Pacman ‘embarrassed’ by Mayweather offer

source: Agence France-Presse

LOS ANGELES—Manny Pacquiao says the pieces were falling into place for a world title fight with Floyd Mayweather until the American boxer tried to low-ball him on the split of the pay-per view revenue.

Pacquiao said he called Mayweather personally to try to broker a deal for a world championship fight and thought they had an agreement until Mayweather brought up the pay per view.

Mayweather said he would give Pacquiao a $40 million lump-sum payment if Pacquiao agreed to let Mayweather keep the pay per view earnings for himself.

“It was embarrassing to me,” Pacquiao said Tuesday. “He was trying to take advantage of me. It is clear he didn’t want to fight.”

Some experts have estimated that the pay per view could be around $160 million.
Pacquiao and Mayweather have tried several times to get a contract signed but it has been scuttled for a variety of reasons, including disagreements over blood testing and the share of the purse.

“I called Floyd and told him that we need to make this fight happen,” Pacquiao said at The Beverly Hills Hotel. “I said he could have whatever he wants, blood testing, 50/50 split and he said ‘Oh, well. I will give you what you want.’ Then he mentioned the pay per view.”

For now, Pacquiao and the unbeaten Mayweather have lined up other opponents with speculation that the mega fight could happen later in the year if it comes off at all.

Pacquiao is scheduled to face American Timothy Bradley on June 9 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for Pacman’s World Boxing Organization welterweight belt.

Mayweather is set to fight Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto on May 5 for Cotto’s World Boxing Association super welterweight title at the same venue.

Paquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach said they are not taking Bradley lightly but it is hard not to get excited about a possible upcoming mega fight against Mayweather.

“If both (Pacquiao and Mayweather) come off with good wins it will be a step in the right direction,” Roach said Tuesday. “That is the match everyone in the world wants to see.”
Bradley was one of several fighters in the mix as a possible Pacquiao opponent after Mayweather fell through.

Bradley boasts a record of 28-0 with 12 knockouts. Pacquiao, 54-3-2 with 38 knockouts, hasn’t lost since March 2005 and is considered the best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet.
But Pacquiao was less than dominant as he struggled to a majority points decision over Juan Manuel Marquez in November.

Bradley and Pacquiao kicked off their promotional tour Tuesday at The Beverly Hills Hotel. They smiled as they posed for photos together and Pacquiao then lightheartedly borrowed a camera and took pictures of Bradley in his boxing pose.

Joking aside, Roach said he expects Pacquiao to be ready to knock Bradley out.

“I don’t want him to be compassionate,” Roach said. “I want him to knock people out. Manny can’t be a nice guy and try to touch gloves in the ring with him.”

Roach said Bradley is more than just a replacement fighter and that they want to hand him the first loss of his career while he is in his prime.

“It is nice to fight a fighter who is undefeated and not worried about losing that 0 on his record,” Roach said.

Bradley, of Palm Springs, California, is coming off an eight-round knockout victory over ex-world champ Joel Casamayor.

The 28-year-old Bradley said he plans to take the fight to Pacquiao. He won’t make the same mistakes as recent Pacquiao opponents Joshua Clottey and Shane Moseley who were booed because they talked a good fight but didn’t back it up once they got in the ring with eight division world champion Pacquiao.

“They were older and older boxers don’t take chances like young fighters do,” Bradley said.

“I don’t have a lot of miles on me like Manny. If I am going out then I am going out flaming. He is going to have to knock me out. Manny is going to have to kill me to stop me.”
Pacquiao will travel to New York for another news conference Thursday then fly back to the Philippines where he is a member of Congress.

Pacquiao has also divested himself of some bad habits, selling a casino he owned and getting rid of the roosters he kept for cock fighting in his native Philippines.

“Manny got a lot of distractions out of his life,” Roach said. “He sold all his cocks for fighting, doesn’t gamble, doesn’t drink and he and his wife are getting along.”

PACQUIAO-BRADLEY FACEOFF IN NEW YORK

source: PhilBoxing.com

Feb. 22, 2012, New York, N.Y. -- Max Kellerman (ctr), host of HBO "Faceoff" talks with superstar Manny Pacquiao (2nd R), undefeated Jr. Welterweight champion Timothy "The Desert Storm" Bradley Jr.(2nd L), Bradley trainer, Joel Diaz (L) and Pacquiao trainer, Freddie Roach (R) during a filming in New York for their upcoming World Welterweight title mega-fight.


Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Tecate, AT&T and MGM Grand, Pacquiao vs Bradley will take place, Saturday, June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, live on HBO Pay Per View.

Photo Credit: Chris Farina - Top Rank.

“Before you retire please fight Mayweather and beat him ”

source: Igor Frank | Examiner.com

As if the June 9th title clash with undefeated Timothy Bradley hasn’t been scheduled yet, reporters crowded pound for pound king of boxing, Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday at the famed Beverly Hills Hotel to get the latest scoop on Floyd Mayweather and retirement rumors.

“I still love boxing but my family my kids are requesting me to retire,” proclaimed the pride of Phillipines immediately following Tuesday’s LA press conference to announce his upcoming welterweight showdown with Tim Bradley :” Especially my oldest, the first one; eleven years old, he said daddy I want you to retire, but before you retire please fight Mayweather and beat him.”

From the child’s mouth to god’s ears; that’s is exactly what most of the boxing universe would like to see. For now this fight has a lot of ifs before it could even take place. Mayweather is scheduled to face Miguel Cotto on May 5th. Cotto is an opponent that could give Floyd trobuble. Pacquiao is scheduled to face Bradley who is very determined and very dangerous opponent.

“Timothy Bradley is undefeated and my concern is a head butt,” said Pacquiao about challenger to his throne:” I have to prepare for that and watch carefully and study to see what I am going to do to keep away from head butt. I need to train hard, at least ten weeks for this fight. It will be good for me to gain muscle. I think Tim Bradley is hungry because he never lost. I think I need to be hungry also and train hard, that's why I need to train ten weeks for this fight.”

What about Floyd and that person to person phone call with Manny that was highly disputed in all corners of the boxing world.

“He said man let's do this fight ,” said Manny squinting as if he really didn’t want to talk about it:” I told him I agree with 50/50 sharing and whatever you request for the blood testing is no problem to me as long it's 50/50 and he said I will give you this guarantee and that's it, no more pay per view. He wanted to give a guarantee and no sharing of pay per view. I don't think he really wanted to fight and then I told him I 'll give you to my advisor.”

At wich point Manny gave the phone to his advisor Michael Konz.

Konz later told me that he was very encouraged by a conversation with Floyd Mayweather. Are they ever going to face off in the ring? Your guess is as good as mine.

Meanwhile Manny Pacquiao continues to draw inspiration from his fans.

“They inspire me because they are very supportive ,” said Pacquiao who recently turned 33:”They are always on my back and I am proud to be Manny Pacquaio and giving honor to my country.”

Manny Pacquiao Don't Take My Kindness for Weakness

source: Shawn Craddick | Boxing Socialist

The tension is in the air. You could cut it with a knife. I'm pretty sure Manny would not be laughing in Mayweather's face like he did with Marquez and now Timothy Bradley. I think over the last year or so, there has been a distaste for each other. So far on the receiving end Mayweather has gotten the worse of the two. He has Mayweather tied up with legal action about his alledged PED use. It has to be hard making a fight when your sueing the other person. If we had to give their fight a title, you could use "No Laughing Matter".

Manny Pacquiao's rise up the ranks is almost unheard of and lately he seems to be slowing down. So many reason's are being thrown around. From over training, to getting old, to all sorts of things. Maybe Manny himself is just starting to lose interest in fighting. Sometimes after a person converts his religion or takes it seriously, their attitude changes. It's not the hurt business no more. It's about Peace and Love. Pacquiao has some fans wondering if this will be a hinderance in his fight with Timothy Bradley because Bradley is bringing his all to Pacman.

I'm sure that will probably be the case until Bradley hits Pacquiao real good. Then as the old saying goes, don't take my Kindness for Weakness. Manny can go into beast mode when he is pushed to that limit. That's what would make the Mayweather vs Pacquiao fight explosive because Floyd can get you riled up before the fight even starts. He goes right at you in the pressers. He can get underneath your skin. So much build up will have Pacquiao jumping out the gate. They say pressure burst pipes, but Mayweather's defense hardly ever get's broken into. Well, first things first we must see how Pacman does against Bradley and Mayweather vs Cotto. Then Toprank can get the HYPE machine going again. Hopefully this time, there will be no let downs.

Pacquiao: My Son Wants Me To Fight Mayweather, Retire

source: Edward Chaykovsky | BoxingScene.com

Forget the fans. Forget the media. WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao is feeling the pressure at home. Pacquiao's eleven-year-old son, Emmanuel Jr., is pushing his father to retire from boxing - but not before he fights and beats his welterweight rival, WBC champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Pacquiao would have loved to fight Mayweather in May, but claims the undefeated boxer is too concerned with keeping all of the money. According to Pacquiao, he will agree to the fight at any time, but only if Mayweather agrees to a 50-50 revenue split. Mayweather offered him a guarantee of $40 million dollars, with no pay-per-view revenue.

“[My son says] 'Dad, I want you to retire, but before, you have to fight Mayweather and beat him,“’ Pacquiao said. “I'm willing to fight Mayweather. But I have to fight the guys who are hungry to fight me. Timothy Bradley is strong, and he can punch. He's a good boxer, so it's a challenge to fight a guy like that.”

“I was in the Philippines, and I told him, `We need to make this fight happen,“’ I said I would agree to a 50-50, and he said, `Oh, I'll give you a $40 million guarantee, and no pay-per-view. I'll take all the pay-per-view.’ I don't accept that offer. It's kind of embarrassing to me. It's trying to take advantage of me. He doesn't want to fight.”

Pacquiao Admits: I'm Concerned About Bradley's Head

source: Osman Rodriguez | BoxingScene.com

WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38KOs) has watched the tapes and he appears to be worried. For his upcoming fight, the Filipino superstar's main concern is the alleged head butts of Timothy Bradley (28-0, 12KOs).

In some of his past fights, Bradley's opponents have made accusations that he intentionally comes charging in with his head, with several of those opponents suffering bad cuts or facial swelling. Bradley has denied these accusations, but even Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, has expressed the same concern regarding the unbeaten boxer's head use.

"Timothy Bradley is undefeated but I am concerned about the head butts and I have to prepare for that. We have to study [his fights] to see what I'm going to do to keep away from that head butt," Pacquiao said.

The fight takes place on June 9th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao to begin training for Bradley fight in April

source: ABS-CBNnews.com

MANILA, Philippines – Fighting congressman Manny Pacquiao will begin his preparations for the Timothy Bradley fight sometime in April.

Ronnie Nathanielsz said in his Boxing Scene report that Pacquiao will kick-off his training in Baguio City in mid-April.

Pacquiao plans to spend four weeks in the City of Pines before flying to Los Angeles, California to spend the rest of his training in Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym.

The eight-division champion is scheduled to defend his WBO welterweight title against Bradley on June 9.

The fight is scheduled to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao, who typically trains six to seven weeks for a fight, said he wants a longer training period for the Bradley bout.

He said he’s rested for quite some time since his third fight against Juan Manuel Marquez last November.

“I want eight to nine weeks,” he said.

“Medyo matagal pahinga kaya dapat mahaba ang training (I've had a long rest so I should go on longer training),” said Pacquiao.