“Fool me once shame on you…you fool me, you can’t get fooled again.” — George W. Bush

While the brilliant quote above was provided by the forty-third president of the United States of America, a man whose eight years in office were spent responding to the chaos caused by Osama bin Laden, I wouldn’t dare try draw some sort analogy between the events of Sunday night and the sweet sport of boxing. I don’t want my words to mess with a good thing.

But what I do say to all documentary makers — which include HBO’s 24/7 and Showtime’s Fight Camp 360 — fool me once shame on you…well, you know the rest, ‘W’ put it best.

I’ve touched on this once before, so I’ll make it brief.

I am a sucker for documentaries, plain and simple. I own a documentary about a local mayoral race, an eerie one about people who jump off the Golden Gate Bridge, and one about crossword puzzles. It’s a sad reality that I’ll watch a documentary on pretty much everything.

So just imagine my excitement when my love of documentaries combines with my passion for boxing. Nothing better. I become mesmerized, absorbing every nugget of information like a sponge.

What’s that, Freddie? Manny seems distracted by his other obligations and this camp is slow to start? Hmm…

And Cotto…Margarito…Mosley…is having his most dedicated camp to date?

Thanks, but no thanks, I’ll still take the Filipino Congressman.

In 2009 I was convinced Miguel Cotto was going to handle Manny Pacquiao. After Cotto was obliterated by the quickness of Manny from round 5 on, I ate my words.

In retrospect, I realized it was because I allowed 24/7 to convince me that Pacquiao was distracted and that Cotto’s size advantage and strength would rule the day.

But before the series aired, I thought Manny’s speed would be too much for the Puerto Rican to handle. After the series, my mind had changed. And to be sure, my ability to be influenced by documentaries — and 24/7, in particular — stretches back way before the Cotto-Pacquiao incarnation. But it was the Cotto-Pacquiao series that would mark last time I ever let the smoke and mirrors of television influence my fistic inclinations.

So with that said, I do want to applaud Fight Camp 360 for not creating any false storylines. I also want to applaud them for going beyond the ring and behind the scenes to take a glimpse into the inner workings of the sweet science.

They have done this before with their airing of clips from the Super Six negotiations that took place in New York City. It gives fans a neat insight to the sport that they would otherwise never have.

With regards to the fight, Fight Camp 360 has not swayed my opinion one way or another. I’m casting my vote for the Congressman, along with the rest of you. It’s an easy decision, like Nixon in ’72 or Reagan in ’84.

And like those two far superior candidates, Pacquiao too will win in a landslide.

For one, Mosley’s defense is suspect. He gets hit enough as it is. Put in front him — or to the sides of him — Manny “Angles” Pacquiao, and you’re going to have a Shane Mosley whose face resembles that of Antonio Margarito’s on November 13, 2010.

Unlike Floyd Mayweather, who had his way with Mosley by throwing one punch at a time, Pacquiao throws punches in bunches and believe me, they’ll land.

For what would be the first time in his Hall of Fame career, I think Mosley gets stopped in the championship rounds.

The game-changer of course, is Mosley’s right hand. Will he be able to load up and land it? I doubt it. But he did rock Money May with it, so you never know.

So while I think this is smooth sailing once again for the Pacman, as ’43’ would warn likely warn his fellow politician, ‘Just don’t “misunderestimate” Mosley.’

Kyle Kinder can be found at Twitter.com/KyleKinder or KyleKinder1@gmail.com

Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank

Courtesy of fightpickexperts.com

PACQUIAO MAKES HIS GRAND ARRIVAL” — Superstar Manny Pacquiao comes off the special Team Pacquiao bus and makes his “Grand Arrival” at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas Tuesday. Pacquiao takes on “Sugar” Shane Mosley in their upcoming World Welterweight mega fight on Saturday, May 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Pacquiao vs Mosley is promoted by Top Rank in association with MP Promotions,Sugar Shane Mosley Promotions,Tecate and MGM Grand. The Pacquiao vs Mosley telecast will be available live on SHOWTIME Pay Per View. —

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

“Team Pacquiao bus ready to roll” — Superstar Manny Pacquiao’s custom Team Pacquiao bus gets ready to roll out of the Wildcard Boxing Club in Hollywood Monday and head to Las Vegas. Paqcuiao takes on “Sugar” Shane Mosley in their upcoming World Welterweight mega fight on Saturday, May 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Pacquiao vs Mosley is promoted by Top Rank in association with MP Promotions,Sugar Shane Mosley Promotions,Tecate and MGM Grand. The Pacquiao vs Mosley telecast will be available live on SHOWTIME Pay Per View.

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

April 29,2011, Hollywood,California — “Wildcard Boxing Club is Comedy Central” — Superstar Manny Pacquiao(R) runs thru a comedy skit about proper food and fitness with Norm Macdonald(L), host of “Sports Show with Norm Macdonald” at the
Wildcard Boxing Club in Hollywood,Ca. Friday. The segment will air next Tuesday on Comedy Central. Pacquiao is at the Wildcard preparing for his upcoming World Welterweight mega fight against “Sugar” Shane Mosley on Saturday, May 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Pacquiao vs Mosley is promoted by Top Rank in association with MP Promotions,Sugar Shane Mosley Promotions,Tecate and MGM Grand. The Pacquiao vs Mosley telecast will be available live on SHOWTIME Pay Per View

Photo By Chris Farina / Top Rank

Superstar Manny Pacquiao arrives for his appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show from Hollywood,California Thursday night. Pacquiao prepares for his upcoming World Welterweight mega fight against “Sugar” Shane Mosley on Saturday, May 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Pacquiao vs Mosley is promoted by Top Rank in association with MP Promotions,Sugar Shane Mosley Promotions,Tecate and MGM Grand. The Pacquiao vs Mosley telecast will be available live on SHOWTIME Pay Per View.

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

Knockout talk is pretty standard stuff in the build-up for any fight, especially one that Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley have transformed into an event. But it has a different tone this time around, because Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach hopes a stoppage will either lure Floyd Mayweather Jr. into the ring or provide Pacquiao an edge in an argument for the ages if the much-discussed fight never happens.

“ It would be incredible for Manny to be the first one to stop him and just prove to the world how much better he is than that guy that couldn’t stop him,’’ Roach said Wednesday during a conference call when asked about the chances at a knockout of the durable Mosley on May 7 at Las Vegas MGM Grand.

Not that anybody had to ask, but that guy, of course, is Mayweather, who on Thursday had a preliminary hearing on felony and misdemeanor charges from alleged domestic violence delayed in Las Vegas until July 29.

Translation: The Pacquiao-Mayweather fight isn’t any more likely today than it was a year ago when Mayweather was terrific and resourceful in surviving a rocky second round, yet characteristically cautious in settling for a one-sided decision over Mosley.

For now, Pacquiao has only the fights that can help him build his case while the prosecution for Nevada’s Clark County its own. Common opponents are poor comparisons, made unreliable by time, circumstances and styles. But Mayweather leaves the Filipino Congressman without options or even much of a clue as to what he intends to do.

“It’s hard to judge him,’’ Pacquiao said when asked if he thought Mayweather feared him. “I don’t know what the reason is. I really don’t have an idea. I can’t say something. We don’t know, so it’s hard to judge him.”

Instead, Pacquiao does what he always has done. He moves forward. There is a sense that he already is at work on the finishing touches to a legacy that would be incomplete without Mayweather, yet still as brilliant as any.

News broke in Mexico that Juan Manuel Marquez already has a Top Rank offer to fight Pacquiao for a third time sometime in the fall. Top Rank’s Bob Arum was annoyed at the Marquez questions. He dismissed them twice, first Tuesday in a conference call with Mosley and again on Wednesday.

But it only would be a surprise if Marquez had not been approached by Top Rank. Marquez, who has a draw with Pacquiao and a controversial loss by decision to the Filipino, represents a chance for Pacquiao to eliminate lingering doubts about his ability to beat the accomplished Mexican. It also is another opportunity to further build his case in the potential debate about whether he was better than Mayweather, who outweighed Marquez and dominated him for 12 rounds, yet again settled for a decision in September, 2009.

If Pacquiao could somehow be the first to knock out Mosley and the first to stop Marquez, he would win the debate no matter what Mayweather does or doesn’t do. It’s a risk, first and foremost in terms of the motivation it provides Mosley, who is a better bet to win by stoppage than Pacquiao, especially within the first three to four rounds.

Another cracking right in the early rounds might accomplish for Mosley what eluded him against Mayweather. It might finish Pacquiao in another spring stunner during boxing’s season of upsets, especially if the 39-year-old Mosley can summon up a will, way and maybe a big left hand. Against a stumbling Mayweather, Mosley was curiously unable to capitalize.

The guess here is that Mosley won’t squander that kind of an advantage again. If he does, Pacquiao will be on his way to a significant victory and perhaps a stoppage that could win an argument, which on Thursday looked more likely than a Mayweather fight.

NOTES, QUOTES
• Insightful Al Bernstein offered an intriguing possibility that could surprise Pacquiao. During a Showtime conference call Thursday, Bernstein said Mosley might unleash a potent left that has been dormant lately. “The left-hand,’’ Bernstein said. “I think that’s the secret.’’

• Boxing’s best, hidden on premium networks and pay-per-view for years, goes back to prime time for the first time in generations Saturday night when the third episode in Showtime’s Fight Camp 360, an inside look at Pacquiao-Mosley, will air on CBS at 8 p.m., Eastern and Pacific. There were mixed reviews for the first two episodes. The third figures to attract the biggest audience, meaning there is motivation for Showtime to make it the best of the four.

Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank

A look at the television schedule preceding the Live Pacquiao Vs. Mosley PPV event:

Saturday, April 30

8 p.m. ET/PT: FIGHT CAMP 360°: Pacquiao vs. Mosley – Episode 3 on CBS.
10 p.m. ET/PT: FIGHT CAMP 360°: Pacquiao vs. Mosley – Episode 3 on SHOWTIME.

Friday, May 6

6 p.m. ET/PT: Pacquiao vs. Mosley Weigh-In Live on SHOWTIME EXTREME hosted by James Brown.
10 p.m. ET/PT: FIGHT CAMP 360°: Pacquiao vs. Mosley – Episode 4 on SHOWTIME.

Saturday, May 7

2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT: FIGHT CAMP 360°: Pacquiao vs. Mosley – Episode 4 on CBS.
7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT: Pacquiao vs. Mosley Red Carpet Show Live on SHOWTIME EXTREME hosted by Mario Lopez and Ines Sainz with undercard bouts, celebrity interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.
9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT: Pacquiao vs. Mosley on SHOWTIME PPV.

Playback Instructions:

U.S. Toll Free: 800-355-2355

International: 402-220-2946

Playback Passcode: 40142#

*The Playback will be available for: 10 days.

SHOWTIME Sports® held a media conference call on Thursday to announce the SHOWTIME PPV® telecast announce team for the upcoming marquee boxing event featuring global superstar and Philippine Congressman Manny Pacquiao and three-division world champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley on Saturday, May 7.

James Brown, the host of the popular weekly series Inside The NFL on SHOWTIME and THE NFL TODAY on CBS, will quarterback the May 7 SHOWTIME PPV four-fight telecast. The last boxing event he worked was between Shane Mosley and Fernando Vargas in 2006. An enthusiastic mainstay on CBS and SHOWTIME, Gus Johnson will call all the action from ringside. Al Bernstein, a well-respected boxing historian who has called more than 2,500 fights during his 30 years behind the ringside microphone, will provide the fight analysis alongside Antonio Tarver, a former undisputed light heavyweight world champion who has taken to his television role as “third man in the booth.” The Emmy® Award-winning Jim Gray will serve as the back-stage, ringside and in-ring reporter for the event. (See attached document for more bio information on each announcer).

Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, will defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs), of Pomona, Calif., in the main event at the sold-out MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Sugar Shane Mosley Promotions, Tecate and MGM Grand, Pacquiao vs. Mosley will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV®.

Closed circuit tickets, priced at $50, are on sale and available at all Las Vegas MGM Resorts properties.

The Pacquiao vs. Mosley pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $54.95, will be produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV®. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. For Pacquiao vs. Mosley fight week updates, log on to www.sports.SHO.com or www.toprank.com.

Highlights of what the participants had to say on Thursday:

KEN HERSHMAN, Executive Vice President and GM of Sports Programming at Showtime:

“We think we’ve assembled the best announce team in all of sports for this event. SHOWTIME started in boxing 25 years ago and since then we’ve evolved and grown and are now covering five different sports. But boxing continues to be the rock and the foundation of SHOWTIME Sports and we are very proud of our history.

“As far as pay-per-view goes we have five of the top 10 most watched pay-per-view events of all time and we think that Pacquiao-Mosley will become number six. The promotion for May 7 is really humming along. We haven’t even seen the whole breadth of what is coming over the next few days and next week. We are bringing a broader promotional aspect to this event than ever seen before, especially with the help of our sister network CBS.”

JAMES BROWN:

“I am thrilled to be back in the boxing arena both figuratively and literally. I am just so thankful that Ken Hershman has drafted me to come back and host this and clearly to be accepted by the regular team anchored by Gus and Al and Antonio and, of course, Jim Gray, all of whom I have worked with over the years – that’s a good thing as far as the camaraderie to be associated with this fight.

“To me, of all the sports I’ve been blessed to cover there is nothing like a championship fight with the energy in the arena and to also be seeing one of the all-time greats in Manny Pacquiao. I’m just really looking forward to this.

Shane has already mentioned another fight with Mayweather and a possible rematch with Manny. How much longer do you think Shane Mosley can continue fighting?

Tarver: “As long as Shane can get in there and protect himself and show what’s he’s capable of doing then you know the sky’s the limit. If he sees in his heart that he can beat Pacquiao and would want to fight him again, that just shows that he still has the passion and still has the confidence in himself. As long as he can do it physically, God bless him. That’s my take on him.”

What challenges does he face in his late 30s than he had in his 20s?

Tarver: “Well, when we were younger we could do this in our sleep. There was really no competition when we were amateurs and we were both the best. Now it’s a business and you’ve got guys like Pacquiao and Mayweather on top. So now he has to climb those extra steps to solidify himself as the best. He has a great opportunity.”

Al, tell us a little bit about the WBO super bantamweight title fight on the undercard between Jorge Arce and Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.

Bernstein: “Obviously there has been a lot made recently of the fact that boxing has to do a better job on the undercards of these major events so that the casual boxing fan that comes can really see other great fights. Not just the main event. And I think this card will accomplish that. One of these fights is Arce-Vazquez. For the uninitiated, Wilfredo Vazquez’s father was a great, great world champion and he’s following in his footsteps. Jorge Arce was a former flyweight champion who is jumping up in weight to fight for the WBO super bantamweight title. The thing that makes this compelling, and I think more than anything is the part that people want to see on these pay-per-views, is that both these fighters will engage much like Pacquiao-Mosley will in a real shootout. Jorge Arce only has problems when he fights boxers who have hand speed and movement and all the rest. When they’re in front of him he makes for exciting and excellent fights. Fifty-six times he’s won so he’s a terrific fighter. What this fight also is about is Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. stepping up to center stage and seeing how he performs. He’s already won a championship but at 26 he could be in a general weight division with guys like Juan Manuel Lopez, Gamboa and the others, to maybe step up as a real star. So we’ll watch and see if he does.”

Gus, What is the difference in calling boxing play-by-play as opposed to the NFL or basketball or some of the others sports you’ve covered?

Johnson: “What makes boxing so special as compared to those others sports is the intimacy in the arena. It’s like we’re all connected more than the others. Certainly a college basketball game or an NFL game with 70,000 fans you feel that but with boxing the focus is on just two guys instead of 10. The two guys are in there and at the top of their game and taking risks. Everybody knows it and everybody can see it and feel it. And that’s what makes boxing so special; the anticipation and not only the anticipation but of the actual moment coming together for these two men who are in the ring. There’s nothing like a championship fight like James Brown said. As far as Pacquiao-Mosley, I’ve got to pinch myself to realize that I’m working this fight. I have a lot of friends and people who come up to me and say, ‘Hey, are you going to watch the Pacquiao-Mosley fight?’ I have to chuckle and say, ‘No, I’m not going to only watch it, but I’m going to call it.’ So I’m just so happy to be a part of this event.”

Jim, what do you expect to hear from the fighters just an hour before they go on?

Gray: “Well, we’ll have to see how things develop during fight week and at the weigh-in and to see the Fight Camp 360s and be able to determine from there. I think age is going to be a factor. Mosley is going to be a 40-year-old man in September and he’s 9-6-1 over the past 10 years. So I think people want to know: Could age be a factor? He’s been in 12 rounds fights five of his last six fights so he’s obviously been in good shape later on in his career. As for Manny, I think the big thing is expectations. I mean, ask Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan about expectations. Everybody always expects you to win and that’s a very difficult place to start from. So those are some things I think we’ll touch on and I think we’ll know a little bit more as the week goes on.”

How have the ratings been on CBS and SHOWTIME for Fight Camp 360°:

Hershman: “We’ve been working hard for a long time to make SHOWTIME boxing and SHOWTIME Sports the best that we can possibly make it and we think that we’ve put on some of the best boxing events of all time. Pay-per-view has never really been the primary objective. Pay-per-view has been an opportunity for us to make sure we continue to deliver to our subscribers the best boxing on television. But fighters of the caliber of Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley are not fighting on premium television, they are fighting on pay-per-view. So we are thrilled to move them over here for what we think will be the biggest boxing event in years. Through the synergies between CBS and SHOWTIME we feel we can promote and market this event like no one else can and that’s an important factor for us. We have what we feel is the biggest franchise there is in mixed martial arts with Fedor Emelianenko. Despite his two losses he remains a superstar and his ratings on SHOWTIME prove it. We have the best NFL show. We have the best NASCAR show on television by far and we have this new Major League Baseball show that we’re launching with the world champion San Francisco Giants. So Manny fits perfectly into that whole formula. He is the biggest name in boxing and he transcends the sport.

“To talk about Fight Camp 360°; it’s been well received by the critics and more importantly well received by the people who watch it. It’s not a fabricated or staged environment. It’s really what you see is what happens in the day-to-day lives of the fighters and their families and their camps. The ratings have been good. We expect them to grow as the episodes appear more over these next eight days. We’re in the process of assembling all the viewership data. We’ve aired it everywhere: on CBS, on SHOWTIME, on the web so we haven’t collected all that data yet, but we will and we’ll have some better answers for you. But so far the ratings have been strong and we expect them to get better.”

Is there anything Mosley can do that could result in an upset?

Bernstein: “As you know, boxing is all about the styles. And he and Floyd Mayweather in the younger days would have matched up better but Mosley as an older fighter had his moments with him because he did hurt him very badly in that one round. But Floyd Mayweather is a defensive genius and he was able to continue on in that fight and make it a one-sided fight. The difference is in the styles of the two fighters. Manny Pacquiao, while he has reinvented himself into being one of the best boxer-punchers in the sports in years, he still attacks. He will get hit with right hands from time to time. And Shane Mosley makes the case that Antonio Margarito landed more punches in the last fight than anyone else has in the last three or four years. And his point is that if Antonio Margarito can land those punches, I have better hand speed. And at 39 he probably does have better hand speed. His feeling is that he can still land punches and make them count. I think we’re going to find out about this fight over the first five or six rounds because Shane Mosley is going to land a solid right hand. And we’re going to see if it impacts Pacquiao. We haven’t seen Shane Mosley for awhile be really effective with his left hook, which is a hugely powerful punch. I think that’s the secret weapon or secret surprise that he and his trainer Nazim (Richardson) are working on. Everybody expects the right hand to land. I think that Shane Mosley is going to surprise us in his strategy and try to land all these left hooks to the body and to the head. I think they believe Pacquiao is not expecting that. Whether or not he’s successful at it or not remains to be seen. Either way this should be an action fight because of Pacquiao’s style.”

Antonio, you’ve seemed to really come into your own with your job as an announcer. Where do you see yourself taking it in the future?

Tarver: “When I look at this broadcast team I think of the camaraderie and this teamwork. It’s just made it really comfortable for me to work with such pros who are at the top of their game. I can’t say enough about how guys like Gus Johnson and Al Bernstein and Jim Gray and Steve Farhood have made this such an easy transition into what I’m doing and trying to find my niche. The preparation is the key. To work hard and really want to work at it to be the best that I can be. I don’t want to bring these guys down so I really try and work hard and be as good I can be. But these guys have really welcomed me with open arms and have made it somewhat of an easy transition.”

Do you think Pacquiao has remained the best fighter in the world over the past three years?

Bernstein: “I think Nazim said it best recently. Floyd Mayweather is the most talented in the world today and Manny Pacquiao is the best fighter in the world. I’ll go with that statement. Clearly, you can’t take anything away from Floyd Mayweather as a skilled boxer. He is just superb. He does just about everything right. But Manny Pacquiao has performed more. I’ve never seen a fighter reinvent himself like Manny Pacquiao. To me that’s an extraordinary thing. I have to say at this juncture it’s Pacquiao one and Mayweather two in the polls. That doesn’t mean Pacquiao would beat Mayweather in the ring. That’s a whole different debate entirely. It just means that because Pacquiao has been a little bit more active and a little bit more consistent and has fought just about every conceivable fight, I have to vote for Pacquiao.”

Do you have to put Pacquiao among the all-time greats in boxing?
Gray: “Having won eight titles I think you have to. It’s been remarkable what the guy been able to do. He’s fought everyone that’s been in front of him. Let’s see what happens down the road with Mayweather but the answer to that question is yes. Just go back and look at all these fights and see how he’s done it and I think you have put him right up there in that sentence. You could argue a lot of people but he would be in that argument.”

Johnson: “I think Mayweather and Mosley’s styles are very different. I think the great thing about Pacquiao, as Al and Jim have stated so eloquently, I think Manny has fought everyone and he’s always been able to adjust. I think that at 39 Shane Mosley is going to bring his best. I think he’s going to come out sharp and he’s going to be really prepared. He does have great hand speed and if he can pull the trigger like he did when he fought Margarito, then this could be something to really see. To me, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao getting into the ring, that’s a whole different mention. It’s something that we all obviously want to see and it’s something that has the potential to be a fight of the century type thing. So I wouldn’t necessarily compare Floyd and Shane but I think individually we’re going to see a great fight from Shane with Manny and if it ever happens with Floyd and Manny.”

How hard was it to put this all together with CBS?

Hershman: “Oh, like way hard (laughter). I think the interesting thing about CBS, to be serious, is that a lot of companies talk synergy and they buy all these assets and they talk about how they’re going to work great together and then they all internally fight with each other and nobody ends up doing anything. And I’ve been part of those organizations. But the real uniqueness with CBS is that when we presented this opportunity there wasn’t a push-back or resistance. It was really more excitement and encouragement and them saying, ‘OK, what can we do?’ We actually had to scale back some of the things their divisions wanted to do because we just weren’t ready to get there yet. But we will in the future. The company just works together really well and they get it and the priorities were met and exceeded and I couldn’t be more pleased. I wish I could sit here and say it was some monumental task that I was able to pull off and that we overcame but to be honest it really wasn’t. It was quite well received and handled really, really well and we’re excited to see it all come to fruition on May 7 and I think it’s going to be all pretty impressive.”

Antonio, what advice would you give Mosley?

Tarver: “I think he just has to stay mentally focused. He has to fight smarter and not harder. He’s not going to be able to just sit there and match Pacquiao power for power. He’s going to have to set some traps and hopefully he walks into them. I think he definitely has the boxing IQ to do that. And I think that’s what makes this fight so intriguing. I’m looking for a heck of a fight on May 7.”

“I think Mosley is coming in with a lot of confidence that he was able to knock out a guy (Margarito) that Pacquiao was unable to stop. I think Margarito also got some really good shots in on Pacquiao. I think the one punch that Pacquiao gets hurt with and which (Joshua) Clottey used very well was that uppercut. I think that Mosley is going to have to throw that a lot – and often and in close. I think that is the only avenue that they cannot protect is up the middle.”

Do you think Pacquiao can be the first one to knock out Mosley?

Bernstein: “I think he wants to. Freddie Roach has talked about it a lot. That’s the marketing goal here. When I interviewed Freddie at Wild Card he made it a big point in saying that if he knocked out Shane Mosley it ratchets up the marketing for Floyd Mayweather to come and fight them and in some fashion it makes that fight even more feasible. So I think they want to do that and will try and do that, but it’s not going to be an easy task. And I don’t think they will consciously go after it but I think it’s in the backs of their minds and they would like to do it. But if he does do it I think it will be because of the volume of punches.”

What about all the distractions Manny has going on in his life?

Bernstein: “I’ve never seen a guy compartmentalize life better than Manny Pacquiao. I mean, it’s actually staggering. When you’re around him there seems to be a stoicism that envelopes him. When you think about this announce team, we all have many different projects and things that we do and different people we answer to. When you think about Manny, he holds an elected office position, he’s a champion boxer, a singer, he’s been in movies in the Philippines and all his humanitarian works and somehow he seems to center himself for these fights. And I think it’s amazing how both he and Freddie have said that this is the best training camp they’ve ever had.”

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

In just over a week’s time Manny Pacquiao will meet Shane Mosley in the much talked about Welterweight clash. The night before Top Rank will put on another show from The Mandalay Bay the headliner will be Las Vegas native Diego Magdaleno 18-0(6), he meets tough Mexican Gilberto Sanchez Leon. Last time out he impressively stopped Marcos Jimenez to win the NABF Super Featherweight title to claim the biggest win of his career. It was also his third stoppage in a row; he’ll have a tough time repeating that against Leon who’s only been stopped once in over 40 previous bouts. Here’s what the 24 year old Magdaleno had to say ahead of the clash.

Hello Diego, welcome to 15rounds.com

Firstly thank you for having me for this Interview

Anson Wainwright – You’re scheduled to fight on 6 May in Las Vegas. You’ll be facing Gilberto Sanchez Leon, what are your thoughts on the fight and what do you know about him?

Diego Magdaleno – About the fight. I know that this guy, I’ve seen one of his last fights at the Palms (Hotel Casino in Las Vegas) when my younger brother was on the card, he fought a well known guy Robert Marroquin and I remember catching glimpses of that fight, he’s a tall fighter but doesn’t fight with his reach, he likes to fight on the inside. He’s got some things that I saw that I can adapt to and cut him down to size.

Anson Wainwright – In your last fight you beat Marcos Jimenez and won the NABF 130 title. Can you tell us about this fight?

Diego Magdaleno – Oh that fight was a tremendous fight. I’m still getting compliments on that one. It was something I’ve looked forward to my whole Boxing career, getting a title shot, hopefully that helps me get a world title shot. I took every possible thing that I can work on to achieve the victory on that fight. It was intense from the beginning. Marcos Jimenez was a good fighter, one of the best one’s out of Puerto Rico. I took that and brought it into the ring. We went in with a plan to basically not let him breath and things that I did like pressuring him from the beginning of rounds and eventually the outcome was I was overwhelming him with punches. That’s what the plan was and it worked.

Anson Wainwright – People would look at your record and say you don’t have a very high KO ratio, obviously the last 3 fights have been stoppages. Have you got any thoughts on that?

Diego Magdaleno – Umm (Laughs) Like I tell everybody else, I’m getting comfortable in the ring, you know it’s not that I wasn’t before but I’m starting to sit down on punches, putting everything together. The work outs have been marvellous. Every fight I have is a learning experience, I learn a lot off every fight. I go back and watch my tapes from the very first fight to the last; I review myself, more than I do my opponent before every fight. I think that’s what’s helping me out that way. That way I can see myself as a fighter and what I’m doing wrong in the ring. I really like to focus on myself and better myself.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your team, who is your manager, trainer & promoter? Also what gym do you train at?

Diego Magdaleno – Top Rank is my promoter. My manager/trainer is Pat Barry & Dawn Barry (Pat’s Wife) is also my manager. Augie Sanchez (Former World title challenger) is there I wouldn’t call him an assistant coach, him and Pat work so well together. There’s no real head guy. It’s great cos we all work together on everything we do, it works out well. I train at Barry’s Boxing Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Anson Wainwright – What was it like growing up in Las Vegas. I believe there has never been a fighter born in Las Vegas who won a world title.

Diego Magdaleno – I wasn’t born in Las Vegas. I was actually born in Beverly Hills, California at the famous Cedar Sinai Hospital. I started Boxing out in East L.A I was there for about a year until I moved to where I now call home Las Vegas, I was about 8 years old when I moved here. I started my amateur career here in Las Vegas. This is home to me, but I was born in California. But it’s the capital of Boxing and Boxing has always taken place here. I see all the world title fights, they come to the MGM and Mandalay Bay and all the headliners and I just see how close it is and every fight just drives me to get up there. So everytime I go to the big fights I think I’m not far away. I just have to keep pushing and working hard. I’m trying to show my younger brother Jessie who’s 3-0 with 3 knock outs.

Anson Wainwright – You were a very good amateur, can you tell us about your amateur career and what tournaments you won? Also what was your final record?

Diego Magdaleno – Off the top of my head 130 something fights, like 116 and like 15 loses. I went to the Olympic trials twice, unfortunately the last time I went to the Olympic trails in 07 I lost I think in the Quarter Finals. I always made it to the finals of most tournaments and always came up short. I took Second in the Golden Gloves, I took second in the National PAL’s, and I went over to Canada and won there. I won the USA’s in 07 that was prior to the trials for the Olympics.

Anson Wainwright – Your younger brother Jessie turned pro in late last year. What can you tell us about him?

Diego Magdaleno – We have a good bond, we work hard together and I try to be the big brother and be an example to him, show him hard work can get you what you want . We want world titles. I think I can be a good role model to him. As far as work outs together, we run, we do everything together. We have the same relationship other brothers we bump heads and collide. I’m the more serious type of guy, as Jessie goes I would say he’s more of a character. He likes to joke around and have fun with everything and when I’m in the gym, it’s just a different environment, it’s work to me it’s serious and he likes to have fun and mess around with me and try to get into my head. It works out, we have fun.

Anson Wainwright – What do you think of the Super Featherweight division WBC Takahiro Aoh, WBA Takashi Uchiyama, IBF Mzonke Fana & WBO Ricky Burns? Are you targeting anyone and how far do you think you are from a title shot?

Diego Magdaleno – I’m targeting any of those guys. As far as upcoming fights. They say I’d be fighting for a world title at the end of this year. I’ve seen the guys and there quality guys. There not guys I can take lightly but I think that I have a good chance with the world champions. I work hard in the gym and think when Top Rank gives me the chance to be a world champion I’ll do everything to make it happen.

Anson Wainwright – What do you like to do away from Boxing to relax? What are your hobbies and Interests?

Diego Magdaleno – One thing I like is the outdoors, I like to stay active. I love hiking, spending time with my family because when it comes to being serious with Boxing I hide out, I go back into my tunnel and exclude everyone from my world. When I have a chance I love to help people and be with the family. One of my little hobbies I like to do is interior decorating, not many people know about that, like house projects.

Anson Wainwright – Who was your Boxing hero growing up? And who you enjoy watching today?

Diego Magdaleno – There’s a lot of great fighters out there. One of the last fights I watched was Victor Ortiz and Berto that was a tremendous fight. It brings Boxing back to life. I like Manny Pacquiao who’s an intense fighter. There a lot of guys who keep me on my toes and the Boxing game exciting. When I was growing up I liked Chavez he was an animal in his prime. De La Hoya’s another guy I liked.

Anson Wainwright – What are your goals in Boxing? If it wasn’t for Boxing what do you think you’d be doing for a living?

Diego Magdaleno – My plan in Boxing is definitely to win world titles, that’s the ultimate. If it wasn’t for Boxing, I’d always been Interested in Law Enforcement. So I’d probably be doing something like that.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for the Super Featherweight division?

Diego Magdaleno – I have a big message. It’s gonna be the guy out in the dark who’s gonna get them. So keep in mind Diego Magdaleno is out there.

Thanks for your time Diego.

Anson Wainwright

15rounds.com

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao could be fighting his arch rival Juan Manuel Marquez for a third time in October.

Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer said Monday that Top Rank has made a formal, written offer for Marquez, the lightweight champ, to challenge Pacquiao for his welterweight title on a date to be determined in October if he defeats Mosley.

“Last Friday, April 22, Top Rank made a firm offer to Juan Manuel Marquez to fight Manny Pacquiao in October for his WBO 147-pound belt,” Schaefer said. “Part of the deal includes a rematch provision in case Marquez would win. So Pacquiao could potentially be tied up for quite awhile.”

“I have no comment on anything regarding Marquez,” Top Rank president Todd duBoef said. “We have said that Marquez would be one of the possible opponents for Pacquiao after the fight with Mosley if he is successful against Mosley on May 7. But I have no comment. I am concentrating on promoting a fight on May 7.”

“Based on this offer, it seems like Pacquiao and Top Rank have no interest in fighting Mayweather, at least this year,” Schaefer said. “If they did, I am sure Top Rank would have had language in the offer saying this was the deal unless a Mayweather fight could be secured, but it doesn’t say that.”

“Obviously, Top Rank will have to live by these deal points they offered Marquez, so if any of these things would change — the date, the guaranteed money, the [pay-per-view] upside — they would have to come back to us, because Golden Boy continues to hold the right of last refusal for Marquez’s next fight until the end of February 2012,” Schaefer said.

“I think [Top Rank] sent us the offer because they know that we have these rights, these last negotiation rights. So they informed us that they had submitted that offer to Marquez. It’s the right thing to do. I don’t have a beef here with Top Rank whatsoever. ”

“I am a firm believer that when a fighter becomes a free agent and has certain rights or options that they explore those options. Top Rank did the right thing here. Assuming Top Rank lives by those deal points, so be it. But I don’t really understand it as it relates to the timing,” he said.

“What’s the urgency of locking in Pacquiao’s October fight before he has fought Mosley? I just find the timing strange that you would do that before a big promotion. Maybe Top Rank discounts Shane’s chances. Maybe they just feel it’s important to have that opponent lined up for Manny now.”

“Top Rank gave us their offer, but we have not heard from Marquez,” Schaefer said.

Schaefer said he met with Marquez in Mexico City about three weeks ago and presented him with a new promotional offer. Had he accepted, Marquez’s first bout of the deal could have been a July 30 pay-per-view headliner against junior welterweight titlist Zab Judah. Schaefer has been talking to Judah promoter Main Events about the fight, which Judah wants.

The fight would have given Marquez the opportunity that he has wanted — a chance, with a win, to become the first Mexican to claim a world title in four divisions.

“Maybe that was why [Top Rank] made the offer — because they knew we were trying to make a deal with Marquez and they wanted to make sure they have an opponent for Pacquiao in October,” Schaefer said.

Photo by Gene Blevins/Hogan Photos

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (April 19, 2011) – Eight-division world champion Congressman Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao hosted what many in attendance described as boxing’s No. 1 pound for pound media day workout.

A standing room only crowd of national and international media packed the Wild Card Boxing Club on Wednesday to interview Pacquiao, five-time Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach and Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum about Pacquiao’s May 7 World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title defense, at the sold-out MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev., against three-division world champion Sugar Shane Mosley.

The Pacquiao vs. Mosley world title fight is the main event of a four-fight telecast that will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. The mega-event will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. For Pacquiao vs. Mosley fight week updates, log on to www.sports.SHO.com or www.toprank.com .

Closed circuit tickets, priced at $50, are on sale and available at all Las Vegas MGM Resorts properties.

The energetic Pacquiao trained for more than two hours immediately following an equally long interview session.

What Pacman, Arum and Roach said Wednesday:

PROMOTER BOB ARUM

“Nobody can count Shane Mosley out. He is a good, good fighter, especially when he fights an aggressive opponent like Manny Pacquiao.

“Shane Mosley is a dangerous fighter. He is bigger than Manny, strong and he still has his speed. He has never been stopped. He can take anyone’s best punch and come back as strong as ever. He’s so resilient. You can’t hurt him.

“Manny has trained harder than I have ever seen. He’s in the same condition as he was before he fought Miguel Cotto.

“My matchmakers said Shane would make the most entertaining fight for the fans. For pure name recognition Shane Mosley is the best fighter for marketability.’’

MANNY PACQUIAO

“I’m in top condition for the fight. I’m just excited to fight and beat people up.

“I never compare myself to anybody. I don’t look at my accomplishments compared to anyone. I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished in boxing.

“Shane can still fight. He’s fast and he’s training hard. It’s hard to rate him against the other (opponents). This time he’s determined to shock the world. It’s going to be a good fight.

“My concern is what fight we can give to the fans. My first concern as a boxer is to try hard and give a good fight for the fans.

“Mosley is bigger than me. He’s fast and his hand speed is still there. He’s faster than most of my opponents. He’s also preparing hard and he’s also good, so we never underestimate our opponent.

“I’m just going to punch him and do my best. If the knockout comes, it comes.

“In the ring I can tell right away what his style is and I can adapt to it. I’m adjusting to life as a politician. It’s different in training but I can stay focused on both.

“I never distract myself. I’m always in full force in the fight, full force in training. “I’m ready for the fight. I don’t want to predict. I just do my best and give a good fight. The way I’m training now I’m only 144 pounds.

“For me, boxing isn’t about hurting each other. Boxing is entertainment and making people happy.

“I don’t know who I’ll fight next. No idea. (Juan Manuel) Marquez is good for me – he’s not too big.

(On fighting Floyd Mayweather)

“For me, there’s a chance. It’s up to him if he wants to fight. He’s trying to wait for me to get

older.”

TRAINER FREDDIE ROACH

“I’m excited about this fight because we know that Shane is going to bring it.

“Manny has had maybe his best camp ever and is in tip-top shape. He’s still hungry, and is training harder now than when he first started. There is no way he is taking this fight lightly and he is definitely ready for Sugar Shane.

“His motivation is his concentration. For this fight, he’s been able to stay totally focused. Before his last fight he had to worry about campaigning, Congress, music and making movies.

“Since we can’t wait for the No. 1 guy – you know who I mean — to stop running away from us, we have to fight who’s available. We got this offer to fight Shane and it made sense.

“Mayweather likes to say he is better than Sugar Ray Robinson, but I think it is more important for him to keep the zero on his record than it is to fight Manny. We hope the opportunity comes for a fight with Mayweather, but Manny is going to continue to fight, even if it means moving up in weight to go after nine titles.

“The fight with Sugar Shane will not be easy. But my prediction is that Manny will win by knockout and become the first boxer to stop Mosley.

“I know when I first started working with Manny that he was something special. But eight world titles? No one could have expected that.’’

FORMER NBA AND COLLEGE STAR JALEN ROSE

“I’m a big Manny Pacquiao fan. It’s a tough call to pick between him and Shane. Sugar Shane is a vet. He asked for this fight and he got this fight, but I think Pacquiao has too much speed and too much power. I’m a big fan of both fighters though. It’s going to be a great fight.”

Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank

PHOTOS BY CHRIS FARINA / TOP RANK

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that the much anticipated rematch between WBC Lightweight champion Humberto Soto and Urbano Antillon scheduled for the May 7 Pacquiao – Mosley undercard will not happen sue to Soto’s unhappiness and impending exit from Top Rank

“We are no longer with Top Rank and he is not fighting Antillon for sure,” said Fight attorney Michael Miller. “We’ll go out and find out if any other promoter is interested in signing him. We’ll start on that next week and see if Gary [Shaw], Lou [DiBella], Golden Boy, and anyone else, might be interested in making a bid for the guy. And then we have to see if we will seek legal action against Top Rank for the lost purses, which we certainly will. I don’t know why we wouldn’t.”

Miller said Soto and co-manager Antonio Lozada have been unhappy with his promotional agreement for some time and hired him last week as a co-manager and as an attorney to look at his contract.

Miller said there were several issues, including that Soto had been told the contract expired in October, even though Miller said he believed the deal had expired in 2009.

Miller said another serious issue was that even though the promotional contract was with Bob Arum’s Top Rank, he was being paid — and shorted — by Zanfer Promotions’ Fernando Beltran, who works closely with Top Rank on numerous fighters.

“Soto’s contract was with Top Rank and he was getting checks from Beltran and they were 40, 50, 60 percent of what they should be,” Miller said.

Miller said Soto was due a minimum purse of $200,000 to fight for a world title and $300,000 to defend the title.

“He was never paid $300,000 and Top Rank rarely even showed up at his fights,” Miller said. “[Soto and Lozada] would complain to Beltran about the money and he would promise to make it up. He never did. Our quick and dirty numbers are that they are $1.285 million short to Humberto compared to the minimums they owed him for something like 10 or 11 fights. He would complain. He was pissed. He was told they would make it up. And because he was shorted, that means Lozada is owed about $425,000.”

Miller said Soto continued to fight because he needed the money he was getting and because he was hopeful that he would receive what he was owed.

“I wrote Top Rank a letter [Wednesday] advising that he has been grossly underpaid and we need some answers,” Miller said. “Why was Beltran involved since Soto never signed a contract with Beltran?”

Miller said besides being underpaid on his minimum purses, Beltran sometimes paid him in installments — sometimes using cash — on the money he did receive, and another time his check bounced.

“I’m trying to get as much information as possible,” said Top Rank President Todd DeBeouf. “I’m reaching out to them. All I hear is stuff from other people. Right now, our primary issue is is the Soto-Antillon rematch happening? There is a high probability that it is not. If that’s the case, we will make adjustments.”

“Obviously, the supporting cast is fantastic with the return of [former middleweight champ] Kelly Pavlik and with the Wilfredo Vazquez-[Jorge] Arce [junior featherweight] title fight. We’d like to add something sensational.”

DuBoef said that without a rematch against Soto, Antillon likely would challenge Brandon Rios, another of the lightweight titleholders whom Top Rank promotes, on July 9 on Showtime.

“I’d like to do that fight,” duBoef said.

BIG BEAR, Calif. (April 12, 2011) – More than 50 members of the media spent several hours Tuesday at the high-altitude training camp of three-division world champion “Sugar’’ Shane Mosley. Bus transportation to-and-from Las Vegas and Los Angeles was provided by Top Rank, Inc.

On Saturday, May 7, Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs), of Pomona, Calif., will challenge World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, in the main event of a blockbuster event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Sugar Shane Mosley Promotions, Tecate and MGM Grand, Pacquiao vs. Mosley will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV®.

What Mosley said Tuesday:

“My energy is great, at a very high level. I have a lot of power in both hands. I know Pacquiao will go right to the attack which is a great advantage for me.

“I know how difficult this fight is. Pacquiao fires punches from all kinds of angles, is on his toes during late rounds and gives you different looks.

“But pure power can take over all of that. I know I will be able to get good hard punches onto Pacquiao.

Plus I have the biggest advantage of all with my chief trainer Naazim Richardson. He’s never lost a fight against a Top Rank champion.”

“I know President Obama met Pacquiao. I can deal with it. President Obama will always be my man. I will always vote for him. Someday I hope to meet the President and maybe play a little basketball.”

Superstar Manny Pacquiao arrives at the Wildcard Boxing Club in Hollywood Monday to prepare for his upcoming World Welterweight mega fight against “Sugar” Shane Mosley on Saturday, May 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Pacquiao vs Mosley is promoted by Top Rank in association with MP Promotions,Sugar Shane Mosley Promotions,Tecate and MGM Grand. The Pacquiao vs Mosley telecast will be available live on SHOWTIME Pay Per View

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

He may be in the Twilight of his career and zeroing in on his 40th birthday but “Sugar” Shane Mosley is still a tough night’s work for anyone. For a few years now Mosley has wanted to fight Manny Pacquiao, he has got what he wished for and takes on the Filipino Icon on 7 May in Las Vegas at The MGM Grand in front of millions on Showtime PPV. It’s a fight Mosley believes he can win; he has blind faith in his ability and left his position as a partner of Golden Boy Promotions to take up this challenge. Mosley 46-6-1(39) has fought many of the best fighters in the world from 135-154 winning 5 world titles in 3 weight classes. He’s been one of the standard bearers of the past 2 decades fighting 15 past or present world champions including Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto & Floyd Mayweather.

Hello Shane, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – You are fighting Manny Pacquiao on 7 May in Las Vegas. What are your thoughts on the fight & how good do you think Pacquiao is?

Shane Mosley – I think he’s a great fighter, he does a lot of good things. It’s going to be a terrific fight.

Anson Wainwright – Of course it has been much discussed you have left Golden Boy & will be fighting Pacquiao who’s a Top Rank fighter. How are things?

Shane Mosley – No, it’s moving pretty smoothly along with Top Rank. Everything I have asked for has been ok and I’m just happy.

Anson Wainwright – People will say that you haven’t won in your last two fights and not looked the best in your fights with Mayweather & Mora. What do you say to them?

Shane Mosley – I believe I will do a lot better than I did in those two fights. My mentality right now is I’m ready to go and fight and give my 100% all.

Anson Wainwright – It would of been easy for you to stay with Golden Boy where your were a partner and claim your reported 5% but you’re obviously still highly motivated despite being months shy of 40. What are your thoughts on this?

Shane Mosley – I’m very motivated and happy to be able to box at this age. I’ve been boxing for about 31 years and I’ve fought at this level a lot. I’m willing to go in there and prove that I’m still one of the best fighters and fighting Pacquaio will prove that and be a great accomplishment for me.

Anson Wainwright – The Mayweather fight wasn’t your finest hour in the ring. Could you talk us through the fight from your point of view along with the second round?

Shane Mosley – A lot of times I don’t look back on them or think about them (The fights). But it was a pretty good punch, I just couldn’t at that point do what I needed to do to win the fight to KO him but I’ve been working very hard to make sure I close the deal next time I get a person hurt.

Anson Wainwright – If I can take you back to the Margarito fight, going into that fight you had a lot going on outside the ring. The on fight night there was the gauzing that went into Margarito glove. How much of what was going on were you aware of or were you just focused on the fight?

Shane Mosley – Yeah I was just focusing on my game plan, because if he had concrete gloves on I didn’t care I was going to win that fight. I trained hard, I was determined to prove the critic’s and everybody wrong that I was to old and that his rhythm was to much for me and he was going to knock me out and retire me. And I did I stopped him and proved the critics wrong. I’m going to do that in this fight as well.

Anson Wainwright – Do you see this fight with Pacquiao similar to the Margarito one where you were also the underdog and have something to prove?

Shane Mosley – Yeah, I aim to do it again. I aim to shock the world and beat Pacquiao. Once again prove the critics wrong.

Anson Wainwright – How much longer do you think you can keep performing at the top of Boxing? Do you have any plans for what you’d like to do when your finish Boxing?

Shane Mosley – Well yeah I have my promotional company “Sugar” Shane Mosley Promotions and I’m looking to start signing fighters and get more active in the promotional field and help these young fighters become world champions and superstars. That would be another great challenge for me. After this fight I have another 3 or 4 fights in me, then I can start my promotional company.

Anson Wainwright – You’re son Shane Junior is also an up and coming boxer. How are things developing with him and his career?

Shane Mosley – He’s doing pretty good; he’s up here training with me now. Basically I’m just showing him the ropes right now what you have to go through to be world champion and that’s important mentally so he can see what it takes, realise if it’s for him or not. He’s doing good, his punches are pretty hard, and he’s getting faster and better as the days go by. I think he’s going to be alright.

Anson Wainwright – A chip off the old block hey?

Shane Mosley – Ha-ha I think so, he has the determination and he’s getting better and better as we go along.

Anson Wainwright – Has he had any amateur fights yet?

Shane Mosley – He’s had a few, I think I’ll start fighting him more so he can have the experience of fighting in the ring more. He’s been in the ring sparring a lot but not really fighting. There’s a difference between fighting and sparring, that’s what I aim to do a little more.

Anson Wainwright – You’ve fought many of the best fighters of the last 15 years. Who is the best fighter you’ve ever fought?

Shane Mosley – Styles make fights but the most difficult I’d say Winky (Wright) earlier in my career but later on Floyd (Mayweather) was a pretty good defensive fighter as well.

Anson Wainwright – To date what do you consider to be your proudest moment in Boxing?

Shane Mosley – I think the proudest moment was winning my first world title at Lightweight against Philip Holiday.

Anson Wainwright – What are your thoughts on the current Welterweight division?

Shane Mosley – I think there’s a lot of great challenge’s with Khan coming up. Me & Manny Pacquiao fighting, there’s others. The division’s good an exciting. There’s a lot of great talent out there.

Anson Wainwright – You’re known as one of boxing good guys but we don’t know to much about you away from Boxing. Can you tell us about other activities you are involved with? Also what are your hobbies & Interests?

Shane Mosley – Well I mean, I’m a family man, I have 4 kids. I like to play Basketball, snowboard, bowl. I’m a very active person, I’m an outdoors person. I like to get out and do things. Boxings in my heart so I don’t stray too far from that. I’m involved in a boxing programme and sponsor the kids in the community.

Anson Wainwright – Last year you teamed up with PETA to help stop dog fighting & the slaughter on Seal trade in Canada, it’s obviously something that’s close to your heart?

Shane Mosley – Well yeah, I have a few pets. Dog’s don’t have a choice to fight or not but we do. So I kind of got behind it and just spoke out about it.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans ahead of the Pacquiao fight?

Shane Mosley – This is going to be the fight you don’t want to miss. I’m definitely giving everything I’ve got. You wont be disappointed so come and check it out or watch it on PPV Showtime. It’s definitely going to be a knock out. Also follow me on Sugar Shane on Twitter.

Thank you for your time Shane, it’s been a pleasure.

Anson Wainwright

15rounds.com

Midweek Thoughts – Yuriorkis Gamboa looked sensational blowing away Jorge Solis on Saturday. Solis was no mug he was a very solid guy, he just couldn’t deal with the Cuban’s power and speed. Hopefully Juanma Lopez looks just as impressive in a few weeks and Top Rank can get these two together in what would surely be a barnburner…Mikey Garcia kept his unbeaten record but took Matt Remillard’s when Remillard’s corner mercifully stopped the fight at the end of the tenth. Garcia is only 23 but has the look of a man far more experience. He systematically broke down Remillard. Outside of Gamboa & Lopez, Garcia is right in the fight with anyone at Featherweight right now…I haven’t had chance to see it yet but the Kennedy-Diaz fight appeared to be a cracker…Disappointing to see Erislandy Lara on Friday night not really perform, all credit to Carlos Molina…On Saturday Leo Santa Cruz scored a very impressive KO over Stephane Jamoye, it’s the biggest win of Santa Cruz career & proved he can go place, I’m looking for him to have a big year now…I’ve been told Ricardo Mayorga dislocated his thumb in the Cotto fight. He’s also on the short list to fight Saul Alvarez in September provided “Canelo” wins in a June fight possibly against Ryan Rhodes. I’ll say this much if Mayorga does decide to give it another go and not retire a fight with “Canelo” would be a fun promotion. Alvarez wont ever of seen anything or anyone quite like Mayorga.

On Friday night it was the final of the WABA (Welsh Amateur Boxing Association)

Female

54kg Lynsey Holdaway beat Catherine Gillen after the referee stopped the action with Holdaway 20-1 up in the fourth and final round.

60kg Rebecca Price beat defending champion Ashley Brace 14-10.

Male

49kg Ben Baker beat Annes Rashid in the second round Rashid took two standing 8 counts before being stopped

52kg Two time European Bronze medallist Andrew Selby returned from his duty on the British squad to show the gulf in class as he stopped Andrew Perry in the second after Perry had two standing 8 counts in the first.

56kg Daniel Chapman run out 14-1 winner against last years Flyweight champion Jay Harris

60kg Zack Davies outpointed Craig Woodruff 16-4

64kg Chris Jenkins the Welsh representative in last years Commonwealth games beat Ashley Appleby when the referee stopped the action in the second. Jenkins was 9-0 up at the time of the stoppage

69kg Fred Evans who also went to the Commonwealth games won 18-8 against Jamie Evans.

75kg Liam Williams outpointed warren Sinden 19-4

81kg Charlie Moseley narrowly outpointed Tom Lloyd 13-9

91kg Lloyd Davies impressively overwhelmed Robert Penn and after 3 standing 8 counts the fight was called off in the second round.

91+kg Dorian Darch beat Andrew Wyn Davies 16-9 stopping Davies winning the title for the 5th consecutive year.

If you would like to hear from any particular fighters please e-mail me on elraincoat@live.co.uk

It’s hard to know what Manny Pacquiao thinks about all the mixed signals coming from Floyd Mayweather Jr. these days.

First, Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum tells the Filipino media that Mayweather wanted $100 million in undisclosed talks for the biggest fight nobody has yet to see.

Then, Mayweather brags on twitter by displaying a winning ticket for $37,272.75 on a bet that the Atlanta Hawks wouldn’t outscore the Chicago Bulls by six or more points in the second half.

If accurate, Arum is 100 million times right in interpreting Mayweather’s demand as just another way of saying — no, hell no — he won’t fight.

But the winning ticket from Las Vegas’ M Resort looks like another good bet that Mayweather is going to need more than a nickname to pay his bills. He calls himself Money, but he won’t have much of it if gambling is a habit and criminal lawyers are a necessity.

Let’s just say that it’s safe to assume Mayweather isn’t tweeting anything that ever looks like a losing ticket. For anybody who has invested part of a paycheck at a Vegas’ book, it is also a good bet that the losers outnumber the winners.

Does Pacquiao even care? If he doesn’t, then there are 100 million more reasons to believe the long-awaited showdown will happen only in a video game. Pacquiao already is well into his second career as a politician. As the public and media grow weary of the continuing speculation, Pacquiao appears to already have moved on and beyond.

Sometimes, however, money – or the urgent need for some – creates big fights. There continues to be talk that Shane Mosley, who faces Pacquiao on May 7 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand, has to fight to pay for his divorce. That price is as cynical as it is steep. It is also dangerous. But it has always been there.

Mayweather, who faces eight criminal charges for an alleged incident involving a former girlfriend, has countless ways of saying he won’t do this and he might do that. It’d be no surprise if he soon denies that Arum’s latest story about negotiations that heretofore had gone unreported. It would be a lot harder for him to deny that he wants $100 million.

But Mayweather’s words don’t really matter. It’s what he shows us. The latest offering is several zeroes short of what his nickname claims and one reason to think that Pacquiao-Mayweather will happen.

NOTES, QUOTES
· The best hope for a resurrected heavyweight division is an NFL work stoppage that lasts, say, a couple of years. Baltimore Ravens safety Tommy Zbikowski, who fights Saturday night in Atlantic City on the Yuriorkis Gamboa-Jorge Solis undercard, is as skilled and athletic a prospect as there is on the side of the world that does not include a Klitschko. Zbikowski is evidence that America’s best heavyweights are in the NFL. “Yeah, it might be true,’’ said Zbikowski, who says Ravens defensive lineman Haloti Ngata could be a great one. “The Klitschkos are the best right now and they’ve been the best for a long time. Just because they’re in Europe doesn’t mean there are not great heavyweights. I think a lot of the American heavyweights right now are playing football. Boxing is honestly one of the most athletic things you can do. To be a good boxer, you have to be very athletic. Right now, you’re seeing the top athletes go to college to get an education. I think if you have boxing back at the collegiate level, you might have some more American heavyweights.”

· And another shot in the Golden Boy-Top Rank feud could be fired next week. Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said Wednesday that he is planning to meet with Juan Manuel Marquez. There is rampant speculation that Marquez will jump from Golden Boy to Top Rank. That might be the only way he gets a second rematch with Pacquiao. “We don’t know what Márquez’s plan or plans are,’’ Schaefer said during a conference call for an April 9 card topped by Erik Morales-Marcos Maidana and will include Robert Guerrero, Michael Katsidis and James Kirkland at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand. “I am actually scheduled to meet with him next week in Mexico and see what he is planning on doing.’’

It’s never dull when Ricardo Mayorga’s about that’s for sure. For the past decade the Wildman from Nicaragua has enthralled us with all action style and bad guy ways. Now 37, Mayorga 29-7-1(23) may not be a young fighter but he still feels he has a role to play. He firmly believes he’ll KO Miguel Cotto on 12 March in Las Vegas and then get a shot a Manny Pacquiao in what he thinks will be his career defining moment. Mayorga first sprang to prominence beating Andrew Lewis for the WBA Welterweight title, he then stunned Vernon Forrest KO3 to add the WBC title to his collection. He then won a rematch before losing a majority decision for all the marbles against Cory Spinks. He became a two weight world champion when he claimed the WBC laurels beating Michele Piccarillo in 2005. Never one to turn down a challenge Mayorga has fought many of the top fighters of his generation including Felix Trinidad LKO8, Oscar De La Hoya LKO6, Fernando Vargas PTS12 & Shane Mosley LKO12.

Hello Ricardo, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – You have a big fight coming up against Miguel Cotto on 12 March in Las Vegas. What do you think of that fight and Cotto as a fighter?

Ricardo Mayorga – I think that he a punched out old fighter and I’m going to knock him out quickly.

Anson Wainwright – In your last fight your stopped Michael Walker in nine rounds. Can you tell us how you felt after so long out of the ring?

Ricardo Mayorga – I was very strong, I wasn’t in the best shape but I was in good shape and now I’m even better.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us why you had so long out of the ring? You didn’t fight in over 2 years, what happened?

Ricardo Mayorga – I had an automobile accident and I was out for 2 years. I was operated on, I had a minor operation on my back.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your team for this fight, who is your manager, trainer & promoter? Also what gym do you train at in America?

Ricardo Mayorga – My Promoter is Don King, my trainer is Luis Leon and Al Bonami is co-training me. I don’t have a manager, I do that myself. Where training for this fight in Ocala, Fl. at Danny Santiago’s gym called Central Florida Boxing. Danny is still fighting but was a ranked Light Heavyweight & Cruiserweight.

Anson Wainwright – You always seem to make weight with ease, why is this and what is your walk around weight between fights?

Ricardo Mayorga – I’m about 161/162 right now. I never really have trouble with my weight, that’s why I’m always underweight. I’m going to come in 152 when I fight Cotto and I’m going to be eating Puerto Rican beans!

Anson Wainwright – You love to play the villain and regularly try to get under your opponents skin. Is this who you are, can you tell us about your nicer side?

Ricardo Mayorga – I always like to a bad guy like in the movies.

Al Bonanni – I started with him when he came to the United States and we were together until he won the title and then I left because he’s a lot to handle and then I worked with him for Trinidad and left again. As far as a person, I love him, I really like him, he’s a wonderful person. We get along very good, we have no problems. He calls me Papi Gordo which is Far Man! Ha-ha He’s a very nice person to me. I have no problems with him. He has a wonderful personality. I don’t believe the energy he has.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your younger days growing up in Managua did you have a tough time growing up?

Ricardo Mayorga – It was really tough, we were very poor. I always used to fight in the streets and in school. I was always in a fight.

Anson Wainwright – What do you like to do when your not Boxing, what are your hobbies and Interests?

Ricardo Mayorga – Playing Billiards and I like to play cards like poker with family.

Anson Wainwright – What is the proudest moment of your career so far?

Ricardo Mayorga – It still hasn’t come to it, the greatest will be when I beat Pacquiao.

Anson Wainwright – You have fought many of the best fighters of your generation including De Le Hoya, Forrest, Mosley, Vargas, Spinks & Trinidad. Who do you consider the best ?

Ricardo Mayorga – For me De La Hoya.

Anson Wainwright – What would you like to do when your retire from Boxing?

Ricardo Mayorga – I want to put the money I earned in the bank and live on a ranch in Nicaragua.

Anson Wainwright – Are there any up an coming fighters you would like to mention from Nicaragua?

Ricardo Mayorga – Right now there isn’t anyone.

Anson Wainwright – Much has been said about you on wiki-leaks with regards an incident between you and a young lady & your relationship with President Ortega. Could you give us your thoughts?

Ricardo Mayorga – I don’t have any comment on that. I have the president’s respect and he has mine. All that on the Internet is just baloney. The only thing I can say is the president is a just man and he’s a good man and we have a good relationship.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans?

Ricardo Mayorga – Buy the PPV it’s going to be a great fight and I’m going to knock him out in 4 rounds.

Thank you for your Time Ricardo & Al.

Anson Wainwright
15rounds.com

Special thanks Al Bonanni

Relentless Preview – As well as the Cotto-Mayorga main event the Showtime PPV will have several other bouts. Miguel Vazquez 27-3(12) will be defending his IBF Lightweight title for the second time against unbeaten mandatory challenger Lenny Zappavigna 25-0(17). It pits the classic boxer (Vazquez) against the fighter (Zappavigna). We’ll also see the return of both Joshua Clottey 35-4(20) & Yuri Foreman 28-1(8) in seperate Light Middleweight bouts. Clottey hasn’t been seen since his tentative performance against Manny Pacquiao a year ago will be up against Calvin Green 21-5-1(13). While Foreman was last seen 9 months ago when he injured his knee and lost his title to Cotto meets Pawel Wolak 28-1(18). Amateur standout Matt Korobov 13-0(8) see’s action for the first time in 2011 when he meets Michael Walker 19-6-2(12) over 8 rounds. Also scheduled for action Lightweight Juan Gonzalez 10-0(9), Heavyweights Eric Molina 16-1(12) & Tommy Zbikowski 1-0(1), Featherweight Jesus Rojas 16-1(12) & the return of the ever popular Christy Martin 49-5-3(31).

Nonito Donaire faces expectations that are growing into a challenge more dangerous than even Fernando Montiel. The next Manny Pacquaio? The next bantamweight champion should be enough, but it isn’t for an audience and nation that apparently thinks Donaire will be the next Filipino boxer to visit the White House.

The next syndrome has undercut countless other careers. The next John Wooden never had a chance. Unfortunate Roger Maris could never be the next Babe Ruth. But here’s Donaire, a good fighter, already being asked to satisfy the Filipino appetite for another Pacquiao. There will only be one, especially after Pacquiao’s visit with President Obama further cemented a unique ascendancy to stardom attained by few.

Donaire (25-1, 17 KOs) can beat the accomplished Montiel. He is still this corner’s pick by decision. Donaire’s recent victories, including a fourth-round dismantling of Volodymyr Sydorenko, are full of signs that indicate he is a fighter just entering his prime. Donaire is bigger than Montiel. Younger than Montiel. He looks more like a featherweight than a bantamweight.

But doubts have increased with each headline calling him the next this and the next that. There are a lot of longtime ringsiders who think Donaire only will be Montiel’s next knockout victim. For Donaire, the coincidence of Pacquiao’s visit with President Obama a few days before opening bell Saturday night at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay only heightens the pressure on him to do what is impossible.

At Thursday’s news conference, Montiel had the benefit of lessons from a country that already has learned from the perils of searching for the next Julio Cesar Chavez. In Mexico, there will only be one Chavez.

“No one’s ever going to be Julio Cesar Chavez,’’ said Montiel (44-2-2, 34 KOs), who wants to become the first Mexican to win titles in four weight classes. “No one is ever going to come close to that.”

For Montiel, that acknowledgement allows him to be himself. For Donaire, there’s a lingering question about whether all of the attention on Pacquiao will be a distraction — a feint that takes his focus off the danger in front of him. There’s some irony in that. Pacquiao’s last fight was preceded by swirling stories about distractions that were supposed to have been his undoing against Antonio Margarito. Pacquiao conquered them and Margarito.

“I will be very happy if Nonito Donaire continues to win and beats all the top fighters and reaches the prominent position he is capable of,’’ promoter Bob Arum said.

But, Arum warned, Muhammad Ali couldn’t be cloned.

“You couldn’t duplicate Sugar Ray Leonard,” Arum said. “You can’t duplicate. But you forge your own story and that’s what Nonito is in the process of doing.

“It remains to be seen whether it resonates as much as Pacquiao or Leonard or one of these other guys.
“He is trying to create a great story for himself.’’

If Donaire’s story is about anybody else Saturday night, he’ll have to create a comeback.

Just over a year ago “Mighty” Mark Melligen was coming along nicely he had got a spot on a card the night before his countryman Manny Pacquiao was due to fight Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas. His fight was against the more experienced Mexican Michel Rosales, with the aim of showing how far Melligen had come along. However the fight before Melligen was due on saw his good friend Z Gorres triumph against Luis Melendez in a fiercely competitive battle but ultimately lose consciousness before ultimatly having surgery on the left side of his brain. The experience stayed with Melligen who found it understandably difficult to regain his focus and lost a close split decision. Since that near fateful night Gorres has thankfully recovered well and is able to enjoy a near normal life away from Boxing while Melligen has gotten back to winning ways going 4-0(2) since the Rosales setback taking his overall record to 20-2(14). Next up for the humble Filipino is Gabriel Martinez 27-1-1(14) on the undercard of Montiel-Donaire on 19 February.

Hello Mark, welcome to 15rounds.com

Hi Mr. Wainwright!

Anson Wainwright – Your fighting was against Gabriel Martinez this weekend what do you know about him and what are your thoughts on that fight?

Mark Melligen – First of all I would like to thank 15 rounds.com, Mr. Anson Wainwright for taking time to do this interview. What I know about Martinez is that he is a powerful and aggressive fighter. I am just very busy now preparing myself to win this fight.

Anson Wainwright – Your last fight took place at The Waterfront Hotel in Cebu, what can you tell us about the card & the venue?

Mark Melligen – The fight card was very exciting. Thanks to our ALA Promotions President Mr. Michael Aldeguer local boxing fans were treated to a fight card headlined by international fighters from Mexico and Asia headed by two time world champion Luis Alberto Perez of Nicaragua. The venue is the classiest boxing venue in the country in terms of boxing and the Cebuano fans always push us to do good by being at our fights in support of all of us.

Anson Wainwright – You fought four times in 2010, how do you assess your development?

Mark Melligen – I think I have done pretty well. I just try to do my thing in training everyday and of course in the ring.

Anson Wainwright – Th e Roslales fight was on the same card as when your friend Z Gorres won but ended up fighting for his life. Though it’s hard what are your memories of that night & how it effected you?

Mark Melligen – It was very difficult for me to fight having witnessed what happened to Z after the fight. I could not seem to focus having Z and his condition in the back of my mind. But I lost and what I said before hand is not to justify the loss. Now Z is recovering pretty well and that is important to all of us. He truly is a warrior. Now, I will just do my best in training and in my fights to come up with the wins.

Anson Wainwright – How is Z getting on these days?

Mark Melligen – Z, thank God is doing great and his recovery is amazing. Weeks after he arrived he was raring to go start his rehab and could not wait. He also is talking about training young fighters when he is up and well. His drive and passion for the sport is amazing. I love the guy for that.

Anson Wainwright – If all goes well against Martinez what would is your plan for 2011?

Mark Melligen – After the Martinez fight where I will do all I can to win, I hope to further my campaign in the U.S. and hopefully have a busy year but it is really up to my promoters TOP RANK and ALA Promotions though.

Anson Wainwright – Your widely known as the second best Welterweight in The Philippines behind Manny Pacquiao. What influence has Manny had on your career?

Mark Melligen – Manny has probably influenced every single fighter in the Philippines…the world even. He likewise has opened the doors for Filipino boxers all over. He has helped Filipino fighters like me get the attention to make it abroad. Our thanks to you Manny.

Anson Wainwright – You were born in Bacolod City how tough were things for you early on? Did you have the hard upbringing many boxers do?

Mark Melligen – Looking back at my childhood really amuses me because I never really liked boxing when I was young. My mother held my father from becoming a boxer and he gave in but he said if they had a boy for a child then he would be a fighter. So, my path was cleared. He pushed me hard to practice but I never really liked it. Sometimes when it’s almost time to train I would run to the sugarcane fields to hide. But most of the time he always have convinced me to train and later on have me fight in barrio fiestas and city and province meets. I then realized that it came naturally to me. I won fights and it felt good winning. I then said to myself that it would be a waste not to pursue this.

Anson Wainwright – How did you first become interested in Boxing?

Mark Melligen – I never really was interested at first until I started to love the feeling of winning matches and being paid in the process. A big factor really with my interest to the sport is my father.

Anson Wainwright – When your not Boxing or training what do you like to do with your time? What are your hobbies or Interests?

Mark Melligen – When I am not training I usually just relax and hang out with the people close to me. Movies and what not.

Anson Wainwright – Seven of your Twenty one fights so far have been in America, for you how do you find it in America compared to The Philippines?

Mark Melligen – In the United States we obviously earn more but what is important is the number and quality of training and sparring partners. I am fighting in a division where a handful of Filipinos campaign at. It really helps a lot training in the U.S..

Anson Wainwright – How far do you think you are from challenging for a World title? Who are you targeting?

Mark Melligen – I feel I am still young and it really is up to TOP RANK and ALA Promotions what direction my career is headed. I will just train hard and fight hard to win matches and if an opportunity comes I will embrace it and do my best to win. But a chance at redemption from my last loss is certainly on top of my wish list.

Thanks for your time Mark.

Thank you Mr. Wainwright for your time and this interview. Hello to all followers of 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright

15rounds.com

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank