Thursday, September 30, 2010

Pacquiao vs. Margarito tickets selling fast, will the pay per view do the same?

If early indications are anything to go by, the tickets for Manny Pacquiao's November clash with Antonio Margarito are going fast, and the live attendance for the bout will probably eclipse the crowd that gathered to watch Pacquiao's last outing, a 12 round decision over little known Joshua Clottey in March.

A recent Manilla Bulletin article by Nick Giongcoquoted Top Rank boss Bob arum as saying:

“Tickets just went on sale and the response is great and most of the high-priced seats have been sold. Soon, sales will hit the roof,”

That fight boasted a live attendance of 41,843, of which 36,371 were paid for, and for the most part the fans had turned out purely because of Pacquiao rather than his Ghanaian opponent.

In taking on Antonio Margarito this time out he faces an opponent who not only has a much higher profile in the sport generally, but also has a huge following in the area surrounding the record breaking Cowboys stadium.

Even more importantly than the live attendance though, which usually only tends to make up a small percentage of the overall money generated from such an event, is how many pay per views Pacquiao and Margarito can sell.

Obviously the best indicator of how well the event will likely sell is through the previous appearances of the two pugilistic protagonists. But in this case there are a number of other potentially important factors that might affect the sales:

-Pacquiao can capture a title in an 8th weight class, breaking his own record of 7 titles in 7 which he achieved in beating Miguel Cotto last year. The question of whether he can climb up in weight once more, given the big size difference between him and his opponent, coupled with the added scheduling pressures of being a congressman, makes the fight compelling.

-Antonio Margarito has traditionally never been a huge pay per view draw by himself, but equally has never had the same kind of promotion or publicity given to his fights as he is getting against Pacquiao. Given his style, size advantage and the distinct lack of big Mexican stars in the sport right now, Margarito could well sell a lot more than he usually does. (Saul Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr are well on their way, but not as big as they will be in a couple of years)

-Although the year now seems to be ending with a bang, with both November and December featuring a number of pay per view worthy events and several long awaited matches being announced, the rest of this year has been fairly quiet. The number of big pay per view events up until now has been limited, meaning that the ones that are happening soon can expect higher numbers than they might have otherwise.

-The public opinion of Antonio Margarito as an opponent to Pacquiao has gradually been shifting since the announcement of the bout was made. At first many were quick to condemn the choice, given that Margarito's recent record isn't anything to brag about, and that he was suspended for being found with loaded hand wraps early last year. More recently though the public and media have started to accept the event, and the bout is quickly becoming as anticipated as many of Pacquiao's other recent fights.

But why is the amount of pay per views Pacquiao and Margarito sell even important?

The amount of viewers a big fight can attract, even one with fairly long odds such as this one, acts as an indicator of the health of the sport as a whole. The more pay per view events sell well, the more that the promoters will be inclined to put on. Not all of them necessarily fight of the year candidates (Mosley-Mora anyone?), but none the less, more fights will be on offer.

Anyone still hoping to see a fight between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather sometime in the future is also no doubt hoping that the fight sells well. If the event tanks and negotiations with Floyd go ahead next year, he might well demand a bigger percentage of the purse split than Pacquiao, and the fight falls apart again. If the event sells well, then the two sides are kept on an even keel, and any eventual terms are then that much easier to work out.

Shaun Smith, Philly: "Margarito probably has a bigger following than Cotto, so I wouldn't be surprised if they could do the same or close to Floyd and Shane's fight did"

Liam Bower, Pittsburgh: "First people were saying they were going to boycott the fight and now everyone can't wait for it to happen. Floyd's attention grabbing and women beating probably helped as well"

credits: examiner.com

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Pacquiao vs. Margarito - Big Fights on the Horizon

With the November showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito getting ever closer, many are postulating on how much the latter has to offer at this stage of his career. Coming from a recent suspension and only one fight removed from a knockout loss, many assume that Antonio Margarito is past his best and that he doesn't have anything to trouble the surging Pacquiao.

What many are forgetting though is that Margarito already has six losses on his record, three to journeymen from early on in his career, one each to Daniel Santos, Paul Williams, and Shane Mosley. So a loss to the fighter regarded by many as the best in the sport isn't going to damage his standing in the sport so long as he gives a good account of himself.

By all accounts, both fighters are impressing in training, and both are promising a war. Pacquiao is overwhelming larger sparring partners brought in to mimic Margarito's size and height advantages. Margarito himself is training harder than ever, and knows this is probably his last chance to remain relevant in the upper echelons of the sport.

Assuming that Margarito gives Pacquiao a competitive fight, eventually losing but giving a good account of himself, then what does the future hold for both?

The obvious rematches to make after the Pacquiao bout, regardless of the outcome, are bouts against Miguel Cotto and Shane Mosley, both of which deserve do overs after the extenuating circumstances surrounding the first fights.

It was just prior to the Mosley fight that Margarito was caught with tampered hand wraps, and his dismal performance against Mosley, who has looked decidedly average since, can partly be put down to a lack of focus during the fight. Mosley is a bad match up for Margarito stylistically, so this would be no walk in the park for Margarito even if Mosley has slipped lately, but it would keep one of them high enough in the rankings to make a case for bigger fights down the road.

The Cotto fight was not directly tainted by the incident and subsequent suspension, but many fans have also called into question parts of Margarito's record prior to the hand wrap scandal. The penultimate closest fight to which was a thrilling 11th round TKO over Miguel Cotto.

A rematch with the same result would remove all doubt as to whether or not Margarito was fighting within the rules that night, and might also allow him to capture the WBA junior middleweight title. If he can accomplish this before any of the rising stars rumored to be taking on Cotto get their chance, namely Vanes Martirosyan, Saul Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, then he should be in line to defend against one or more of them himself.

Middleweight king Sergio Martinez has also expressed interest in fighting Margarito again in the near future, which if he beats Paul Williams this year could give Margarito a shot at the lineal middleweight title as well. Not that that would be an easy fight by any means, but it would be lucrative and probably a lot more than Margarito was expecting after his suspension and the public outcry against him.

For Pacquiao, things are a lot more simple in that the fight everyone still wants to see is between himself and Floyd Mayweather, although whether Top Rank and Golden Boy will be willing to work together at the moment will have to remain to be seen.

Bob Arum is staying tight lipped on the matter, Richard Schaefer is saying he hopes something can be worked out, but with the legal battle going on over Pacquao at the moment it isn't clear whether he will ever face another Golden Boy fighter right now.

Mayweather and Pacquiao themselves have both said that they want the fight to happen, but it now hinges to some degree on Floyd's legal troubles as well as whether the difficulties of warring promoters can be overcome.

If that fight doesn't come off, again, then a rematch against Miguel Cotto is possible, as are bouts against the likes of Andre Berto or even a third bout against Juan Manuel Marquez.

The fact that Pacquiao is such a big draw means that everyone wants a piece of him, and that he can more or less choose who he wants to fight. Although of course other fellow Top Rank fighters always have to be considered the front runners.

Deon Phillips, Philly: "Boxing is better off without Floyd, he deserves to be banned of h gets convicted of beating up a woman and this isn't the first time he's done it either"

Sean Grayson, Pittsburgh: "If the Mayweather fight doesn't happen Pacquiao should just retire. He can't fight Martinez or Williams, the best light welters aren't ready and Cotto and Marquez are past it".

credits: examiner.com

watch pacquiao vs margarito online

The Major Match Up: Pacquiao VS Margarito

It had been on August 31 trapped on tape that it was introduced that the two boxing winners Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito, the former from the Philippines and the latter from Mexico, will face off towards one another in what could be the most fascinating and interesting combat of the entire year with the presently vacant WBC, or World Boxing Council, super welterweight title and the title of Number one pound for pound title on the line.

Manny Pacquaio features a boxing record of 51 wins 3 losses 2 draws and 38 knockouts while Antonio Margarito has a report of 38 wins 6 losses and 27 knockouts. Both fighters are very famous in their home nations around the world and it will be quite an unpredictable match up as both are known for their particular skill level inside the ring.

It was proclaimed by Bob arum and Jerry Jones that the pacquiao vs margarito fight could be held within the Cowboys Stadium for the World Super Welterweight Championship exactly in danger. The fight is defined to occur on November 13, Saturday and will be produced and sent out live on HBO pay-per-view, at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.’

The seat tickets to the pacquiao vs margarito battle will probably be priced at $700, $500, $300, 200$, $100, and $50 dollars. Tickets are available either at the Cowboys Stadium ticket office positioned in Arlington, or can be bought via phone by dialling 800-745-3000, and may also be purchased online at ticketmaster.com.

This event will probably be the second time that Manny Pacquiao will head line a world-class fight at the Cowboys Stadium where up to 50,000 fans had watched him effectively protect his WBO, World Boxing Organisation, welterweight title towards past world champion Joshua Clottey. If Pacquiao were to win this fight, it might be his eight planet title in as eight various divisions. It is also really worth observing that he could be the first chosen official to fight for a world championship and head line an important worldwide pay-per-view promotion. Manny Pacquiao had won a seat in Philippine Congress in the province of Sarangani during the Nation's previous election.

The pacquiao vs margarito will probably be Antonio Margarito’s second attempt for a world super welterweight title. Margarito has won in opposition to six world winners. He is also called the Tijuana Tornado and is the WBC’s International super welterweight champion as well the top super welterweight challenger.

Manny Pacquaio had won the WBO welterweight title in November of last year by banging out Miguel Cotto, who is a four period world champion. It was this victory which made Pacquiao the first man to win seven titles in seven diverse weight divisions with his last three matches ending in knockout. He has been consensus fighter o the year for three times and it has been named the Boxing Writers Association of America’s “Fighter of the Decade”. Pacquaio has beaten a number of hall of famers such as Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Eric Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez , and Cotto.

Antonio Margarito is a native of Tijuana Mexico who has grabbed his very first globe name in the year 2002 by winning the vacant WBO welterweight title against Antonio Diaz. He then held that belt for five years, protecting it for a total of seven times.

The pacquiao vs margarito will certainly be a large occasion that'll be watched by hundreds of thousands across the world. It will certainly end up being viewed by the Filipinos as it is known that anytime Manny Pacquiao has a fight, the criminal offense rate on that same day is at its lowest and all sorts of the streets are close to empty as everyone is actually home watching and cheering for who they call the “Pambansang Kamao” or National Fist.

Pacquiao vs. Margarito: Saturday, November 13 Live on HBO Pay-Per-View

6 p.m. PT.
Tickets to Pacquiao vs. Margarito, priced at $700, $500, $300, $200, $100, and $50, go on sale Saturday, September 18 and can be purchased in-person at the Cowboys Stadium ticket office in Arlington, or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com.
This marks Pacquiao’s second world championship headlining appearance at Cowboys Stadium. On March 13, professional boxing made its debut at Cowboys Stadium where close to 51,000 fans watched Pacquiao successfully defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against former world champion Joshua Clottey. Call it Mannyfist Destiny, Pacquiao, no stranger to making history, will not only be looking to expand his trophy case by winning an unprecedented eighth world title in as many different weight divisions, but he will also be the first elected official to fight for a world championship, much less headline a major international pay-per-view promotion. He won a seat in his country’s Congress, winning the lone seat from the province of Sarangani, in a landslide in the May 10 election.
“It was an honor to fight in the first world championship held at Cowboys Stadium. Jerry Jones was a wonderful host,” said Pacquiao. “I look forward to returning to Cowboys Stadium and fighting before the wonderful fans in North Texas. I know Antonio Margarito poses great challenges for me but Freddie Roach and I will train our hardest to win. I am fighting for more than pride or history. I am fighting for the glory of the Philippines.”
For Margarito, a three-time world welterweight champion, this will be his second attempt at a world super welterweight title. Margarito’s resume includes victories over six former or current world champions. Known as the “Tijuana Tornado,” the hard-hitting Margarito is the WBC’s International super welterweight champion and its No. 1 super welterweight contender.
"I look forward to this fight with Manny Pacquiao to prove once again that I am one of the best fighters in the world," said Margarito. “Pacquiao has stopped some of the best Mexican fighters in the world, but he won't be able to stop this Mexican."
“Cowboys Stadium was built for Super Bowls and super fights. Pacquiao vs. Margarito combines the best elements of both,” said Jones. “The fans of North Texas embraced Manny Pacquiao as boxing’s No. 1 pound for pound attraction when he fought here in March and we cannot wait to extend our hospitality to him again and to
fellow world champion Antonio Margarito. This is a great fight, and it is one we can showcase to the fullest in Cowboys Stadium.”
Cowboys Stadium will be configured for over 50,000 fans for Pacquiao vs. Margarito, with elevated floor seating similar to NBA games.
“Jerry Jones has ushered in a new era in boxing as 51,000 fans witnessed at Cowboys Stadium last March when Manny defended his welterweight title,” said Arum.
“Jerry knows exactly how to present an event of this magnitude which is why it is so easy to work together again. Manny and Antonio have never backed away from a challenge. They don’t go around obstacles they meet them head-on, which is exactly what they will do on November 13 when they face each other in the ring for the world title. It’s going to be a night to remember for the fans in North Texas and those watching on pay-per-view around the world.
"Manny Pacquiao is a boxing superstar and a world figure,” said Mark Taffet of HBO Pay-Per-View. “Cowboy Stadium is a world-class venue. We look forward to bringing sports fans another big night with the Pacquiao-Margarito telecast on November 13."
Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, returns to the ring after successfully defending his WBO welterweight title via a dominant unanimous decision over former International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight champion Clottey. Pacquiao captured the WBO welterweight title last November with a brilliant 12th round knockout of four-time world champion Miguel Cotto. Pacquiao’s victory made him the first man to win seven titles in as many different weight divisions, with his last three world championships coming by way of knockout. The consensus Fighter of the Year for the third time in the past four years and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s “Fighter of the Decade,” Pacquiao’s resume features victories over future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez and Cotto. His knockout victories over Cotto and Hatton made him the 2009 pay-per-view king, exceeding two million buys combined, while no boxer has sold more live tickets than Pacquiao in 2010.
Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs), a native of Tijuana, México, captured his first world title in 2002, winning the vacant WBO welterweight title with a tenth-round TKO of Antonio Diaz. He reigned as WBO champion for five years, successfully defending his title seven times – five by knockout – including victories over world champions Kermit

credits: eastsideboxing.com
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Margarito is looking totally ripped! Pacquiao is in deep trouble

By Dave Lahr: With about a month and a half to go before the Antonio Margarito (38-6, 27 KO’s) vs. Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KO’s) bout at the Cowboys Stadium, in Arlington, Texas, Margarito is looking totally ripped to shreds. This has got to be the best shape that Margarito has been in since he wiped out Miguel Cotto two years in July 2008. Margarito looks in such good shape, I almost feel sorry for his opponent Pacquiao. I think Margarito is going to chop him up in the same way he did Kermit Cintron and Cotto, only I think it’s going to be easier for Margarito because Pacquiao is going to come right at him and try to trade.

Pacquiao has become spoiled because his last few fights have come against guys that were either shot, didn’t have the skills to beat him to begin with, or just fought stupidly. Margarito has the work rate, power and the conditioning to make easy work of Pacquiao. He’s obviously studied how Erik Morales was able to dominate Pacquiao by throwing combinations and that’s what Margarito will probably be doing. You don’t fight crazy like Ricky Hatton by loading up on one big shot against Pacquiao.

Instead you just hit him with one big unrelenting surge of punches, keeping Pacquiao under and never ending flow of shots to keep him backing up and on the defensive. If you noticed in Pacquiao’s fights, he doesn’t punch when he’s being attacked with combinations. This hasn’t changed no matter how much his trainer Freddie Roach tries to tinker with Pacquiao’s style. In that regard, Pacquiao is totally unchanged from the very first day that Roach began to train him. When Pacquiao is under attack with a fighter throwing a lot of shots, he is what he was in the distant past – a fighter that can only wait until his opponent stops throwing before he can launch his own attacks.

Margarito was missing his conditioning in his last two fights against Shane Mosley and Roberto Garcia. It could be that, drunk on his success with his big win over Cotto in 2008, lost his concentration and motivation to train as hard as he used to. However, now that he’s hit rock bottom, Margarito is fighting as hard or harder than he ever did before. I think this is really bad news for the little Filipino, because he’s going to get hit with a tornado of punches and he’s not going to be able to get his own shots in with enough regularity to be competitive.

Pacquiao’s head and body may have grown as he’s moved up weight, but he’s still a lot smaller than Margarito and doesn’t look look good when he’s receiving punishment. As we observed in his fight with Joshua Clottey, Pacquiao looked like a mess with the few shots that Clottey was hitting him with in each round. Now, if you multiply what Clottey was doing to Pacquiao by 10, you come to the kind of punishment that Margarito is going to be dishing out to Pacquiao in each round. I don’t think Pacquiao will be able to handle the punishment and will cut up, swell up and get broken up like a little doll on November 13th.

credits: boxingnews24.com

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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

It's going to be a war, says Pacquiao foe Margarito

The immovable object against the unstoppable force. Antonio Margarito versus Manny Pacquiao.
That in a nutshell was how the Mexican fighter from Tijuana describes his November 13 title bout with Pacquiao for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) light-middleweight championship.
"I love to fight and Manny has proven that he is a warrior," said the 32-year-old Margarito at his training camp in Oxnard, California. “This fight is going to be a war."
In the same manner that Pacquiao has relocated his training camp from Manila to Baguio, so has Margarito.
The two-time world champion has already left camp in the City of South El Monte, California in favor of Oxnard where trainer Robert Garcia said emphasis would now shift to sparring and conditioning, although running on the mountains and tracks will continue to be a staple of Margarito’s training.
Garcia, a former International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior lightweight champion, said a lot had been accomplished in the two weeks of pre-training camp operation they conducted in South El Monte.
"We got a lot done in the first two weeks and Tony looks great," said the soft-spoken Garcia, who also trains former Filipino world champion Nonito Donaire Jr.
"I love his focus and intensity, and our first phase of training camp was an eye-opener for him and me. The first two weeks have been really terrific and productive."
Given another shot at a world title following an illegal hand wrap controversy, Margarito vowed not to waste this opportunity.
And that means beating the world's top pound-for-pound fighter at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas seven weeks from now.
"I know how important this fight is to my career and to all of Mexico. That is why I will prepare like never before and will defeat Manny Pacquiao, proving to everyone that I am one of the best fighters in the world," said the fighter dubbed "The Tijuana Tornado."

credits: – JVP/KY, GMANews.TV
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Roach: “I would never take a fight which I think my fighter couldn’t win” – Does that mean he cherry picks for Pacquiao?

By Dave Lahr: Trainer Freddie Roach made a starting revelation about his habit of picking out opponents for his fighters. In an article at Philstar.com, Roach says “I would never take a fight which I think my fighter couldn’t win.” Very interesting. Does that mean that Roach cherry picks opponents for his fighter Manny Pacquiao? I mean, if you never take a fight that you don’t think your fighter can win, then doesn’t that kind of mean that Roach is cherry picking? I guess that would explain why Pacquiao still hasn’t fought Sergio Martinez and Paul Williams. Pacquiao for some reason hasn’t fought those guys. Instead. he’s taken on Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya, and Joshua Clottey recently.

All of those fighters were either coming off of losses or had been recently beaten. I think it’s good match-making on Roach’s part to see that these guys would be good opponents for Pacquiao, which probably has to do with the struggles that they were having in their recent fights. I know Roach was all for Pacquiao fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr., but you did notice that the fights fell apart due to the random drug testing. Mayweather wanted the random drug testing and Pacquiao and his team wanted it to be limited testing.

But back to the issue of Roach only picking opponents that he knows his fighters can positively beat. Isn’t that another way of saying that Roach is cherry picking fighters? I mean, if you’re only going to match your guy with someone that you know he can beat, then that seems like cherry picking. It’s much more courageous to match your fighter with someone that you’re not sure they can beat, don’t you think? If you absolutely know he’s going to win before you match him up, then that seems like that’s the criteria for picking opponents.

I’d have a lot more respect for Roach if he were to say that he sometimes doesn’t know if his fighter is going to win or lose when he matches them up. That’s the way it should be. If you’re only going to be matching them up with guys that are struggling and/or vulnerable, then what good is that?

credits: boxingnews24.com

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Tuesday, September 28, 2010

On the Canvas Mailbag: Pacquiao vs. Margarito; Mayweather’s Arrest & More

ProBoxing-Fans.com is back this week with the second edition of our new mailbag, On the Canvas with Rich. Send in your questions to be included in next week's mailbag here: Mailbag@proboxing-fans.com. This week a few different topics are covered, included the worthiness of Antonio Margarito as an opponent for Manny Pacquiao, the arrest of Floyd Mayweather, and Andre Ward's position in the 168 lbs division.

Hey Rich.... after the crazy scoring in the Shane Mosley/Sergio Mora fight, don't you think it's time there is a better scoring or judging system put into place? Something has to change with some of these scorecards. How did you have the fight? - John C.

I think something needs to be changed with the scoring system, but replacing the existing system inevitably raises the question of "with what?" The amateur scoring system, which is clearly more objective, is at the same time more flawed and just as prone to human error. I think the focus of any scoring/judging reform should focus first and foremost on the training and qualifications of the actual judges. Too often, getting started as a professional fight judge is a bit of state-level patronage, enabling a supporter to earn a little extra money. A judge can climb to the top of the profession from there with no real technical qualifications or even demonstrating any aptitude for the job, but simply through being a smooth political operator. That does not describe all judges, but it ought not describe any of them.

On the Canvas, nobody seems to be talking about this Mayweather arrest. Dude could spend 34 years in jail, shouldn't this be a bigger story? - Ryan W.

I think that story is getting as much attention as it deserves. Whenever there is a new development, it is well-covered. Mayweather is probably dismayed to discover that he isn't as famous as Mike Tyson was, however, and that his meltdown is not receiving the same "Breaking News" style coverage as Tyson's altercations in the 1990s did. Until Mayweather goes to court, then there isn't that much to say or show about it than is already being done.

Everybody is bashing the Pacquiao vs. Margarito fight. Wouldn't it be fair to say that Pacquiao is facing the biggest and strongest fighter of his career, at another new weight class, and that it's a real challenge and a good fight?? - Anthony L.

That would be true if Margarito had faced another top-ranked opponent prior to this fight. The problem is that we don't really know how much of an impact having his hand wraps packed with plaster had on his career. To name just one high profile fight, did Margarito have plaster in his gloves for the Cotto fight, and if so, could he have beaten Cotto without them? We do not know, and until we do know Margarito has no business being in the ring with the P4P King and the biggest meal ticket in town.

Andre Ward seems to be "the man" at 168 lbs. now. He made beating Mikkel Kessler look easy, and in some ways that reminds me of Roy Jones. Could Ward be the next RJJ? - Adrian G.

Beating Kessler is Ward's only truly impressive win to date, and it is not quite the same thing as Jones's victory over James Toney. Kessler is respected and a good fighter, but Toney was regarded as a P4P contender and feared as a monster in the ring at the time Jones whomped him. However, Ward does seem set to eclipse Jones in what was Jones's best division. If Ward meets and beats Dirrell, Froch and Abraham, he will have fought four times as many real contenders at 168 lbs. than RJJ.

credits: proboxing-fans.com

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Margarito moves training camp to Oxnard to prepare for Pacquiao bout on November 13th

OXNARD, CALIF. (September 28, 2010) — Eight weeks away from hitting North Texas, the “Tijuana Tornado” ANTONIO MARGARITO is picking up steam as he heads to the coastal town of Oxnard, Calif. to continue his preparation for his rumble with the best pound for pound fighter in the world, The Honorable Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, Congressman from the province of Sarangani in the Philippines. Pacquiao vs. Margarito is scheduled to take place Saturday, November 13 at Cowboys Stadium and will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

After two weeks in the City of South El Monte, Calif., where the emphasis was on mountain road work and preliminary gym work, Margarito and his team, lead by head trainer and former IBF junior lightweight champion Robert Garcia, have relocated to Oxnard for the remainder of their training camp.

“We got a lot done in the first two-weeks and Tony looks great. I love his focus and intensity and our first phase of training camp was an eye opener for him and me. The first two weeks have been really terrific and productive,” said Garcia.

In Oxnard, Margarito will continue with his early morning run, this time alternating with runs at the beach, mountains and track. He will begin sparring this week too.

“I know how important this fight is to my career and to all of México. That is why I will prepare like never before and will defeat Manny Pacquiao, proving to everyone that I am one of the best fighters in the world,” said Margarito.

The three-time welterweight champion will be battling the Filipino icon for the vacant WBC super welterweight world championship.

“The belt is very important to me, but the most important thing is to give the fans a great fight and one that they will remember for a long time. I love to fight and Manny has proven that he is a warrior. This fight is going to be a war,” Margarito continued.

MANNY PACQUIAO vs. ANTONIO MARGARITO, World Super Welterweight Championship, is promoted by Top Rank, in association with Cowboys Stadium, MP Promotions and Tecate.

Remaining Tickets to Pacquiao vs. Margarito are priced at $700, $500, $300, $200, $100, and $50, and can be purchased in-person at the Cowboys Stadium ticket office in Arlington, or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com.

The Pacquiao vs. Margarito pay-per-view telecast, has a suggested retail price of $54.95, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View®, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For Pacquiao vs. Margarito fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.

HBO’s Emmy-Award-winning all-access series “24/7” premieres an all new edition when “24/7 Pacquiao/Margarito” debuts Saturday, Oct. 23 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT.

The four-part series will air for three consecutive Saturday nights before the finale airs the night before the super welterweight championship showdown in Texas.

credits: boxingnews24.com

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Julio Cesar Chavez, Manny Pacquiao to Spar, Train Together

Junior middleweight (154 pounds) and middleweight (160 pounds) prospectJulio Cesar Chavez Jr. of Mexico is expected to arrive next week in Baguio City, Philippines, where he will train alongside and spar with seven-division champion, Manny Pacquaio, as the duo prepares for upcoming fights, according to Pacquaio’s adviser, Michael Koncz.

The 24-year-old Chavez (40-0-1, 30 knockouts) will face Alfonso Gomez (22-4-2, 11 KOs) on Dec. 4 at The Pond in Anaheim, Calif., this after having been an early consideration to meet WBA junior middleweight king Miguel Cotto(35-2, 28 KOs) of Puerto Rico on that date.

The 31-year-old Pacquaio (51-3-2, 38 KOs), already the WBO welterweight (147 pounds) champion, will pursue his eighth crown in as many different weight classes opposite former titlist Antonio Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs) of Mexico when they clash in an HBO pay per view televised bout for the WBC’s vacant junior middleweight crown on Nov. 13 at The Dallas Cowboys’ Stadium.

Pacquaio, who already is two weeks into his regimen, and Chavez will prepare under the guidance of four-time Trainer of the Year, Freddie Roach, under whom Pacquaio has a 12-fight winning streak that includes eight knockouts.

The son of the former world champion by the same name, Chavez Jr. was initially slated to come to the Philippines in July, when he was in line to face New Jersey resident, Pawel Wolak (27-1, 17 KOs). But Chavez Jr. decided not to come to the Philippines at that time, and the fight never materialized.

Since that time, Chavez’s unrest has surfaced concerning his relationship with co-promoter, Fernando Beltran, of Zanfer Promotions.

But following an assertion by Golden Boy Promotions’ president, Oscar De La Hoya, that Chavez’s was a free agent because his promotional contract had run out with Top Rank Promotions and Beltran, and De La Hoya’s expressinginterest in speaking with Chavez about the possibility of signing with Golden Boy, Chavez supported De La Hoya’s belief, even as he said that he remained loyal to Top Rank.

credits: pacquiao-vs.com

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Updates on Pacquiao’s Baguio Training Camp

BAGUIO CITY – Seven Division world champion Manny Pacquiao created a stir here yesterday when he failed to answer the gun in his routine early morning roadwork giving trainer Freddie Roach some anxious moments.

Roach, afraid that the Pacman’s swollen right heels had worsen after playing basketball for two hours the night before had, in fact, cancelled, too, the scheduled sparring sessions that was supposed to shift his training program to boxing proper.
His fear, however, only lasted up to the time the 31-year-old Sarangani Congressman climbed the ring to do the mitts with him which his ward did with gusto as he even asked for more after 12 rounds.

Without his body protector, which he had done away following the blistering 12-round work, Roach obliged to Pacquiao giving one more round to the delight of a handful of people admitted to watch the workout at the Coyesan gym along Naguilian road outside of the city proper.

“I was really worried learning he skipped scheduled morning run, “Pacquiao’s handler of nine years told the Manila Standard. “As I told you before we left Manila, we were ahead of schedule so I don’t mind postponing the start of the sparring.”
Pacquiao’s sparring with junior welterweight Glen Tapia of Dominican Republic and super-welterweight Michael Medina had been scheduled as early as Saturday after the reigning welterweight champ completed his first week of his build up program at the Elorde Gym in Quezon City.

“You saw how he conducted today’s workout showing me and the rest of us how good he is. I think he just proved there’s nothing to worry about his injury, “ the 54-year-old four-time ‘trainer of the year’ awardee said, assuring though that the called off sparring will definitely get started tomorrow.

“Yes, it’s 100 percent Thursday,” he assured. “He’s fine and today’s results further confirmed that,” Roach added.
As the case of Pacquiao’s regular basketball games held every night following his training session, the owner of the popular Wild Card Gym in the entertainment c Hollywood in Los Angeles said he can only do so until the last month of preparations.

“Our deal like last year (against Miguel Cotto) is no more basketball in the last four weeks of training and he knows that,” Roach said.
Incidentally, Pacquiao got his heel injury while doing the roadwork around the Sta. Rosa, Laguna subdivision where he lives on the day he started his eight-week training regimen.

credits: philboxing.com

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Pacquiao in new Nike television ad

Boxing - Boxing icon Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao (51-3-2) graces a new Nike television commercial entitled "Boom." The ad revolves around the themes of aggressiveness and physical contact in a variety of sports including boxing.

Photos: Nike "Boom" Ad

The brief commercial lasts for approximately 20 seconds, and features - among other athletes - Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and Denver Broncos back-up quarterback Tim Tebow. Tebow, a former standout quarterback at the University of Florida, was born in the Philippines where Pacquiao is from.

Pacquiao's lightweight championship bout with David Diaz from 2008 is prominently shown on an old television screen. Clips of the Filipino icon knocking out the overmatched David Diaz are displayed as Suh and Tebow watch on television.

The "Pacman" is currently training in Baguio City in the northern Philippines for an upcoming November 13 fight with Antonio Margarito (39-6) of Mexico. The bout will take place at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

credits: examiner.com

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Monday, September 27, 2010

Manny Pacquiao vs. Antonio Margarito Fight 2010

The Manny Pacquiao vs. Antonio Margarito much talked fight will be held on November 13, 2010 (Saturday) at 9:00PM in Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas. Manny Pacquiao will stand againstAntonio Margarito for a WBC Light Middleweight Title and could possibly be his (Pacquiao) 8th weight class title if he can take down Margarito in this much awaited fight. This is another challenging fight for the people’s champ Manny Pacquiao as he faces a strong, powerful and controversial boxing icon Antonio Margarito. Antonio Margarito became a controversial boxer when he uses special accessorized boxing gloves that resulted to a knockdown loss to Shane Mosley. The prediction of the fight gives so much buzz to all boxing enthusiasts.

Pacquiao vs. Margarito

The Tale Of The Tape

Pacquiao vs Margarito: Road To Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas.

credits: nievo.net

Ariza will be adding swimming to Pacquiao’s training regimen

By Chris Williams:

Alex Ariza, the strength and conditioning coach for Manny Pacquiao, plans on having Pacquiao add swimming to his training regimen, according to Ronnie Nathanielsz atwww.inquirer.net. Ariza says “I believe there is no better conditioning plan than to hit the pool.” Well, I hope they have a good lifeguard on the scene at all times, because Pacquiao looked like he was floundering in the water like a little sinking ship in his swimming scenes from the HBO Pacquiao-Cotto 24/7 series.

For the most part, it looked like it was the first time that Pacquiao had ever been in a pool. I’m sure he’s been in a pool plenty of times, but he didn’t look comfortable at all in the water. Pacquiao looked like he was giving his best imitation of a dog stroke and doing a poor job of it. It was painful to watch Pacquiao struggling to tread water in the pool, and Ariza wants him to more of this.

I think Ariza is going to mess Pacquiao up if he ends up swallowing loads of chlorine water and screwing up his training. Pacquiao even admits swallowing water, saying “I swallowed a lot of water.” Oh well, whatever doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, eh?

credits: boxingnews24.com

Pacquiao’s progress pleases Roach

By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com

Manny Pacquiao’s chief trainer Freddie Roach yesterday expressed satisfaction with what transpired in the first week of the seven-division champion’s training in Manila in preparation for his coming fight with Mexican Antonio Margarito for the vacant world super-welterweight crown Nov. 13 in the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

“It was a very good first week where we achieved what we were trying to accomplish, and more,” the 55-year-old four-time “trainer of the year” awardee of the Boxing Writers Association of America told this writer yesterday morning shortly before Team Pacquiao proceeded to Baguio City for the second leg of the Filipino icon’s build up program.

“As I told you the other day, Manny has been adjusting remarkably to our program, surprisingly shedding off the rust brought about by a long layoff since his fight with (Joshua) Clottey so that we have already started concentrating on our game plan and strategy ahead of schedule,” the former U.S. Olympic team alternate said.

The game plan though was not yet 100 percent, according to Roach, adding that everything will be taken cared off in the next seven weeks that he and his training team will stay in the Pines City.

“What I want is, when we proceed to L.A. we will only be polishing off what we would have gained here. And it looks like I will get what I want in the same manner that I got what I wanted in our last important fights,” the trainer, who spared no words in praise of Pacquiao’s attitude.
“Manny is always Manny. He might seem to be doing something other people don’t want him to do, but when it comes to training, I can’t ask for more. My job is to give him everything to make him happy, while he reciprocates that by giving me everything to make me happy,” Roach said by way of describing their boxer-trainer relationship the past nine years.

Physical conditioning expert Alex Ariza was, likewise, profuse in lauding the reigning world pound-for-pound king’s work ethics, saying Pacquiao has, time and again, make things easier to his handlers.

“A regular fighter, after only week’s workout could probably groping by this time. But Manny, I would say that he’s already 60 percent in shape. Count seven more weeks and you can just imagine how good he will be,” Ariza said.
Focus on the coming weeks of preparations will be on sparring which, according to Roach starts tomorrow against two sparmates he brought along when he arrived in Manila last week and a pair more arriving this week.

Super-welterweight Michael Medina of Mexico and up-and-coming junior welterweight Glen Tapia will have the first crack at testing Pacquiao’s wares at least in the first two days of sparring and whether they, indeed resemble Margarito’s style of fighting.

For Roach, the Pacman is capable of getting all he wants in Tapia, a practically neophyte campaigner who owns an impressive 7-0 win-loss record in his first seven pro-fights, and Medina, who he said, fights more like Margarito.

“Both have power in their fists although Michael (Medina) looks moré cocky, which personifies Margarito,” Roach said of the two sparmates.
Also lined up as Pacquiao’s sparring partner are popular Julio Cesar Chavez and Vanes Martirosyan, who according to the trainer will come mid this week.

(Photo taken by Wendell Rupert Alinea. Eddie Alinea is the sports editor of sportsmanila.net)

credits: philboxing.com

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Pacquiao training shifts to high gear in Baguio City

No more playing around.

As the team of Manny Pacquiao arrives in Baguio Sunday, Freddie Roach expects training for the Filipinos’ coming title fight with Antonio Margarito to shift into high gear.

“It’s time to get a little more serious now," said Roach shortly before taking the six-hour trip that will bring him and the rest of the Pacquiao entourage to the country’s Summer Capital.

“We need to start working within ourselves a little bit more."

Pacquiao, Roach, along with conditioning coach Alex Ariza and sparring mates Michael Medina and Glen Tapia left Manila Sunday afternoon, less than 24 hours after breaking camp in Manila Saturday.

The world’s top pound-for-pound fighter’s Baguio arrival came a week short after he chose to postpone it to attend to his busy schedule in Congress as the lone representative of the province of Sarangani.

But the 31-year-old Filipino ring sensation did keep himself in shape by doing a daily, two-hour afternoon workout at the Elorde gym in Roosevelt, Quezon City.

Although still around 60 percent from his fighting form, Roach said the world’s top pound-for-pound fighter remains in good condition even if his ward has not fought since scoring a 12-round unanimous decision over Joshua Clottey last March.

“He is still fast and beat the hell out of me today in the mitts," said Roach of their last workout in Manila two days ago.

The four-time Trainer of the Year acceded to Pacquiao’s decision to postpone training camp in Baguio for a week, but would not in any way allow the group to stay another day in Manila.

His reason – “It’s the traffic."

Roach said it usually takes them more than an hour traveling from the New World Hotel in Makati where they stay, all the way to the Elorde gym in Quezon City.

The 50-year old trainer was even forced to take the MRT along with Ariza, Medina and Tapia when they were caught in a monstrous traffic jam at EDSA while on their way home to training.

So setting up camp in Baguio is definitely a welcome news for Roach.

Once in the mountain hideaway, Roach said it’s all business for the Pacman.

Training at the Cooyesan Hotel will be closed door, according to Roach, like the one they had when Pacquiao held camp at the same site during his World Boxing Organization (WBO) title fight with Miguel Cotto last year.

By Tuesday, the first of a projected 140 rounds of sparring begins, Roach added, with Medina the first to test the mettle of the Filipino ring idol.

The Pacquiao entourage will be staying in Baguio for at least three weeks, before planing to Los Angeles, California, tentatively on Oct. 20, for the final phase of the training at the famed Wild Card gym.

Pacquiao and Margarito is set to clash on Nov. 13 (Nov. 14 in Manila) at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) light-middleweight title. -

credits: RCJ, GMANews.TV