes is a necessity. Solid and practiced alternative plans are a must against a superb fighter with a magician Freddie Roach in their corner.
2) Constant Peppering Jab: Remember when Pacquiao fought Juan Manuel Marquez, both men went through a real war. This was due to Marquez’s insistent pressure, coming at Pacquiao with shot after shot, not giving him a break and opportunity to recompose. Mayweather Jr. needs to keep his stinging jab out there, putting it to use from bell to bell. Regularity of his accurate jab would surely derail Pacquiao’s offense, causing the need for Pacquiao to retract and put himself back together (which Pacquiao undeniably does in every fight). With a glove constantly in his face, Pacquiao would have to rely on either walking through numerous punches or taking angles in order to see his constantly moving and well defended target.
3) Power: I can’t stress this one enough. Sure, even the lightest punches add up and can bring any fighter’s back to the canvas, but the likelihood of that fighter being Manny Pacquiao is next to none. Numbers won’t do for Mayweather Jr. if he is planning on doing real damage and sending Pacquiao to the floor. Floyd’s stamina is unquestioned, and neither is his hand speed. What he would need to focus on during preparations for this fight, is raw power. If he can put a little more weight behind his punches and combine that with momentum, he will be much more effective, causing Pacquiao to realize this is not the Mayweather power he has heard of. Floyd is a terrific technical fighter, and pooled together with power, he will become a very dangerous man for Pacquiao to face.
4) Fight Tall: Mayweather Jr. tends to “play games” with his smaller opposition, giving them an opportunity to hit, just to pull back and throw a counter left hook. This would prove to be a very costly mistake if “played” against someone as fast and aggressive as Manny Pacquiao. Pacquiao would not be content with one punch, and instead would leap in with a remorseless offensive barrage. Mayweather Jr. needs to fight tall, creating a bigger distance between himself and Pacquiao. That along with his jab would provide a much safer environment to think and execute. Pacquiao successfully fought bigger opposition before, but none could commit to a volume of punches that would compare to that of Pacquiao; Mayweather can..
5) Fight a Smart Yet Ignorant Fight: I believe Floyd Mayweather Jr. to be the smartest boxer inside the ring at this point in time. This is hardly ever questioned, and often agreed upon. The problem is in the severity of the use of his ring intelligence, as it generally equates to boring, low action fights. Having said that, we have also seen Mayweather Jr. knock out his competition in some impressive fashion; moving backwards. Taking his time and letting Pacquiao go to work is asking for trouble. Mayweather Jr. needs to have an accurate and optimal balance between technicality and aggression against Pacquiao. He is more than capable of mixing it up, and while he got wobbled against Shane Mosley, I strongly believe that a fresh Mosley punches considerably harder than Pacquiao at any given time. If Floyd can land punches in bunches and not be fearful of Pacquiao’s response, he may very well overwhelm Manny with everything he can accomplish.
Do you find the idea of Floyd being able to KO Manny plausible?
Do you find the idea of Floyd being able to KO Manny plausible?
Yes
26.2%
No
54.8%
Not a K.O. , but a knockdown maybe….
19.0%
All other attributes are solid when it comes to Mayweather’s ring performance. It is awfully hard to think of, and put together a plan that allows for a knockout of Pacquiao, but is not impossible. Pacquiao is just too damn good to think of a foolproof plan against him. With Freddie Roach by his side, Pacquiao would be more than ready for whatever Mayweather Jr. throws at him.
Pacquiao has changed his fighting style and strategy many times over, so in essence, most of his arsenal has been exposed to anyone who wishes to invest time and pay attention. Mayweather Jr. on the other hand has been able to remain the same as far as fighting style goes. That is exactly why I think he could surprise both Pacquiao and Roach; by coming in a different fighter into that fight. More aggression and pressure from Mayweather Jr. would most definitely surprise anyone watching that fight, and potentially perplex the Filipino sensation as the fight progresses.
Some will say that there is nothing Mayweather Jr. could do to Pacquiao that hasn’t been done yet, including landing hard shots. True, Pacquiao has fought naturally bigger guys, but have any of them been able to land high volume? Not that I can remember.
Simply put, if Floyd Mayweather Jr. can become the bigger version of Juan Manuel Marquez, he has the ability knock Manny Pacquiao down, and perhaps even knock him out.
PS: Mayweather Jr. will have to do more and prepare harder for this fight than Manny Pacquiao will. At this point Pacquiao has the edge, barely. Can Mayweather Jr. take that edge away? I hope we can find out sooner rather than later.
CANASTOTA, NY – MARCH 31, 2011 - The International Boxing Hall of Fame announced its flags will fly at half-staff in memory of manager / trainer Gil Clancy. He passed away early this morning. He was 88.
Clancy began training young amateurs at the PAL boxing gym in Queens, New York and eventually rose to prominence as one of boxing’s great boxing trainers and managers. During his career Clancy worked with Ralph “Tiger” Jones, Rodrigo Valdes, Juan LaPorte, Johnny Persol, Jorge Ahumada, Harold Weston, Tom Bethea, Jerry Quarry, Gerry Cooney, Oscar De La Hoya and Hall of Famers Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Ken Buchanan. However, he is best known for his 20-year association with legendary Hall of Famer Emile Griffith, whom Clancy and Howie Albert guided to the welterweight and middleweight crowns. In 1967 and 1973, the Boxing Writers Association of America named him the Manager of the Year. From 1978 – 1981, Clancy was matchmaker for Madison Square Garden Boxing. He was also one of the premiere boxing analysts on MSG Network, CBS and HBO in the 1980s and 90s. In 1983, the Boxing Writers Association of America presented him with the Sam Taub Award for Excellence in Broadcasting Journalism.
“Gil Clancy was one of boxing’s truly great minds,” said Hall of Fame Executive Director Edward Brophy. “As a trainer and manager he was held in the highest regard by his peers. The Hall of Fame is saddened by the loss of our friend.”
In 1993, Clancy was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Gil Clancy at the Hall of Fame when I met him www.substancecollectables.com
By TOM PARSONS, Associated Press Jan 31, 8:16 pm EST
BENTON, Ark. (AP)—A man who died at a hospital after an Arkansas boxing match had been examined by a doctor before he entered the ring, a member of the state Athletic Commission said Monday.
Authorities say Anthony Jones, 28, of El Dorado, Ark., died Sunday morning at University Hospital in Little Rock, where he was taken Saturday night after his fight with Quincy Palmer in Benton was stopped in the second round. Jones, making his professional boxing debut in the heavyweight division, had been scheduled to go four rounds against Palmer.
Athletic Commission member Jason Stuart of Little Rock, a lawyer, said he was the supervising commissioner in charge at ringside in the Fitness Unlimited facility at Benton. He said everything at the event followed proper procedures and Jones had been examined by a physician before getting into the ring with Palmer.
Larry Harris, promoter of the “Benton Beatdown,” said referee Martin Tunstall of Sheridan stopped the Jones-Palmer fight after Jones was sent to the mat by a blow to the head.
Emergency medical personnel stationed ringside went into the ring to attend to Jones, Harris said.
“He was talkative, alert, having a few problems,” Harris told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Jones was taken to Saline Memorial Hospital before being transferred later Saturday night to the hospital at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.
Harris said he was told after the fight was stopped that Jones might have suffered from a kidney ailment.
Stuart said that might have been the case.
“Preliminary reports indicate there might have been pre-existing conditions that weren’t known to (Jones) and weren’t detectable by pre-bout medical examinations,” Stuart said.
A news release issued Monday by the Athletic Commission said the agency’s “emergency action plan operated as intended and resulted in the most expeditious medical treatment possible under the circumstances.”
“No information presently exists to suggest any need for . changes to the commission’s regulations or emergency action plans,” the release said.
Pulaski County Coroner Garland Camper said Jones’ body would be sent to the state medical examiner’s office for an autopsy to determine a cause of death.
Jones, a 2002 graduate of El Dorado High School, was a football standout for the Wildcats. He was named to The Associated Press Super Team for Arkansas as a defensive back as a senior in 2001 when he helped El Dorado reach the Class 5A state championship game.
As a high school football player, Jones was listed as 5-foot-9, 190 pounds. But Stuart said Jones weighed in Saturday night at 233 1/2 pounds.
“He wasn’t fat. He was chiseled.” said Jones’ high school football coach, Scooter Register, who had kept in touch with Jones.
Register said Jones had been working out at an El Dorado health club and had just recently taken up boxing.
A preliminary report from the Athletic Commission said Jones reported an amateur boxing record of 13-3-0, in elimination tournaments and club fighting.
By Leo Reyes (Featured Columnist) on January 24, 2011
Promoter Don King of the promotions company bearing his name, in collaboration with Bob Arum’s Top Rank Promotions, is mulling a possible fight between pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and upcoming boxing star Devon Alexander possibly before the end of the year.
The possible match is anchored on Devon Alexander winning his fight over undefeated boxer Timothy Bradley.
Devon Alexander, who is undefeated in his boxing career, is scheduled to face Bradley on Jan. 29 for the WBC/WBO Light welterweight titles at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan.
The flamboyant heavyweight figure said granting that Alexander gets past Timothy Bradley in their WBC light welterweight clash on Jan. 29, he will work it out with Bob Arum, and make the fight happen, Philstar.com reports.
King and Arum, who conspired in bringing the Ali vs. Frazier trilogy to Manila on Oct. 1, 1975, were recently pictured together, smiling, back in each other’s arms following a feud that lasted for decades.
Part I of the “Thrilla in Manila” took place in Quezon City, Philippines between heavyweight boxers Muhammad Ali and Joe Frasier.
Devon Alexander vs DeMarcus Corley
Al Bello/Getty Images
Don King and Bob Arum are co-promoting the upcoming fight between Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico, who is under Arum’s Top Rank Promotions, and Ricardo Mayorga of Managua, Nicaragua.
Asked about the possibility of the fight happening, King said, “Well, we’re going to be working on it. I understand exactly where we are and I will make lonesome Bob happy and he won’t be lonesome any more,” the 79-year-old King told Fanhouse.com boxing editor Lem Satterfield.
“When we get past Tim Bradley, there won’t be anywhere else to go because we’ve talked about Manny Pacquiao for Ricardo Mayorga. But Devon Alexander is a Jewel of The Nile and he will be there shining brilliantly. When he wins this fight on Jan. 29, then he will be able to stand tall and to say, ‘Let’s do it.’
“So, categorically, we will jump through a hoop to get to Manny Pacquiao. That would be another Thrilla in Manila,” King told Satterfield.
Meanwhile, Manny Pacquiao will be traveling to the US shortly to take part in the promotion for his upcoming fight with Shane Mosley on May 7 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum earlier said a possible meeting between Pacquiao and US President Barack Obama will take place during the Washington segment of the press tour. He said Pacquiao may be presented to the US Senate as guest during the tour.
Manny Pacquiao definitely isn’t showing any signs of a letdown.
Boxing’s pound-for-pound champ looked strong in both of his wins over Joshua Clottey and Antonio Margarito last year. Pacquiao will return to the ring on May 7 when he faces Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The fight has drawn heavy criticism, even from Pacquiao fans who were hoping to see a third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez. Of course, most boxing fans still want a megafight with Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., but at this point there are thoughts about whether the fight will ever happen and whether Mayweather is simply ducking him.
Beating Mosley and fighting Mayweather seem like the final things left in what’s already a tremendous legacy. Question is: What happens when Pacquiao retires? Will boxing persevere after he’s gone, or will it be in trouble?
Let’s discuss. Here are five reasons it will struggle, and five why it will be just fine:
It’s realistic to expect a downturn of sorts when you lose a superstar. It’s what happened when Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard both retired for good, but the key is to make sure there are other high profile fights being made and other fighters who are emerging and putting themselves in line for title shots.
This won’t be something new for boxing to lose a superstar. The sport has continued to persist and even grow after greats like Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Mike Tyson have finished fighting. Fans always miss watching them, but at the same time, their absence also gives other fighters a chance to get the spotlight.
Sports fans can appreciate talented boxers, but they’re drawn in by brawlers and fighters. Pacquiao has been one of the best. He hasn’t been afraid to stand in and trade, and can also take punishment.
Boxing certainly isn’t hurting in the talent department. There are still plenty of great fighters to watch like Miguel Cotto, Juan Manuel Marquez and Andre Berto (pictured). The problem, of course, lies in the heavyweight division and lack of talented American heavyweights, with the Klitschko brothers really the only thing worth seeing.
Fact is that boxing will continue to be on life support as long as the heavyweight division remains so dreadful. There isn’t a true, viable, charismatic American heavyweight right now who can capture the public’s attention, and mainstream sports fans won’t waste their time watching hulkish heavyweights from Britain or Eastern Europe.
Boxing, in a way, is the sports equivalent of termites or roaches: It’s been around forever, and isn’t leaving anytime soon. Boxing may not be what it once was on a national scale here in America, but it continues to expand its reach around the globe and attract more fighters from Latin America, eastern Europe and southeast Asia.
Even with Pacquiao still around, promoters are still struggling with how to grow the sport and market it and fighters to mainstream sports fans. There are more opportunities than ever now for the sport to extend its reach through social media, Internet radio and the continued emergence of more websites that are wanting to provide fans with more information and news about the sport.
If there is someone who’s on the cusp of superstardom, it’s middleweight king Sergio Martinez. He’s got the looks and the talent to attract fans, and the middleweight division has always garnered respect among even mainstream sports fans for ages.
Boxing always thrives when it has a superstar, a face to the sport. Someone who will draw people in. Pacquiao has been drawing fans in, along with Floyd Mayweather Jr., but you can’t really say Floyd will keep carrying the sport, since his legal troubles haven’t been decided.
Martinez would be the most likely heir to this position, but time will tell if he can capture the public’s imagination like Pacquiao and Mayweather have.
Pacquiao definitely is carrying the sport right now, but his name doesn’t carry the same weight in America—especially among mainstream fans—as that of Oscar De La Hoya, Mike Tyson or Evander Holyfield. Pacquiao’s had great pay-per-view numbers, but those three consistently set records and were able to cross over and attract people who didn’t follow boxing to watch their fights.
Boxing certainly will miss Pacquiao once he retires, but the sport’s growth and its problems don’t hinge on him alone. As long as promoters keep a business-as-usual mindset and don’t seek new avenues and means to market fighters and fights, then boxing will continue to remain a niche sport and become less and less relevant while UFC builds momentum and flourishes.
Al Bello/Getty Images
Don King with Sara Ferguson
Devon Alexander vs DeMarcus Corley
