Sunday, June 28, 2009

Roach's Weight Demand Could Collapse Pacquiao-Cotto

If trainer Freddie Roach sticks to his demand, a fight between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto could collapse. Roach wants Cotto to come down to a catch-weight of 143-pounds for a fight with Pacquiao. Cotto's nutritionist told Top Rank's Bob Arum, who promotes both fighters, that Miguel could only make a "safe" weight of 144 to 145-pounds at most. The Cotto camp would rather have it at 145. Roach wants to get Cotto down as low as possible.

"I spoke with Bob and I told him I want it at 143-pounds," Roach told the Manila Bulletin-Tempo . "The lower I can get him (Cotto), the better. Cotto is still a great fighter. Very strong, and very dangerous. He’s a champion. No way (he’s past his prime). (Manny’s going to have a) hard, hard fight."

Top Rank wants to make the fight for November 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Arum held a phone conference with Cotto and his team on Wednesday. He plans to present a deal to Pacquiao's team on Sunday and hopes to get a tentative deal locked in by Monday.

Pacquiao is reported to have asked for a weight of 144 but Roach is a big influence on his fighter and may talk him into a demand of 143. Cotto can't get down to 143 without killing his body. When the fight was first presented to him, he balked at the idea of a catch-weight. Later on he said a weight of 145 was fair. He won't agree to 143.

Mayweather-Marquez Ticket Trouble Denied By Schaefer

According to Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, the ticket sales for Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Juan Manuel Marquez were strong. Mayweather officially postponed his fight with Marquez last Sunday when he announced that he suffered a rib injury in training. The fight was scheduled to take place on July 18, and the date of September 19 is the new target.

Prior to Mayweather's withdrawal, rumors of weak ticket sales were running wild in Las Vegas. To many, Mayweather's withdrawal was validation of the rumors. Schaefer says the fight was moving at a better pace than Pacquiao-Hatton.

"I have the reports right in front of me, and there have been $5.5 million in sales already," Schaefer said to the Las Vegas Review Journal. "That's ahead of the pace that Pacquiao and (Ricky) Hatton did at the same time frame. So all that talk (that) the fight isn't selling is a lot of bull. It's all the Floyd haters making stuff up."

There were also rumors that Mayweather withdrew from the bout with Marquez in order to target a year-end showdown with Manny Pacquiao. Schaefer denies those rumors as well. He says the fight with Marquez will happen as soon as Mayweather receives clearance by his doctor.

"Right now, we're waiting to see what the doctor says," Schaefer said. "But I can tell you Floyd and Marquez will fight sometime this year. Whether it's September, October, November, I don't know."

Cotto Deal Presented To Pacquiao's Team For Nov 14 Clash


Filipino boxing icon and a hero of Asia, Manny Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz is returning to Manila on Sunday with what Top Rank promoter Bob Arum says is a good proposal which will guarantee that the November 14 fight against WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto will happen.

Arum told BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that he met with Koncz on Sunday and that Koncz “liked the proposal, went over it, he had some suggestions and he is prepared to present it to Manny.”

Commenting on the sustained media campaign by Shane Mosley and Golden Boy Promotions to try and entice Pacquiao into setting aside a Cotto showdown and to instead fight Mosley, Arum said “Manny is the man they all want to fight because that’s where the money is. Everybody realizes it. I don’t get offended by it, I love it. Let them, let them. It all is publicity.”

Arum said a fight against Cotto “is a dangerous fight for Manny. That’s what makes it a big fight.”

Koncz himself confirmed he met with Arum and their conversations “went very well” even as he conceded that Arum had presented “a good proposal.”

For whatever reason, trainer Freddie Roach has wanted to talk to Pacquiao to make sure that he gets the kind of money he deserves even as he has indirectly supported the Mosley line that Pacquiao could make more money by fighting Mosley.

However, a couple of Team Pacquiao members have indicated Roach should stick to his task as a trainer and not try to involve himself in the business side of Pacquiao’s ring career.

Even the eminent founding secretary general of the WBC, lawyer Rudy Salud has said in the past that he didn’t appreciate Roach’s tendency to try and act as a manager when he is only Pacquiao’s trainer.

While Arum said he is “absolutely sure” that the proposal would be acceptable to Pacquiao and the Cotto fight will go on as scheduled, the announcement by Pacquiao that he wants just one more fight fueled speculation that he is really after a showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr whose July 18 fight against Juan Manuel Marquez was postponed due to an injury in training camp.

Pacquiao in the meantime sought to live up to his role as a peacemaker following two grenade blasts in Sarangani province where he plans to run for a congressional seat, appealing to the elements responsible for the incidents to “sit down and talk because the people who died or were injured did no wrong. I feel sorry for them and we should help them because we all have families.”

Manny, not Cotto, will dictate terms, weight

MANILA, Philippines - It’s Manny Pacquiao, and not Miguel Cotto, who should dictate the terms of their projected showdown later this year.

“It’s up to Pacman,” said lawyer Franklin Gacal yesterday amid reports that trainer Freddie Roach has agreed to 145 lb as the catchweight for the anticipated showdown in Las Vegas.

Gacal said a couple of days ago that they want Cotto, the WBO welterweight champion, to go down to 142 or 143 lb for the fight, scheduled Oct. 17 at the MGM, to happen.

Roach said the other day he’s fine with 145 lb, adding that he doesn’t even care of the Puerto Rican champion who hasn’t fought under 145 in his last eight fights, weighs as much as 200 lb.

Gacal said with due respect to Roach, whatever the three-time Trainer of the Year said is not the boxer’s official stand on the weighty issue.

Pacquiao’s legal adviser said it’s Pacquiao who will have the final say even if the reigning pound-for-pound champion said last Monday he’d fight Cotto at any weight they agree on.

“Kahit ano (Whatever),” he said repeatedly. Then he retracted by saying everything is being discussed right now, including the purse split which could go 70/30 or 65/35 in Pacquiao’s favor.

Cotto, at 28 two years younger than Pacquiao, said he can’t go lower than 145 lb just to face the Filipino icon and stake his 147 lb crown, which he barely defended against Josh Clottey.

“Cotto will have the upperhand if he gets the 145. He’s younger, he’s bigger and he’s a natural welterweight,” said Gacal, adding that Pacquiao has only fought once over 145.

“Manny should be the one dictating the terms. Otherwise, it’s crazy,” said the lawyer.

Pacquiao said he wants to fight on Oct. 17 as previously announced, and not on Nov. 14 as promoter Bob Arum wants, citing the World Series in October as the main reason for the change.

Cavs acquire Shaq from Suns , Griffin No.1 Pick Overall, Carter traded to Magic

CLEVELAND – NBA superstars LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal became teammates when the Cleveland Cavaliers completed a blockbuster trade for O’Neal from the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.

James is a reigning MVP who at age 24 needs only a championship to complete his resume. O’Neal, 37, is a larger-than-life personality who may be past the prime of his career but remains an undeniable force and hungers for a fifth NBA title.

The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired O’Neal from the Phoenix Suns in hopes he can help LeBron James deliver this seemingly sports-cursed city its first major pro championship in 45 years.

The deal creates a tandem that instantly rivals any in sports today and calls to mind some of the great duos in NBA history: Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bob Cousy and Bill Russell, Shaq himself and Kobe Bryant.

More important, if Cleveland’s gamble works and O’Neal delivers a title, it could keep James around. James is an Akron native, knows Cleveland’s pained sports history and has always maintained he wants to stay in his home state, though there is no guarantee he will sign an extension with the Cavs. Cleveland can offer him one as early as this summer.

Hours before an NBA draft that figured to be overshadowed by the Shaq-to-the-Cavs move, the reality of James playing with O’Neal, a 15-time All-Star, was just sinking in.

“Shaq is an incredible ballplayer and a four-time NBA champion,” James said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. “I have a lot of respect for him and his game. It will be a real honor to play with Shaq as my teammates and I look forward to another great season with the Cavs.”

The Cavs sent center Ben Wallace and swingman Sasha Pavlovic to the Suns, along with a second-round pick in the 2010 draft and $500,000 in cash, for O’Neal, the 7-foot-1 center who won three straight titles from 2000 to 2002 with Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. His fourth title came with Dwyane Wade in Miami in 2006. (AP)

Clippers take Griffin No. 1 draft pick

NEW YORK – The Los Angeles Clippers selected Blake Griffin with the No. 1 pick on Thursday, grabbing the only player considered a sure thing in an NBA draft full of question marks.

Griffin was the consensus US college player of the year after leading the nation with 14.4 rebounds per game while averaging 22.7 points last season for University of Oklahoma. The Clippers said they would take the forward with the pick hours after they won the draft lottery last month.

“The fact is we’re getting an incredible player, incredible person, an impeccable work ethic and a guy that we plan on having in LA for many years to come,” Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. “He’s going to be a great, exciting fit for our ballclub.”

With the No. 2 pick, the Memphis Grizzlies grabbed University of Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet from Tanzania, a dominant rebounder and shot blocker. (AP)

Carter sent to Magic in trade deal

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey – Eight-time NBA All-Star Vince Carter was traded by the New Jersey Nets to his hometown of Orlando and the Eastern Conference champion Magic on Thursday.

The Nets dealt Carter, who grew up in Daytona Beach and lives in Orlando, and forward Ryan Anderson to the Magic for point guard Rafer Alston, shooting guard Courtney Lee and power forward Tony Battie.

The trade gives the Magic another star in a lineup that already includes Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis. The deal might also convince Hedo Turkoglu, who can opt out of his contract and become a free agent on July 1, to remain with the Magic.

Orlando is hoping Carter, who averaged 23.5 points over a 10-year pro career, will provide center Howard with a perimeter scorer who can create his own shot – something they lacked in losing the NBA finals to the Los Angeles Lakers. (AP)
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