Boxing FanHouse

Ex-Champ Oleg Maskaev: 'I Stopped Vitali Klitschko in the First Round'

Lem Satterfield — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 13:10:00 EST

Filed under: WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, HBO, Showtime, FanHouse Exclusive

For Oleg Maskaev to be in contention for a heavyweight world title is incredible considering the obstacles he has overcome both in and out of the ring.

There was his near-death experience as a 16-year-old coal miner in his native Zhambul, Kazakhstan, and the fact that only his budding, amateur boxing career saved the former Soviet leutenant from being sent into the war in Afganistan.

Knocked out in all of his six losses, Maskaev overcame a suspect chin to earn his biggest career wins -- two knockouts of former world champ, Hasim Rahman, with the second earning him a brief stint as WBC champion.

Maskaev says that he suffered a broken right elbow during the rematch with Rahman, an injury he endured during a subsequent win over Peter Okhello, as well as in a loss to Samuel Peter.

But now, Maskaev (36-6, 27 knockouts), who turns 41 in March, finds himself, yet again, on the verge of title contention.

For with a Dec. 11 victory over Dominican-born, Nagy Aguilera (14-2, nine KOs), Maskaev would earn a matchup with 39-year-old Ray Austin (28-4-4, 18 KOs). The winner of Maskaev-Austin positions himself for a shot at WBC king, Vitali Klitschko (38-2, 37 KOs), whom Maskaev knocked out in the first round as an amateur.

FanHouse caught up recently with Maskaev, who has dual citizenship in America and the United States.

FanHouse: So, you're still at it, trying to win a title?

Oleg Maskaev: You know what happened? I had a couple of injuries when I lost the title. I wasn't at full health or strength when I was trying to defend it against Samuel Peter.

That's why I wasn't able to successfully defend it -- because of the injuries. And now, I'm healthy, and I feel strong. I want to win it back. I feel that the belt belongs to me. That's my goal. That's what I'm going for.

FH: What answer do you have for people who might say that you're a little too old?

Maskaev: I would say that it's not about age, but it's about training. It's about how hard you want to train, and how disciplined you are in training. If you stay in shape, you have a good schedule, and you don't do stupid things, then it doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter if you're 40, 41 or, 44 -- like Bernard Hopkins is 44. That's a guy who has served as a good example for me.

FH: How big were the wins over Hasim Rahman at the points in your career when they were accomplished?

Maskaev: I was very happy when I beat Rahman the first time. Rahman was sure that he was going to stop me and knock me out the first time. And that didn't happen.

Even the second time, which was harder than the first time. After that fight, he wasn't the same -- believe me. I believe that I destroyed him. Totally. And everybody has looked at him, and he hasn't had the same stamina or shown the same heart after that.

Because of his training, because of his weight, because of his mental problems -- who knows.

FH: Given your knockout losses, can you blame people for doubting you and counting you out so much?

Maskaev: What I think about people, and what I'm not happy about is that they don't know Oleg. They don't know who is Oleg.

I have to be strong and healthy, mentally strong, with good preparation, no physical problems, and I can do a lot of things. I've proven that before, and I'm going to prove that again.

FH: What do you know about your next opponent, Nagy Aguilera?

Maskaev: I know enough. He has a good background. A solid amateur background. He likes to bring good pressure. He's going to give me a good fight, which is what I'm looking for. And I'm going to be ready for a good, tough fight, and I'm going to whip this guy.

FH: What are you looking forward to after Nagy Aguilera?

Maskaev: I've got to win this fight to get a shot at Ray Austin. That's the title eliminator for another championship fight. The main goal is to fight Vitali Klitschko. He's running away from me, but I know why, and he's given me some problems.

He's been like, 'I don't want to fight you this time.' I've been looking for the fight against this guy for six years, and hopefully, one way or the other, it will happen.

FH: Didn't you fight one of the Klitschkos as an amateur?

Maskaev: Yeah, Vitali. I fought Vitali in the amateurs and I stopped him in the first round, and he doesn't want to admit that. He'll say, 'Oh, hey, I hurt my hand, and I couldn't continue.'

But I remember that I hurt him three times, and when his trainer saw that Vitali couldn't handle it, and didn't have a chance to beat me, he stopped the fight.

FH: Do you believe that a meeting like that, years later, will help you, mentally, and, hurt Vitali, mentally?

Maskaev: I think, yes.

FH: Do you believe that you will eventually get that title shot?

Maskaev: It's boxing, so it's hard to predict what's going to happen. But I'm willing to fight him. I'm strong, confident and ready.

FH: Do you think that there is anything to the fact that five of your six knockout loses came during the first half of the year -- one in February, one in April and three in March around your birthday?

Maskaev: Yeah, who knows? Only God knows why. March, March, March. Somebody mentioned that same thing to me, but I don't believe in that. I don't believe in that, I believe in God, that's all.

FH: Why do you believe that you are more deserving of a title shot than some others?

Maskaev: Because I was a champion once, and, after that second victory over Rahman, I got the bad news that I had broken my elbow.

FH: So which elbow did this happen to?

Maskaev: It happened to the right elbow, and I broke it against Rahman the second time. And then, I was supposed to get a surgery operation, but then, I received an offer to fight Peter Okhello in Moscow.

So I said, 'No, I'm going to wait, I'm going to fight.' Because I thought that I would lose the chance to defend my title for the first time, and I wanted the chance to defend the WBC title in Moscow.

So then, I beat Okhello in Moscow, and I fought against him with a broken elbow. I was able to beat this guy the whole 12 rounds. I knocked him down once with an uppercut because I couldn't straighten out my right hand -- it was so bad.

And after that fight, I came home, and I went to a hospital in Manhattan, New York. And I had a surgery operation. The doctor said that rehabilitation would take about three years.

And then, I was supposed to fight Samuel Peter. I wasn't ready for that. I pulled out once. But then, I had some back injuries, and they ordered me to fight or I would lose the belt, and that's about it.

FH: So that's how you went into the fight with Samuel Peter, when you were knocked out in the sixth round?

Maskaev: Oleg, for that fight with Samuel Peter, wasn't the same Oleg.

FH: So over the course of the Rahman fight in August, 2006, the Peter Okhello fight in December of 2006, and the Samuel Peter fight in March of 2008, has your general health improved?

Maskaev: The right elbow is totally healed. And it's like it used to be. I can punch. I've shown that against my sparring partners. It's back. Mentally, I'm strong, and I want to do it. I've missed it. I'm going to bring it back.

FH: Were you feeling 100 percent for the 10-round decision over Robert Hawkins in December of 2008?

Maskaev: That was a good fight. Robert was a very smart guy, a slick guy. But I beat him all of the way. I wasn't 100 percent, but I'd say, 65-, 70-percent. That was a year or so after the surgery.

FH: How were you feeling for your last fight -- the first-round knockout of Rich Boruff -- when you weighed a career-high 252 pounds?

Maskaev: I felt great. Finally, my elbow was good. I was able to work out in a fitness club, lift weights, do a lot of pullups and pushups. I felt strong. I didn't leave the guy a chance.

FH: What do you need to do againts Nagy Aguilera to feel good about your performance?

Maskaev: What I need to do in this fight is to just get into the ring, relax, and do my job. Nice and relaxed. I don't need to overdo anything, I just need to push myself and not try to create something unbelievable.

I have everything. I just need to relax and do my job. The first time I get to hurt this guy, though, I'm going to do it. I want to see how well I can perform, and this fight is going to show exactly who Oleg is.

FH: Wasn't your present trainer, Chuck McGregor, in Rahman's corner when Rahman fought you the first time?

Maskaev: Yes, Yes. We talk about that, yeah. This, coming up, against Nagy Aguilera, is going to be the first fight working with Chuck. It's been a couple of months we've been together.

We just talked about the Rahman fight. He said, 'Oleg, do you remember that I was in the corner against you?' I said, 'Yes, I remember.' That was a great fight. We were killing each other. And he said the same thing.

FH: How do you want your career to come to a close?

Maskaev: I think differently. Boxing is my health. It's what I do. If I stop boxing, I'm going to gain weight and lose my health. Some people think boxing is dangerous for health. I don't think the same way.

I'm trying to work on my fitness, which is a lot of work. I expend energy and burn calories -- that's the way I am, that's who I am, that's my life, that's my character. Oleg wants to fight.

I have a trainer, a manager and a promoter. If they say to me, 'Oleg, you're old, and you're going to get beat up every time,' then, of course, I have to stop. I can do nothing.

But when you start thinking about your limitations, then exactly what you're thinking is going to happen. You're going to be afraid, and this and that. But there's no reason for me to think like that right now.

Why? I can run like I used to run. I spar with the guys. I can punch, I can fight, I can box the same way. I'm trying to learn, and I have a great trainer, Chuck McGregor, who is teaching me right now. I'm willing to learn, and that's great.

Ex-Champ Oleg Maskaev: 'I Stopped Vitali Klitschko in the First Round' originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 13:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Erdei Dethrones WBC's Fragomeni

FanHouse Newswire — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:27:00 EST

Filed under: WBA, WBC, IBF, HBO, Showtime

KIEL, Germany (AP) -- Zsolt Erdei of Hungary won the WBC cruiserweight title with a majority decision over Giacobbe Fragomeni on Saturday night.

Erdei vacated the WBO light-heavyweight title to fight at cruiserweight for the first time, and managed to do just enough against the 40-year-old Italian. Two judges had it 115-113 for Erdei, while the third scored it 114-114.

Erdei (31-0) controlled the first three rounds with his speed, landing several powerful rights to Fragomeni's head. The tide turned in the middle rounds when Fragomeni (26-2-1) stepped up the pace, and he began to wear down his younger opponent.

"After the first three rounds I thought I could do it easy," Erdei said. "But he kept on coming on, pressing and pressing and I began to worry about my health."

Fragomeni, whose only previous loss was to heavyweight titleholder David Haye, began connecting to the body and was gaining the upper hand when the Hungarian landed a blow to his chin at the end of the eighth round.

The last two rounds were a free-for-all, with both fighters connecting with their guards down. Although Fragomeni threw a flurry in the final round, the judges ruled the fight in the counterpunching Erdei's favor.

On the undercard, the Kazakhstan-born Dimitri Sartison won the vacant WBA super middleweight belt when the referee stopped the fight in the sixth round because of an eye injury to Stjepan Bozic of Croatia.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Erdei Dethrones WBC's Fragomeni originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maskaev Eyes Vitali Klitschko Rematch

Lem Satterfield — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:05:00 EST

Filed under: WBC, HBO, Showtime, FanHouse Exclusive

Oleg Maskaev had won two of five fights and been stopped three times when promoter, Dennis Rappaport, met him in 2002 -- not long after the 33-year-old Russian-American had suffered an eighth-round knockout loss to journeyman, Corey Sanders.

Since then, however, Maskaev is 14-1 with 10 knockouts -- a run that began with six straight KOs. The first stoppage was a one-rounder against Erroll Sadikovski in February of 2003.

"Oleg, in the ring, is now doing something that he's never done before -- and that's being relaxed," Rappaport said of Maskaev, who is coming off of a first-round knockout of Rich Boruff in March -- his second straight win since being dethroned as WBC champ a year earlier by Samuel Peter in six rounds.

"A relaxed fighter is the most dangerous fighter in the world. Oleg's boxing beautifully, he's devastating to the body," said Rappaport. "Even at his age, he's learning new things, and, more importantly, he's got the desire to continue learning."

On Dec. 11 at Sacramento's Memorial Auditorium, the 40-year-old Maskaev (36-6, 27 KOs) takes on Dominican-born, Nagy Aguilera (14-2, nine KOs). A win earns a berth against 39-year-old Ray Austin (28-4-4, 18 KOs), with the winner of that matchup earning the chance to face WBC champ, Vitali Klitschko (38-2, 37 KOs).

"The main goal is to fight Vitali Klitschko. He's running away from me, and I don't know why," said Maskaev, who lives in Sacramento with his wife, Svetlana, and four daughters.

"I've been looking to fight this guy for six years, and, hopefully, one way or the other, it will happen. Maybe he's running because I beat him once."

Maskaev said that he fought Klitschko as an amateur in 1992, and contends that a left hook led to Klitschko's corner throwing in the towel.

"Vitali has never admitted that. It's always, 'Oh, I hurt my hand, and then, I couldn't continue,'" said Maskaev, who decisioned Peter Okhello in February 2006 for his lone title defense. "But I remember I hurt him, three times, and when his trainer saw that he couldn't handle it, they stopped the fight."

As a professional, Maskaev is most known for his two victories over former WBC champ, Hasim Rahman, whom he stopped in eight rounds, in November of 1999, before dethroning him in the 12th round of their August, 2006 rematch.

I was very happy when I beat him the first time, because Rahman was sure that he was going to knock me out," said Maskaev, named Ring Magazine's "Comeback Fighter Of The Year" in 2006.

"The second time against Rahman, it was much harder. But after that fight, Rahman wasn't the same -- believe me," said Maskaev. "I believe that I destroyed him. Totally."

Ironically, Maskaev is also defined by his losses -- all by knockout -- including those against Sanders and journeymen, Lance Whitaker and Kirk Johnson, respectively, in two and four rounds.

The loss to Johnson, in October of 2000, ended Maskaev's run of 10 consecutive wins, nine of them by knockout. It also began the skid of three losses over his next five fights.

Maskaev was stopped, back-to-back, by Johnson and Whitaker, the latter, in March of 2001.

"Oleg looks better right now, training for [Aguilera,] then I think he's looked since we've been together," said Rappaport. "No one has a crystal ball, but as long as he's got the speed, he's sharp, and he's successful, we'll continue."

Born in Zhambul, Kazakhstan, Maskaev grew up farming cows and sheep and escaped a near-death experience as a 16-year-old coal miner - the age at which he also became a father.

While "hauling wagons full of coal weighing as much as 6,000 pounds," Maskaev was nearly crushed.

"Sometimes, the supporting ropes would break," said Maskaev, whose father was his foreman. "I once noticed a breaking rope. I jumped out of the way as it hit a wall. I was lucky. My father found out and said, 'That's it for you.'"

Still 16 when he left home with Svetlana, Maskaev enrolled in a Russian sports academy to learn to box. At 18, Maskaev joined the army, and remained until he was 25.

While enlisted, Maskaev fathered two more girls before marrying Svetlana at age 22. He nearly went to war in Afghanistan, "but being a boxer for my country, my trainer arranged for me to be pulled out," Maskaev said.

Maskaev turned pro in his hometown of Zhambul in April of 1993, against 6-foot-4 Alexander Miroshnichenko, who was 21-0 with 15 knockouts.

Maskaev stopped him in three rounds.

Just 23 months later, Maskaev's second pro fight was against journeyman Jimmy Harrison, a veteran of 44 bouts, even though he was only 6-33-5.

Maskeav ended that one in four rounds.

Maskaev was then matched against Joe Thomas, who entered the ring with a record of 23-1-1, and who was coming off of his 19th knockout victory.

Maskaev went the distance for only the second time in his career, earning a decision over six rounds.

Neither Miroshnichenko, nor Thomas, has been in the ring since losing to Maskaev, whose early accomplishments were as admirable as Rappaport found the matchmaking to be deplorable.

"Here was a kid, who, in his first professional fight, they put him in with somebody who had beaten Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe in the amateurs. And he goes ahead and knocks the guy out," said Rappaport. "In Oleg's fourth fight, they put him in with Joe Thomas, whom people thought was going to be a heavyweight champion. Good thing Oleg won that one also."

Maskaev had earned three of his first six victories by knockout in February of 1996, when he was stopped in one round by Oliver McCall.

Not only had McCall just been dethroned as WBC champ by Frank Bruno, but he already had decisioned former world champ, Larry Holmes, and had knocked out Lewis, Bruce Seldon and Francesco Damiani -- all three of whom were former world champs at the time.

Maskaev was 10-1, with six knockouts when he was matched against David Tua, whose 22 stops among 26 victories without a loss had included a 19-second win over future world champion, John Ruiz.

"It seemed like Oleg was going in against some of the toughest veterans they could find," said Rappaport. "To me, that's inconceivable."

Still, Maskaev persevered, reeling off four straight knockouts, and six stoppages among seven consecutive wins.

At 17-2, with 12 KOs, Maskaev was matched against Rahman for the first time.

Trailing by three points on two judges' cards, and, by seven, on the third, Maskaev literally knocked Rahman out of the ring, into the lap of HBO's ringside analyst, Jim Lampley, and, eventually, onto the arena floor.

"People don't know the real Oleg," said Maskaev. "When I'm mentally strong, physically strong, healthy, with no problems -- I can do a lot of things. I've proven that before, and I'm going to prove it again."

Maskaev Eyes Vitali Klitschko Rematch originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pacquiao-Cotto PPV at 1.25 Million Buys; Mayweather-Pacquiao Next?

Lem Satterfield — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:07:00 EST

Filed under: WBA, Golden Boy Promotions, HBO

Manny Pacquiao's historic, 12th-round knockout of Miguel Cotto, whom he dethroned as WBO welterweight champ for a record, seventh title in as many weight classes on Saturday night, has generated 1.25 million buys, according to official records released to FanHouse by Mark Taffet, HBO's senior vice president of pay per view.

Along with Floyd Mayweather's Sept. 19, unanimous decision victory over Juan Manuel Marquez, which resulted in 1.05 million buys, this year represents the first time HBO pay per view has ever recorded back-to-back fights exceeding a million buys, Taffet indicated in Friday's e-mail.

Pacquiao-Cotto also marks the first time since 1999 that two, pay per view boxing events have totaled more than a million purchases, joining Felix Trinidad's controversial decision over Oscar De La Hoya, and, Lennox Lewis' disputed draw with Evander Holyfield.

The 1.25 figure represents the highest performing boxing pay-per-view event in 2009, and, according to Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, "The biggest event of the year for pay per view from the standpoint of revenue generated."

Pacquiao-Cotto produced $70 million in pay-per-view revenue, a figure that includes 650,000 purchases from cable homes, another 600,000 from satellite and telephone company services, and a record 110,000 from Cotto's native Puerto Rico alone.

"I expect those [Pacquiao-Cotto] numbers to surpass 1.25. I really think that we're going to get over 1.3 when we get the final figures," said Arum. "This is a projection that will only go up."

Pacquiao has surpassed the one million mark in pay per view for the second time, joining his knockout of De La Hoya, which also registered 1.25 in December of 2008. Pacquiao's second-round stoppage of Ricky Hatton in May drew 830,000 buys, according to Taffet.

Mayweather's split-decision victory over De La Hoya in May of 2007 sold a record 2.4 million, making Mayweather (40-0, 25 knockouts) against Pacquiao (50-3-2, 37 KOs) the obvious choice for the next megafight.

Arum said that he expects to begin negotiating as early as next week with Golden Boy Promotions' Richard Schaefer, who will be action on Mayweather's behalf.

"I think that they've indicated that that's who they want to negotiate with me," said Arum. "And, if that, in fact, turns out to be the case, then the best we have of getting the deal done is if Richard Schaefer's on the other side."

Pacquiao-Cotto will be replayed on HBO on Saturday night at 10 p.m., with subsequent replays scheduled for Nov. 22 at 10 a.m., and, Nov. 23 at 11:40 p.m. The fight will also be rebroadcast on HBO 2 on Nov. 22 at 2:30 p.m., and, Nov. 24, at 11:55 p.m.

Pacquiao-Cotto PPV at 1.25 Million Buys; Mayweather-Pacquiao Next? originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pacquiao-Cotto PPV Numbers Rolling in, Nearing 1.5M Buys

Lem Satterfield — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:09:00 EST

Filed under: WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, HBO, FanHouse Exclusive

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said that the early pay-per-view numbers released on Manny Pacquiao's victory over Miguel Cotto are "over a million and under 1.5 million buys -- and that's without all of the precincts being reported."

"They're not really accurate yet, but all that we can say with absolute certainty is that Pacquiao-Cotto was the biggest, revenue-producing event on pay-per-view for the entire year," said Arum. "And that surpasses all of the UFC. Everything. Any event. It's the biggest event of the year from the standpoint of revenue being generated."

Arum, who promotes Pacquiao (50-3-2, 37 knockouts), said that he met with officials at HBO on Thursday concerning the numbers.

Arum said that he expects Mark Taffet, HBO's senior vice president of pay-per-view, to release a statement on Friday when all of the numbers are totaled up.

"That's without Washington, D.C., being reported, Baltimore, California -- a lot of Comcast Systems," said Arum. "But based on what we have, we can make that statement -- that Pacquiao-Cotto was the biggest revenue-generating pay-per-view event of the year."

Arum had hoped to begin negotiating with Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions concerning a potential Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) matchup when the numbers were released, but would not elaborate on whether or not that had taken place.

However, according to sources with knowledge of their intentions, Arum and Schaefer could meet as early as next week to begin working on a deal to make Mayweather-Pacquiao.

"They said I will be representing them, so I am going to give Bob [Arum] a call [Friday] and see when we can meet. There are a whole list of things to discuss and then to take them back to Team Mayweather," Schaefer told ESPN.com's Dan Rafael.

"I've had conversations with [Mayweather advisers] Al Haymon and Leonard Ellerbe. Floyd wants to see if the fight can be made, so that's what I am going to do," said Schaefer.

"I am going to put my best effort forward to see that a fair deal can be structured so sports fans can get what they want," said Schaefer. "How often in any sport do you have the two best of an entire generation in their prime and able to challenge each other?"

During an Oct. 6 interview with FanHouse, Taffet said September's Mayweather-Juan Manuel Marquez bout produced more than a million pay-per-view buys -- only the fifth non-heavyweight fight to reach seven figures.

So with Pacquiao-Cotto and Mayweather-Marquez, boxing history was made, for their pay-per-view numbers marked the first time since 1999 that two fights generated more than a million pay-per-view buys in the same year, joining Felix Trinidad-Oscar De La Hoya and Lennox Lewis-Evander Holyfield.

Pacquiao-Cotto PPV Numbers Rolling in, Nearing 1.5M Buys originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bert Sugar: Mayweather-Pacquiao Would Be 'Fight Of The Century'

Lem Satterfield — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:43:00 EST

Filed under: WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, Golden Boy Promotions, HBO, FanHouse Exclusive

Noted boxing historian Bert Sugar believes that a clash between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao would rival Sugar Ray Leonard's comeback 14th-round knockout of Thomas Hearns in September 1981, when the victor trailed by four, three and two points, respectively, on the three judges' cards.

Calling it "today's Super Bowl of boxing," Sugar said the demand and scope of Mayweather-Pacquio "easily passes" Felix Trinidad's controversial September 1999, 12-round majority decision over Oscar De La Hoya, even as theirs was a clash of a Puerto Rican icon in Trinidad and a cross-over Mexican-American star in De La Hoya.

"[Mayweather-Pacquiao] has international appeal, particularly in Asia. And you've got HBO, which will be pumping it with their 24/7 series. It will be the fight of the century," said Sugar, who, as then-editor of Ring Magazine, named Leonard-Hearns "Fight Of The Year."

"Even though with Leonard-Hearns boxing was more in the mainstream within the framework of sports in the 1980's -- with football, baseball and basketball -- the hype for [Mayweather-Pacquiao] will be off the charts."

Mayweather (40-0, 25 knockouts) "has proven to be the No. 1 attraction in urban markets across America," HBO's senior vice president of pay-per-view, Mark Taffet, told FanHouse during an exclusive interview last month.

A five-division champion, Mayweather has participated in "Dancing With The Stars" and defeated professional wrestling's "Big Show" in a highly-viewed match.

In his most recent effort in September, Mayweather dominated Mexican great Juan Manuel Marquez, nearly shutting out a fighter who endured a draw and a loss to Pacquiao in disputed bouts.

Pacquiao (50-3-2, 37 KOs), meanwhile, is coming off of a historic 12th-round knockout of Miguel Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs), against whom he earned his record seventh crown in as many different weight classes.

Pacquiao is considered a hero in his native Philippines as well as a cross-over star in America, where he has graced the cover of the Asian edition of Time Magazine and been featured in ESPN's Body Issue, among other things.

"The whole thing is these are two [professed pound-for-pound fighters] who would be meeting together celestial plane. They're on the same off-ramp, trying to get off of the exit first," said Sugar.

"With Trinidad-De La Hoya, that was also in the welterweight division," said Sugar. "But Mayweather-Pacquiao is Leonard-Hearns in the fact that there is more of a major public demand" for both fighters in America.

In addition to their personalities beyond the ring, Mayweather and Pacquiao are known as much for their work ethics in preparation for bouts as for their skills on fight night.

The always chiseled Mayweather is known for being a gym rat to the point where, at the end of his workouts, the Las Vegas resident throws more than a thousand punches at the heavybag or mits held by trainer and uncle Roger Mayweather.

Pacquiao's daily training regimen is known to last for four hours, ending with a technique during which parts of his body are pounded by a long, thick stick to deaden the nerves against the pain of being punched.

Similarly, Leonard always was known for his spartan techniques and Hearns for closing workouts with push-ups while supporting his feet high on a table and clapping in between repetitions.

The sheer energy-level of the Leonard-Hearns battle over the course of their 14 rounds remains unmatched by virtually any fight of that caliber since then.

"I covered Leonard-Hearns, and going in, there wasn't the same energy-level ascribed to Hearns as to Leonard. That's because it was more about Hearns' punching ability. Hearns was knocking everybody out, so there was very little said about Hearns' stamina because he hadn't been around to see much action in decisions," said Sugar.

"They had been in exciting fights before, with Leonard having been in against Roberto Duran," and Hearns against Pipino Cuevas, said Sugar, noting how the roles of Hearns and Leonard changed over the course of their classic confrontation.

"And as it turned out, there were many ebbs and flows, and some back-and-forth. There were some rounds where there was some maneuvering. In the sixth round, after Leonard knocked down Hearns with a beautiful left hook. Hearns went to jabbing," said Sugar.

"Leonard, the boxer with the shorter arms, was able to get inside and to become the puncher. And Hearns, the puncher, became the boxer," said Sugar. "It was a great tactical battle, and Hearns just turned the tables and was winning it."

In a matchup with Mayweather, a defensive specialist, Pacquiao is expected to be the aggressor, similar to how Hearns was opposite Leonard.

Pacquiao out-landed Cotto, 276-to-93, in power-punches, or, nearly, three-to-one.

But can the action of Mayweather-Pacquiao live up to hype?

"With Leonard-Hearns, you sort of went in knowing that you were going to get what you got. But you have a different set of equations with Mayweather-Pacquiao. Pacquiao's always in exciting fights, and Floyd Mayweather has hardly ever been in an exciting fight," said Sugar.

"So there could be some question," said Sugar. "If Floyd is so much better than Manny, and he fights his fight, and controls it in his own way, it could be considered a boring fight. There was never that concern for Leonard-Hearns."

Bert Sugar's top three welterweight fights:

Sugar Ray Leonard-Thomas Hearns 1 (Leonard, W TKO 14)

Carmen Basilio-Tony DeMarco I (Basilio, W TKO 12)

Carmen Basilio-Tony DeMarco II (Basilio, W TKO 12)

Bert Sugar: Mayweather-Pacquiao Would Be 'Fight Of The Century' originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bernard Hopkins' Ring Life Continues

Lem Satterfield — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:43:00 EST

Filed under: WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, HBO

Don't wish Bernard Hopkins success, wish him failure.

Specifically, tell the 44-year-old boxer that he's so far past his prime, that you believe he'll lose on Dec. 2 to unheralded 29-year-old Enrique Ornelas, the man he will meet in a non-title, 12-round light heavyweight (175 pounds) bout at Temple University's Liacouras Center in Hopkins' hometown of Philadelphia.

"People have written me off a lot of times in my life, and that's been my biggest motivation. I've always needed people to be rooting against me," said Hopkins, a former Philadelphia street criminal who survived three stabbings, was imprisoned at age 18 for five years, and released in 1988.

"I did not let the street life destroy me. I'm that throwback Philadephia fighter who just happened to take care of himself, and that's why I'm still here," said Hopkins, who is 49-5, with 32 knockouts.

"I took care of myself in my 20s, I took care of myself more in my 30s. I don't have a secret potion. No secret vitamins. No secret strength," said Hopkins. "Do I feel the same way at the age of 44 as I did at the age of 24, or, 34? No. But I will always be ahead of the game compared to the average, 45-year-old who is boxing -- if there is anyone out there other than me."

Hopkins, in addition to the age factor, said that he is at least equally -- if not more -- focused on the philanthropic theme of a his clash with Ornelas, which will be televised on VERSUS.

It will benefit three charities: The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Philadelphia & Susquehanna Valley, to which Hopkins will donate in memory of 2008 brain cancer victim Shaun Negler; the Hero Thrill Show, an annual day of events designed to raise money for the education of relatives of police and fire personnel killed in the line of duty; and the National Breast Cancer Foundation Inc., in memory of Hopkins' deceased mother, Shirley.

A film crew will record his visits to Shirley Hopkins' "resting place of eight years, as well as my brother's since [1984], my father's since '96, and my grandfather's since '84."

"There will be some emotional footage that no one has ever seen. We'll be running the streets where I got into trouble. This is meaningful for me to go through all of this leading up to this fight," said Hopkins, who will fight in Philadelphia for the first time since his eighth-round KO of Morrade Hakkar.

"It's crazy that the city is proud of me for accomplishing the things that I have," said Hopkins. "Philadelphia has lost 15 police officers in less than two years, but there will be a lot of [policemen] supporting me at the Liacouras Center."

Hopkins will enter the ring for the first time since October 18, 2008, when he dominated middleweight (160) world champion Kelly Pavlik of Youngstown, Ohio, to rebound from an April 2008 loss to unbeaten Joe Calzaghe of Wales.

"Because of my age, that's [Pavlik] a win that stands out the most," said Hopkins. "I proved that even though I was 43 at the time, that I could still compete at that level."

After losing his undisputed middleweight champion status to Jermain Taylor in July 2005, Hopkins rose to light heavyweight in June 2006 and routed former world champ Antonio Tarver, 118-109, on all three judges' cards.

"I was a big underdog against Tarver," said Hopkins, who subsequently routed former world titlist Winky Wrigh in July 2007. "I've been blessed to have a lot of great moments, but I think that I have a lot more history to accomplish. And my hit-list starts with Enrique."

Called, "a Mexican Joe Frazier," by Hopkins' trainer, Nazim Richardson, Ornelas is a former sparring partner of Hopkins.

"We've trained for an opportunity like this, and I know that he's not going to see me as a friend. As soon as we step into the ring, it's each man for himself. We're friends, but as soon as the bell rings, we're both their to execute a plan," said Ornelas, a hard-puncher with a record of 29-5 with 19 knockouts.

"I don't feel like this is his backyard or anything. I know that I'm fighting in his city, and I know that I'll have less of his crowd going for me," said Orlenas, a native of Mexico who lives in La Habra, Calif. "But that's all the better, and it will make me push harder to show the people that I really do want to win this fight."

The younger brother of super middleweight (168 pounds) Librado Andrade (28-2, 21 KOs), also of La Habra, Calif., Ornelas has lost three of his last seven bouts, being stopped once during that time.

Coming off of July's fourth-round stoppage of Roberto Baro, Ornelas is motivated by the fact that Andrade will face Montreal's southpaw IBF champion Lucian Bute (24-0, 19 KOs) at the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec, Canada, on Nov. 28.

Bute-Andrade is a rematch of their Oct. 24, 2008, bout that ended with Bute surviving nearly being knocked out in the 12th round. Ornelas believes that his sparring sessions with Andrade will bring out his best against Hopkins.

"My brother and I have a similar style, so it's easy. We're here to work, and we're working really hard, and we're having a great time. [Hopkins] has seen it all. We really can't show him anything different," said Ornelas.

"We're just going to stay busy and try to take whatever he gives us. We have to be ready to take advantage of the opportunities any time he gives them to us. Fighting is what I love to do. I just want to prove it," said Ornelas. "We're looking to win, and we're training really hard. Winning would be an amazing thing that will open so many doors in so many ways."

Hopkins-Ornelas precedes an agreed-upon rematch with Florida's multi-champion Roy Jones (54-5, 40 KOs) slated for early, 2010, assuming Jones gets past Austrailia's tough Danny Green (27-3, 24 KOs) on the same night before Green's home crowd in Sydney.

According to ESPN.com, Jones-Hopkins II is slated for March 13 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

"I have more to lose, and Enrique has more to gain. But trust me: I'm going to win this fight," said Hopkins, who will turn 45 on January 15 -- one day after Jones turns 41. "I'm going to look great, and I'm going to finish off Roy Jones Jr., and I might become the heavyweight champion of the world in 2010."

Nicknamed "The Executioner," Hopkins lost a unanimous decision in May 1993 to Jones, who since falling to Calzaghe last November, has stopped Omar Sheika and Jeff Lacey in five and 10 rounds respectively in March and August.

Hopkins earned the middleweight crown on April 29, 1995, with a seventh-round knockout of Segundo Mercado in a rematch of their controversial draw four months earlier. Hopkins made a division record 20 title defenses before losing to Taylor by a split decision.

Hopkins' title run included wins over nine world champions, with seven of those being knockouts of titlists Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Robert Allen, Simon Brown, Glen Johnson, John David Jackson and Carl Daniels.

"Dec. 2 starts a marathon of super-greatness for me. Some people may think that I'm bragging, but I'm blessed," said Hopkins. "I know that a lot of the media is trying to figure out when in the hell, and on what night, is this guy going to look like he's 45?"

Bernard Hopkins' Ring Life Continues originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Freddie Roach Still Going After Big Win

Lem Satterfield — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:21:00 EST

Filed under: WBC, WBO, HBO, FanHouse Exclusive

Two days after guiding Manny Pacquiao to Saturday night's historic victory over Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas, trainer Freddie Roach was back in Los Angeles, where he runs the famous Wild Card Boxing Club.

And even as he worked with another world champion, Amir Khan, as well as other prospects, the Hall of Fame trainer and three-time Trainer Of The Year took the time, on Tuesday, to answer the gym's telephone.

"I'm a little bit tired, and a little bit drained right now, but I can't show that to the fighters," said Roach, speaking against the gym's background noise of the bustling boxers pounding on the heavy-, and speed-bags, as well as the ringing bells of those who were sparring. "Once I get into the gym, I work through it."

A former trainer for Bernard Hopkins, Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, Virgil Hill and James Toney, among others, Roach took a break long enough to share Q&A time with FanHouse.

The 49-year-old boxing guru shared his views on Pacquiao's overall talents, Cotto's future, his intense relationship with Cotto's trainer, Joe Santiago, and how he would like his pound-for-pound best fighter to close out his illustrious career.

FanHouse: How does this past fight rank as far as your experiences in the sport?

Freddie Roach: It's one of the best and most rewarding fights I've ever been involved in with Pacquiao. Miguel Cotto was very competitive early in the fight. There was action.

Even when Manny started to dominate the fight, Cotto still had a lot of heart and tried really hard. It's was just an excellent fight for the fans.

FH: Does your chemistry with Manny Pacquiao, your tape-study, explain your ability to be so spot-on with your predictions for Manny's last three knockouts against Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto?

Roach: I think that I'm getting better at watching tapes and seeings flaws as they happen. People can't change. I don't learn from mistakes so much anymore, because everyone makes mistakes.

But it's reviewing the habits that they have over and over again, and taking advantage of their good habits and bad habits of course.

Manny and I have such a close rapport now, since we've been together for years. We just work together on the gameplan, and we do it together.

We make adjustments with each other. It's like, 'let's do it this way a little bit, and that way a little bit,' so that it works out perfectly.

FH: What skills of other fighters does Manny Pacquiao's style conjure in your mind?

Roach: He has the tenacity and the intensity of a Roberto Duran as a lightweight. He has the right uppercut of a Salvador Sanchez, just right off of the jab through the middle -- beautiful shot.

If he hurts you, he can be a vicious finisher, like a Reuben Olivares. Once he gets you hurt, it's just a matter of time.

Manny has a lot of the ingredients of a lot of great fighters, and to win seven titles in seven different weight divisions -- we're not going to see that in a long time.

FH: How dangerous is Manny Pacquiao as a southpaw?

Roach: The key is that he uses it in a perfect way. He can switch to the right-handed stance, but why take his advantage away?

FH: Punching power?

Roach: He can punch as hard as any welterweight in the world.

FH: General defensive skills?

Roach: Still drops his hands a little bit too much when he's exchanging, but we're working on that. His head movement is 100 percent better than before, but I want more.

He sees punches very well. Blocking punches is no problem. Sometimes, he ignores them. He has good vision, which is one of his best assets.

FH: How is Manny's right jab?

Roach: His right jab, he should use it more. He has a great right jab, but just doesn't use it enough. Against Miguel, he used it okay, but he's got a tremendously hard, hard right jab.

I want him to use that a little more to set up his power shots, but he was letting Cotto get his jab off a little bit too much. I think he could have used his right jab a lot more.

FH: Right hand in general?

Roach: The right hand -- the right hook is as good as his left hand at this point. It's got knockout power in it and it's very accurate.

His right hook is new and improved, but I told him that I'm not going to be satisifed until it's as good as the left, and I think that we're almost there.

FH: Left hand?

Roach: Deadly.

FH: In what ways?

Roach: He sets you up with the right hand for the power in the left hand, and he can knock out anyone in the world with that shot.

FH: Left hook?

Roach: It's the same as the right hand. It's deadly. He either hooks it over or can throw it over and over again as kind of a half-hook, half-straight, half-overhand left.

That's why we took Cotto to the ropes, where we tried to slide off to the left and land that shot. We had a couple of good body shots. Cotto was smart enough to get away from that on the ropes.

FH: What were your least enjoyable moments during the promotional buildup for the fight?

Roach: The three days in Manila. There were really a lot of distractions and too many people pulling at Manny Pacquiao.

FH: Most enjoyable moments?

Roach: You know, the 24/7 series was a fun show. They did a great job. We had a good time in training camp. There was a lot of chaos around us, but we never missed a day of training.

Some of my favorite moments were in the gym. My favorite moment for this camp was when we got back to the Wild Card Gym in L.A.

FH: Can you talk about that obsenity-laced argument with Cotto's trainer, Joe Santiago, at the weigh-in?

Roach: You know, if someone is calling me an a******, I'm going to have to say something back to them.

He said, '145 pounds a******.' I said, '145 is the contracted weight, and he's supposed to be there. And if you call me an a****** again, you call me an a****** one more time, I'll [expletive] knock you out.'

FH: If you could have a man-to-man talk with Joe Santiago about what it takes to be a trainer and what sort of things he should take away from this past experience, what would you tell him?

Roach: I'd teach him how to catch punches on the mits and make it real. Don't make it slow motion -- like you're going to a dance. It's not a dance.

The things that I do on the mits, that's what happens in fights. The things that he does on the mits, that does not happen in fights.

FH: What about working the corner during this particular fight?

Roach: I would tell him that he should have protected his fighter a little bit more. When a fighter of Cotto's quality and magnitude switches into survival mode, it's time to get him out of there and save him.

The fighter will just go, go, go. Fighters don't quit. But you know what? Somebody needed to step up and have the balls to stop the fight and to save Cotto for another day.

Miguel Cotto did not need to take that beating at the end.

FH: What would you tell Miguel Cotto about his future?

Roach: I think that Miguel Cotto has a good future, but he needs a good trainer. More experienced. The Santiago kid, he's just doing what Miguel tells him to do.

FH: Who are the guys working in your corner?

Roach: My cut man is Miguel Diaz, Buboy Fernandez, Manny's friend -- who is also my translator -- and Alex Ariza, my strength coach.

FH: What's next on your immediate schedule of fighters?

Roach: I have Amir Khan [21-1, 15 KOs] coming up for a defense on Dec. 5, and I've got Vanes Martirosyan [25-0, 16 KOs] fighting in Youngstown, Ohio, on Dec. 19. I've got Gerry Penalosa [54-7-2, 36 KOs] fighting a title eliminator in February.

That's all I have right now. I hope that I get a break for Christmas. I'm a little bit tired, but once I get into the gym, I don't show it to the fighters. I work through it.

I'm a litte bit drained right now, but I'll make sure that I'm 100 percent when they're in the gym. I just work my [butt] off.

FH: If you could select Manny Pacquiao's next opponent, and the scenario with which he could close out his magical career, how would that go?

Roach: I can't wait to get Manny ready for Floyd Mayweather. We're going to work on that because his style poses some problems, with him being more of a counter-puncher.

But Manny's at the point where he can deal with that. We'll break him down and beat him up. We'll knock Floyd Mayweather out, shut him up, and call it a day.

Freddie Roach Still Going After Big Win originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dmitriy Salita Inspired by Foreman to Become Next Jewish Champion

Lem Satterfield — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: WBA, HBO, Showtime, FanHouse Exclusive

Dmitriy Salita had spent weeks training like a madman at the Poconos resort in Pennsylvania, but the boxer hadn't worked as feverishly as he had while running around in search for a working television on Saturday night.

"I tried to go to different places, but I couldn't find anywhere with good reception," said Salita, "because, you know, this place is out in the middle of nowhere."

By the time Salita was able to achieve his goal, the news already was out: One of his best friends, Yuri Foreman, had become the first Israeli citizen to earn a professional world title.

Foreman dethroned Puerto Rico's WBA junior middleweight (154 pounds) champion, Daniel Santos, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena before a packed house in Las Vegas, improving his record to 28-0 with eight knockouts.

"I did watch it, but I had to watch it on Sunday. I thought that Yuri fought a great fight, and he fought very smart," said Salita, a 27-year-old Jewish immigrant of Russian decent.

"Yuri took chances when he had to take chances, and he boxed when he had to box," said Salita. "Yuri's a very determined guy, and I'm very happy for him and proud of what he accomplished."

Foreman's victory was motivational for Salita, who, like Foreman, lives in Brooklyn. Foreman was born in Gomel, Belarus, and Salita, in Odessa, Ukraine.

And just as they won Golden Gloves titles over the course of consecutive days as team members in April of 2001 at Madison Square Garden, Salita is hoping to join Foreman by earning a world title at junior welterweight (140 pounds).

"I feel inspired. I want to join the club of world champions. I look forward to Dec. 5," said Salita. "I know that I have a tough task ahead of me, but I feel good, here in camp. I'm getting my work done, and I can't wait to get into there with Amir Khan. I can't wait to join the club."

Salita (30-0-1, 16 KOs) will get his chance on Dec. 5, when he travels to England for a shot at 22-year-old Amir Khan (21-1, 15 KOs), the WBA champion. Khan earned the crown with July's unanimous decision victory over the Ukraine's Andreas Kotelnik.

A winner of three straight since being knocked out in the first round by Breidis Prescott in a battle of unbeatens in September of 2008, Khan is a hard-hitting, 2004 Olympic silver medalist.

"I know it's going to be a tough fight, but I definitely felt inspired while I was watching Yuri. It kind of brings back the good old days for both of us," said Salita. "It definitely gives me some momentum. Hopefully, Yuri and I can fight on the same show one day, and both of us could be world champions. That would be very good."

Dmitriy Salita Inspired by Foreman to Become Next Jewish Champion originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pacquiao Sparring Partner Shawn Porter Fights Saturday

Lem Satterfield — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: HBO

Junior middleweight Shawn Porter, whose intense sparring prepared Manny Pacquiao for last weekend's 12th-round knockout of Miguel Cotto, will put his unbeaten record on the line against Jerome Ellis on Saturday at Fitzgerald's Casino & Hotel, Tunica, Miss.

Known for his speed, power and Cotto-like left hook, the 22-year-old Porter is 10-0 with eight knockouts, with his past three stoppages being in the first round.The 31-year-old Boomer is 12-9-2, with 10 knockouts, but is coming off of an eight-round, split-dedcision victory over Jamaal Davis in May. The hard-chinned Ellis has been stopped only once.

Porter and Ellis will meet in a 154-pound bout scheduled for eight rounds.

In the lightweight (135 pounds) co-main event, southpaw Tyrese Hendrix (17-0-1, seven KOs) and Marteze Logan (26-38-2, six) are scheduled for eight rounds.

In addition, super middleweight (168) Farah Ennis (11-0, five) will face Anthony Doughty (5-1, four) over six rounds.

Pacquiao Sparring Partner Shawn Porter Fights Saturday originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Floyd Mayweather to Manny Pacquiao: 'Step Up to the Plate'

Lem Satterfield — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:39:00 EST

Filed under: WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, Golden Boy Promotions, HBO, IBO

Floyd Mayweather was nowhere to be seen in the MGM Grand Hotel during the lead-up to this past Saturday night's Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto welterweight megafight. Nor could the undefeated, five-time champion and Las Vegas resident be found when Pacquiao made history by lifting from Cotto the WBO's 147-pound title belt.

But in the days since Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, stood in the ring before a packed MGM Grand Garden Arena and called out his name as the man he wanted to be Pacquiao's next opponent, Mayweather has gotten the message loud and clear.

Mayweather's name was even chanted by the crowd of more than 16,200, but he says that he just hasn't heard it from Pacquiao's own mouth.

Pacquiao-Mayweather: Modern-Day Ali-Frazier
No More Argument: Pacquiao Deserves Crown
Video: Pacquiao's Legendary Night

"They are all talking for him, but Manny Pacquiao has yet to say he wants to fight me. If he wants to fight me, all he has to do is step up to the plate," said Mayweather, who is 40-0, with 25 knockouts, after pitching a virtual shutout over Juan Manuel Marquez in his last fight in September.

Mayweather, whose nickname has morphed from "Pretty Boy," to, "Money," watched Saturday's fight from his home in Las Vegas.

"Manny Pacquiao is the fighter, and every time someone asks him if he wants to fight me, he says it is up to his promoter, or he's going to take a vacation, or whatever the answer is. I have yet to hear him actually say, 'yes I want to fight Mayweather,'" said Mayweather in a statement issued by his media company.

"We are the fighters, and if one fighter is talking about fighting another fighter, then they should just come out and say it," said Mayweather. "Manny Pacquiao doesn't say anything directly about fighting me because he might just know it's not a fight he can win."

Pacquiao (50-3-2, 37 KOs) and Mayweather are considered to be the sport's premier fighters, pound-for-pound, and the logical rivals in a bout whose magnitude should surpass all others.

"The world is much more intrigued by the thought of someone fighting me who can beat me. That is what everyone wants to see and the boxing world is trying to find that guy," said Mayweather, 32. "Manny Pacquaio's people have done a good job of creating an image of him to be this unbelievable fighter, and now the so-called guy to beat me. But like all the rest, he's not the one."
"There is boxing and then there is me. The rest are just falling in line behind me or are trying to get in line to fight me. And that includes Manny Pacquiao too."
-- Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Like Mayweather, Pacquiao, 30, has victories over Marquez, Ricky Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya. Mayweather beat Hatton and De La Hoya first, by knockout and decision, respectively, before Pacquiao stopped both fighters. Mayweather has decisioned Marquez, and Pacquiao has drawn with and decisioned Marquez.

"Less than an hour after his fight Saturday night the talk turns back to me. Their whole promotion was just a Mayweather sweepstakes. They know it and anyone could figure that out. Why? Because my name kept coming up and I didn't even say anything," said Mayweather.

Richard Schaefer, representing Mayweather on behalf of Golden Boy promotions, said that he would work with Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, to get Mayweather-Pacquiao done.

"I think it will be a great fight, and a big fight, and I really don't want to say anything else, because there is really not much more to be said right now," said Schaefer. "But I do think that it could be one of those fights which certainly has the potential to break any and all records."

Schaefer and Arum have successfully pulled off such matchups as Pacqauiao's fights opposite Marquez, De La Hoya, Hatton and Marco Antonio Barrera, as well as Cotto-Shane Mosley, Barrera-Erik Morales, De La Hoya-Fernando Vargas, Mosley-Antonio Margrito, and Bernard Hopkins-Kelly Pavlik.

"In the last five years, we've done so many big fights together, and in the process, we've developed a mutual respect for each other. So, I think Bob likes to work with us, and we like to work with him," said Schaefer. "Let the people behind the scenes do their job, and hopefully, we are going to be successful putting that together."

Arum told FanHouse he wanted to wait before starting negotiations -- at least until Wednesday, when it could be determined whether or not Pacquiao-Cotto had approached or surpassed the pay-per-view buys mark of 2.4 million set by Mayweather-De La Hoya in May of 2007.

"[Pacquiao] said during an interview he did leading up to his fight that he didn't think I wanted to fight him, and that boxing, for me, was just a business, and I wasn't interested in a good fight," said Mayweather.

"But again, he never said during that interview that he would fight me. Why is he talking about what I won't do instead of what he wants to do? Plain and simple, it's because he knows he can't beat me under any circumstances."

Floyd Mayweather to Manny Pacquiao: 'Step Up to the Plate' originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cris Arreola Returns vs. Brian Minto

Lem Satterfield — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: WBA, WBC, HBO

Heavyweight contender Cris Arreola will meet 34-year-old journeyman Brian Minto on Dec. 5 in his first bout since being stopped by Vitali Klitschko in the 10th round of September's WBC championship challenge.

A resident of Riverside, Calif., the 28-year-old Arreola takes a record of 27-1, with 24 knockouts into the matchup with Minto, who lives in Butler, Pa.

Arreola-Minto will take place on the undercard of a middleweight (160 pounds) clash of southpaws between Paul Williams (37-1, 27 KOs) and Sergio Martinez (44-1-2, 24 KOs) that will be televised on HBO from the Adrian Phillips Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Arreola stands 6-foot-4 and weighed 251 pounds against Klitschko (38-2, 37 KOs), a 6-8 fighter who weighed 252.

But Arreola will have a significant size advantage against Minto, who stands 5-11 and entered the ring at nearly 218 pounds for his last fight in August.

At 34-2, with 21 knockouts, Minto is coming off of a fourth-round, technical decision victory over previously unbeaten Donnell Holmes, who slipped to 31-1-2 with 27 knockouts.

Minto is riding a seven-fight winning streak that inclueds five stoppages, the first four of which were in the first round.

Minto's biggest win was a sixth-round knockout of former world title contender, Axel Schultz, in November of 2006.

The two losses on Minto's record were by decision to former world title contender Luan Krasniqui in March of 2007 and former world champion Tony Tubbs in December of 2004.

Cris Arreola Returns vs. Brian Minto originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Winky Wright Returns to Ring Against Grady Brewer

Lem Satterfield — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: WBA, WBC, IBF, HBO, Showtime, FanHouse Exclusive

LAS VEGAS -- When former world champion Winky Wright enters the ring in San Juan's Coliseo de Puerto Rico on Dec. 11, it will be with the short-range goals of acheiving past glory.

Wright (51-5-1, 25 knockouts), a southpaw who turns 38 on Nov. 26, will end an eight-month layoff when he meets Brewer, who will turn 39 on Dec. 22. Brewer (26-11, 15 KOs) has won eight consecutive fights, inlcluding first- and, second-round knockouts of his past two opponents in May and August.

Wright twice defeated current world champion, Shane Mosley, as a junior middleweight (154 pounds) in 2004, and then followed that up with a rise to middleweight (160) for a one-sided, May, 2005, unanimous decision over former world champion and Puerto Rican great, Felix Trinidad.

But since vanquishing Sam Soliman in December of 2005, Wright is 1-1-2.

In succession, Wright battled Jermain Taylor to a disputed draw, dominated former titlist, Ike Quartey, and then suffered consecutive unanimous decision losses to Bernard Hopkins and Paul Williams.

FanHouse caught up to Wright for this Q&A on the eve of Saturday night's Miguel Cotto-Manny Pacquiao megafight to discuss his bout, which is available on traditional pay per view channels for $29.95.

FanHouse: Can you talk about your last fight -- your performance against Paul Williams?

Winky Wright: First of all, I don't want to take anything away from Paul Williams. I think that Paul Williams fought a helluva fight. It was just the right time. There was a two-year layoff for me, and, plus, there's his style and his size.

Paul is, what, 6-foot-2, and has arms like a giant? And he throws a billion punches a round. A lot of people just don't want to fight him. But I came off of two years to do it, and I'd do it again.

But that's not the point. It was just different fighting that style, and his awkwardness because I wasn't as sharp as I wanted to be. The punches that I wanted to throw, I would get set, and my timing -- it was just a second or two off.

I would throw my punches, and I was just missing a lot of them. If I could have just thrown them at the right time, it might have changed the fight. But it is what it is, and you win some and you lose some.

If you're going into every fight, knowing that you're going to win, thinking that you're going to win, that's the way that it's supposed to be. But if you do that and you lose, and you gave it your all, well then, you have to look at that and then you can come back from it.

That's what great fighters do. You take a loss, and then, it's 'O.K., well I'm going to come back and show you that I'm still here.' And I'm still here.

FH: Was there a point in the fight where you said that, 'Well, this young guy is on, and it just might not be my night?'

Wright: No, not really. For me, I never give up. I knew he couldn't hurt me, but the point was, 'Could I catch him?' That's was my whole thing. I just wanted to catch him. From the early rounds, I said, 'Let me just work him, try to make him get tired.'

But he stayed fresh. Shorty just kept throwing punches, kept throwing punches, kept throwing punches. So I'm like, 'Let me pick off some of his shots, and then, maybe I can catch him and hurt him.' But he really wouldn't let me get in that one, good shot.

He was rolling with a lot of punches, and, once again, my timing was off. My punches weren't as solid or as crisp as I wanted them to be. It was just mainly, 'Well just keep digging, and you can catch him, you can catch him, and if you can catch him, you can hurt him.'

But I just couldn't catch him. So he fought a great fight, and now, it's all good. I would have liked to see Paul Williams fight Kelly Pavlik, somebody his size with good, long arms and who is tall.

Pavlik is tall, and even though he has shorter arms, he has the size. But Paul Williams, with that long reach, he's going to be hard to beat.

FH: You sound as if you have sort of an affinity with Paul Williams?

Wright: I know how he feels. By not having people who want to fight him. That was almost my whole career. For him to step up and fight me -- and like I said, he got me at the right time -- that took a lot.

But it was especially tough for me with a person like him who throws a lot of punches and who stays busy. But give me about a year, and like I said, I'll fight a couple of times, taking out all of the bums, and then, I'm coming back and whipping on everybody.

FH: What is your gameplan?

Wright: I'm willing to get right back into a big fight right after Grady Brewer. I want to fight Grady, do what I have to do to beat Grady. And then, if no fight presents itself, then I'm going to take another fight to stay busy and stay sharp.

And then, if no fight presents itself then, I'll take another fight to stay busy and stay sharp. I'll get somebody that's tough, and beat them, and, then, maybe a fight will present itself then.

But when you wait on fights, and you don't get them, and you're just laying around, you're not going to be as sharp. If you take Michael Jordan out of the game for two years, and then try to throw him into an NBA championship game, he's not going to look good.

He's not going to be slamming and shooting three-pointers on everybody. He's going to be a little bit rusty. And that's all that it was for me. Paul came out and executed his gameplan, and I give him all of the praise for fighting a great fight.

FH: How much do you weigh right now, and what weight do you wish to compete at?

Wright: Right now, I'm probably at about 169. I want to fight at 160. I'll want to fight people my size -- not the super middleweights or light heavyweights. I'm a small guy. I fought 154 my whole career.

The only reason I moved up to 160 is because there was nobody at 154. I fought Jermain Taylor at 160 pounds for the undisputed middleweight title, which I feel that I won. Then I fought once at against Bernard Hopkins because there was still nobody to fight.

But that's just showing you that I'll fight anybody. Now, it's time to get back to fighting in my weight class. I'm a 154-to-160-pounder. Really, I'm trying to fight at 160, maybe once or twice.

If I can't get Kelly Pavlik, then I may go down to 154 and do what I've got to do -- fight people my size.

FH: If you could pick your next three fights, and those guys would agree, who would your opponents be?

Wright: Straight up, Pavlik would be No. 1. But that's the problem, 'Who else is at junior middleweight?' There are welterweights I would fight, but then I would be taking advantage of them.

I've always wanted to fight Oscar De La Hoya. I really don't want to call out people. I just want to fight the best. But if Pavlik wants a name, and, being a champion, and since he didn't fight Williams, then I know that he's looking for somebody else.

I mean, maybe he could be thinking, 'Well, if Williams beat Winky, then I can come back and I can beat Winky, and then, maybe I'll do Williams.'

But Williams caught me two years off from boxing, and he ain't going to catch me with a two-year layoff. When I get back into the ring against Grady Brewer, I'm going to look so sharp that you all are going to say, 'Somebody revived that man, because he's kicking a**'

FH: Chad Dawson?

Wright: That's not really a fight for me. I like Chad. We used to train together. He was training with my trainer, Dan Birmingham. We've sparred together, had fun, and all of that.

But, Chad is a light heavyweight who said that he would come down to 168. But I'm a 154-, 160-pounder. And Chad is 6-1, 6-2, and I'm 5-10. I need to be fighting people my weight.

That's like saying, 'After this fight, why don't Manny Pacquaio come up to and fight Winky Wrigt.' There's a size difference. Chad is a big, tall dude.

FH: So, why Grady Brewer in Puerto Rico?

Wright: I don't have to do this, I want to do this. I want to move around, get around, expand my horizons on the boxing scene. I used to travel the world and fight, and it can bring you a lot of fans from all over.

I've been doing a lot of fights in Vegas. After fighting 'Tito,' I told him that I would come down there and do a promotion with him and we'd do something together, and so I did it.

FH: Does your victory over Felix Trinidad give you respect and leverage with his fans?

Wright: Tito, if you go to Puerto Rico with Tito, he's God. He's a good do, people stuck by him, and he carried Puerto Rico on his back every time he stepped into that ring, and he fought like a warrior, and gave his best, and the fans appreciated that.

FH: How do you have to look against an awkward Grady Brewer to boost your stock at this point in your career?

Wright: Right now, for me, I'm just focusing on winning the fight. If I go out and do what I plan on doing, then I feel like I'm going to look good. It's just that sometimes, people are going to expect you to do so much because it's a Grady Brewer.

But they've got to realize, Grady Brewer is going to come out with his best game, because he's fighting a Winky wright. So that's going to make it a little tough and it will put some pressure on me.

Grady's style is going to be a little awkward, but if you want to be the best, you've got to come down and fight the best. Right now, I can't really get the best into the ring, so I've got to stay busy.

That's the problem. When I stay out of the ring for almost two years, you're not going to be as sharp as you were when you were in the ring. So I'm not going to let that happen to me again.

I'm going to go out and fight, fight and fight and beat everybody until I get the best.

FH: So how much longer are you going to do this?

Wright: I really don't know. There are really no marquee names in boxing. So when people say, 'How long are you going to continue boxing?'

If there's no reasonable fight but there that can make me a great amount of money or present a great challenge, then there's no reason to do it.

Winky Wright Returns to Ring Against Grady Brewer originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heat Turned Up Between Mosley, Berto

Lem Satterfield — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: WBA, WBC, HBO

LAS VEGAS -- During the months when their fight was being negotiated, welterweight stars Shane Mosley and Andre Berto had words.

Berto said Mosley, who, at 38, is the aging veteran, "had some disrespectful things to say on a few interviews."

But on Saturday, following a press conference announcing their Jan. 30 matchup at Mandalay Bay, the two boxers finally met face-to-face.

And it was the younger Berto who believes that he got the best of their exchange.

"I had to set him straight because he had had some slick things to say, basically in the past, and I was like, 'We're face-to-face now, so what you got to say.' And he was just trying to brush it off a little bit," said Berto, who will be making the fourth defense of his WBC title and who is 25-0 with 19 knockouts.

"I know how Shane is. Everybody knows how Shane is. That's not Shane. There's nothing tough or gangster about him," said Berto, 26, who will be fighting in Las Vegas for only the second time in his career. "So I wanted to clear those things up, and I said, 'You're in front of me now, what do you have to say?' And he basically went to smiling, doing that thing that he does."

Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) has won his last two bouts over former world champions Ricardo Mayorga and Antonio Margarito by knockouts in the 12th and ninth rounds, respectively.

The WBA's super champion, Mosley also owns two victories over Oscar De La Hoya, but is considered to be an aging fighter, having turned 38 on Sept. 7.

"Berto was always a possible opponent, even before I was fighting Margarito. It was asked of me if I wanted to fight Berto or Margarito, and I said that I wanted to fight Margarito because I considered him to be the best," said Mosley. "I didn't go for the person who was considered to be the lesser opponent, but the more difficult opponent, and that's just the fighter that I am."

In Berto, Mosley could be facing the younger, mirror-image of himself: an explosive, speedy, up-and-coming talent.

"This is not so much about Andre Berto, it's just that I want to be the best that I can possibly be every time that I go into the ring. I want the fans and the people to know that I'm the best fighter," said Mosley.

"It's nothing about taking this out on Andre Berto, I just want to show the fans and everybody that I'm the best fighter. If I can't get the Manny Pacquiaos or the Floyd Mayweathers, and they go off into the sunset, then so be it. I'll still be here," said Mosley.

"And I've got three or four years to do that. I've got money. I'm not a very extravagant guy. I have money saved in the bank," said Mosley. "I have like four more years that I can reach $20 million as long as I keep fighting and stay in shape and don't take anybody for granted. As long as I keep doing that, these guys are in trouble."

Berto earned his title as a 24-year-old with a seventh-round knockout of Miguel Angel Rodriguez in June 2008.

"Shane used to show up at a lot of my previous fights. He used to come up to me afterward and talk to me and be amazed by a lot of performances and said that I reminded him of himself," said Berto.

"But I think that my last two or three fights, I worked on some things. He probably forgot that aggressive style that I have, and I have to remind him of the stuff that he was nervous about a few fights back," said Berto. "The deal is done, and it's time to get it on. I'm going to show the world a new era. "

Heat Turned Up Between Mosley, Berto originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pacquiao-Mayweather Would Be a Modern-Day Ali-Frazier

Lem Satterfield — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:16:00 EST

Filed under: WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, Golden Boy Promotions, HBO, IBO

LAS VEGAS -- The superlatives ran rampant during the aftermath of Manny Pacquiao's brilliantly violent beatdown of Miguel Cotto on Saturday night in an MGM Grand Garden Arena packed to its rafters with more than 16,200 fans.

Having witnessed the Filipino superstar's array of speed, athleticism and durability used to batter senseless the Puerto Rican warrior before their fight was stopped 55 seconds into the 12th round, promoter Bob Arum declared Pacquiao "the best fighter that I've ever seen -- and that includes Muhammad Ali, and Sugar Ray Leonard, and Marvin Hagler."

Ross Greenburg, head honcho of sports programming at HBO, told reporters it is time for Pacquiao to face his unbeaten, pound-for-pound rival, Floyd Mayweather, in a "Super Bowl" type of matchup whose modern-day significance would rival Ali-Joe Frazier.

More: Pacquiao Leaves No Doubt After Beating Cotto

In fact, the crowd, in unison, chanted, "We want Floyd," during the fight's immediate conclusion.

"Floyd believes that he's the best in the world. And having witnessed Manny's performance tonight, and having seen what Manny has done against both [Oscar] De La Hoya and [Ricky] Hatton, it's clear that Manny has an argument," said Greenburg, who already has facilitated a meeting for Monday between Arum and Richard Shaefer of Golden Boy Promotions, representing Mayweather.

"I called Richard Shaefer, and what he said is that he would begin negotiating with Bob on Monday. And we have to settle it in the ring. What's most important is to seize the opportunity right now," said Greenburg. "This fight is huge, and I don't know if the sky is the limit. This is on the Super Bowl level, and it should be treated that way. We have to do it the right way and take it to another level."

Pacquiao floored Cotto twice and lost maybe one round in the fight on the way to earning the WBO welterweight (147 pounds) title. In the process, "The Pac-Man" became the first fighter to earn a seventh belt in as many different weight classes.

Pacquiao addressed the post-fight media wearing a full white gauze wrapping around his head. His badly swollen right ear had to be drained of fluid as a result of punishment received during the fight, and he was bruised beneath both eyes.

"I think this was one of the toughest fights in my boxing career. I took a lot of punches from Cotto -- my eyes, my ears," said Pacquiao, who began his career as a 106-pound, 16-year-old with a four-round decision over Edmund Enting Ignacio in January 1995 and earned his first world title with an April 1999, fourth-round knockout of Gabriel Mira at 112 lbs.

"I don't want to compare my achievements to Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard. I'm just doing my job to give the people a good fight," said Pacquiao. "My goal is to give good enjoyment to those people who are watching us."

The victory was the 50th for Pacquiao against three losses and two draws, and the 11th straight since losing a unanimous decision to Erik Morales in March 2005.

During that stretch, the 30-year-old Pacquiao has eight knockouts, including four consecutively. That spree include those against David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, respectively, in nine, eight and two rounds.

And Pacquaio's run includes having twice avenged the loss to Morales, whom he stopped in 10, and, three rounds, in January and November 2006.

It also includes 12-round triumphs over Mexican legends Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez, as well as an eighth-round knockout of Jorge Solis, who entered their matchup unbeaten at 33-0-2, with 24 knockouts.

Against Cotto (34-2, 27 KOs), Pacquiao yet again displayed balance and a wizardry that allowed him to punch from awkward angles, even as some critics questioned his ability to carry his two-fisted power against a champion who represented the largest and strongest man he had ever faced in the ring.

Pacquiao, who fought Cotto at a catchweight of 145 pounds, weighed in at 144 -- his highest since the 142 against De La Hoya, as well as 138 against Hatton.

Still, Pacquiao was able to floor Cotto during each of the third and fourth rounds, respectively, with a right hand to the temple and a brutal left uppercut.

"Manny proved that he can punch with any 147-pounder in the world," said Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach. "Manny has great power and speed. I think that he proved everything tonight."

Earlier, Pacquiao had dominated Cotto in the ninth round where, at one point, there was an unanswered 10-punch combination as well as a three-punch series that nearly floored Cotto again.

Referee Kenny Bayless appeared ready to step in at that point, and Roach, for one, believes that he or Cotto's cornerman, Joe Santiago, should have.

"In round nine, Miguel was ready to give up. He was in retreat mode and wasn't trying to win the fight anymore," said Roach. "I mean, when you're not trying to win the fight anymore, and you're out there bleeding to death, and you see his face is bloody like that -- come on."

Pacquiao left Cotto's face a mass of welts, bruises and cuts, including a deep, laceration around his left eye from which blood flowed like a river.

Cotto apparently nearly remained on his stool following the 11th round, but changed his mind and tried to finish the fight before Bayless mercifully put his arms around the beaten man and waved an end to it.

During the furious back-and-forth early rounds, however, Pacquiao said that he "wanted to measure" Cotto's strength as a challenge to the pre-fight notion that he -- as the smaller man -- couldn't withstand what Cotto had to offer.

"The first three rounds, I was measuring his power. That's why I didn't move. It hurts, and he's strong. But I pretended that I wasn't getting hurt by his punches, and I made it," said Pacquiao, whose birthname is Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao.

"Before the fight, there was talk that he was going to be bigger, and that he was going to be the stronger man in the ring. So I was like, 'Okay, we will see,'" said Pacquiao. "And I was trying to fight toe-to-toe, because I wanted to prove that I was stronger."

Roach said that Pacquiao "was hurt once" during the fight, "in the third round."

"Third round, coming off of the ropes in my corner, he got nailed with a left hook. Miguel was coming out low from a crouch and he threw a half-uppercut, half-hook, and he caught Manny and you saw him shake just a bit," said Roach.

"I told Manny, 'Next round, stay the hell off of the ropes.' I yelled at him and said, 'Why are you fighting his fight? You're giving the guy an opportunity to bang the body and use that left hook,'" said Roach. "'That's someplace that you don't want to be.' And Manny says, 'I can handle it,' and he did."

After taking what Cotto had to offer, Pacquiao said "I felt like after the third or fourth round, I had him."

A crossover star in America, Pacquiao has been featured in ESPN's Body Issue, graced the cover of Time Magazine, and been the subject of a five-page feature story in the New York Times.

Pacquiao was a knockout on a recent edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live, and was the only athlete among 18 recipients of this year's Gusi Peace Prize, bestowed upon him for his humanitarian efforts in disaster relief during two recent typhoons in the Philippines.

Pacquiao is in the midst of filming a movie, WaPak Man, about a super hero whose powers rival that of Superman and Spider-Man.

And his stock is only rising, even as he remains humble against the praise.

"When I think about what I've achieved right now, it's unbelievable. But I don't want to compare my achievement to any fighter. We just did our best in boxing," said Pacquiao. "I always thank God for the physical ability that he gives to me. As long as you believe in God, nothing is impossible."

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Pacquiao vs. Cotto Photos

Manny Pacquiao, of the Philippines, holds the championship belt at the finish of his WBO welterweight boxing title fight against Miguel Cotto, of Puerto Rico, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009 in Las Vegas. Pacquiao won the fight by TKO in the 12th round. Pacquiao did what no fighter has done before--win a belt in seven weight classes. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

FR159466 AP

Pacquiao vs. Cotto Photos

With a mural depicting his triumphs in the ring, Filipinos cheer Manny Pacquiao donning the championship belt as they watch live satellite broadcast at Manila's financial district of Makati Sunday, Nov 15, 2009. Pacquiao took the WBO welterweight crown from Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto with a technical knockout in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Pacquiao made history in boxing by winning in seven different weight classes. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Philippine ambassador to Indonesia, Vidal Querol (3rd L-behind table), leads a group of Filipino residents in the Indonesian capital Jakarta in celebrations at a restaurant on November 15, 2009 after watching a live television broadcast of Asian boxing icon Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines against Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto in their welterweight title fight in Las Vegas. Expatriated Filipinos from around the globe joined their boxing-crazy homeland in erupting in a frenzy of joy after Manny Pacquiao pummelled Puerto Rican champion Miguel Cotto in the history-making bout in Las Vegas. AFP PHOTO / ROMEO GACAD (Photo credit should read ROMEO GACAD/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines celebrates after defeating Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico during their WBO welterweight title fight on November 14, 2009 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. TOPSHOTS AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Residents, mostly flood victims, cheer while watching Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao knock down Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto on a free satellite television at a former evacuation center in flood-stricken Taytay township, Rizal province, east of Manila, Philippines on Sunday Nov. 15, 2009. Pacquiao's victory gave a morale boost to the country, which has been wracked terrorism, Muslim and communist rebellions and recent back-to-back storms that caused the worst flooding in and around Manila in more than four decades. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Residents, mostly flood victims, react after seeing Filipino Boxing Hero Manny Pacquiao knock down Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto during a free satellite television viewing of their fight at a former evacuation center in flood-stricken Taytay township, Rizal province, east of Manila, Philippines on Sunday Nov. 15, 2009. Pacquiao's victory gave a morale boost to the country, which has been wracked terrorism, Muslim and communist rebellions and recent back-to-back storms that caused the worst flooding in and around Manila in more than four decades. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A female resident gestures as she watches the fight of Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao and Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto on a free satellite television at a former evacuation center in flood-stricken Taytay township, Rizal province, east of Manila, Philippines on Sunday Nov. 15, 2009. Pacquiao's victory gave a morale boost to the country, which has been wracked terrorism, Muslim and communist rebellions and recent back-to-back storms that caused the worst flooding in and around Manila in more than four decades. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A man distributes high-energy biscuits, food aid from the World Food Program, to mostly flood victims as they wait for the fight of Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao against Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto during a free satellite television viewing of their match at a former evacuation center in flood-stricken Taytay township, Rizal province, east of Manila, Philippines on Sunday Nov. 15, 2009. Pacquiao's victory gave a morale boost to the country, which has been wracked terrorism, Muslim and communist rebellions and recent back-to-back storms that caused the worst flooding in and around Manila in more than four decades. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A resident shows an advertisement poster featuring homegrown boxer Manny Pacquiao as people watch the live telecast from Las Vegas of the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight in Manny's Philippines hometown of General Santos City on November 15, 2009. From its teeming slums to its strife-torn southern region, the boxing-crazy Philippines erupted in a frenzy of joy after Manny Pacquiao pummelled Puerto Rican champion Miguel Cotto in a history-making bout. AFP PHOTO / PAUL BERNALDEZ (Photo credit should read PAUL BERNALDEZ/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Pacquiao-Mayweather Would Be a Modern-Day Ali-Frazier originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto: Live Round-by-Round on Twitter

Michael David Smith — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:13:00 EST

Filed under: HBO

Pacquiao vs. Cotto fight time is almost here.

The Miguel Cotto vs. Manny Pacquiao fight should start at around 11 PM ET, and whether you're watching the pay-per-view boxing show and want a second opinion or can't see the fight and want to know what's happening, FanHouse will have you covered. I'll be tweeting live, round-by-round updates with a full Pacquiao fight score card right here.

For full updates, follow along below or follow me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

Twitter Updates on Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto

Boxing on Twitter

Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto: Live Round-by-Round on Twitter originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Haye to Defend Title Against Ruiz

Lem Satterfield — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, Golden Boy Promotions, HBO

LAS VEGAS -- When England's David Haye traveled to Nuremberg, Germany, for his Nov. 7 matchup with 7-foot, 316-pound, Nikolay Valuev, the 218-pounder did so with more support from his own countrymen than the man who is named "The Russian Giant" for his status as the largest champion in the history of boxing.

And when Haye broke his right hand in the second round of an eventual, 12-round majority decision, it was the deafening cheers of his fans that lifted him on the way to dethroning Valuev for the WBA championship.

"We all know that the British boxing fans are among the best boxing fans in the world. They're exciting, they like to travel, and they're just great sports fans," said Richard Shaefer of Golden Boy Promotions, who is handling Haye's affairs in the United States.

"And they showed that again. They realized the significance of a British fighter fighting for the heavyweight championship of the world. And they came there, and they supported him, and they were rewarded by the fact that David was able to capture the title."

In victory, Haye (23-1, 21 knockouts) became only the sixth Brit ever to earn a heavyweight crown and only the second-ever former cruiserweight (200 pounds) to do so.

Bob Fitzimmons, Herbie Hide, Lennox Lewis, Frank Bruno and Henry Akinwande also were English champions, and Evander Holyfield, a former cruiserweight, dethroned Buster Douglas for that honor.

On Saturday morning, Haye fielded questions from reporters concerning his future in the heavyweight division, which could include bouts with WBC champ Vitali Klitschko, WBO and IBF titlist Wladimir Klitschko, or even rising former cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek.

First, however, there is the prospect of facing mandatory challenger John Ruiz, a former world champion who is looking to earn that title a third time. Haye could face Ruiz in March.

"There is a mandatory obligation against John Ruiz," Shaefer said. "I don't know if March is going to be the date, but it might be, depending on David's hand, which, as you saw, is injured. So it's first things first, and I don't really want to think too far ahead of that, because John Ruiz is a very experienced fighter and a former world champion.

"It would be a very big fight in England, probably in London. It would be a big homecoming for David Haye, defending his world title for the first time. That's really the plan. Obviously, I know that the fights everyone would like to see is against one of the Klitschkos, and, after that, hopefully against the other one. We'll have to see when those fights happen, and how they can happen."

As he spoke to reporters, Haye wore a white wrapping on his right hand as a result of what Schaefer called "a hairline bone fracture," suffered against Valuev, "but there is no surgery necessary, so it will basically heal on its own."

Haye recounted the moments early in his bout with Valuev (50-2, 34 KOs).

"A lot of the stuff that I had trained to do, I found it very tough to get off on him because of his sheer size. Not because of his technical abilities, but because he was so big," said Haye, who is nicknamed "The Hayemaker."

"And when I did hit him, with my trademark haymaker in the second round, when most people would have fallen and been unconscious, it broke my hand," said Haye. "I had slipped his jab and threw a perfect right hand, which was something that I had worked on time and time again. And I threw it with as much power as possible, hoping he would hit the deck, but it didn't work out that way."

Haye said he then had to rely on boxing skills, displaying abilities that some didn't believe the self-professed knockout artist was capable of using.

"To not only fight against the largest heavyweight of all time, and to go pretty much to his back yard and his home town, where he's fought before and he's got support, I think that shows my intent. And to do that in Germany, you've got to pretty much put on a boxing clinic," said Haye.

"Evander Holyfield himself said that he didn't think that I would be good enough to beat Valuev because of my lack of experience against big guys. He didn't know how I would react to taking the punches, or if the guy leaned on me. He didn't think I had the experience to get through it, but I think that proved a few people wrong," said Haye, who hurt Valuev badly in the 12th round.

"I showed that I'm an athlete, and that I punch very, very hard. All that you have to do is look at Valuev's prior fights. You can see that he gets hit by some hard shots and he seems to shake them off," said Haye. "Yet the first time he's ever been hurt, and wobbled, was by my left hook. And my left hook is not really even my punch. I also think that my defense also has been underestimated over the years."

Another fight Haye would consider is one against the Polish-born Adamek, former IBF cruiserweight champion and winner of his last eight bouts -- six of them by knockout -- who will fight in his second straight heavyweight bout against an opponent to be determined on Feb. 6 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

A resident of nearby Jersey City, Adamek (39-1, 27 knockouts) also is said to be considering matchups against either Bernard Hopkins or Roy Jones at the cruiserweight limit of 200 pounds.

Adamek's only defeat came in February 2007, when he lost a decision to current light heavyweight champion, champion Chad Dawson (28-0, 17 KOs). Adamek had taken a 31-0 record into his bout with Dawson, who dethroned him as WBC 175-pound titlist.

On Oct. 24, Adamek scored a fifth-round knockout over former three-time heavyweight title contender Andrew Golota despite being out-weighed 257-215 by the larger challenger.

Adamek has called out Haye for a matchup, but Haye said that he will not look beyond Ruiz.

"The toughest fight of my life is going to be against John Ruiz, next. And I won't look past John Ruiz. I made that mistake earlier on in my career in the fight that I lost when I looked beyond Carl Thompson. That won't happen again," said Haye. "I'll make sure that I make a statement against Ruiz. It's been a long time since John Ruiz has been knocked out by David Tua back in the day."

Over time, Haye said he wants to conquer the Klitschkos, and, in the end, be appreciated as a fighter with excellent overall skills.

"Everyone just sees me as a brawler and a puncher," Haye said. "They look at my record and see that I've gotten lots of people out early. They didn't feel that I could adjust and make the right movements with my feet, thinking that I have lazy legs or whatever.

"But I've showed that I can adjust and that I can do things that people don't expect me to do. But over time, I think that people will start warming to what I can do. I can change my gameplan to suit any fighter because I'm an athlete, and I live the life in and out of the ring."

David Haye to Defend Title Against Ruiz originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pacquiao-Cotto Will Determine the Direction of Boxing

Nancy Gay — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:02:00 EST

Filed under: WBO, HBO

LAS VEGAS -- Boxing is alive and thriving, and you can see it in the nationalistic pride that enveloped Las Vegas on Friday. The Filipinos and Puerto Ricans descended on The Strip with their colorful flags and chants, and they queued in orderly groups -- Manny Pacquiao's publiko/bayan here, Miguel Cotto's publico/paisanos there -- for a raucous weigh-in Friday afternoon at the MGM Grand Garden.

So much excitement, for two 145-pound boxers standing on a scale. But Pacquiao-Cotto is the biggest thing to happen to boxing since Pacquiao-Oscar De La Hoya. Or Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton.

You get the idea.

The Pride of the Philippines (49-3-2, 37 KOs) squared off Friday against The Pride of Puerto Rico (34-1-0, 27 KOs) when they stood on stage in their skivvies, the crowd of about 6,500 -- Filipinos to the left, Puerto Ricans to the right -- roared its requisite country's approval.

Cotto's trainer Jose Santiago, who rarely speaks English, threw out a "145 pounds, a**hole!" to Pacquiao's trusted man, Freddie Roach, when Cotto stepped off the scale. Pacquiao, who is going for his unprecedented seventh world title in his seventh weight class, flexed his growing frame at 144 pounds, sending his fans into a cheering frenzy.

The drama continued. Antonio Margarito made an appearance on stage, infuriating the Puerto Ricans who revile him for destroying Cotto's face and perfect record in a controversial 11-round loss in July 2008. Then Margarito had the temerity to parade outside the Grand Garden Arena among the hundreds who were turned away from the packed weigh-in.

"Cheater!! He is a cheater!!" people screamed at a defiant Margarito, and security guards rushed over to prevent a melee from breaking out in the crush that swarmed the MGM Grand Studio Walk.

This is what makes the boxing so unique now, and helps separates it from the All-American MMA culture that has captured this country's imagination.

The pride, the pageantry, the intense rivalries, they all resonate with the pure boxing fan -- the person who will shell out $54.95 for Saturday's HBO pay-per-view show featuring the Pacquaio-Cotto 12-round welterweight main event. And the whole package goes to the hearts of the people of the Philippines and Puerto Rico, who are living vicariously through their countries' greatest athletes.

Las Vegas needs this energy. And many in boxing will grudgingly concede that the sport probably needs Pacquiao to prevail Saturday night. Because Las Vegas has become Manny's town, just as it once belonged to Floyd Mayweather, Mike Tyson and other actual current or former Vegas residents and boxing greats.

And ultimately, boxing needs -- and will demand -- that Pacquiao step into the ring against Mayweather.

Why would Cotto, a skilled, accomplished pure welterweight who is defending his WBO title, agree to take this fight against Pacquaio at 145 pounds, two pounds under the limit and his comfortable weight? Why would he agree to $2 million up front less than the challenger?

Bob Arum, the Top Rank promoter and mastermind who handles both fighters, has defended the honor of Cotto valiantly this week. But there is a simple truth to Cotto's presence in the ring Saturday night.

"In this fight," Arum said, "he is not the star of the show."

He is absolutely essential to the process, however.

Cotto is a brilliant fighter, and his legacy can't be tarnished by the brutal, bloody beating he sustained by the hands of Margarito 15 months ago. Who will say with certainty those hands weren't concealing illegal plaster inserts under their wraps? After all, Margarito and his trainer had their California boxing licenses revoked when inspectors found hardened plaster in his gloves before a welterweight title bout against Shane Mosley six months later.

But Cotto will need to go down Saturday night. He is a 3-to-1 underdog so that boxing can get Pacquaio-Mayweather.

HBO's PPV machine will rev up every ounce of its being for that dream mega-fight. Of course, Mayweather absolutely despises Arum, his former promoter, so there will be ample, calculated rhetoric between Top Rank, Inc. and Mayweather Promotions.
You have a perfect blending of style in this fight ... I see a very tough distance fight, and there is going to be blood.
-- Legendary Promoter Angelo Dundee
Arum has equal disdain for his former client, but even boxing's most prolific promoter has conceded this week that a Pacquaio-Mayweather event could easily surpass the record 2.44 million buys in 2007 for Mayweather-De La Hoya. So it will happen.

If Cotto wins -- and many in boxing are convinced he will beat Pacquiao by a late knockout or split decision -- Cotto-Mayweather would be an epic affair for boxing aficionados.

Then again, the world's most famous Filipino vs. the cocky, loud-talking boxing celebrity would be Dream Theater.

Where does this leave Pacquaio-Cotto, the matchup?

It will be worth every round, every minute.

Cotto, with his quiet dignity, has the edge in size and strength, and he will go to the body to punish his smaller opponent. By the time they step into the ring Saturday night, Cotto may weigh as many as 15 pounds heavier than his Filipino challenger.

Pacquiao, the smiling, generous people's champion, is renowned for his uncanny speed, a right hand that can now match his left hook, and his ring skills, all of which have been honed to precision by Roach. He is boxing's pound-for-pound champion, but Pacquiao is facing his greatest test.

"You have a perfect blending of style in this fight," legendary trainer Angelo Dundee told reporters this week. "If I ever had a fighter fighting Pacquaio, I would implement things that Cotto brings to the table.

"I see a very tough distance fight, and there is going to be blood."

Boxing will get the breath-stealing show it wants and needs, and the evolution of the sport will get a boost with what happens between Pacquiao-Cotto. Boxing is in an exciting place again. It's in the headlines, sound bites and every day conversation of sports fans.

Look to the ring Saturday night, and you will see where boxing goes from here.

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Pacquiao vs. Cotto Photos

Trainer Freddie Roach, left, watches the scales while Manny Pacquiao, of the Philippines, is weighed for his WBO welterweight boxing title fight against Miguel Cotto, of Puerto Rico, Friday, Nov. 13, 2009 in Las Vegas. Pacquiao came in at 144-pounds. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Pacquiao vs. Cotto Photos

LAS VEGAS - NOVEMBER 13: WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto poses during the weigh-in for his bout against Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 13, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao and Cotto will meet in a WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand on November 14. Pacquiao weighed in at 144 pounds and Cotto weighed in at 145 pounds. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Miguel Cotto

Getty Images

LAS VEGAS - NOVEMBER 13: Manny Pacquiao throws mini boxing gloves to the crowd before the weigh-in for his upcoming bout against WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 13, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao and Cotto will meet in a WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand on November 14. Pacquiao weighed in at 144 pounds and Cotto weighed in at 145 pounds. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Manny Pacquiao

Getty Images

LAS VEGAS - NOVEMBER 13: Actor Jeremy Piven speaks to the crowd before the weigh-in for the Manny Pacquiao and WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 13, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao and Cotto will meet in a WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand on November 14. Pacquiao weighed in at 144 pounds and Cotto weighed in at 145 pounds. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jeremy Piven

Getty Images

LAS VEGAS - NOVEMBER 13: Manny Pacquiao (L) and WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto stand next to each other during the weigh-in for their bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 13, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao and Cotto will meet in a WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand on November 14. Pacquiao weighed in at 144 pounds and Cotto weighed in at 145 pounds. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Manny Pacquiao;Miguel Cotto

Getty Images

Ring announcer Michael Buffer presents the weigh-in for upcoming bout between WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto and welterweight boxing champion Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 13, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao and Cotto will meet in a WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand on November 14. Pacquiao weighed in at 144 pounds and Cotto weighed in at 145 pounds. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto (L) talks with actor Jeremy Piven after the weigh-in for his upcoming bout against welterweight boxing champion Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 13, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao and Cotto will meet in a WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand on November 14. Pacquiao weighed in at 144 pounds and Cotto weighed in at 145 pounds. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Actor Jeremy Piven speaks before the weigh-in for the upcoming bout of Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines against Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 13, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao and Cotto will meet in a WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand on November 14. Pacquiao weighed in at 144 pounds and Cotto weighed in at 145 pounds. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Welterweight boxing champion Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines (L) talks with actor Jeremy Piven after the weigh-in for his upcoming bout against WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 13, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao and Cotto will meet in a WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand on November 14. Pacquiao weighed in at 144 pounds and Cotto weighed in at 145 pounds. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Pacquiao-Cotto Will Determine the Direction of Boxing originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cotto vs. Pacquiao: Weigh-In Results

Lem Satterfield — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:14:00 EST

Filed under: WBC, WBO, HBO

LAS VEGAS -- FanHouse is on hand at the official weigh-in for Saturday night's megafight between WBO champion Miguel Cotto (34-1, 27 knockouts) and Manny Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs) to be contested at the MGM Grand Hotel Garden Arena on Saturday night.

In addition, we list the weights of the undercard bouts, including a middleweight (160 pounds) special attraction featuring Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (40-0-1, 30 KOs).

WBC Continental Americas Welterweight (147 pounds) Championship --- 10 Rounds

Jesus Soto-Karass (24-3-3, 16 KOs), Los Mochis, Mexico, 147.5 pounds, vs. Alfonso Gomez (20-4-2, 10 KOs), Tustin, Calif. 145.5 pounds

Referee: Vic Drakulich. Judges: Eric Cheek, Patricia Morse Jarman, C.J. Ross

WBA Super Welterweight (154 pounds) Championship -- 12 Rounds

Daniel Santos (32-3-1, 23 KOs), San Juan, Puerto Rico, 154 pounds, vs. Yuri Foreman (27-0, eight KOs), 154 pounds

Referee: Tony Weeks. Judges: Burt Clements, Dick Houck, Paul Smith

Middleweight (160 pounds) -- 10 Rounds (Co-feature)

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (40-0-1, 30 KOs), Culiacan, Mexico, 160 pounds, vs. Troy Rowland (25-2, seven KOs), Grand Rapids, Mich., 159 pounds

Referee: Jay Nady. Judges: Robert Hoyle, Jerry Roth, Clark Sammartino

WBO Welterweight (147 pounds) Championship (Main Event)

Miguel Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs), Caguas, Puerto Rico, 145 pounds, vs. Manny Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs), General Santos, Philippines, 144 pounds.

Referee: Kenny Bayless. Judges: Adalaide Byrd, Duane Ford, Dave Moretti

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Pacquiao vs. Cotto Photos

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Pacquiao vs. Cotto Photos

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AFP/Getty Images

Cotto vs. Pacquiao: Weigh-In Results originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tomasz Adamek Returns to Heavyweight, Calls Out David Haye

Lem Satterfield — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: IBF, HBO, Showtime

Former IBF cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek, a winner of eight straight bouts -- six of them by knockout -- will continue his pursuit of heavyweight glory and recognition when he enters the ring on Feb. 6 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., his promoter, Kathy Duva, said on Friday.

Adamek (39-1, 27 knockouts) will go after his second straight heavyweight opponent at the Prudential Center, where the resident of nearby Jersey City routinely packs the stands with his local support.

"It's been a very long time since the boxing public has seen the kind of action in a heavyweight fight that they enjoyed before the super heavyweights who dominate the division these days. When a heavyweight title fight is exciting, it is always the smaller guy in the ring pressing the action," said Duva.

"Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Jack Dempsey, and of course, Evander Holyfield, to name a few -- they all fought in their primes under 215 pounds," said Duva. "The next great heavyweight will come from the cruiserweight division and we believe that he will be Tomasz Adamek."

Duva said Adamek's long-range goals are to perhaps land a shot against Bernard Hopkins or Roy Jones at the cruiserweight limit of 200 pounds, or perhaps one opposite newly-crowned WBA heavyweight titlist David Haye of London (23-1, 21 KOs), who recently dethroned 7-foot, 318-pound Nikolay Valuev.

Haye became only the second cruiserweight to win a heavyweight title, joining Evander Holyfield, who dethroned Buster Douglass.

"David Haye, if you want to fight somebody who punches back at your face, and not at the empty air, then you know where to find me. You call yourself the best heavyweight fighter in the world after running scared for the whole fight against Nikolay Valuev? That's not even funny," said Adamek.

"But talking is cheap. People don't care how big you are during the press conferences," said Adamek. "The want to see a man in the ring."

Hopkins (49-5-1, 32 KOs) and Jones (54-5, 40 KOs) are slated to meet in early 2010, assuming each wins matchups they both have scheduled for Dec. 2.

Hopkins will fight Enrique Ornelas (29-5, 19 KOs) at light heavyweight (175 pounds) in his hometown of Philadelphia, and Jones will take on Danny Green (27-3, 24 KOs) at cruiserweight (200) in Sydney, Austrailia.

The Polish-born Adamek has been on a roll since February 2007, when was routed by 10, eight and six points, respectively, over the three judges' cards by current unbeaten light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson (28-0, 17 KOs).

It was the first career loss for Adamek, who lost his WBC 175-pound title to Dawson, in 32 bouts.

Since then, however, Adamek has soared in popularity, earning the IBF cruiserweight (200) title and defending it three times, part of a stretch where he's won all eight races since the loss to Dawson, with six of those wins being by knockout.

On Oct. 24, Adamek rose into the heavyweight ranks, where he flattened three-time heavyweight title contender Andrew Golota in five rounds.

"I never say too much before my fights, and my opponents are not saying a lot because they are knocked down," said Adamek, addressing a potential matchup with Haye. "You say that you want to be a people's champion, well if so, then fight me. That's what people want."

Adamek, who weighed nearly 215 pounds to Golota's nearly 257, gave up his IBF title in order to face Golota, with the result being more lucrative paydays down the road.

"We've talked to David Haye, and we feel like that would be a great matchup -- two, smaller heavyweights who actually throw punches and who would be fun to watch in the ring," Duva said of Haye, who must first defend his title against mandatory challenger and former world champion John Ruiz, perhaps in the spring.

"We had been speaking with Hopkins for a possible fight at cruiserweight before he signed to fight Jones," said Duva. "[Adamek] felt comfortable at heavyweight, and would like to continue fighting at that weight, but he would certainly come back down to cruiserweight to fight [either Hopkins or Jones.]"

Tomasz Adamek Returns to Heavyweight, Calls Out David Haye originally appeared on Boxing FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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