Pacquiao beats up trash talking Mayweather sparring partner

LOS ANGELES--Hastings Bwalya had all the great credentials and hype as he was highly recommended by cutman Miguel Diaz to back up sparring chores for Manny Pacquiao.

Photo: Pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao (R) throws a left to African Hastings Bwalya during sparring Thursday at the Wildcard Gym in Los Angeles. The cocky Bwalya went home bloodied and aching.
Photo by Ping Nepomuceno.

The African had an unbeaten slate--seven wins and five knockouts to his credit--and a big mouth to back it up. He taunted Pacquiao to start off their getting-to-know-you introduction right on opening bell. He chuckled and egged on Pacquiao to mix it up.

Reputedly a tough sparring partner to Floyd Mayweather in his last training camp against Sugar Shane Mosley, Bwalya talked his way to get the goat of Pacquiao, who greatly obliged. Showing impeccable footwork and a blinding hand speed, Pacquiao showed Bwalya a thing or two about humility and compassion, instead of exchanging in a heated war of words.

In the second round, Pacquiao showed the former Zambia Olympian accurate punching and power combinations as he cornered his opponent with crisp body blows and a devastating uppercut that eventually bloodied his opponent's nose and mouth.

"Are you ok?" asked Pacquiao, as he relented on finishing off his cocky sparring partner with more punishing blows. After being trapped helplessly in the ropes, Bwalya was sent to his corner so that he could wipe off his messed up face and finished the round. Blood and vaseline was flowing out of Bwalya's nose as Pacquiao let him survive the round.

Pacquiao is in the middle of his preparations for a third fight against his nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico on Nov. 12 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. He has vowed to end all doubt about the outcome of his last two previous encounters as both came close and controversial. The first fight ended in a draw while the second was a split decision.

It was also three years ago when Pacquiao last fought in the lower weight classes of super featherweight before invading the ranks of lightweights, light welterweights, welterweights and light middleweight to become the only man who has won titles in eight weight divisions.

Pacquiao then sparred for another four rounds with regular sparring partner Ray Beltran, who made a good account of himself. Beltran gave Pacquiao a workout minus the thrash-talking, as both boxers showed respect for each other.

Bwalya returned back to action for rounds seven and eight. Still boisterous and boastful and not one who learns his lesson easily, Bwalya chuckled and taunted, even as Pacquiao smiled. In another burst of speed and agility, the Fighting Congressman from Sarangani just wove his magic, hit his hapless opponent at will and moved in and out of counter-punches that landed a mile away.

Roach and assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez were equally impressed with Pacquiao's improvements as they have not seen Pacquiao as focused as in previous training camps. Asked if Bwalya would be sent back packing home on Saturday, Roach said he'll give the African another chance to prove himself.

"One more day," said Roach, who has been Pacquiao's trainer for over a decade now, starting in 2001 when Pacquiao first teamed up with him and faced a seemingly unbeatable Lehlo Ledwaba of South Africa.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum was equally impressed with the show of firepower from Pacquiao. Also watching the action was world champion Amir Khan and Juan Manuel Lopez along with several select media personalities and TV crews from HBO's 24/7 series.

"Masaya ako dahil maganda ang ikinikilos ni brad kaya sana, tuluy-tuloy na itong magandang simula," said Fernandez.

By Winchell Campos
PhilBoxing.com

Read more...

Manny Pacquiao easily beats Shane Mosley to retain WBO title

(Reuters) - Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines retained his WBO welterweight title by recording a unanimous points victory over a lackluster Shane Mosley at the MGM Garden Arena on Saturday.


The 32-year-old southpaw, despite being hampered by cramp in his left leg, dominated all 12 rounds against his defense-minded American opponent to improve his career record to 53-3-2 with 38 knockouts.
It was Pacquiao's 14th consecutive win since his loss to Erik Morales in Las Vegas in March 2005, and enhanced his status as the world's best pound-for-pound boxer.
Fighting for the second time since winning a seat in his country's national congress last year, Pacquiao gained one-sided verdicts from all three judges -- 119-108, 120-108 and 120-107.
Reuters

Shane Mosley; "Manny Pacquiao... He's the pound-for-pound king!"

FightHype - Relive All The Actions

Charice Pempengco, Tyrese and Jamie Foxx Sing National Anthem

Philstar - Buboy Wary Of Lucky Punch

ESPN - Roach: Mosley Must Retire

Sometimes When They Touch (Gloves, Over and Over Again)

Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley - Photos

ESPN - Pacquiao's training barely tested by Mosley

Manny Pacquiao celebrates victory by singing to his fans

“Manny would beat the hell out of Mayweather… and he knows it. Marquez, Bradley or Judah next for Pacquiao!” - Bob Arum

SI.com - Manny Pacquiao - Paris Hilton Photos

Read more...

A New Boxing Superstar is Born: Nonito Donaire, Jr, Watch the Full Fight: Donaire vs Montiel

Nonito Donaire delivers chilling 2nd round knockout over Fernando Montiel
By Chris Robinson, Examiner.com
February 19, 2011

Moments ago at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada, Nonito Donaire claimed the WBC and WBO bantamweight crowns with a vicious 2nd round knockout over Los Mochis, Mexico's Fernando Montiel. It is by far the most impressive victory of the 28-year old's flourishing career.

The action was tense in the first round as Nonito patiently stalked his foe. Montiel was cautious and attempted to answer with counter lefts but it was there was an alarming edge in speed for Donaire, who had success with fast body shots and the occasional lead right hand.

In the second round round Montiel threw with a right hand but was countered with a flush counter left hook. Montiel crashed to the canvas hard and appeared to be out. The champion's heart allowed him to rise but he was swarmed in the corner by Donaire, with the contest being called off moments later.

Donaire lept in the air, with memories of his July 2007 knockout over Vic Darchinyan coming to mind. For a fighter who had been plagued by not having the right kind of opponents in front of him, this was a crowning moment for the Filipino-born, American fighter.

Donaire said that he predicted a second round knockout months ago. As for his future he hinted that he is willing to rise as high as 126 pounds pounds, a division full of dangerous champions such as Juan Manuel Lopez and Yuriorkis Gamboa.

Donaire also gave credit to Filipino icon and WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, whom he said made all of this possible for him.


A New Boxing Superstar is Born: Nonito Donaire, Jr
By Granville Ampong, Yahoo! Contributor Network
February 19, 2011

LAS VEGAS, Nevada - Moments ago the chilling atmosphere in the Sin City of the world turned its thin air into a warming boisterous - yes raucous - crowd, in fact, inside the Mandalay Bay Events Center, as the son of Talibon, Bohol, Philippines, Nonito "Filipino Flash" Donaire, Jr. caught the champion from Los Monchis of Sinaloa, Mexico, Fernando "Cochulito" Montiel, by his counter-crushing left, that which twisted Cochulito's head and body and dropped back-first incurring a brief seizure with his legs manifesting it before he attempted to stand on the 20' x 20' canvas, however still showing instability of his gait. Even then the brave heart of the Aztecs restablished his balance and breathing pattern for the moment and asserted to continue the fight - only to meet a heavier killer left and then a flushing right that threw his back to the rope - prompting Referee Russell Mora to immediately stop the onslaught as Montiel seemingly losing consciousness (standing knockout) with thirty-five seconds remaining in round two.

Yes, a new superstar is born: Filipino Flash, the new World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization Bantam Weight Champion.

After ending his trail tonight being a champion and undefeated in his last eleven fights since 2007, Cochulito suffered his first devastating knockout loss in the hands of a bigger, faster and far more gifted fighter.

In round one, Filipino Flash did not hesitate to impose his stature being bigger, faster and most of all monstrous in his ways of intervening the night of mostly Mexicans, giving hint to Montiel of his superior power in the first round from the opening bell to the end of round one. Not much margin is seen in that round.

But, the speed and distinctive approach of Filipino Flash indeed is flashing with too much intensity as he carries his authority and generalship in the ring. It was obvious Filipino Flash utilized his reach and height advantage to the max, powered by stiff jabs which made Cochulito too cautious and, in fact, kept him at bay.

Filipino Flash, 28, improved with 27 wins, inclusive of 19 knockouts, and has only 1 loss, which he had to Rosendo Sanchez on his second professional fight since 2001.

Filipino Flash hopes to exchange leathers in one of the heavy nights in the ring against WBO featherweight titlist Juan Manuel Lopez from Caguas, Puerto Rico.

Stay tuned for more!


Photos of Nonito Donaire's triumph over Fernando Montiel

Donaire delivers Pacquiao-like second-round KO

Fernando Montiel Suffers a Fractured Jaw

The New Golden Age of Philippine Boxing- Pacquiao amd Donaire Lead The Way

Rankings: Pacquiao, Donaire deliver one-two to Floyd Mayweather

Nonito Donaire is Manny Pacquiao’s heir apparent – Bob Arum

Nonito Donaire: The Manny Pacquiao Replacement

Watch the Full Fight

Read more...

Pacquiao's a knockout during White House visit

Joseph White, AP Sports
First Posted 17/02/2011

WASHINGTON (AP) — Manny Pacquiao stopped traffic outside the White House on Tuesday, during a whirlwind tour of the nation's capital that included meetings with President Barack Obama and Sen. Harry Reid, the senior member of the U.S. Senate.

The Filipino boxing sensation was crossing the street near the White House when several drivers, trying to snap photos of Pacquiao with cell phones, caused a multicar pileup, Pacquiao publicist Fred Sternburg told The Associated Press. Nobody was hurt in the accident.

Pacquiao and his wife, Jinkee, spent time talking boxing and basketball with the president, along with a bit of business. Pacquiao was elected representative in the Philippine Congress from the Sarangani province nine months ago in national elections and has taken the new job as seriously as he does boxing. He already has explored building the area's first provincial hospital.

"This is an unforgettable moment in my life," Pacquiao said earlier in the day.

The eight-division world champion posed with Obama for several photos, including a boxing pose, in the Oval Office, Sternburg said. The president gave him three grocery bags full of light blue M&M's with the presidential seal, along with a watch adorned with the seal, and said he hopes to someday visit the Philippines.

Pacquiao invited the president to his fight against Shane Mosley on May 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Sternburg said. Obama said he would be busy but promised to watch on television.

"Manny said it was very impressive being in the Oval Office, seeing it first hand. He said it was a great honor to meet the president of the United States," Sternburg said, pausing to laugh. "He also said the President is a very tall man."

Earlier, Pacquiao roamed the halls of the Capitol as the guest of Reid, a Democrat and long-ago boxer whose recent re-election was no doubt helped by Pacquiao's campaign appearances.

After Reid and Pacquiao exchanged national flags, Reid was asked how long he would last in his prime if the two exchanged punches.

"About five seconds," Reid said.

Pacquiao arrived in town by train on Tuesday, wrapping up a press tour promoting his next fight that began in Los Angeles and included stops in Las Vegas and New York. The fact that he has arrived on the scene has been good for boxing, making plenty of high-profile fans and bringing some mainstream attention to a sport that has been seemingly dying for decades.

"You can become a great athlete and still be a great person," Reid said.

Reid felt compelled to set up Pacquiao's meeting with Obama because of the Pacquiao's enthusiastic following in the United States. Hundreds of fans turned out for public appearances in Los Angeles, California, and New York City, waving flags and waiting hours to see him.

"I try not to bother the president," Reid said, "but I bothered him on this occasion."

Pacquiao's every move was shadowed as he walked onto the Capitol grounds with his wife. Promoter Bob Arum said it was reminiscent of the heyday of Muhammad Ali, whom he also promoted.

"He comes at a very fortuitous time," Arum said. "If anybody can bring boxing back to the mainstream ... it's Manny Pacquiao."

source: inquirer.net

Read more...

A Filipino Basketball League in Long Island, New York

I got this info from craiglist
1st Annual FILAM basketball league starting March 12, 2011.

Info from their website,

FBL presents it's 1st Annual FILAM League in Long Island, New York

*Free Agents* - For those guys that don't have a team we will be hosting a 1 day gaem for team setup on March 5, 2011.


March 2011 Basketball Tournament:
-Very competitive competition one division winner takes all
-NBA court size gym (practice facility of Long Island Pro Teams
-four quarters of basketball games
-1 import allow/ must be Asian decent to participate
-College scouts present
-7 games with playoffs and championship game

Date: Beginning March 12, 2011
Location: 91 New York Ave, Westbury, NY 11590 (Lions Den)
Game time will be every Saturday 10am to 3pm
Signup by calling (516) 528-5357 or email: info@FBLNY.com

www.fblny.com

Read more...

Jets Hope Their Road Leads Home Next Season

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Mark Sanchez, wearing a black Jets cap and a green Jets T-shirt, walked to his locker Monday afternoon and tried to slap a happy face on another Jets season, as he had after another tough loss 365 days earlier.

“On this day last year, we talked about getting a little bit better, and we did,” Sanchez said. “At this point, we’re right there. We’re so close.”

Referring to Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the A.F.C. championship game, Sanchez said, “As hard as it is, we’re just knocking on the door.”

Like most of his teammates and Coach Rex Ryan, Sanchez was much more upbeat than downcast. Ryan told his players in a meeting Monday morning that they should be proud of themselves for being the only N.F.L. team to play in the last two conference championships.

Of course, the Jets lost both games — at Indianapolis and at Pittsburgh — as they tried to advance to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1969. In each of the last two seasons, the Jets won two playoff games on the road to get to the conference championship game.

“That’s about as tough as it gets, but we have ourselves to blame,” Ryan said at a news conference. “We’ve got to find a way to win our division. That’s no easy task.”

Winning a Super Bowl will remain the Jets’ goal as long as Ryan is their coach, but he established Goal 1a: the Jets can make it easier on themselves in the postseason next season by winning the A.F.C. East — beating out the New England Patriots, in other words.

As good as he thinks the Jets were, three road playoff games were too formidable for the second straight year. Even though the Steelers played well, he said, the Jets were uncharacteristically poor at tackling as they fell far behind in the first half.

“We weren’t able to get off the football field,” Jets linebacker Bart Scott said.

Being the upstart wild-card team caught up to the Jets. They lost the A.F.C. championship game a year earlier to the Colts because Indianapolis scored the last 24 points. Sunday’s game was a reversal; Pittsburgh scored the first 24.

To some Jets, like the veteran guard Brandon Moore, the loss to the Steelers was a hard way to end what had been a three-week joy ride.

Moore said: “We have a different standard here. We want to be a better team. We want to win a Super Bowl. That’s why I come to Cortland, and that’s why I go through the season and put my body through it, to play on for next week. Anything other than that, for me, is a failure.”

Ryan tried to make the loss a teaching point. Winning the A.F.C. East, Ryan said, is not simple because the Patriots rarely lose to other teams besides the Jets, who handed New England two of its three losses this season. But the Jets are capable of being more consistent.

“I think we were kind of gassed out,” running back Shonn Greene said of Sunday’s game.

The Jets and Patriots were 9-2 entering a Dec. 6 game that the Patriots won, 45-3. The Jets were also lackluster in a 10-6 loss to Miami six days later and lost to the Chicago Bears, 38-34, a week after beating the Steelers in Pittsburgh.

Three losses in four games put the Jets too far behind the Patriots to win the division and perhaps earn a first-round bye. The Jets never stopped saying they could win three straight road playoff games, and they did beat the Colts and the Patriots, but then the Steelers walloped them early.

“We are going to have to find a way to make this a huge thing of what we are,” Ryan said of the Jets, who lost three of eight regular-season home games. “You don’t come in here and beat us at home. Certainly, that’s the way we want to play our games, where you don’t have to travel, where you can sleep in your own bed, you know where the restaurants are, get into your routine.”

Many off-season challenges await the Jets — not the least of which is the fact that the league’s collective bargaining agreement expires in March. Wide receivers Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes, who developed good chemistry with Sanchez, become free agents.

Sanchez said Monday that he was optimistic that he would not need off-season surgery on his right shoulder. Ryan said he would like to retain as many Jets as he can, as well as the coaching staff, including the offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

Ryan talked about his players holding each other accountable during a potential lockout — “scary times,” he called it — by checking in with one another about keeping up with their off-season routines. He knows not everyone will be back. But the Jets can, and need to, be better.

“I think everything is going well for us,” cornerback Darrelle Revis said. “The last two A.F.C. championship games didn’t go well, but we can learn and move on.”


By DAVE CALDWELL, NYTimes
Published: January 24, 2011

Read more...

Pacquiao-Mosley on Showtime, not HBO

It is official. The fight between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley will be aired via Showtime, not HBO.

Bob Arum had a falling-out with HBO because the media company decided not to air the first title defense of Miguel Cotto. This split has been brewing for months now, at least for Arum. He didn’t particularly like it when HBO decided not to produce a 24/7 series for Pacquiao’s fight against Joshua Clottey. He also felt disrespected when no one from HBO showed up for the memorial service of his son John.

Arum quickly threw a counter, pulling Pacquiao out of HBO.

What does this mean for Pacquiao? Here’s a quick rundown of the pros and cons.

The pros include the chance to reach a bigger audience. CBS, Showtime’s mother company, has a bigger reach compared to HBO. Showtime will also produce Fight Camp 360°, a series similar to HBO’s 24/7. This gives Pacquiao the chance to be a bigger star. CBS reaches 115 million people while HBO can only reach 30 million.

Pacquiao-Mosley will also receive considerable airtime with CBS, including ad spots during the NCAA basketball tournament. CBS also promised a 60 Minutes segment for Pacquiao as a follow-up on what they aired last year. The undercard fighters for Pacquiao-Mosley will also be given the chance under the spotlight, since they will also guest in various CBS programs.

Now here are the cons. The first is that there will be no Pacquiao-Mosley 24/7. HBO has been doing a good job of producing a documentary series that highlights the training camps of both fighters. 24/7 creates a certain connection between the audience and the fighter because the show also portrays the fighters’ personal lives. Although Showtime/CBS will produce a show similar to HBO’s 24/7, there will be lots of limitations due to censorship. And, frankly, Fight Camp 360° will have a tough time measuring up to HBO’s 24/7, whose documentaries were beautifully made.

Another negative is that we will no longer hear Michael Buffer’s “Let’s get ready to rumble" line. Showtime has its own ring announcer in Jimmy Lennon Jr., but his patented line, “It’s Showtime" pales in comparison with Buffer’s. Hearing Buffer’s voice elevates the “big fight atmosphere" that boxing fans relish. I have nothing against Lennon but Buffer is by far the best ring announcer in the sport.

However, the biggest negative, at least for me, is that this move adds another blow to the already dwindling chances of a Pacquiao-versus- Floyd Mayweather fight. As it is, there are already many hurdles to a possible Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown. There’s the tiff between Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions, there’s Mayweather’s demand for Olympic-style drug testing, and then there are those legal battles that Mayweather and his uncle/trainer Roger are facing.

As a Pacquiao fan, I wish that Arum didn’t just do this to piss off HBO for passing up the Cotto fight. Let’s hope this is a sound and calculated move, not a knee-jerk reaction fueled by personal vendetta.

By CARLO L. PAMINTUAN, GMANews.TV
January 24, 2011

Read more...

Smart Gilas Pilipinas: Dubai Invitational 2011

Tweet from Chris_Tiu: Dubai Invitational 2011. January 20-29, 2011 Smart Gilas Pilipinas. Al Ahli Club, Dubai. LIVE STREAM: RNHalawi.com

1st game tom (Thurs) vs Lebanese team Anibal @ 9pm (local Dubai time) @ Al Ahli gym. See you there!

Read more...

Philippine Azkals’ magical run ends

MANILA, Philippines – Defeated but unbowed.

The Philippines’ magical run in the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup came to a halt Sunday night after falling prey to Indonesia, 0-1, in the second leg of their semifinal clash at Jakarta’s Bung Karno Stadium.

Uruguay-born striker Christian Gonzales scored from a thunderbolt from outside the 18-yard box in the 43rd minute to score the hosts’ lone goal.
Gonzales also scored Timnas Indonesia’s winning goal in the first leg.
Indonesia won the tie on aggregate, 2-0, and will next face Malaysia in the finals.

The Azkals were mounting a comeback when they were reduced to 10 men in the dying minutes of the game.

Midfielder Chris Greatwich received a red card after colliding with Indonesian goalkeeper Markus.

The match was a physical confrontation, with 3 Philippine players getting yellow cards for fouls.

The Azkals had several scoring chances and showed flashes of brilliance, with Phil Younghusband pulling off a Zidanesque pirouette in the 60th minute to escape 2 defenders.

Anton del Rosario nearly scored but his shot outside the box bounced off the Indonesian goalkeeper’s chest.

The Philippines’ Neil Etheridge was busy all night long, often going off his line to parry Indonesia’s attacking forays.

He made 7 saves compared to his Indonesian counterpart Markus, who had 2.

The Philippines had 9 scoring attempts, with 2 shots on goal. Indonesia had 15 attempts, with 8 on target.

More than 80,000 Indonesian fans, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, his wife, and military generals watched the match inside the stadium.

Millions of other fans in the world’s most populous Muslim country, the rest of Southeast Asia, and the Philippines were glued on their television sets.

The 2 legs of the semifinal tie, although on a home-and-away format, were both held in Indonesia as the AFF thumbed down the quality of Philippine football facilities.

The unheralded Azkals defeated defending champion Vietnam, 2-0, and drew with ASEAN football powerhouse Singapore en route to the semifinals.

The Philippines’ 2 semifinal matches against Indonesia were broadcast live by ABS-CBN Studio 23 in the Philippines.

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Read more...

Pinoy rules 2010 Penang International Open Chess Championship

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino Oliver Dimakiling, out to prove something, re-staked his claim as one of the country's top players when he nipped countryman and fellow International Master (IM) Oliver Barbosa in the tiebreak to rule the 2010 Penang International Open Chess Championships in Malaysia on Sunday.

The fourth ranked Dimakiling, former top player of De La Salle University–Taft, finished with a 9-round total of 7.5 points on 6 wins and 3 draws to annex his first major title this year.

The veteran campaigner from Davao City, playing under the banner of National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) President/ Chairman Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. finished with a tie for first place with the top-seeded Oliver Barbosa.

Dimakiling, however, won the title with a superior tiebreak score of 54.5 against the latter's 53.5.

With the victory, Dimakiling and Barbosa's performance boosted the nation's morale, said Pichay who also chairs Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).

"Once again, our flag has been raised in the foreign land after knowing that our Filipino kababayan Oliver Dimakiling and Barbosa shared the top honor in Penang Open chess meet," he said.

In the final round, Dimakiling split the point with compatriot IM Luis Chiong of Antique.

Meanwhile, Barbosa, who hails from Taytay, Rizal outduelled another Pinoy entry and National Master (NM) Ian Cris Udani of Bacolod City.

Preventing a possible Filipino-dominated event and clinching solo third place, Grandmaster (GM) Niaz Murshed of Bangladesh trounced IM Yves Ranola of Caloocan City with 7 points.

Chiong and Ranola, both finished tied for fourth to fifth with 6.5 points.

Former Philippine Artist Champion Fide Master (FM) Christopher Castellano of Cainta, Rizal, who is seeking his IM title blasted Ismail Ahmad of Malaysia to lead a big group of players with 6 points.

The group included Udani, FM Haridas Pascua of Mangatarem, Pangasinan, NM Edgard Reggie Olay of Davao City and FM Julius Joseph de Ramos of Manila, IM Mas Hafizulhelmi, Edward Lee, Ng Tze Han and Tan Khai Boom of Malaysia and Andre Jerome of Singapore.

Final Standings:
7.5 points – IM Oliver Dimakiling (PHI), IM Oliver Barbosa (PHI)
7 points – GM Niaz Murshed (BAN)
6.5 points – IM Luis Chiong (PHI), IM Yves Ranola (PHI)
6 points – IM Mas Hafizulhelmi (MAS), FM Haridas Pascua (PHI), Tan Khai Boom (MAS), NM Edgard Reggie Olay (PHI), FM Julius Joseph de Ramos (PHI), NM Ian Cris Udani (PHI), Edward Lee (MAS), FM Christopher Castellano (PHI), Andre Jerome (PHI), Ng Tze Han (MAS)

– By Marlon Bernardino
abs-cbnNEWS.com

Read more...

Smart Gilas Pilipinas drops to 6th (Asian Games 2010 - Men's Basketball)

Pinoy 5 drops to 6th, ends Asiad stint on a sour note

GUANGZHOU — The Pilipinas-Smart Gilas men’s basketball team ended its 16th Asian Games campaign on a sour note, losing 71-81 to Qatar and matching its worst finish in the quadrennial meet Friday at the Yingdong Gymnasium.

Finals - Day 8 (Nov. 26, 2010)

3-4 PLACE: Japan-Iran 66-74
5-6 PLACE: Philippines-Qatar 71-81
7-8 PLACE: North Korea-Jordan 74-79
FINAL: China-South Korea 77-71


The Philippines was leading, 64-60, going ino the final period, but Qatar unleashed a 16-3 run engineered by Khalid Abdi to take a 76-67 lead with 5:24 remaining.

The closest the Philippines could get was within six, 71-77, on Mac Baracael’s two free throws, but Qatar was steady from the free throw line down the stretch to keep the Filipinos at bay and finish at fifth place.

The sixth-place finish was the worst for the Philippines. It also placed sixth in the Asiad in 1966. The Filipinos had made it to the semifinal round of the quadrennial meet cagefest since 1982, except in 2006 when the country was suspended by the International Basketball Federation because of a leadership struggle within the association.

The Pilipinas-Smart Gilas squad had its chances, but it squandered a 10-point lead, 59-49, and was outscored by the Qataris, 32-12, bridging the third and fourth periods.

“We have to do a better job next time," said Pilipinas-Smart Gilas head coach Rajko Toroman, the man tasked to lead the country’s possible return to Olympic basketball scene in 2012.

“Sixth spot is not bad, but it is also not good for us. We will evaluate everything that happened here," added the Serbian mentor, who was responsible for steering Iran to its first-ever Olympic stint in 2008 following its dominance in the 2007 FIBA Asia Championship in Tokushima.

Kelly Williams netted a team-high 20 points while Asi Taulava added 13 markers and 19 rebounds in what could be his last participation in the Asian Games.

The 37-year-old Taulava, the oldest player among the Pinoy cagers, was a member of the 2002 Philipine squad that finished fourth in Busan.

JV Casio added 10 points, but was only 3-of-10 from the field.

Team captain Chris Tiu again struggled offensively as he shot 3-of-12 from the field to finish with nine points.

Marcio Lassiter, who was averaging 8.8 points per game, was held down to just 2 on 1-of-10 shooting.

“In the second half, we just couldn’t shoot. Just like in our game against South Korea," said Toroman, referring to his team’s 66-74 loss to the Koreans in the quarterfinals.

The PHL 5 shot 34 percent from the field (24-of-70) and was 7-of-25 from the three-point line. - KY/RCJ, GMANews.TV

Read more...

Smart Gilas Pilipinas routs North Korea, 96-69 (Asian Games 2010 - Men's Basketball)

PHL Gilas whips NoKors in Asiad consolation match

GUANGZHOU — The Philippines-Smart Gilas team walloped North Korea, 96-69, in their consolation match in the 16th Asian Games men’s basketball tournament Thursday at the Yingdon Gymnasium.

PHL 5 head coach Rajko Toroman drew strength from his second unit in pulling off the convincing win, thus securing a berth in the battle for fifth spot. The Filipinos await the winner of the Qatar-Jordan match.

With the entire basketball nation still mourning the Filipinos’ failure to land in the medal round following a 66-74 setback at the hands of South Korea in the quarterfinals, Toroman and his troops vented their ire on North Korea.

“It’s a pity that we are not in the semifinals. I know that we have a quality team here," said Toroman.

With Asi Taulava sitting out, Greg Slaughter grabbed the opportunity to dish out his best performance yet, tallying 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field.

Slaughter also snared 13 rebounds.

Mac Baracael also finished with 18 points while Chris Lutz, hardly a factor for most of the team’s campaign, netted his highest output in the quadrennial meet with 15 points to go along with his 10 rebounds and six assists in 32 minutes.

Toroman opted to rest Taulava, and gave PBA superstar Kelly Williams and Marcio Lassiter limited minutes to keep them fresh for the battle for fifth spot.

“I wanted other players to play more minutes to give Asi, Kelly and Marcio some rest," said Torman, who predicted a win by Qatar, which the Philippines beat in the Group F preliminary round, 90-68.

JV Casio scored all of his 13 points in the first half when the PHL 5 took a 54-47 lead.

Mark Barroca and team captain Chris Tiu each finished with nine markers.

PBA budding star Sol Mercado re-injured his foot during the game, so that his services will be missed in the final game for fifth spot.

The Philippines missed the semifinals of the Asian Games for the first time since 1982. The men’s basketball team had won the first four editions of the Asiad, in 1951, 1954, 1958 and 1962.

The worst finish was in 1966 in Thailand when the Filipino cagers ended sixth. - RCJ, GMANews.TV

Read more...

Smart Gilas Pilipinas loses to South Korea (Asian Games 2010 - Men's Basketball)

South Korea beats Philippines for semis berth

GUANGZHOU, China – South Korea ended the Philippine-Smart Gilas’ hope of winning a medal in the 16th Asian Games. This after the Koreans dealt the Filipinos a crushing 74-66 beating in their knockout quarterfinal match of the men’s basketball competition on Wednesday at the Huangpu Gymnasium.


The Filipino dribblers failed to get their outside game going as the Koreans did an outstanding job of defending the perimeter to foil the PHL 5’s bid of earning a semifinals berth.

Asi Taulava, the 37-year-old center of the Philippine quintet, led the team with 23 points on a 10-of-14 field goal shooting, but failed to get the needed support from the already depleted roster of coach Rajko Toroman.

“Korea just took away our shooting in the game," said PHL 5 skipper Chris Tiu, who was held to just five points after averaging 11 per game prior to the quarterfinal match.

Tiu was 0-of-4 from the three-point zone where the Filipinos shot 4-of-18 overall. Marnel Baracael was also 0-of-4 in that area.

“Two things decided this match. First, Korea outrebounded us and second, we could not hit our outside shots," said Toroman. “The players were very disappointed with this loss."

The Philippines is now relegated in the consolation round.

Center Oh Sekeun led South Korea with 19 points while Kim Sung Chui added 13. Forward Lee Seung Jun chipped in 12 while Kim Joo Sung had 10 in a display of balanced offense.

JV Casio was the only other Philippine player to score in double figures with 12, but was limited to only three points in the second half.

Casio’s rare four-point play off Donggeun Yang gave the PHL 5 its last taste of the lead, 19-15, late in the first period.

But the Koreans answered with a 15-2 run for a 30-21 lead with 7:27 left in the second quarter and seize control of the game.

Taulava and Sol Mercado, who returned after sitting out the team's last two games because of an injured foot, conspired in a 13-5 attack to put the Philippines within striking distance, 34-35.

But the Koreans ended the half with a 9-2 spurt for a 44-36 lead at the turn.

The Philippines never had a serious run since then to bomb out of the Final Four of the Asiad for the first time since 1978. – RCJ, JVP, GMANews.TV

Scores:

South Korea 74 – Oh 19, Kim 13, Lee S. 12, Kim 10, Yang 9, Yang 8, Park 3, Ham 0, Lee J. 0, Cho 0.

Philippines 66 – Taulava 23, Casio 12, Williams 8, Lassiter 8, Mercado 6, Tiu 5, Baracael 4, Lutz 0.

Quarter scores: 21-19, 44-36, 61-51, 74-66.

(November 25 - Thursday
2:30pm Philippines vs. North Korea (5th-8th placing)

gmanews.tv

Read more...

Asian Games 2010 - Men's Basketball

The Philippines is participating at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

Round: 5 (Qualifying Round). Quarterfinalists are known

Quarterfinals: Wednesday, 24 November at the Huangpu Gymnasium

13:15 - Game 35: KOREA vs PHILIPPINES
15:30 - Game 36: CHINA vs QATAR
19:15 - Game 37: IRAN vs JORDAN
21:30 - Game 38: JAPAN vs DPR KOREA


Semifinals: Thursday, 25 November at the Guangzhou Int'l Sport Arena

13:15 - Game 39: Winner of Game 35 vs Winner of Game 38
15:30 - Game 41: Winner of Game 36 vs Winner of Game 37

Finals: Friday, 26 November at the Guangzhou Int'l Sport Arena

16:45 - Bronze Medal Game: Losser of Game 39 vs Losser of Game 41
19:00 - Bronze Medal Game: Winner of Game 39 vs Winner of Game 41


PHL 5 rips Taipei, earns Asiad q'finals berth

GUANGZHOU - The Pilipinas-Smart Gilas national developmental team made it to the quarterfinal round of the 16th Asian Games basketball competition.

The Filipinos advanced into the next round following a hard-earned 82-73 triumph against Chinese Taipei.

The PHL 5 will face South Korea in the quarterfinals starting Wednesday.

Asi Taulava, the oldest player in the Smart-Gilas line-up, teamed up with Marcio Lassiter to give the Taiwanese a double-barrelled headache.

Taulava and Lassiter finished with 18 points each to lead the Filipinos to their third victory against two defeats.

The 6-foot-9, 37-year-old Fil-Tongan also grabbed 12 rebounds in what was easily his most productive game since he joined the team several weeks ago.

Lassiter, a last-minute inclusion, drilled in three triples, the same as team co-captain Chris Tiu.

Tiu tallied 15 points and Mac Baracael contributed 11 for the Filipinos, who won despite being beaten by the Taiwanese on second chance points (18-6) and points inside the paint (48-38).

Read more...

NFL Schedule for Thanksgiving 2010

With Thanksgiving coming up on Thursday, we are looking forward to two things: turkey and football.

As an anual NFL tradition, there are three games on Turkey Day every year. This year we have three not-so-great-looking games. On CBS at 12:30 p.m., Tom Brady and the Patriots take on Calvin Johnson and the Lions in Detroit.

Then at 4 p.m. on Fox, the Saints will try and get revenge on the Cowboys from last year when Dallas gave the Super Bowl champs their first loss. At 8:20 p.m. on NFL Network, the underachieving Bengals take on Mark Sanchez and the Jets.

It should be a great day of football as always on Thanksgiving.

Read more...

Sergio Martinez knocks out Paul Williams

Despite his epic crash, this doesn’t necessarily mean the end for Paul Williams
November 22nd, 2010
Chris Robinson
examiner.com

While this past Saturday will forever go down as one of the most memorable nights in the life of Sergio Gabriel Martinez, so too will it be looked at as a dreaded time for Paul ‘The Punisher’ Williams. With one picturesque left hand, Martinez ended Williams’ night in shocking fashion as well as defending his prized WBC junior middleweight belt for the first occasion. Discussions instantly turned to the Argentinean’s future while Williams was left as a mere afterthought by some.

Any defeat in the sport of boxing is hard to deal with but Williams didn’t fit the description of a man in need of some soul searching after the bout, giving Martinez full credit for the victory while noting that he simply got caught with a punch that he didn’t see coming. And as our friend Tim Starks with The Queensberry Rules reports, Williams was extremely vocal about facing off with Martinez for a third time when speaking at the post fight press conference, as the three-time champion holds a December 2009 majority decision victory over the 35-year old.

When looking back at the sport of boxing there certainly are cases of promising talents being laid to waste with a single shot and still finding a way to cope with the defeat and go on to have success with their careers. ‘Terrible’ Terry Norris comes to mind, as he was iced with a crushing right hand by Julian Jackson in July of 1989 in Atlantic City yet found a way to capture the WBC junior middleweight title four fights later while establishing himself as one of the world’s best at 154 over the next seven years due to his pristine conditioning, quality skill set and willingness to lay his neck on the line.

At 29 years of age Paul Williams is no longer the young pup that first introduced himself to the masses on the airwaves of ESPN. In the past few years he has stepped up the level of his competition, migrated between 147 and 160 pounds and also tasted defeat now on two occasions. Williams suffered the first blemish on his ledger when he was out hustled by Puerto Rico’s Carlos Quintana in February of 2008 and the mistake he seemed to make against Martinez was his throwing away of his boxing basics and instead opting to look for the kill early on.

Slideshow: Telling images of Paul Williams’ knockout defeat

Video: Sergio knocks out Williams

Perhaps Martinez’ promoter Lou Dibella put it best after the fight when he noted that Williams would be better off at 147 or 154 pounds for his future endeavors. In those weight classes Paul had always shown a very solid chin and after seeing him crumble from a single shot from Martinez you have to wonder if a move back south would be beneficial.

What Williams has going for himself is the fact that he is a rangy and awkward southpaw with the ability to throw punches in bunches. He makes for a good sized junior middleweight and an extremely huge welterweight and there are surely fighters out there who would be willing to face him now that he is on the comeback trail after showing some weaknesses in his last outing.

The cons with Williams is that he doesn’t seem to be the most level-headed fighter inside of the ring, as despite his obvious talents he seems content with simply getting into the thick of the action and firing away as opposed to executing a well designed game plan. The fact that he has always had a suspect defense further adds to Williams’ issues and it may be something that will cling to him for the rest of his career.

You can’t look over Williams’ career without recognizing his potential. He showed true grit in holding off the challenge of Antonio Margarito in Carson, California. He was the only man to soundly defeat Winky Wright less than a year later at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was viscous in blasting out Quintana in under three minutes to exact revenge in their rematch. And the first time around against Martinez he was effective by simply staying busier and finding away to weather the storms that came his way. His recent loss doesn’t take away from what he had accomplished prior.

More than anything it is the mentality of a fighter that will define how he comes back from a knockout defeat and Williams seems eager to get back on the horse. We’ve already seen him in situations that have been both heartbreaking and glorious, with the recent Martinez affair obviously being one that will leave a lasting impression. Prior to Saturday night’s fight Williams may have been slightly looking ahead of himself after calling out the likes of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather and while his night surely ended on a humble note it doesn’t mean the end of Paul Williams.

Boxing News Round-up

Sergio Martinez: "Pacquiao is Too Small, It's a Mismatch"

Pacquiao willing to take on Martinez, Mayweather

Freddie Roach - Martinez or Berto in the mix if Mayweather isn't

Manny Pacquiao Versus: Julio Cesar Chavez

What do the legends say about Pacquiao? Holyfield, Jones, Johnson speak!

"If Mayweather wants to be remembered as the best, he will need to fight Manny Pacquiao" - Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez

Ricky Hatton drops comeback hint

Read more...

Manny Pacquiao vs Antonio Margarito (News & Video)

News Around The World

• Manila Bulletin - Pacquiao's 8th world championship title is first in boxing history
• New York Times - Win by Pacquiao Pits Speed Over Size
• Washington Post - Manny Pacquiao vs Antonio Margarito results, highlights and analysis
• Dallas News - Little big man: Pacquiao throws 1,069 punches in dominating decision over Margarito
• CNN - Pacquiao wins eighth different belt after Margarito destruction
• Sydney Morning Herald - Pacquiao's mother suffers panic attack
• The Canadian Press - Pacquiao may not need Mayweather after another dominating win over Margarito
• Agence France Press - Pacquiao's trainer issues challenge to Mayweather 
• JewishJournal.com - Manny Pacquiao is A Superstar, A Hero and My New Celebrity Crush

ESPN - Antonio Margarito has fracture to face

Antonio Margarito, the Mexican super welterweight beaten badly by Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night, suffered a fractured orbital bone to his face and was expected to stay in the hospital for observation through at least Sunday night, an executive with Margarito's promotions company said.

Margarito, who lost in a lopsided, 12-round decision, was taken directly to the hospital via ambulance after the fight to have cuts to his face examined. That is when the injury to his eye socket was discovered, Top Rank executive Carl Moretti told ESPN.com's Dan Rafael in an e-mail Sunday.

Margarito skipped the postfight news conference at the request of the fight doctor and people in his camp, unusual for a fight of this magnitude.

Legendary Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach was critical of the late-round decision-making of Margarito's corner, saying they should have forced a stoppage.

"There was no way I was gong to quit. I'm a Mexican, we fight until the end," Margarito said.

Pacquiao, giving away both pounds and inches, won the WBC super welterweight belt to extend his record with a title in an eighth weight class -- two more than Oscar De La Hoya's six.

"He's a very tough guy," Roach said of Margarito. "I was surprised how tough he was. He has the worst corner. They probably ruined his career by not stopping the fight."

Pacquiao turned Margarito into a bloody and nearly blind fighter with a dizzying array of punches, dominating from the opening rounds on at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The beating was so thorough that the congressman from the Philippines turned to referee Laurence Cole several times in the 11th round, imploring him to stop the fight. It went on, though, even though Margarito had no chance to win.

"I can't believe that I beat someone this big and this strong," Pacquiao said. "It's hard. I really do my best to win the fight."

Pacquiao moved up in weight yet again to take on Margarito, a natural welterweight with a reputation for ruggedness in the ring. And rugged he was, though he took a beating all night long at the hands of a faster and seemingly more powerful opponent.

Pacquiao won every round on one scorecard, 120-108, and was ahead 119-109 and 118-110 on the other two. The Associated Press had it a 120-108 shutout.

Watch The Fight:
Video 1


Video 2


Video 3


Video 4


Video 5


Video 6


Video 7


Video 8


Video 9


Video 10



Download Links:

HBO PPV, Xvid, 1.59GB
Megaupload Part1
Megaupload Part2
password: sweetboxing
Join with HJSplit

HBO PPV, HD-source DVD, 3.2GB
Fileserve Part1
Fileserve Part2
Fileserve Part3
Fileserve Part4
Fileserve Part5
Fileserve Part6
Fileserve Part7
Fileserve Part8
Fileserve Part9


Pinoy Tabloid - "Congressman Nambugbog Ng Mexicano; Amerikano Makukulong"
Makati Social - "Bars Now Serving Bloody Margarita"
Mexico Today - "Tijuana Tornado Just Became Tijuana Tostado"

Read more...

ING New York City Marathon

Weatherman Al Roker ready for run of his life in New York marathon
By Roxanna Scott, USA TODAY

Al Roker admits he hasn't been a big fan of the ING New York City Marathon, saying he thought of the crowds and congestion as a nuisance.
"I understand why people do it, and I understand it's a great event in New York," he said. "But for most of us, it comes down to ourselves. If I have trouble getting to my street, now I'm annoyed."


But Sunday, Roker will attempt his first marathon in his hometown, along with more than 43,000 runners, making the New York City Marathon the largest in the USA. He's been training since March and ran the Chicago half marathon in 3 hours, 10 minutes as part of his preparation.

CHILEAN MINER ARRIVES: Edison Pena ready for New York City Marathon
The Today show weatherman says he's not trying to break a certain time; his goal is to cross the finish line. He'll be running with Today's Meredith Vieira.

"She's really amazing. She had a hamstring injury, and most people said, 'Oh she's not going to be able to run.' But she rehabbed it and did physical therapy, and we're running together. She's a much better runner than I am, so she'll probably have to pull back."

Here's a look at some past celebrity runners and their times in the New York marathon:

•Sean Combs 4:14:52
•Anthony Edwards 4:08:20
•Katie Holmes 5:29:58
•Edward Norton 3:48:01

This year's celebrity field also includes chef Bobby Flay, Subway spokesman Jared Fogle and former New York Giants wide receiver Amani Toomer.

Read more...

Manny Pacquiao and Tim Lincecum: Two Filipinos at the Top of Their Game

Bleacher Report
By Kevin Riley on February 8, 2010

Over the last few years, Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao has taken off like a rocket and he hasn't been alone.

Millions of his countrymen have strapped themselves onto his back so they can experience all the thrills of the world's most riveting sport.

Together, they've traversed numerous weight classes, defeated countless contenders, and have won a record seven different world championships.

Everything they do, they do together, and their heartfelt unity has paid big dividends.

"The People's Champ" is now sitting comfortably atop the sport of boxing, and his passionate fans are sitting right there with him.

But to the surprise of most Filipinos, there is another Pinoy riding around on a rocket all his own. And for the last few years, none of them have known about it.

Tim Lincecum is a starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants and he has been absolutely dominant since he first made his debut in May of 2007. The 25-year-old right-hander can knock down big league hitters like a Manny Pacquiao straight left landing squarely on Ricky Hatton's jaw, and he has the hardware to prove it.

Lincecum is the first pitcher in Major League Baseball history to win the prestigious Cy Young Award in each of his first two full seasons. He is also the only pitcher to strike out more than 260 hitters in each of those two seasons and his competition isn't even close.

Along with Pacquiao, Lincecum is undoubtedly one of the two most gifted and accomplished Filipino athletes that ever lived. But unlike Pacquiao, Lincecum's appearance doesn't quite scream out, "I'm Filipino."

Then again, Lincecum's diminutive stature and lanky frame doesn't exactly scream out, "I'm the best pitcher in Major League Baseball," either.

With looks more resemblant of the lead singer from psychedelic rock band MGMT, one thing will become perfectly clear the first time you see Lincecum rear back, torque his body, tilt his head, and explode forward to unleash a pitch.

There is absolutely nothing pretend about The Freak and his God-given abilities.

For people who have spent their entire lifetime around Major League Baseball, it would be much easier for them to imagine the 5'11", 172-pounder shedding 25 pounds and knocking out Pacquiao on Mar. 13 to win his WBO welterweight title, than it would be for them to imagine what he's already accomplished.

At a press conference this past November, Giants' Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Sabean spoke about their half-Filipino, half-Caucasian pitcher winning the 2009 Cy Young Award and his extolling comments revealed that bewilderment.

"Obviously a momentous day, pretty amazing, but that's what defines Timmy's ability," said Sabean. "It really is a proud day for Timmy, the organization, and our fans. A lot of hard work went into this, and I don't say this tongue in cheek, but where do we go from here?

"It's pretty awesome and I think it speaks volumes to his dedication to the game, his love of the game, and really his competitiveness. This guy is all about winning a baseball game once he gets out there.

"His statistics were improved from last year [and] including [being] on a team that was very challenged to score runs, or win a baseball game, it really is amazing and we're certainly very fortunate to be here today."

When the man of few words was given his opportunity to speak, he showed that he is humble too. Just like Pacquiao.

"I want to give thanks to all my teammates, and the organization as a whole. A big thanks to Rags (pitching coach Dave Righetti) for dealing with me day in, and day out, the last three years. And obviously the biggest, to my dad."

His dad, Chris Lincecum, is the mastermind behind his mechanics.

Ever since he was a 5-year-old boy, Tim and his older brother Sean have played baseball. They spent years in the backyard of their Renton, Washington home with their father learning the intricacies of that audacious delivery.

His mother, Becky Asis, might be a part of the reason behind Tim's unassuming manner and humble nature.

A second-generation Filipino-American, Becky is one of Balleriano and Philomena Asis' 10 children—eight girls, and two boys.

Balleriano was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, his father Genaro Asis was born in Mindanao, Philippines; his mother Alberta Alcoy was born in Cebu City, Philippines.

Philomena was born in Stockton, California, her father Leoncio Marcigan was born in Batangas, Philippines; her mother Anustasia Dominguez was born in Siquijor, Philippines.

When he's not winning Cy Youngs, Lincecum is a homebody and a family man. He has two nephews who "love to play ball with their Uncle Tim," and dozens of cousins. He was extremely close to Balleriano who passed away in August of 2007, and it showed up on the field.

Just days after his passing, Lincecum had to pitch in a game against the Chicago Cubs. Through the first eight innings he was his usual dominant self, but in the ninth inning everything came crashing down.

Lincecum surrendered three straight hits and allowed three earned runs. The Cubs overcame a 1-0 ninth-inning deficit to win the game 5-1.

The next day the rookie pitcher admitted he had been pitching with a heavy heart.

"It was my fault, I had a lot of stuff in my head," he said. "Out there, I was thinking about [my grandpa]. I was thinking of past stuff as well as using him to help me. A lot of people do that, they look to God and relatives that have passed away.

"They look to them to help them get through stuff. I guess I used him like that, and it was great. It's sad to see him go, and it's kind of tough to deal with, but on the field I'm just trying to be as focused on the game as possible."

If he was still around today, I bet "Papa Bolo" would be extremely proud of the man that Tim has become. I bet he would be even more proud knowing that his Filipino countrymen had finally recognized Tim was a Filipino too.

Special thanks to "Aunty Puff" for contributing to this story

Photo of Tim Lincecum courtesy of Gene J. Puskar

source: bleacherreport.com

Read more...

Pacquiao vs Cotto - Firepower

Seven weight classes. Seven titles. Manny Pacquiao proved he's an all-time great in stopping Miquel Cotto, writes Bryan Graham (CNN).

1. Manny Pacquiao cemented his legacy as one of history's greatest fighters.

With the 50th and perhaps most difficult victory of his career, Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao has chiseled his name alongside all-time pound-for-pound greats like Willie Pep, Henry Armstrong and Sugar Ray Robinson. With Saturday's 12th-round TKO of Miguel Cotto, Pacquiao captured the WBO welterweight title and became the first fighter to collect world championships in seven different weight classes between 112 to 147 pounds -- an incredible and unprecedented feat for a one-time flyweight who turned pro at a wraith-like 106 pounds.





2. The record books will read TKO 12, but Pacquiao ended this one back in the fourth.

Cotto was game early, controlling distance with the left jab and keeping Pacquiao from getting inside. It was clear the Filipino respected Cotto's punching power. Pacquiao looked more comfortable in the second round, circling the ring and penetrating Cotto's defense with straight lefts and rights. Midway through the second, Cotto lost the plot and starting trading. Pacquiao dropped Cotto in the third with a left to the body and a right hook upstairs -- and again in the fourth with a right hook and a vicious left to the jaw. Cotto was never the same again. He spent the next seven-and-a-half rounds just trying to get to the finish line -- ostensibly trying to counter-punch and box but, in reality, hovering like a fly waiting for the windshield on the freeway.

3. Pacquiao can absorb the punch of a true welterweight.

The stage for Saturday's history-making showdown was set over the past year-and-a-half with Pacquiao's three-pack of victories over David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton. Each fight taught us something about the Filipino southpaw. The ninth-round knockout of Diaz revealed that Pacquiao could pick apart a larger fighter of limited ability. The ninth-round stoppage of De La Hoya taught us Pacquiao could dismantle a fighter at 147 pounds, albeit one way past his prime. The second-round starching of Hatton demonstrated what Pacquiao could do against opponents of anything but the highest caliber. Saturday's stoppage of Cotto provided an emphatic answer to the biggest question looming over Pacquiao's camp in the months leading up to it: could the Filipino stand in and exchange against a true welterweight. He could. Pacquiao took more punches than we'd seen him take against Diaz, De La Hoya or Hatton -- but was never hurt. Once self-doubt crept in and Cotto got tentative, moving backwards and releasing the pressure from Pacquiao, it was over. The Filipino's ring generalship never wavered. He was too fast, too sharp, too busy for Cotto and the result was deserved.

4. No one can doubt Cotto's courage.

You've got to give Cotto credit. A modern-day Boricua folk hero in the mold of Carlos Ortiz, Wilfred Benitez and Felix Trinidad, Cotto would sooner leave the ring on his shield than quit. His face resembled tomato pie for the second half of the fight, with blood flowing from his nose and wounds, yet he persevered. Cotto's corner man Joe Santiago, a 30-year-old greenhorn, never considered stopping it; you wonder if a more experienced trainer might have thrown in the towel several rounds earlier, once it became obvious Cotto had no chance to win. When referee Kenny Bayless stopped the action 55 seconds into the final round, it was clear this was a career-defining fight for both men. Many wondered if Antonio Margarito took something from Cotto in that dubious July 2008 stoppage that Cotto would never be able to get back. That question may have been answered Saturday in Las Vegas.

5. The countdown for Pacquiao-Mayweather is under way.

Now Pacquiao can turn his attention to his personal Everest: Floyd Mayweather Jr. The specter of a megafight between Pacquiao and Mayweather hung over the Cotto fight from the day it was announced. The millions who followed live blogs and watched on pirated Internet streams, unwilling to drop $54.95 on Saturday's fight in a recession, would happily pay that sum to see the sport's finest two pound-for-pound fighters meet in a superfight that would set the bar high for the decade soon to be known as the 2010s. Yes, they'll squabble over the money split and Pacquiao was non-committal in the post-fight interview -- but trainer Freddie Roach considers it an inevitability. "I honestly think it has to happen because boxing needs that fight," Roach told SI.com. "The best need to fight the best."

source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/

Click on the image below to enlarge


Free Complete Video Pacquiao vs Cotto – Firepower
HBO and Sky Version

Megaupload Link 1: Sky
Format: avi
File Size: e size: 462.73 MB
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VUOK21EU

Megaupload Link 2: Sky
Format: avi/xvid
File Size: e size: 462.73 MB
Quality is good
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2M6RW3R0

Hotfile Link 1 – HBO Version
Part 1 - http://hotfile.com/dl/17608067/ef0e433/
Part 2 - http://hotfile.com/dl/17608307/540fd1c/
Part 3 - http://hotfile.com/dl/17608738/565553e/
Part 4 - http://hotfile.com/dl/17608970/0f73092/

Rapidshare Link 1 – HBO Version
Part 1 - http://rapidshare.com/files/307258389/PC.PPV.part1.rar
Part 2 - http://rapidshare.com/files/307258381/PC.PPV.part2.rar
Part 3 - http://rapidshare.com/files/307258821/PC.PPV.part3.rar
Part 4 - http://rapidshare.com/files/307258761/PC.PPV.part4.rar

more here: http://www.boljoon.com/blogs/?p=246


Now, who wants to join the party?

Read more...