UFC 92

December 27, 2008
MGM Grand Garden Arena
Las Vegas, Nevada



Wanderlei Silva versus Quinton "Rampage" Jackson





World Light Heavyweight Championship

Forest Griffin versus Rashad Evans

The Dream Match: De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao

12 Rounds Welterweight 147

Oscar De La Hoya (39-5, 30 KOs) vs. Manny Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 KOs)

De La Hoya 145 vs. Pacquiao 142







My head says it will be the Golden Boy but my heart says it will be the Pacman. Anyway, may the best fighter win…

But I do pick Manny to win via a 10th Round TKO. Go Pacman! He-he.



Update 12.06.2008: Pacquiao was relentless in pummeling Oscar de la Hoya from the opening bell forcing the Golden Boy to quit on his stool in the 8th round of the fight scheduled for 12.



Here's a compilation of Pacman's greatest fights as he gobbles one great Mexican fighter after another-

UFC 91: Lesnar walloped Couture in 2

In just fourth MMA match, Lesnar reaches top of the sport
Dave Deibert, TheStarPhoenix.com
Published: Sunday, November 16, 2008
The future of mixed-martial-arts has arrived. His name: Brock Lesnar.

In just his fourth career MMA match, Lesnar (3-1) captured the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight title in spectacular fashion, scoring a TKO over UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture (16-9) at 3:07 of the second round of the main event of UFC 91 on Saturday night, stunning a capacity crowd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Lesnar caught Couture with a right hand to the side of the 45-year-old's head, sending the five-time champion staggering to the mat. Lesnar quickly pounced and rained two dozen unanswered shots down; referee Mario Yamasaki gave Couture as much time as possible to defend himself and recover but eventually had to jump in and stop the bout.


Many critics sounded off against the raw but athletic Lesnar, a former World Wrestling Entertainment superstar, getting a title shot so soon in his career. But the decision by UFC proved justified; with just 25 minutes of ring time in his career, Lesnar has reached the mountain top: UFC heavyweight champ.

"That sounds really good. I can't believe it. I can't believe it," Lesnar, a former NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion, said in the ring following the bout.

With the crowd buzzing in anticipation - UFC 91 could wind up as the most successful pay-per-view in company history - the two went toe-to-toe in the first round, with Couture scoring some good shots and Lesnar using his size to control Couture.

Midway through the second round, Lesnar - looking much improved in the stand-up game - drilled Couture with a big right hand. As Couture fell to the mat, the crowd rose to its collective feet, feeling the end was near. Couture tried to regain his senses but Lesnar was all over him, forcing the finish.

"I just believe in hard work and that it pays off," said the 6-foot-3 Lesnar, who entered the Octagon with a roughly 60-pound weight advantage over the 220-pound Couture.

Couture, who stayed down on the mat for several minutes following the match, gave full credit to Lesnar and his powerful XXXL fists.

"It's hard to get out of the way of those," Couture said.

It was Couture's first fight since August 2007; he had been in a year-long legal dispute with UFC that kept him out of the ring until returning for this title defence. Still, he said he didn't feel ring rust was an issue.

"That's just a big son of a bitch," said Couture.

"I felt good. He's just a big guy, he caught me with a big shot."

Up next for Lesnar: the winner of next month's match-up between interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and former UFC heavyweight champ Frank Mir. Noguiera was crowned interim champion during Couture's absence. Mir, meanwhile, defeated Lesnar via submission in 90 seconds in Lesnar's UFC debut.

In other matches:

- Kenny Florian (13-3) scored an impressive win over Joe Stevenson (29-9) in a battle of lightweight title contenders, forcing Stevenson to tap out to a rear naked choke 4:03 into the first round.

The two went back and forth for most of the round before Florian floored Stevenson. Florian followed him to the mat and scored with several big shots, and as Stevenson tried to turn away, Florian caught him in a choke and made him submit.

- In a match that wasn't originally scheduled for the main card but got bumped after another fight was cancelled, Dustin Hazelett (12-4) beat Tamdan McCrory (10-2) via armbar submission at 3:59 of an entertaining welterweight battle.

- Heavyweight title hopeful Gabriel Gonzaga (10-3) gave Josh Hendricks (15-5-1) a rough welcome to UFC, scoring a TKO victory just 1:01 into Hendricks's UFC debut.

- In the pay-per-view opener, Demian Maia (10-0) made short work of Nate Quarry (10-3), forcing the alumnus of The Ultimate Fighter reality TV show to tap out to a rear raked choke just 2:13 into the first round of a middleweight bout.

FIGHT NOTES: Up next is UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008, one of the most stacked cards in recent memory - light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin defends against Rashad Evans; Nogueira takes on Mir; and light heavyweight contenders Wanderlei Silva and Quinton Jackson go head-to-head . . . On the undercard of UFC 91, Canadian Mark Bocek defeated Alvin Robinson via rear naked choke at 3:16 of the third round.

ddeibert@sp.canwest.com

The Right Formula: Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton finally became the youngest Formula One champion in history (albeit his coronation was delayed by a year) when he finished fifth at the Brazilian Grand Prix to edge the season ending race winner Felipe Massa of Ferrari by a point by winning the final championship point on the last lap when he passed Toyota’s Timo Glock.



It was sweet vindication for Hamilton who also led in the points a year ago but was beaten by a mere point by Kimi Raikkonen for the 2007 championships in the last race of the season.

It was sweet vindication for the young British driver to finally win the biggest trophy in racing after being the subject of racist slurs by Spanish fans of his erstwhile teammate and bitter rival Fenando Alonso who left Mclaren for Renault this year because of certain issues with the team and teammate.



Aside from being the 2008 Formula One World Champion, he has the hot Filipina- American Pussy Cat Doll, Nicole Scherzinger by his side. Now, Mr. Hamilton can really proclaim that he’s on top of the world!



How lucky can a guy really get, huh?

Bute- Andrade Fight: Mr. Wright was Wrong!

Marlon B. Wright, the referee of the IBF Super Middleweight fight held in Montreal, Canada between current champion Lucien Bute and challenger Librado Andrade did the unthinkable when he made the very looooooooong count in order to save the champion’s ass after being knocked down by the challenger in the 12th round despite dominating the fight earlier.

Thus, Bute who fell on his butt after catching a wicked right in the waning seconds of the final round retained his belt via an infamous hometown decision cooked by Mr. Wright, the referee.

It was a blatant display of bias for the hometown boy and wrong judgment by the supposed to be neutral third man in the ring.

I say, fire Mr. Wright for his wrongdoings in order for him not to commit wrong decisions inside the square ring in the future.



Watch the clip of the last minute of the 12th round and You be the judge--

ESPN's Manny Pacquiao Special

E:60, ESPN's primetime newsmagazine is set to air Tuesday, a 60-minute television special on Manny Pacquiao’s iconic rise in the sport of boxing.

ESPN reporter Jeremy Schaap will take an inside look on Pacquiao’s overcoming poverty to become the Philippines' national icon through boxing.

Pacquiao is the only Asian boxer to win four world titles in different weight divisions. He is the current holder of the WBC Lightweight title, and previously won the WBC Super Featherweight, IBF Super Bantamweight and WBC Flyweight title diadems.

He is currently the Ring Magazine's top pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

Here's Episode I of the HBO Special...

Unstoppable: Kelly Pavlik versus Bernard Hopkins

Bernard Hopkins completely outclassed and dominated the WBC/WBO/The Ring Middleweight champion of the world in their Light Heavyweight non-title fight and showed the stuff on why even at age 43, he is still considered an elite fighter.


UNSTOPPABLE: Kelly Pavlik versus Bernard Hopkins


Round I- Pavlik left jab. Hopkins countered with a left hook to the body and then a right to the face. Pavlik stalking Hopkins but ineffective. 10- 9 Hopkins.

Round II- Pavlik began by stalking Hopkins but Hopkins is beating him to the punch. A left hook on the face from Hopkins momentarily stunned Pavlik. A swelling in Pavlik's right eye. 10- 9 Hopkins

Round III- The two fighters preferred to mix it up inside. Pavlik's jab is neutralized by Hopkins. They traded blows, Hopkins getting the better of the exchange. Hopkins 10- 9.

Round IV- Pavlik starts the round with pressure. Hopkins still beating him to the punch and is getting the better end of the exchange with clean punches. 10- 9 Hopkins.

Round V- Pavlik continues his pressure of Hopkins but still he is being beaten to the punch by Hopkins. Good exchange, still the round goes to Hopkins. 10- 9.

Round VI- This is Pavlik's best round. He landed several body shots and Hopkins is slowing down a bit but still won the round, 10- 9.

Round VII- Pavlik trying to establish his jab early but Hopkins is an elusive target. Hopkins is ripping Pavlik with his hand speed and is showboating in the process. Hopkins 10-9.

Round VIII- Same old story. Hopkins is getting the better of the exchange. Pavlik looks tired. Pavlik deducted a point for holding while hitting. Hopkins 10-8.

Round IX- Pavlik is getting outwork and outpunch. He needs a knock out to win fight. A point was taken away from Hopkins for holding. 10-9, Pavlik.

Round X- Good round for Pavlik. Still it's Hopkins' round. Pavlik's getting desperate but slow. Hopkins 10-9.

Round XI- Both fighters elect to fight close and inside. Pavlik is getting schooled by Hopkins on defense and getting hammered too. There's bleeding from a cut on his right eye. Hopkins 10-9.

Round XII- Hopkins lands a combo that rocks Pavlik. Pavlik is a ghost of his old self. The Executioner executed his game plan and taught Pavlik a neat lesson in boxing as he completely dismantled the myth of Kelly Pavlik. Hopkins 10-9.


OTHER RESULTS FROM ATLANTIC CITY....


Unbeaten junior bantamweight prospect Qa'id Muhammad (3-0, 3 KOs) TKO'd Samuel Gutierrez (3-4)in the fourth round. Time was 2:29.

Unbeaten welterweight prospect Danny Garcia (8-0, 7 KOs) dropped Deon Nash (5-6, 1 KO) twice in round three and stopped him at 2:14 of the same round.

Unbeaten junior middleweight contender Yuri Foreman (26-0, 8 KOs) won via a unanimous decision over Vinroy Barrett (22-7, 11 KOs). Scores were 100-90.


Unbeaten super middleweight Daniel Jacobs (11-0, 10 KOs) demolished Tyrone Watson (7-6, 3 KOs)with brutal body shots in just 2:29 of the first round.

Marco Antonio Rubio (43-4-1, 37 KOs) won a twelve round split decision over Enrique Ornelas (28-5, 18 KOs) in a WBC middleweight eliminator, thus earning a shot at a future fight against Kelly Pavlik. He won 115-113 116-112 on two scorecards while Ornelas prevailed 115-113 on the third card.

WBO featherweight champion Steven Luevano (36-1-1, 15 KOs) retained his title with a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten challenger Billy Dib (21-1, 11 KOs). Scores were 116-112, 115-113, 117-111.

Peugeot's RC HYmotion4

Yes, the French automaker unveiled at the prestigious 2008 Paris Mondial De L'Automobile, the four- door coupe hybrid concept that can run up to 52 miles per gallon.

This concept car is a far cry from Peugeot's more traditional and conservative models that simply did not do well with many of its European customers' tastes. Thus, with the RC HYmotion4, whose design is quite modern and sleek, the people at Peugeot is betting of a change in perception from its younger and sophisticated consumer base target.

So, will this concept car change the company's future?

It remains to be seen...

Here's what Carscoop has to say--

The innovative and rather sensual hybrid four-door coupe combines a rear-mounted, 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engine (based on the same unit used in the Peugeot 207 RC and MINI Cooper) developing 218HP that powers the rear-wheels with a front-mounted 95HP electric motor that drives the front-wheels for an overall output of 313HP.

The electric motor is powered by lithium batteries which are recharged during both deceleration and braking. Unlike most other hybrid systems, the front and the rear power units in the Peugeot are not connected mechanically. Instead, the hybrid drivetrain is controlled automatically by electronics. According to the French automaker, the RC HYmotion4 can be driven either in electric or petrol engine mode only, or with both engines combined making possible a maximum output of 313HP.

Peugeot claims that the four-seater sedan can sprint from zero to 100 km/h (62mph) in a mere 4.4 sec, to 1,000m (0.62 miles) in 22.8 sec and on to a top speed of 295 km/h (183mph). And if that isn’t enough to warm you up, Peugeot says that the 4.716 meter long RC HYmotion4 consumes on average just 4.5 lt of fuel for every 100 km which translates to 52.3 mpg US.

Kimbo, Sliced!

Yes Sir, Kevin Ferguson a.k.a. Kimbo Slice, the brash and arrogant Mixed Martial Arts fighter being groomed by television giant, CBS to be the face of its MMA franchise, EliteXC was TKO'd in the first round tonight by Seth Petruzelli, a young average fighter from Florida and a late replacement for Kimbo's original opponent Ken Shamrock (who suffered a cut on his left eyebrow earlier in the day while doing some routine warm- ups and was ruled ineligible to fight by doctors to his dismay).

So what's next for the much- hyped EliteXC now that their "face" was virtually "sliced" by an unknown fighter and thus exposed their king, Kimbo as a fraud?

Back to the drawing board folks.

The Golden Boy & Pacman- "Big Apple Bite"

Oscar de la Hoya & Manny Pacquiao in New York City





Photo credits: Ed Mulholland
Fightnews.com

Paul Newman, 1925- 2008

“Paul Newman—a real American hero, an inspiration to me in much that I have attempted in my adult life. Not so much for the parts he played, but for the man that he was. He was one of Hollywood’s greatest. He could not only talk the talk on film but, more importantly, could walk the walk as a private citizen.”—NASCAR team owner Jack Roush.


“I have come to know his passion, humor and above all, his generosity. Not just economic generosity, but generosity of spirit. His support of the team’s drivers, crew and the racing industry is legendary. His pure joy at winning a pole position or winning a race exemplified the spirit he brought to his life and to all those that knew him. We will truly miss him.”—Carl Haas, co-owner of Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing.

“Most of us knew him as Butch or Fast Eddie from the theater or from our living rooms at home. He was much more than a great actor. … Paul was a man of character who cared about the world and the people who lived in it. Putting a smile on a young person’s face and helping people in need was a virtue he excelled at.”—Michael Lanigan, co-owner of Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing.


“He was just a great guy and truly loved everything about racing. He and I shared a true passion for motorsports in general, but specifically IndyCar racing. … Paul was one of a kind.”—IndyCar team owner and former driver Michael Andretti.


“We connected as racers, but Paul’s ideas of what we should do for charity is what really resonated with me the most. He set the bar, not only with his giving, but in how he gave. … Paul did it right, and he did it with class. He’ll be terribly missed.”—NASCAR driver Tony Stewart.


“He was dedicated to giving back to those less fortunate, and with each child we see, we honor his spirit and vision. Undoubtedly he has touched millions of lives.”—NASCAR driver Kyle Petty and co-founder of the Victory Junction Gang Camp, modeled after Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang camps.


“He has been a great friend to Hendrick Motorsports. Rick (Hendrick) has a play day and puts a restrictor plate on the car and lets guys go out and drive around with half the horsepower. Numerous times, Paul has gone out on sticker tires, the plate off and run really quick laps. I was always so impressed with his driving ability and who he was as a person.”—NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson.


“To all his fans worldwide and those close to him in our racing community, we share a deep sense of loss, but cherish the many fond memories we will forever carry with us.”—Tony George, chief executive officer of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the founder of the Indy Racing League.

“I had the pleasure of driving for Mr. Newman in 1981 and I was richer for the experience. He was a man of class and he was also deservedly very highly regarded for his driving skills. The world is a poorer place today for his passing.”—Bobby Rahal, IndyCar team owner and former driver.


“He was a real racer and a great person.”—NASCAR driver and former open-wheel driver A.J. Allmendinger.

General Motors' Electric Dreams

Amid the glamour and fanfare of its 100^th anniversary, General Motors unveiled the new Chevrolet Volt to the public at the GM Renaissance building in downtown Detroit. Although the look is a far cry from the futuristic concept that GM unveiled to the public in 2007, the electric powered Volt is being hailed as its “moon shot’ in the green and fuel- efficient automobile category.

Company executives proclaimed that it is the car of the future for the giant American car maker and its attempt to show the world that General Motors, a producer of monster vehicles and rugged gas- guzzlers is also capable of producing a compact and fuel efficient car.

Here’s what Robert Snell of the Detroit News has to say about the new car that will begin production in 2010 and will start showing up in various show rooms all over the United States by 2011--

The Volt will operate like a plug-in hybrid;

it will be rechargeable via a standard 110-volt outlet and able to travel up to 40 miles on electric power alone. The car also will have a gas engine that powers a generator to recharge the battery and keep the vehicle running when its lithium-ion battery pack runs low on power.

The vehicle could cost as much as $40,000 because of its expensive batteries, and Congress is considering tax breaks for plug-in vehicles that would defray the purchase cost of the Volt.

Now, whether they will remain a leader in this field in two years time remains to be seen.

I am sure that the Japanese carmakers will not back down on the challenge that their American counterpart has hurled on this side of Motown.

I’m sure Toyota and Honda are cooking up something and will come up with their own versions of the electric car in the near future.

Whatever the outcome, I am sure that the buying public will surely benefit from it. In the end, it will be good for us and the planet to be less dependent on the big oil.

Amir Khan, Gone!

Amir Khan, the celebrated and much- hyped boxer coming out of England in recent years was knocked out by the unheralded Breidis Prescott of Colombia in just 54 seconds of the first round.

The 21- year old British darling was exposed by the heavy- hitting Prescott as nothing but a mere pretender and a clown in the mold of his predecessor and another British media darling Prince Naseem Hamed who were given a succession of patsies just to pad their records. Thus, their bloated exploits in the square ring were
washed away on the quayside when faced with quality oppositions.

Thus, Khan’s dream and that of British boxing of lording it over the boxing world turned into a nightmare just like what happened to Hamed when Marco Antonio Barrera pummeled him to submission years ago.





Here's the original clown in his fight against Barrera--

Rey "Boom- Boom" Bautista versus Eden Marquez

August 30, 2008
WBO Intercontinental Superbantanweight Championship
Cebu City, Philippines

The Golden Boy versus Pacman

Ring Magazine’s reigning pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao in an interview with ABS- CBN’s Dyan Castillejo confirmed that the megabuck fight with the Golden Boy Oscar De la Hoya is on with both sides finally agreeing to the division of spoils, ok prize money that once hindered the negotiations between two of boxing world’s biggest draw.

The scheduled December 6th fight will be De la Hoya’s farewell fight and Pacquiao’s biggest fight. The fight is pegged at a catch weight of 147 lbs. This will be Pacman's heaviest weight and De la Hoya's lightest in years.

I have some misgivings about this fight because on paper, Manny Pacquiao is in a disadvantaged position and the consensus underdog here since except for youth, De la Hoya has the edge in everything (experience, weight, height and reach). But I guess money talks in this case and so the fight with the popular and smaller Pacquiao will indeed pursue.

Frankly, I just lost my respect for Oscar as a fighter for taking this fight because for all of Pacquiao’s vaunted power and hand speed, this fight is not the fight that should even be considered to be his farewell fight. If he is man enough and wants to cement his legacy, he should fight Antonio Margarito instead.

I just hope that Manny will emerge from this fight unscathed considering that Oscar De la Hoya can really punch the lights out of him. So, I am keeping my fingers crossed that this will be a competitive fight and not a lopsided one.

Although I will be rooting for Manny to win, my head tells me to put my money on the Golden Boy. But who knows, Pacman will once again rise to the occasion and prove all the skeptics wrong.

Good luck Manny.

Superman Phelps- London Calling

Michael Phelps surpassed Mark Spitz’ long- standing record of 7 gold medals in a single Olympics when he garnered 8 gold medals in swimming at the recently concluded Beijing Olympics wherein he dominated all opposition en route to being named as the greatest Olympic athlete of all time.

He now has a total of 16 Olympic medals with 14 golds and 3 bronzes and currently holds 7 world records. What is scary about him is that he is only 23 years old, thus he can add more precious hardware already in his possession come 2012 in London.

Michael Phelps is truly in a class of his own. Simply put, he is just SUPER!

Little Miss Sunshine

Although I prefer the grace of Beijing Olympics all- around champion Nastia Liukin’s than runner- up Shawn Johnson’s powerful routines in gymnastics, I love the perkiness and happy disposition of the latter in and out of the floor.



And was I glad that she finally won a gold medal on the balance beam on the last day of competition after coming very close in three previous tries in other elements. She had shown great composure against the odds and gave due respect to her co- competitors and maintained a winsome smile all throughout even if the results did not go her way though no fault of her won.



In the end, nobody deserves the gold medal more than this cute little gymnast from West Des Moines, Iowa.

Lightning Bolt

Usain Bolt of Jamaica proved true to his “Lightning” moniker and did not disappoint as he became the fastest man in the world on Saturday August 16, 2008 by winning the 100 meter dash finals of the Beijing Olympics as he obliterated the world’s best sprinters with a new world record of 9.69 seconds.

Make or Break: Pacquiao vs. Diaz

WBC Lightweight Championships
June 28, 2008
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada







Follow the link for the rest of the blockbuster fight--
Pacquiao versus Diaz

Rocket Man

It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…

It’s Superman!


No, make that FusionMan.



Yves Rossy a Swiss inventor, adventurer and former pilot of Switzerland’s Air Force who in 2004 became the first man to have flown a jet engine- powered wing strapped on his back have once again shown to the world today the promise of his 8- foot “backpack’ contraption when he flew over the Swiss Alps for 5 minutes while doing aerial acrobatics that once thought to be impossible for man to achieve.

He aimed high, defied the odds and followed his dreams.


Keep on Flying FusionMan!

Let’s watch and enjoy his record- breaking flight once more…

Joe Calzaghe defeats Bernard Hopkins

Reigning WBC/WBA/WBO Super Middleweight Champion Joe Calzaghe (44-0, 32 KOs) executed his game plan as he won a twelve round split decision over the 43-year-old Bernard "Executioner" Hopkins (48-4-21, 32 KOs) for the Ring Magazine's Light Heavyweight Title on Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas.






Watch the entire fight here

Just Do It: New Nike TV Ad

Featuring Manny Pacquiao, Maria Sharapova, Cristiano Ronaldo, Roger Federer, Liu Xiang and Kobe Bryant.

Manny Pacquiao versus David Diaz

It's Official!

Manny Pacquiao’s quest for boxing glory and history continues as he climbs in weight at 135 lbs to challenge the reigning WBC Lightweight Champion David Diaz for the latter’s belt on June 28, 2008 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao, the Filipino sensation won a hard- fought controversial split- decision over Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico and will try to annex his 2nd title for the year and if he emerges victorious against the very- technical Diaz will be the first Asian to be crowned champion in 4 separate weight division.

This is a fight where Manny Pacquiao will be the overwhelming favorite but a Diaz upset is not far- fetched since this will be the Pacman’s first fight at 135 and Diaz is a natural 135 and many are questioning his ability to adjust that quickly as well as whether he can bring his vaunted punching power against heavier fighters. Also under the rules of the Nevada Athletic Commission for fighters weighing 135 lbs and above, he will need to wear 10 oz “pillow” boxing gloves rather than the usual 8 oz “puncher’s” glove that he prefers which might affect his power in the end.

But Manny Pacquiao who first fought and became champion as a Light Flyweight and added two more belts in his climb to become a three division champion have defied the odds before and I’m confident that he can overcome whatever physical disadvantages that he has against David Diaz if only he will put his mind into it.

Tickets are priced at $600, $500, $400, $300, $200 and $100 and will be on sale on Saturday, April 19 at the Mandalay Box Office (Tel. No. 702- 632- 7580) and in its website as well as Ticketmaster (Tel. No. 702- 474- 400). HBO will also televise the fight live on pay-per-view.

Be the judge as we take a glimpse of David Diaz boxing prowess as he eked out a controversial decision against Erik Morales in what many fight experts and fans alike believed that El Terrible won the fight but lost it in the scorecards.




Click here for the rest of the David Diaz versus Erik Morales fight.

NASCAR: Rookie Michael McDowell's Baptism of Fire

Rookie NASCAR Driver Michael McDowell who is an accomplished driver in other circuits (Champ Car, Grand AM and ARCA) figured in one of the worst crash seen in car racing in recent memory during the Qualifying Run of the Sprint Cup in Texas but survived unscathed.

His “spectacular” crash seen on national Television wherein his Toyota Camry hit the barrier at 180- 190 mph, ricocheted and then flipped 8 or 9 times afterwards before settling into the track with his car a total wreck.

His walking away with nary an injury minutes after the horrific crash is a testament of the merits of installing the SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barrier in the race tracks and justified the introduction of the Car of Today to NASCAR despite protests from some veteran drivers regarding its maneuverability. It also show how far technology has advanced in car racing and justified the millions poured in research to protect its drivers.

So, those who question the safety of NASCAR races (after the deaths of many drivers including the Great, Dale Earnhardt in the not so distant past) can now heave a sigh of relief. Those who are critical of the Car of Today (formerly the Car of Tomorrow) can now relax. The events in the Texas Motor Speedway last Friday proved and settled the issue of safety, right there and then.

Done Deal: Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez

Manny Pacquiao took Juan Manuel Marquez' belt via a split decision in a very close fight to become the new WBC Super Featherweight Champion of the world at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The three ringside judges scored the fight, 115-112, 114-113 for Pacquiao, and 115-112 for Marquez.

The fight was a classic one between two brave and determined warriors who battled from the first round until the end of the fight. It was a nip and tuck slugfest that gave the fans their money’s worth for the night.

The Champion won the first round but Pacquiao came back to win the second. In round three, the Filipino sensation decked Marquez who was stunned and looked wobbly but couldn’t finish him off as Marquez was saved by the bell. Manny Pacquiao took the 4th round with ease with vicious hard punches but again failed to finish the game champ.

Marquez' took the fifth and sixth rounds with his counter- punching prowess but the Pacman came back to take the seventh. Marquez’ best round was the eight when he rocked Pacquiao with power punches to the face. He failed to sustain his intensity though in the next round as Pacquiao peppered him with timely power hits. It was the same story with the 10th round as Pacquiao continued his assault with more telling blows to the face of his opponent.

However, the champion threw more punches and connected better than the challenger in the penultimate and last rounds to come back into contention that put more spice into the already intense and heated rivalry not only between the two seasoned pugilists but among their rabid supporters.

The split decision in favor of Manny Pacquiao drew loud protests from some quarters citing that Marquez was the better fighter statistics- wise as shown in the Compu-box scorecards but to me his edge in the punches thrown and landed over Manny Pacquiao was negated by the knockdown in the third round.

Also, to the uninitiated, I’d like to point out that the fight was scored on the basis of the fighter’s performance on a per round basis not on the total number of punches unleashed during the fight.

That’s why even if Marquez connected more punches in the fight especially in the 8th round when Pacquiao, bothered by the cut on his right eye preferred to just cruise rather than engage Marquez toe-to-toe, Manny still leads in the scorecards (he came back and won rounds 9 and 10 where he rocked Marquez several times with solid combinations to earn a three- points cushion) going into the last two rounds.

It should be duly noted that Marquez won the 11th and 12th rounds which make them both winning 6 rounds apiece of their unfinished business rematch in my card.

And by using the 10-9 Scoring System employed by the World Boxing Council and the Nevada Athletic Commission, Pacquiao won by a point in my book by virtue of his 10- 8 score when he dropped the defending champion to the canvass with a vicious left hook in the third round which proved to be the eventual difference in the fight.

Here's my score of the Fight...

Round 1: 10-9 Marquez
Round 2: 10-9 Pacquiao
Round 3: 10-8 Pacquiao
Round 4: 10-9 Pacquiao
Round 5: 10-9 Marquez
Round 6: 10-9 Marquez
Round 7: 10-9 Pacquiao
Round 8: 10-9 Marquez
Round 9: 10-9 Pacquiao
Round 10: 10- 9 Pacquiao
Round 11: 10- 9 Marquez
Round 12: 10- 9 Marquez


Here's a glimpse of the Awesome Fight---







Visit: Unfinished Business: Manny Pacquiao versus Juan Manuel Marquez for the Full Fight.

Unfinished Business

Ring Magazine Super Featherweight Champion Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and WBC Super Featherweight Champion Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico who battled to a controversial draw in 2004 is set to meet in the ring on the 15th of March at the Mandalay Bay Resorts and Casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The fight dubbed "Unfinished Business" is the much awaited rematch between the two best fighters in the world today and is designed to settle once and for all questions on who's the better fighter between them.

The fight is scheduled to be shown on HBO Pay-per-view come Saturday night.

Here's a video of their 2004 fight at 126 lbs and see for yourself why this is the most awaited fight of the year---





Visit: Manny Pacquiao versus Juan Manuel Marquez for the Full Fight

Mao Asada @ the 2008 4 Continents Championships

Japanese Figure Skating sensation, Mao Asada recently ruled the 2008 Four Continents Championships held on February 11-17 in Goyang, South Korea. She captured the gold on her first try against the best figure skaters in the world (sans the Europeans, of course) which is an omen of things to come for the pretty 17- year old ice marvel.

Her effortless and silky moves on the ice are a joy to watch. Her beautiful face belies the tenacity and determination not seen in many people her age. Her achievements at such a young age mirrors her awesome talent that will make her a force to reckon with in the ice skating rink for years to come. Her skills and techniques are impeccable and her beauty and grace immense.

She is to my mind not only the best but also the loveliest figure skater around. She is the complete package and the personification of what a figure skater should be--

A Ballerina.


Once again, I will be rooting for her as she vies for the Ladies’ Singles gold and face her equally talented nemesis Yu- Na Kim of Korea this coming March 17- 23 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Israel Vasquez versus Rafael Marquez III

Here's one of the candidates for Boxing's Fight of the Year...





Israel Vazquez (42-4-0) vs Rafael Marquez (37-4-0)
WBC Super Bantamweight Championship
Home Depot Center
Carson, CA USA
March 1, 2008





Visit: Israel Vasquez versus Rafael Marquez' for more of the 12 Rounds of non-stop slam-bang affair.


Video Credits: mannycdo & boxing251213

Kelly Pavlik versus Jermain Taylor

This is the rematch at a catch-weight of 166 lbs and Pavlik's belt is not on the line.

This pales in comparison to the first fight wherein Pavlik wrested the WBC/ WBO Middleweight belts from the undisputed world champion Taylor.

From 8 to 88: Dale, Jr is Back!

So, the old Bud number 8 is now the National Guard’s 88. And he changed his color from Red to Green. And instead of the old Bud, he's now drinking Mountain Dew Amp.

Also exit Dale Earnhardt Inc. & enter Hendrick Motorsports- What a difference a year makes but the philosophy and attitude is the same for NASCAR’s most popular driver and one of the best restrictor plate racer around.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finished 9th in the 2008 Daytona 500 owing more to his team‘s miscue of not pitting with the other leaders during a caution with lap down to 16 rather than to his driving that eventually caused him the race as well as the rare chance of becoming the only driver to win the Budweiser Shootout, one of the twin qualifying races and the Great American Race, all in the same season.

But make no mistake about it, He’s back!

And he promised us a more competitive and exciting season for him and his team. And it is good for stock car racing. And it is good for his legion of fans.

And it is good for NASCAR.

Let's watch once again his debut with Hendrick Motorsports in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona.

Roy Jones versus Felix Trinidad