Manny & Money: Geoff's Gaffes

The current brouhaha on the Olympic Style Drug Testing proposed by the camp of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. on Manny Pacquiao to which the Filipino and current P4P King refused to heed has elicited a lot of controversies that were further fanned by partisan as well as ignorant boxing writers on the subject.

At first, I chose to keep quiet on the matter since I still believed that the megafight between Money and Manny will push through despite all the reports of disagreement and bad press from both sides.

But sometimes I come across articles written by people who simply have no business writing such stuff that merit some retorts lest they continue with their myopic points of view and self- proclaimed knowledge on the subject when in reality they don’t have an iota of expertise on what they are talking about.

We could easily classify them into three classes- simply biased, paid hacks, dumb & dumber.

I will not speculate in what category Geoff Poundes (RingsideReport.com) belongs to, but instead I will leave it up to the readers to put him in his proper place. I read his article the other day entitled “Did Roid Rage Ruin the Manny Pacquiao- Floyd Mayweather Super Fight?”



When reading the said article of this self- proclaimed “Professor,“ I noticed there was nothing of note in it except already known facts and baseless contentions with some “new” malicious lines attributed to a so-called unnamed “Philippine” source.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

“ I was apporached recently by a contributor who laid out for me several reasons why he was convinced that Pacquiao was on steroids. His reasons mostly centers around the Pacman’s physique – the argument being that Pacquiao’s muscularity was impossible in the time span and in light of the level of weight gain – and a view of the Philippines and that country’s attitude to competition and fair play. He was a Philippine himself, so I can repeat his assertion that cheating and corruption are endemic in the Philippines in most areas of life (a cursory examination of the political history of Pacquiao’s homeland pretty much tells its own story). “


The Professor’s time in the ring as a referee might have warped his sense of reality and judgment although not a single punch has landed on his head during his long career to even suggest that he is already punched drunk. Maybe it is just endemic that he lacks the requisite grey matter to fully grasp and comprehend the enormity of his theories and beliefs.

Let me just pound on Mr. Poundes’s assertions and assumptions. As if appointing clowns like Paulie Malignaggi and Kermit Cintron as boxing dignitaries was not laughable enough, he compounded his ignorance by referring to his source as well as to Manny Pacquiao as a “Philippine.” For the record, it is a known fact that no such term exists except maybe in the minds of ignorant and uneducated people that proliferate the boxing world. The correct term is FILIPINO.

Once again, he showed his ignorance and lack of knowledge when he asserted that cheating and corruption are endemic in the Philippines. As if the Philippines has a monopoly of those things. I will not go into some historical details about how the British Empire acquired most of its wealth through conquest and plunder, but let me just state the fact that while the Philippines might be a known place for acquiring cheap drugs like methamphetamines and marijuana as well as being the transit point for cocaine and heroin from the Golden Triangle en route to the West, there is no evidence to support that the Filipinos are capable of manufacturing performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), more so of doing systematic sports doping.

It is a fact that Manny Pacquiao has never failed any drug tests administered on him by any sports bodies at any point of his career. It is also of record that NO FILIPINO ATHLETE HAS TESTED POSITIVE OF USING PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING DRUGS in any sporting event that the country has participated in, which cannot be said of their MORE ILLUSTRIOUS AND HONEST BRITISH COUNTERPARTS like Dwain Chambers, Greg Rusedski, Gary Cadogan, Perriss Wilkins, Doug Walker and LINFORD CHRISTIE (who won gold in the Olympics, World, Commonwealth and European Championships).

I wonder where Professor Geoffs got his education for there is nothing professorial in the way he writes his opus. It is full of gaffes and lacking in substance. In fact, it is a shame that despite being British, he simply doesn’t have the chops nor the flair of the traditional and contemporary English writers like Conan Doyle et al in his veins. It is really very elementary but the sun has long set on the British Empire and its people.

The Queen is Back!

2008 World Champion Mao Asada was triumphant in her return to ice competition as she won her 4th consecutive Japan Figure Skating Championship in Osaka to book a berth in the coming Vancouver Olympics in February 2010.

Asada who was in danger of missing the Olympics because of poor performances in the Grand Prix competitions that she was in earlier in the season opened her program with her patented triple axel and committed no major mistakes and was solid the rest of the way in the Free Skate to finish with a personal best of 204.62 points.

Her gold medal winning performance served notice that she is back in the thick of things and is determined to give her Korean archrival Kim Yu-Na a run for her money in Vancouver.

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. @ Joe Buck Live

In This Corner: Barry Gusi decisions Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao’s luck has finally come to an end and his amazing winning streak is over.



After scintillating victories against bigger opponents in Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto, Pacquiao now suffered his first loss since a close decision to Mexican legend Erik Morales in 2005 and his worst since little- known compatriot Rustico Torrecampo’s wicked left hook knocked him out earlier in his career.

The decisive punch was delivered by the blabbering and fuming Ambassador Barry Gusi who proclaimed the one- sided fight over with less than two minutes left due to a technicality in his speech at the Meralco Theater during the awarding ceremonies of this year’s Gusi Peace Prize.



Barry Gusi whose ambassador title was bestowed by the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Pacific Islands and the reigning, undisputed chairman of the Peace Prize named after his family wherein he claimed it to be as Asia's equivalent of the very prestigious Nobel Peace Prize declared his fight with boxing’s reigning P4P king as a no- contest in his speech in front of this year’s multi-national awardees many of whom flew into the country at their own expense for the grandiose ceremony.

Gusi was so angered by Pacquiao’s no- show in the awarding ceremony and utter show of disrespect to him even though the boxer sent his Canadian lawyer Michael Koncz to be his representative but the ambassador refused to hand the award to him and reiterated his position that the Filipino boxing icon will no longer be honored by his foundation for the rest of his life.


“They assured me several times that they would attend but they did not show up. No showing up, no award. No respect , no award. No award for the rest of his life because he did not respect the people of the country and the people of the world.”

Such fighting and ironic words coming from a man who name and distribute a Peace award named after his family, if you ask me.

My curiosity was obviously piqued when I read in the papers that a certain Ambassador Gusi was fuming over Manny Pacquiao’s deliberate snub of the affair that I instantly put my fingers to good use and use the power of the internet to find out about the man.

I run into some old articles about him and the Gusi Peace Prize that gave me nothing but just general views. Even the official website’s entries were vague and lacking in details. Heck, it seems that his people even forgot to put him and his works in Wikipedia’s database. Thus being said, I say not really impressive for a man and an award- giving body of this magnitude.

The credentials of this self- proclaimed ‘Internationalist’ are also quite suspect as well as the obscure manner of which he acquired his title as ambassador - at- large of those small groups of islands in the Pacific whose so- called leaders are notorious of giving the said title at the drop of a hat.

But I was impressed with the names of the past and present recipients of the said award that could even compete with the older and well- known Ramon Magsaysay Award. The Filipino past and present recipients alone make a veritable list of the Philippines’ Who’s Who.

Unfortunately at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for these so- called ‘Peace Laureates’ because in my mind they were just taken for a ride by this eccentric man.

Yes, we cannot deny the fact that they excelled in their respective fields but they were also gullible enough to accept this so- called award that claims to be Asia’s equivalent of the Nobel from this man without even checking his background because they succumbed to that feeling inherent in every one of us which is the need and hunger for recognition.

Although Barry Gusi does not have the credentials nor the pedigree to hand out such awards more so the authority to rank it in the same level as the Nobel Peace Prize but who can blame him when it is obviously an act of self- promotion and a private endeavor for an award that many people bought without question that includes the Office of the Philippine President.

And I salute him for having the audacity, courage and fortitude in putting up this kind of endeavor for not too many people can do this kind of things. Iba talaga ang Pinoy!

But when I found the video below while trolling YouTube the other day, I am now more convinced that Pacquiao’s recent one- sided loss against Barry Gusi should be recorded with an asterisk.

Now you wonder who the real loser and who has the last laugh in this case.

Pacquiao- Mayweather in May 2010 a done deal?

Is ABS- CBN out to destroy Manny Pacquiao?

Instead of focusing on the latest accomplishment by the Filipino phenomenon against Miguel Cotto to become as the only man to be crowned champion in seven weight divisions which is no small feat by boxing standards, the alleged Manny Pacquiao- Krista Ranillo affair dominated the said station’s programming right after the historic feat.

ABS- CBN did not even give Pacquiao enough time to savor his victory before unleashing their own version of bad left hooks and wicked uppercuts on the Pambansang Kamao that brought him on the defensive and reeling from the controversy. The station also shook the family’s foundation in the process.

Even though some of their screaming headlines were eventually proven wrong like for example in the video below wherein ABS- CBN reported that Manny Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee took separate flights from the United States back to the Philippines which by now we all know what really happened and by all accounts the truth on the matter.



Still, ABS- CBN chose to ignore the said fact and continued to peddle more malicious articles and innuendos in their website. Worse, the station that prided itself as being a Kapamilya is actually the one who is trying to destroy Manny Pacquiao’s family by their wanton abuse of press freedom.

Even though some of the reports turned out to be false, it did not even bother to issue an apology to the People’s Champion whose family was greatly affected by the said intrigues and allegations that the station had thrown his way. To me, this smacks of irresponsible journalism.

Here are some of the photos that can be found on the ABS- CBN website-









If one will only examine the said photos, it is as clear as day that although the said woman really has quite a resemblance to Ms. Ranillo at first glance, upon closer examination, we can see and deduce that the said woman is far from the real Krista Ranillo.

I will not be surprised if it turns out that it was PGMA’s Presidential Deputy Spokesperson Undersecretary Lorelei Fajardo who was in the series of photos above and not Krista Ranillo. Ha-ha-ha.




Anyway, Even if the Manny- Krista affair is true, I still believe that their personal lives are not our business even if some of us will raise the issue that Manny Pacquiao is a public figure and thus, fair game.

I also believe that the said issue should be resolved privately by the parties concerned and away from the prying eyes of the media. Also, let us give the parties involved the necessary space to think things over so as to come up with the necessary answers to our queries.

For its part ABS CBN and the media (rather than further inflaming the subject with gossips and unverifiable ‘facts’) should instead focus more on the positive aspects of Manny Pacquiao’s accomplishments and their significance to us as a nation and as a people.

NASCAR: 4 for #48!

Jimmie Johnson clinched the 2009 Sprint Cup Championship at NASCAR's season finale in runaway fashion as he finished 5th at Homestead- Miami Speedway to become only the fourth man to win more than 3 series championships behind legends Richard Petty (7) and Dale Earnhardt (7) as well as teammate Jeff Gordon (4).

Superman Jimmie's 4th consecutive championships since 2006 put him on the record books as the only NASCAR driver to accomplish the feat.

And when he was asked about his accomplishment, the normally reserved Johnson blurted out-

“The cool thing is, we’re not done yet.”


Well said, Indeed.

Cheap Talk: Floyd Mayweather Jr. belittles Manny Pacquiao

Right after Manny Pacquiao’s annihilation of Miguel Cotto came in Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and his big mouth belittling the Pacman’s ability in the ring as well as implying that the Filipino is evading him. Money May’s pronouncements only confirm what many people think of him as nothing but a fool. He doesn’t have any idea of what he is talking about.

Manny Pacquiao is not of the habit of calling any fighter out there but would rather let Freddie Roach do the talking and Bob Arum do the dirty work for him for a fight to happen. Manny Pacquiao has proven time and time again that he is not afraid of anybody and has not ducked anybody in his long storied career. The quality of fighters that Mayweather had faced pales in comparison to what the Pacman has fought and beaten in the ring. The quality of opposition that they had speaks for itself.

Unlike Mayweather who is a loud- mouth, Manny Pacquiao remains humble and would rather make his fists do the talking when the right time comes. Unlike Mayweather who picks his opponent wisely, Manny Pacquiao fights the best fighters out there. Unlike Mayweather who feasted on patsies to pad his ‘undefeated’ record along the way, Manny Pacquiao has annihilated a veritable Who’s Who in the boxing world to become a seven division champion. Unlike Mayweather who toot his own horn, Manny Pacquiao would rather make the people be the judge of his abilities and achievements.


And now Floyd, you’re saying you want to earn $65-75M for one night. Isn’t it just like you’re asking for the moon and ridiculously pricing yourself out to avoid the mega fight that most people want to see?

I say, enough of the cheap talk Floyd. If you really want the fight with Pacquiao to happen--

Man up and tell your people to start the ball rolling and be reasonable. I’m sure once you sign on the dotted line for the Pacquiao fight, you’ll have more than enough money to pay the IRS and support your lavish lifestyle.

Man up and prove yourself that you are the best by fighting the best one out there. Yeah, Floyd, even just for once, back up your talk like a real man and do what a real man should do. That is, fight the Pacman.

Firepower Redux

Firepower from pacmania on Vimeo.

password: pacman

Mouth Piece: Freddie Roach & Emanuel Steward on the Pacman

Powered by Podbean.com

Powered by Podbean.com

Off Target/ On Target

I predicted for Manny Pacquiao to knock out Miguel Cotto in the fourth round but unlike in the Ricky Hatton fight where I hit the bull's eye, I was several rounds off this time.

But I can still say that I was not really way off the mark since the Boricua Bomber was just really saved by the bell in that fateful fourth round.

And truth is, after that second knockdown, it marked the beginning of the end for him since the Pacman broke his will and silenced his vaunted bombs en route to a one-sided fight until referee Kenny Bayless stopped the carnage in 55 seconds of the 12th round to hand Manny Pacquiao his seventh title in seven weight division and a place in the sacred pantheon of great boxers and lore.

So in a way, I still hit the mark so to speak.


Here's a video of a relax and funny Pacman at the the post fight press conference--

If a picture paints a thousand words...

Oscar de la Hoya on picking Miguel Cotto over Manny Pacquiao-


"Cotto has a good chin and a big heart. He's a natural welterweight who hits hard and is also smart and fast. Pacquiao doesn't hit hard enough to knock anyone out in the welterweight division. I'm basing that on my fight against Pacquiao. I could've stood there and put my face in front of him and he couldn't hurt me."


Obviously, Oscar de la Hoya is still smarting from the boxing lessons that Manny Pacquiao taught him almost a year ago. This is expected from the Golden Boy whose legacy was tarnished by the smaller Filipino bomber when he quit on his stool in the 8th round rather then be knocked out in the latter rounds of the lopsided fight.

If in his mind Manny Pacquiao can't hurt him then why did he quit in the fight?

Anyway, notice what happened to Oscar's pretty face after he tasted Pacman's trademark pepper- flavored punches?




Fearless forecast: The Pacman will destroy the Boricua Bomber in 4.

Punch- Drunks

Not so many moons ago, Floyd Mayweather, Sr. accused P4P King Manny Pacquiao of using steroids. Now it’s Kermit Cintron’s turn to do the same. Now, two plus two doesn’t make it true especially if the accusations are coming from two people who are obviously not in their proper frame of mind.

We all know that Floyd Sr. is prone to moments of insanity because of his past dalliances in and outside the boxing ring. This includes his time in a federal penitentiary in connection with a drug smuggling conviction as well as his use of cocaine and other illegal drugs which damaged his brain. Add the poundings that he took in his unsuccessful career as a professional boxer and you will understand why it’s hard to decipher his gibberish and overt incoherence on any topic under the sun.

Kermit Cintron on the other hand is an average fighter who was pounded by Antonio Margarito in two one-sided fights. Whether those losses to the Tijuana Tornado were aided by Plaster of Paris is irrelevant. What is relevant is that Cintron was knocked out in the first fight and quit in the second. Any fighter who quits inside the ring should have his heart and head examined. There could be many underlying causes and reasons behind his surrender but it is safe to say that at this point in time, he is nothing but a shot fighter that is on the downside of his career.



“I just think that… I honestly think that he is taking something, because a lot of fighters coming up in weight like that, 40 something pounds… he just looks ripped like Bruce Lee. A lot of people who come up in weight like that don’t look as ripped as he is, they hold a lot of water weight. I just believe he is taking something. I think he is taking something that’s for sure. I don’t know what it is, whatever he is taking its not coming up in the drug test. I honestly believe he is taking something, no 112 pounder comes up to 147, to look the way he does, he is taking something. Definitely, people who come up in weight like that they look soft, they don’t look as ripped like when they fought at the weight they started. Its definitely questionable.”


Besides, any fighter who was named after a frog and a vodka flavor should not be taken seriously if you ask me.



Seriously, lame accusations coming from these kind of people (who suffer not only from lack of credibility but authority) especially about topics like steroids are nothing but idle talk. They don’t have the smarts to know what they’re talking about nor do they have the educational background to back up their claims.

Besides, sanctioning bodies like the Nevada Athletic Commission have already issued an statement way back attesting to the fact that Manny Pacquiao had passed all the tests that they administered to him before and after each fight.

So there.

Pacman the Funnyman

The P4P king engages Matt Iseman, host of Sports Soup in a no holds barred verbal tussle during a lull in his training at the Wild Card Gym for Saturday's Firepower fight against Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas.

Strikeforce: Fedor Emelianenko versus Brett Rogers

HBO: Miguel Cotto's Greatest Hits

Verbal Sparring: Floyd Mayweather, Jr. versus R.A. The Rugged Man

This is Sirius talk.

R.A. The Rugged Man virtually whopped Floyd's sorry ass in their face-off on Sirius Satellite Radio.

Mayweather who has never lost a fight before this one took a serious beating and finally took one on a disqualification when he ducked the questions thrown at him and went off the air.

Listen to the verbal sparring below--

Powered by Podbean.com

The Pacman Watch: Shawn Porter on sparring with Pacquiao

video credits: Elie Seckbach / Fan House

The Ice Queen melts in Moscow

Mao Asada’s continued decline in stature as a force to reckon with in figure skating hit rock bottom at the recently concluded Rostelecom Cup (Cup of Russia Grand Prix) wherein she placed a forgettable fifth in a field lacking in star power and participated in by up- and- coming figure skaters. The only other notable participant was her compatriot and 2007 World Champion Miki Ando who won the gold.

Once again, she failed to live up to expectations as she once again faltered both in her Short Program and Free Skate in a field devoid of elite competition to finish and record the worst result of her career.

What I saw in the rink was not the same Mao Asada that once dazzled the figure skating world and captured the hearts of fans worldwide but a mere shadow of her old self.

Gone are the smile and the cool demeanor on ice. Gone are the smooth and graceful moves. Gone are the care- free attitude and the spirit that endeared her to us. She simply looks tired, exhausted and lost out there.

There’s no question about her skills and talent but she needs to re-examine the events of the past year as it is obvious she is not her old self. She needs to regain her confidence and lift her morale to get back on track. She needs a new perspective and outlook regarding the direction of her career if she wants to be in contention for the Vancouver Winter Olympics next year.

Her teaming up with Tatiana Tarasova was a big mistake. They were never in sync at the beginning and there is no proof that their tandem will improve in the near future. Their partnership has produced nothing but frustrations and heartaches for the both of them.

Mao Asada really needs change; a coaching change, if you ask me. If Mao Asada wants to regain the Ice Queen title from Yu- Na Kim, then the time to start is NOW.

Now is the time to start with a clean slate. Now is the time to move on. Now is the time to let Ms. Tarasova go.

The Pacman Watch: Celebrities on Pacquiao- Cotto Fight

HBO: Manny Paquiao's Greatest Hits

Lightning Bolt electrifies Berlin

They say that lightning doesn't strike the same place twice. But the human lightning from Jamaica proved once again that there is such a thing as it can strike whenever and wherever, at the right place and at the right time.

Olympic champion Usain Bolt electrified the crowd as he bolted like a lightning right from the starting block, run the rest of the course unchallenged, obliterated the field and shattered his own world record with a stunning time of 9.58 seconds in the century dash at the 2009 World Athletic Championship in Berlin.

Bolt lowered the world record by an unprecedented .11 seconds (from the 9.69 mark that he set at the Beijing Olympics) in a dazzling show of force and speed in the track. He is simply untouchable and in a league of his own at the moment. Yet, I believe that the best is yet to come.

American Tyson Gay and fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell finished a 'distant' second and third respectively.

Pinoy Power 2

The Pinoy Power 2 boxing showcase at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas did not live up to its billing. At least, 'power'-wise.

Although the massive fireworks expected by the crowd and predicted by experts did not occur, still, the fight card assembled by Top Rank was competitive and entertaining because of some unpredictable events that occurred in the fight.

The Filipinos in the card, namely Nonito Donaire Jr, Bernabe Concepcion and Mark Jason Melligen, had contrasting fortunes when the night was over.


The Filipino Flash Nonito Donaire, Jr won a 12- round unanimous decision despite riding his bicycle up to the finish line in his Super Flyweight debut against a really tough opponent in Rafael Concepcion of Panama. The Panamanian who earlier failed to make the weight and was fined with 20% of his prize money gave Donaire all that he could handle in the fight.

In the early rounds, many ringside observers felt that Donaire would be too much for Concepcion and it will be a short night as the Filipino connected with several power blows that rocked his opponent. But Concepcion withered the storm and came back with a fury of his own against the Filipino. He rocked Donaire on numerous occasions with his heavy right hand especially in the middle rounds whenever he would engage him.

Sensing that Concepcion’s added weight could handle his power punches and he was getting hit in close-quarter exchanges, the Filipino Flash switched to his dancing shoes as he sniped and countered the game Concepcion from afar for the rest of the fight to earn the decision.

It was not an impressive one for Donaire but he did what he had to do to make his debut in a higher weight class a success. A win is a win but he needs a lot of work in order to emulate Manny Pacquiao’s success in hopping from one division to another.

The much-hyped Bernabe Concepcion who’s being groomed by some quarters as the next Manny Pacquiao was quite a disappointment. Sure, he has the moves and power like the Pacman as shown in his previous fights but tonight he was nothing but a very ordinary and boring fighter.

When he finally showed his vaunted power to his opponent, it was too late. It was too late because when he sneaked a vicious right hand into Luevano’s chin that flattened him to the ground, the bell ending the 7th round had sounded. Hence, the well- deserved disqualification.

WBO Featherweight champion Steven Luevano, a pitty-patty puncher with sound fundamentals gave him a neat boxing lesson and showed us that one doesn’t need to have a lot of power in one’s hands to be a champion.

Despite Freddie Roach’s presence in his corner, he is still a work in progress and needs a lot to learn on how to adjust his game plan in the ring.

Of the three Filipino fighters in the card, it was Mark Jason Melligen’s power that impressed us the most when he delivered a masterful beating en route to a fourth round demolition of Mexican veteran Ernesto Zepeda.

Slowly but surely, Melligen’s stock is rising as he has now won his 10th straight fight and boosted his record to 16-1, 12 of which inside the distance.


Let's re-live Bernabe Concepcion's 'impressive' hard right at the bell-




and Mark Jason Melligen's frantic finish--




video credits: S2p0r0a0y9

Schumi is back!

Yes, 7-time world champion Michael Schumacher is back in Formula One. He will be driving the other Ferrari up until Felipe Massa is fit again to drive for the Italian carmaker.

This is good news to Ferrari and F1 fans alike. And I am equally delighted for I have not followed F1 as much as I did ever since his retirement in 2006.

This is another challenge for him and knowing how competitive he is, people will naturally expect him to win some races. But whatever the outcome, it will not diminish the fact that he is one of the best, if not the best driver in Formula One history.

Now, it’s time to take those vintage red Deutsche Vermogensberatung caps out as the prancing horse will definitely be flying again.





UPDATE:

"I really tried everything to make that temporary comeback possible, however much to my regret it didn't work out"

--Michael Schumacher on his failed bid because of the neck injury that he suffered in a motorcycle accident earlier in the year that prevented him from returning to F1.

Yes, He KHAN!

Amir Khan’s convincing win over WBA light- welterweight crown-holder Andreas Kotelnik at the MEN Arena in Manchester Saturday night to become one of the youngest world champions in British boxing history proved once again that there is life after a devastating knockout loss with the right formula.

And the right stuff that help Amir Khan’s remarkable comeback to the top (after being knocked out cold by Breides Prescott in less than a minute in the first round 10 months ago) was Freddie Roach.

They wrote him off after that bitter loss as nothing but a pretender with a glass chin; a product of British media hype long hungry for another boxing hero. But he did the right decision when he left England to hook up and train with the venerable trainer in his Wild Card Gym in Hollywood right after his loss to Prescott.

And he showed improvement in his arsenal since then. Still, his win on a technicality over Marco Antonio Barrera was branded a fluke because of the Mexican Hall of Famer’s cuts and many thought that he, fighting for the title just 10 months and three fights off his knockout loss was premature.

But Roach said that his ward will be ready and will win the title come fight night. And Khan did not disappoint and proved the skeptics wrong when he fought a calculated, slick and effective fight on the way to victory against Kotelnik, a fellow Olympic silver medalist from Ukraine.

Obviously he gained a lot of confidence by holding his own with Roach's prized fighter P4P- King Manny Pacquiao in their sparring sessions at the Wild Card Gym. And with that kind of exposure, any boxer worth his salt will come out a lot better fighter than expected.

He showed his improvements in various departments: his footwork was great; his lateral movements were a sight to behold; his defense improved; his hand speed was fast and his jabs were effective. But Khan certainly needs to pack more power in his fists if he wants to be considered an elite fighter and be in the hunt for bigger prize money in the future.

Amir Khan’s chin will always be suspect until he face and overcome a heavy-handed hitter like his fellow Brit Ricky Hatton. But for now, he showed that he was able to handle a big fight and overcome the pressure of being in the ring with a veteran like Kotelnik. Surely, he is not yet in the Pacman’s class at this stage of his career but he is surely taking some small baby steps in the right direction.

After all, he is only 22 and still has a lot to learn to improve his game. And with Freddie Roach beside him, we can only see a bright future in the ring for this young lad from Bolton.

Daytona Fireworks

The 4th of July NASCAR Coke Zero 400 race at Daytona lived up to expectations as drivers engaged each other in an exciting wire-to-wire finish that ended up with Tony Stewart winning the coveted race in smoking fashion.

En route to his second win as an owner, Smoke unintentionally (?) whacked Kyle Busch into the wall when the Wild Thing tried to block him for the second time just meters away from the checkered flag.

The result was the usual and expected Big One in Daytona or in any other NASCAR restrictor- plate racing ground like Talladega.

Incidents like these would have been fatal to drivers in the past but because of NASCAR's prime focus and concern on safety including the development of the Car of Today (CoT), drivers can now race hard and focus on their strategies without reservations knowing that they are in good hands err cars.

Although many racing aficionados outside the United States (who are more exposed to the sleek and high-tech open wheel race cars in Formula One) think that NASCAR is boring, but if this kind of hardnosed, fast and furious racing continue, NASCAR will eventually earn their respect, gain more fans and attract more sponsors in the near future.

Keep the rubbers burnin' people!

Byváy Andrei ?

Andrei Arlovski, the Belorussian former UFC Heavyweight champion suffered a humiliating loss in the first round to unheralded Brett Rogers in a Strikeforce card at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri last night.

Arlovski, whom celebrated boxing trainer Freddie Roach once proclaimed as the best boxer in the MMA and has hopes of invading the ranks of professional boxing was exposed by Rogers and was never in the match as he took a left-right-left combination to the head and dropped on all fours to the mat that forced referee Big John McCarthy to call for an early stoppage.

Truly, after his brutal knockout loss to Fedor Emelianenko, Arlovski is a different fighter now. And with his glass chin, he should reconsider his ambition of boxing full time with or without Freddie Roach in his corner.

So, is it Byváy (goodbye) Andrei?

Lights Out

Saturday Night. Two fights. Same results.




Lyoto Machida's dismantling of the previously undefeated Rashad Evans at UFC 98 was an eye- opener. He will reign as the Light Heavyweight champion a bit longer than his predecessors not only because of his talent but his awkward style that baffles his opponents no end. But make no mistake about it, this Brazilian got game.



On the other hand, Toshiaki Nishioka of Japan recovered from an early knockdown in the first round to hand Johnny Gonzales another stoppage in the third round to retain his WBC Super Bantamweight crown. I am not impressed with Nishioka as fighter but on this particular occasion he rose to the challenge and poleaxed the once promising Mexican right in his own backyard to silence the rowdy crowd.


The two fights were really good but not spectacular in my book. There were flashes of brilliance but there were moments of indecisiveness. Still the winners deserved the wins.

Watch the fights here--

Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto Machida


Toshiaki Nishioka versus Johnny Gonzales

Gone in 24 Seconds

Former Pro wrestler Bobby Lashley clobbered Mike Cook in just 24 seconds during the Maximum Fighting Championship 21 at the River Cree Resort and Casino in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.



Lashley was upset with Cook earlier because Cook came in sporting a Lucha Libre mask as he taunted him and his WWE background and he made him pay for that.

Cook was cooked the moment Lashley got hold of his neck, flattened him out and choked him to submission. Referee John McCarthy stopped the fight when saw Cook's feet quivering from Lashley's stranglehold.

"I’m here for business," said Lashley (3-0). "I’m here and everyone wants to and tries to make fun of the wrestling thing. I’m real. If they want to play around, I’ll knock them out or choke them out. And that’s what I did. I choked him out and made him pay. Now he can go put the mask back on and have fun with himself."

Bobby Lashley with his size and speed has the potential to be a legitimate fighter in the MMA. But for now he is better off fighting the likes of Bob Sapp to gain the much needed experience to figure in a fight with the elite fighters like Fedor and Mirko Cro Cop in the future.

Sir Charles on the Pacquiao- Hatton Fight

MAYHEM in May: Manny Pacquiao annihilates Ricky Hatton

Manny Pacquiao completely destroyed Ricky Hatton's dream of taking the Pound-4-Pound crown from him by sending the Mancunian slugger into his "Wonderland" in a lopsided fight amid the boisterous singing by Ricky's supporters of his fight song, There's Only One Ricky Hatton soaring over the air at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The Pacman never gave the Hitman a chance right at the opening bell as he peppered him with vicious left and right hooks that hit their target which in this case is Hatton's face and chin. The Pride of Manchester went down twice under the barrage of blows in the first round and was saved by the bell from further damage.

It was only a matter of time as Pacquiao came out smoking in the second round as he brilliantly box the now bewildered opponent with uncanny accuracy of his punches and excellent defense.

The end came with just seconds left in the round when the Filipino fighter landed a wicked left hook flush to Hatton's chin.

Hatton was knocked out cold and was out even before his body touched the canvas. He was unconcious for a considerable amount of time while his corner and the ringside physician tried frantically to attend to him while Pacquiao quietly went to his corner knelt and prayed.

It was a display of devastating power, accuracy and explosion as well as ring generalship by Manny Pacquiao that left without a doubt that he is the King of the Boxing World.


Mabuhay Ka MANNY!


NOTE: But the sweetest of it all was because I correctly predicted the outcome that Manny will beat the lights out of Hatton right from the opening bell and will eventually pulverize him in the Second Round.

This is the time that I wish I was a gambling man for I could have made a killing in the prize fight. But winning the bragging rights against both my Filipino and American friends alike who toed the lines of several "boxing experts" about how the fight will end is enough consolation.

I posted my prediction earlier in my previous entry in this blog. :)


Let's re-live the classic fight one more time-






The Battle of East & West Undercard

(W) Humberto Soto vs. Benoit Guadet
(W) Daniel Jacobs vs. Michael Walker
(W) Matt Korobov vs. Rodrigo Aguilar
(W) Erislandy Lara vs. Chris Gray
(W) Matthew Hatton vs. Ernesto Zepeda
(W) Mike Alvarado vs. Joaquin Gallardo
(W) Abner Mares vs. Jonathan Perez
(W) Bernabe Concepcion vs. Yogli Herrera
(W) Joe Murray vs. Misael Nunez
(W) Omar Chavez vs. Tyler Ziolowski

Pacman vs. Hitman

Manny Pacquiao vs. Ricky Hatton

IBO Light Welterweight Championship
Ring Magazine Light Welterweight Championship

Much has been said about Hatton being the bigger and stronger fighter but there's a saying that the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

Floyd Sr. said that Hatton will knock Manny out early or late in the fight. Freddie said, the Mancunian fighter will go down in the third.

But I'm going out on a limb here, Pacman will gobble the Hitman early and he will hit the canvas and go straight into dreamland in the Second Round.

Live Stream HERE

The Battle of East and West

Manny Pacquiao- 138 lbs *** Ricky Hatton- 140 lbs

Talladega Knights

Last Sunday in Aaron's 499, Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ryan Newman figured in a spectacular finish in Talladega that has not been seen in recent memory.

I was hoping for Junior to finally win a race this season but his protege Brad Keselowski had other plans in mind when together with Carl Edwards overtook him with two laps to go.

Brad Keselowski then tried to pass Carl Edwards in the last lap but Edwards tried to block him. He then pushed, spun and passed Carl Edwards but in doing so, he and Ryan Newman "accidentally conspired" to send him flying into the air and crashed into the protective wall before landing on the race track with his racing car badly damaged.

Carl Edwards surviving the crash was not of pure luck alone but rather a testament of the Car of Today's safety which NASCAR pushed ahead despite protests from many drivers.

Keselowski went on to win the race with Junior finishing second.


Here's the video of the Big One that NASCAR fans are still talking about and will continue to talk about in months if not years to come.

Champion versus Champion

Veteran Filipino WBO Bantamweight Champion Gerry Penalosa (54-6-2) will climb the ring tonight a heavy underdog against Puerto Rican sensation and WBO Junior Featherweight Champion Juan Manuel Lopez (24-0) in the latter's hometown hoping to turn back the time and win his third world title in three different weight divisions.

It's a tall order for him though since JuanMa is a very heavy- handed fighter and is undefeated in 24 professional fights with 22 inside the distance aside from the fact that Gerry is moving up in weight at this late stage of his career.

The Puerto Rican Champion is the taller, bigger and faster fighter with impressive knockout victories in the first round in his last three fights including one with erstwhile Champion Daniel Ponce De Leon of Mexico who defeated the Filipino via a unanimous decision in 2007.

If style makes fight then JuanMa's style is tailor-made for Penalosa though. JuanMa comes forward, loves to mix it up inside and sometimes throws wild punches which makes him susceptible to Gerry's counter punches.

And if Gerry can withstand the powerful bombs early and carry the fight into the later rounds, his chances of a huge upset is plausible since JuanMa has never been really tested by a fighter of his class.

I'm picking Gerry to win the fight in the 10th.


UPDATE: Freddie Roach, Gerry Penalosa's Trainer stopped the fight in the ninth round to spare his ward from more punishment. Gerry was game and fought a defensive but courageous fight in his second foray at 122 lbs but JuanMa was simply too fast and too big for him.

JuanMa is the real deal and will be a force to reckon with in his division but he needs to work more on his defense as Gerry was able to tag him with several right hooks as he came forward in the course of the fight.

Manny Pacquiao's Kickass Kicks

You are looking at the new Air Trainer 1 specifically designed and made for Manny Pacquiao, the world's best pound- for- pound fighter by Nike and will be released before his fight with Ricky Hatton on May 2, 2009.

The colorway with a logo of the Pacman at the heel and is believed to have been designed by renowned Nike designer Tinker Hatfield is limited to just 200 pairs worldwide.

100 pairs of which will be given to Manny Pacquiao while the other hundred will be sold to selected stores in the US like the Niketown in San Francisco and Las Vegas among others.

Devil Cars

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Casey Mears showed racing fans a view of Road Rage NASCAR- Style as they figured in some bumpin, grindin' and lovin' last Sunday at the Subway Fresh Fit 500 in Phoenix.


The two protagonists and former teammates both were meted a 6- race probation for the skirmish.

I just hope that Junior will be fired- up because of the incident to race like the devil and win one in Talladega on Sunday to salvage his pride and season.


Junior Nation is praying, crying and dying to see NASCAR's favorite son on top of the podium once again.

Pacman in San Francisco

The Pacman invades Giants Land

When boxing and baseball met; they produce a hybrid.

A hybrid that combines the speed and power of that enigmatic whirlwind from across the Pacific and that of one of the oldest and storied franchises in baseball history.

No, forget the juiced- up android Barry Bonds who once reigned supreme in SF baseball land but it's all about the brown giant known as the Pacman now.

Meet the Pac- Giant




The bobblehead give-away by the San Francisco Giants when it plays the San Diego Padres tomorrow night at the AT&T park dubbed as the Flip err Filipino Heritage Night by MLB with reigning boxing pound-for-pound King Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao throwing the ceremonial pitch to the estimated huge Asian crowd.

This will be a highly- coveted memorabilia for many sports fans worth his salt but since I live on the other side of the coast, the only way I can get this is either to fly to the Bay Area for a night or just get 'em online. So, Ebay here I come?

The Iceman melts under pressure

It's the end of an era. The legendary Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell (21-7) melted against the hammer fists of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (18-3) in the Octagon at UFC 97 Saturday night.

Referee Mario Yamasaki halted the fight when The Iceman was unable to protect himself from the head blows that Shogun is raining on him to prevent further damage. Liddell has now lost three of his last four fights.

Much as I want to see more of Chuck Liddell in the Octagon but in the brutal world of Mixed Martial Arts, I am inclined to see him to just fade into the sunset with his dignity intact. He is not the same fighter that electrified the MMA fans earlier in his career.

He's done and accomplished everything as a fighter and there is nothing left for him to prove. It's time for him to just relax and enjoy his fortune because to his legions of supporters, The Iceman was and still is a legend in the Octagon, no matter what.

Edwin Valero- Lightweight Lightning?

The fight between Edwin Valero and Antonio Pitalua in the main event of the Lightweight Lightning fistorama held in Austin, Texas where the Venezuelan Knockout Artist pummeled Pitalua in the second round en route to a TKO to remain undefeated and became the WBC Lightweight champion was hardly an indication of his future in boxing.

He called out Juan Manuel Marquez and even the winner of the Manny Pacquiao- Ricky Hatton fight as his next possible opponent. On paper, his record of 25- 0 all inside the distance and 19 of those coming in the first round is quite menacing. But if he thinks he can handle Marquez or Pacquiao at this stage of his career, then he is obviously mistaken. He is not yet in the same league with those two great fighters.

Sure, he can punch, has the power in both hands and has the belt to prove it but sad to say, he is still far from being taken seriously as a legitimate elite fighter. His footwork is slow and his defense needs improvement. He's a straight-up fighter who comes forward and throw wild punches which oftentimes leave him unprotected that will make his suspect chin a very good target for a counter- puncher like Marquez or a very fast and powerful puncher like Pacquiao.

He is a work in progress though and if he can overcome his weaknesses will one day be a force to reckon with and a very dangerous opponent in the fight world.

But for now, he remains just another prospect in my book.


Here's the fight between Valero and Pitalua---