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Mayweather vs Marquez Photo Highlights

2009-09-20T18:32:00.001-07:00

Credits: Photographers
Source: http://www.examiner.com/

PACQUIAO WATCH: Half the die is cast

2009-09-20T18:29:00.000-07:00

Floyd did what was expected of him – steamroll past the gutsy but totally outclassed Marquez, who, despite coming in several pounds above his comfortable fighting weight still ended up at the short end of the scale.

Marquez’s counterpunching style is simply ineffective against a guy with the best defense and who is not known to initiate a fight.

In Filipino cockfighting aficionados’ lengua – kontra pelo.

Marquez did not have the aggressiveness of Jose Luis Castillo and Ricky Hatton to upset Floyd’s rhythm. Nor the ring savvy of Oscar de la Hoya, who narrowly lost to Floyd in a closely fought contest.

Castillo, in fact, did very well against Floyd he could make an argument that he won at least one of their two fights in 2002, when both fought as lightweights.

Hatton gave Mayweather fits before the Englishman was kayoed in the 10th round, incidentally Floyd’s last fight prior to announcing is retirement only to “unretire” and face Marquez.

Like I said, Floyd has the uncanny ability to frustrate his opponents with his cunning defense which was on display throughout the Marquez fight. As good as Marquez was against top notch competition, he was simply outmatched - style-wise - against Mayweather.

Okay, I failed in my prediction that Mayweather will stop Marquez in the latter rounds. But certainly, Floyd was in his element and could have stopped Marquez had he taken some risk. Well, Floyd is Floyd. Safety comes first for him.

Now half the die is cast.

Floyd did his share and performed the task that is demanded of him for the anticipated showdown with Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino heavyweight of a spitfire.

Pacquiao is exactly the opposite of Marquez that is why the two will always battle in exciting and explosive ring matches. Pacquiao and Marquez feed on each other's strengths and weaknesses.

In a Floyd-Manny encounter, you will see more slambang action and tactical battles with momentum shifting from one corner to the other just as the two Pacquiao-Marquez matches drove all boxing fans to the edges of their seats.

If you were entertained while holding your breath watching Manny and Juan Manuel clash like there is no tomorrow, expect nothing less from a Manny-Floyd bonanza.

Their styles are so opposite they are like other ends of the magnet. They attract each other.

Now that Floyd had already done his share, it is up for Manny to complete the missing link that will end all puzzles – who is the best of them all.

Top photo: Juan Manuel Marquez (L) of Mexico and Floyd Mayweather, Jr (R) of Michigan and Las Vegas walk towards the center of the ring at the start of the first round during their bout Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV. Photo by Dr Ed de la Vega.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-27590.html

Real danger signs for Manny Pacquiao from Floyd Mayweather

2009-09-20T18:27:00.000-07:00

Something happened in Las Vegas this weekend. It was a wake-up call for the rest of the boxing world watching. One man above all others. Manny Pacquiao.

I liked the words he coughed up to Filipino journalists who watch Manny’s every move at home. I love the detail of what time he does what with whom and where. He is an athlete, a curiosity, an enigma, an unfolding world story of rags to riches, from poverty to politician.

He is a modern morality tale of the age. And, having met the man, as humble and simple as you prayed he would be when you shook hands and spoke.

But I fear for his bubble againt Mayweather. It may just burst.

Now don’t get me wrong. Manny has made huge improvements as a boxer, as well as a fighter. In the sense that I believe he would outstrip Juan Manuel Marquez if they met again.

There are reasons to justifiably lift him to that iconic pound for pound mantle, yet we were watching greatness in Floyd Mayweather’s performance against Juan Manuel Marquez.

I read some funny things washed up in the waves after the fight in Las Vegas. One writer claimed Mayweather was ‘the devil’. Hang on a minute… the devil would have scorched Marquez, who looked fine afterwards.

No, it was Mayweather the physical magician, with a bag of defensive tricks, a man with gloves and a rolling rotator cuff like a great cape he can disappear behind.

From the waist down, his posture, legs wide and flexed at the knee for power, mid-section/centre of gravity pushed down by wonderful posture, yet light on his toes, which makes him more like a martial artist of olde in a dance.

No, this was not the devil. More crouching tiger, hidden dragon.

Physically, in action, Mayweather is already approaching greatness. Outside the ring may be another matter. What he will never have, which Pacquiao has, is humility and honesty which touches people, which inspires them to follow and be followers.

Mayweather is a decent enough man up close, pretty smooth with the media, but his edges are brassy, his boasts of expensive attire and the like just ‘chavvy’ .

I can understand Freddie’s Roach’s considered opinion put out on Sunday. “Congratulations Floyd. You just beat the best lightweight in the world.” There was a gulf in size. But so too in class. It was as staggering as it was wide.

I fear that Pacquiao may appear similar against Mayweather, when and if they meet. It is hard to see how anyone will beat the American, at this weight, in this form, at this time, with the great style he has developed.

Source: http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/garethadavies/100001824/real-danger-signs-for-manny-pacquiao-from-floyd-mayweather/

MAYWEATHER'S MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR AN UNTARNISHED STARDOM

2009-09-20T18:26:00.000-07:00

Las Vegas, NV:- Floyd Mayweather Jr was back at his usual elements after a scintillating victory over the mismatched Juan Manual Marquez at the MGM this last night.

During the fight, Mayweather was a delight to see as he danced away from trouble and delivered his wide array of arsenals against the Mexican idol. His speed was marvelous and his defense impenetrable.

The left hook that he threw at Marquez that caused the lone knockdown in the fight seemed to have come from nowhere. It was lightning fast. The veteran Marquez did not even see it coming.

PhilBoxing’s Dong Secuya described the whole fight aptly. Mayweather he said, schooled the veteran Marquez.

Mayweather’s victory and the way he achieved it on top of the ring was a picture of defensive excellence. He displayed how to totally dominate a rival and come out of the fight almost untouched.

To many, particularly the Mayweather nuthuggers it was what it was all supposed to be:- a victory that would bring back the glory of the past years when Mayweather was the undisputed pound4pound boxer in the world. Predictably, some even said that he is back to no.1

But alas, that was not meant to be.

The victory was tarnished by the fact that Mayweather, in my opinion, did not play the game fairly. He ignored the agreed upon catchweight of 144 lbs. He came to the weigh-in at 146 and God knows how much he weighed at fight night putting the size-disadvantaged Marquez further deeply in the rut.

Had Mayweather and his Team paid more attention to his weight or much more, cared about it and came on the weigh-in just right on target, his victory would have been clean.

Nothing could have been said and people would have easily dismissed the real size difference between a true lightweight (Marquez) and a legitimate welterweight (Mayweather) and zeroed in more of the brilliant performance of Mayweather.

Yes he won his “come-back” fight, but to many including this writer, the victory was tarnished by the weight issue.

As I mentioned in a previous article that drew the ire of some of his supporters, Mayweather possibly just did not care how heavy he was at the weigh-in. He simply must come in bigger than Marquez to assure that he can dominate the Mexican gladiator who from the beginning was already pretty disadvantaged.

There simply was no reason to come overweight. With the skills he showed, he could have easily defeated the out-classed Marquez even if Mayweather came in at 140.

But Mayweather had to win at all cost to preserve his marketability. That included ignoring contracts and common sense fairness.

Thus, his victory was tarnished.

Top photo: Floyd Mayweather's jab hit home to the overmatched Juan Manuel Marquez during Saturday nights fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-27589.html

Floyd Mayweather Jr is the world's best fighter beyond question

2009-09-20T18:25:00.001-07:00

Good as Floyd Mayweather Jr looked against Juan Manuel Márquez – and sensational would be a reasonable description – he is two fights away from silencing the last of his critics.

For the unequivocal adoration he craves he must now go out and beat Sugar Shane Mosley and Manny Pacquiao, probably in that order. Of the two Mosley is the tougher fight because, as Mayweather showed in Las Vegas on Saturday night, size is a killer around the lighter weights.

Pacquiao, whatever his heroics against a shot Ricky Hatton in May, is two years younger than Mayweather but a stone or so smaller; Mosley is closer in weight, at light-middle, but six years older.

Mayweather, according to Márquez, might have been 20lb heavier than the 36-year-old Mexican by fight time at the MGM Grand. He also had a four-year pull in age, not to mention skills which seem to have been enhanced rather than eroded since he knocked out Hatton in the same ring 21 months ago.

The man is remarkable, every bit as removed from the herd as was Sugar Ray Leonard, whom he resembles in boxing style and self-belief, although he lacks Leonard's class outside the ring, which is not the unreserved praise it might seem; Leonard could be charming or unbearable.

Like Roy Jones Jr and Oscar De La Hoya before him Mayweather has secured his legend fighting a variety of older and/or smaller opponents, partly because he is an astute businessman and abhors risk, despite his immense talent, and partly because there are not many fighters out there who are an exact match for him.

At the weigh-in he was seemingly happy to pay a $600,000 penalty out of his $5m purse for coming in 2lb over the agreed 144lb limit; that was desperately unfair on Márquez, who was coming up from lightweight. He was dwarfed in every way as Mayweather dominated him physically and tactically over 12 largely one-sided rounds.

Márquez could make an argument for sharing the points only in round seven, when he had minor success as Mayweather relaxed. Afterwards Mayweather indulged in the luxury of describing his showing as not one of his best. Nonsense.

On ability and that performance there is no question he is the best fighter in the world right now. Wins over Mosley and Pacquiao would seal the judgment. And if anyone out there wants to challenge that, be my guest.
Confession time

Occasionally journalistic objectivity is compromised in sport, when deep down you favour a certain result. There was something about Orlando Cruz's cockiness in the opening televised bout of the undercard that did not predispose me towards him when he went up against the quiet, unfancied Detroit featherweight Cornelius Rock.

This business is no cakewalk and fighters – however good, however hyped by their promoters – who think that they have only to turn up to win are tempting the boxing gods.

Rock, who has four defeats on his CV, knocked the unbeaten Cruz down in the first and over and out in the fifth. I did not cry into my cocoa.

On that score who could not admire the career of the Australian Michael Katsidis? He always puts it on the line. On the way up he came here in February 2007 and had an absolute war with Graham Earl, stopping him in the fifth. That was for the WBO's interim lightweight title.

On Saturday night, six fights on, the short-armed slugger was fighting for the same belt and, cut above the eye from round one, walked through the more stylish Vicente Escobedo to take a split decision, when it should have been unanimous. Mark the names of Mike Fitzgerald (116-112 for Escobedo) and Robert Hoyle (118-110 for Katsidis) as two muppets.

I bet Earl was cheering for Katsidis back in Luton.

Oscar De La Hoya put on a decent support card, as it happens, in this ratings face-off with UFC103 down in Dallas (results this week some time). It is wonderful what a little competition will do for a sport.

Rocky Juarez, trailing but coming back, nearly knocked out Chris John in the last half-minute of their tear-up for John's WBA featherweight title but the champ hung on. It was the 10th defence of the title he won five years ago.

John has been around forever and beat Márquez in March 2006.
Let's get ready to grumble

Has there ever been anyone in the sports entertainment industry who has made more money from five little words than Michael Buffer?

There he was at the HBO mic again, intoning as ever as if introducing the president of the United States. He is like an irritating uncle: embarrassing, harmless and always there.

The two most interesting things about The Buffed One are:

He is the grandson of Johnny Buff, who won the world bantamweight title in the 20s.

He proposed to his third wife on television.
Eye on the prize

I really like the Prizefighter series. It might not always be world-class boxing on show but bringing together ambitious and/or desperate fighters of varying ages, abilities and experience for a round-robin tournament that is settled in one evening is an inspired idea by Barry Hearn. It is like a good play, with each act building to a climax that nobody can safely predict at the start.

But it will come as no surprise to friends or doubters that Audley Harrison is already proclaiming he will win the next heavyweight edition, at the ExCel Centre in London's Docklands on 2 October, and go on to be world heavyweight champion.

Part one of this modest ambition is getting past Scott Belshaw – and, although he was blown away by Tyson Fury, I do not expect the Belfast banger to roll over this time. If Harrison does win, he is on track for a fight in the semi-finals against Michael Sprott, who knocked him out in 2007. So a win there is no given. If he makes the final, he is likely to meet another old conqueror, Danny Williams. Now that is a tough night's work.

None of which stops Harrison declaring: "I believe I will get that world title and the British public will understand my path, my battles, and I will get that credit." Maybe not but stranger things have happened.

However, Harrison's claim that he is "probably the greatest amateur boxer ever from Britain" is an insult to the triple-Olympian Dick McTaggart, MBE, the Scottish southpaw who won gold at lightweight at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. He won an extraordinary 610 of his 634 bouts and was voted into boxing's International Hall of Fame in 2000. McTaggart is regarded by good judges who followed his long and distinguished time in the ring (he never turned professional) as the best British amateur of his and probably any era.
Farewell

The family of Darren Sutherland bury him at St Finian's Cemetery in Navan, Co Meath, today after a Funeral Mass at 11am at St Mary's Church. If you pray, send one up for Darren.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/blog/2009/sep/21/floyd-mayweather-marquez-manny-pacquiao

Boxing: Mayweather looks to Pacquiao for a truer test

2009-09-20T18:23:00.000-07:00

It was business as usual for Floyd Mayweather on Saturday night when he went through the motions in a fight that resembled an exhibition of defensive mastery at the MGM in Las Vegas.

Mayweather overcame all the normal problems associated with being out of the prize ring for 21 months to perform with beauty at times during 12 totally one-sided rounds which left Mexico's former triple world champion Juan Manuel Marquez looking like a bruised and confused journeyman.

However, the win needs to be carefully considered before Mayweather is given back the title of best pound-for-pound boxer in the world. Marquez was handpicked and filled the role of brave and respectable loser perfectly, but the reality is he had no chance of winning. Marquez was handsomely paid to lose and he earned every cent that he left Las Vegas with yesterday.

Mayweather forced Marquez to gain 10lb for the fight and then weighed in 2lb over the contracted limit of 144lb and was forced to pay Marquez $600,000 (£369,000) extra as compensation. It meant that Mayweather was 12lb heavier than anybody Marquez has ever met before and that was simply too much weight.

Marquez sought to get close, tried to counter, which was once his speciality, but Mayweather, who also had a six-inch reach advantage, moved and countered with easy precision and, to be brutally honest, the fight's life as a compelling and competitive encounter was over after 30 seconds.

In round three Marquez connected with a clean right and Mayweather smiled, stepped back, and delivered a stunning short hook behind the Mexican's guard, sending him crashing to the canvas. Marquez regained his feet to survive the round and the rest of the fight, but admitted he was hurt.

At the final bell Mayweather won on all three cards but, amazingly, two of the three judges decided that he lost a round or two. Mayweather enjoyed about two minutes of calm after the fight before the offers started to arrive from those who are willing to challenge him and, by the way, make about $20m for their trouble.

However, Mayweather has his eyes set on the winner of the 14 November fight between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto, which will set up a showdown of old-school proportions next May. Mayweather is back and it never looked like he had been away.

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/boxing-mayweather-looks-to-pacquiao-for-a-truer-test-1790781.html

Marquez: “Mayweather is 100 per cent a defensive fighter and Pacquiao is a guy who likes to fight!”

2009-09-20T18:19:00.000-07:00

Juan Manuel Marquez addressed the media last night after his losing effort against Floyd Mayweather Jr., discussing the fight, his game plan, and comparing Floyd Mayweather with Manny Pacquiao.

“When I hit him and he laughed, I knew he felt my punches. I tried to work the speed, but the difference was the weight. If I had three or four fights at this weight I would have done better. I did the best that I could do in this fight. I still want to dedicate this fight to my fans and the president of Mexico.”

“Mayweather and Pacquiao have different styles. Floyd is very clever. He is 100 per cent a defensive fighter. He is a good counter puncher. And Pacquiao is a guy that likes to fight.”

On Mayweather:

“It was a very hard fight. He surprised me with the knock down. He hurt me in that round, but only that round.”

“When I hit him and he laughed, I knew he felt my punches. I tried to work the speed, but the difference was the weight. If I had three or four fights at this weight I would have done better. I did the best that I could do in this fight. I still want to dedicate this fight to my fans and the president of Mexico.”

“I am a little sad, but I tried my best and the weight was a big problem. I think there was maybe a 20 pound difference in weight. I am not trying to make excuses. I did the work. I worked very hard for this fight. I am proud to be Mexican and I was willing to die in that ring.”

“I proved that I can fight. I gave it my all. Hey, I tried.”

On the differences between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather:

“They have different styles. Floyd is very clever. He is 100 per cent a defensive fighter. He is a good counter puncher. And Pacquiao is a guy that likes to fight.”

On potentially fighting Katsidis:

“I am going to think about it. One of the possibilities is going back down to lightweight, but I felt really good about junior welterweight, so maybe I will stay and try to get a title right there.”

On potentially fighting Ricky Hatton:

“It is a matter of getting together with my promoter. I just want to rest. I think I deserve it.”

On the fight postponement:

“It may have affected me, but that is in the past. I came to fight and I fought twelve hard rounds. The most important thing is that we are both healthy.”

Source: http://fightfan.com/2009/09/marquez-mayweather-is-100-per-cent-a-defensive-fighter-and-pacquiao-is-a-guy-who-likes-to-fight/

Mayweather victory leaves sour taste for some

2009-09-20T18:13:00.001-07:00

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Floyd Mayweather Jr destroyed Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez with a ruthlessly clinical display on Saturday but the non-title welterweight bout ended with an overall feeling of dissatisfaction.

The controversial weigh-in on the eve of the eagerly anticipated fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena raised the biggest question mark of all.

Marquez, a gutsy five-times world champion in three different weight classes, conceded four pounds to the bigger and faster Mayweather after tipping the scales at 142.

Because the 12-round bout was initially contracted as a welterweight contest with a catch weight limit of 144 pounds, Mayweather was heavily fined for coming in two pounds over the limit.

Fight insiders later confirmed the undefeated American was penalised $600,000, a relatively small sacrifice for a significant advantage on fight night.

By the time the two boxers entered the ring on Saturday in front of a non-sellout crowd of 13,116, the difference was probably close to 10 pounds.

Marquez weighed in at 148 moments before the fight but Mayweather, cynically although probably rather shrewdly, refused to disclose his own weight.

Ever since Mayweather announced his return to the ring in May and that his first opponent would be the hugely popular Mexican, many boxing fans pondered why Filipino southpaw Manny Pacquiao had not been selected instead.

Mayweather was widely regarded as the world's best pound-for-pound fighter when he stopped Briton Ricky Hatton in the 10th round of their 2007 encounter but, since the American's retirement, that tag has passed to Pacquiao.

The Filipino, like Marquez much smaller and lighter than Mayweather, has impressively beaten Oscar De la Hoya and Hatton in his last two bouts.

FLAMBOYANT AMERICAN

A match-up between Pacquiao and Mayweather would certainly settle the argument over who is the best fighter in contemporary boxing but the flamboyant American has so far shied away from that showdown.

Instead, Mayweather decided to end his 21-month absence from the ring with the man widely considered to be the next-best pound-for-pound fighter after Pacquiao, a Mexican who conceded a five-inch reach advantage and at least 10 pounds to the American on Saturday.

Although Mayweather showed no sign of rust in destroying Marquez with a unanimous points victory and reminded the watching public of his superb defensive skills, many boxing fans were left with a sour taste in their mouths.

The brash-talking Mayweather, who has continually bragged he is the best fighter of his generation, refused to be drawn into the Pacquiao discussion shortly after his triumphant return.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE58J1LA20090920

Mayweather victory leaves sour taste for some

2009-09-20T18:13:00.000-07:00

Mayweather Jr. speaks on Marquez, the weight, Pacquiao, Mosley and more!

2009-09-20T18:11:00.001-07:00

Pound-for-pound Picasso Floyd Mayweather Jr. spoke to the assembled media after his twelve round wipe out of Juan Manuel Marquez last night in Las Vegas. Read on to hear what Floyd had to say about Marquez, the weight issue, Manny Pacquiao, Shane Mosley, and much more. Don’t miss this one!

“They say Manny Pacquiao is No. 1 and I’m not here to rate myself. I know who I am as a fighter. Pound-for-pound rankings are opinionated. I started my career and won a title in my first year. I’ve been a champion for eleven straight years, and have won six titles in five weight classes. I was just off for two years and I came back and beat the No. 2 pound-for-pound guy. I didn’t rate Marquez as No. 2, they did. People can make up their own opinions.”

“You want to talk about the weight? I’ll be honest with you. I woke up Friday morning at my house and weighed myself at 145.5 pounds. I went for a 20 minute run and came back and was 145 even. I figured I’d come down to the weigh in and hit the 145 mark. I thought I’d get to the weigh in and hit 145, but I don’t complain. They wanted the money for it, and it is what it is. “

On defeating Juan Manuel Marquez:

“Floyd Mayweather is back. It was hard work and dedication. I have a good team and without them I wouldn’t be where I am. Marquez is tough as hell. I hit him with some shots I thought would have stopped him but that’s the Mexican in him. He wasn’t going anywhere. When I dropped Marquez in the second round I thought I could finish him off, but he was so tough he wasn’t going anywhere. I talked to my father and we thought this was a good fight because I might be a little rusty. He was a great fighter and I shook the cob webs off. I think I could have done a lot better but I’ve been off a few years. I want to continue looking better.”

On the weight issue:

“You want to talk about the weight? I’ll be honest with you. I woke up Friday morning at my house and weighed myself at 145.5 pounds. I went for a 20 minute run and came back and was 145 even. I figured I’d come down to the weigh in and hit the 145 mark. I thought I’d get to the weigh in and hit 145, but I don’t complain. They wanted the money for it, and it is what it is. “

“Everyone’s talking about weight. No disrespect to Oscar De La Hoya, but he just fought Manny Pacquiao and he was the much bigger man in that fight, but no one said anything about that. Then I turn around and I’m a smaller guy than Oscar and I fight a guy who went to war with Manny Pacquiao twice, and they just tell me he’s a smaller guy. There’s always excuses.”

“I’m up here on this stage with a lot of fighters I respect. I respect Shane Mosley, Bernard Hopkins, and Oscar De La Hoya. I respect them as fighters. To be the best of your era, you’ve got to beat the best fighters. Regardless of the weight. You’ve got to beat the best fighters of your era. I came from a small weight class also. I started at 130 pounds. I’m always in a no win situation. If I’m smaller and beat a bigger guy he’s washed up or no good. When am I going to get my just do as a great fighter?”

On a post fight altercation with Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins:

“I told Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins (during my post fight interview) that when it’s their time to shine and I’m there to support them that I don’t climb in to the ring and grab their mic and take away from their time to shine. I respect both of them as fighters and I just want that same respect back from them.”

On pound-for-pound rankings:

“They say Manny Pacquiao is No. 1 and I’m not here to rate myself. I know who I am as a fighter. Pound-for-pound rankings are opinionated. I started my career and won a title in my first year. I’ve been a champion for eleven straight years, and have won six titles in five weight classes. I was just off for two years and I came back and beat the No. 2 pound-for-pound guy. I didn’t rate Marquez as No. 2, they did. People can make up their own opinions.”

On his next opponent:

“I am going to move forward fighting the best fighters out there. I will talk with Leonard Ellerbe and Al Haymon and we’ll go from there. Shane Mosley has an upcoming bout and I wish him nothing but the best. Manny Pacquiao is going to fight Miguel Cotto and may the best man win. We’ll see what happens and where we go from there.”

Source: http://fightfan.com/2009/09/mayweather-jr-speaks-on-marquez-the-weight-pacquiao-mosley-and-more/

That urine thing? Didn't work out so well for Juan Manuel Marquez

2009-09-20T18:09:00.000-07:00

Pee Pee no bueno for Pepe: Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Marquez is pictured during a press conference in London, Britain, on 21 May 2009. Marquez will fight Floyd Mayweather of the US in las Vegas on 18 July. EPA/ANDY RAIN

HBO has had me enthralled with the weekly 24/7 preamble to the hyped to the hills fistic free-for-all known as the Mayweather/Marquez showdown.

Last night Floyd Mayweather jabbed and power punched our south-of-the-border amigo to a Mexican mole.

Poor Juan Manuel Marquez, despite his secret weapon of DRINKING HIS OWN URINE before a match, sadly he folded like a house of cards as Floyd warmed up for what boxing insiders are hoping will be a Mayweather/ Manny Pacquiao match. Even though Manny IS smaller than the Pretty Boy. And Manny swears by eating Baluts, which some would argue is WAY more disgusting than swilling your own pee pee.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. had his way with the Mexico City native, as three judges scored the fight 118-109, 120-107 and 119-108.

A funny thing occurred when HBO interviewed Mayweather after the fight. Shane Mosley grabbed up that Mic and challenged Mayweather to a future fight. Mayweather looked like he was ready to clock him then and there.

Poor Urine-sated Marquez just couldn't connect any punches with Mayweather. "Marquez is tough as nails," Mayweather told HBO after the match. "He's a great little man. He was really hard to fight, and he kept taking some unbelievable shots."

That urine thing? Didn't work out so well for Juan Manuel Marquez
Smallscreen News

By April MacIntyre Sep 20, 2009, 19:39 GMT
Pee Pee no bueno for Pepe: Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Marquez is pictured during a press conference in London, Britain, on 21 May 2009. Marquez will fight Floyd Mayweather of the US in las Vegas on 18 July. EPA/ANDY RAIN

Pee Pee no bueno for Pepe: Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Marquez is pictured during a press conference in London, Britain, on 21 May 2009. Marquez will fight Floyd Mayweather of the US in las Vegas on 18 July. EPA/ANDY RAIN

HBO has had me enthralled with the weekly 24/7 preamble to the hyped to the hills fistic free-for-all known as the Mayweather/Marquez showdown.

Last night Floyd Mayweather jabbed and power punched our south-of-the-border amigo to a Mexican mole.

Poor Juan Manuel Marquez, despite his secret weapon of DRINKING HIS OWN URINE before a match, sadly he folded like a house of cards as Floyd warmed up for what boxing insiders are hoping will be a Mayweather/ Manny Pacquiao match. Even though Manny IS smaller than the Pretty Boy. And Manny swears by eating Baluts, which some would argue is WAY more disgusting than swilling your own pee pee.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. had his way with the Mexico City native, as three judges scored the fight 118-109, 120-107 and 119-108.

A funny thing occurred when HBO interviewed Mayweather after the fight. Shane Mosley grabbed up that Mic and challenged Mayweather to a future fight. Mayweather looked like he was ready to clock him then and there.

Poor Urine-sated Marquez just couldn't connect any punches with Mayweather. "Marquez is tough as nails," Mayweather told HBO after the match. "He's a great little man. He was really hard to fight, and he kept taking some unbelievable shots."

HBO will replay Mayweather-Marquez on Sept. 26 3:21

Many observers and sports writers are salivating for a desired match-up with Mayweather-Pacquiao, after Pacquiao flattens Miguel Cotto in their match slated for November 14.

Now, questions of the day: Boxing fans, do you want to see Shane Mosley take on Mayweather, or would you prefer to see a Pacquiao-Mayweather matchup? Which is more gross, eating a Balut or having a Urine Hi-Ball?

Source: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1502218.php/That-urine-thing-Didn-t-work-out-so-well-for-Juan-Manuel-Marquez

MARQUEZ LACKS REACH: Mayweather impresses Pacman

2009-09-20T18:05:00.000-07:00

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao was pretty impressed with Floyd Mayweather Jr. yesterday and said he can do better than what Juan Manuel Marquez could offer against the flamboyant American.

“Magaling pa din. Mabilis pa din (He’s still good. He’s still fast),” said Pacquiao from his hotel room in Baguio City where he watched the 12-round fight between Mayweather and Marquez.

The fight was entering the third round on the ABS-CBN telecast when The STAR got hold Pacquiao through his cell phone. By that time, he knew Mayweather had won via unanimous decision.

“Walang panama si Marquez (Marquez had nothing to land),” said Pacquiao who watched the fight with his friend Chavit Singson, adviser Mike Koncz and trainers Roger and Buboy Fernandez.

“Hindi niya maabot. Hindi talaga mananalo (He can’t get to him. No way he could win),” said Pacquiao of Marquez, who went down in the second round, and was cut and beaten hard the rest of the way.

Pacquiao said Mayweather always looked good in his fights because he hardly gets hit, just waiting for the opening. In this case, Marquez learned it the hard way as he took one of the worst beatings in his boxing career.

“Naghihintay lang (He just waits),” said Pacquiao of Mayweather.

Asked if he can do better than Marquez or the 39 others who failed against the unbeaten ex-pound-for-pound champion, Pacquiao paused longer than usual The STAR thought he already hung up.

“Kaya abutin,” Pacquiao answered back in Filipino. He could have meant Mayweather was reachable or can be hit if and when a fight between the great superstars takes place sometime next year.

Pacquiao said last week when he staged a whirlwind press tour with Miguel Cotto, his opponent on Nov. 14, that if he and Mayweather win their fights then they’re bound to meet head-on.

If that happens, Pacquiao stands to receive no less than $25 million.

He said talks are on but did not state whether it would be for his next fight. Top Rank’s Bob Arum said Pacquiao can fight on March 15 then will have time to campaign hard for the May 2010 elections.

Pacquiao is seeking a congressional seat in his hometown in Saranggani and he can use a fight, not necessarily against Mayweather, that he can win as a boost to his campaign.

Pacquiao arrived in Baguio yesterday morning, and in the country’s summer capital he would train for the next four to five weeks before moving to the US for his Nov. 14 fight with Cotto.

Pacquiao left Manila at 4 a.m. for the five-hour drive to Baguio. He was on board his black Hummer, towed by three police motorcyle escorts and tailed by three back-up vehicles.

Jake Joson, Pacquiao’s buddy, said the boxer went straight to his hotel room at Coyeesan and slept. He got up just before noon, in time to watch the Mayweather-Marquez fight.

Trainer Freddie Roach and conditioning coach Alex Ariza are flying in this week to supervise the training that will be conducted under tight security provided by Singson, the deputy National Security adviser.

The eight-week training starts today — under the Fernandez brothers until Roach comes in. Arum, the Top Rank president, is coming over as well. He plans to be in Baguio from Oct. 1 to 4.

Pacquiao welcomed the sight of Baguio, which should serve him in good stead while training.

“Maganda ito. Matindi jogging ko dito (This is nice. This will make my jogging tougher),” said Pacquiao of the city which is 1,500 meters above sea level.

“At hindi masyado crowded (And it’s not too crowded),” said the boxer, adding that while he’s in Baguio there will be no distractions, no breaks to film a movie or commercials.

“I need to focus,” he added. – With reports from Artemio Dumlao

Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=507215&publicationSubCategoryId=69

Love him or hate him... Mayweather still No. 1

2009-09-20T18:04:00.000-07:00

Without dipping my toe into the message boards and other fan forums out there since the final bell of his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez Saturday night/Sunday morning, I can pretty much assume that as the prevailing sentiment.

But you know what?

He's a real-life Satan incarnate who can, ahem... fight like hell.

In pitching an absolute, complete and comprehensive shutout of Marquez -- the critics' pre-comeback choice as the world's No. 2 fighter -- in his first ring action since 2007, the Pretty Boy now known as "Money" has answered one question with dominant certainty.

He, and not Manny Pacquiao or any other 21-month stand-in, is the world's best fighter.

Don't believe it?

Watch the tape. Or re-watch it, as the case may be.

And over the course of 36 minutes, find me one thing that says otherwise.

One flaw. One error.

One chink in the armor that truly indicates -- regardless of the fact different styles make different fights -- that Pacquiao can do any better when he gets his chance next year.

Before you do, though, I'll save you all a little time.

Don't bother.

It doesn't exist.

Nowhere in a stretch of 12 rounds did Marquez do one specific thing or take one specific tack that caused the unflappable 32-year-old even a moment's worth of consternation.

Yes, he landed a couple right hands.

The first of which was answered with a sweeping left hook that put him on his back in round 2, toes pointing toward the MGM Grand light towers.

Yes, he attempted the occasional bull-rush charge.

All of which were answered with just enough movement, just enough shoulder roll and just enough of a counter right hand or another left, just for good measure.

And yes, he was on his feet at the end.

Though standing for the duration probably accomplished more for Mayweather -- reintroducing him to the rigors of a title-distance bout, for example -- than it did for Marquez, who picked up a few more welts, a few more scrapes and got a step closer to retirement than he'd been 24 hours previous.

Yes, it was that good.

And yes, I think he'll do precisely the same thing -- or similar enough -- to Pacquiao.

Before, I believed it.

Now, I'm as sure as I can be without having already seen it happen.

As for the weight issue that too many have been too happy to seize upon since Friday's events, forget it.

And no matter how decisive Nacho Beristain wanted to make it before the fight -- despite his fighter's insistence to the contrary -- and how pertinent Marquez suddenly insisted it was afterward, don't you believe it.

I mean, seriously folks. Come on.

Mayweather is 5-foot-8. Marquez is 5-foot-6.

Mayweather weighed 146 pounds. Marquez weighed 142 pounds.

Two inches and four pounds, no matter how they are distributed and what they consist of, simply aren't going to make as much of a competitive difference as was apparent Saturday night.

Ask Chris Byrd.

Or better yet, ask Mayweather about the 5-foot-10 Oscar De La Hoya he beat at 154 pounds.

While weighing all of 150 himself.

Instead, and regardless of catch weights and contracts and $600,000 payouts, a simple truth exists.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is better than Juan Manuel Marquez.

He was better at junior lightweight. He was better at lightweight.

He's better at welterweight.

And he'll be better at cruiserweight should the two men get back together 40 years from now after older age and a few baked goods add a few weight classes to their resumes.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/boxing/story/1242416.html

MAYWEATHER DOMINATES MARQUEZ IN TYPICAL FASHION

2009-09-20T18:02:00.000-07:00

After two years out of the ring, Floyd Mayweather Jr. proved to the entire boxing world he still has the reflexes, speed, and talent as he dominates Juan Manuel Marquez over 12 rounds. Mayweather and Marquez spent the first round trying to adjust to each other’s styles. Marquez wanted to land sharp punch while circling Mayweather, while Mayweather mixed him some lead lefts and counter rights. In the second, Mayweather landed the most telling blow of the night—a perfect counter left hand on Marquez.

From there, it was all Mayweather all night as he dictated the pace and tempo. Marquez was game throughout the fight and tried his best to land but Mayweather was too slick and too hard to hit. When Marquez would attack he was short with his punches.

When Mayweather knew that it was his fight, he tried to go for a knockout. However, Mayweather did not throw more than 2 punch combinations. He was trying to score that perfect one punch knock to put an exclamation point. Marquez, a great lightweight, isn’t the type of fighter you knock out with one punch.

Marquez tried but was unable to make any adjustments in the middle part of the fight. Marquez displayed little head movement, which allowed Mayweather to lead in with lefts and rights.

At the end of twelve rounds, Judge William Lerch had it 118-109, Burt Clemens had it a shutout at 120-107, and Dave Moretti had it 119-108 all for Mayweather, who remains undefeated 40-0 (25 KOs).

Obviously, the next logical step in Mayweather’s career is to fight the winner of the November clash between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto. However, after the fight, Shane Mosley publicly called out Mayweather during his post fight interview with HBO analyst Max Kellerman. Some words were exchanged between the two camps and a little pushing and shoving occurred.

Promoter Oscar De La Hoya spoke to Marquez after the fight and told the media that Marquez had great respect for Mayweather and he was the best fighter he’s ever faced. Marquez will go back down in weight to Lightweight. Michael Katisidis, who won a tough 12 round decision on the undercard, could be in line to face Marquez in the future.

Marquez said after the fight that he was sad about the outcome and felt the weight was way too much for him but he didn’t want to make any excuses. “I’m proud to be Mexican and I was ready to die in the ring”. In comparing Pacquiao and Mayweather, Marquez said that the styles were different and that Pacquiao likes to fight whereas Mayweather is just defensive.

At the post fight press conference, Mayweather said that it’s all about beating the best fighters in his era regardless of weight class. Mayweather thanked the fans because “without the fans he wouldn’t be here.” Mayweather also said he did feel a little rust and felt he could’ve done a lot better. He promised that in his next fight he would fight better. Regarding the Mosley incident, he said, “When Mosley wins his fights, I don’t go into the ring and call them out and steal their spotlight”.

Top photo: Six-Time World Champion Floyd Mayweather (Left) throws a left hand en route to a unanimous decision victory over at Five-Time World Champion Juan Manuel Marquez (Right) on September 19, 2009 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Tom Hogan.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-27563.html

Mayweather buys a victory over Marquez and wants it to mean more

2009-09-20T18:01:00.001-07:00

If you want to believe that Floyd Mayweather Jr. has thrown the gauntlet down for the king in waiting, Manny Pacquiao you certainly can.

A masterful, dominating 12-round boxing performance on Saturday night in Las Vegas against Juan Manuel Marquez would be your evidence.

But Mayweather hand-picked his opponent, a man who best fights as a lightweight and threw money, no pun intended, at the problem.

As reported, the fighters agreed on a 144 lb. fight that really wasn't. In fact Mayweather could have weighed more than he did at weigh-in (146) and unless someone from the Nevada Boxing Commission was horrified, the fight could have gone on as expected.

Floyd's penalty was to pay his opponent a hefty six-figure penalty for each pound over the agreed upon weight. The contract was changed after the fact to 147 and both fighters signed off. So don't cry for Marquez, he knew what he was doing. As the ring announcers noted, Mayweather looked comfortable at around 150 which he probably exceeded by fight time. Marquez weighed in at 142 and might have looked a bit soft in the middle.

Marquez was unable to get near his opponent except if he happened to get lucky enough to turn him around and have him backed onto the ropes. That didn't happen often since Floyd made sure to stay near the center of the ring. Tactically the way to go for sure.

Add that to the reach advantage, the small height advantage and of course the weight difference and all you heard from the HBO announcers was the word "big". Mayweather is the bigger fighter, Jim Lampley kept saying. And he clearly was.

The pathetic percentage of blows landed by Marquez was embarrassing. If this had been a tennis match, it would have looked like Roger Federer playing at his peak against a guy who was still on the college tennis team.

But the tactic that ruled the night was the lasting impression of Mayweather's total domination in the minds of fans and those who decide who is the pound-for-pound best.

HBO's Max Kellerman tried to make that point at the post-bout interview in the ring and Mayweather would have none of it. Sounding more like a politician at a town hall meeting about supposed death panels, he wouldn't touch the facts and blamed the media for asking legitimate questions about a fight that truly had no weight limit.

Kellerman might have been out of line by trying to squeeze an admission out of the victor at that moment and it disintegrated to the point where Mayweather had the microphone shut off on him.

But Max got the last word when he claimed that the lasting impression of the beat-down we had just seen was illusory when compared to the weight and size differences between the two fighters.

Fans of Mayweather, he added shouldn't use this victory as a reason to claim that he's a slam-dunk to win against Manny, which in Kellerman's opinion was all Mayweather wanted to do.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-426-Sports-Examiner~y2009m9d20-Mayweather-buys-a-victory-over-Marquez-but-wants-it-to-mean-more

Floyd Mayweather a class above the rest – including Manny Pacquiao

2009-09-20T17:59:00.000-07:00

Mayweather made Marquez, one of the most intelligent boxers on the planet, look like a brave journeyman fighter, his vanishing acts around the ring leaving the Mexican often simply hitting thin air.

From the first bell, Marquez was on the receiving end of a masterclass as Mayweather displayed razor-sharp reflexes and brilliant timing. As the fight moved through its phases, his skills were unassailable.

Marquez was down on the canvas from two left hooks in the third round, but the knock-down was only the start of Mayweather's fistic dominance.

It was a championship shutout. I gave not a round to Marquez, though he never gave up. The judges scored the contest 118-109, 120-107, 119-108 in favour of 'Pretty Boy'.

That said, Marquez had come up two weight divisions, and two levels in class against Mayweather, who should now be regarded as head and shoulders above anyone currently boxing on the planet. Having seen Mayweather in this form, it is easy to see why many believe this morning that Manny Pacquiao, the great Filipino fighter, and Miguel Cotto, the great Puerto Rican pugilist – who meet in Las Vegas on Nov 14 – would fare no better against the American.

Mayweather's defensive skills, natural athleticism, timing, reflexes and sheer comfort in the ring make him a great fighter. It is hard to see how he would ever be beaten at welterweight. Only perhaps, if he stays on in the sport too long. His record now reads 40 fights, 40 wins.

It was as if Mayweather had never been away. In the 21 months away since he flattened Ricky Hatton, he has lost nothing. In fact, the rest appears to have done him a favour.

Mayweather, who indulged with some verbal sparring with Shane Mosley in the ring after the contest, as HBO's anchor interviewer Max Kellerman made a hash of the live interview, said: "I am back and I am going to continue to make noise in the sport of boxing.

"I came from a small weight class. I have fought at 130lbs, all the way to 154lbs and I have faced the best. We take one day at a time. I am truly blessed to be where I am. I go to the gym every day work hard and be the best I can be. There are a lot of great fighters out there. I am just here to be the best.

"People say Pacquiao is number one. I don't have to rate myself. I know what I can do. Pound-for-pound is an opinion. I was a professional for 11 years, and I was a world champion for 10 years. I went away for two years, came back, I fought the number two fighter. I didn't rate him, they did. I am a critic of myself. I want to be the best I can be."

Mayweather added: "I don't rate this as one of my best fights. I think I could have done a lot better. I have been off for a couple of years. I just want to push myself to the limit. Even when I fought Ricky Hatton, I thought I could have done better. I want to be perfect, but no one is perfect. I always want to be better. When I get in the squared circle, the only thing I think about is my children. When the bell rings, I put it all out there for my kids."

He reserved praise for the bravery of his opponent. "Marquez is tough as hell. Tough, tough, tough. I hit him with some shots and I thought they were going to finish him, but he kept pushing back. That is the Mexican warrior heart in him. I have nothing but respect for Marquez and Nacho [Beristain, his trainer] as well. Nacho is one hell of a trainer. If drinking urine makes him that tough... damn!"

Mayweather added: "He was trying to go to the body, but when I am in the ring, I can see every shot that is coming. He is a hell of a fighter. I can't take that away from him. I am not here to get down on any fighter. With the 54 fights, he was really crafty. The shots I could get in there he was ducking and dodging. I can see why he has been around the sport for so long and dominating."

Marquez said: "It was a very hard fight. He surprised me with the knock down. He hurt me in that round, but only that round. When I hit him and he laughed, I knew he felt my punches. I tried to work the speed, but the difference was the weight. If I had three or four fights at this weight I would have done better. I did the best that I could do in this fight. I still want to dedicate this fight to my fans and the president of Mexico. I am a little sad, but I tried my best and the weight was a big problem. I think there was maybe a 20-pound difference in weight. I am not trying to make excuses. I did the work. I worked very hard for this fight. I am proud to be Mexican and I was willing to die in that ring."

Marquez said on the differences between Pacquiao and Mayweather: "They have different styles. Floyd is very clever. He is 100 per cent a defensive fighter. He is a good counter puncher. And Pacquiao is a guy that likes to fight."

Make no mistake. Mayweather is back. Big time. Along with boxing's No 1 pound-for-pound belt. Unless Pacquiao can take it from him.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/boxingandmma/6210922/Floyd-Mayweather-a-class-above-the-rest---including-Manny-Pacquiao.html

Mayweather vs. Marquez: The Movie Theater Experience

2009-09-20T17:53:00.000-07:00

When the Floyd Mayweather – Juan Manuel Marquez fight was first announced, I hoped to be in Vegas to cover the fight live. However, when that didn’t happen due to circumstances beyond my control I decided to experience the next best and unique way to view the bout: at a movie theater.

Golden Boy Promotions decided to resurrect an old time boxing tradition when they brought back live theater broadcasts for this fight. Prior to the advent of cable and pay per view, closed circuit broadcasts of big fights at movie theaters were prominent for fighters such as Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Joe Frazier.

It was a theater in Randolph, Massachusetts where I opted to view the fight. About a 20 minute drive from my home outside Boston. Not knowing what the turnout would be for an event being shown in just one theater in a huge movie complex, I purchased my tickets earlier in the day.

When I arrived I purchased some normal movie snacks. I got a root beer and a hot dog. 8countnews.com owner Ed Anderson who joined me on this adventure also had a root beer and got the more traditional movie snack of popcorn.

As our ticket was ripped for entry into the theater, a movie theater employee asked “Soda? We got better stuff than soda in there.”

Apparently for the big fight they had a bar set up in the theater. We didn’t know beforehand and neither did the dozens of others who would bring in soft drinks and candy purchased at the concession stand only to realize there were more desired adult beverages available inside.

The broadcast began and the theater was not full. My fear of the fight being a sell out and me being left out of the theater experienced proved to be unfounded. However, there was a healthy contingent of fight fans and more would trickle in as we got closer to the main event.

The broadcast began and it was almost like watching by myself in my living room. The crowd was silent, with the exception of casual quiet chatter among audience members, and Cornelius Lock and Orlando Cruz began their scheduled 10 round featherweight fight.

Lock – Cruz was a fight not originally scheduled to be a part of the broadcast. However when former world champ Zab Judah pulled out of the co-feature weeks ago, HBO and promoters bumped the fight to be an on TV bout.

During the first round Orlando Cruz appeared to be working to the body nicely and outworking Lock to win the opening stanza. Then, with just seconds remaining in the round, Lock landed a few solid right hands and put Cruz on the canvas.

“ooooohhhhh”, the theater crowd responded.

The 2nd round was more of the same silence but with more concentration on watching the fight from the crowd. Then in the 3rd round the theater really livened up.

Cruz complained to the ref about a borderline low blow he was hit with.

“Shut up and fight”, shouted one theater goer.

The 3rd round ended with both fighters trading punches, landing cleanly and trying to knock each other out. The theater erupts in applause.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about.”

The fight continued and was an entertaining scrap with Lock scoring two knockdowns in the 5th en route to a TKO win in the same round.

Next up: Michael Katsidis vs. Vicente Escobedo.

The theater loved this fight responding to the pressure and aggression of Katsidis, the occasional clean counters landed by Escobedo, and the way Katsidis would walk through those counters seemingly unfazed.

As time wore on, everyone knew Katsidis was in control and when it went to the scorecards everyone knew he was the winner.

That is except Michael Fitzgerald, an inexperienced Wisconsin official, who happened to be one of the official judges for the fight.

When his scorecard was announced 116-112 for Escobedo, the crowd gasped.

“What?” asked one perplexed spectator in disbelief.

Thankfully the other two judges saw it differently and more correctly and Katsidis won the decision.

Following the final bell Ed Anderson stepped out for a bathroom break and a return visit to the concession stand. When he returned with a newly purchased bag of Reese’s Piece’s I had to tell him that one of the three judges scored the fight in favor of Escobedo.

“Some judges are so stupid”, he laughed. Well said Ed.

Next up came the rematch between defending featherweight champ Chris John and challenger Rocky Juarez. In comparison to the Katsidis – Escobedo fight, the crowd was relatively subdued due to the lack of action. John seemingly was boxing his way to a lopsided decision.

Then in the final 30 seconds of the final round, Juarez hit John with a left hook that buckled his knees.

“ohhhhhhh”

John has a huge lead but Juarez had him hurt. Would he be able to finish him?

John survived and won a decision and the theater applauded at the bell.

Next up: Main event time.

This Massachusetts crowd was overwhelmingly pro Mayweather. There were a few shouts of “Viva Mexico” during the Mexican national anthem, but they appeared to be made with derogatory sarcasm as opposed to actual national pride from a Mexican.

Throughout the bout, Mayweather’s dominance was on display. He could hit Marquez as will and rarely got hit with anything in return.

When he did, he would smile at Marquez and grin much to the theaters delight.

“Ha”, laughed a fan, “Floyd’s having fun in there.”

In the opening round Mayweather hit Marquez with a straight punch. On the big screen shown in HD, you could see a red mark briefly form on the face of Marquez in the exact spot he was hit in and then disappear as blood underneath the skin dispersed.

In the second round, Floyd nailed Marquez with a perfectly timed left hook knocking him down to the canvas. This brought numerous theater goers to their feet with hands in the air signaling victory. A huge ovation for Floyd.

In between rounds, the crowd laughed at everything trainer Roger Mayweather said.

The remainder of the fight was more of the same. There was speculation on whether Floyd would knock Marquez out. Would Marquez quit between rounds?

“If I was his trainer I’d stop it..there’s no way he can win. What good can come out of continuing?”, asked one man behind me rhetorically.

In the end Marquez did finish the fight standing and Mayweather was awarded the expected unanimous decision victory. Some got up to leave..those who stayed got a show.

HBO commentator Max Kellerman’s postfight interview was a spectacle in itself.

Floyd started thanking sponsors during an answer and Max said with a smile “Let’s not do a commercial.”

Seemingly in good spirits Floyd mentioned that his sponsors give him “seven figures” so he had to do it.

Kellerman then asked about Floyd having to pay financial concessions to Marquez for coming in over the 144 contracted weight limit and Floyd said was “not here to talk about money.” This despite the fact that he mentioned money seconds previously with his “seven figures” comment and his nickname.

Then Kellerman asked about the potential of a Mayweather – Shane Mosley megafight. Suddenly Mosley appeared in the ring.

“Oh here we go”

Bernard Hopkins began shouting at Floyd. Mosley’s yelling at Floyd. Mayweather’s happy face has suddenly turned to an intense and borderline angry face. Kellerman almost loses control of the interview but regains some composure over the situation.

Then as he goes to ask Floyd another question, Floyd accuses him of “doing too much talking” and tried to take the microphone to speak. Kellerman just sends it back to fellow HBO commentator Jim Lampley.

“Max was shook”, says one Mayweather supporter.

“Mosley wants to fight now”, says another enthusiastically.

The broadcast ends and as I leave I hear a guy say, “If I was Floyd I would’ve punched Max Kellerman in the mouth.”

I guess some of these fans were ignoring the fact that Kellerman was asking legitimate questions and a lot of fans wanted legitimate answers. They were the Mayweather faithful.

It was a new and exciting perspective to view a fight and one that I think can be successful again. I hope that this becomes a trend and we see big fights more often on big screens. Can anybody say Pacquiao – Cotto?

Source: http://www.8countnews.com/news/125/ARTICLE/1935/2009-09-20.html

MAYWEATHER IN MASTERFUL PERFORMANCE OVER MARQUEZ

2009-09-20T01:36:00.000-07:00

LAS VEGAS, NV -- The fight that boxing experts say was a mismatch turned out to be exactly like that as Floyd Mayweather, Jr asserted his superiority over the smaller Juan Manuel Marquez in terms of speed and technical skill to carv out a masterful shutout victory over the proud Mexican during the Mexican Independence Day weekend at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here Saturday night (Sunday in Manila).

First round action saw Marquez take the offensive but Mayweather's defense was just too good to give any meaning to Marquez's punches as these were either deflected, blocked or waved by the wily self-professed world's greatest boxer but every Mayweather counter punch seemed to find its mark. The first round action established the blueprint for the remainder of the night as Marquez -- tried as he might -- could not do anything from within his power to counter Mayweather's supreme boxing skill.

A short left by Mayweather in the second round that landed squarely on Marquez's jaw sent Marquez to the canvas. Mayweather, however, failed finish Marquez in the second round or at any round after that as he refused to get away from his comfort zone and stick to his play-safe first stance at all times.

Mayweather now looks forward to making more megafights -- against the winner of Pacquiao-Cotto on Nov. 14 or with Sugar Share Mosely who climbed the ring after the fight to personally challenge Mayweather.

Mayweather remains undefeated at 40 and 0 while Marquez dropped to 50-5-1.

Top photo: Floyd Mayweather, Jr (L) tags Marquez with a left as Marquez was on the way down on the canvas. Photo by Dr Ed de la Vega.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-27547.html

Mayweather wins but dodges Kellerman and Mosley in the process

2009-09-20T01:34:00.001-07:00

Floyd Mayweather Jr did what he was supposed to do. He beat a much smaller, much slower fighter in Juan Manuel Marquez. This in no way re-establishes his old pound for pound king status though.

Mayweather dropped Marquez in the second round with a nice left hook. Marquez survived the round, and he survived the fight, but that was about all he was able to do.

When you look at this fight, it's hard not to feel for a veteran warrior in Marquez. It just didn't seem fair that he would have to lose to a much bigger and faster fighter. Maybe one day we'll get back to actually seeing fighters fight in their own weight divisions.

During the post fight interview Mayweather was asked by HBO's Max Kellerman about coming in at 146 pounds, and having to redo his contract. The new contract gave Marquez a well deserved extra $600,000.00 dollars, 3 hundred grand per pound. Mayweather dodged that question better than any seasoned politician, refusing to answer it. Kellerman followed that question up by asking Floyd about fighting Shane Mosley. Mayweather began to respond when Mosley approached, and a heated exchange began between the two fighters. Both men had to be separated with Floyd screaming at Mosely about respecting him while he's being interviewed. Mosley wasn't having any of that, he was demanding that Floyd give him his shot. Kellerman tried to get in a question about Manny Pacquiao to which Mayweather either dodged, or couldn't hear due to the altercation with Mosley.

It was clear why Mayweather refused to answer Kellerman's question on the weight issue. The deck was so far stacked against a smaller warrior in Marquez, that it was just too much for the Mexican warrior to overcome. This win over Marquez does nothing for Mayweather's status as of yet, it does however set up a potential match with Manny Pacquiao. It's Manny's turn next to get by Miguel Cotto, and hopefully we will see what should be a closer fight between the current pound for pound king, and the former pound for pound king. The winner of course being crowned accordingly.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-23590-Mississippi-Fight-Sports-Examiner~y2009m9d20-Mayweather-wins-but-dodges-Kellerman-and-Mosley-in-the-process

NOT EVEN CLOSE...MAYWEATHER DOMINATES MARQUEZ

2009-09-20T01:17:00.000-07:00

PREFIGHT
Marquez weighed in at 148 pounds on the HBO unofficial scales tonight. Floyd Mayweather Jr. refused to weigh-in. He's also refused to give HBO any pre-fight interviews. Celebrities in attendance: Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Lopez, Charles Barkley, Mike Tyson, Sean Combs. Boos can be heard throughout the arena as soon as Mayweather appears on the screens. Marquez begins to make his way to the ring. The crowd erupts at his appearance. Lampley just announced that there were a number of good tickets still available in the $300 price range and up. He did note that the place was filled up with a number of Mexican and Mexican-American fans. Floyd begins to make his way to the ring now, accompanied by Triple H. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLEEEEEEE!!!"

ROUND 1
Jab lands for Mayweather. Left hook lands for Mayweather. Mayweather looks bigger than Marquez. Another jab lands for Mayweather. Marquez digs a 1-2 to the body that's blocked. HARD left hook lands for Mayweather. Quick jab lands for Mayeather. Jab lands for Mayweather. Left hook lands for Mayweather. Another. Marquez looks confused. Marquez misses wildly. Lead right lands for Mayweather. All Floyd Mayweather right now. Left hook from Marquez is blocked. HARD left hook lands for Mayweather. That left hook is landing with ease. Floyd sharpshooting in there as he lands a counter right. Round to Floyd.

Mayweather 10 Marquez 9

ROUND 2
Jab lands for Mayweather with ease. Another jumping left hook lands for Mayweather. WOOOOOO...NICE right hand lands flush for Marquez and Mayweather smiles. WOOOOOOOOOOO....HUGE left hook lands for Mayweather and Marquez is down. He's in trouble. He's up. Floyd lands another left hook. HARD right hand down the middle lands for Mayweather. Another. WOOOOOOOO....ANOTHER lead right lands for Mayweather. Damn. Left hook lands for Mayweather. Round to Mayweather.

Mayweather 20 Marquez 17

ROUND 3
Right hand lands for Marquez. Mayweather continues to inch his way in. Left hook from Marquez grazes Mayweather. Right hand over the top lands for Marquez. Mayweather lands a quick left. That left is landing all night. Left hand lands for Mayweather. STIFF jab from Mayweather stops Marquez in his tracks. Mayweather landing everything effortlessly. Right hand over the top lands for Marquez. Mayweather smiles at him again. Round to Mayweather.

Mayweather 30 Marquez 26

ROUND 4
Compubox has Floyd landing 58 out of 81 shots thus far. Jab lands for Mayweather. Marquez unleashes a flurry that's all blocked and smothered by Mayweather. More jabs from Mayweather. Another left hook from Mayweather lands. Marquez looks frustrated. Woooooo...nice right hand lead lands for Marquez and snaps the head back of Mayweather. They trade left hands. A couple more jabs from Mayweather. Blood coming from the eye of Marquez. More jabs. Pow, pow, pow is all you hear. Marquez lands his best punch of the fight, but still not enough to win the round.

Mayweather 40 Marquez 35

ROUND 5
Short left hook from Mayweather has Marquez doing a two step. Marquez chases after him, but Mayweather evades all of his punches. Mayweather walking him down. Jabs landing for Mayweather. Marquez misses with a five-punch combo. Mayweather smiles. Short left hook lands for Mayweather. Mayweather lands the same short check hook that he landed on Hatton in the corner. Again. Marquez is gonna get knocked out if this keeps up. This has shades of Hatton written all over it.

Mayweather 50 Marquez 44

ROUND 6
Left hook lands again...all night it's landing for Mayweather. Mayweather getting loose in there. Jab lands for Mayweather. Marquez misses with a four-punch combo again. Marquez slips in a left hook. He eats a harder one from Mayweather. Another left hook and a HARD right hand lead lands for Mayweather. Another right hand lead. Left hook lands for Mayweather. Mayweather playing in there with his hands down. Mayweather smiling and laughing in there. Jab and a right lands for Mayweather. HARD lead right lands for Mayweather. Another. Marquez stuck in the corner. Another left lands for Mayweather. Marquez is getting punished.

Mayweather 60 Marquez 53

ROUND 7
Mayweather continues to dominate with the jab. Marquez digs to the body. Left hook lands for Mayweather. Marquez lands a flurry along the ropes. Left hand lands for Marquez. Mayweather walking him down, hands down with a smile on his face. Quick right lands for Mayweather. Some jabs from Mayweather. Marquez lands a left hook. Right to the body on the inside lands for Mayweather. Right hand lands for Mayweather followed by a left hook. Round to Mayweather.

Mayweather 70 Marquez 62

ROUND 8
STIFF jabs land for Mayweather that blast the vaselline off the face of Marquez. Left hook and a right from Mayweather. Two shots from Marquez are blocked. Uneventful round so far. HARD right hand over the top lands for Mayweather. Jab from Mayweather pops the head back of Marquez. Short left hook lands for Mayweather. More jabs and the lead right hand lands for Mayweather. Round to Mayweather.

Mayweather 80 Marquez 71

ROUND 9
"He's ready to go now," stated Roger Mayweather in the corner. Mayweather walking him down with his jab. Short left hook lands for Mayweather. Marquez on the retreat. Body shot lands for Mayweather. 1-2 lands for Mayweather. Jab lands for Mayweather. Everything lands for Mayweather. Marquez lands a left to the body. WOOOOOOOOOOOOO.....HARD 1-2 lands for Mayweather. Marquez fires back though. Mayweather lands a right. Another right lands for Mayweather. Round to Mayweather.

Mayweather 90 Marquez 80

ROUND 10
Right hand lands for Mayweather. Two HARD right hands land for Mayweather again. 1-2 lands for Mayweather and a right. It's getting ugly in there for Marquez. Left hook lands for Mayweather. Mayweather walking him down. He looks like he's ready to close the show. Marquez lands a left hook on the inside. Four jabs in a row land for Mayweather. WOOOOOO....left hook and a blistering right hand lands for Mayweather. Uppercut lands for Mayweather. Marquez sneaks in a left and Mayweather shakes his head. Round to Mayweather.

Mayweather 100 Marquez 89

ROUND 11
Short right lands for Mayweather. Mayweather walks him down. HARD right to the body lands for Mayweather. Uppercut lands for Mayweather. Again. HARD right hand down the middle lands for Mayweather. Marquez flurries along the ropes. HARD left hook from Mayweather has the crowd cheering. BIG right hand from Mayweather BLASTS Marquez. Jab lands for Mayweather. Round to Mayweather.

Mayweather 110 Marquez 98

ROUND 12
More jabs land for Mayweather. Short left hook lands for Mayweather. Marquez lands a left hook to the body. 1-2 lands for Mayweather. Right hand lands for Mayweather. Another. Short left hook lands for Mayweather. 1-2 lands for Mayweather again. Left hook lands for Mayweather. Marquez firing, but missing the target. Right hand lands for Mayweather. Round to Mayweather.

Mayweather 120 Marquez 107

Official judges scorecards: 118-109, 120-107, 119-108

THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION...FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR.

COMPUBOX
Mayweather total punches: 290/493
Marquez total punches: 69/583

Mayweather jabs: 185/316
Marquez: 21/288

Mayweather power punches: 105/177
Marquez power punches: 48/295

POSTFIGHT
"I've been off two years...he's tough, he's tough as nails. I take my hat off to him," Mayweather stated. "I'm happy with my victory," he continued. "Shane Mosley is one hell of a fighter and I don't take nothing away from Shane...I'm not scared of Shane Mosley," Mayweather stated before Shane Mosley got up in the ring and in the face of Mayweather. Both sides starting jawing at each other. Mayweather put his finger in the face of Mosley and yelled, "I don't come up when you're doing your interviews. Don't disrespect me." Mosley didn't back down. Max Kellerman tried to get between them. Mayweather tried to grab the mike and said, "I'm going to do the talking. You do too much talking." At which time, Kellerman turned it back over to Lampley.

Source: http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content5727.html

Floyd "Money" Mayweather Won

2009-09-19T21:53:00.000-07:00

The fighters has decide and Floyd "Money" Mayweather won the fight by unanimous decision.

What's your thoughts about the fight?
A. Entertaining
B. Boring

Online Live Streaming List of Sites

2009-09-19T16:20:00.000-07:00

To All Boxing Fun:

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Mayweather vs Marquez 24/7 Episode 4 Finale Video HBO

2009-09-19T15:50:00.000-07:00

Don't miss the main event night watch Mayweather vs Marquez live in HBO PPV will be on September 19, 2009 9PM ET/6PM PT at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

With a win Marquez not only beats Floyd, he beats Pacquiao as well

2009-09-19T15:49:00.001-07:00

NEW NEWS! ROGER MAYWEATHER SAYS HE IS MORE INTERESTED IN PACQUIAO-COTTO THAN MAYWEATHER-MARQUEZ AND THAT COTTO IS A BIGGER THREAT TO PACQUIAO THAN HIS NEPHEW.

Barring any hocus-pocus, a convincing victory over Floyd Mayweather Jr. tonight to me will put Juan Manuel Marquez on top of Manny Pacquiao as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world- that's a big "IF" however.

Truth be told, almost every objective opinion points to a Mayweather victory. And how could it not? Oddsmakers got the fight at a lopsided 5-to-1 for Floyd. Bodog.com has Floyd at -500 which means a $100 bet wins you $20.

I don't need to reiterate what is already out there on why Floyd is so favored to beat Marquez. Some even call this the "Massacre of the Century". What more with Floyd coming in two pounds heavier than the 144 catch-weight that was allegedly imposed for this fight.

With that said, it is only fair that if Marquez shocks the world and defeats Floyd, he will also, for the first time in his career, finally beat Pacquiao.

To make the odds worse for Marquez, Mayweather came in two pounds over the proposed catch-weight limit of 144. I mean, it only makes sense right? If Floyd really wanted to fight an even fight, he wouldn't pick a smaller guy so it would be contradictory to the whole concept if he came in and honored the catch-weight limit. It's not as if he ran out of time, if anything, he even had two extra months to get his body down so my take on it is, and after Floyd's interview during the post weigh-ins, is that Floyd never intended to make 144.

I know this article might catch the ire of some loyal Pacquiao fans, but I'm just calling it how I see it. Like Joe Cortez, I'm fair but I'm firm. As much as I respect and admire the accomplishments Pacquiao has achieved in the ring, a victory over Mayweather would propel Marquez to a whole 'nother level. His past two victories after his close split-decision loss to Pacquiao are sensational enough had the Pac Man not tore up bigger guys the way he did Hatton and De la Hoya.

If Pacquiao beats Cotto however, then he re-establishes himself as the number one guy as I certainly feel that Cotto is a tougher challenge than the comebacking Mayweather. In the event that it does play out this way, can you imagine how big a trilogy between Pacquiao and Marquez would be? Think about eclipsing Frazier-Ali. It will surely be the climax of the Philippines versus Mexico rivalry.

But am I putting my money on Marquez to win tonight? Don't bet on it.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-10947-Indianapolis-Fight-Sports-Examiner~y2009m9d19-With-a-win-Marquez-not-only-beats-Floyd-he-beats-Pacquiao-as-well

TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY

2009-09-19T15:49:00.000-07:00

Las Vegas, NV—That is the question many boxing fans are asking themselves on the day of the much-hyped “Number One/Numero Uno” Pay-Per-View showdown between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez. The PPV is priced at $49.99 and will include three undercard bouts. In the past several months, much has been speculated about the financial success of this fight. When the fight was postponed back in June, theories that a lack of ticket sales and interest forced the promoters to push the fight back to a historically profitable date, September 19, 2009 (Mexican Independence Weekend). Even this week, there have been rumblings that Golden Boy Promotions have been giving away tickets to fill up the arena. As I write this column, tickets as low as $300 are still available to purchase on ticketmaster.com. Floor seats can be bought as low as $1500 a ticket (just $500 above face value. It’s safe to say that not many scalpers will roam the MGM Grand looking to make a profit. It was only on Monday when closed circuit tickets went on sale.

However, the success of the promotion is mostly based on the number of PPV buys. While the live gate is important, the fighters and promoters break the bank when the PPV numbers come in. A fight fan may not be willing to shell out $1000-$5000 for a weekend in Las Vegas and to watch the fight live, but $50 and 10 friends makes Saturday night a “Fight Night”.

Now if you still haven’t pressed the order button on your remote to buy the fight, here is something you might want to consider (this is for you Manny Pacquiao fan). Mayweather has stated that he will not accept a 50/50 split with Pacquiao. He claims that since he’s the biggest name and money earner in the sport (based on PPV buys) and Pacquiao really doesn’t have any leverage to claim half of the pie. A low buy rate for today’s PPV could bring Mayweather back to earth a bit and make negotiations with Pacquiao more realistic.

Also consider the overall health of the sport. All you hear in the mainstream media is that boxing is a dying sport. Mayweather is one of the biggest names in the sport of boxing. It’s important for the sport that people have interest and support the biggest fights of the year. Mayweather was an original participate to HBO’s reality show 24/7. His success in that show allowed HBO to continue the series and Pacquiao benefited from it. A high number of buys helps all of boxing and could generate more interest in Pacquiao’s next fight in November.

Finally, look at the fight on paper. You have two natural counter punchers who typically go 12 rounds in their fights. Mayweather has never been an exciting fighter to watch. His skills and dominance take over the fight to the point where every round is the same as the previous round. Marquez has been in very exciting fights but they were always against pressure fighters like Pacquiao and Juan Diaz. If blood and guts are personal requirements to buy a PPV, then you might want to skip this. However, consider the undercard that features three good fights that may result in all out wars. This is one of the best undercards on a major PPV in a real longtime. But, at the end of the day, it’s up to the consumer to decide whether to buy the PPV.

LAST MAYWEATHER SEEN LIVE

This will be the first time in two years I have covered a Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight live. The last time I attended his fight was when he won a 12 round decision over Zab Judah. The highlight of that fight was a brawl that occurred late in the fight after Judah purposely landed a low blow to Mayweather. Roger Mayweather was kicked out of the fight and people in press-row feared Mayweather was going to be disqualified. What I remember most was when NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson ran passed me and left the arena as quickly as possible, missing the last three rounds of the fight. Will there be an unexpected moment tonight?

TWEATCAST IS ON!

Twitternation is taking over the world and boxing is not exception. Visit and follow www.twitter.com/sportnjordan to get live updates from the non-televised bout to the post-fight press conference. It should be an interest night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Will all the seats be filled? What will Mayweather wear to the ring? Will there be fights in stands?

Top photo: Six-Time World Champion Floyd Mayweather (Left) and Five-Time World Champion Juan Manuel Marquez (Right) pose on September 18, 2009 at MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada at the weigh-in for their September 19, 2009 fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena which will be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View. Photo by Hogan Photos / Golden Boy.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-27542.html

Congratulations Floyd, you are officially the most 'hated' person in fight sports

2009-09-19T15:48:00.000-07:00

And by Congratulations, I do mean it in whole sincerity because honestly, isn't this what Floyd Mayweather Jr. wants?

Unless he thinks the whole world is consisted of strippers for him to be throwing dollar bills (fake and sometimes real) then I guess it's safe to say that Floyd relishes the persona of being "the bad guy".

So there you go, 'hep hep hooray!' you have succeeded and accomplished your goal. Great job at it too.

Real and fake, he likes to be loathed. He could've chosen a role of being a good guy in the WWE but opted to simply personify the character he plays in real life. And that WWE character is a blinged-out thug surrounded by 20 bodyguards.

I won't even bother ask MMA fans because you already know those 'tattooed skinheads' as described by boxing promoter Bob Arum, hates his guts. (I for the record strongly disagree with Arum on the notion, but I do understand how an old-timer like Arum can come up with such an ignorant statement)

Floyd is so hated that he even gets booed in his adopted hometown. Can you imagine coming home to your hood and be greeted with boos? Friday during the weigh-ins in Las Vegas where Floyd resides, as soon as Michael Buffer called his name out, the air was filled with WWE-like vocal disdain over the self-proclaimed 'Cash King'.

One reader commented, Floyd is the type of person only a mother can love. And as far as fan support, most of his fans are African-Americans. Ironically, he himself put his people on blast, criticizing them for not supporting him like the Hispanics or the Filipinos support their fighters. What about the country he represents? Well Floyd has some strong words about the stars and the stripes too saying he is simply considered a black fighter and that he would be so much more popular had he not been an American or if he was a White-American. Last time I checked, a black president won the US presidential elections. And the WWE, well he blamed it too for the negative perception the world has of him.

You can jot down a list and I'll dictate it for you. You name it, Floyd got a problem with it. HBO? Check. Golden Boy? Check. Top Rank? Check. Dana White and the UFC? Check. IRS? Check. JP Morgan CHASE? Check. WWE's Big Show? Check. "Bubba the REPO man" in Las Vegas? Check. Okay I better stop now because we can go on forever with this. But one thing is for sure, forget the fact that Floyd has anything to do with any of the hate around him. Just like his dad who promised his ward Ricky Hatton would beat Manny Pacquiao because he was the greatest trainer in the world and Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach is a joke, only to blame it on Ricky Hatton not listening, and most recently (chuckle) steroid stories.

I guess there's just people in the world who got a problem with everything and who blames every unfortunate event on everything else but them. It's amazing how much money a person can make and still have a lot of hate inside him. On top of that, he claims the world hates him. Someone once said, if there's people that hate you, they might just be jealous of you. But if a lot of people from different areas and groups all hate you, then it must be you.

At the end of the day though, as Floyd himself stated, it's all about the money. And if he beats Marquez as majority expect to, he can sing a duet with fellow 'hated' man Kanye West and say, "50 told me go ahead switch yo style up, and if they hate, let them hate and watch the money pile up."

Source: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-10947-Indianapolis-Fight-Sports-Examiner~y2009m9d19-Congratulations-Floyd-you-are-officially-the-most-hated-person-in-fight-sports

Mayweather pays the price for extra weight

2009-09-19T15:42:00.000-07:00

(CNN) -- Floyd Mayweather Jr will have to pay Juan Manuel Marquez a reported $600,000 after weighing in two pounds too heavy ahead of Saturday night's welterweight showdown in Las Vegas.

Fight promoters Golden Boy confirmed after Friday's weigh-in that there had been a contractually agreed weight of 144 pounds for Mayweather's comeback bout, and that the American would pay a stipulated -- but undisclosed -- amount for every pound over that amount.

As it was, Mayweather tipped the scales at 146 pounds and Mexican Marquez, whose usual weight is around 135 pounds, was weighed at 142 as he stepped up from lightweight for the fight. The maximum for a welterweight is 147 pounds.

"The fight was contracted as a welterweight fight with an agreed upon weight of 144 pounds. However, there were pre-negotiated weight penalties built in," Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com.

The website also reported sources who stated that each extra pound would cost Mayweather $300,000, thus giving Marquez an additional $600,000 on top of his $3.2 million guarantee for the fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The 32-year-old Mayweather, who returns to the boxing ring for the first time since December 2007 when he beat Ricky Hatton to retain his WBC world welterweight championship, has a reported minimum guarantee of $10 million before pay-per-view TV revenues are added.

Mayweather is undefeated with a career record of 39-0, while the 36-year-old Marquez, who holds the WBA and WBO world lightweight belts, has 50 victories from 55 fights, 37 by knockout.

Meanwhile, Nikolai Valuev will defend his WBA heavyweight title against British boxer David Haye in Germany on November 7.

The fight, originally announced in July, had been in doubt as American John Ruiz lodged a legal challenge claiming that he was the giant Russian's mandatory challenger.

However, the 36-year-old's promoters have clinched a deal with Ruiz, meaning the bout can go ahead as planned at Nuremberg's Arena Nurnberger Versicherung, where Valuev beat Sergei Liakhovich in February 2008.

The 7' 1" Valuev, the tallest and heaviest boxing champion of all time who has a record of 50 wins from 52 fights, will dwarf the 6' 3" Haye, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion.

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/09/19/boxing.floyd.mayweather.marquez/

Mayweather Marquez Weigh In Videos and Photos

2009-09-19T15:30:00.000-07:00

Mayweather vs Marquez Weigh In Photos

Mayweather Marquez Weigh In Videos

A Final Thought On Mayweather-Marquez

2009-09-19T05:28:00.000-07:00

Finally, after much ballyhoo and one postponement Floyd Mayweather Jr. 39-0 (25) and Juan Manuel Marquez 50-4-1 (37) will meet tonight in a 144 pound catch-weight/welterweight elimination bout. The winner will most likely fight the winner of the Pacquiao-Cotto 145 pound catch-weight bout scheduled for November 14th of this year.

With thousands of columns having already been written about Mayweather-Marquez, here's a final thought and prediction.

Juan Manuel Marquez is a great fighter and technician. He's one of the most versatile fighters of his era and has shown he can win fighting as the aggressor or the boxer/counter-puncher. Marquez has also exhibited the ability to adjust and change his style in the midst of a fight. And that's something that truly defines greatness in a fighter. On top of that he exudes confidence and is a fearless warrior inside the ring.

His trainer Nacho Beristain has devised a wonderful fight plan on how to beat Mayweather, and he's taught Marquez exactly what to do. He has Marquez digging combinations to the body, but then has him throw an absolutely wicked right uppercut with his fourth or fifth punch (after either throwing a hard hook to the ribs or feinting a big hook and then stepping in with the uppercut.) It's an amazing sequence. And Marquez really bangs with it. The problem is that he's too small and lacks the speed to bring it home nor does he have the strength or power (as only a real 130-135 pounder) to hurt Mayweather.

It's a shame that he won't be remembered for the great fighter he is (he'll be thought of the guy who lost to Pacquiao--and really, they're equals--and now Mayweather--a guy who is just way too big for him.) Plus many fans seem to forget that the guy is 36 years old already.

Floyd Mayweather is also a great fighter. But in all honesty I can't shower him with praise as others do because I'm not as overwhelmed by his skills and body of work. Everybody knows all that Floyd brings to the ring as a fighter. Speed, brains, counter-punching and defense all applied at an extremely high level. That said I believe Floyd is a little overrated. His identity is being undefeated and that has provided him plenty of capital in stating his case for greatness. If he were 38-1 instead of 39-0 I doubt so many would marvel at his skill-set quite the way they do. And if his name was Merriweather instead of Mayweather, he'd be 38-1 because he lost 7-5 / 115-113 to Jose Luis Castillo the first time they fought.

For anyone who believes that's a biased opinion, get over it. I could care less about what Mayweather says about HBO, Larry Merchant, Oscar De La Hoya or a boxing public/media who he views as racist. I'm adult enough to check my personal feelings and write about him as a fighter and separate everything else. I believe O.J. Simpson committed double murder despite the not guilty verdict in his criminal trial. That said he's one of the top three running backs I've ever seen in my life and would vehemently oppose anyone suggesting he doesn't belong in the NFL Hall-Of-Fame.

It's no secret that Floyd Mayweather Jr. hasn't faced great opposition nor has he been willing to fight the best opposition available. In practically every one of his marquee fights, like it is with Marquez tonight, there's been an angle that favors him. Floyd has picked the right fights throughout his career and in the end he'll come out on top in both the ring and the game of boxing for it.

Since the announcement of this fight Mayweather has said repeatedly that Marquez called him out and that's why the fight was made. Amazingly Floyd forgets how many of the top welterweights called him out before his contrived retirement. There isn't/wasn't one top welterweight who ducked or avoided a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. He was the biggest name in the division and most objective fight fans know that just for the money alone they wouldn't hesitate to fight him.

Again Floyd's boxing business acumen has served him well. Think about it. By the time Mayweather fights Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto will be even more on the decline and have possibly two losses on his record. Antonio Margarito will have a lot of ring rust and with him being stopped by Shane Mosley in his last fight, what would Mayweather gain by fighting him? Speaking of Mosley, Shane will be crowding 40 years old by the time a fight between him and Mayweather could be made. Sure, Floyd would take that fight, but it wouldn't enhance his legacy to me by winning a decision over Mosley in late 2010. And that's assuming Mosley doesn't lose before then which isn't a given. And lastly Paul Williams has moved up and is no longer considered a viable welterweight contender. Mayweather couldn't have timed his retirement better in as far as avoiding the top welterweights who would've provided him his biggest challenges.

Mayweather is clearly bigger than Marquez and bringing him up to 144, and then weighing 146 at the weigh in, is a decided advantage for him. It's flat out dishonest saying that it's not. Mayweather even said this week that "he (Marquez) is a good little man. I am a great, big one." Marquez will no doubt be slowed by the added weight and the slight increase he may gain in strength will be a non-factor in the fight. Marquez is the first genuinely great fighter that Floyd will have faced in his career. The problem is it's at least 14 pounds above his true weight and at the end of his career.

This is a fight that Mayweather should no doubt win evidenced by him being an almost 4-to-1 betting favorite. Beating Marquez is something that will enhance Mayweather's resume and being 40-0 looks great. But I'd be more impressed if he was 40-0 versus Cotto or Mosley type opposition as opposed to his career defining fight to date being against an inflated old featherweight great.

Prediction: Mayweather will win tonight. He has the size and the perfect style to neutralize Marquez. If he didn't have almost everything tilting in his favor I question whether or not the fight would be happening, despite Marquez calling him out. Mayweather will most likely win by decision, but if he's got a referee who's halfway on his side it's not a reach to envision him stopping Marquez.

Source: http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/7207/final-thought-mayweather-marquez/

Video is now up : HBO's Mayweather-Marquez 24/7, Epsiode 4

2009-09-18T23:55:00.001-07:00

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE: Video is now up, download at Megaupload
Password: unifiedchamp.com

Source: http://www.pacquiaovideo.com/2009/09/mayweather-vs-marquez-247-episode-4.html
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To All Boxing Fun:

After watching the videos of the introduction of Mayweather and Marquez in their HBO 24/7 Trailer Promo videos 3 weeks ago, the Mayweather-Marquez Episode 1 last August 29th, the Mayweather-Marquez Episode 2 last September 12 and the Mayweather-Marquez Episode 3 just a week ago, here we are again waiting and expecting for the Mayweather-Marquez HBO 24/7 Episode 4 "The Final Cut" video online and it will be in a little while. It will be posted here as soon as it will be available online.

Of course, the main event night watch Mayweather vs Marquez live in HBO PPV will be on September 19, 2009 9PM ET/6PM PT at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

HOW CAN FLOYD JR CLAIM HE IS THE BEST P4P WHEN HE CAN”T EVEN MAKE WEIGHT?

2009-09-18T23:54:00.000-07:00

Shame on Floyd Mayweathe,r Jr., for not even making the contract weight of 144 lbs.

And shame on Mayweather Senior and his brother Roger for not making sure that their fighter make weight!

And, they still continue to claim that Junior is best pound4pound?

Nah… not even close!

At the weigh-in today held at the MGM Grand before a not so full venue, (compare to the weigh-in of the past Marquez-Pacquiao fights), Mayweather Jr came in at 146 pounds.

Marquez was 142lbs.

Yes, both are within the welterweight limit but definitely, Mayweather’s 146 lbs. is over the contracted fight weight of 144lbs.

There are a few words to describe Mayweather’s excess weight.

One that comes to mind is utter lack of discipline. Then there is lack of respect for the fight game and the people who paid money to see a fair fight.

Collectively, it is best described as “egocentric”.

Mayweather clearly thinks only of himself and does not appear to give a damn about boxing and the people that pay to see a fair fight. He just could not care less.

If he did, wouldn’t he come in at the proper contracted weight?

Mayweather can not make 144 anymore. He has been gone in boxing for so long and his body is screwed up. If he tries to make 144, he will be so weak that Marquez will knock him out.

Therefore, he elected to come in at 146 for the weight in and possibly 152-to 156 at fight night to assure that he is a lot bigger than Marquez and should be able to take the punches of the Mexican dynamite.

What else could it be?

Now Floyd Jr should stop claiming he is still the top P4P. How can he when he can’t even make weight?

Top photo: Six-Time World Champion Floyd Mayweather poses on September 18, 2009 at MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada at the weigh-in for his September 19, 2009 fight against Five-Time World Champion Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand Garden Arena which will be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-27512.html

Marquez: I will hand Mayweather first loss

2009-09-18T23:53:00.000-07:00

Juan Manuel Marquez is confident he will do something no fighter has accomplished: defeat Floyd Mayweather Jr., who is back after a 15-month retirement.

Mainstream boxing fans likely identify Juan Manuel Marquez with two fights in which his arm was not raised in victory.

Nonetheless, Marquez's two close bouts against Manny Pacquiao over a four-year span failed to remove him from the top 10 of most best ``pound-for-pound'' lists.

And although he would welcome a third bout with Pacquiao, who defeated Marquez in a close split decision in March 2008 and fought him to a draw four years earlier, Marquez has an attractive alternative for his 56th career fight Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Marquez will face Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a highly anticipated bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The bout will be Mayweather's first after a 15-month retirement.

At the time of his departure, Mayweather (39-0, 25 KOs) was considered the sport's best fighter. During his absence, fight observers elevated Pacquiao to the top spot after his narrow escape against Marquez and knockout victories over David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton.

Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs) doesn't buy the argument and still rates Mayweather above Pacquiao.

``In my mind, Floyd Mayweather is the number one pound-for-pound fighter, and to be number one, you have to fight number one,'' said Marquez, who remained in the mix for marquee bouts with knockout victories over Miami's Joel Casamayor and Juan Diaz.

``I know people are betting against me, but it doesn't matter to me.''

The odds indeed don't favor Marquez, who now is considered Mexico's best active fighter.

Despite remaining busy during Mayweather's absence, Marquez, a three-division world champion, has never fought above the 135 pound-lightweight limit. Saturday's bout was scheduled to be at a catchweight of 144, although Mayweather weighed in at 146 on Friday. Marquez weighed in at 142.

``This fight is a different weight for me,'' Marquez said. ``I worked very hard. I built up my speed and my strength.''

An adept counterpuncher, Marquez also has worked on prefight strategy. In interviews leading to Saturday's fight, Marquez has stressed the importance of pressuring Mayweather.

``There is no blueprint to beat me,'' Mayweather said. ``There is a blueprint to beat Marquez because he has been beaten before.''

Marquez strongly believes he will tag the first loss on Mayweather's record. So dominant has Mayweather been since his professional debut 12 years ago that he had not lost a fight on a judge's scorecard until he defeated De La Hoya in a split decision in May 2007.

``These are the kind of fights that motivate me,'' Marquez said. ``I'm going to prove everybody wrong.''

The Mayweather-Marquez fight, available on pay-per-view, will start shortly after 11 p.m.. The pay-per-view telecast starts at 9 and also will feature Chris John's defense of his World Boxing Association featherweight title against Rocky Juarez.

Three local movie theaters -- Aventura 24, Dolphin 19 and Miami Lakes 17 -- also will show the Mayweather-Marquez fight and undercard. Admission is $15.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/story/1240828.html

Mayweather makes weight, pays penalty

2009-09-18T23:51:00.000-07:00

LAS VEGAS – Floyd Mayweather Jr. made the contracted weight of 147 pounds for his HBO Pay-Per-View fight on Saturday with Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

But when Mayweather weighed 146 pounds at Friday’s weigh-in, he was forced to pay a six-figure penalty to Marquez for coming in at more than 144 pounds, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer said.

Schaefer said the contract the fighters signed in May was for the bout to be at a limit of 147 pounds. But in that contract, each man agreed to a substantial penalty clause for every pound, or fraction thereof, more than 144.

Mayweather has fought at welterweight since 2005, but Marquez never has and only has fought three times at more than 130. He weighed

134 in a Dec. 9, 1996, bout against Rodrigo Valenzuela. He was 135 when he stopped Joel Casamayor on Sept. 13, 2008, and was 134 when he stopped Juan Diaz on Feb. 28.

On Friday, Marquez weighed 142.

There never was any question whether Marquez could make the weight. It has been more than four years since Mayweather weighed less than 146.

“There were no surprises,” Schaefer said. “The contract the fighters signed for the fight so many months ago called it a welterweight fight. But there was a stipulation that there would be a penalty for weighing over 144.

“Floyd’s team informed us today that he would not be able to make 144, and because of that, there was a substantial penalty. If he would have been 147, it would have been even bigger.”

Thus, Mayweather was in the odd position Friday of making the contracted weight but still paying a penalty.

If either man had weighed in excess of 147, he would have been required to sweat off the excess weight to reach 147 exactly. That is not normally the case unless a fight is for a championship, which Saturday’s fight is not.

Keith Kizer, the executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission, said there was no issue with the weight from a commission standpoint. Kizer said he went to Marquez’s locker room prior to the weigh-in and asked him if he was aware that Mayweather would weigh more than 144.

Kizer said Marquez told him he had no problem with it.

Mayweather also arrived at the MGM Grand about an hour later than the reporting time given to him by the commission.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ki-floydsweight091809&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Crash Course: Mayweather-Marquez

2009-09-18T23:50:00.000-07:00

Former welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., who retired as boxing's mythical pound-for-pound titlist in 2007, is fighting current lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez at a catchweight of 144 pounds on Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (9 p.m. ET, HBO PPV).

Since the 32-year-old Mayweather left the sport after an impressive 10th-round knockout of Ricky Hatton in December 2007, junior welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao has inherited the pound-for-pound mantle with a string of electric victories over Marquez, Oscar De La Hoya and Hatton. Since Mayweather never lost that title in the ring, he says it still belongs to him. The prospect of a Mayweather-Pacquiao megafight -- perhaps for early 2010 -- looms over Saturday's fight.

Marquez, the world's No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter according to The Ring magazine, has collected titles at featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight -- becoming the fourth Mexican boxer to earn titles in three different weight classes after Julio Cesar Chavez, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales. But the durable veteran is perhaps best known for two fights he didn't win: a draw and a split-decision loss in two thrilling fights with Pacquiao -- fights many observers think Marquez won.

Mayweather's decision to quit boxing may have been the least convincing retirement in sports history. No one was surprised when Floyd came back. But the decision to fight Marquez instead of Pacquiao took many observers by surprise.

When two champions from different weight classes enter the ring, the heavier man typically wins. Mayweather is bigger, stronger and faster -- a brilliant defensive mastermind who's never been in trouble in any fight. Many observers have dismissed Saturday's fight as a mismatch, looking ahead to a Pacquiao showdown. But Marquez is a crafty, shrewd counter-puncher capable of spoiling those plans.

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/bryan_armen_graham/09/17/mayweather.marquez.guide/

JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ PULLS AHEAD IN LOS ANGELES TIMES POLL

2009-09-18T23:48:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES (September 18)-The people have spoken. In a poll asking "Who Will Win Mayweather vs. Marquez?" posted yesterday on Latimes.com, Juan Manuel "Dinamita" Marquez is ahead of Floyd "Money" Mayweather,who isreturning to the ring after a 21-month layoff. The mega-fight, which is taking place tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 19 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev. and will be broadcast live on HBO Pay-Per-View®, falls on the famed Mexican Independence Day weekend which gives Marquez the extra push to pull through for the Mexican people when he steps into the ring.

"I want to dedicate this fight to the Mexican people who are going to be here and all of the Mexican people around the world," said Marquez. "This fight is the most important fight of my career, and I am going to put everything in the ring."

Fifty-percent of those who voted have chosen Marquez, 48% chose Mayweather and 2% of people think the fight will be a draw.

"I am glad people think that Marquez is going to beat me," said Mayweather. "It just gives me more motivation to prove them wrong tomorrow night."

To view the Latimes.com poll please click HERE.

# # #

Mayweather vs. Marquez: "Number One/Numero Uno," is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with Marquez Boxing Promotions and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, AT&T, Quaker State, Dewalt Tools, Affliction Clothing and Southwest Airlines. The 12-round bout will take place Saturday, September19 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV and will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT.

Tickets priced at $1,000, $750, $600, $300 and $150, not including applicable service charges, are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets previously purchased for the July 18 date will be honored.

Mayweather vs. Marquez closed circuit viewing is now available in MGM Grand Premier Ballroom in Las Vegas. Tickets for the closed circuit telecast are priced at $50, not including handling fees. All seats are general admission and are on sale now at MGM Grand box office, by phone with a major credit card at (800) 929-1111 or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-27511.html

Mayweather vs. JMM: polls, weigh-in, and personal finances

2009-09-18T23:46:00.000-07:00

Various polls are conveying the expected: most observers and fight fans anticipate the September 19 main event card between undefeated Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez to have a "Money" victory.

In an election-esque like poll, Houston Boxing Examiner's survey has nearly 55% of voters pegging Mayweather to beat Marquez Saturday evening.

Weight Differences: 146 lbs. vs. 142 lbs.

However, Mayweather on Friday's weigh in tipped the scales at 146 lbs., while Marquez only weighed 142 lbs, further excacerbating the weight difference between the two fighters on fight night. That could change betting expectations overnight. There was a lot of secrecy and side-stepping regarding the issue of weight - the whole topic was not transparent. It was widely thought that a catchweight of 144 lbs. was agreed to by both camps. According to Golden Boy CEO president Richard Schaefer, Mayweather will incur financial penalties for coming in at the weight that he did.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-4514-Houston-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m9d18-Majority-predicts-Mayweather-win

Do or don't because the Mayweathers have already won

2009-09-18T23:45:00.000-07:00

'MY SPIT IS PAID FOR. WHAT ABOUT YOURS?"

In the wake of the 9/11 tragedy in America, people kept talking about how all of us had to resume our regular daily activities.

President Bush urged Americans to go shopping.

We were urged to travel by air, to pump money into the stock market, etc.

And you know the tag line, “If you don’t go bowling every Friday night like you used to then, then the terrorists have won.”

The Mayweather Family are all red, white and blue Americans, I’m sure, but they have been terrorizing the world of boxing. I mean that in a good way.

Therefore, let me pull your coat to if you’re doing or not doing certain things “then the Mayweathers have won…”

If you’re…

Bashing the Manny Pacquiao drug use rants of Floyd Sr., who never thought he could whip up such a firestorm, then the Mayweathers have already won.

Boycott Floyd’s fight with Juan Manuel Marquez for any reason other than you think it’s going to be a snore-bore, then the Mayweathers have already won.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-5699-NY-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m9d17-If-you-do-or-dont-then-the-Mayweathers-have-already-won

Oscar de la Hoya: Pound for pound, world champion liar

2009-09-18T23:42:00.000-07:00

BREAKING NEWS FLASH: According to Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy, the bout contract specified 144 pounds and called for a $300,000 per pound penalty so Juan Manuel Marquez has had $600,000 added to his guranteed purse which is reportedly $3.2 million.)

When he shows up tonight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, expect Floyd Mayweather to be a full fledged junior middleweight nearing middleweight (154-157 pounds).

You don’t think he will tapdance on the head of a puffed up lightweight named Juan Manuel Marquez in this contrived matchup?

Liar, liar, pants on fire. I’m referring to Oscar de la Hoya, serial liar, and at the end of this article you will see proof of that, a May 26 video interview the Golden Liar did with boxing journalist David Avila.

Asked by another reporter what the weight agreement, the contract weight limit, was for the Marquez-Mayweather fight, Oscar was explicit.

“One forty three, one forty three,” de al Hoya said flatly, nodding his head for dramatic emphasis.

Journalists asked if there was any leeway, a “give or take pound” agreement.

No way, Don Jose, Oscar repeated, “it’s one forty three.”

Of course, it could be argued that his client, meaning Mayweather, made Oscar out to be a liar by coming in heavy.

His sidekick, Richie Rich Schaefer never lied about the matter, he just failed to disclose the truth.

Schaefer kept saying that, as a promotional ploy, the contracted weight limit would not be revealed until the boxers stepped on the official scales.

Golden Boy/Hogan Photos: Marquez is barely a junior welterweight at 142 pounds.

On Friday in Las Vegas, Mayweather weighed 146 pounds, four pounds heavier than the tiny Mexican.

Obviously, the Marquez camp has extracted a financial penalty from Mayweather for the four pound gap but that won't help Juan Ma hold off the much bigger man.

Maybe my math is bad but “one forty three” is not the same as “one forty six” where I come from.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-5699-NY-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m9d18-Oscar-de-la-Hoya-Golden-liar-on-weight-limit-for-MarquezMayweather

Golden Boy CEO: Floyd Mayweather's penalty for missing catch-weight 'substantial'

2009-09-18T23:36:00.000-07:00

LAS VEGAS -- Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, said there was a "substantial" financial penalty built into the Floyd Mayweather-Juan Manuel Marquez contract in the event either fighter failed to make a 144-pound agreed-upon limit.

"As it was disclosed before, during the promotion, the fight was contracted at welterweight, was promoted as a welterweight fight, which we all know is a 147-pound limit," Schaefer said. "However, the agreed-upon weight was 144 pounds and there were contractual weight penalties built in, in case either fighter comes in heavy."

Schaefer said the penalty was a set amount per pound, or fraction of pound, that a fighter weighed heavier than 144.

Mayweather will pay two pounds of the contractual penalty funds directly to Marquez for weighing in at 146 pounds Friday. Marquez weighed 142.

Schaefer declined to disclose the amount of the penalty as called for in the contract.

"It was a significant amount," he said.

Source: http://blog.mlive.com/mayosclinic/2009/09/golden_boy_ceo_richard_schaefe.html

Watch Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Juan Manuel Marquez Fight Online Live Streaming for FREE!

2009-09-18T15:49:00.000-07:00

To All Boxing Fun:

If you want to watch a live fight online then you've come to the right place! I've recently subscribed to a Pay-Per-View and would love to share it with you by using webcam faced to the TV. Just post a comment with your Yahoo Messenger ID. And I'll be adding you on my Yahoo Messenger List and you'll be given an access to view my web cam and watch the fight for free. And be sure that you're online during the actual fight so that you can accept my add contact request.

Stay tuned for Mayweather Marquez Official Weigh In

2009-09-18T15:25:00.000-07:00

To All Boxing Fun:

One of the biggest fights of the year is hours away... Be updated! I will be posting relevant materials of the Official Weigh In from time to time. So don’t miss out on anything...

Manny Pacquiao's promoter willing to negotiate with Floyd Mayweather if both fighters prevail

2009-09-18T15:23:00.001-07:00

LAS VEGAS -- Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank Inc., which promotes Pacquiao, said his company intends to negotiate in good faith if Mayweather and Pacquiao both win their upcoming fights.

"I agree that there is a public demand for it that you don't see often in our sport, this pent-up demand for Pacquiao and Mayweather," duBoef said. "I think it's because the names resonate globally, they've been in big fights, they've been in marquee positions.

"So I think it does have a totally different appeal that is just what fight fans want. I think if both guys win, we sit down and talk. If rational behavior prevails, which it has a tough time doing in our sport ... then the public will get it."

Mayweather will face Juan Manuel Marquez on Satuday. Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto will square off Nov. 14.

Pacquiao considers lawsuit against Mayweather Sr.
Pacquiao told the Phillipine Star he is considering suing Floyd Mayweather Sr. for remarks suggesting he believes the Filipino boxing star, and potential future opponent for the younger Mayweather, has used steroids.

Mayweather Sr. made the remarks this week to The Press in a video interview:

Source: http://www.mlive.com/mayweather/index.ssf/2009/09/manny_pacquiaos_promoter_willi.html

PACQUIAO WATCH: Coming soon 2010 blockbuster

2009-09-18T08:40:00.000-07:00

THE journey to the biggest fight next year, and probably for the decade, begins on Saturday (Sunday Philippine time) when ‘comebacking’ claimant for the world’s pound for pound best honor Floyd Mayweather Jr. lock horns with Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez.

Many see this fight as a potential mismatch, if not a boring encounter between two excellent counter punchers.

I see it a different way.

With a megabuck fight with Manny Pacquiao as the ultimate prize for the winner, both Mayweather and Marquez certainly want to register a very impressive win to boost their stock and haggle for a better payday against the reigning pound for pound title holder.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. will come out smoking and bully the smaller and older Marquez, using his longer reach and excellent footwork and rolling over the punches that will come his way.

The undefeated American will use his superior defense to frustrate Marquez.

A big win over Mayweather, on the other hand, is an incentive too hard to let go for Marquez who has been aching to get a third fight with Pacquiao to validate his claim that he won two previous fights with the southpaw from General Santos.

Mayweather’s long layoff, almost two years removed from his KO win over Ricky Hatton, will only become a factor in the early rounds. Mayweather will get stronger as the fight wears on.

This is when Marquez should capitalize and build an early lead otherwise he will face an uphill battle and could be in for a long night. The effects of bulking up in the upper body will also eventually take its toll on Marquez.

I see a late round stoppage by Mayweather Sunday.

Two months after Sunday’s big event, Pacquiao himself goes up against tough hombre from Puerto Rico, Miguel Cotto.

The size difference between Pacquiao and Cotto is not as pronounced as Mayweather Marquez.

This will be Manny’s third fight north of 140 pounds without losing his blinding speed.

As many of his opponents realized, gauging Manny’s speed on tape is altogether different when they climbed the ring.

Cotto however has above par defense and he tends to cover up his face. He attacks to the body consistently and has been successful except when facing taller opponents.

Manny should penetrate that defense with his vaunted left straight leads and use his right hooks when Cotto drops his left to fire his body shots.

Manny cannot afford to go toe to toe with Cotto, who is an excellent slugger from the inside.

Speed will be Manny’s main strength and weapon against Cotto.

Cotto, on the other hand, should press Manny and deny the Filipino the distance and angle from which the later can fire his blinding combinations.

He cannot afford to fight Manny in the middle of the ring where Manny can tiptoe around him.

The corners and the ropes. This is where Manny is vulnerable and I would assume Coach Freddie Roach is going to pester his ward.

In the end, I see Manny winning by technical knockout due to cuts towards the championship round.

Victories by Manny and Mayweather would pave the way to the mind-boggling super megabuck fight of the decade.

A cool guaranteed US$40 million bucks for each fighter, at least, would make the fight the biggest below 147 pounds.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-27489.html

The UFC will make Mayweather Jr tap out this Saturday

2009-09-18T08:38:00.000-07:00

Sacramento MMA Examiner
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The UFC will make Mayweather Jr tap out this Saturday
September 17, 11:08 PMSacramento MMA ExaminerRick Rockwell
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MAYWEATHER VS. MARQUEZ CLOSED CIRCUIT SEATS NOW AVAILABLE

2009-09-18T08:36:00.000-07:00

MGM Grand To Host Limited Closed Circuit Seating For Saturday's Mega-Fight

LAS VEGAS (September 17) - Due to the high demand for tickets to the Floyd Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel Marquez mega-fight this Saturday, closed circuit viewing will now be available in MGM Grand Premier Ballroom in Las Vegas.

Tickets for the closed circuit telecast are priced at $50, not including handling fees. All seats are general admission and are on sale now at MGM Grand box office, by phone with a major credit card at (800) 929-1111 or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

Six-time world champion in five weight divisions FLOYD "Money" MAYWEATHER and five-time world champion in three weight divisions JUAN MANUEL "Dinamita" MARQUEZ will fight to find out who is "Number One/Numero Uno."

Mayweather vs. Marquez: "Number One/Numero Uno," is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with Marquez Promotions and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, AT&T, Quaker State, Dewalt Tools, Affliction Clothing and Southwest Airlines. The 12-round bout will take place Saturday, Sept. 19 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev. and will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

HBO Sports® all-access reality series "Mayweather/Marquez 24/7" returns with the premiere of the finale on Friday, Sept. 18 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. HBO® will replay episodes #1, #2 and #3 consecutively prior to the premiere of episode #4. The replays begin at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Sept. 18. Episodes #1-3 are also available on HBO ON DEMAND®.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-27477.html

Prelude To A Championship

2009-09-18T08:35:00.001-07:00

IOWA CITY (BASN) -- The big event in boxing coming up is the Marquez-Mayweather affair and the question for boxing fans is how rusty will Floyd Mayweather be?

On the surface, this looks like a Mayweather victory, for he's not only the bigger fighter but he may be the faster fighter; which negates any advantages Juan Manuel Marquez would have as the smaller man.

This fight is the prelude to even a bigger fight with the winner setting up a bigger pay day with Manny Pacquaio, the main money fighter in the game today. Neither Mayweather nor Marquez have proven to be money makers on their and they were often the other guy. Mayweather found himself playing second banana to the likes of Oscar De La Hoya or even Ricky Hatton.

Marquez was always overshadowed over his more famous rivals, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera and never seem to get the love of his own countryman until Morales retired and Barrera skills slipped.

For both of the fighters, this is their chance to be the stars and not be the opponents for others. Mayweather have been one of the best pound for pound over the past decade but that title moved to Manny Pacquaio when Mayweather took his sabbatical with Marquez holding on the number two spot due to his two close fights with the Pacman; one a draw and the other a lost.

The key to this fight will be first whether Marquez can stand up to Mayweather power and managed not to hit the canvas. In his two fights with Pacquaio, four knockdowns proved the deciding factor in losing both fights in very close fashion.

Source: http://blackathlete.net/artman2/publish/Boxing_19/Prelude_To_A_Championship.shtml

Floyd Mayweather Jr's ego may be big, but he just wins

2009-09-18T08:34:00.001-07:00

The time has come to in fact see who is number 1, who will step up and become numero uno? Judgment time is now upon us, will Manny Pacquiao's public enemy #1 please stand up? Enough with the questions, we need answers. The answers will be here sooner than we think. In just a few days we will not only know the result, but we will have a clearer answer on who really deserves to face the Pac-Man.

Floyd Mayweather Jr's ego may be too big to admit that this is exactly what this bout has come down to. I know for a fact that Juan Manuel Marquez sees this fight exactly for what it is, a step closer to the dance floor for another chance to dance with the Pac-Man.

So who wins the fight? As much as I would love to see Pacquiao/Marquez 3, I feel that Mayweather is going to smash that plan. Forget the trainer, forget the weight, this fight will be won on pure style and skill and lack of risk on Mayweather's part. Allow me to explain.

Mayweather's speed will without a doubt play a big role here but his safety first mentality will sweep Marquez's chances of victory away. We know that Pacquiao is one of the fastest fighters of this decade, so if Marquez was able to cope with Pacquiao's speed then Marquez will be able to handle Mayweather's speed right? Well, the answer to that is yes and no, Yes, because the speed is coming in spurts and with less velocity than it did against the Pacquiao typhoon. No, because the speed coming his way this time will be timed and spaced out a bit.

Long story short, what that means is that against Pacquiao, Marquez was right there with him because of Pacquiao's intense style that presented wide open counter punching opportunities for Marquez to dine on. Against Mayweather Jr., the risks that Pacquiao took to get at Marquez will not be there.I see Mayweather defeating Marquez with a peek a boo style that will surely spell doom for Marquez.

The fight will be a battle of the brains type of clash, but in the end Money May will take the nod. Next question will then be if Money May will then take on Pacquiao, and if so, will Money May allow the Pac-Man to take the bigger slice of the pie? Before we even go there, we must first wait and see if the Pacquiao Typhoon can crush the Borriqua Bomber. Questions, questions , questions....Floyd Mayweather Jr. By UD over Juan Manuel Marquez

Source: http://www.diamondboxing.com/newsstory.php?list=9619

Against Mayweather, underdog Marquez swings at greatness

2009-09-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

LAS VEGAS — When a fighter is as special as Juan Manuel Marquez, it shouldn't take this long for him to reach this level.

In 16 years as a professional, however, Saturday's bout against Floyd Mayweather at MGM Grand will be just the second time he has headlined a pay-per-view event (HBO PPV, 9 p.m. ET).

VOTE HERE: Who will win the Marquez-Mayweather fight?
MAYWEATHER: Taking a humble approach

A featherweight for most of his career, this is the first bout for Marquez above lightweight (135). The non-title fight is being billed as a welterweight matchup even though it will take place several pounds under the 147-pound limit.

Mayweather (39-0, 25 KOs), the pound-for-pound king before he took a two-year layoff, is a heavy favorite.

"It doesn't matter with me when the people say Mayweather (will) win," says Marquez, a Mexico City native who has rarely been an underdog. "I will put my Mexican heart inside the ring."

Until recently, when there was talk of all-time great Mexican fighters, the role call would read, in order: Julio Cesar Chavez, Salvador Sanchez, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales.

It wasn't until five years ago that Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs) started to creep into the picture, and that came on the heels of a draw in his first encounter with Manny Pacquiao.

Marquez was dropped three times in the first round, his nose broken on the final one, but got up to not only finish the 12-round featherweight championship fight but he won more rounds against the hard-punching and mythical pound-for-pound king.

In 2007, Marquez finally got a shot at Barrera and won a unanimous decision. He never fought Morales, who fought a trilogy with Barrera from 2000-04, the last two PPV shows.

"All the time I been behind Morales and Barrera. I know it's my time," says Marquez of feeling left out when he was promoted by Bob Arum of Top Rank, which also handled the careers of his countrymen.

"I'm very angry … Three fights (with) Barrera and Morales? What happened to Marquez? My promoter didn't give me the opportunities."

Marquez, 36, signed with Golden Boy Promotions in 2006. Despite being at an advanced age — particularly for fighters in the lighter weight classes who rely more on speed and reflexes than power — he has risen to new heights.

Even though he lost a close split decision in a rematch with Pacquiao 18 months ago, Marquez rose from the canvas again in what was another classic. He won the lineal lightweight crown from the long dominant but underrated Joel Casamayor, becoming the first to knock him out.

Earlier this year, Marquez kept up a blistering pace to become the first to knock out Juan Diaz with beautifully timed uppercuts from both hands in what is a leading candidate for Fight of the Year.

He realizes Mayweather will require him to raise his game even more. And he expects Mayweather, who has fought as heavy as 150 pounds, to impose his perceived advantage in strength.

"I think Mayweather is going to come out with everything in the first round. He's not going to wait," Marquez says. "If that happens it's going to be a great fight."

The anticipation is so great for Marquez that he revealed he'll do anything — including drinking his own urine for extra vitamins in the second installment of HBO's 24/7: Mayweather/Marquez— to win.

The sight of Marquez, who is followed into the bathroom by cameras, downing the warm, yellow liquid in a clear glass without the slightest cringe has created a national buzz. That 24/7 episode is one of the network's two top-rated shows since they began airing two years ago, according to Mark Taffet of HBO PPV.

"A fighter who's lost before, he's got doubt. There's a blueprint on how to beat Marquez," Mayweather says. "There's not a blueprint on how to beat Mayweather. …

"But I'm not going to drink urine or nothing like that. (That's) crazy."

A win of this magnitude would put Marquez alongside, and maybe even above, his idol, Chavez (107-6-2), a legend from Culiacan who knocked out Meldrick Taylor with two seconds left in their junior welterweight championship bout in 1990.

A win, he says, "it'll make Mexican people crazy. Me, too."

No lien: There is no longer an Internal Revenue Service lien on Mayweather's purse, meaning that the IRS will not show up at today's weigh-in to collect the roughly $6 million Mayweather was believed to have owed.

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2009-09-17-marquez-mayweather-adv_N.htm

Boxing Stars Weigh In on Mayweather/Marquez

2009-09-18T08:32:00.000-07:00

Busy fighters on the run still have time to make predictions when they get a text from Ryan's Celebrity Cell Phone Poll!

The great thing about boxers is that they're just normal people like you and me -- they just beat people up for a living. But just like anyone else, if you want a quick answer from them, all you need to do is shoot them a text! And that's what we did in this edition of Celebrity Cell Phone Poll. We asked them the following:

"Who do you like this weekend, Mayweather or Marquez, and why?"

Here's what they think:

STEVEN LUEVANO (WBO Featherweight Champion): "Don't know... Mayweather is fast and smart, but Marquez is too and a hell of a counterpuncher. I will go Marquez."

ANTHONY LENK (junior welterweight rising star): "Floyd, because he is too quick and powerful. It's going to be a tough fight for both. I don't see any knockouts happening."

JOHN JOHN MOLINA JR. (lightweight prospect): "Love Marquez but Mayweather is too big for him."

TOMMY RAINONE (welterweight out of New York): "Mayweather, late KO, in a tougher-than-expected fight where he has to dig a little."

NATE CAMPBELL (former unified lightweight champion): "Mayweather. He has the superior skills."

TIM BRADLEY (WBO Light Welterweight Champion): "Mayweather in 12th round TKO. Too fast, too big, too slick, too smart... easy fight for him!"

DANNY GARCIA (undefeated junior welterweight prospect): "The upset - Marquez, because he's been busy fighting the best over the last couple years. I feel like he's at the top of his game and hungrier than Floyd."

Source: http://www.411mania.com/boxing/news/116596/Boxing-Stars-Weigh-In-on-Mayweather-Marquez.htm

Mayweather too skilled for Marquez, says fighter's uncle

2009-09-18T08:31:00.000-07:00

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez may have the ideal style to beat Floyd Mayweather Jr on Saturday, but the American's uncle and trainer Roger Mayweather believes his nephew's superior skill will be insurmountable.

Marquez, who has won world titles in three weight divisions, is renowned for his counter-punching and the older Mayweather cautioned that a different approach would be foolhardy in the non-title welterweight bout.

"If he (Marquez) fights like a real head-first fighter, he's gonna get knocked out early," Roger Mayweather told reporters at the MGM Grand on Thursday.

"He's got a little bit of head movement, he's got some boxing skill and obviously he's got some tough will," the American said of Marquez, who has a 50-4-1 career record with 37 knockouts.

"So he ain't the easiest guy to beat. He ain't bad. It's just that he's facing the best guy in the sport."

Mayweather Jr., 39-0 (25) has not fought since December 2007 when he knocked out Britain's Ricky Hatton in the 10th round, but his uncle did not believe the layoff would be a factor.

"I know one thing about layoffs and I know about fighters," Roger Mayweather said. "What did you think Sugar Ray Leonard had? He had a five-and-a-half-year layoff. He had two detached retina surgeries, right.

"But he still beat the greatest middleweight. He beat Marvin Hagler when he was laid off five-and-a-half-years. Fights are won by skill. That's all there is to it."

BEST FIGHTER

During the younger Mayweather's absence from the ring, most experts have anointed Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines as the best fighter in the world, courtesy of his victories over Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya.

Roger Mayweather, however, ridiculed the idea.

"I don't see how Pacquiao is best," he said of his undefeated nephew. "He's already got a loss. How is he gonna be the best if he already got a loss?

"Floyd ain't lost...so how is he not the best? You can't be the best fighter just because you beat Oscar De La Hoya. Floyd beat De La Hoya too and he did it at a higher weight (class)."

If Mayweather beats Marquez on Saturday and Pacquiao overcomes Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto at the same venue in November, the scene could be set for a potential Mayweather-Pacquiao clash in 2010.

However, Roger Mayweather believes American Shane Mosley would pose a much tougher challenge than the Filipino southpaw.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idUSSP14607920090918

Trainers, Fighters, Managers and more give their opinion on Mayweather/Marquez

2009-09-18T08:28:00.000-07:00

In a fight that is sure to affect the landscape of the boxing world, former pound for pound King Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather makes his grand return to the ring against proven former champion Juan Manuel Marquez. Pitting Mayweather’s boxing savvy and ring intellect against Marquez’ technical brilliance may not captivate audiences like other upcoming contests but it will surely answer a few questions about the careers of both men.

When talking to people in the boxing world it is obvious that Mayweather is favored to win the fight for a variety of reasons. A good core of people feel that Marquez will do more tha n enough to keep the fight competitive but very few can actually envision him coming away with the win.

8 Count News recently touched base with a variety of people involved in the boxing game, from fighters past and present, managers, trainers, writers, and more. This is what everybody is saying about the September 19th Mayweather/Marquez clash…

Former IBF Cruiserweight Champion Al Cole

“I think mayweather will win and also marquez has to put on a lot of weight. Pacquiao was a much smaller opponent.

Former two time champion and current trainer John David Jackson
“I have to go with Mayweather in this one. I think Marquez will give him a tough fight but I think Floyd will get to him late. I could see him cutting Marquez up pretty good, busting him up.”

Ryan Songalia (wwwBoxingScene.com writer)

“The first thing I noticed at the Mayweather-Marquez press conference at the Empire State Building was not the negligible size disparity but the scarring on Marquez. Marquez20has been in a lot of wars and no amount of urine consumption can erase that.

That being said, we haven't seen Mayweather in the ring for a long time now. There is no knowing what Mayweather has left anymore until we see him in the ring. What I will say is that Mayweather does not like to lose; even if that means having an opponent jump two weight divisions to fight him. Mayweather's brain trusts understand that his appeal is his "0". Hence, the fascination with making absurd comments like "I'm better than Ali and Ray Robinson." Of course we know that's not in the ballpark of reason but it's what makes Floyd Mayweather Jr. who he is.

Marquez has traditionally not fared well when he fights people who will attempt to box him. Marquez needs to stand his ground and counter to be effective. Fighters like Freddie Norwood, Chris John etc. have made Marquez look awkward at times by taking a step back. Marquez found himself on the canvas against Pacquiao and Barrera while trying to go out and be aggressive.

It's like Paulie Malignaggi said a while back when I asked him about the fight. He said, "It's just a little too much to handle when you have skill and size to deal with." Marquez's best shot is to get in close and throw combinations, which Mayweather has done less and less of. I think we'll see Mayweather trying to potshot and get comfortable for the first few rounds then take over down the stretch.”

Former world title challenger and current trainer John ‘Ice’ Scully

“I will go with Mayweather, even with the long lay off. I always have the impression that Mayweather is the type of guy who never gets too far out of shape and I think even during his lay off he was able to maintain some level of conditioning and sharpness. This certainly isn't a guy who took a long lay off and gained thirty pounds of fat. I think Mayweather will look surprisingly sharp after such a lay off, I think Marquez will make it an interesting fight but one thing about Mayweather so far in his career is that whenever his back has been against the wall he has stood up tall and answered every question asked with flying colors. Now, as much as I think Mayweather will come back without breaking much of his stride, it is still an X factor. If there is ever a time when he could or would be stale this would be the time. His first fight back against a very capable guy. If Marquez can box and make it a thing where he has Mayweather missing single shots and is countering Floyd20with sharp shots of his own it could disrupt his game and maybe cause some doubt to creep into his head. I think Marquez either needs to have very early success or after the halfway mark he needs to really turn on the gas and make Floyd doubt himself, make him think maybe Marquez will be the stronger man down the stretch. Ultimately I think Floyd wil be highly motivated and will shine but if that isn't to happen I think it will be because Marquez starts fast and gets him out of his game or because Marquez wins a game of extreme endurance over the long haul.”

Dibella Entertainment Matchmaker Joe Quiamboa

“I like Mayweather because he is too big and too fast. I think this would be a bout which has 2 counter punchers and when that happens, somebody has to take the lead. i think Marquez, being the smaller or the two will have to be the one leading and that will be his downfall. Although you have 2 great fighters in there, I don't expect any fireworks btwn these two. The only X factor is how people w ill react or demand a Pacquiao fight if this fight ends up as I think it will.”

Cruiserweight Contender Matt Godfrey

“I just expect a great fight. I hate to have to choose one over the other.”

Thomas Hauser (www.SecondsOut.com and www.MaxBoxing.com writer)

“Mayweather. Given his skills, plus he's just too big for Marquez”
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Las Vegas based trainer Don House

“I think this fight should be called "the beauty and the beast". The beauty being the way Mayweather fights, the beast being the relentless attack of Marquez. Some years ago my fighter gave Marquez his first loss, Freddy Norwood, between you and I, I thought we loss that fight. A matter of fact we fought on a Mayweather undercard in Vegas. I see this fight going the distance. One thing about Mayweather he will be in the best shape and for this fight he better. We already know what shape that Marquez will be in. Tip Top Shape. If Mayweather can box Marquez for 12 rounds and stay off the ropes I think he will win. On the other hand Mayweather loves to put himself on the ropes and fight off of them, I think this will be a big mistake for him. Marquez has great boxing ability, nothing flashy, simple, clean, but nice and he gets the job done. I think his job is to rough Mayweather up a bit, push him against the ropes and hit him anywhere, the arms the head, the hips, and where ever he can hit him and get away wit h it, make the fight tuff for Mayweather, mess up that pretty face. If He can do this Marquez wins. The pressure is on Mayweather, protecting that unblemished record, Marquez has loss a few times and hit the canvas and in one fight three times still came out smelling like a rose. This is a tuff one to call. But I am leaning toward Mayweather.”

Boxing manager Jackie Kallen

“I would like to see Mayweather win so he can fight the winner of Pacquiao/Cotto. Boxing needs a super fight like that to help bring the sport back. Good fight either way. Despite the long layoff, I see Mayweather beating Pacquiao (who beat Marquez last year). I see it as a distance fight, although both fighters have high KO percentages. I think their defensive skills will be in high gear and they will give and take for the entire fight. A key word that stands out to me is hunger. Does Mayweather still have it? Does Marquez? Who wants this more? That will be the key.”

Danny Serratelli (www.BrickCityBoxing.com writer)

“I think it can go either way, obviously Floyd is a big favorite. If Mayweather wins it will be because he will no mix it up, will run and will dictate the tempo of the fight. If Marquez can impose his will and won some rounds it would become interesting. Early rounds both men size each other up and Floyd tries to take a little more with each passing round, while Marquez starts getting a little desperate by the mid way point. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Floyd hasn't fought in a while and Marquez has. Can Marquez be aggressive enough to take Floyd out of his safety first mode. Will it make a difference to Floyd if he wins without entertaining the crowd? All of these questions will be answered on September 19th.”
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Lightweight Contender Jorge ‘The Truth’ Teron

“I'm still on the fence about who I think is going to win between Mayweather and Marquez on Sept 19th. If I absolutely had to choose one side I'd go with Mayweather but I can also see Marquez winning the fight. I think Mayweather's speed is ultimately what's going to earn him a close decision win on Sept 19th. There are several factors that come into play in this fight. Like how comfortable is Mayweather going to be in the ring after such a long layoff or how is Marquez going to respond to fighting at a new weight class. All questions that make this such a tough fight to pick. I can see the fight playing out several ways. If Mayweather still has the tools that made him the pound for pound best fighter in the world before he retired then I see him winning in a close spirited fight but if Marquez adjusts well to the new weight then he can present a lot of the same problems Castillo did when he fought Mayweather the first time. So again if I had to bet on someone my money is going on the fighter hasn't lost a fight yet which is Mayweather but Marquez20has everything it takes to make this a close and very interesting fight.”

Heavyweight Contender Cedric Boswell

“I think Floyd will win, I think Marquez will be a very game fighter but Floyd will be too big and strong for him. I think Marquez will almost match speed but not strong enough. Diaz and casomayor shook Marquez up a little bit, Floyd is punching alot sharper then them. Floyd win by tko in the later rounds.”

Ryan Bates (Las Vegas boxing correspondent, 411mania.com co-Host, "3 More Rounds")

“Juan Manuel Marquez is not commonly considered #2 pound-for-pound for no good reason. He's one of the few people who has actually stood toe-to-toe with (and maybe bested, depending on who you ask) current pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao. He has power, he has a solid chin, and he has more intestinal fortitude than most U.S. politicians. He has the ingredients to pull off the upset. But can he do it? I don't know. Up and down, the deck is stacked against him, from the venue to the catch-weight. Maybe not like the deck Paulie Malignaggi was given to play with in Houston, but still, the proverbial planets are more aligned with Mayweather. Furthermore, love him or hate him, to deny Mayweather's wicked smart boxing brain and lightning fast speed in his hands and feet is like saying that grass is orange. I expect that the fight will go similar to DLH/Mayweather, in that Marquez will put the pressure on Mayweather for five solid rounds, while Mayweather taps-and-runs; as Marquez slows, Floyd will tap a little more often, edging out rounds for a split decision. That being said, I could never bring myself to actually picking the Pretty Money Boy Child, so I pick Marquez for the upset.”

Former amateur champion Eric Kelly

“Floyd will take the fight .Floyd is the more slicker and elusive boxer. Speed and skill always over comes power. Floyd is great on the inside and out, he makes angles and opening's and is very precise. It'll be a one sided boxing match and then Floyd will open in the mid rounds en route to a late round TKO or unanimous decision. Watch out when on the inside for Marquez’s incredible uppercut. Marquez is one of my favorite fighters and is strong; he is relentless and never lets up. His body and head attack is ferocious. Let’s hope that Floyd’s rib is very well healed and they he can out box and keep Marquez at by.”

Heavyweight Contender Travis Kauffman

“I like Floyd Mayweather because he is going to be naturally bigger and stronger. I think Marquez comes out strong anc gives Floyd a little trouble for the first 3 rds until Floyd gets off the ring rust then Floyd k o's Marquez in the 10th or 11th.”

Aladdin Freeman (www.BraggingRightsCorner.com writer)

“I think Floyd but a tough fight but based on his speed and the fact that he is the bigger man I like him. Plus I saw Nacho watching Jose Luis Castillo fight Floyd..Marquez isn't that type of fighter. Also, although I love Marquez, he sometimes gets hit cleaner than he'd like and that cost him in the Judges eyes vs. Manny and could do the same here.”

‘Mighty’ Mike Anchondo

“I've always lived by the rule that you can't hurt what you can't hit. Being that Mayweather is faster then Marquez, I do think he will be able to pull out the victory. There is a chance though, if Marquez puts enough pressure and uses his precision, he will be able to pull off an upset, as Castillo did in their first fight. If he can get in and fight at cloe range, he'll be able to slowly, and methodically chip away at Mayweathers body. I'm rooting for Marquez to win, but in reality, I know Mayweather will win. I see it going the distance, Marquez has too much pride to not do it. Let me tell you though, if there's an upset, boxing and Mexico will have a huge uprising and it will help the future and attitude in the sport.”

Welterweight Contender David Estrada

“I think mayweather will win cuz he got more speed and power. Hez a bigger man too. I think mayweather stayz away from him the whole fight and landz a punch or 2 everytime marquez makez a=2 0mistake. He might even stop him late.”

11-0 Jr. Welterweight Prospect Raymond Charles

“I think Mayweather’s style is going to easily beat Marquez. Marquez is versatile but Mayweather’s style is going to give him all kinds of problems. I see Mayweather dominating the fight.”

Ben Thompson (Editor, www.FightHype.com)

“Mayweather by Split Decision. I think it's going to be a chess match and, in my opinion, Mayweather is a little better at playing chess than Marquez. I think the layoff will see Floyd a little rustier than normal, throwing his timing off and causing him to miss a little more than usual in the first four rounds. By the middle rounds, Floyd will find his rhythm and begin to take over. In the late rounds, it might be closer than a lot of people, including the judges, expect and I can definitely see Marquez getting the nod on 1 of the scorecards while Mayweather earns the decision on the other 2. A rematch won't be necessary, but don't be surprised to hear quite a few people, including Golden Boy Promotions, asking for one. The intangibles are obviously the weight difference (Floyd being a welterweight and Marquez being a lightweight) and Floyd's long layoff. In my opinion, however, the most important intangibles are the judges and whay they prefer to see when judging a bout. I think there's going to be a lot of close rounds that come down to who landed the more accurate and telling shots and if this fight does end up going to the scorecards, I think the eyesight and personal preferences of the judges are going to be EXTREMELY important when determining the outcome of this one.”

Former Title Challenger Billy Irwin

“Mayweather wins easy. Will stop him. Mayweather is too big and fast. Mayweather can outbox him when he wants and out punch him. I do not see it as being that competitive.”

Dennis Guillermo (Indianapolis Fight Sports Examiner.)

“This fight will be closer than most think. I favor Mayweather but if he shows up with any kind of rust, Marquez is more than capable of decisioning him. Mayweather is an excellent defensive fighter on top of being faster and stronger than Marquez. Marquez is an intelligent fighter who can adjust on the fly and really give Mayweather fits. I am concerned of two things though. How will Marquez be affected by the extra weight he is packing? Will it significantly increase his strength or will it just slow him down? What's the condition of Floyd's ribs? I kn ow Marquez will test it out, so we'll see.”

Light Heavyweight Rubin ‘Mr. Hollywood’ Williams

“I think Floyd will win unanimously. I see a very competitive first six rounds then he will pull away second half of the fight. Marquez, skill wise, is right there but floyd is stronger and faster the only difference.”

Johnny Schulz (www.15Rounds.com writer)

“Obviously a hand picked opponent with the naturally bigger Mayweather with a 5" reach advantage can easily out box a come forward fighting Marquez who will have problems getting to Mayweather. I see Mayweather being a slick outside boxer to a UD winnig nearly everyround. Early and late rounds should be exciting and the mid rounds should be a clinic.”

Boxing Manager Cameron Dunkin

“Floyd is too big, too quick and too fast. As a great a fighter as Marquez is and he is a GREAT fighter, Mayweather is even GREATER in my opinion. I see Floyd winning a unanimous decision (like 10-2 or 9-3). These are two real pros and I don't think anything outside the ring will affect either one of them once the bell rings.”

Troy Ondrizek (www.BoxingScene.com writer)

“Mayweather is who I think will win, by SD. Marquez is a phenomenal counter-puncher and to me is the better overall fighter. But the speed of Mayweather and his great sense of spacing and distance will catch JMM coming in, because Floyd won't give him many opportunities to counter. Marquez will take the fight to Mayweather early with limited to no success. Floyd will land the cleaner shots early. The middle rounds will be Marquez' for the most part, as he makes better mid fight adjustments than any other fighter of his generation. And it is here he'll find the most success and this will be the most entertaining part of the fight. Floyd’s size and strength advantage will carry him in the late rounds; it'll be Marquez's skill that keeps him standing late because Floyd will start throwing with more purpose and in greater amounts so the fight won't go to the judges. Judges don't necessarily favor the styles of both men and Floyd won't want to leave it to them, but he will. X-factor will be Floyd’s size and speed, the fight will be close because of Marquez' skill and brilliant boxing mind.”

Former Welterweight Contender Nick Acevedo

“I would like to see Marquez win because he's a warrior but I think Mayweather is going to be to fast and too slick for him. I feel Mayweather's speed and conditioning will win him the fight. I think Mayweather will out point Marquez and win a decision”

Aaron Skinner (www.8CountNews.com writer)

“Many people are claiming this to be a tune-up fight for Mayweather in preparation for a fight with Pacman. Sure Mayweather and Pac are 1A and 1B as P4P kings, but Marquez is no slouch. He is another P4P top 20 fighter. Tell me who else, has given Pac as much trouble as Marquez has? (And not once but twice) This is no tune-up fight and Marquez will be in top shape looking to become the first person to beat Mayweather.
There are a lot of variables that make this fight interesting. How did the time off hurt Floyd? He was known for his world class speed, but is it still there after the layoff. How does the extra weight help/hurt Marquez? He is n't a spring chicken and won't have to strain to make weight, but he will most likely be slower than he usually is. Come fight time, Mayweather will be the biggest fighter Marquez has ever fought and that extra power Floyd will carry could be key in breaking Marquez down. In my opinion, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the best fighter the sport has scene in a long time. Love him or hate him, you have to respect him. I think Marquez will fight like the Mexican warrior he is, but in the end Mayweather will just be too much for him and squeak out a close UD.”

Source: http://www.8countnews.com/news/125/ARTICLE/1925/2009-09-17.html

Pacquiao mulls legal action vs Mayweather over ‘steroids’ claim

2009-09-17T17:30:00.000-07:00

A strong left hook as devastating as the one that knocked out Ricky Hatton last summer may be coming Floyd Mayweather Sr.’s way.

Boxing star Manny Pacquiao bared he’s seriously contemplating on taking legal action against the outspoken American trainer regarding comments he made insinuating the Filipino boxing idol is into steroids.

The issue surrounding illegal supplement welcomed Pacquiao Thursday morning upon his return from a week-long promotional tour for his Nov. 14 title fight with Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto.

The world’s top pound-for-pound king didn’t take the Mayweather accusation sitting down, readily instructing legal counsel Jeng Gacal to examine the statements made by the ageing American trainer and see if possible legal action could be filed.

“Pinag-aaralan na namin kung sasampahan namin siya ng kaso tungkol sa mga pinagsasabi niya," said the 30-year-old boxing champ.

Pacquiao was quick to deny he’s taking steroids and other type of supplements that resulted in his sensational victories over boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya and Hatton – two fighters bigger and stronger than him, but whom he brutally beat in succession.

Mayweather Sr. incidentally, was the trainer of Hatton when Pacquiao knocked him out cold inside two rounds.

“Ano ba yang steroids na yan? Anong kulay ba yan? Ni hindi ko nga alam ang hitsura ng steroids. Baka sila ang gumagamit nun," said Pacquiao, obviously annoyed by Mayweather Sr.’s insinuation.

Quoted by the international press, Mayweather Sr. the other day implied Pacquiao was into illegal stuff the way other boxers have been doing these days.

“I believe he’s (Pacquiao) on some type of supplements. I’m convinced about a lot of (boxers). That’s what they’re (Pacquiao camp) doing right now. Everybody should be checked a little bit more thoroughly. Sometimes people know what’s going on but they ain’t saying anything."

Despite the threat of a legal action against him, Mayweather Sr. remains steadfast in his belief.

“I think Pacquiao is on something," he said in an interview with FightHype.com. “I’m telling you, he puts on that weight too fast and it’s too lean. They need to start checking him and monitoring him better.

And yes, Mayweather is aware of it, acknowledging, “I hear the Filipinos are mad at me."

Count Pacquiao trainer and mortal rival Freddie Roach among those furious against Mayweather Sr.

“You know, these guys come up with reason why they lost," said Roach. “They lost because Floyd Sr sucks as trainer and I had the better fighter."

Despite the unpleasant matter that welcomed him upon his return, Pacquiao remains upbeat about the eight-week training camp he’ll have for the Cotto fight.

Arriving aboard PAL flight 103 Thursday morning, Pacquiao said he will be traveling to Baguio on Sunday where he will be based until mid-October.

Training camp formally begins on Sept. 21, and then shifts base in the U.S. at the Wild Card gym in Los Angeles by Oct. 17. - GMANews.TV

Source: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/172544/pacquiao-mulls-legal-action-vs-mayweather-over-steroids-claim

Mayweather expects 'blood, sweat and tears' with Marquez

2009-09-17T17:27:00.000-07:00

(CNN) -- Floyd Mayweather Jr has predicted his comeback contest with Juan Manuel Marquez will contain "blood, sweat and tears" before ending in victory for the Michigan-born fighter.

The 32-year-old American, who has won world titles at five different weights and is recognized as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters ever, has not fought since he overcame Ricky Hatton in December 2007.

Marquez's most recent bout was against Juan Diaz in February when he claimed the vacant WBA and WBO lightweight crowns.

The Mexican is also a five-time, three-weight world champion and boasts a record of 50 victories, four defeats, one draw with 37 knockouts

Mayweather faces the Marquez in the non-title welterweight fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday and was bristling with confidence ahead of the contest.

"To go down as a legend, you have to face the best in your era and Marquez is one of the best in my era," Mayweather told reporters at the pre-fight press conference.

"I have been around the sport and I have experienced many different styles, and I will adjust and adapt. Now I am back and September 19 is another big day for me.

"You can expect blood, sweat and tears on Saturday night. I predict one hell of a fight.

"I have a lot of respect for Marquez. He hasn't said anything bad about me, so I have nothing bad to say about him. How can I say something bad about someone who respects my fight game?"

He continued: "This isn't going to be difficult. Nothing is difficult. I just had to get back into the groove. I had to keep working hard. I love to box. I love to go into combat.

"I am not like other fighters. Other fighters have been beat. There is no blue print to beat me. There is a blue print to beat Marquez, because he has been beaten before.

"I am a strong individual and only the strong will survive. I have the skills to pay the bills. It is not about who is the biggest. It is about who is the most skilled. When I get in the squared circle, I am going to do what I have to do to win."

Marquez, who was due to fight 'Money' Mayweather in July before the American suffered a rib injury, revealed the respect he has for his opponent and admitted he is happy to be seen as the underdog in the contest.

"In my mind, Floyd Mayweather is the number one pound-for-pound fighter, and to be number one, you have to fight number one," he said.

"Mayweather is illusive and a counter puncher. I am going to go after him. There is a chance he might try to come after me, but I know I am going to go after him.

"I know people are betting against me, but it doesn't matter to me. I have my mind and I have my concentration, and I have the motivation to win.

"This fight is the most important fight of my career, and I am going to put everything in the ring."

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/09/17/boxing.mayweather.welterweight.marquez/

Mayweather vs. Marquez - September 19th 2009 Tribute

2009-09-17T05:41:00.001-07:00

Oscar De La Hoya: Juan Manuel Marquez will beat Floyd Mayweather

2009-09-17T05:34:00.001-07:00

Floyd Mayweather shows respect to Juan Manuel Marquez

2009-09-17T05:32:00.000-07:00

FLOYD MAYWEATHER SR.: "I HEAR THE FILIPINOS ARE MAD AT ME"

2009-09-17T05:05:00.000-07:00

"Lil Floyd look sharp, man. If what he's doing in the gym carries over to the ring, it's going to be ugly. He tearing people ass up in the gym and that's with the big gloves. When he puts those small gloves on, it's going to be trouble. He's ready though man. He's been sharp…I hear the Filipinos are mad at me," stated world-renowned trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. just days before his son's upcoming return to the ring this Saturday. Check out what he had to say about the fight and his recent claim that "Pacquiao is on something."

PC: Big Floyd, how are you man?

FM: Everything is good Percy. How about you?

PC: I've been doing good man. I just wanted to catch up with you before the fight. How are you feeling?

FM: I feel okay now, but I didn't go to the press conference today because I wasn't feeling good. That's the way it is with me with this disease. If I don't feel like going, I don't go.

PC: I never understood the point of a pre-fight press conference anyway. It's truly nothing left to say 2 days before the weigh-ins.

FM: I know. It's time to fight now, shit! All of the talking is over with.

PC: How is Lil Floyd looking in your eyes?

FM: Lil Floyd look sharp, man. If what he's doing in the gym carries over to the ring, it's going to be ugly. He tearing people ass up in the gym and that's with the big gloves. When he puts those small gloves on, it's going to be trouble. He's ready though man. He's been sharp.

PC: I saw you educating Eddie Murphy.

FM: Yeah, it was cool to hang out with him. He's alright. Him and Johnny Gill were there.

PC: Oh okay. Do you think there's anything behind the piss drinking thing?

FM: Man, let me tell you something man. That's nothing but waste leaving your body. That's the case, he might as well eat his own poop poop. It's nothing good come from that man, come on.

PC: I'll be honest with you, I've asked a lot of people for their prediction and I haven't gotten anyone to pick Marquez over Lil Floyd yet, but a couple of people believe Cotto can beat Pacquiao.

FM: I think he can too. Man, let me tell you something man, Clottey ain't nothing to play with. Everybody going off of Cotto's performance over Clottey, but I think Clottey would beat Pacquiao. That motherfucker ain't no joke man. Cotto could definitely beat Pacquiao. Pacquiao better take him serious because one thing about Lil Floyd, he works his ass off. People talking about wanting to see Pacquiao fight my son, let me tell you man, Lil Floyd would pick Pacquiao's ass apart. Shit, Marquez picked him apart. But I'm going to tell you man, I think Pacquiao is on something.

PC: I was going to ask you about the comments you made about thinking Pacquiao was on steroids. You ruffled some feathers.

FM: (Laughing) I hear the Filipinos are mad at me.

PC: Yeah, they're not going to be sending you any Christmas cards.

FM: Man, I'm telling you man, he puts on that weight too fast and it's too lean. They need to start checking him man and monitoring him better.

PC: I won't hold you up any longer. Get you some rest my man. I was just wishing you luck and checking on you.

FM: Alright Percy well you know I appreciate it and take care of yourself man.

Source: http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content5703.html

Floyd Mayweather Plays Media Masterfully

2009-09-17T05:03:00.000-07:00

You think maybe some of the folks associated with Floyd Mayweather’s return to the ring wish that maybe he wasn’t working quite so hard on drumming up interest in the Saturday bout with Juan Manuel Marquez?

Floyd’s rant on Wednesday, which featured slaps at our nation’s race issues, Oscar De La Hoya, US sports fans, US fight fans, HBO’s Larry Merchant and Manny Steward, has made the rounds on the web, and if Mayweather’s aim were simply to get people talking about him, and training their eyeballs on him, then he has certainly succeeded.

The most incendiary portion of his remarks were his comments on his perceived status as a black man in America. "If you're rich, you're a rich n-----," he said. "If you're poor, you're a poor n----. If you're smart, you're a smart n-----. At the end of the day, they still look at me as a n-----."

The notable sports-snark websites The Big Easy and Deadspin both synopsized Mayweather’s rat-a-tat rant at multiple targets, and concluded that the fighter’s launch misfired.

“You know you’ve worn out your crazy card when those comments fall flat,” the Big Lead’s Ty Duddy wrote.

Over at Deadspin, Barry Petchesky riffed on Floyd’s comment that: "I wouldn't change my life for nothing in the world. There's nothing like being young, black and rich. But there are certain things you think about. If Floyd Mayweather was white, I'd be the biggest athlete in America. The biggest, the biggest. I know that for a fact."

“That's funny, because the biggest athletes in America are Tiger Woods and LeBron James,” Petchesky wrote. “And the last time a boxer was the biggest name in sports, it was Mike Tyson.”

A thoroughly unscientific sample of friends, neighbors and Facebook pals found most writing off Floyd’s chatter as pre-fight hype. Does he believe what he’s saying? Sure, most seem to think. Is he putting it out there because he knows how to make us keyboard tappers take notice? Sure thing. And it leads one to wonder, how much longer will some of these boldface names that Floyd has taken to task put up with it? You’ll recall he laced into HBO in July 2008, during his hiatus, to the Grand Rapids Press.

"Even a guy like Jim Lampley, he praises Kelly Pavlik -- who has won some good fights, he beat Jermain Taylor twice, we have to give him credit for that -- but they talk about Kelly Pavlik, a white fighter, like he's the second coming,” Mayweather said. “Or they go crazy over Manny Pacquiao. But I'm a black fighter. Is it racial? Absolutely. They praise white fighters, they praise Hispanic fighters, whatever. But black fighters, they never praise. I've noticed it for a long time but I couldn't say anything because I had to do business with them. I'll still do business with them, but I'm done holding my tongue."

He did hold his tongue for awhile during his comeback. At his Empire State Building press conference in May, I asked him about that shot at HBO, and wondered if he still felt the same way, or had he buried the hatchet and gotten over it? At the time, in deft political fashion, he refused to re-enter that charged milieu, and threw the question back at me. (I actually do believe that perhaps Floyd does get a slightly rawer deal from media members, particularly Caucasian ones who have trouble identifying with some of his behaviors and pals and such, for the record.) But now we know that the fighter does still hold a grudge against HBO, or at least the announcing team. Till now, Mayweather has been able to minimize his distaste, so he can continue doing business with them, and allow them to play their part in attempting to sell a million pay-per-view buys to his comeback tussle.

So..how much longer will “they” put up with it? Easy answer--as long as Mayweather is a viable pay-per-view attraction, a certified personality who exhibits enough charisma to guest star on “Raw,” and land a national cell phone commercial. People he’s verbally tasered will hold their tongue, as Floyd said he’d been doing, and swallow their pride, and not blast back as some of them must want to. Because it is all, or virtually all, about MAKING MONEY. We all make choices daily, trading our time, energy, effort and yes, sometimes, our pride in exchange for a check. Some just do it in more public fashion, and for more zeroes on their checks.

I have to think Oscar De La Hoya may well be at the top of the blast-back list. You might not have heard what Floyd said about him. No, not at the Wednesday press conference, when he said anything negative Oscar does gets swept under the rug. (Er, Floyd must’ve not seen the NY tabloids having a field day with Goldie photos during that flareup. No under-rug-sweeping was going on…) I’m talking about the night before, on E’s “Chelsea Lately,” the late-night talk show featuring comedian Chelsea Lately. On Tuesday night, Floyd chatted with Handler. She wondered if he might like to put up his leg, and place his foot next to his tush, as she was doing. No thanks, he indicated with a limping of his wrist, people then might think I’m not hetero. Handler assured him that nobody thinks he’s not straight, and then she asked about his trash talking, especially before he fought Oscar De La Hoya in 2007.

“You didn’t like Oscar De La Hoya at all,” she said.

“You wouldn’t like a man who wears fishnets,” Mayweather said.

“I don’t like men who wear fishnets, unless they’re gay and out of the closet,” she said, “then I can support that.”

“Then he hide, he hide,” Floyd said, chuckling.

Just maybe Oscar is cool with Floyd using the allegation of marital infidelities to stir the pot, get us tappers talkin,’ maybe get a few hundred buys tacked on Saturday night. All’s fair in love, war, and publicizing your pay per view, perhaps.

Something else Mayweather said on Handler’s show got me thinking. Kanye West the day before had wrested the spotlight from award winner Taylor Swift in a boozy defense of his pal Beyonce, who didn’t get the award Swift was holding. “It made him bigger. The whole show’s been about Kanye West,” Mayweather noted. Truth. Kanye was on everyone’s lips. The President, even. So what if the consensus was that he acted like a jackass. At least people are talking about him. That’s a short leap to buying his merch. Same deal for Mayweather. People are talking about him. Borges wrote about him. I wrote about. We are hyping his event.

Do I accept or embrace the substance of Floyd’s Wednesday rant? No. Most glaringly, I think his theory on race affecting his popularity is significantly off kilter. A black cabbie pal of mine thinks a good number of black fans will backlash on Floyd, pissed off that he’s whining about his place, while the rate of unemployment among blacks is at 20% in many parts of the US. Most crucial to his lower-than-he-likes-level of acceptance, fight fans don’t take to his style of fighting. Fight fans pay to see compelling, dramatic combat. That’s the bottom line. They will overlook a boring persona, or a tendency towards excessive bragging, or clashes with law enforcement, if you satisfy their desire to see spirited, aggressive combat. But if your style is geared towards defense first, then you can’t expect to be universally beloved, as Floyd apparently does.

It ain’t about race, it’s about punching in the face, basically. Do it hard, and fast, and frequently, against worthy foes, and they will tell you they love you, with their wallets.

But, let’s be clear about this. Floyd doesn’t care what I think. He just cares maybe a bit that I’m spending a little time, and devoting a little space to him. He has a fight to hype, he knows how me and my type operate. He gave us red meat, we took the bait, chewed on it, shared some with TSS U. Did it work? We will know authoritatively when we see those buy rates. In the meantime, I predict his targets’ tongues will be held, because Floyd holds massive sway as the game’s first or second draw. Man’s no fool, he knows he has a free pass to talk some smack, and the HBO crew and Oscar have to grin and bear it to an extent. Or…I have a conspiracy theory brewing in my brain…Suppose Oscar is itching to fight again, and he and Floyd have discussed this, and Floyd’s reference to fishnets is round one in the road to their rematch. Yikes. There I go again, proving at least one of my points, that if Floyd’s aim on Monday and Wednesday was to get his name on peoples’ tongues, then he has succeeded.

Source: http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/7197/floyd-mayweather-plays-media-masterfully/

Mayweather vs. Marquez: What's not to like about this fight?

2009-09-17T05:01:00.000-07:00

72 hours out and I don't get why this promotion didn't catch fire with fans or media. It's going to be a great fight.

One is Mexican, One is the perfect bad boy we all already hate.

No belts, sanctioning bodies, commissions, weights to really be concerned about. Two of the top five pound for pound fighters in the world at comparable weights, with just one barely out of his prime but the fresher of the two. No serious competition entertainment -wise.

On paper this is another sold out MGM Grand event with a huge world-wide pay-per-view audience.

What? They are both counter punchers? You wuss! Within 10 seconds of the opening bell these two are going at it.

There is no punching power? Wrong. Both are punch - efficient finishers.

I can't believe I'm backing a Floyd Mayweather fight, but I'm really backing good fights and I know how difficult but not impossible it is to put one on.

The promoter didn't buy advertising from you? Maybe your not that good of a writer or your site's numbers aren't up to snuff like you think. Maybe Floyd Sr. has scared off all your good readers. Or he will.

Whatever, this will be first or second pick for fight of the year. You should support and enjoy this fight Saturday night.

This is as rogue a fight of top five fighters you will ever see. OK, I'll say it."This will be more competitive than November 14 Pacquiao vs. Cotto." This is the ultimate anti-establishment fight.

This is a can't miss boxing event.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-11372-Dallas-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m9d16-Mayweather-vs-Marquez-Whats-not-to-like-about-this-fight

Mayweather - Marquez " We Got The Winner"

2009-09-17T04:59:00.000-07:00

By Rick Assad - Layoff Won't Hurt Mayweather Jr.- Floyd Mayweather Jr. would be considered an all-time great regardless of the era. A near perfect boxer with remarkable hand and foot speed, undefeated Mayweather hopes to push his string of victories to 40 when he faces Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday night.One thing that's working against Mayweather is that he hasn't fought in 21 months. The last time he entered a ring was December, 2007, when he dropped then undefeated Ricky Hatton in the 10th round of their World Boxing Council welterweight title match. That's a long time to be away from the sport, and there will likely be some rust early on, but if there's a man who can overcome this obstacle, it's Mayweather.The closest thing to what he's attempting would be when Sugar Ray Leonard met Marvin Hagler in a middleweight clash at Caesars Palace in April, 1987. Leonard was away from boxing even longer than Mayweather, and earned a disputed split decision. Don't be fooled into thinking Marquez isn't a legitimate challenger, because he is. A tough and tested warrior, Marquez has been involved in 55 professional fights, has come away the winner 50 times, and has 37 knockouts along the way.The loser of only four bouts, most recently to Manny Pacquiao in March, 2008, Marquez is four years older than Mayweather, and also gives away an inch in height and five inches in reach.Compared to Mayweather, Marquez is slow, and he'll have to get inside to be effective. That means if he trades punches, he's going to be in trouble. The only chance he has of pulling off a win is to keep away and attack the body if and when it becomes available. The fight won't go the scheduled 12 rounds unless Mayweather wants to carry Marquez.Think of it this way: If Mayweather was a baseball pitcher, he'd have a four-pitch arsenal at his disposal.Look for the fastball, you'll see the curveball. Look curve, well then here comes the slider. Look slider, and here comes the change. It's a losing proposition.Marquez is fabulous, but not against Mayweather. I see the fight ending in the 10th round.

Diane Bennett - My money goes on the "Money Man" himself Mayweather, however, I view this as a closer fight than most are predicting. Marquez should be able to use his ring experience and his body attacking ability to keep the fight close. Mayweather will try to bully Marquez and in the end Mayweather will be the victor by split decision.

Steve Hobden - Although this is a fight between two of the best P4P fighters in the world, I'm not so sure we'll see a good fight. Styles make fights and both fighters are natural counter punchers. I believe what we will witness is a fight that will be more like a game of chess than a boxing match. Marquez is a very tough and intelligent fighter but the jump up in weight could be a bit much to ask, especially when facing Floyd Mayweather Jr. Also Marquez works better against fighters who come forward as he's a real affective counter puncher and we all know that's not Mayweather’s style. I just don't think Marquez will be fast enough with the extra weight. Floyd is the bigger fighter with a wider variety of skills and sharper reflexes so I have to favour him to win. He also needs to make a statement to regain his P4P king status so I think we'll see Mayweather at his very best.
Mayweather wins by comfortable points decision.

Peter Goldthorpe- This fight has the potential to be the fight of the year, with undoubtedly two of the best P4P fighters in the world going head to head, although both fighters are counter punchers i don't think this will be an overly technical affair. However i do not see it going the distance, rather i think it will be a late stoppage for Mayweather. As i think it will be the case of who-ever fires first will lose, with Marquez likely to be the aggressor throughout in which Mayweather will counter wearing his opponent down winning alot of the rounds along the way, but both of these fighters have had successful training camp so come September 18th the world will be in for not only a great fight but an exciting occasion, one of which i am counting down the days too.

Dr. Pietro Baio DC - I'm looking for Marquez to win by knockout in the 8 rd. If the fight had been in July my opinion may have been for Mayweather. I believe the extra two months of training will have allowed Marquez to gain the extra weight yet adapt and bring his speed up to par. I don't think the extra weight will affect Marquez at all, while the lay off my have slowed Mayweather. You may be able to be fast in the gym, but time makes the body for get how to take a punch.. I do believe Mayweather will have an added pop to his punch do to the lay off which has allowed his fragile hands to heel. And finally who could beat a man who drinks his own urine and eats raw eggs. If that don't kill you it can only make you stronger.

Rota Em - Mayweather by Close Decision. Money says he is going for the KO (and I hope he does), if that is the case then I would give Marquez a puncher's chance for the upset stoppage. Keys for Money is the left hook. Marquez was dropped by those lefts in his fights with the Pacman, and then Juan Diaz showed what his could do as well. For Marquez, he's gotta keep those punches coming in bunches. A body-head combo will drop Money.

Albert Alvarez - This battle will come down to will versus skill. I see Marquez having more will than Mayweather, but I see Mayweather having better skill than Marquez. One mans heart and determination must break through and determine who in fact relly is Number One/Numero uno. To me, I feel that the size, skill, and patience of Mayweather will be what will carry Mayweather to get the nod.So there it is. Floyd Mayweather over Juan Manuel Marquez by UD.

Riz Zahid- Expect Mayweather to start off slow and shed any ring rust he had, only to come back and use his natural skills to overwhelm Marquez. I would not be surprised if Marquez is able to hurt Mayweather in this bout though, especially if he is able to get to the body like many have failed to do. However in the end, the speed may simply be too much for Marquez and expect Floyd to finish a very determined Marquez in the later rounds.
Marquez wants Pacquiao again and Mayweather wants to solidify himself as the best boxer of today. Both Mayweather and Marquez know that their opponent in this fight is a major obstacle on the path to greatness.

Cesar Zuniga - This might be the battle between two of the smartest and most versatile fighters in the game today. Both men possess the ability to adapt to another fighter’s style while the fight is going on. What makes it hard to choose a winner in this fight is that there are many intangibles that surround the fight and truthfully if this fight was two years ago I would have clearly chosen Mayweather as the victor. This is not two years ago. In fact Mayweather hasn’t fought in two years and it’s hard to say if the former P4P champ will come in with the same dominance and speed that was seen in his previous 40 fights with no signs of ring rust, a style and brilliance that leaves him in a league of his own. Marquez has been on a war path as of late. Knocking out two men, Casamayor and Diaz, that have never been knocked out before, and from proof of his training in Mexico City, which I have seen first hand, he is very confident and very focus on the objective at hand. He is however; jumping up two weight classes for this fight and the question lies will his power carry over successfully to that weight? There is no questioning his heart and tenacity, that’s for sure, but come fight night will he be just too small for Mayweather? Marquez possesses a courage that is astonishing to watch. This was seen when he got up from 3 knockdowns to push Pacquiao to an arguable draw and I feel he has gotten better. For those that feel Mayweather will walk right through Marquez and this won’t be competitive, I feel are wrong. Whatever the outcome is at the end of the fight and whoever is raising their hands at the end, I believe Marquez will push Mayweather to the end and this fight will go 12rds. There are many questions to be answered come Sept. 19th and this writer feels we are in for a great night of boxing. My Prediction: I am going with an upset.Marquez UD

Source: http://www.diamondboxing.com/newsstory.php?list=9611

MAYWEATHER VS. MARQUEZ FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

2009-09-17T04:53:00.000-07:00

FLOYD MAYWEATHER
"To go down as a legend, you have to face the best in your era and Marquez is one of the best in my era.

"I have been around the sport and I have experienced many different styles, and I will adjust and adapt. Now I am back and September 19 is another big day for me.

"You can expect blood, sweat and tears on Saturday night. I predict one hell of a fight.

"I have a lot of respect for Marquez. He hasn't said anything bad about me, so I have nothing bad to say about him. How can I say something bad about someone who respects my fight game?

"This isn't going to be difficult. Nothing is difficult. I just had to get back into the groove. I had to keep working hard. I love to box. I love to go into combat.

"Roger watches all of the tapes, but Roger doesn't tell me how I am going to beat him (Marquez). He says to me that I just need to fight and adapt. And if I ask him, 'How am I going to do that?' Roger responds, 'because you are great.'

"I am not like other fighters. Other fighters have been beat. There is no blue print to beat me. There is a blue print to beat Marquez, because he has been beaten before.

"I am a strong individual and only the strong will survive. I have the skills to pay the bills. It is not about who is the biggest. It is about who is the most skilled. When I get in the squared circle, I am going to do what I have to do to win."

JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ

"Everyone knows I don't like talking outside the ring, but I want to say three things. First, I am prepared physically and mentally. Second, I want to thank all of the Mexican people for supporting me and third, I want to dedicate this fight to the Mexican people who are going to be here and all of the Mexican people around the world.

"I want to thank God for helping me train very hard with no injuries. It is a great challenge for me and I am training very hard for this fight.

"In my mind, Floyd Mayweather is the number one pound-for-pound fighter, and to be number one, you have to fight number one.

"Mayweather is illusive and a counter puncher. I am going to go after him. There is a chance he might try to come after me, but I know I am going to go after him.

"This fight is a different weight for me. I worked very hard. I built up my speed and my strength.

"I know people are betting against me, but it doesn't matter to me. I have my mind and I have my concentration, and I have the motivation to win.

"This fight is the most important fight of my career, and I am going to put everything in the ring.

"I don't like to make predictions; I let my fists do the talking."

ROGER MAYWEATHER, Mayweather's Trainer

"Do you know what great means? Great is Michael Jordan, Floyd Mayweather, Muhammad Ali, Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Robinson."

NACHO BERISTAIN, Marquez' Trainer

"There are not too many fighters who have had the privilege of fighting a great athlete like Floyd Mayweather. Now it is my fighter's turn. Juan Manuel Marquez is a great athlete in his own right. He has great technique and work ethic in everything that he does.

"I also want to say that Juan Manuel Marquez and I have always admired Mayweather because he is such a bright fighter and outstanding fighter. I feel that he is the number one pound-for-pound fighter along with Bernard Hopkins.

"We have worked so hard for this fight and we believe that we have the chance to win.

"I want to give the highest esteem to Mayweather's team because they have a great athlete and a great fighter and I hope that he stays humble. He has a great personality and I admire him very much. His uncle and father are great trainers and I admire them as well. Me myself being a trainer, I admire him very much."

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

"This has been the best promotion. Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions working together hand in hand. When you have two teams coming together it is always going to work.

"The king is back. That is why we are all here.

"Floyd Mayweather what can I say? Since he announced his return to the sport of boxing, there has been tremendous buzz. No matter where you look, people are talking about Mayweather vs. Marquez.

"We have introduced a number of different platforms for this fight. There are many new avenues for consumer awareness so there won't be one person out there who is not aware of this great event."

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions

"This fight is going to be the biggest fight of the year. There is no doubt about it. The people are anxious, especially since it is falling on the Mexican Independence Day weekend. It is a special night because all of the world will be witnessing an upset.

"I am up here taking pictures from the stage, because I want to capture the moment when Juan Manuel Marquez dethrones the king. I couldn't do it, but I will tell you one thing--Marquez is ready. I want to freeze the moment of history in the making.

"The sport of boxing deserves this. We are showing the world that boxing is alive and well. We are selling unprecedented pay-per-view numbers and live gate numbers. We aren't up here gloating that Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions are doing great things for ourselves, we are doing these things for the sport of boxing. We are showing the whole world that boxing is here to stay.

"I want to tell Mr. Nacho Beristain that I am sorry that I failed you. I didn't do you right in the ring. You are an amazing trainer. You have done a tremendous job working with 18 world champions, and I wanted to take the opportunity to say that to you.

"Marquez always does what is necessary not only to win fights, but to please his loyal fans. He is not your typical Mexican warrior. He comes in with no holds barred and attacks. He has some good school behind him. That is what makes this fighter different from every body else.

"Marquez is the number one Mexican fighter today, which is a big deal because you have had great fighters coming out of Mexico in the past who have created a loyal following throughout the country and that is what Juan Manuel Marquez has today."

RICHARD SCHAEFER, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions

"Mexican Independence weekend has really become THE fight weekend in Las Vegas. We (Golden Boy Promotions) have been here regularly on this great weekend in boxing bringing the biggest fights to fans around the world.

"This amazing promotion is going to conclude on Saturday. On HBO 24/7 we saw the vast differences between these two fighters in the way they train and the way they live.

"On Saturday night, Juan Manuel Marquez will carry the hopes and dreams of almost 100 million Mexicans on his shoulders and into the ring. A few minutes later, Mayweather the American superstar will make his entrance. Mayweather is here to put all doubters to rest and to make a statement that 'Yes I am still number one.'

"There is a tremendous amount of marketing power behind this fight with an excess of 700 million impressions. I couldn't believe it myself, I had to double check. It is true. There are over 700 million impressions out there for this fight.

"Mexicans around the world are looking to this fight. It is like when the Pope visited Mexico City. It is of that magnitude. This is like their religion.

"There was a poll on Yahoosports.com. Within 24 hrs of the poll being posted, 55,000 people responded. Forty-six percent chose Marquez to win, and 51 percent believe Mayweather will win. As you can see, the public knows this is going to be a close fight and it is going to be a great fight.

"Come and see the fight here at the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas."

MARK TAFFET, Senior Vice President of HBO Pay-Per-View

"When Oscar de la Hoya retired, people said 'What will boxing do now? What is going to happen next?' The answer is simple. Look at what has taken place in 2009. It is evidenced that the best is yet to come. We are in the midst of one of the greatest eras in the sport's history. This era's great welterweights are going to leave their mark on the history of the sport.

"There is no bigger story in boxing and one of the biggest stories in sports this year is Floyd Mayweather's return to boxing.

"America's number one fighter. Mexico's number one fighter. The two biggest fan bases.

Mayweather has ignited the urban markets the same way that De La Hoya ignited the Hispanic markets.

"HBO's 24/7 draws new fans to the sport of boxing in order to ensure boxing's future. The Mayweathers are must see TV that have our fans glued to their television sets. Juan Manuel Marquez has created an identity with fans that he didn't have before. And I want to say that we are all intrigued by your (Marquez') interesting training techniques.

"We have made it so that wherever consumers go, watch listen, read, tweet, text, they are going to be surrounded by Mayweather and Marquez."

RICHARD STURM, President of Sports and Entertainment for MGM Mirage

"MGM Grand welcomes the return of Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions as we end the summer and welcome Mayweather back to the ring. We are also thrilled to host the return of one of the sports' favorites in Juan Manuel Marquez.

"Saturday night will be a memorable one for fans as Floyd Mayweather returns to the ring after a brief retirement. He has always called MGM Grand home after having fought here five previous times."

# # #

Mayweather vs. Marquez: "Number One/Numero Uno," is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with Marquez Promotions and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, AT&T, Quaker State, Dewalt Tools, Affliction Clothing and Southwest Airlines. The 12-round bout will take place Saturday, Sept. 19 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV.

Tickets priced at $1,000, $750, $600, $300 and $150, not including applicable service charges, are on sale now and limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $150 are limited to two (2) per person with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets previously purchased for the July 18 date will be honored.

The Mayweather vs. Marquez pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $49.95, 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 Mayweather vs. Marquez fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.

HBO Sports' all-access reality series "Mayweather/Marquez 24/7" returns with the premiere of the finale on Friday, Sept. 18 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. HBO will replay episodes #1, #2 and #3 consecutively prior to the premiere of episode #4. The replays begin at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Sept. 18. Episodes #1-3 are also available on HBO ON DEMAND.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-27429.html

Flamboyant Mayweather takes humble approach with Marquez

2009-09-17T04:52:00.001-07:00

LAS VEGAS — In the midst of the cameras, microphones and questions, Floyd Mayweather Jr. pauses to take inventory of what's ahead.

Saturday's showdown with Juan Manuel Marquez at MGM Grand is important (HBO PPV, 9 p.m. ET), as is the TV interview he's booked to do next, but neither comes before his 9-year-old daughter, Iyanna.

"I've got to pick up my daughter from school," he says, pausing to alert his publicist, who offers to find his mother to do it. "Don't worry about my Mom I'm picking my daughter up today. She's been going to school for a while and I haven't picked her up yet."

FAMILY TIES: Mayweather ties start to bind

This is the fighter, and the man, Mayweather wants to project: A thoughtful, considerate, responsible 32-year-old father of four, dressed down in a white T-shirt, sneakers and camoflauge pants. Not the cursing, trash-talking multi-division champion, flaunting the cost of his home, designer boots or visits to strip clubs.

"(Marquez) respects my fight game. He told me that a long time ago," says Mayweather of the low-key final press conference Wednesday, where he rose to shake hands with Marquez's trainer as the pair showered one another with compliments. "It's just a lot of fighters in the past I talk trash to have really disrespected me. … So I say bad things."

Mayweather (39-0, 25 KOs), regarded as the mythical No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter before leaving in 2007, has passed every test with flying colors.

He's solved master boxers like Genaro Henandez (KO 8), brawlers like Ricky Hatton (KO 10), tall, two-fisted punchers like Diego Corrales, southpaws like Zab Judah (W 12), crafty veterans like Emanuel Augustus (KO 9) and superstars like Oscar De La Hoya (W 12).

In Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs) he'll meet not only the best Mexico has to offer, but one of the sport's top three fighters pound-for-pound who is as skilled with both hands as he is gritty.

Mayweather's biggest challenge of the night, however, may be this: Can he carry a major PPV show without a major foil?

Marquez has only headlined a PPV card once, a 2008 decision loss to Manny Pacquiao that drew 405,000 buys.

Before Mayweather fought De La Hoya— the greatest draw in PPV history — Mayweather hadn't exceeded 375,000 buys.

There's also the perception that this is a fight between a great little man (Marquez has never fought above 135 pounds) and a great bigger man (Mayweather has gone as high as 154). It's being billed as a welterweight bout though it'll be below the 147-pound limit. Marquez also is four years older.

"I feel like I always was a pay-per-view star," says Mayweather, whose win vs. De La Hoya drew a record 2.4 million buys and almost 1 million with Hatton. "Marquez has a good following with his Mexican people. He's going to have a lot of support."

This bout was originally announced for July 18 but pushed back to Mexican Independence weekend. Since then the push to grow this into a superfight by co-promoter Golden Boy Promotions has been substantial:

•In conjunction with NCM Fathom, the card will be shown via closed circuit in 170 theaters nationwide, with $12.50 to $15 suggested ticket prices.

•Three major sponsors are on board that weren't for De La Hoya-Mayweather: Quaker State, Affliction clothing and AT&T's first venture into boxing.

•Tecate is offering a $25 mail-in rebate on the $49.95 show for viewers, with purchase of an 18-pack or larger, and a $30 rebate for food purchases at participating stores nationwide.

•An aggressive campaign through social networking sites and in the urban dotcom markets, BET.com, JayZtv.com and Allhiphop.com, among others, to reach out to Mayweather fans.

HBO is in on it, too, using this fight as a launching pad for its new approach to saturating the marketplace with digital content.

It's all part of "the hunger to go younger," says Mark Taffet, senior vice president at HBO PPV. "If you overwhelm that younger demographic with advertising, they tune you out. They want content. ... We're moving in a completely different direction than what we were doing a year ago."

Money matters:

Marquez's base salary is $2 million for the bout. TV undercard combatants Chris John will get $50,000; Rocky Juarez $80,000; Michael Katsidis $125,000; and Vicente Escobedo $90,000.

Mayweather's purse won't be known until Friday because of deductions, says Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. The IRS is expected to attend to collect back taxes. According to Kizer, the agreed upon total is "unofficially $5 million."

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2009-09-16-mayweather-marquez_N.htm

Mayweather-Marquez meeting respectful, for the most part

2009-09-17T04:50:00.000-07:00

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is rapidly approaching his official return to boxing this Saturday to face Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

On Wednesday, Mayweather Jr. took another step closer by addressing media members for the final time at the pre-fight press conference.

For his final official statements from the microphone, he thanked his sponsors and was surprisingly respectful of his opponent.

“It’s been a tremendous camp, there’s been a lot of hard work and dedication,” Mayweather Jr. said. “In the sport of boxing, if you want to go down as a legend you have to face the best in your era. At this particular time, Marquez is one of the best fighters in my era.

“He’s a hell of a fighter. Counter-puncher. Good boxer. But I’ve been around the sport and faced many styles. I’ll adjust and adapt when I get in that ring Saturday night.”

Marquez was also brief and thanked his native country of Mexico for its support.

“I don’t like talking outside of the ring, I just want to say three things,” he said. “One: I prepared myself very hard, physically and mentally. Two: I want to thank all the Mexican people for their support in me. Three: I want to dedicate this fight to all the Mexican people around the world.”

While the press conference went off mostly with no harsh words, there were a few exceptions.

Some people noticed that former boxer and president of Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar De La Hoya, was taking pictures from his seat on-stage.

During his time at the microphone, he explained why.

“People are wondering why I’m taking pictures,” De La Hoya said. “I want to capture the moment when Juan Manuel Marquez dethrones the king…”

To which Mayweather Jr. interrupted from his seat, “You couldn’t do it.”

De La Hoya, who lost a split decision to Mayweather Jr. in 2007 turned to him and said, “No, I couldn’t do it. But I’ll tell you one thing — Marquez is ready. I want to freeze this moment of history in the making.”

Roger Mayweather, Mayweather Jr.’s uncle and trainer, also didn’t raise his hand before interrupting Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe after Ellerbe said, “There are a number of great trainers in the sport…”

“Yeah? Great?” Roger said. “I know you’re talking about me. What you need to say is, there are other trainers out there. Listen, here’s how boxing goes. Don’t steal my mic, I’m gonna spread something to you real quick.

“Great is Michael Jordan. Great is Floyd Mayweather. That’s what great is. The dudes behind me, I don’t worry about the dudes behind me because I know they don’t know (expletive) anyway. If they knew what I knew, they’d be ahead of me. So I don’t know about great, don’t give them credit for being great.”

For the most part however, both fighters’ camps showed respect for one another.

Mayweather Jr. even raised from his seat to shake hands with Marquez’s head trainer, Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Beristain, after Beristain said he admired the fighter and his family.

“There’s not too many fighters that I’ve had the privilege to face like Floyd Mayweather,” Beristain said through an interpreter. “I want to give the highest esteem to his team. They’ve got a great athlete and a very good fighter. His uncle and father are great trainers that I admire, and I admire him very much.”

Beristain, who also trained De La Hoya for his fight with Manny Pacquiao in 2008, went on to say that despite his enormous respect for Mayweather Jr., he feels he can be beat.

“Juan Manuel Marquez is a great athlete in his own right, with a great technique and work ethic,” he said. “We’re worked so hard for this fight and we have the belief we have a chance to win.”

Source: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/sep/16/mayweathermarquez-press-conference-respectful-most/

No blueprint on how to figure out Mayweather

2009-09-17T04:49:00.000-07:00

LAS VEGAS – It’s hard to keep up with Floyd Mayweather Jr., a man of many moves and multiple moods. Thirty-nine opponents have tried and failed in his 13 years without a defeat. Not much changed Wednesday.

This time, it was the graceful Mayweather, who trashed the usual insults, praised Juan Manuel Marquez, shook hands with rival trainer Nacho Beristain and worried whether he would have enough time to pick up his daughter from school.

“There’s a blueprint on how to beat Marquez,’’ Mayweather said after the formalities at a news conference for his comeback Saturday night at the MGM Grand. “There’s not a blueprint on how to beat Mayweather.’’

There’s no way to predict what he will do or how he will behave either. The diplomatic, polite demeanor stood in sharp contrast to anger Mayweather expressed Tuesday after he and Marquez staged their official arrival at a casino built on a Hollywood theme. That’s when Mayweather said that his public portrayal was unfair because of racism.

In comments posted by ESPN, Mayweather said: “If you’re rich, you’re a rich n—–. If you’re poor, you’re a poor n—-. If you’re smart, you’re a smart n—–. At the end of the day, they still look at me as a n—–.”

Mayweather also said: “There’s nothing like being young, black and rich. But there are certain things you think about. If Floyd Mayweather was white, I’d be the biggest athlete in America. The biggest, the biggest. I know that for a fact.”

No telling what Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan think about Mayweather’s comments. But they might be surprised to hear that Mayweather thinks they’re white.

The comments aren’t exactly new either. Mayweather has said some of the same things over the course of his career. Just as quickly, he also has changed the subject and direction with the easy-going charm that suddenly surfaced at Wednesday’s news conference.

Faster than you can say helter-skelter, Mayweather can outrage and disarm. All this footwork on the high wire is a perilous dance. Yet, Mayweather seems to have kept his balance, even amid continuing reports that seem to add up to his only loss: Financial.

The latest salvo indicating deepening debt was unleashed a couple of days ago in an Associated Press report that said a Las Vegas bank is suing Mayweather $167,000 for an unpaid loan on a car, a Mercedes, said to be worth $528,000.

There have been flurry of denials, including one from Mayweather advisor Leonard Ellerbe, who said the car has been sold and the story is inaccurate. But the story is just the latest in what looks like a lot of smoke from a building fire. It includes a reported Internal Revenue Service lien for $6.17 on taxes not paid in 2007 when Mayweather collected more – maybe a lot more – than $20 million for just one fight, a victory over Oscar De La Hoya.

Further fuel on the susp ected fire was evident Wednesday with news that the Nevada State Athletic Commission apparently has yet to receive a copy of Mayweather’s contract. Marquez will collect $2 million, according to commission records. But Mayweather’s purse has yet to be disclosed, perhaps because the IRS and other creditors want their share.

Mayweather has repeatedly denied the stories. He simply sidestepped the issue Wednesday.
“My financial business, that’s personal,’’ said Mayweather, who also said stories about a healing relationship with his dad, trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr, were also private.

But it is tough to keep a secret during the internet age and it might be impossible for a Mayweather in any age. Floyd Sr. and Floyd Jr. talk the way some people Twitter. Even uncle and trainer Roger Mayweather couldn’t wait to speak during Wednesday news conference. Ellerbe said there are a lot of great trainers. But, an agitated Roger seemed to say, there can be only one.

“You got my blood pressure up,’’ Roger yelled.

His nephew laughed. But that was Wednesday. Today is another day and perhaps another Mayweather.

Source: http://www.15rounds.com/no-blueprint-on-how-to-figure-out-mayweather-09160/

Mayweather retires Marquez: No stinking badges required

2009-09-17T04:46:00.000-07:00

Retirement for a prizefighter is not like retirement for a schoolteacher or an insurance company desk jockey.

There’s no big cake with plenty of icing. There’s no gold watch. And, most of the time, there are no flowery speeches.

In the hardest sport, most retirements are forcible, not voluntary. In the hardest sport, a thorough asskicking, a veritable beatdown, is what often prods the game warrior into hanging up the gloves.

Sometimes it takes a series of such beatdowns to convince a fighter to pack it in.

I don’t envision Juan Manuel Marquez, a 36 year old and still fierce boxer with a 50-4-1 record and 399 pro rounds under his belt, taking a vicious beatdown Saturday night from unbeaten Floyd Mayweather, four years his junior.

What I do see is something that might be more painful, at least mentally, and that is frustration of purpose bordering on professional embarrassment.

(Hogan Photos/Golden Boy)

The Mexican Ringmaster was picked for two reasons for Mayweather’s first bout in 21 months. One, he is the same Golden Boy stable as Pretty Boy. Two, he is smaller, slower and appears to be an opponent against whom Mayweather can truly shine.

I see Mayweather, smart offensively and defensively, dominating in this fight on speed and size differences alone.

I see Mayweather showing so much polish and skill that it’s hailed as his finest hour.

I see Marquez looking a bit befuddled, not as clueless as Roberto Duran in New Orleans before he made the :no mas” surrender to Ray Leonard, but without anyway to slow Mayweather down.

Marquez is an old fox, indeed, but he will never catch the wily rabbit.

And what does Juan Ma do if PBF flips the script and dramatically turns the aggressor, how will he anser a now you see him, now you don’t target?

Marquez, a sharp and clever counterpuncher against those of similar stature, might look like one of those wind turbines, producing a fan effect for the first 40 rows at ringside inside the MGM Grand Garden.

Marquez gives off the aroma of an almost retired fighter. Nothing wrong with that, he’s earned a pile of money which increases greatly here and he can return to his well settled family life.

Muy contento, that’s what I think Marquez will be in giving his loser’s lament after he loses a wide—make it 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112 unanimous decision here.

It won’t be so much a lament as an adios from a Hall Of Fame fighter.

He can, he will leave boxing, having been willingly thrown in over his head for a nice price.

There will be no third Pacquiao-Marquez fight because the L12 to Mayweather will be the famous final scene for Juan Ma.

He will ride off into the Mexican sunset with his head held high.

He’ll be one of the few, one of the proud, who makes a voluntary exit from boxing at exactly the right time.

Show you some badges?

Juan Manuel Marquez won't need to show you any stinking badges.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-5699-NY-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m9d16-Dazzling-Mayweather-retires-Marquez-No-stinking-badges-required

MAYWEATHER-MARQUEZ FINAL PRESSCON!

2009-09-17T04:44:00.000-07:00

Six-Time World Champion Floyd Mayweather (Left) and Five-Time World Champion Juan Manuel Marquez (Right) pose on September 16, 2009 at MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada at the final press conference for their September 19, 2009 fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena which will be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View.

Six-Time World Champion Floyd Mayweather (Left) addresses the media on September 16, 2009 at MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada at the final press conference for his September 19, 2009 fight against Five-Time World Champion Juan Manuel Marquez (Right) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena which will be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View.

Five-Time World Champion Juan Manuel Marquez (Right) addresses the media on September 16, 2009 at MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada at the final press conference for his September 19, 2009 fight against Six-Time World Champion Floyd Mayweather (Left) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena which will be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-27421.html

Note to Mayweathers: Prove your statements or else stop destroying Boxing

2009-09-16T17:56:00.000-07:00

For the record, I have spoken to Floyd Mayweather Sr. to try and get his comments on the video that was recently leaked about his insinuations that boxing's pound-for-pound best fighter and it's current biggest star Manny Pacquiao is on some kind of performance enhancing supplements.

Sr. asked me to call him back after an hour when I phoned him last night around 7 pm Pacific time since he said he was on the highway driving. When I called back however, this writer's call was rejected and after a few more failed attempts to try and get Sr. back on the line, I left a message for a callback.

As of press time, I still haven't received a return call. Granted, the Mayweathers are busy preparing for the showdown in Las Vegas this weekend between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez, but this scribe will keep trying in pursuit of the TRUTH.

Or perhaps this steroids issue that Floyd Mayweather Sr. and as further supported by his brother Jeff Mayweather has finally made Floyd Mayweather Sr. think twice before he speaks his mind.

Let me try and put things in perspective a little bit. When Floyd Sr. accused the best and biggest name in boxing right now of "cheating" and when his brother Jeff supported it saying a lot of other people inside boxing share the same sentiment and that boxers get away with stuff like that and that they are untraceable by the sport's governing bodies, that does not only put question on Pacquiao's character, but the sport of boxing as a whole.

Such bold statements should be backed up by names, proof and accountability. This is professional boxing. Fighters work hard and sacrifice a lot just to get to a respectable level and to try and taint that with such irresponsible accusations is downright dirty. And Pacquiao of all people in the sport has displayed exemplary character and has helped thousands of people around the world. Such a statement is damning to his reputation. So if Pacquiao's physique get defined, he automatically does steroids? What about Floyd Mayweather Jr.? What about any other ripped fighter out there? So we want people to assume that regardless of how hard a person trains, if he gets ripped, and despite of tests conducted by boxing's sanctioning bodies, that he could be using some kind of steroid?

Don't get me wrong, I play no sides. If the Mayweathers can prove that Pacquiao is indeed a cheater, then I will sing their praises because as a sports fan, I despise nothing more than cheaters. Ehem. ehem Antonio Margarito.

We need to know the truth.

That's why I'm trying to get to the bottom of this. It doesn't even have to be me. I challenge my fellow boxing writers who are good around the Mayweather circles to try and get Floyd Sr. to back up his statements if not, lay this issue to rest and release a retraction, explanation, clarification or some kind of Kanye West type of apology for the sake of the integrity of all boxers who are now brought under the microscope because of these accusations.

Two nights ago when I first penned my thoughts on this, I ended by saying this can only get ugly. Well right now, somehow, somewhere I hear some lawyers drafting a law suit. You got to remember, Pacquiao is running for politics in his home country and accusations of being a cheater will almost spell certain defeat so I doubt he will let this issue slide easily. Maybe it's just my imagination, but I doubt it.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-10947-Indianapolis-Fight-Sports-Examiner~y2009m9d16-Note-to-Mayweathers-Prove-your-statements-or-else-stop-destroying-Boxing

THE ONLY WAY FOR MARQUEZ TO SCORE AN UPSET

2009-09-16T17:54:00.000-07:00

Tungod, Inabanga, Bohol – After all the brouhaha, or perhaps the lack of it, the seemingly hard-selling pay-per-view encounter between Mexico’s pee-drinking assassin Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs) and loudmouth, egocentric, yet marvelously talented “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather, Jr.(39-0-0, 25 KOs) of the United States finally takes place this weekend at the MGM Grand Hotel, in Las Vegas, Nevada. This bout, which was originally scheduled on the 18th of July this year and moved on a later date when Mayweather allegedly sustained a rib injury (although many thought of it as just an alibi to compensate for the very slow movement of tickets), will be fought at a catchweight limit of 144 lbs.

Marquez comes into this fight as the huge underdog. Age, speed, size, and effective reach are some glaring disadvantages he will have to deal with as he steps inside the squared circle this Saturday (Sunday morning, Philippine time). It may also be interesting to note that Marquez will box his 400th professional boxing round whereas his would-be opponent would take only his 276th, as the bell rings for the first time during this 12-round nontitle bout. Wear-and-tear, coupled with advancing age, could very well be a huge drawback for the fighter from Mexico City. Factor in the level of competition and the contrasting manners that these ring tacticians have carried out their respective ring performances to date and you’ll probably expect a one-sided beatdown in favor of Floyd.

But, wait! Have we all forgotten how smart, skillful, and great Marquez is? He has fought probably all sorts of styles and each time, his patient, sharp-shooting, counter-punching style has given his opponents fits, no exceptions whatsoever. Hasn’t he done enough to at least deserve a benefit of the doubt in his quest against Floyd? If Marquez was able to be competitive with a younger, faster, better, and pound for pound best in Pacquiao, what makes you think he won’t be competitive with only the 2nd best?... or 3rd best or perhaps even lower? Okay, you will probably talk size, the old cliché “styles make fights”, and the issue of who’s better between Pacquiao and Mayweather are another story… but come to think of it. Marquez is in fact, in this writer’s opinion, a better counter puncher than Mayweather is. You can quote me on that… or not… whichever suits you.

Enough of the introduction and all these side issues, let’s now try to focus on the real subject at hand. Yes, Juan Manuel can definitely beat Floyd. He has the necessary tools to execute a monumental upset… but the question is how? The answer, contrary to what most people think, really is quite simple. He only has to do what he does best – counterpunch. Though, this time, he has to execute it with utmost patience, control and discipline. He should employ a completely defensive approach. Majority, if not all, of his punches should be defensive in nature… that is to keep Mayweather at bay and force him to be on the offensive, unless of course if he tags Floyd and puts him in trouble, like Zab Judah did in the early rounds of their fight.

Mayweather is best known for his almost impenetrable defense. This facet of his boxing arsenal is his biggest asset. Making him use it by bringing the fight to Floyd would be nothing short of stupid for Marquez to do, and he probably knows it. On the other hand, making Floyd fight offensively nullifies or even effaces it. Marquez doesn’t have to force a fight to take place. It isn’t his responsibility to make the bout interesting, much less exciting. That accountability falls on Floyd’s shoulders, noting that almost everybody is expecting him to just run over Marquez and beat him easily. Mayweather has so much more to lose. The pressure is mostly on him. This is probably the most important and almost certainly the only factor where Marquez will have an upper hand for this faceoff… and he definitely has to exploit it.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-27413.html

In plain English, Marquez remains quietly confident of upset chance against Mayweather

2009-09-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

LAS VEGAS (AP) — While Floyd Mayweather Jr. trashed their fight's promoter and his uncle Roger ripped every other boxing trainer in the world, Juan Manuel Marquez made the biggest statement of fight week so far when he took the podium Wednesday and spoke in clear, confident English.

Marquez is a major underdog in Saturday's comeback fight for the unbeaten Mayweather, yet the longest odds of the Mexican three-division champion's career don't seem to shake his growing confidence, both in front of cameras and in the ring. Although Marquez is solidly bilingual, he has rarely used English in public until recently.

"I feel as good and happy as I can," Marquez said. "I always put forth the effort, and now I see the reward. I don't want to be the Mexican No. 1 fighter. I want to be the global No. 1."

With a huge payday awaiting him after the highest-profile bout of his career, Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs) might feel he has validation in a tumultuous career that has included frustrations and triumphs in almost equal numbers — most notably his failure to win two agonizingly close fights against pound-for-pound champion Manny Pacquiao.

Marquez has spent much of his career with a chip on his shoulder from those bouts, which propelled him in strange directions. After famously turning down a $750,000 rematch for his 2004 draw against Pacquiao because he felt insulted, Marquez ended up traveling to Indonesia to fight for $30,000 against Chris John, who claimed Marquez's 126-pound title with a hometown decision.

Now, John is fighting on Marquez's undercard at the MGM Grand Garden.

"He's had some tremendous knockout fights, and he's just beginning," Oscar De La Hoya said of the 36-year-old Marquez. "He's just getting started. We haven't even seen everything Juan Manuel Marquez is capable of doing, and (Mayweather) is about to find out."

Although Marquez is widely respected, he's never even been considered Mexico's greatest active fighter until the past few years. Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera were quicker to fill the vacuum created by Julio Cesar Chavez's decline, but Marquez has proved to be the best and most enduring of the trio.

"It doesn't bother me any more," Marquez said. "I don't worry about any of that any more. I've been behind Morales. I've been behind Barrera, and now they're done. Now is my time."

Indeed, De La Hoya pointed out that Marquez isn't the prototypical Mexican warrior, willing to take three punches to deliver two before an early finish to a brutal career. Marquez is a skilled counterpuncher who can apply pressure when necessary, but still has defensive skills that some of his contemporaries lacked.

Marquez got his biggest American exposure during the weeks leading up to the fight when he allowed HBO's cameras into every aspect of his training camp near Mexico City for the network's "24/7" series, which documented his unorthodox strength-training strategies — and his belief in urine recycling to restock his body with proteins and vitamins.

"I train very hard for each fight," Marquez said. "I don't like to drink. I don't like to smoke. I don't like to go to sleep late. And my style is different. I try not to get hit, and I try to be smart about what I do."

Mayweather also seemed calm and mentally prepared for his first fight since December 2007, quietly answering questions one day after he made wide-ranging inferences about what he sees as America's endemic racism limiting his stardom.

Yet while his uncle Roger boasted that every other boxing trainer can't hold his heavy bag, Floyd Mayweather also took a little time to trash De La Hoya, whose Golden Boy Promotions is staging the bout. Mayweather says the Golden Boy is a "fake" who wants a rematch of their 2007 bout, won by Mayweather in a split decision.

"I know he truly doesn't like me, and I don't like him," Mayweather said. "I don't like him from the bottom of my heart."

Source: http://www.latimes.com/sports/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-box-mayweather-marquez,0,5925292.story

Mayweather Sr. Likes To Keep Everyone Guessing And Talking

2009-09-16T17:50:00.000-07:00

Never let it be said that Floyd Mayweather Sr. doesn't add a little color to professional boxing at a time when it's desperately needed, because he in fact does. And that's a good thing because it gives boxing fans something to debate and argue over when everything has just about been said already pertaining to his son Floyd Mayweather Jr's upcoming fight with Juan Manuel Marquez.

Floyd Sr. is so confident that his son will beat Marquez this coming Saturday night that he's already stirring the pot and trying to get into the head of who he thinks will be Mayweather Jr's next opponent, Manny Pacquiao. Earlier this week Mayweather Sr. said in an interview with the Grand Rapids Press that a lot of boxers are taking and using illegal supplements and that he thinks Pacquiao is one of them.

"I believe he's (Pacquiao) on some type of supplements. That's what they're doing right now. Everybody should be checked a little bit more thoroughly. Sometimes people know what's going on but they ain't saying nothing," said Floyd Sr.

Yeah, a lot of fighters take steroids. So what? It doesn't do them any good, and it often works against them. There isn't one fighter/boxer in history who has ever become a better fighter in any weight division by taking steroids. They actually set Shane Mosley back as a fighter and it took him a little while to get back to the fluid counter-puncher he was before experimenting with them. Though he has testified in a court case that he took exotic performance enhancing drugs without his knowledge, people once close to Mosley say he thought they'd help and aide him strength/punching power-wise. Only he found out that they don't give you the type of strength that is applicable to boxing. They may help an offensive/defensive lineman or a grappler, but not a striker via hand or foot.

Mayweather Sr. continued, "I don't think he can beat Lil' Floyd with steroids in him or not."

"He don't have that kind of talent. He don't have that kind of skill, whatever he has in him."

"I think they're pushing Pacquiao a little too much, even if he's got 'roids in his body. The steroids aren't going to make him no faster. It's going to make him relentless and hit strong, but that's it. It ain't going to put no knowledge in your head."

In all fairness to Mayweather Sr., steroids would hurt Pacquiao much more than help him if he were in fact taking or injecting them. And, it must be said, there is no proof of that, nor do I believe he is. The reality is Floyd Sr. should hope that Pacquiao is stupid enough to even try and experiment with them. It would benefit his son in a big way in a fight versus Pacquiao. In order for Pacquiao to beat Mayweather if in fact they do fight in 2010, he'll need all the speed he can get. Manny has already proven to be a big time puncher and roids will not aide his power a bit. Against Mayweather Jr., the most important factor for him will be can he deliver his power. No way Pacquiao will get the wide open Sunday shot on Mayweather's chin that he did on Ricky Hatton's in his last fight. Mayweather won't walk into it like Hatton did, he'll have to position and set him up for it.

Mayweather Sr. said, "It ain't going to put no knowledge in your head." Who doesn't know that? Floyd Mayweather Jr. is already a better technician than Pacquiao is now or will ever be. Pacquiao's shot to beat Mayweather depends much more on his fight plan and ability to disrupt Mayweather more so than who's mastered boxing 101.

Floyd Mayweather Sr. is a pretty shrewd and colorful boxing trainer. However, his accusation suggesting Pacquiao is using supplements or steroids is just subterfuge. Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer has been around Mayweather Sr. for a long time and knows what makes him tick. When all is said and done Mayweather's words will have zero effect on Roach or Pacquiao. The only credit Mayweather Sr. can take for his outlandish suggestion is that he's probably enraged Pacquiao's fans. But that's about it.

If fighters want to use steroids, let them use them. Damn, if I were the manager for the other fighter, I'd be jumping up and down with happiness.

Source: http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/7195/mayweather-likes-keep-everyone-guessing-talking/

GOLDEN BOY AND FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR LOST A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO MANNY PACQUIAO

2009-09-16T17:48:00.000-07:00

The Pacquiao-Cotto Firepower five city promotional tour adeptly choreographed so close to September 19 by the marketing gurus of Top Rank were a huge success. It was not only received warmly by fans from New York, to Puerto Rico, to San Francisco, to Los Angeles and San Diego but also effectively diverted the attention from Golden Boy’s Numero Uno-Number One fight this Saturday. Top Rank’s Bob Arum, the promoter, is clearly making a statement.

The palpable giddy anticipation and overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from sports fans and the media greatly contrast the tepid reactions that the Floyd Jr. and Juan Ma’s 'Numero Uno-Number One' bout has been receiving from all sectors of the boxing world.

Li'l Floyd’s delusional rants and Juan Ma’s choice of vitamin filled beverage flaunted in HBO’s Award Winning 24/7 series do not seem to energize even the most passionate boxing aficionado. Just a mere few days before the fight, ticket sales remain meager at best.

If the Juan Manuel Marquez-Floyd Mayweather, Jr. fight is a patient, it is on life support and barely hanging for dear life.

But could this dying patient have been given an infusion of a life saving “medicine”?

Yes and it was free! A golden opportunity was handed to Golden Boy Promotions in a silver platter by no less than basketball superstar Shaq, a celebrity who transcends sports.

Although Shaq VS is by no means the surprise television ratings winner of the year, it is on free Network TV most likely watched by a good number of sports and boxing fans. Golden Boy could have easily made a deal with the Shaq VS producers and use the show as an excellent tool to promote Number One – Numero Uno.

Golden Boy should have demanded from Shaq that in exchange for his appearance, there would be subtle but maximum exposure for this Saturday’s fight. Instead, it was Manny Pacquiao who was given a prime time network national TV exposure when Shaq called himself Manny Shaquiao for last week’s Shaq vs. Oscar De La Hoya episode, an episode that turned out an entertaining “fight” between Shaq and Oscar de la Hoya.

With Shaq’s unabashed recognition of Manny Pacquiao, Lil’ Floyd ego must have been badly crushed and greener with envy than Kermit the Frog and the Incredible Hulk.

There are still a couple of days left. Golden Boy Promotions urgently must find the cure to save this looming box office and PPV disaster.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-27412.html

Mayweather Sr better have facts to back up steroid accusation

2009-09-16T17:46:00.000-07:00

When Floyd Mayweather Sr told the world that Manny Pacquiao uses steroids, I hope the first thing that he did after that was to pick up his phone and call his attorney. To make an accusation like that, which clearly does damage to a persons credibility and good name, better be backed up with facts and proof otherwise face the very real possibility of legal actions. This statement, an unfounded statement, has sent shock waves throughout the boxing circles that has stirred up millions of angry Filipino's and American Pacquiao fans alike.

Manny Pacquiao is not just a great future hall of fame fighter, he also is a prominent figure in his county that millions and millions of people idolize. Pacquiao has earned his good name by overcoming trials and tribulations, by working hard and achieving goals that he put forth many years ago. Since arriving on the boxing scene, Pacquiao has defeated legends, future hall of fame prize fighters, and more importantly he has given back to millions of people not only in the Philippines but right here in America.

It's one thing to hype up a fight and to talk some trash back and forth all in good fun, but to outright accuse someone of taking steroids without providing any facts, or proof is a completely different story. This writer would not be one bit surprised if team Pacquiao responds to these accusations with a heavy hand, very possibly with attorneys in order to get to the bottom of this. Something like this should not be handled with kids gloves, this was a very outlandish accusation that will more than likely be responded to very accordingly.

There is a scripture in the Bible where Jesus says, "Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, with never a thought for the plank in your own?" Perhaps Mr Mayweather Sr should look in the mirror and evaluate his life, and look at the behavior of his own family before slandering or defaming another human being.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-23590-Mississippi-Fight-Sports-Examiner~y2009m9d16-Mayweather-Sr-better-have-facts-to-back-up-steroid-accusation

Marquez will be no match for the undefeated Mayweather

2009-09-16T17:44:00.000-07:00

Floyd “Money” Mayweather is back to shut down another opponent. He will fight Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas this Saturday.

It has been close to two years since Mayweather has boxed and people are wondering if he’s still got it. The answer is yes. Let’s remember when Muhammad Ali was out of the ring for three years and came back to beat some tough fighters. Mayweather is no Ali, but he is one of the best fighters of our generation.

His record is flawless. Mayweather is 39-0 (25 KOs). He has held six different world championship belts in five different weight classes. Why is he successful? The man is a surgeon, using his defensive skills and lighting-quick punches to take people out. Juan Manuel Marquez will be the next to feel the wrath of Mayweather.

Marquez is a good fighter and his heart is like is lion. He fought the great Manny Pacquiao twice and went the distance in both fights. The first fight he suffered a broken nose and actually came back to earn a draw. When they fought again, he lost by a one-point split decision. Anybody that can go toe-to-toe with Pacquiao is respectable. However, that does not mean Marquez is going to beat Mayweather.

Three things will decide this fight: The fighters’ personalities, fighting styles and ages. Mayweather is one of the cockiest athletes, but he is also one of the most mentally-prepared individuals to ever step into the ring. He trains three days a week, but his workouts are so grueling it seems like a six-day routine. However, Marquez has to train six days a week because he needs all the help he can get! The guy also drank urine to prepare for this fight, so that shows there is something wrong with his mental preparation.

Marquez’s bull-rush fighting style fits right into the hands of Mayweather. Marquez will probably try to attack — and Mayweather, with his impenetrable defense, will just pick him apart. Let’s be honest: Marquez is now 35-years -old and is facing a man who is three years younger. A three-year difference in boxing is huge, and if he comes into the match with any sign of age, it will be over quickly. However, I predict Marquez will be around for six rounds and eventually will get knocked out.

Bottom line, this fight is a tune-up fight for Mayweather. People want to see Mayweather and Pacquiao, which would have hype like the Ali and Joe Frazier fight had decades ago. Marquez is just a small pawn on a chessboard.

Source: http://sundial.csun.edu/2009/09/marquez-will-be-no-match-for-the-undefeated-mayweather/

MAYWEATHER-MARQUEZ IN “SEMI-FINAL” MATCHUP!

2009-09-16T17:43:00.000-07:00

San Francisco, CA—All sports fans understand that there are very few things better in sports than a tournament or a playoff. Almost every major sport, with the exception of college football, has some form of tournament to decide who is the best. The sport of boxing has made similar strides to great success in the past. In 2001, Don King established a Final 4 of the middleweight division that featured 3 of the major belt holders (Bernard Hopkins, Keith Holmes, and William Joppy) and a bone fide star in Felix Trinidad. Hopkins emerged as the winner of the tournament and his career took off after. Starting October 17, Showtime will feature a round robin style tournament, which includes six of the top Super Middleweights in the world right now.

Now, if you’re thinking what does this Saturday’s Pay-Per-View bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez have anything to do with tournaments, then you are correct. The hype machine behind this promotion would like the boxing fans to believe that the winner between Mayweather and Marquez is the true “Number 1” fighter in the world today. That this is indeed the Super Bowl championship fight of the year. The promoters titled the PPV “Number 1/Numero Uno” as evidence to that point.

However, boxing fans, regardless of loyalty to a particular fighter, understands that the true World Series of boxing involves the winner of Mayweather vs. Marquez and the winner of the November 14 firepower showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto. That match-up would potentially bring boxing back into the front page of the sports section. Whatever the match up would be, there would be multiple storylines that would make the fight a must see. Obviously, the crown jewel event would be a Mayweather-Pacquiao match. Should that happen, the boxing world may literally cease to spin because of the heavyweights star power both fighters currently have.

But first things first, each fighter must win their “semi-final” match to potentially get to that all world mega match-up. It starts this Saturday, when Floyd Mayweather Jr. makes his return after a two-year hiatus against Juan Manuel Marquez. In Mayweather, you have all the glitz, glamour, and flash that a superstar brings to the game. An undefeated record and a unique skill set and talent in the ring backs up a lot of the hype that surrounds Mayweather outside the ring. In contrast, Marquez brings the precision and the often under appreciated accolades that has define his career. Most casual fans view Marquez as simply the guy who gave Manny Pacquiao two tough fights, failing to win any of them. It’s that perception that has driven Marquez throughout his career.

In the late 90’s and into the early part of this decade, Marquez was often in the shadow of his fellow Mexican featherweights Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales. Marquez was on the same level as Barrera and Morales in terms of skills in the ring. However, Marquez never had a baby face like Barrera nor was he a Tijuana “badass” like Morales. Marquez just won fights, quietly with little flare and an even smaller fan base. He was also a victim of some tough breaks in controversial decision losses early in his career. But now, at 36 years old and after 55 fights, Marquez will perform in front of biggest audience of his career. And of course, as typical of his entire career, he’ll enter the ring as the clear underdog.

For Floyd Mayweather Jr., none of this success and attention comes as a big surprise to him. Coming out of the Olympics in 1996, Mayweather was always considered the best fighter out of the United States team. His promoter at the start of his career, Top Rank, had no problems putting Mayweather into a world title fight just two years into his career. And Mayweather has fought a number of tough fighters like Diego Corrales, Jesus Chavez, Jose Luis Castillo, Oscar De La Hoya, and Ricky Hatton. Although many focus on the fights Mayweather did not to take (most notably, Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto), for the most part, Mayweather has fought good competition. What is a more legitimate criticism is the manner in which Mayweather has won his fights. Given the speed and skill Mayweather has, often times he ends fights with little luster and excitement. In his most recent fight, a Mayweather’s check left hook landed against Hatton ended a fight that was lackluster at best. And based on the styles of both fighters, who are natural counter-punchers, this fight doesn’t look like an action movie type of fights a majority of fans want to see—on paper at least.

Breaking down the match-up, Marquez will be the “wildcard” of this fight. Mayweather will pretty much do what he has always done because he’s never failed before. In the past, Marquez has shown the willingness to come forward and fight on the lead foot. However, an aggressive Marquez has not brought about much success. In his second fight against Manny Pacquiao, Marquez lost the fight because he was on the attack when Pacquiao knocked him down in the 3rd round. Pacquiao even admitted that he was most effective when he countered the counter-puncher. Whereas, Marquez was most effective when he caught Pacquiao coming forward.

Fighting more aggressively may make the fight more entertaining to watch but it could be lead to Marquez’s downfall. On the other hand, in Mayweather’s toughest fight, against Jose Luis Castillo, a consistent body attack slowed Mayweather down late in the fight. It’s no secret that Marquez will attack the body as much as possible. Marquez is a vicious body puncher.

Marquez will be moving up two classes from Lightweight (135lbs) to Welterweight (147lbs) and that will make a difference in the fight. Marquez is even smaller than Pacquiao, who made a similar jump to fight Oscar De La Hoya in 2008. Mayweather is not moving down in weight and has fought at Welterweight for several years now. Although Mayweather has never used his size to win fights, it is unknown how well Marquez will handle the punches from a bigger man.

It is well within Mayweather’s ability to win a unanimous decision over Marquez. When Marquez fought Chris John back in 2006, John played the role of counter puncher for all 12 rounds and won a decision (controversial as it was). Marquez is not as effective coming forward and reaching with punches and against Mayweather, he may not have a choice but to come forward. This has 12 rounds written all over it. Marquez has a shot to win the fight, if the body attack slows Mayweather down late in the fight.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-27407.html

Accusations of Pacquiao's Steroid Usage are Just Plain Idiotic

2009-09-16T17:41:00.000-07:00

Sep 16, 2009 -
Boxing is officially and unofficially filled with idiots. It's filled with idiots to the brim of brims.

It's recently come to my attention that several "geniuses" within the Mayweather camp have accused Manny Pacquiao of potentially utilizing performance enhancing substances in order to attain his effectiveness within the higher weight classes. It's one of the most absurd and baseless statements I've seen thrown awhile in quite some time being that Manny is one of the hardest workers in boxing whose body has simply matured over the years.

Back in 2006, in the moments leading up to his super featherweight trilogy bout with Erik Morales, Manny Pacquiao stepped on the unofficial HBO scale weighing in at a fit and heavy 144 pounds. It was an extremely clear sign that the "Pacman" was no longer the skinny "atom-weight" fighter we remembered at the start of his career. Just from simple observations, it's quite evident that anyone who gains more than ten percent of their bodyweight overnight leading to a prizefight probably walks around at a slightly higher weight in the "off-season".

This is quite accurate when it comes to the Filipino bomber being that he's been documented to enter training around the 150 pound weight range. The biggest standout feature in Manny Pacquiao's physical traits is his massive, tree trunk-like lower body attributes.

With a thigh measurement of 20", calf measurement of 15", and an ankle thickness of 11", there is no suprise to his ability to maintain his sharp footwork even in the higher weight classes. Unlike so many fighters out there that focus on enlarging their upper bodies with unnecessary weight training regimens, it's apparent to these eyes that Pacquiao has simply let his body fall wherever it should be naturally.

I remember thinking that if Pacquiao weighed in at 144 pounds on fight night versus Erik "El Terrible" Morales, I'd expect him to effectively carry himself somewhere around the 150 pound area should he focus on simply staying hydrated and allow his body weight to fall where it may. This is exactly what happened in his fight with Oscar De la Hoya as Team Pacquiao prepared their former "little" warrior by allowing him to eat as much as he wanted while training hard and diligently without having to struggle to make "dry out" to make weight.

It's a simple formula that any slightly educated and intuitive person could figure out.

Being that boxing is filled with nothing of the sort, I wouldn't quite expect anything different than these stupid and baseless accusations.

For those that would retort by stating that Pacquiao used steroids in order to build his strong base... you cannot build that type of thickness in one's ankles and calves by using roids. It's a trait that Manny has had for quite sometime... all you had to do was look!
I shake my head in disbelief in how stupid those within boxing can be at times...

Source: http://www.theboxingtruth.com/article.php?id=1027

Floyd Mayweather Jr vs. Juan Manuel Marquez Preview

2009-09-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

This is a day that most fans of boxing knew would come. Floyd Mayweather Jr is returning from his “retirement” this Saturday to take on Juan Manuel Marquez. The fight is billed as “Number One/Numero Uno” and takes place the weekend following Mexican Independence Day. The undercard features a rematch between Chris John and Rocky Juarez, Michael Katsidis vs. Vicente Escobedo, and the recently added Cornelius Lock vs. Orlando Cruz. The pay-per-view telecast from Las Vegas starts at 9 pm ET.

Floyd Mayweather Jr vs. Juan Manuel Marquez
Money Line: Mayweather Jr -350; Marquez +275

This fight was originally scheduled for July but an injured Mayweather rib forced the fight to be pushed back. Mayweather Jr last fought in December of 2007, a 10th round TKO of Ricky Hatton. Floyd retired later in 2008 instead of taking a rematch with Oscar De La Hoya. Now refreshed and rejuvenated, Mayweather can’t afford to have any ring rust against his Mexican counterpart. He’s one of the fastest men in boxing. Hand speed, footwork, and defensive reflexes are always in the favor of Mayweather no matter his opposition. He has a habit of feeling out his opponents in the early rounds, only to step on the gas late and blind them with his precision. Floyd Mayweather Jr has amassed 39 victories in 39 fights. A knockout has come in 25 of those wins. While not known as a powerful fighter, Floyd wears down opponents with an accumulation of shots. He could write the book on “Hit But Don’t Be Hit.”

Juan Manuel Marquez reads from another book, “Hit And Be Hit.” No different than many other Mexican warriors, Marquez has the skill but it is outweighed by his will. Mexican Independence Day is September 16. That should only fill Marquez with even more pride for his fight just three days later. Juan Manuel Marquez has a record of 50-4-1 with 37 wins by knockout. Despite being knocked down a couple of times in his career, Marquez has never been knocked out. That’s a testament to his warrior spirit. Marquez has two wins, over Juan Diaz and Joel Casamayor, since losing a close fight to Manny Pacquiao in 2008. Marquez is moving up in weight to tackle the biggest challenge of his career. He’s never faced anyone quite like Floyd Mayweather Jr and he will have to use every bit of his heart to come out a winner.

Fight Predictions

Trent: The saying goes that styles make fights. Manny Pacquiao is the best fighter in the world and you can make the argument that Marquez beat Pacquiao twice. But Pacquiao and Marquez have styles that make for competitive fights. Mayweather and Marquez have styles that could make this a long night for Juan Manuel Marquez. Floyd has every skill-based advantage. He’s younger. He’s bigger. Juan Manuel can defeat Floyd Mayweather Jr, but he’s going to have to fight the best fight of his career in order to do so. I won’t bet against Floyd Mayweather Jr until I see a reason to do so. Marquez is a good fighter that has shown flashes of greatness. Mayweather is a great fighter. A fighting spirit against Mayweather is almost like asking to be knocked out. Just ask Ricky Hatton. But I give Marquez the benefit of the doubt in that regard and say he makes it to the finish line. He’ll just be behind when he gets there. Mayweather by decision, 116-112.

Corey: Juan Manuel Marquez is a great fighter. He does everything well from offense to defense to turning it on late in fights to seal the deal, as he did against Joel Casamayor and Juan Diaz in his last two fights. The problem is Mayweather does everything Marquez does, but better. The only way I see Marquez pulling off a victory is if the two-year layoff has severely affected Mayweather’s timing. Given that Mayweather is a gym rat, we know he’ll be in shape. And, he’s the bigger man here, so if he takes everything Marquez throws at him early, he should wear Marquez down for a late stoppage – call it round 11 when either the referee or Nacho Beristain has seen enough.

Source: http://insidefights.com/2009/09/16/floyd-mayweather-jr-vs-juan-manuel-marquez-preview/

MAYWEATHER HITS PACQUIAO BELOW THE BELT WITH STEROID ALLEGATION, BOXING FANS JUST SAY NO TO SEPTEMBER 19

2009-09-16T17:35:00.000-07:00

The repetitive blows to the head of Floyd Mayweather Sr. have inevitably mashed his brain. The speech impediment is an obvious sign. It will not be surprising that in future TV interviews, there will be subtitles to help viewers understand him.

Even before the very first hit to his head, Floyd Sr, was not expected to articulate a scholarly dissertation but with his recent accusation that Manny Pacquiao is using a performance enhancing substance clearly shows that his intellectual capacity has reached nadir. There are no more neurons left to exercise any rational thought process. The space between his ears has become a vast wasteland akin to the day after a nuclear blast.

But is it really just the blows to the head? Or is it in the DNA. Even the most level- headed of the Mayweathers, Jeff, seems to give credence to the outrageous allegation.

If there is any performance enhancing substance Pacquiao is taking, it must be the world infamous balut. No need to explain, just Google it.

The Mayweathers are hitting below the belt. Boxing fans and specially the formidable Pacquiao fans worldwide, the Mayweathers can be hit where it hurts the most, the pocketbook.

Just say no to September 19.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-27399.html

V8: Mayweather, Pacquiao, Roach, Mayweather Snr., and more

2009-09-16T17:34:00.000-07:00

Mayweather Sr. Says Pacquiao Has The 'Juice'

According to reports, Floyd Mayweather Snr. recently spoke of what he calls a "possibility" that Manny Pacquiao is taking steroids. The comment was made to David Mayo of the Grand Rapids Press. Mayweather's inclination comes as a result of noticing a trend of the Filipino fighter "twitching" more now than he ever has. Those looking to play devils advocate here have also pointed back to the fact that another prominent Freddie Roach fighter recently was caught using steroids - (James 'Lights Out' Toney). Roach is convinced that the only thing his charge is guilty of taking is "rice", and Pacquiao's statement on the issue is that it is a non-issue, for the simple fact that he "doesn't even know what that stuff is". Mayweather Snr. went on to say that he "thinks EVERY fighter should be tested more thoroughly", and that he "truly believes that Roach and company are pushing Pacquiao too much" in this pursuit for history and greatness. A loss to Cotto and that portion of his statement may be realized as a truth, but despite the muscular frame and the fact that Pacquiao has carried power up in weight like few others have been able to, I think we can all lay that type of speculation to rest. There is no greater impact to a fighter than a question of his credibility. Pacquiao and Roach have been very honorable and credible sources to this point. I'm not quite sure that I see this pursuit of happiness changing that.

Floyd Mayweather jr.: Mo' Money, Mo' Problems?

Fighter Floyd Mayweather returns to the ring this Saturday for the first time in 2 years. Speculation has run rampant about the reasons behind his return. Unconfirmed stories from various sources have began to surface about everything from him owing the IRS, to his having a vehicle repossessed. Critics have had a blast taking shots at the former P4P king without stopping to think two things. (1.) It makes no sense to blast Mayweather about returning ONLY because he's having money problems, for the simple fact that if he were to lose to Marquez, those same people WOULD NOT turn around and say that he lost because "he was only fighting for money and not motivated"; they're gonna say that his money issues are just another excuse. So which one is it? Taking shots at a guy you don't like just potentially takes away from what would be a solid effort from his opponent - Juan Manuel Marquez? (2.) The last time I checked, a man who finds his ability to support his family compromised who actually decides to get off of his 'duff' and go to work is something I thought we commended people for. Isn't it a bit funny how a person can be criticized for having money problems, and criticized even more for trying to go back to work and legally solve them? Face it, ladies and gents, yes, we hate practically everything Mayweather says when he grabs a microphone most times, but to find humor in him trying to feed his family (if that is the reason for his return) is a laughing matter in and of itself. We should all go look in the mirror and get in a good laugh, too, because if we feel that way, perhaps the real joke is on us! As journalist, it's best to be mindful of the fact that we all have bills to pay - just like these guys who sacrifice their lives in the ring; Which is why I refrain from tearing any fighters down. I wouldn't be writing now if I didn't have a family to feed. Does that mean someone is out there preparing an article about me too? (Think about it)

Pacquiao: "If We Fought Today, I Would Lose"

Manny Pacquiao has always been known as a very honest and humble man. That sentiment can only be realized more and more when listening to the unapologeticly honest statement rendered from the fighting Filipino a few days ago when he boldly said with integrity, "if we (he and Cotto) fought today, I would lose". A growing concern among many is that Pacquiao's outside distractions - shooting of a movie, commercials, and other activities - have put the Filipino behind the 8-ball in his quest to defeat Cotto. This was evidenced in what many spectators referred to as a very "round faced" Pacquiao who recently appeared at various press tour stops around the world to promote the fight. With approximately 8 weeks left to train for the fight, perhaps it's a great thing the fight "isn't today". The quest for Pacquiao to return to form gives him a mere 50 more (days) plus to do so. In the end, I think we can all be confident that he will, like he always has.

Mayweather jr. Ready To Reclaim P4P Status?

Saturday night marks the return of 'Prettyboy' Floyd Mayweather. It's been two long years, and a lot has changed since his unexpected departure. One of those things was a crowning of a new P4P king - Manny Pacquiao. In an era where belts mean less and less, it seems the only title worth pursuing is the mythical P4P title. Trouble is, until they actually fight and settle the score, it's hard to believe that the consensus will change from favoring Pacquiao in the matter to a notion favoring Mayweather. I guess we'll never know until the two actually square off and decide once and for all. Whether they get that opportunity to do so starts Saturday night in Las Vegas when Mayweather attempts to defeat a man that Pacquiao has struggled mightily with. And one way or the other, that possibility will end on the evening of November 14th, when Pacquiao faces his biggest challenge yet (literally) in Miguel Cotto. It will either end with Pacquiao solidifying his position in such a fight with Mayweather, or it will end as a result of him losing that fight to Miguel Cotto. In approximately 8 weeks we'll all find out.

MMA According to Bob Arum: From Skinned-Head To Skinheads?!?!

Bob Arum recently went on a tirade which outlined his deepest thoughts about the sport of MMA. Listening to the harsh sentiments of Bob, there's little question in the minds of some that something more personal is brewing within. While some may find a way to justify the things he said, certainly that choice of words wasn't what one would expect from someone of his caliber. Not only did he say MMA was "a bunch of skinhead white guys", but he also went out on a limb and said competitors in the sport are like "homosexuals rolling around on the floor". Some pretty strong words for a man who many greatly respect. Truth is, MMA fighters train as hard, or harder than boxers, so I don't find much validity there. But what I will do is concede the point to him that the fundamental skill of boxing is one that better suits my personal taste. With the sport of MMA being fairly new and still somewhat undeveloped, (in comparison to boxing), it'll be intriguing to see how the future of the sport unfolds. Either way it goes, I think we can all rest assured that contrary to Arum's beliefs, I'm sure it will contain more than 'skin heads', and I'm definitely sure we WON'T be seeing any homosexual divisions pop up.

Manny Pacquiao - A 'Superhero'

Pacquiao recently finished recording what will be known in the Philippines as "Wapakman", which is a superhero film where he flies and characterizes himself in a way like that of spider-man. Two decades ago, the fighting Filipino was merely selling donuts and cigarettes on street corners trying to help his Mother make ends meet. Fast forward a few years, and with a lot of hardwork and dedication, his estimated earning has put him on par with some of the top athletes in the world. As of now, we have no idea what his future will look like inside the ring, but considering his accomplishments to date, win, lose, or draw, he'll always be a superhero. Which is pretty 'fly' in and of itself. (Pun intended).

Don't Ask Freddie (Roach), He Simply "Doesn't Care"....(But Should He?)

Trainer to Manny Pacquiao was recently quoted as saying that he "simply doesn't care" who will win the Mayweather/Marquez fights because "they're both counterpunchers and will put you to sleep". If the past is any indication, that could bode true, but let Roger Mayweather tell it, fight fans shouldn't be surprised to see his nephew Floyd Jr. come out and "bumrush" Marquez, setting a vicious tone from the very start. Many have taken note of the fact Mayweather has gone down in weight from 147lbs to 144lbs, but has gotten bigger in size, as evidenced by the bulging biceps displayed on HBO's 24/7. Half of Mayweather's career, fight fans have criticized him for not being aggressive enough. It would be awfully interesting if this two year hiatus helped refresh his hands enough to make him comfy enough to convert to being a slugger. He was already one of the most talented guys in the sport. I can't imagine an rough edge as well. If he and Pacquiao do square off that would make quite a spectacle. I know with business lying ahead, Roach's attention is elsewhere, and if I were him, I probably wouldn't care yet, but oh yeah....I'd care...and I'd definitely be looking to see if this new 'change' takes effect. The rest of us definitely will.

James Toney - Slim, Trim, With A Future That's.....Dim?

Famed middleweight turned heavyweight James Toney recently returned back to the ring for the first in a while after a very tumultuous recent history in the sport which has seen him balloon in weight, get busted for steroids usage, and fail to make a splash all while doing it. Few can argue that Toney is arguably one of the best fighters of recent times in the sport, and has actually won fights on poor conditioning, based purely on ring intellect. How he stacks amongst today's heavyweights remains to be seen, but weighing in at a slim and trim 217lbs, which is the lowest we've seen him at in YEARS has to be something to consider, as a 90% James Toney can still be effective enough to face and soundly defeat much of today's competition. It'll be interesting to see what he does, but somehow, I get the feeling that I'll be one of the only ones watching.

Source: http://www.8countnews.com/news/125/ARTICLE/1920/2009-09-16.html

Marquez-Mayweather: No lion, free tickets, apathy, strictly "B" List

2009-09-16T17:30:00.000-07:00

"I don't worry about no fighter. Fighters have to worry about me. I can adjust and I can adapt.

"People seem to forget, I fought Ricky Hatton when he was undefeated and I laid down the blueprint for how to beat him.

"And again, when you look at the tape of when Hatton fought Manny Pacquiao, when Pacquiao hit him he wasn't even looking when he threw the punch. He threw a Hail Mary punch.

"I'm not saying Pacquiao's not a good fighter. I'm not saying that I'm the only star in boxing. There are other stars in boxing. But there's only one mega-superstar."--FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR, DELUSIONAL FIGHTER.

A “B” movie is one with no proven film stars and a smaller budget.

The “B’ team is composed of second stringer, non starters.

“B” List celebrities are decidedly lower case, the ones who can’t make the cut for the “A” List.

At the end of the day, that’s all that Juan Manuel Marquez-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight Saturday night really is, one Side “B” fighter against another Side “B” fighter.

Mayweather shouts from the rooftops that he is boxing’s one and only “mega star.”

Now L’il Floyd is, I suppose, entitled to his illusions of grandeur but it’s easy to puncture his balloon by pointing out some relevant facts:

Fact 1: On the down low, promoter Golden Boy is dishing out free tickets to the MGM Grand Arena, looking to put more asses in the seats when the cameras roll.

Fact 2: Mexicans have never embraced Juan Ma, the chilango from the nation’s capital, as a fistic icon the same way they did Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera.

Fact 3: Mexican Independence Day was last night (Tuesday). I enjoyed some mariachi music, a snort of Don Julio anejo and some cecina steak tacos at Mama Mexico’s here in White Harlem but how many people can afford to extend the celebration all the way to Saturday? Weekend jaunts to Vegas are way down from both Mexico and Los Angeles which is another reason the live gate receipts are anemic for this show. All this with room rates at record lows even at the fanciest hotel-casinos.

Fact 4: Where is it written that, without Manny Pacquiao, Barrera or Morales attached to his name, that Juan Ma is a PPV fighter anyway? He looked sharp in toying with overrated and underachieving Juan Diaz, yes, but that was on regular HBO. If anyone thought that could’ve been peddled on PPV, it would have been.

Fact 5: Mayweather as the devil you know and love to hate may be an act that is wearing thin with the public. PBF sees himself as the ring hero of the Hip Hop thimble world, good for him although Rick Ross begs to differ. Let’s see how many black faces will be paying customers in the arena Saturday night because it won’t be many. It may be unverifiable but I don’t think PBF gets broad support on PPV from black Americans either.

Fact 6: What proves that Mayweather remains a “B” side guy is the PPV numbers he and GBP like to brag about came because he was attached to proven PPV commodities named de la Hoya and Hatton.

Fact 7: Where are the boxing heroes who are out there in public touting Marquez’s chances to win? New School promoter GBP doesn’t get it. Warhorse Bob Arum would’ve trotted out someone like El Gran Campeon Julio Cesar Chavez to tout Juan Ma. Instead, we get hoary clichés from Oscar whose credibility in Mexico is not great.

In an age of diminished expectations, I still hope this is an entertaining fight. From Mayweather’s viewpoint, he needs to rock the house and then mount the rostrum and call out the Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto winner.

The feeling persists that the creaking as he nears age 37 Juan Ma is collecting his final big payday, nothing more, nothing less.

Marquez will never surrender but his handler, Nacho Beristain, might do so for him.

You remember Manny and Miguel, right?

They’re “A” Listers. They’ve got a nearly sold out live gate for Nov. 14. No ducats will be given away.

Only “B” Listers have to give their product away.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-5699-NY-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m9d16-No-lion-apathy-free-tickets--MarquezMayweather-is-strictly-B-List

Oddsmakers: Mayweather will top Marquez in decision

2009-09-16T17:29:00.000-07:00

Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s self-imposed 21-month hiatus from boxing has not discouraged oddsmakers or the betting marketplace from making him a heavy wagering favorite in his return to the ring Saturday.

Mayweather figures to enter his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand as a significantly bigger favorite than he was in either of his two most recent bouts, against Ricky Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya, both in 2007.

Mayweather is listed as a minus 360 favorite (risk $3.60 to net $1) to beat Marquez, a plus 280 underdog (risk $1 to net $2.80) according to odds at all Station Casinos properties. Other books around town, including the Las Vegas Hilton, have Mayweather as a larger favorite at minus 400 with a price of plus 330 on Marquez. (As always, odds vary by casino property and can change by the minute.)

The round proposition offered in Las Vegas sports books suggests the fight is likely to go the distance, which makes sense considering the matchup pits a tactical expert in Mayweather against a counterpuncher in Marquez.

The round prop at Station properties asks whether the fight will last 12 full rounds, with a price of minus 125 on the “will go 12” side, and a price of plus 105 on “will not go 12.” Some books have an over/under of 11 1/2 rounds, with a premium of minus 150 on the “over.”

In the result proposition, Marquez to win by knockout is listed at 8-1 and Marquez to win by a decision is 4-1. Mayweather to win by knockout is an 8-5 choice with Mayweather by a decision 4-5, according to Station odds. It’s 15-1 the bout will end in a draw.

As a point of comparison, a prominent offshore sports book favors a Mayweather knockout (plus 112) over a Mayweather decision (plus 165), in contrast to the Las Vegas consensus.

Mayweather opened as a minus 300 favorite against Marquez on an early line from Las Vegas Sports Consultants, though Station oddsmakers opted to open Mayweather at minus 430.

Those figures are closer to the odds Mayweather commanded as a big favorite against Zab Judah in 2006 or Arturo Gatti in 2005 than the lines on Mayweather’s clashes with Hatton or De La Hoya.

Before he manhandled Hatton on the way to a 10th-round technical knockout in December 2007, Mayweather was listed as a betting favorite in the range of minus 200 to minus 280. The price was likely held in check by legions of British Hatton fans backing their man at the windows.

A 2-1 favorite against De La Hoya, Mayweather delivered for his backers with a split-decision victory in May 2007.

Mayweather was a favorite in the range of 4-1 to 5-1 leading to his unanimous-decision victory against Judah. The line on Mayweather opened at minus 360 and closed around minus 500 in his fight against Gatti, which Mayweather won by a sixth-round stoppage.

Given the lopsided betting line, it’s tempting to dismiss Saturday’s bout as a poor betting fight. It’s not without intrigue, though. The price on Mayweather is based in part on the physical matchup between the two men. Besides his vaunted defensive and technical skills, Mayweather is projected to have an advantage in strength and power. His edge in these areas depends, of course, on how much muscle Marquez has been packing on while training in Mexico City.

Underdog players could find it tough to resist Marquez, often considered one of the top three boxers in the sport, at such an attractive price against anyone, let alone a fighter returning from a layoff of nearly two years.

Mayweather, for his part, has a stock quip he uses to dismiss suggestions that Camp Marquez has solved the mystery of how to defeat him.

“All 39 had a plan,” Mayweather says, referring to his 39-0 record as a professional.

If Mayweather makes it 40-for-40 Saturday, bettors will probably have to wait for a proposed match against Manny Pacquiao to find Mayweather in the neighborhood of pick ’em at the betting windows.

One speculative (but real-money) Las Vegas betting line had Mayweather-Pacquiao as a pick ’em earlier this year.

The revised odds on that fight, if it does take place, will be based not only on the outcome of Saturday’s fight but on Mayweather’s performance in it.

Source: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/sep/16/oddsmakers-see-it-mayweather-will-top-marquez-deci/