PACQUIAO CLOBBERS MOSLEY IN A LOPSIDED UNANIMOUS DECISION

photos: internet source

LAS VEGAS—Manny Pacquiao forced Shane Mosley into a defensive mode with an early knockdown and settled for a unanimous decision to retain his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown at the sold-out MGM Grand Garden Arena here on Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila).

The Fighting Congressman from Sarangani tagged Mosley with a right jab then unloaded a left hook that floored the American in the third round. Mosley beat the count, but was never the same after that.

Hobbled by cramps in the left leg, Pacquiao was unable to finish off Mosley, disappointing many of the 16,412 fans who were expecting the eight-division world champion to hand the 39-year-old American his first knockout loss.

To his compatriots back home, however, victory by any manner was enough cause for jubilation.
Pacquiao later said he was really intent on stopping Mosley but that the future Hall of Famer refused to trade punches as he normally does against other foes.
As Mosley found out, Pacquiao was more powerful and faster than he thought.
Pacquiao, who was hardly marked when he appeared in coat-and-tie in the postfight press conference, raised his win-loss-draw record to 54-3-2 with 38 knockouts.

Mosley, who wore dark shades to hide his reddened eyes, fell to 46-7-1, with one no-contest and 39 knockouts.

It marked the third straight time that Pacquiao went the distance, although Mosley was as outclassed as Ghanaian Joshua Clottey and Mexican Antonio Margarito.

Counting his 12th-round stoppage of Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto, the 32-year-old Pacquiao has now gone 48 rounds without knocking out an opponent, raising concerns that his body is being worn down faster than it should.
By Roy Luarca
Philippine Daily Inquirer

PACQUIAO IN A ONE-SIDED UNANIMOUS DECISION OVER MARGARITO

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS—Manny Pacquiao threw bombs that could have toppled a brick wall. Antonio Margarito absorbed most of them, but refused to fall.

In a masterful display of speed and precision, Pacquiao dominated the taller, bigger Margarito from the opening bell to earn a lopsided unanimous decision on Saturday night (Sunday in Manila) for the World Boxing Council super welterweight crown that further embellished his already sterling ring career.

Reasserting his dominance over Mexican fighters, the Filipino pound-for-pound king captured a record eighth title in as many divisions in his unprecedented march on history, a feat only Pacquiao himself could break if he decides to court danger again by moving to a higher weight class. As Pacquiao bruised, bloodied and eventually disfigured the face of Margarito, he proved again that, at least so far, speed trumps size. Against his largest opponent yet, Pacquiao did what Pacquiao always does: He dipped and danced and fired southpaw, he ducked and spun and landed a tornado of combinations. When it ended, Pacquiao had earned his 13th straight victory and the WBC’s vacant 154-pound title.

With each round, Margarito’s face worsened, as if Pacquiao was painting a brutal boxing masterpiece. It went like this: seventh round, left eye closed; eighth round, bleeding from nose; ninth round, left cheek bruised; 10th round, fight nearly stopped. In the 11th round, Pacquiao glanced at the referee, almost pleading for a stoppage. In the 12th round, he took mercy, punching rarely, virtually allowing Margarito to finish on his feet.

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.
By Roy Luarca
Philippine Daily Inquirer

PACQUIAO OUTPOINTS, DOMINATES CLOTTEY IN A ONE-SIDED FIGHT

DALLAS – Manny Pacquiao did not get the knockout most people wanted, but he did get all the points needed to beat the defense-minded Joshua Clottey and retain his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight belt late Saturday night at the Cowboys Stadium. A huge crowd of 50,944, the third biggest in modern history, came to see the fight, and for 12 rounds they watched Pacquiao dominate an opponent who was so busy defending he almost forgot to throw punches.

It was the first boxing event ever held at the $1.2-billion stadium, and Pacquiao, the greatest fighter in the planet today, made sure it was worth remembering, even for the millions who watched from around the globe. For the first time in his last five fights, Pacquiao had to listen to ring announcer Michael Buffer go to the scorecards. And unanimously, he was declared winner “and still” the reigning WBO welterweight champion.

Right from the start Pacquiao went after Clottey, but right there as well, he and his cornermen knew it was going to be a long night because the former champion hardly engaged, contrary to what he said he’d do. Clottey did prove he was tough because after all the punches he took, especially those to the body, he remained standing until the end, never really getting hurt. He covered up so well it looked like his gloves were glued to his face. Still, the crowd loved the fight because it was a very busy one for Pacquiao who threw a total of 1,231 punches, landing 246 of them, against Clottey, who threw only 399 punches, and was lucky to land 108 of them, including a few good ones.

Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, said the size of the crowd that showed up in his stadium was beyond his imagination. It was third largest in modern history, next only to the 72,000 that watched the Muhammad Ali-Leon Spinks 2 at the Superdome in New Orleans in 1978, and the 60,000-plus of the Pernell Whitaker-Julio Cesar Chavez fight at the Alamodome in San Antonio in 1993. “He’s a good fighter and he’s strong. Yeah, his punches hurt, too. I was not in a hurry to knock him out because I knew he was just looking for the big shot. He was waiting for the perfect timing to land a good counter-punch,” said Pacquiao. “I felt his power. And I was cautious of his power throughout the fight,” said Pacquiao who stretched his incredible win streak to 12, and improved his ring record to 51-3-2 with 38 knockouts, including his last four fights.“Joshua fought a defensive fight. That’s his game. That’s why it was hard to knock him out. But the chance to fight the best only comes once in a lifetime so I felt he should have fought more,” said Roach.

During the post-fight press conference, Clottey admitted that for the first time in his career he felt that he truly lost a bout, because his three previous losses were all questionable.Against Carlos Baldomir, he was disqualified due to head butts, and against Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto last year he said he felt he won. “He has the speed so I think I really lost the fight. He has very good movement and he has the speed that was hard for me to handle. His speed was really difficult for me,” he said.
Source- (by Abac Cordero/ The Philippine Star)

Pacquiao in the February 2010 issue of Ring Magazine

PACQUIAO WRITES HISTORY, BEATS COTTO IN 12th

Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao writes history when he beats Miguel Cotto winning his seventh title in seven weight classes. He fortifies his stature as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. The ring gladiator puts up another dominating performance knocking down Cotto twice and turning his face into a bloody mess before finally stopping him at 55 seconds of the 12th round.

Cotto fought gamely, but in the later rounds he was just trying to survive as blood flowed down his face and Pacquiao came after him relentlessly. Joe Santiago, Cotto’s trainer tried to stop the fight after the 11th round, but Cotto went back out to take even more punishment before a final flurry along the ropes prompted referee Kenny Bayless to end it. Cotto's wife and child, who were at ringside, left after the ninth round, unable to watch the beating any longer. They later accompanied him to a local hospital for a post-fight examination."I didn't know from where the punches were coming," Cotto said. "This is the last weight division for me," Pacquiao said. "It's history for me and more importantly a Filipino did it."

PACQUIAO : FIVE-PAGE COVER STORY AT TIME MAGAZINE

Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao lands on the cover of Time Magazine Asia (November 16, 2009 issue) and has a five page feature story that will be included in the global editions of the magazine. Pacquiao feels humbled by the experience saying, “I absolutely had no idea that when I started my career in boxing, to provide a better life for myself and my family, that I would now be where I am today and on the cover of TIME Magazine,”

Pacquiao will face Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto on November 14 (November 15, Philippine Time) in Las Vegas and will try to be the first boxer to ever record seven world titles in seven different weight classes. Pacquiao has won titles in the junior welterweight, lightweight, super featherweight, featherweight, super bantamweight and flyweight divisions.

Read the complete article here---

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PACQUIAO FEATURED IN THE RING MAGAZINE

Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is featured in the latest issue of The Ring magazine. Known as the "bible of boxing," The Ring has him the cover in the July issue and a 7-page article devoted to the prized pound-for-pound fighter.

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THE TIME 100 WORLD'S MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE

Our very own Manny Pacquiao, the reigning Pound for Pound and the best boxer in the world, was voted one of the TIME 100 World's Most Influential People. I don't agree with Lennox Lewis when he wrote that "I can surely see Pacquiao becoming Philippine President one day."

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RINGSIDE DRAMA IN THE PACQUIAO-HATTON FIGHT

My heart bleeds for the family of defeated world champion Ricky Hatton, who suffers a humiliated and brutal knockout. Always humble, Pacquiao in a post-fight interview said “I thanked Ricky for giving me the opportunity to fight him because he put his championship at stake. I told him it’s nothing personal, that I just had to do my job, like he has to do his. I’m only a boxer so this is my job.”

Manny Pacquiao, known as Pacman, felled Ricky Hatton with a brutally quick left hook to the chin. Referee Kenny Bayless didn’t even bother to count before stopping the fight with just a second of the round remaining.

Hatton flat on his back

Seconds earlier, Hatton fiancée, 27-year old Jennifer Dooley, a former college lecturer let out an ear-piercing scream and collapses in tears as the British boxer was floored for the third and final time by the Filipino boxer. Ms. Dooley was comforted by Jenna Coyne, the partner of Hatton’s younger brother Matthew, who had earlier won a points victory in the undercard.

Heartbreaking: Ricky Hatton’s fiancée Jennifer Dooley is consoled by his brothers girlfriend Jenna Coyne

Hatton remained motionless for three worrying minutes while medics rallied around him

As her man lies unconscious on the canvas just yards away, Dooley was all worried and distressed. Wearing a close-fitting red dress, she gripped the back of the seat in front of her for support before turning to Miss Coyne with her hand over her mouth in horror as Hatton, nicknamed The Hitman, remained flat on his back on the canvas for three worrying minutes. Hatton’s mother Carol also looked on concerned as medics helped bring him to his senses.

Can’t bear to watch: Ricky Hatton’s mother Carol, left, with Jennifer, right, and Jenna Coyne

Hatton was eventually helped back to his corner before leaving without giving interviews for a precautionary medical check in hospital. He had landed just 18 punches on his opponent, compared to Pacquiao’s 73.

Source: Comfy Magazine Site

PACQUIAO KNOCKS OUT HATTON IN 2nd ROUND

The Philippines' two popular broadsheet newspapers, Philippine Daily Inquirer and The Philippine Star, headlined Pacquiao's sensational win over Hatton, branding the Filipino boxer "a boxing legend," and " the greatest fighter ever."

(CNN) -- Manny Pacquiao, often considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, cemented his reputation Saturday night when he knocked out British boxer Ricky Hatton in the second round." That was two of the most exciting rounds I have seen in my career," said Chris Mannix, a writer for Sports Illustrated. "You saw, really from the opening bell, Pacquiao was really dominant."

With the win at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada, Pacquiao added the junior welterweight crown to his past world titles: lightweight, super featherweight, junior featherweight, featherweight and flyweight. His career record stands at 49-3-2 with 37 knockouts. The fight, for which Pacquiao reportedly earned $12 million, was brief.

Pacquiao knocked Hatton down in the first round from a series of lightning-fast right hooks. The British boxer managed to get to his feet and finish the round, but the outcome was evident once the second round began. Hatton, the International Boxing Organization's junior welterweight champion, tried the classic brawling style that has fueled his career. But Pacquiao's technique and speed quickly outclassed Hatton. The Filipino's right hooks set up a devastating left hook that flattened Hatton with a second remaining in the second round. The referee quickly ended the match.” It turned out he (Hatton) just wasn't very good at boxing," Mannix said. "You saw the difference between a great fighter and very good fighter."

The 30-year-old Pacquiao is a national hero in the Philippines, where his bouts bring the country to a standstill. He came into the fight Saturday as a narrow favorite after sending one of the biggest names in the sport, Oscar de la Hoya, into retirement with a stoppage victory in December. Nicknamed "Pacman," he grew up poor in General Santos City in the southern Philippines. He found boxing as a way to lift himself to fame and riches, yet he remains self-deprecating outside of the ring. It is this combination of a fierce fighter in the ring and a smiling deferential one outside that has helped turn him into an idol. (May 3, 2009/ Philippine time)

SPORTS HEROES TURNED MOVIE STARS # 3: ROLANDO NAVARRETE

Left- Boxing Fight Ad dated May 30, 1982 between Champion Rolando 'the guns of' Navarrete and callenger Rafael 'Bazooka' Limon. for the World Superfeatherweight Championship.

Right- Movie ad Teaser of Navarrete's upcoming movie, "Bad Boy From Dadiangas."

Rolando Navarette (born February 14, 1957 ), the Bad Boy from Dadiangas, rose to international fame when he knocked out Cornelius Boza Edwards in 1981 to capture the World Boxing Council super featherweight title. A native of General Santos City, Navarette became an instant toast and his feat gained him fortune and fame. He later defended it against Choi Chung-Il of South Korea. His wayward ways however later caught up with him. He eventually lost the title to Rafael 'Bazooka' Limon by technical knockout in 1982. His misfortune did not end there.

He was abandoned by his first wife and lost whatever savings he had while he was still a feared world-boxing champion. He was convicted for rape and sent to prison in Hawaii several years after he lost his crown. When he was released on humanitarian grounds, he resumed his boxing career. But he never recovered his lost glory.

After spending some time as a journeyman, he settled back in his hometown, doing some errands while being employed by the city government. Sometime in the 90s he turned bellicose and found himself in several troubles. He once cheated death when he was stabbed by a drinking companion in one of the city's beaches. That episode never changed his wayward behavior. When his job at city hall was not renewed, he started to harass city hall employees, often pushing, sometimes punching, whoever he thought had displeased him.

Today, the former world-boxing champ is a mere shadow of his old self. While he still maintains a well-chiseled body, his faculties are gone. He now walks with a gait of a punch-drunk boxer. Even his speech is so slurred, you could hardly comprehend him. He turns to the city government for assistance and would turn irrational when spurned.

Indeed, Navarette has become one of the many and countless boxers who relied on their boxing prowess but never learn to save for the future. Until then, he would continue to scrimp for alms and whatever goodwill from people who will continue to pity him.

Excerpt from an article by Edwin G. Espejo

Sun Star

Bad Boy From Dadiangas (1982)- Stars Rolando Navarrete, Amy Austria, Liz Alindogan and Isabel Rivas/ with Max Alvarado, Max Laurel, Jimmy Santos, Joaquin Fajardo and Paul Sakamoto/ Directed by Pablo Santiago

Trivia: Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao was only 2 1/2 years old when Rolando Navarette wrested the WBC Super Featherweight title from Cornelius Boza Edwards with a dramatic, stunning fifth round knockout victory in 1981.