Marco Antonio Barrera feels Manny Pacquiao needs revenge against Tim Bradley

By: Chris Robinson

If ever there was a fight that could be looked at as a breakthrough performance for Manny Pacquiao, it would be his 11th round thrashing of Marco Antonio Barrera in November of 2003 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Pacquiao was a heavy underdog heading into the match, as he was moving up in weight to face Barrera, who had rejuvenated his career at the time with a pair of battles against Tijuana’s Erik Morales that thrust him back into boxing’s spotlight.

But Pacquiao wasn’t to be denied, as he dropped Barrera in the third round and overwhelmed him for the remainder of the fight with his speed and power. Seeing Barrera helpless along the ropes in the eleventh, referee Laurence Cole would call a halt to the action, rewarding Pacquiao with what was then his biggest victory as a professional.

Barrera and Pacquiao with link up again nearly four years later, with Manny winning an uneventful twelve-round decision, and Marco has always stayed classy whenever I have mentioned the Filipino icon’s name around him.

I crossed paths with Barrera this past weekend at the Nonito Donaire-Jeffrey Mathebula weigh-in inside of the Marriott in Manhattan Beach, California. With Pacquiao coming off of a controversial split-decision loss to Timothy Bradley last month at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, I felt the need to get Barrera’s take on the action.

“Yes, I saw it,” Barrera would state. “Manny Pacquiao won the fight, I think so. [Tim Bradley] won only two or three rounds.”

At the moment, Pacquiao is slated for a November return but it remains to be seen exactly who he will be facing next. Signs were initially pointing towards a fourth duel with Mexico City’s Juan Manuel Marquez but Barrera insists that Pacquiao must first get revenge against Bradley before looking at other options.

“The rematch [with Bradley]; the fight for Manny Pacquiao is the rematch,” said Barrera.

Pacquiao’s third fight with Marquez this past November was wildly-competitive, just as was the case in their first two encounters, and Manny escaped with a majority-decision that many felt he was fortunate to get. Marquez surely had his moments early but Barrera wasn’t too impressed.

“No, no. I think Pacquiao won the fight,” Barrera added. “[Marquez] didn’t throw many punches. He did what was necessary to win the fight.”

The last question for Barrera was if he still had any hope for a fight between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., who is presently spending time locked up in a Las Vegas jail cell, serving a 90-day sentence stemming from a September 2010 domestic violence case.

A Pacquiao-Mayweather match had been a hot topic in the sport dating back to late 2009, but it seems that the public has lost a little bit of interest in the match, as both sides have failed to come to terms on the showdown. Still, Barrera won’t quite give up on such a matchup.

“It’s interesting. It’s a fight I want to see,” stated Barrera.

It's Pacquiao in 6

Written by : MANNY PIÑOL

There is a spectacular optimism and overflowing air of confidence in the statements of American Timothy Bradley, Jr. as his June 9 engagement with Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao nears.

In fact, if you were new to the sport and you did not have the opportunity to really look deep into both fighters’ track records and psyche, Bradley’s brags about giving Pacquiao a “return bout” after beating him could be a scary warning.

Bradley is every boxing promoter’s dream: Young and undefeated with 28 wins, 12 KOs and one No Contest (against Nate Campbell when the fight was stopped in the 3rd because of a cut) and most of all, talkative.

Of course, boxing promoter Robert Arum would like all of us to believe that Bradley really has what it takes to upset the PacMan.

But behind the big talk, the immaculate fight record and Bob Arum’s endless drumbeat that Pacquiao should be wary of Bradley, what would an analytical reality check give us?

Indeed, Bradley’s record is impressive and he has defeated some of the big names in the junior welterweight division: Devon Alexander, Kendall Holt and Lamont Peterson, among others, all champions or former champions.

But does he have what it takes to make good his threat to end Pacquiao’s winning streak?

At 5' 6", Bradley does not have the height and reach advantage that both Oscar De La Hoya and Antonio Margarito had when they were pummelled and punished by the small Pacquiao who also stands 5' 6".

Having campaigned mainly in the junior welterweight division, Bradley is not as big and heavy a puncher as Miguel Cotto, Margarito and Dela Hoya, who fought as middleweights.

And most of all, Bradley’s fighting style, especially his defense, has not reached a level of sophistication as Pacquiao’s given the limited quality of opposition he faced in his rise to the top of the junior welterweight division.

In his last fight, against Cuban Joel Casamayor which I personally witnessed, Bradley showed fatal flaws in his defense, especially when he initiates the action which he loves to do.

Against Casamayor, who at the time of their fight in Las Vegas was more dangerous with his scathing statements than his fists, Bradley had a hard time connecting cleanly and left himself open in many instances when he was attacking.

Bradley loves to wade in and throw punches from wide angles and this fighting style is tailor-made for Manny Pacquiao.

I am certain that Pacquiao could take the power of Bradley’s punches but I have big doubts on whether the American challenger could withstand the bombs of the Filipino boxing icon which are dropped by both hands.

Bradley has not fought anybody as powerful or as awkward as Pacquiao. He has not been rained with unorthodox punches coming from the most unlikely angles like the hilarious double-fist whammy that the Filipino tagged Joshua Clottey with in Texas.

Timothy Bradley can talk and talk. He can dream of a stellar boxing career after a victory over Manny Pacquiao.

Boxing is beyond pre-fight talks and dreams publicly declared.

Timothy Bradley, Jr. is not the same league as Manny Pacquiao.

Before the end of the 6th Round, I expect Bradley to be slumbering in dreamland.

Source: The Manila Times.net

Roach and the “Pac-Man” Return to the Wild Card

(Photo © Chris Farina / Top Rank)

By Steve Kim

It’s been some time since trainer Freddie Roach was actually inside his Wild Card Boxing Club. For weeks or months at a time, he can be away from his renowned gym while traveling to various locales in his role as a color commentator and trainer, most recently conducting the first half of Manny Pacquiao’s training camp in the Philippines. But he touched down in Southern California on Saturday night as he and the “Pac-Man” resume their training to face Tim Bradley on June 9th in Las Vegas.

Monday was the first day he worked with his fighters at the Wild Card since late March.

“It’s been awhile,” admitted Roach, who put Pacquiao through the paces on Monday. “Been in the Philippines with Manny and Amir [Khan] and we had a good training camp over there and it’s good to be home, though.”

The last time we saw Pacquiao, he was on the fortunate end of a controversial decision against arch-nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez back in November. After telling anyone who would listen that they would finally get rid of the Mexican counterpuncher, it’s not clear if Roach and his charge were more disappointed or embarrassed by the outcome.

“A little of both, to be honest with you, because we had a great training camp and then everything fell apart in the last week. Some of these distractions got in the way and nearly split he and his wife up. She wanted to file for divorce and stuff like that because the distractions were just too much,” explained Roach of the turbulent moments leading into that fight. “It was the first bad night we had in 10 years, so it was just bad timing and Marquez had a lot to do with that too because it’s a tough time every time we fight. The thing is, we had a good training camp; we all predicted knockouts and so forth and it was a little embarrassing, yeah.”

The camp might have been too much of a good thing as they may have peaked too soon, according to Roach, who made some adjustments this time around. “We didn’t start sparring till six weeks out. Last time, we started a little bit early because [Pacquiao] wanted to help Jorge Linares get ready for his fight. But the thing is, he had a lot of distractions in his life going on and it finally caught up with him.”

Yeah, Pacquiao was a rolling stone.

“So he got rid of all his distractions,” said Roach, who went through the whole laundry list of vices. “He gave his cockfighting farm away; he gave his nightclub away. He doesn’t gamble anymore; he doesn’t play basketball anymore. He doesn’t play darts anymore. He’s just cut everything bad out of his life and he went to the Bible. He’s going to Bible study now and he goes three times a day.”

Asked if he can see the newfound commitment to the Lord and domestic life translate in the gym, Roach answered affirmatively, “100 percent.” He admits that in the wake of what he witnessed leading into the Marquez fight and how Pacquiao performed that night, he had some concerns about how much his fighter had left in the tank. He says those worries no longer exist after their most recent time in Baguio.

So how does Pacquiao get up for Bradley, a fighter who’s relatively unknown and with whom he has no personal history with?

Roach says the motivation is very simple: “People are telling [Pacquiao] that he’s shot and all that because of his last performance and he wants to show the world that he’s not and that’s our motivation. He knows he needs to shine in this fight and Mike Koncz, everyone in camp, people want to see Manny Pacquiao knock people out and not win decisions. Manny understands that.”

So what does Bradley bring to the table?

“A lot of heart,” said Roach of the young man from near Palm Springs, who established himself as the best junior welterweight in the world and has never tasted defeat as a professional. “I think his dad’s really hard on him; I think he’s been brought up rough. I think his dad pushes him. The kid won’t quit.”

The knock on Pacquiao was that recently, he had not been fighting either A) African-American fighters or B) opponents in their physical primes. The “Desert Storm” is both and perhaps the best athlete Pacquiao has ever faced. “I’m not sure how athletic he is. He’s a workaholic; I know that, like Mayweather is in the gym and like Manny. He says he’s the best conditioned athlete in the world and that he’ll be there standing at the end. My bet is that Manny Pacquiao is the hardest worker in the world and he’ll be standing in the end.”



Source:  matchboxing.com

ROACH SAYS ACTIVITY AND SOUTHPAWS A BAD COMBINATION FOR MAYWEATHER

May 8th, 2012 | by Scott Smith

The Pacquiao camp are gearing up for their upcoming bout on June 9 against Timothy Bradley, and took time out of their schedule to express their thoughts on the Mayweather vs Cotto fight, with Freddie Roach having some very interesting things to say.

Manny Pacquiao remaining very diplomatic on the subject:

· “I saw the Mayweather-Cotto fight. It was a good fight and everyone [fans] was happy.”

Regarding Mayweather’s rumoured plans to retire Pacquiao seemed uninterested and indicated his current position:

“I have no opinion on Mayweather’s plans to retire. That’s his decision. A very personal decision, I’m glad to be back at Freddie’s gym. I have no plans to retire. I still love what I’m doing”
Freddie Roach was a little bit more outspoken on the subject, which is usually the case, with a little jibe at Mayweather:

· We are on a steady pace to get Manny to where he will peak on June 9. We built a good base to build on in our training in the Philippines. Now it’s time for the hard work and the strategy,We had a good session today. Manny went a strong 10 rounds with me today on the mitts. He’ll sleep good tonight. I did not see the Mayweather-Cotto fight but I do know that Floyd’s slippery defense is now better outside the ring than inside the ring. But that is the path he has chosen”

And with that being said Freddie is so confident it seems a little arrogance is creeping into his thoughts regarding the possibility of getting Mayweather in the ring:

“Would Manny beat Floyd? You bet. The way to beat Floyd is to outwork him every minute of every round. Manny is the only fighter capable of executing that game plan. Activity kills Mayweather.You need to stay busy against him and not let him dictate the pace by slowing down the fight. Southpaws are his other weakness. Manny is just a bad combination for Floyd to fight. If it would bring Floyd into the ring, I’d agree to have Manny fight him right handed”

That is a bold statement considering Pacquiao with both hands got outboxed, and given severe problems by a poor man’s version of Mayweather in the older, slower Juan Manuel Marquez.  It is no coincidence that Roach would make these bold remarks after seeing Mayweather get tagged a few times, opening the door for the Pacquiao camp to chase the fight even harder with the belief that Pacquiao has a chance.  Was it a plan all along to wait until Mayweather gets older and is not as elusive, my guess is yes, but a man of Freddie Roach’s experience, should realise that Mayweather fought Cotto’s game and his approach against Pacquiao would be totally different.

I really think Roach should check the stats before he makes such ludicrous comments regarding Mayweather’s defence.  Yes landed 105 punches in the fight, but considering a drained Cotto landed 172 against Pacquiao in shorter time, Marquez landing 138 and Margarito landing 229 and most shocking of all Joshua Clottey landed 108 punches and he was in survival mode from the moment he left the dressing room.  It may be better for Roach to concentrate on improving his fighter’s defence before criticising the best defensive fighter in the sport,

The Pacquiao vs. Bradley welterweight championship collision will take place Saturday, June 9, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas, Nev., and will be produced and distributed Live by HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Tecate, AT&T and MGM Grand, remaining tickets to Pacquiao vs. Bradley are priced at $1,200, $900, $600, $400, and $200. Ticket sales at $1,200, $900, $600 and $400 are limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $200 are limited to two (2) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000 . Tickets also will be available for purchase atwww.mgmgrand.comorwww.ticketmaster.com.

Source: fighthype.com

IT’S OPENING DAY!

PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 08 May 2012

Eight-Division World Champion Congressman
Manny Pacquiao Is Back Training at Wild
Card in Hollywood

HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (May 7, 2012) – Boxing’s Commander-In Chief, Congressman MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO, began his U.S. training camp today at Hall of Fame-elect trainer World-Famous FREDDIE ROACH’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, Calif. Pacquiao is in his final five weeks of intense workouts as he prepares for his world title defense against undefeated junior welterweight champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY.

Pacquiao began the day with a 6:45 a.m. run from Griffith Part up the Hollywood Hills to the landmark Hollywood sign. He shaved a minute off his personal best time, running the 3.5 mile course in 22 minutes.

Later that afternoon, Pacman worked out for three hours with Roach at Wild Card, going 10 brisk rounds on the mitts followed by two hours of conditioning and hitting the bags.

Manny Pacquiao

· I saw the Mayweather-Cotto fight. It was a good fight and everyone [fans] was happy.

· I have no opinion on Mayweather’s plans to retire. That’s his decision. A very personal decision

· I’m glad to be back at Freddie’s gym. I have no plans to retire. I still love what I’m doing

· Freddie and I had a good camp in the Philippines and we are ready to work very hard in preparation for Timothy Bradley. Bradley is strong, undefeated and young. I have a great deal of respect for his talents and his accomplishments."

Freddie Roach

· We are on a steady pace to get Manny to where he will peak on June 9. We built a good base to build on in our training in the Philippines. Now it’s time for the hard work and the strategy.

· We had a good session today. Manny went a strong 10 rounds with me today on the mitts. He’ll sleep good tonight.

· I did not see the Mayweather-Cotto fight but I do know that Floyd’s slippery defense is now better outside the ring than inside the ring. But that is the path he has chosen.

· Would Manny beat Floyd? You bet. The way to beat Floyd is to outwork him every minute of every round. Manny is the only fighter capable of executing that game plan. Activity kills Mayweather. You need to stay busy against him and not let him dictate the pace by slowing down the fight. Southpaws are his other weakness. Manny is just a bad combination for Floyd to fight. If it would bring Floyd into the ring, I’d agree to have Manny fight him right handed.

Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KOs), boxing’s only eight-division world champion and the lone congressional representative from the Sarangani province in the Philippines, will be defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight championship crown against undefeated WBO junior welterweight champion Bradley (28-0, 12 KOs), of Palm Springs, Calif.

The Pacquiao vs. Bradley welterweight championship collision will take place Saturday, June 9, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas, Nev., and will be produced and distributed Live by HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Tecate, AT&T and MGM Grand, remaining tickets to Pacquiao vs. Bradley are priced at $1,200, $900, $600, $400, and $200. Ticket sales at $1,200, $900, $600 and $400 are limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $200 are limited to two (2) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

For Pacquiao-Bradley fight week updates, log on to www.toprank.com and www.hbo.com

Pacquiao Says He's 50-60 Percent Ready

Pacquiao spars in Baguio

By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 04 May 2012

BAGUIO CITY—Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao concluded his two-week Baguio City training camp and pronounced himself 50 to 60 percent ready.

Pacquiao defends his World Boxing Organization welterweight title against undefeated light welterweight world champion Timothy Bradley at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on June 9.

The Filipino champ went a total of six rounds Thursday against Russian sparring partners Ruslan Provodnikov (21-1, 14 KOs) and Rustan Nugayev (22-6-1, 12KOs), ending four days and a total of 20 rounds of sparring.

The Fighter of the Decade looked impressive against Provodnikov in the first round, nailing him with solid combinations and stinging uppercuts before he eased up in the next three rounds.

Asked by the Manila Standard about trainer Freddie Roach’s concern that the fire in him is missing and his increasingly compassionate attitude toward his opponents was showing, Pacquiao responded by saying “The fire will return at the right time.”

Roach said that the real hard work will begin at his Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles on Monday.

He further agreed with Pacquiao’s claim that he was only about 50-60 percent ready, but pointed out that it was only their fourth day of sparring. Roach also noted that Pacquiao “is looking good in spots here and there. We need to get a little more fire.”

The celebrated trainer believes that when Pacquiao resumes sparring in Los Angeles, where he has two more sparring partners waiting for him, things will change.

“The sparring partners are both tough, mean kids. They are not going to touch gloves with him and they are going to force Manny to fight,” said Roach, who set aside concerns about the fire within. “He always performs for me and I’m sure the fire will come and he’ll be okay. But if it’s a little bit more, I’ll be happy. Bradley will force him to fight. If he (Bradley) hurts him, maybe he’ll open up.”

Pacquiao will motor down to Manila in a convoy later today and will resume training at the MP Towers Gym Friday and Saturday before departing for Los Angeles.