“Face Off” Recap: Roach Says Manny Will Get Late KO On Bradley

Published

11 years ago

May 15, 2012

Pacquiao workout 120514 002a “Yes Freddie, I know I called Bradley handsome and I do not care what Mayweather says about that.” (Chris Farina photo)

Max Kellerman sat down with Manny Pacquiao and his June 9 foe, Timothy Bradley, and the results were shown on his HBO program “Face Off.”

“One of the most sensational fighters of this or any era,” Kellerman said by way of introducing the Congressman, Pacquiao. The host said that this time around, Manny is in with a young, hungry, unbeaten opponent.

We saw Pacquiao sitting next to trainer Freddie Roach, and Bradley next to his trainer, Joel Diaz. You know, of course, that most of the time, these Face Off's feature just the combatants, but Roach can be a stellar soundbite-machine, who talks some top-grade trash, so it seemed wise to add him to the mix.

Bradley was asked what it means to get a shot like this. “It's an honor,” he said. I got to say, I am happy for the man that he will make upwards of $9 million for the bout, but I really don't want to hear fighters talk about what an honor it is to get a gig like this. The gratification one feels can subconsciously seep in to how one fights, in my mind. You saw Shane Mosley's gratitude on display, I think, when he and Pacquiao faced off, and treated the clash too much for too many rounds like a sparring match amongst friends. We can hope there won't be that dynamic in play in Vegas on June 9.

Max noted that it's been awhile since Manny met someone in their prime. Why did Manny go with Bradley? Because he can't underestimate him, he said. As Freddie Roach has noted to me, Manny underestimated Juan Manuel Marquez, in his last outing, so he wanted to make sure he was mentally charged this time around.

Bradley, a clever politician, said, “Pacquiao is number one, pound for pound, in the game.” Max picked up on that, asking if Pacquiao is better than Floyd Mayweather. The underdog paused and said, “I don't know. We have to see.” Those two would have to square off to determine who is best, and Bradley said he wants to screw up that plan.

Roach was asked why Bradley? The trainer said he wasn't his first choice. Floyd was first choice, Manny said. Roach said options aren't endless. Roach said his guy wins many fights because he prepares the hardest. Diaz chimed in, saying that he thinks no one trains harder than his kid. Roach said his guy will train harder, and that's why they will win. Bradley laughed and said, “They don't know, man. They really don't know.”

Bradley was asked about calling out Pacquiao after beating Luis Abregu in July 2010, saying, “Come break down this wall.” He said he felt he could beat Pacman, and called himself a wall because he cannot be broken. Roach said they can break the wall, and will “get him out of there in the late rounds.”

Bradley, Kellerman says, stands out because it seems like his willpower is way above average. “Anyone can be broken,” Roach said. “No,” Bradley said, not so. Diaz said his guy gets stronger later, so it'd be wise to try to stop him early. His guy will be extra careful early.

Bradley said he will box and brawl, because Manny is a warrior. “He's going to fight to the end,” he said.

Fred said that they will be ready for the head, the butt. He doesn't think Bradley is dirty, but he wants Manny to combat the head with punches. Roach said he knows Bradley and his style, and that he will revert back to his toe-to-toe style. “It's not an easy fight, but entertainment wise, this is one of the best fights we could ever have. We'll see how good his chin really is.”

Levity was inserted when Max asked Bradley what he sees when he looks at Manny. “Handsome,” the Congressman said, breaking up the table. “I like Manny, I like Manny a lot,” Bradley said. Max noted that Manny is helping Bradley get rich, but Bradley said that is not the key thing. Being number one is, he stated.

Pacquiao was then asked what he thought when looking at Bradley. “Handsome,” he said again. Bradley cracked up again. Roach was asked the same. He said quality opponent, comes to fight, and it will be an explosive fight. It's time for Manny to look impressive, especially after the lackluster Marquez scrap, the trainer said.

Asked for predictions, Diaz said they will look for the stoppage, noting that Roach has said that all fights should ideally end via KO. They just need to do a bit more than JMM, he said. “I don't see it going the distance,” Roach said.

Max asked what would happen if he gets buzzed early. He said he will stay in the game, and stay resolute. “I want to feel the pain,” he said. “Bring it on, I'm up for the challenge, bring it on.” Yes, there will be toe to toe trading, Bradley said. Chances will need to be taken. He said he has to hurt Pacquiao.

Bradley had no final words for Pacquiao, while Pacquiao said he wants to give the fans a great event, and that he prays for him, and “God bless you.”

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Michael Woods

Avila Perspective, Chap. 254: Canelo vs Jermell Charlo in a Battle of Undisputed Champions

Published

10 hours ago

September 29, 2023

David A. Avila

Avils-Perspective-Chap-254-Canelo-vs-Jermell-Charlo-in-a-Battle-of-Undisputed-Champions

LAS VEGAS-Less than the usual massive crowd gathered for boxing kingpin Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Jermell Charlo in the desert heat outside of the T-Mobile Arena on Friday afternoon. Usually the weigh-ins are slightly bigger for Mexico’s idol.

Is the declining crowd an indicator of Alvarez fans ebbing belief in his abilities?

Still, on Saturday night, two undisputed world champions from differing divisions will collide as Guadalajara, Mexico’s Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) meets Houston’s Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) at T-Mobile Arena for the super middleweight world championship. PPV.Com will stream the clash of champions.

This year has seen a hyper-speed uptick in champions fighting other champions, perhaps the result of watching their female counterparts Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor produce the biggest fight of 2022. This year several marquee collisions were spawned from lightweights to heavyweights.

Or maybe the pandemic lull created a twitch panic among the elite.

Charlo was one of those who had been sidelined while others like Gervonta “Tank” Davis, Naoya “Monster” Inoue and Canelo Alvarez filled their pockets with cash. And others like Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez gained undisputed glory.

Instead of watching on the sidelines, Charlo decided to make his move for greater glory by attempting to dethrone one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, if not the kingpin of boxing when it comes to money.

“If I accomplish this massive goal, it will be hard to top,” Charlo said a few weeks ago during his media workout. “I’ll be in the record book with the greats of boxing for a long time.”

Risks brings rewards.

Canelo, long a member of the boxing elite, has held his position as the box office king for many years now by taking the daunting risks throughout his boxing life.

“Jermell is right, I have nothing to prove. But this time I have something to prove to him,” said Alvarez while in Las Vegas on Wednesday. “He never believed in my skills. He’s been calling me out. Now I have an opportunity to show him my skills.”

Undisputed super welterweight will challenge undisputed super middleweight in a two-division jump not often seen, except for Henry Armstrong, Roberto Duran and Sugar Shane Mosley. It’s the road taken by those who seek to be great.

Both are 33 but the redhead Alvarez has been fighting professionally since he was 15. That’s a lot of bullets in the chamber he has already used. Charlo has height, speed and the ability to adapt to different styles. Stylistically, it’s a battle that makes even the skeptics take pause.

It all depends on Alvarez’s resiliency. Charlo has ring rust, while Alvarez seemingly has lost the hunger. Whose weakness will prove the greater?

“Now is the time for this fight. We’re in our primes and at our best,” said Charlo. “I wanna shake the doubters off and prove to the world why I”m in this position. There’s a reason I made it this far.”

Alvarez remembers being as hungry as Charlo.

“I never overlook any fighter,” Alvarez said. “I know what he’s going to bring and I’m ready.”

Undercard

Several other notable bouts are included on the pay-per-view card.

Former world titlists and current welterweight contenders Yordenis Ugas (27-5) and Mario Barrios (27-2) battle for an interim title set for 12 rounds.

Super welterweights Jesus Ramos (20-0, 16 KOs) and Erickson Lubin (25-2, 18 KOs) match skills in a match that pits a southpaw veteran against an undefeated southpaw from Arizona. For the past three years Ramos has been moving up the ladder and was last seen pounding out highly-touted Joey Spencer. Can he survive Lubin who nearly toppled Sebastian Fundora?

Doors open at T-Mobile Arena at 2 p.m. Pacific Time.

Lampley is back

Legendary HBO announcer Jim Lampley was hired along with ace reporter Lance Pugmire who will co-host the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez versus Jermell Charlo showdown via viewer chat live on PPV.com.

It’s the same concept used by Monday Night Football that features former quarterback greats Peyton Manning and Eli Manning in alternative programming.

Lampley returns to boxing after a five-year absence following HBO’s yanking of the popular program that vaulted elite boxing to the top behind the likes of George Foreman, Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao.

The veteran announcer will be live streaming all the action on media platforms before and during the fight action. He was sorely missed by all who follow the sweet science.

Photo credit: Al Applerose

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Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk a Go for Saudi Arabia: Date TBA

Published

17 hours ago

September 29, 2023

Arne K. Lang

Tyson-Fury-vs-Oleksandr-Usyk-a-Go-for-Saudi-Arabia-Date-TBA

It is now official. Representatives of WBC and Lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and WBO/WBA/IBF title-holder Oleksandr Usyk have come to terms. The Fury-Usyk fight will be staged at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on a date to be determined. (Speculation centers around Dec. 23.)

Fury vs Usyk is the latest addition to Riyadh Season, a months-long, state-sponsored, city-wide entertainment and sports festival that commences this year on Oct. 28 with the fight between Tyson Fury and MMA star Francis Ngannou serving as the centerpiece of the grand opening ceremony.

A point that will be central to the pre-fight hype is that more than three decades have passed since boxing had a unified heavyweight champion. The last man to be recognized as such was Lennox Lewis who unified the title in November of 1999 when he won a unanimous decision over Evander Holyfield at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. Lewis entered the contest sporting the WBC belt whereas Holyfield held the WBA and IBF diadems.

As noted in boxrec, the vacant IBO heavyweight title was also at stake, a fact acknowledged in most British pre- and post-fight reports, but largely omitted from stories in American papers. As for the WBO, which was born the same year as the Florida-based IBO and came to leapfrog past it in credibility, it was out of the loop. Their heavyweight champion was Vitali Klitschko who had won the belt from Herbie Hyde.

The Lewis-Holyfield fight in Las Vegas was a rematch. They had fought eight months earlier at Madison Square Garden. That fight was ruled a draw, a decision deemed so unjust to Lennox Lewis that it spawned a federal investigation.

The tentative Dec. 23 date for Fury-Usyk would be a quick turnaround for the Gypsy King but would give him two months to heal in the event that he emerges from his non-title fight with Ngannou with a facial cut or another issue requiring medical attention. As noted in a story in the London Mirror, the date of Dec. 23 has also been bandied about as the likely date for the resurrection of the aborted fight between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn. Something would have to give and it wouldn’t be Fury-Usyk.

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Atlantic City Welcomes the 7th Annual Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend

Published

1 day ago

September 28, 2023

Luis A. Cortes III

Atlantic-City-Welcomes-the-7th-Annual-Boxing-Hall-of-Fame-Weekend

While the world of boxing will be focused on Las Vegas and the mega showdown between two undisputed champions, across the country Atlantic City will play host to the seventh annual Hall-of-Fame Induction Weekend. This year’s festivities are highlighted by the celebration of heavyweight boxers that once helped make Atlantic City the leading destination for “big time” fights. At the top of this year’s class are names like George Foreman, David Tua, Shannon Briggs, and Pinklon Thomas. With names like these, it’s easy to understand why this year’s Induction Weekend, now a staple of the city’s entertainment calendar, figures to be the best ever.

Ray McCline, a lifelong boxing fan, is the brainchild behind the event which has matured beyond the infancy stage. For McCline (himself a 2022 inductee into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame), creating an entire weekend around the sport in a way that could also benefit the city financially was a no-brainer.

“It’s great to see what this weekend has become. It’s been a long road from the original idea, but with great support and partnerships, it’s been possible,” states McCline.

In the past the ACBHOF has had to be as nimble as some of the fighters that they’ve honored to continue making sure the weekend wasn’t lost in the shadows of a city that has dealt with economic struggles. McCline and his staff at the ACBHOF have done an excellent job integrating the history of boxing with the history of Atlantic City. They’ve done this by offering fans the opportunity to spend more than just one evening immersed in the culture of the sport.

“It continues to grow and get better and that’s what it’s all about; making this the type of weekend that boxing fans mark on their calendars each year. This year we’re fortunate to partner with Hard Hitting Promotions to provide a great night of live professional boxing for fans as well,” says McCline. It’s the type of addition to an already full weekend schedule that only strengthens the ACBHOF brand.

A partnership with the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino has also been a key to recent enhancements for the weekend of events.

After years of having to adapt the schedule to the schedules of their host properties, having this partnership with Hard Rock has allowed for the ACBHOF to lock in the final weekend of September or first weekend of October which is important because it allows fans to plan out their post summer and pre-holiday schedules without having to skip their trip to Atlantic City. “A major bonus,” says McCline. “It was one of the major hurdles that we had to jump over. Integrating Hard Rock and their established relationships in the world of entertainment only benefits both parties.”

It’s a fact that isn’t lost when you see crowds of concert-goers and people arriving in the city for other events enter the Free Fan Expo that takes place prior to the award ceremony.

Which brings us to this year’s schedule of events. Tomorrow (Friday, Sept. 29) will be the customary V.I.P opening cocktail reception followed by the live fights at Bally’s Casino. On Saturday at Hard Rock is the free Fight Fan Experience which allows fans to interact with legends of the sport from the past and fighters of today and tomorrow. During the evening hours. the actual awards and induction ceremony will take place at the Hard Rock. The weekend activities culminate in a legends brunch on Sunday morning at the Blue Water Grille at the Flagship Hotel.

What’s going on in Las Vegas isn’t lost on McCline. “This year is going to be great for those attending the induction ceremony at the V.I.P. level. We were able to set up our post ceremony cocktail reception in conjunction with showing the Canelo-Charlo fight. At the end of the day, we’re all fans of the sport so why miss a historic fight?”

Just listening to the joy that springs from the voice of Ray McCline when discussing both this year’s event and plans for the future is refreshing, especially when one considers all of the roadblocks that he’s overcome to bring his vision to reality in the form of a full weekend of celebration.

Note: The main event of the boxing show on Friday is a 10-round contest between super lightweights Branden Pizarro (18-1-1) and Esteban Garcia (16-2). For more information on event tickets, room reservations, and weekend schedules, visit the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame website at: www.acbhof.com

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