Thursday, September 27, 2012

ESPN First Take: Mayweather-Pacquiao Saga Continues

TICKETS FOR PACQUIAO-MÁRQUEZ 4 GO ON SALE TOMORROW! 1 P.M. ET / 10 A.M. PT

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (September 27, 2012) – Fighter of the Decade MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO of the Philippines and four-division world champion JUAN MANUEL “Dinamita” MÁRQUEZ of México will go mano a mano and toe-to-toe once again in a 12-round welterweight battle between two of this era’s top pound for pound and evenly matched fighters. Pacquiao-Márquez 4, the eagerly anticipated fourth act of their fistoric rivalry that has had fans and media standing on their feet for 36 action-packed rounds, will take place Saturday, December 8. It will be produced and distributed Live by HBO Pay-Per-View from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas, Nev.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions, Zanfer Promotions, Márquez Boxing, Tecate and MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, tickets to Pacquiao-Márquez 4 will go on sale Tomorrow! Friday, September 28, at 1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT. Tickets are priced at $1,200, $900, $600, $400, and $200. Ticket sales at $1,200, $900, $600 and $400 are limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $200 are limited to two (2) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs), the lone congressional representative from the Sarangani province in the Philippines, returns to the Fight Capital of the World as the only fighter to win eight world titles in as many weight divisions. A three-time Fighter of the Year and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s “Fighter of the Decade,” Pacquiao’s resume features victories over future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley and Márquez. From 2008 to 2010, five of his seven victories were world title victories in five different divisions, where he dethroned super featherweight champion Márquez, lightweight champion David Diaz, junior welterweight champion Hatton, welterweight champion Cotto and he annihilated three-time world champion Antonio Margarito for the vacant super welterweight title. Pacquiao’s seven-year, 15-bout winning streak came to an end on June 9, when he lost his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown to undefeated WBO junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, Jr. via a controversial split decision. Pacquiao’s knockout victories over Cotto and Hatton in 2009, his victories over Joshua Clottey and Margarito in 2010, his wins against Mosley and Márquez in 2011 as well as his disputed loss to Bradley in June have combined for more than seven million pay-per-view buys making Pacquiao a pay-per-view king. No boxer sold more live tickets in the U.S. than Pacquiao in 2010 and 2011, making him a pound-for-pound monarch in the ring and at the box office.

Márquez (54-6-1, 39 KOs), of México City, is one of only a rare few fighters from México to have won world titles in four different weight divisions. He captured his first world title – the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight championship – with a seventh-round stoppage of three-time featherweight champion Manuel Medina in 2003. He unified the title that same year with a decisive victory over World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight titlist Derrick Gainer. Márquez successfully defended the titles three times during his three-year reign, which included unanimous decision victories over Victor Polo and Orlando Salido and a Draw with Pacquiao. After losing the crown to Chris John and winning the WBO interim featherweight crown, all in 2006, Márquez moved up in weight to dethrone the legendary Marco Antonio Barrera and claim his World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight championship belt in 2007. After successfully defending the title, by a unanimous decision over Ricky Juarez, he lost the title in his 2008 rematch with Pacquiao by the slimmest of margins – a one point split decision. Since that fight, Márquez has won six of his last eight fights, including knockout victories of Joel Casamayor, Juan Diaz and Michael Katsidis -- the latter two in World Boxing Association (WBA) / WBO lightweight championship fights. In his last fight, on April 14, Márquez won his fourth world title in as many divisions, capturing the WBO interim junior welterweight championship with a dominant 12-round unanimous decision over Serhiy Fedchenko.

The Pacquiao vs. Márquez telecast, which begins at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 92 million pay-per-view homes. HBO Pay-Per-View, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. Follow HBO Boxing news at www.hbo.com and at www.facebook.com/hboboxing. Use the hashtag #PacMarquez to join the conversation on Twitter. For Pacquiao vs. Márquez updates, log on to www.toprank.com or www.hbo.com.

The Manila Bulletin: Pacquiao To Fans: Don’t Worry

By NICK GIONGCO
September 27, 2012, 8:25pm
Manny Pacquiao is assuring everyone not to worry about his fourth fight with his Mexican nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez on Dec. 8.

“Why are they all feeling nervous when I am the one fighting and I am not even nervous?” Pacquiao told the Bulletin on Thursday afternoon as he was getting ready to work out at the gym of boxing patron Rey Golingan in General Santos City.

It’s not that Pacquiao has become cocky.

Pacquiao has been always like that and he said the same thing just days before he faced and overwhelmed Marco Antonio Barrera in Nov. 2003, giving his then manager, the late Rod Nazario, all the reason in the world to look forward to a sensational victory.

So when Pacquiao showed up for training at Golingan’s sweat shop, it was to give his fans and followers the guarantee that he is going after a resounding win against the fighter who has given him his toughest and roughest fights.

Pacquiao is not due for training until the first week of October at the Wild card Boxing Club in Hollywood but the 33-year-old southpaw wants to warm up a bit.

Training assistant Buboy Fernandez was on hand at the gym and expressed the belief that there won’t be a need to stage a fifth fight although he admits Marquez is a tough nut to crack.

“Tumataas ang balahibo natin kapag si Marquez ang kalaban pero iba tayo ngayon. Iba ang ilalabas natin sa labang ito,” said Fernandez.

Fernandez has been busy at night dissecting Marquez’s style on video and could not help but take note of the Mexican’s ‘‘footwork.’’

PDI: Pacquiao starts early training for Marquez

 By Roy Luarca
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Fighter of the Decade Manny Pacquiao will be relying on his inherent speed advantage to counter Juan Manuel Marquez’s “dirty tricks” when they tangle for the fourth time on Dec. 8 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

As Pacquiao started his physical conditioning at the Gen. Santos City Sports Complex on Wednesday, trainer Buboy Fernandez told ANC Channel on Wednesday that, this time, the eight-division world champion will be ready for whatever the Mexican warrior will bring to the ring.

Fernandez, who is taking charge of Pacquiao’s light training in the country, noted that in their third encounter last year, Marquez caught Pacquiao off guard by stepping on his foot at least six times in the course of their 12-round bout.

Though Pacquiao won by majority decision, the fight was perceived to be too close that Marquez again harped that he was robbed of victory by the judges, as in Pacquiao-Marquez I, which ended in a draw, and in their rematch, which went to Pacquiao by split decision.

In a light, jovial mood amid familiar surroundings, Pacquiao, accompanied by wife Jinkee and brother Bobby, jogged for 30 minutes around the track oval, occasionally doing the dance craze Gang nam.
Pacquiao, who had his hair trimmed, said he can’t afford to be complacent against Marquez, whose counterpunching style proved to be a problem in their past three fights.

After filing his certificate of candidacy for congressman of Sarangani province’s lone district next week, Pacquiao will leave for Los Angeles to begin training camp at chief trainer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.

Pacquiao decided to spend the entire eight weeks in the United States to eliminate travel time and jet lag.
Marquez enjoys a head start in their race to attain the best form possible on fight night.

Pushing his 39-year-old legs, Marquez is doing running and endurance training at the Nevado de Toluca, a dormant volcano about 129 km west of Mexico City where he works out at the Romanza Gym of fabled trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Mayweather, Pacquiao Settling Defamation Case

LAS VEGAS -- Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao are settling a federal defamation case in Las Vegas, clearing a key hurdle to a long-awaited bout between two top fighters who've traded verbal jabs for years but have never met in the ring.

Terms of the pretrial agreement cited in documents filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas are confidential, said Malcolm LaVergne, a lawyer representing Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s father in the case.
LaVergne said documents filed under seal ask U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks to dismiss the lawsuit. Documents filed publicly said each side would bear its own attorney fees and costs.

"The matter has been resolved," LaVergne said. "Any alleged terms of the resolution would be strictly confidential. Floyd Mayweather Sr. is very happy that this lengthy case has finally come to a conclusion."
Pacquiao filed the lawsuit in December 2009 seeking unspecified damages based on allegations that Floyd Mayweather Jr. defamed him by suggesting Pacquiao used performance-enhancing substances. Pacquiao denied Mayweather's claim.

In a statement released Tuesday night through the mediator in the case, the Mayweathers said they "wish to make it clear that they never intended to claim that Manny Pacquiao has used or is using any performance-enhancing drugs, nor are they aware of any evidence that Manny Pacquiao has used performance-enhancing drugs."

An attorney for Pacquiao did not immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press.
The direction of the case took a turn against Floyd Mayweather Jr. last week, when the judge issued a ruling ordering him to pay about $114,000 in legal fees and costs for avoiding questioning under oath from Pacquiao's lawyers.

Hicks faulted Mayweather for failure to comply with a court order. But he earlier rejected a bid by Pacquiao lawyers Daniel Petrocelli and David Marroso to end the lawsuit with a more severe sanction -- a default judgment for Pacquiao.

LaVergne said Tuesday he had no information about whether the court settlement means Mayweather and Pacquiao will meet in the ring.

Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank Inc., declined comment. His spokesman, Lee Samuels, said the company was not involved in the defamation case.

Nevada State Athletic Commission chief Keith Kizer said he wasn't aware of any talks between the two camps about scheduling a fight. But Kizer said such a fight could set records for the highest purse, gate and number of cable television paid viewers.

A Mayweather-Pacquiao fight might eclipse the Mayweather super welterweight fight against Oscar De La Hoya that drew 17,078 fans to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in May 2007, Kizer said. Paid attendance was $18.4 million.

"Based on my dealings with the boxing public and boxing insiders, the proposed Mayweather-Pacquiao fight has as much interest as any fight I can remember in the last 20 years," Kizer said. "I think this would be our first gate over $20 million."

Pacquiao, 33, also a member of Congress in the Philippines, is 54-4 with two draws in 60 fights. He is due to fight Juan Manuel Marquez on Dec. 8 at the MGM Grand Garden.

Mayweather, 35, who goes by the nickname "Money," was serving two months of a three-month sentence in a Las Vegas jail on a domestic battery conviction when he was named by Forbes magazine this summer as the highest-paid athlete in the world for 2011.

He is undefeated in 43 fights and was guaranteed $32 million for the May 5 bout during which he defeated Miguel Cotto.

Court settlement clears path for $200m Mayweather v Pacquiao superfight

The hotly anticipated superfight between Floyd Mayweather Jnr and Manny Pacquiao has taken a step closer as the two fighters settle a long-standing defamation case in Las Vegas.

Fight fans around the world now hope this will pave the way for the $200million showdown in Sin City to be confirmed. 

Pacquiao filed the lawsuit in December 2009 seeking unspecified damages based on allegations that Floyd Mayweather Jnr defamed him by suggesting he used performance-enhancing substances. 

Terms of the agreement cited in documents filed in the US District Court in Las Vegas are confidential, said Malcolm LaVergne, a lawyer representing Floyd Mayweather Jnr's father in the case. 


LaVergne said documents filed under seal ask US District Judge Larry R. Hicks to dismiss the lawsuit, and that others involved in the case were preparing a public statement. Documents filed publicly said each side would bear its own attorney fees and costs. 

In a statement the Mayweathers said: 'We wish to make it clear that they never intended to claim that Manny Pacquiao has used or is using any performance-enhancing drugs, nor are they aware of any evidence that Manny Pacquiao has used performance-enhancing drugs.'

The direction of the case took a turn against Floyd Mayweather Jnr last week, when the judge issued a ruling ordering him to pay £70,000 in legal fees and costs for avoiding questioning under oath from Pacquiao's lawyers. 

Hicks faulted Mayweather for failure to comply with a court order. But he earlier rejected a bid by Pacquiao's lawyers to end the lawsuit with a more severe sanction - a default judgment for Pacquiao. 

Nevada State Athletic Commission chief Keith Kizer said he wasn't aware of any talks between the two camps about scheduling a fight. But Kizer said such a fight could set records for the highest purse, gate and number of cable television paid viewers. 

A Mayweather-Pacquiao fight might eclipse the Mayweather super welterweight fight against Oscar De La Hoya that drew 17,078 fans to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in May 2007, Kizer said. Paid attendance was £11.3m. 

'Based on my dealings with the boxing public and boxing insiders, the proposed Mayweather-Pacquiao fight has as much interest as any fight I can remember in the last 20 years,' Kizer said. 'I think this would be our first gate over £12.3m.'