Walang Hanggan - January 27, 2012

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Justin Edwards vs. Mike Stumpf added to UFC 143 in Las Vegas

source: mmajunkie.com

A welterweight fight between Justin Edwards (7-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) and Mike Stumpf (11-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has been added to February's UFC 143 lineup.

UFC officials today announced that verbal agreements are in place for the bout.

UFC 143, which is headlined by an interim welterweight title fight between Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit, takes place on the eve of the NFL's Super Bowl, Feb. 4, at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

The night's main card airs on pay-per-view. However, Edwards vs. Stumpf is expected to be part of the preliminary card, which is expected to air on FX.

Edwards, a cast member on "The Ultimate Fighter 13," suffered a split-decision defeat to Clay Harvison on the undercard of the show's live finale. He got a second UFC fight despite the loss, and he then earned a decision victory over Jorge Lopez. However, this past month at UFC 138, he took a late-notice fight with John Maguire and suffered a decision defeat.

The Ohio-based Edwards likely is fighting for his UFC job when he meets Stumpf, who also needs a win. The Team Curran fighter made his promotional debut in September at UFC Fight Night 25 but suffered a submission loss to T.J. Waldburger. Prior to the bout, the EliteXC vet and longtime XFO fighter was on a 5-1 run.

The latest UFC 143 card includes:

• Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz (for interim welterweight title)
• Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce
• Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum
• Renan Barao vs. Scott Jorgensen
• Ricardo Lamas vs. Dustin Poirier
• Alex Caceres vs. Edwin Figueroa
• Jorge Lopez vs. Amir Sadollah
• Rafael Natal vs Michael Kuiper
• Justin Edwards vs. Mike Stumpf

UFC 143: Fabricio Werdum aims to finish Roy Nelson on Feb. 4

source: Adam Guillen Jr. | mmamania.com

After reeling off a 3-1 record with Strikeforce after his departure from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) roster in 2008, Fabricio Werdum now finds himself back with the world's largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion.

Scheduled to make his return at UFC 143 on Feb. 4, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada, "Vai Cavalo" will have no easy task as he takes on the not-so pudgy pugilist Roy Nelson, who is coming off an impressive victory over one of Werdum's former training partners, Mirko Filipovic.

After going an even 2-2 in his first go around with the UFC, Werdum hopes to prove he belongs in the big leagues by taking out one of the most accomplished heavyweight grapplers and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt (BJJ) "Big Country." And even though Nelson is only 1-2 in his last three outings, Werdum knows that a well-placed punch from Nelson can end a fight in an instant.

As Werdum tells Tatame.com, he plans to capitalize on any openings Nelson gives him to avoid a missed opportunity like fellow Brazilian Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira did against Frank Mir at UFC 140.

Check it out:

"There's no easy fight anymore. Everybody knows a little bit of everything: Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling, Boxing, and Muay Thai. It's a different time we're living in. Nelson knocked Cro Cop out, he has a very strong right hand, sharp Boxing, but I'll impose my rhythm and play by my game plan until I tire him out. Knocking out or submitting, I want to make it a good show. I analyzed Nelson when I signed with UFC; I watched his fights and observed his stand-up. He's a heavy guy, so I'm excited about fighting guys like him and I'm training with guys like him on top of me so I get used to it. I'll impose my rhythm. It's hard to knock him out, but anything can happen. If I find a loop, I'll try to finish him. I was watching Rodrigo Nogueira VS. Frank Mir and I've learned that, when the opportunity presents itself, you gotta knockout or submit. The important thing is to have your arm raised at the end of the fight."

A win for Werdum won't necessarily get him closer to a title shot in the suddenly crowded UFC heavyweight division. It will, however, show the MMA world that he indeed belongs amongst the elite heavyweights.

Nelson, on the other hand, hopes to make it two in a row after avoiding the Zuffa axe when he ended his two fight skid against "Cro Cop" at UFC 137.

What's your take, Maniacs -- can Werdum make a successful re-debut with the UFC? Or will the heavy handed Nelson spoil his welcome back party?

Georges St. Pierre earns 'Most Overhyped Athletes of 2011' (dis)honor for inability to finish fights

source: Thomas Myers | mmamania.com

Decisions, decisions.

It's been nearly three years since a fight that involved Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre ended early.

"Rush" -- who company president Dana White hails as the promotion's top box office draw -- has competed four times since making B.J. Penn quit on his stool back at UFC 94 in Jan. 2009. And each of those fights -- Thiago Alves, Dan Hardy, Josh Koscheck and Jake Shields -- has ended in his favor via unanimous decision.

Besides breaking Koscheck's eye orbital and threatening "The Outlaw" with several solid submission attempts, St. Pierre has turned in solid, albeit predictable, performances. It's been described as a "safe" strategy, which, according to Perry Lefko at Canada's SportsNet.ca, leaves much to be desired from one of the supposed top athletes in sports today.

So much so, in fact, that St. Pierre has made the not-so-hot "Most Overhyped Athletes of 2011" short list alongside Kris Humphries, Tiger Woods, Danica Patrick, Lebron James, Tim Tebow, Alexander Ovechkin, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Yu Darvish and Andrew Luck.

Lefko makes his case for the overhyped St. Pierre after the jump:

Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White said in December 2011 that St-Pierre is still the most popular athlete in Canada in terms of his international recognition -- we're not so sure about that -- but the welterweight champion is sidelined indefinitely with damaged knee ligaments. And even before his injury, St-Pierre was taking verbal shots from the public, the media and fighters for his inability to put away opponents. He grabbed the international spotlight in April for headlining the first UFC card in Toronto, producing GSP mania. A record UFC crowd of more than 55,000 packed the Rogers Centre to finally see the conquering Canadian hero and he went the full five rounds with Jake Shields in what was more of a clinic on how not to lose a fight than actually win it. Yes, GSP had problems seeing out of one eye because of a shot in the fight, but we've seen fighters with far bigger issues turn it up a notch. It was boring at best and continued a pattern of St-Pierre going the full distance without delivering the knockout blow or submission. Heck, the fight before it on the card was way more entertaining than the main event.

St. Pierre only competed once in 2011, defending his 170-pound strap against the aforementioned Shields in the UFC 129 main event before a raucous Canadian crowd in Toronto back in April. He was supposed to fight Nick Diaz -- and then replacement Carlos Condit -- at UFC 137 on Oct. 29, 2011.

However, St. Pierre tweaked his knee in training and his return to the Octagon was penciled in for UFC 143 on SuperBowl weekend (Feb. 4) in 2012. He was then recently forced off that card, too, after blowing out the ACL in his knee, which required surgery to repair.

St. Pierre will now be on the sidelines for at least 10 months, while Diaz and Condit compete for the interim welterweight title in his absence. He'll fight the winner -- or whoever is champion at the time -- upon his return.

Any early predictions on how that fight will end?

Tyron Woodley Earns Title Shot with Next Win

source: Damon Martin | mmaweekly.com

The new landscape of Strikeforce kicks off on Jan. 7 with the Rockhold vs. Jardine fight card from Las Vegas, and part of the mission for the promotion in 2012 will be to find champions in two weight classes where there currently are none.

Nick Diaz left Strikeforce earlier in 2011 to pursue his dreams in the UFC, while Dan Henderson bolted for a return to the Octagon as well.

That leaves Strikeforce searching for both a welterweight and light heavyweight champion, but the promotion hopes to fill those voids during the first part of 2012.

The welterweight division will find at least one piece of the championship puzzle if Tyron Woodley can defeat Jordan Mein on Jan. 7.

According to Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, Woodley is a lock to occupy at least one slot in a welterweight title fight if he wins his next bout.

“Yeah, I think you have to look at it that way. Tyron Woodley, he’s a product of our Challengers show, if you remember when we first discovered Tyron, and he’s proven to be an amazing fighter. He’s beaten some of the top guys and his fight with Paul Daley, I think that kind of put the icing on the cake,” Coker said in an interview with MMAWeekly Radio.

“To me he definitely deserves a shot.”

Woodley accepted the fight with Mein in January knowing it wasn’t a title fight, but also with the idea that he would be getting a shot at the belt with a victory.

He says that’s the only fight that makes sense for him after the bout with Mein.

“It will be for the title. I’m not even thinking any other way,” Woodley told MMAWeekly Radio about his next fight after the bout with Jordan Mein. “To be quite honest, I probably wouldn’t even take a bout unless it’s for the title.”

With Woodley solidified in one slot, assuming he wins, Strikeforce still needs to find the other viable contender.

Coker couldn’t lock anybody down yet, but says that they are working internally to make that decision soon. Already established fighters like Tarec Saffiedine and others are in the running, but a new signee could also make waves in the welterweight division.

The good part is no matter who is involved, a new Strikeforce welterweight champion will be crowned during the first half of 2012.

“I’m going to have to sit back and talk with Sean (Shelby) and find out what they have in store for new guys coming in. It might be one of the old guys, it might be a new guy,” said Coker.

“Sometime I think before summertime in 2012 you’ll see a welterweight title fight. T-Wood if he wins and another opponent.”

Two Welterweight Bouts Added to UFC 143

source: mmaweekly.com

Two more welterweight bouts have been added to UFC 143 taking place Super Bowl weekend in Las Vegas.

First up, Ohio fighter Matt Brown looks to bounce back from a recent loss as he faces former ‘Ultimate Fighter’ competitor Chris Cope.

The second bout added features another Ohio based fighter as Justin Edwards takes on Mike Stumpf in Las Vegas.

UFC officials announced both bouts on Friday.

Matt Brown was in the midst of a three fight losing streak before putting on a strong performance to defeat John Howard earlier this year. Before Brown could make it two in a row he ran into Seth Baczynski at UFC 139, where he lost by submission in the 2nd round.

Now he looks to bounce back where he faces fellow TUF alum Chris Cope, who suffered a tough loss in his last bout as well.

Cope was knocked out by British banger Che Mills in his last trip to the Octagon, so he’ll be looking to prove a point when he faces Brown in February.

Also added to the card, Justin Edwards will try to return to winning form after losing to John Maguire at UFC 138 in England. The Ohioan is now 1-2 in his three fights in the UFC, but his exciting style have made every fight close.

Mike Stumpf will also look to make the most of his 2nd UFC appearance when he faces Edwards in February. Stumpf stepped up on extremely short notice for his last fight in the UFC where he was submitted by T.J. Waldburger in the first round at UFC Fight Night 25 in September.

Now the Team Curran fighter will have plenty of time to train as he faces Edwards Feb 4 in Las Vegas.

Both fights will be on the UFC 143 undercard, expected to air on Fuel TV on Feb 4 from Las Vegas.

How About Manny Pacquiao Versus A “Rocky Balboa” Unknown For His Next Fight?

source: Scoop Malinowski | Boxing Insider

Manny Pacquiao has had to work very hard these last few years, because Bob Arum has been matching the Filipino Destroyer with a non-stop onslaught of future Hall of Famers like Juan Manuel Marquez, Miguel Cotto, Sugar Shane Mosley, as well as tough cookies like Antonio Margarito and Joshua Clottey. Some might call that an extremely overworked schedule for the #1 star of the sport by a promoter who might need to give his meal ticket a much deserved break.

Manny Pacquiao deserves an easier fight right about now. Just like Muhammad Ali had his fair share of soft touches, take a look at his record and you’ll see world title defenses against the likes of Jean Pierre Coopman, Rudi Lubbers, Alfredo Evangelista, Leon Spinks, and Chuck Wepner. Ali and Pacquiao are gargantuan attractions no matter who they fight.

Manny Pacquiao is 33 now and time is running out on his spectacular career. Evasive arch-nemesis Floyd Mayweather will serve his jail sentence for 90 days, which will take about until the end of March. Mayweather, who turns 35 in January, is no longer dependable and must be forced to fight Manny Pacquiao as his next fight in the summer or fall of 2012 because the powers that be cannot afford to let Mayweather get into more trouble with the law which could send him to jail for a longer punishment, in effect, canceling the biggest event in boxing history Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather.

So if the powers that be of boxing are able to successfully FORCE Mayweather to eat all of his excuses, obstacles cop-outs, cons and lies, and FORCE Mayweather to finally shut up and fight Manny Pacquiao in the biggest event in boxing history in 2012, Manny Pacquiao should be allowed to take a warm-up, softer type fight on the May 5th date in Las Vegas if he so chooses.

Since Pacquiao has been matched with so many hard fights over the last two years, how about picking a “Rocky Balboa” unknown boxer this time instead of the same old recycled names and styles we’ve seen so many times?

The WBO welterweight rankings show several boxers who would qualify as “Rocky Balboa” candidates. The first name that jumps out is the #7 contender Paulie Malignaggi who is not quite unknown but he is Italian American. Malignaggi might not deserve the honor to share a ring with Pacquiao though because he defamed the Filippino by implying that he used PED’s without a shred of any evidence.

Let’s continue to scan the WBO rankings…

At #12 is Jorge Paez Jr. The son of the former world champion and super-clown character “Maromero” Paez is from Mexico and 24 years old with a record of 30-4-1, including wins over Omar Chavez and Jose Luis Castillo. Paez Jr. might be a sellable name opponent for Pacquiao on the Mexican holiday of Cinco De Mayo, though he is certainly over-matched in skill and experience.

At #13 is Valeri Brazhnyk, a 32 year old from Ukraine with a record of 27-0 with 16 KO’s. Brazhnyk hasn’t fought in America and would be a mystery opponent. Also potentially dangerous about this Ukrainian is that he stands 5-9 and is a lefty.

At #6 is an interesting boxer from Namibia named Bethuel “Unstoppable” Ushana. Ushana is 29 years old with a record of 25-1-1 (8 KO’s) with his sole loss coming to someone named Denton Vassell.

Other top 15 WBO welters to consider are Ed Paredes and Shawn Porter of USA, Gumersindo Carrasco and Diego Chaves of Argentina, Frankie Gavin of Great Britain. Or perhaps Pacquaio could defend against a top 15 junior welterweight such as Chad Bennett or Steve Willis of Australia, Willy Blain of France, Rosbel Montoya of Mexico or Ruslan Provnodnikov of Russia or Karim Mayfield of USA.

Before hopefully seeing Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather in 2012, I think boxing fans would like to see Manny Pacquiao take on a complete unknown like a Chuck Wepner. You never know, something totally unexpected could happen. Wepner, known as “The Bayonne Bleeder” was such an inspiring character that he inspired an Academy Award-winning film made by Sylvester Stallone.

You never know how or what the Magic of Manny Pacquiao could inspire if he were to take part in a Rocky Balboa/Chuck Wepner type of a fight. And this fight could be held in any part of the world, maybe even Manila, or Africa, South America, Australia, Europe.

It could also be a “non-title” fight (when was the last time we had one of those?).

What do you think dear readers, would you be interested to see Manny Pacquiao vs. a Rocky Balboa type opponent instead of the same old merry-go-round retreads with the same old managers and promoters? Isn’t it time to give some lucky kid the chance of a lifetime?

Read more: http://www.boxinginsider.com/columns/how-about-manny-pacquiao-versus-a-rocky-balboa-unknown-for-his-next-fight/#ixzz1hSLFJLIU

WBC ALLOWS CHAVEZ JR TO FIGHT RUBIO BEFORE MARTINEZ MANDATORY

source: Ronnie Nathanielsz | PhilBoxing.com

World Boxing Council has allowed middleweight champion Julio Cesaar Chavez Jr (44-0-1, 31 KO’s) to have a voluntary defense against hard-hitting and dangerous Marco Antonio Rubio (53-5-1, 46 KO’s) before complying with his mandatory defense against Argentina’s Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez (48-2-2, 27 KO’s).

The WBC granted Chavez’ request set aside for the time being its unanimous decision during the recent WBC Convention in Las Vegas for Chavez to defend his title against the Diamond Champion Martinez.

The WBC noted that it allowed the two fighters to have voluntary defenses with the winners of both bouts fighting for the WBC title.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr reportedly called WBC president Don Jose Sulaiman to seek his approval for his voluntary defense next February 4 against Rubio at the Alamadome in San Antonio, Texas.

Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire moves up to battle former champion Wilfredo Vazquez Jr of Puerto Rico for the vacant super bantamweight title on the same card.

After talking to Chavez Jr, Sulaiman called Martinez who accepted that Chavez Jr. be allowed a voluntary defense because he will also have a fight on March 17 with both boxers agreeing to fight each other after their voluntary defenses.

The WBC said a final decision as to when Chavez Jr fights Martinez was left up to the two parties.

The 31 year old Rubio is coming off a 5th round TKO of Matt Vanda last December 16 in a fight that capped the WBC Convention at the Mandalay Bay South Pacific Ballroom in LasVegas and one which gave Rubio a chance for the title shot against Chavez Jr.

Rubio beat up Vanda, nicknamed the “Predator” with powerful combinations before referee Kenny Bayless called off the one-side beating.

Peterson would take the opportunity to face Pacquiao if it's there

source: Lem Satterfield | RingTV.com

Newly-crowned IBF/WBA junior welterweight titlewinner Lamont Peterson would rise into the welterweight division for a fight with Manny Pacquiao, and then drop back down to defend his belts in a rematch with Amir Khan "if the opportunity is there," Peterson's trainer, Barry Hunter, told RingTV.com on Friday.

Pacquiao has thus far failed in attempts to make a bout with WBC welterweight titleholder Floyd Mayweather Jr., who is now facing a 90-day jail sentence that is slated to begin on Jan. 6. Peterson is considering a return bout with Khan, whom he dethroned by split-decison on Dec. 10.

But Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, told RingTV.com on Thursday that he considered Peterson (30-1-1, 15 knockouts) to be "a great" opponent for Pacquiao.

"You know, there are fights out there," said Roach, who trains both Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KOs) and Khan (26-2, 18 KOs). "I think that Lamont Peterson is a great opponent for Manny Pacquiao if the Mayweather fight doesn't happen. That is, if Lamont really doesn't want to take the fight with Amir Khan."

Peterson has been offered a career-high $1 million by Golden Boy Promotions for a rematch with Khan, who has cited poor officiating and scorecard descrepancies among the reasons he has appealed to the IBF and the WBA to overturn Peterson's victory or else to order an immediate rematch.

Peterson has also acknowledged considering a return bout with RING No. 8-rated pound-for-pound Tim Bradley (28-0, 12 KOs), who scored a unanimous decision over Peterson during his failed effort to win the WBO belt in December of 2009.

Pacquiao is coming off November's controversial majority decision over Juan Manuel Marquez, while Mayweather (42-0, 26 KOs) has targeted a May 5 return to the ring at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas against an opponent to be determined. Many have speculated that Pacquiao is his target.

Philippines news organization ABS-CBN correspondent reported that Pacquiao said that a fight with Mayweather "might not push because he is faced with cases" that could jeopardize Mayweather's target date of May 5.

"Now if that's in the Philippines newspapers, then I guess there's something to be said about that," said Hunter. "Plus, Freddie's worked with Lamont before, and I don't think that he would be saying something like that just to be blowing smoke. I've never known him to not call it like he sees it."

If Pacquiao can't get Mayweather, many believe that he will seek a fourth bout against Marquez or else, one opposite Bradley, the latter of whom shares Pacquiao's promoter, Top Rank.

If not Mayweather, however, Roach said that he likes a matchup featuring Pacquiao against Peterson. Peterson stands nearly four inches taller than Pacquiao at 5-foot-9, and entered the ring against the 5-10 Khan weighing 155 pounds.

"There's always an open book. We don't want to limit ourselves to just one thing. Bottom line is, he is here now, and we didn't get here to just be satisfied with where we are," said Hunter.

"If the opportunity is there, and it makes business sense, and if it's a situation that we feel we could go into and have a good chance of coming out on top, then we'll take a shot at it."

Pacquiao, Mayweather in Nov. 2012

source: Nick Giongco | The Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines — Bob Arum remains confident that the mouth-watering Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather super fight will still happen — not in May — but in November 2012.

The Hall of Fame promoter told the Bulletin yesterday that Mayweather “is out of the picture” after being sentenced to 90 days in jail for domestic abuse but Arum believes everything points to them sharing the ring in Las Vegas before 2012 comes to a close.

With Mayweather sidelined for the first half of 2012, Arum will propose to Pacquiao to do a fight in April or May against a foe they will discuss very soon as the Filipino fighter is due to spend the New Year in the US with his family.

“It’s all up to Manny,” said Arum, noting that there is a possibility that the ring icon might decide to wait for Mayweather to come out of prison.

“But I’d like him to fight in the spring,” said the 80-year-old Harvard-educated lawyer from his Los Angeles home, hinting that Pacquiao has to stay active because a Mayweather fight is certain.

Arum said that Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico, Tim Bradley of the US and Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico now make up the short list.

“I will make a presentation to Manny then he makes the decision,” added Arum.

Pacquiao struggled against Marquez in their rubber match last November and is aching to return to the ring to make up for what ringsiders said was an off-day.

Arum had assured Marquez that he would bat for a fourth fight to find a definitive answer to the Pacquiao-Marquez rivalry.

Now that Mayweather is spending three months in jail and won’t have enough time to train, Marquez and Bradley are being seen as the frontrunners.

Pacquiao helps victims of Sendong in C de Oro

source: Abac Cordero | The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao personally handed out relief goods to the victims of Tropical Storm Sendong in Cagayan de Oro yesterday afternoon.

Then he offered prayers to those who suffered and continue to suffer from last Saturday’s devastation that left more than a thousand dead.

Pacquiao also offered a prayer for Floyd Mayweather Jr. who was sentenced to 90 days in jail the other day for an assault and battery case in 2010.

“I am praying for Floyd,” said Pacquiao from Cagayan de Oro where he distributed relief goods along with cash, together with his wife Jinkee.

The Pacquiaos flew to Cagayan de Oro on a private plane owned by former Ilocos Sur Gov. Chavit Singson who also joined in the relief operation.

They stayed in Cagayan de Oro, which was hardest hit by the storm, just for a couple of hours before flying back to General Santos City, according to Pacquiao’s information officer, Rose Tamayo.

“I am praying for Floyd that he hurdles the challenges that he’s facing in his life right now. I wish I could share with him the words of God,” said Pacquiao.

The 33-year-old Filipino boxing icon is deep into his Bible studies the past couple of weeks, and according to those close to him, they’ve notice positive changes in Pacquiao.

The reigning WBO welterweight champion has vowed to stay away from extra-curricular activities outside of his duties as a congressman and his role as a boxer.

“He has made fresh vows and he’s keeping them,” said Tamayo.

Pacquiao said he hoped that Mayweather could learn what he’s learning right now through the Bible because he said, “I do believe the words of God can change a man.”

The Pacquiaos visited three evacuation centers in Cagayan de Oro and practically caught everyone by surprise.

“The evacuees were so happy to see Manny. Para silang nabuhayan ng loob. Some of them were almost in tears getting near Manny. They were so happy to see him,” said Tamayo.

The only problem was that there was not enough security to handle the crowd, more than a thousand in one of the evacuation centers, and the Pacquiaos were mobbed.

“There were policemen who helped but even the policemen seemed star-struck seeing Manny. You can see they were having pictures taken as they tried to shield Manny from the crowd,” added Tamayo.

Amir Khan can still beat Floyd Mayweather

source: BoxingNews

AMIR KHAN never saw it coming and neither did we. No one outside of Lamont Peterson's inner circle gave him a serious chance of actually beating Khan. The big question was how good of a fight he would provide. Turns out it was a pretty good one.

Khan's loss to Peterson was not exactly a train wreck for the now former champion. In some ways it can be a blessing in disguise. Most objective observers feel that Khan did not deserve to lose the fight. But the bottom line is that officially he did. And he has not stopped complaining since. Give it a rest Khan.

Part of Khan's appeal is that he is a breath of fresh air in a trash talking sport. And if he keeps complaining about the Peterson fight then he will have lost a lot more than his title. The young man from Bolton, England will start losing respect. And when I say Khan, that includes his promoter Golden Boy Promotions who have filed an appeal with the WBA and the IBF to have the decision overturned.

The fight was there for everyone to view. Khan does not need to put a spin on things to convince us that he was hard done.

The biggest myth concerning Khan's loss to Peterson was that referee Joe Cooper's biased refereeing cost him the fight. The Khan camp keeps complaining of the two points that Cooper took away from Amir for pushing. However, they neglect the fact that Khan was credited with a knockdown in the opening round even though replays clearly show that Peterson went down without being hit. So if you add the math up, two take away one equals one. Which is precisely the maximum amount of points that Khan lost because of poor refereeing.

Had judges George Hill and Valerie Dorsett given Khan at least seven of the twelve rounds, then he would have retained by unanimous decision. Instead they scored six rounds apiece enabling Peterson to come out ahead by a point (113-112) on both their cards. The other judge Nelson Vasquez saw Khan a clear winner at 115-110.

I gave Khan eight of the 12 rounds and had him up 114-111 at the conclusion. He definitely deserved the decision, but it was not a robbery. To the contrary, he allowed Peterson to do enough to be in a position to catch a break. He was the hometown fighter that December 10, 2011 evening in Washington D.C. but that is not the reason Peterson is the new champion. His effort was more inspiring than Khan's. Peterson fought with tremendous passion. Khan looked like he was auditioning for a Mayweather fight.

The ironic thing is that Khan in my view is still the man with the best chance to snap Mayweather's unbeaten run. I say this because his skill set is every bit as good as Floyd's. Some will scoff at that by saying Peterson is not nearly as good as Mayweather, yet he defeated Khan. Comparisons like this often don't hold to form. Style wise, Mayweather could not execute Peterson's fight plan of rushing at Khan and physically getting him out of his comfort zone. Mayweather does not have the power to rattle Khan the way Peterson did.

For Khan three good things came out of the loss. They are as follows: It will now be easier to get Mayweather into the ring. Khan stood up under tremendous punches showing his chin is not a liability. The fight was tremendously entertaining and everyone wants to see them do it again.

And they will do it again probably on May 19, 2012 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. GBP's has bragged that they made Peterson a seven-figure offer to do the rematch. They don't say how high of a seven figure purse it is. Please don't insult the public’s intelligence let alone Peterson's. Seven figures starts at one million dollars. Considering that Peterson got a reported half-million as the challenger, it would be absurd for him to accept that amount as champion. The market would call for him to get somewhere close to the two-million dollar range for an encore.

Khan will get his rematch one way or another. And we assume he will get it right this time not leaving any margin for error. But until that happens, Khan should keep a lid on what he has to say. Every time Amir speaks about the fight he looks bad, a heck of a lot worse than was the case earlier this month in Washington D.C.

Former Nevada star signs with Petron as Commissioner’s Cup import

source: InterAKTV

Petron Blaze is still in the thick of things in the ongoing Philippine Cup, but this early, the team is getting ready for the next conference.

The Boosters have signed former University of Nevada star Nick Fazekas to a contract to play in the Commissioner’s Cup, according to a report by the Reno Gazette-Journal. The PBA’s second conference allows teams to sign up reinforcements without height limits.

The 6-foot-11 Fazekas, who is scheduled to fly to the Philippines in January, is a sweet-shooting finesse big man who was an elite scorer in college, where he was named Western Athletic Conference player of the year three times. Since being drafted by Dallas in the second round in 2007, Fazekas has spent some time in the roster of the Mavericks and the Los Angeles Clippers. But he has battled foot injuries over the past couple of years, hindering his career.

Fazekas’ decision to sign with Petron Blaze, he told the Gazette-Journal, was swayed by better pay and the league’s lighter schedule.

“It’s a chance to play and make a little more money,” he said. “It’s less games, which is easier for me. It was just a no-brainer.”

Petron is set to face Talk ‘N Text in a best-of-seven series in the Philippine Cup final four.

TALK 'N TEXT, PETRON START GRUDGE SERIES ON JAN. 5

source: pba.ph

The Law of Averages favors the Petron Blaze Boosters. But in a long drawn-out series like the PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinals where fortunes rise and ebb with each passing game and surprises fade against precision planning and wartime strategy, percentages hardly matter.

The Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters, who preach the gospel of preparation and execution from the pulpit, are hoping that will be the rule, not the exception, in their Final Four showdown starting Jan. 5 at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Both times in the elimination round, the hobbled Texters took the measure of the Boosters, beating them on Oct. 28 with a decimated lineup, 96-86, and again on Dec. 6 when Japeth Aguilar came off the bench to complete an improbable 3-point play and hand his team a heart-stopping 80-78 victory.

The first time out, Jared Dillinger and Ryan Reyes each scored 21 points, Japeth Aguilar added 20 and 14 rebounds, and Ali Peek 12 points in a one-sided contest where TNT led by as many as 17 and found no need for Jimmy Alapag, Ranidel de Ocampo and Harvey Carey.

The second win went through a wringer and was forged with Alapag still sitting out the game and dervish Jayson Castro joining him later on the bench.

Trailing, 78-76, following a 3-point play by Petron's Alex Cabagnot with 12.8 seconds left, Talk ‘N Text stayed alive when Carey took control after a miss by teammate Shawn Weinstein and was fouled, hitting the front end of his free throws.

He muffed the second but Aguilar, inserted just in time for a heroic moment, grabbed the rebound, put it back, got fouled and hit the bonus free throw to snatch victory from the grip of defeat.

“We showed how big our heart is,” TNT coach Chot Reyes said after the game that gave them a twice-to-beat advantage and the No. 2 ranking (behind B-Meg) in the playoffs. “We were playing minus five mainstays. Then we lost Jimmy Alapag and Jayson Castro. But in the end, it was all about guts.”

It was that heart and their guts which bailed them out against No. 7 Barako Bull in the quarterfinals – not to mention Jayson Castro.

Falling behind, 46-30, early in the second half, Talk ‘N Text came charging back to level at 79-all before Castro capped his 14-point fourth quarter and 32-point overall performance by beating Energy’s Dylan Ababou to the basket with 5.3 seconds left for the winning shot.

"It was important for us to win this because we needed the long rest," said Reyes. "It was the
driving motivation for us, to get that long rest. Fortunately, we got it.”

That rest should serve TNT in good stead against the team that denied them the Grand Slam in the third conference last season.

Petron needed two tough games to put away the Meralco Bolts in their best-of-3 mini-series, taking the opener, 91-84, on Dec. 16 before clinching a Final Four berth, 80-64, on Dec. 21.

And now the stage is set for the finals before the finals, with revenge a motivating factor and the desire for dominion over the other their driving force.

TNT beat Petron (then still known as San Miguel Beer) in six games in the 2010 Philippine Cup, but the Boosters returned the favor in harsher fashion, torpedoing in the Governors Cup the Texters’ bid to join three other ballclubs – Crispa (1976, ’83), Alaska (’86) and San Miguel (’89) – in the elite circle of Grand Slam champions.

With a 2-0 advantage in their head-to-head this year, the Texters can climb back to contention for a Triple Crown finish by stepping over the ruins of the Boosters' campaign in their titanic seven-game clash. But that could be easier said than done.

Ato Agustin, the Petron coach, yields this much to the Texters.

“Tingin ko dehado kami sa series na ‘to; dalawang talo kami sa eliminations e,” he said. “Kailangan ng double effort from our big men, at extra hard work din sa transition defense dahil takbo ng takbo ang kalaban e. Pero paghahandaan namin don.”

That vow is cause for some sleepless nights in the TNT camp, knowing that history at times repeats itself.

Game One is on Jan. 5, and that should provide a glimpse of what to expect the rest of the way – a Talk ‘N Text team out to settle a score or a Petron squad eager to again rub it in.

How much success Petron will have in it’s defensive strategy to slow down the Texters' running game should determine the direction the series will go -- which could be another seven-game epic.

Lamont Peterson suggests Tim Bradley would give Pacquiao ‘a hell of a challenge’

source: Chris Robinson | Examiner.com

Recently-crowned WBA/IBF junior welterweight champion Lamont Peterson recently shared with me his thoughts on his incredible upset over Amir Khan earlier this month and what the future may hold for him.

Peterson was pleased that the IBF didn’t order an immediate rematch between him and Khan and instead he is going to sit back, enjoy the holidays, and reevaluate everything in the New Year. If a fight with Khan doesn’t come across, there is no shortage of viable challenges lurking between 140 and 147 pounds for him.

A fight with WBO junior welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley is an intriguing option for Peterson, as the Palm Springs, Calif.-fighter was the first and only man to hand Peterson a loss in the professional ranks.

On December 12th, 2009, Bradley seemed to overwhelm Peterson early during their bout in Rancho Mirage, California as he scored a third-round knockdown to set the tone of the fight. And while Peterson would dig down to make a fight out of things, Bradley was simply sharper on this night and seized the initiative as he pulled out a clear unanimous decision.

Earlier this week I spoke with Peterson’s trainer Barry Hunter, who revealed that his fighter had a serious weight issue heading into the Bradley fight. Hunter pointed out that Peterson had gained nearly fifteen extra pounds of muscle and that the process of cutting the weight had taken a toll on Lamont by the time the fight rolled around.

Giving his take on the whole experience, Peterson concedes that he wasn’t the same fighter while in camp.

“Actually it wasn’t a great training camp,” said Peterson. “I didn’t look good at all. My sparring partners were beating on me. I couldn’t really do anything. It started off good but by the end of training camp I just burned out. Like I said, it was a struggle to do anything. Just hitting the bag was a struggle. I didn’t want to pull out of the fight, so I went in there and I still thought I could win but it didn’t happen.”

To their credit, there were no sour grapes from Peterson or Hunter, and they both gave Bradley credit for his victory. And while a rematch with his conqueror is something Peterson can’t overlook, he is still basking in the aftermath of the Khan triumph and can't really focus on his next fight.

It’s worth noting that Bradley signed with Top Rank in late September and certainly could be in the running for a fight with WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao sometime near the summer.

Pacquiao had been hoping for a meeting with Floyd Mayweather Jr. but the undefeated superstar was recently sentenced to an impending 90-day jail sentence in relation to a domestic violence case from last year. Mayweather is set to hit lockup on January 6th and very well may not get out until early April, leaving his proposed May 5th return up in the air.

Asked if he could see Bradley giving Pacquiao a challenge, Peterson showed some belief.

“He definitely has the talent and everything,” said Peterson. “And the will to win. A lot of people don’t like the way he fights, but his style is effective and he’s undefeated and he’s difficult to fight. He would give anybody, at junior welterweight or welterweight, a hell of a challenge.”

Roach eyes Peterson for Pacquiao

source: abs-cbnnews.com

MANILA, Philippines – Newly crowned WBA and IBF junior welterweight champion Lamont Peterson is a good option for Manny Pacquiao if Floyd Mayweather Jr. is out of the picture, according to boxing coach Freddie Roach.

"I think that Lamont Peterson is a great opponent for Manny Pacquiao if the Mayweather fight doesn't happen, in my opinion,” said Roach in Ringtv.com.

Pacquiao is coming off a controversial victory over Juan Manuel Marquez last November and is looking forward to fighting Mayweather in early 2012.

However, Mayweather has been sentenced to spend 3 months in jail over domestic battery charges.

Peterson, on the other hand, won the WBA and IBF titles by beating Pacquiao’s former training partner, Amir Khan.

Khan has been pushing hard for a rematch, but Peterson isn’t inclined to give him one.

Roach said fighting Pacquiao would be an attractive option for Peterson “”if Lamont really doesn't want to take the fight with Amir Khan."

With Floyd out, Pacquiao shops for new challenger

source: abs-cbnnews.com

MANILA, Philippines – With Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s forthcoming imprisonment, Manny Pacquiao is left with no other choice but to look for other challengers for a possible fight in early 2012.

Pacquiao told ABS-CBN's correspondent Jay Dayupay it’s no longer possible for him to battle the undefeated American in early 2012 because he will be spending 3 months in prison.

“Malabo na, siyempre sentensyado na siya. At hindi lang 'yun, may mga kaso pa siya, 'yung kaso pa namin. (The fight might not push because he's already sentenced. Aside from that he is faced with cases, he still has a case with me),” said Pacquiao.

Mayweather was sentenced to 6 months in prison for a 2010 attack on the mother of his children, Josie Harris, although of his half of his jail term was suspended.

Pacquiao is thus reviewing his short list of potential opponents.

Other options include possible rematches against his Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez and Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto.

Pacquiao won a controversial majority decision in his trilogy bout against Marquez last November 12 in Las Vegas.

A fight against Timothy Bradley is also being considered.

Even after Mayweather's release, Pacquiao said the undefeated American may be confronted with new lawsuits.

“Makakalabas man siya (Mayweather), baka may panibagong kaso na naman (Even if he is released, he might have to face other cases),” he said.

Pacquiao defends yacht purchase, cancels US trip

source: abs-cbnnews.com

MANILA, Philippines – Boxing champion and Sarangani Congressman Manny Pacquiao defended himself from critics who lambasted him for buying a P25-million yacht.

He sought understanding from the public amid the ongoing relief drive for survivors of tropical storm Sendong in Mindanao and parts of the Visayas.

“Nagpadala naman tayo nang tulong sa Cagayan [de Oro] (We sent help to Cagayan de Oro),” he told ABS-CBN correspondent Jay Dayupay.

Pacquiao clarified that he bought the Italian yacht before Sendong struck southern Philippines last week.

The 8-division champion visited Cagayan de Oro on Friday to personally hand out relief goods to Sendong victims.

“Nagpunta tayo ng Cagayan de Oro para tumulong at magbigay sa kanila ng inspirasyon (We went to Cagayan de Oro to extend help and provide inspiration),” he said.

The boxing champion was hit by some netizens for allegedly being "insensitive" for buying expensive items at a time when thousands of people are suffering due to the damages caused by Sendong.

Pacquiao said he sees nothing wrong in buying a boat for his family.

The money used for the yacht came from his earnings as a boxer and businessman, he said.

“Pera ko naman ‘yon, hindi ko naman ninakaw ‘yon at pinagpawisan ko ‘yon, sana maintindihan nila (I used my own money, I did not steal and I worked for it. I hope they understand),” he said.

Pacquiao also decided to cancel his family’s planned Christmas vacation trip to the US.

He said they will spend Christmas in General Santos City instead.

Azkals, friends face Madrid XI for Sendong victims

source: abs-cbnnews.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Azkals and several local players will play against a Spanish league team for the benefit of Sendong survivors.

The Philippine side will face Internacional de Madrid, a third-tier Spanish league squad, in a friendly game on January 7 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

The event will be called "Dili Kamo Nag-iisa," according to one of the organizers, Craig Burrows.

Over 1,000 were killed and at least 1,000 others went missing when tropical storm Sendong ravaged the southern Philippines over the weekend.

PFF members hit by Sendong

Even the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) suffered casualties.

Juni Caaway, a referee from Iligan, was killed during the storm’s onslaught.

Norman Lozano, another referee, lost 4 children.

The match's local organizing committee said ticket details for the friendly will be released soon.

“Tickets will be made available for a minimum donation set low enough to encourage all levels of society to attend but high enough that the donation will be meaningful,” the committee said in a statement.

Former MVP Helterbrand defers retirement, to continue playing with Ginebra

source: Reynaldo Belen | InterAKTV

Jayjay Helterbrand is going to stay with Barangay Ginebra.

This was confirmed by the 2009 PBA Most Valuable Player in an exclusive interview with AKTV.

“Yes, I’m coming back. I can’t wait to get back next conference,” said Helterbrand, squelching speculations that he’s retiring to be with his daughters in the United States for good.

The veteran guard, who won four championships with Ginebra, signed a one-conference contract this season while contemplating retirement. After the Gin Kings got swept by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters last Wednesday in the Philippine Cup quarterfinals, fans began to wonder whether they’ve seen the last of Helterbrand, the other half of Ginebra’s dreaded Fast and Furious tandem along with Mark Caguioa.

“I’ve thought about it, especially during the time when I was consistently injured,” said Helterbrand. “But the biggest reason why I thought about retiring was because of my daughters, who are in the United States. I’ve sacrificed so many things, missing their birthdays, graduation and other important events while they’re growing up. So I thought that at my age now, maybe it’s time for me to make a sacrifice for them.”

“But my daughter told me that she’s willing to study here so that she can be with me and I can continue playing in the PBA.”

Helterbrand added that he’s feeling much better now and is in tip-top condition after an injury-plagued campaign the past two seasons.

“I opted for a one-conference contract to see if my body can respond to the schedule in the PBA. Right now, I feel good.”

The return of Rudy Hatfield, according to Helterbrand, will be a big morale booster for the Gin Kings next conference. The power forward left the team midway through last season, but expressed his intention to come back to the team in time for the Commissioner’s Cup.

Helterbrand believes staying healthy is more crucial for Ginebra, instead of pursuing more roster changes.

“That’s the most important thing. If we can get free of injury, we can compete because we have a solid team.”

Right now, Helterbrand is banking on young forwards Rico Maierhofer and Allein Maliksi to become key contributors for the team. The pair was acquired by the Gin Kings in the middle of the Philippine Cup, but saw little action because of injuries.

“They’re the type of players we need, but they got injured as well.”

After getting swept by Rain or Shine, Helterbrand admits that there is still some bitterness with the way his team ended the tournament.

“I can’t wait to get back next conference because that’s not the way we want to end our campaign, but my hats off to Rain or Shine, they did a good job in the series.”

Because his one-conference pact has expired, Helterbrand is looking at a contract renewal after the holidays.

“Most probably by January 11 of next year during our first practice session. I cannot imagine myself wearing another jersey aside from Ginebra. I want to retire as a Gin King.”