Kick-ass: Nike unveils Manny Pacquiao's Ring Boot

After months of speculation among boxing fans and shoe enthusiasts, Nike finally unveiled the Manny Pacquiao Ring Boot to the public, which the Filipino boxing superstar will wear during his May 7th welterweight championship fight against Shane Mosley in Las Vegas.

Manny Pacquiao, the current P4P king is a dynamic fighter and is known not only for his explosive power in both hands but also for his mind-boggling speed and footwork, attributes that the shoe purveyors at Nike had kept in mind when they came up with the design of the state-of-the-art MP ring boot which it describes as:

"Blinding speed and cheetah quickness require stability. The next generation of Manny Pacquiao’s ring boot combines lightweight strength with lockdown containment building for Manny’s agility, power and footwork in the ring."

And history is not lost on the Nike designers as well since we all know that great footwear is not only "intended to protect and comfort" the feet but also has become an art form, a decoration or medium that reflects the wearer's fashion sense or personality.

Thus, Nike made a truly beautiful footwear that not only complements Manny Pacquiao's constant activity inside the ring but also pays homage to the Pacman's character and achievements.

Nike describes the ring boot's personalized aesthetics: the "royal blue color pays tribute to the Philippines, while additional touches such as Manny’s logo on the upper, eight stars aligned on the tongue tab, and reflective ink spelling ‘Manny Pacquiao’ wrapping the heel of both boots, provide a personal touch fit for a champion."

...and explains the footwear's technological upside- "Flywire technology strength, herringbone traction and forefoot stability provide technical elements required for a professional bout at boxing’s highest level. Manny’s feet are incredibly quick and strong, in constant motion, creating tremendous torque and rigor on his boots."

Check out the rest of Nike's Manny Pacquiao Summer 2011 Collection HERE

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Manny Pacquiao on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Video Credit: YouTube/ JimmyKimmelLive

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ESPN Magazine May Edition features Manny Pacquiao et al

"Show me the money!", the phrase made famous by Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding, Jr. in the 1996 movie Jerry Maguire may have been in the minds of the people behind ESPN Magazine when they decided to focus on the amount of dough an elite athlete makes in a year.

The May 2011 edition of ESPN Magazine features Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao with the NY Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez and Swiss tennis great Roger Federer on its cover.

The Pacman and A-Rod head the all- star list in the magazine's "Best- paid athletes in 30 sports" with both athletes taking home $32,000,000 last year.

Race car driver Kimi Raikkonen (26,333,333), the LA Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24,800,000) and Real Madrid forward Christiano Ronaldo (19,500,000) round up the top five highest- paid athletes of 2010.

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Photo Credit: Chris Farina/ Top Rank

Orlando Salido shocks JuanMa with 8th round stoppage

ORLANDO SALIDO SHOCKS JUANMA LOPEZ WITH

EIGHTH ROUND TKO TO CLAIM WBO FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE

IN ALL ACTION THRILLER

Luis Cruz Outpoints Martin Honorio via Unanimous Decision to Remain Undefeated

Catch the Replay on Tuesday, April 19 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME

BAYAMON, P.R. (April 17, 2011) – After thirty fights of stunning crowds with his ability to neglect defense and always come back to score the victory, Juan Manuel Lopez’ streak ended. Orlando Salido captured the WBO Featherweight Championship via eighth-round technical knockout (referee stoppage) after connecting with countless right hands including one that landed “JuanMa” on the canvas in the fifth round. In the co-featured bout, Luis Cruz claimed a unanimous decision over Martin Honorio with the scores of 100-90, 98-92 and 96-94 from Ruben Rodriguez Coliseo in Bayamon, Puerto Rico on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.

At first it seemed like nothing new for the 27-year-old, charismatic Puerto Rican.

After Lopez (30-1, 27 KOs) won the first several rounds, Salido (35-11-2, 23 KOs), of Ciudad Obregon, Mexico, roared back by coming forward, bringing pressure and landing his right hand to the hard head of Lopez. In a flurry of punches between both fighters in the fifth, Salido landed a solid left hook followed by a hellacious right that sent JuanMa to the ground. Visibly staggered, Lopez called upon his warrior determination to return to his feet before the ten count and endure the dwindling seconds of the round.

Admitting to the severity of the knockdown, Lopez simply stated after the fight, “The punch in the fifth round hurt.”

The lingering effects of Salido’s monstrous right hand pushed JuanMa into survival mode throughout the sixth as Salido looked to end the night, but Lopez was able to miraculously hang on. By the seventh, the 10,115 loyal fans in attendance were on their feet and screaming at the top of their lungs as they witnessed their champion come back to life with a another signature gutsy performance.

But then the storyline changed.

Instead of Lopez springing from his corner in the eighth to knockout his opponent, it was Salido who charged into the round with a renewed sense of urgency to end the fight. Although Lopez was able to sporadically retaliate, Salido was landing the much cleaner, harder shots and Lopez was once again wobbling around the ring. The wobbling and lack of punching efficiency proved to be too much for referee Roberto Ramirez Jr. as he stopped the slugfest at 1:39 of round eight.

The stoppage surprised – and angered – many in attendance, as the boos were following by flying beer and water bottles from the pro-Lopez crowd. Lopez echoed the crowd’s displeasure with the ref’s ruling. “[Salido] was hitting me but [Ramirez Jr.] shouldn’t have stopped the fight,” said Lopez. “I was still conscious.”

For safety purposes, Rodriguez was walked out of the arena by a team of police escorts.

Proudly hoisting up his belt after the fight, the new champion said, “I came very prepared to fight the No. 1 featherweight in the world. I think the fight was going pretty evenly through the first five rounds but I knew I had to pressure [Lopez] because we were in his hometown.”

After considering the bout’s thrilling nature and competitive spirit, promoter Bob Arum informed the media at the post-fight press conference that he fully planned to schedule a rematch between Lopez and Salido in the fall.

In the night’s opening attraction, the Puerto Rican rising prospect Cruz (18-0, 14 KOs), of Philadelphia by way of Las Piedras, Puerto Rico, made his case for contender status with a solid unanimous decision over Honorio (29-6-1, 15 KOs), of Mexico City. Although the fight was closer than the hometown scoring (110-90, 98-92, 96-94) from hometown judges (Raul Nieves, Nelson Vazquez, Carlos Colon) would indicate, Cruz silenced any critics pointing to a lack of quality opposition on his resume. Honorio, a late replacement for Roman "Rocky" Martinez who withdrew after suffering a lower back injury in training, has shared the ring with many former and current champions and owns a collection of upsets throughout his career.

The first round saw the two fighters feel each other out before each man found his rhythm, with Cruz scoring on big single shots and Honorio punching in volume to make his mark. In an action-packed sixth round, the two exchanged several power shots with Cruz landing big left hooks and uppercuts and Honorio scoring with the right hand.

As the 10-round junior lightweight clash settled back down, a sense of confidence and poise came over Cruz who proved to himself that he could handle prizefighting at the next level. Although the scores were more lopsided than some may have believed, Cruz earned a hard-fought unanimous decision in his coming-out party as a legitimate contender.

The doubleheader was promoted by Top Rank, Inc. The telecast will replay on Tuesday, April 19 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME and will be available On Demand from April 19 through May 2.

Gus Johnson called the action from ringside with Al Bernstein providing color commentary and Jim Gray serving as ringside reporter. David Dinkins Jr. is the Executive Producer of SHOWTIME Sports® with Chuck McKean producing and Bob Dunphy directing.

*Photo Credit: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME

J'Leon Love returns, faces JC Peterson in Berto- Ortiz undercard

Former amateur standout and Detroit super middleweight prospect J'Leon Love (5-0, 4 KOs) will fight JC Peterson (1-10) in the Andre Berto- Victor Ortiz WBC welterweight championship undercard Saturday night at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

J'Leon Love is considered to be one of Detroit's brightest prospects and has the skills and talent to make it big in the sport. After all his amateur records speak for themselves: 5- time Detroit Golden Gloves champion, 5- time Golden Glove State champion and National Golden Gloves Silver medalist (he lost to undefeated current NABF welterweight champion and now Manny Pacquiao chief sparmate Shawn Porter in the 2007 finals) and is undefeated in 5 professional fights although the quality of his opponents left something to be desired.

And if you folks are wondering about JC Peterson's boxing record, rest assured that your eyes are not playing tricks on you nor is it a typograpical error. Don't laugh now but we might wonder how on earth a boxer like Peterson, with an atrocious fight record, could still find his way atop a boxing ring against one of Detroit's fast- rising prospects. It is really a reflection of how the business is being run nowadays.

For the full article click HERE

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*FIGHT CAMP 360° Bonus Video

Video: Juan Manuel Lopez at his hometown gym

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Bantamweight Tournament Update

JOSEPH KING KONG AGBEKO & ABNER MARES

VIC DARCHINYAN & YONNHY PEREZ

THE BANTAMWEIGHT TOURNAMENT FINAL –

Winner Takes All 

CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS

Four of the world’s most talented and exciting bantamweights participated in a media conference Four of the world’s most talented and exciting bantamweights participated in a media conference call to discuss The Bantamweight Tournament Final: Winner Takes All on Saturday, April 23 LIVE on SHOWTIME® (10:30 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles .

International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight world champion Joseph King Kong Agbeko (28-2, 22 KOs), of Accra, Ghana, will defend his title against the fast-rising, undefeated Abner Mares (21-0-1, 13 KOs), of Hawaiian Gardens, Calif. by way of Guadalajara , Jalisco, Mexico , in the tournament final. Mares’ WBC Silver bantamweight belt will also be on the line.

In what will be a hotly contested 12-round co-feature, former two-division world champion Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan (35-3-1, 27 KOs), of Sydney, Australia, by way of Vanadzok, Armenia, and former IBF bantamweight world champion Yonnhy “El Colombiano” Perez (20-1-1, 14 KOs), of Santa Fe Springs, Calif., by way of Cartagena, Colombia, will clash in a must-win tournament consolation bout.

Tickets, priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25 are on sale now and available for purchase online at Ticketmaster.com and via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at STAPLES Center Box Office. Doors at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE open at 4 p.m. with the first non-televised undercard fight beginning at 5 p.m. PT.

The Bantamweight Tournament Final: Winner Takes All is promoted by Don King Productions, Gary Shaw Productions, Golden Boy Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions and is sponsored by DeWalt Tools and Corona .

Here’s what the fighters had to say on Wednesday’s conference call:

You’re both coming off disappointing defeats in the Semifinals. What do you have to prove?

DARCHINYAN: "In my last fight I showed skills for all 12 rounds and didn’t go bombing for a knockout. But no more, I’m changing my style again. I’m going to knock out everyone in front of me. This time it’s Yonnhy Perez, I’m just coming to knock him out. I’m just coming to destroy him. You will see. People talk about when I moved to bantamweight and say I’m not as powerful as I was at 115 pounds? You will see how powerful I am at bantamweight."

PEREZ: “I have nothing to prove. Everyone knows me; I’m a former world champion. Right now I’m just concentrating on Vic Darchinyan. I feel 100 percent confident. On April 23 everyone will see a great fight."

Yonnhy, the first time you fought Agbeko you won. What did you do wrong or what did you change in the second fight that you lost?

PEREZ: “In the first fight Agbeko came to fight and slug it out with me. In the second fight Agbeko came to box. Agbeko fought a great fight and he beat me. I’m not taking anything away from him.”

Yonnhy, have you ever sparred with Vic or watched his fights?

PEREZ: “I’ve watched Darchinyan fight before because we work with the same promoters. Darchinyan is going to do his job and I’m going to do my job and, at the end, the promoter is going to come out winning because whoever wins is from the same promoter. But we’re going to give a great fight. Darchinyan is a great person and it’s just part of the sport. We respect it and we’re going to do 100 percent for the fans.”

Yonnhy, it seemed like you flattened out in the second half of the last fight. What was the reason for that?

PEREZ: “I was frustrated with the fight. Mentally, I was just down. The cut hurt me a lot. It was something that happened and it won’t happen again. I’m ready for this fight.”

Yonnhy, how did going back to Colombia and training with your family help you for this fight?

PEREZ: “It was a great motivation for me because I was close to my family; I got to see my kids all the time. And that’s the reason I’m fighting – I’m fighting for my kids. That motivated me and that why I feel like I’m ready for this fight.”

Vic, what kind of impact do you think the Armenian community will have on your fight?

DARCHINYAN: “I’m very excited to fight in front of the crowd. It’s great to have because you get more motivated for the fight. I love to fight in America , I love to fight in California . I’ve never lost in California , I love it. The stadium is a nice stadium, a fancy stadium. It’s great to fight here.”

Vic, where do you see the fight ending?

DARCHINYAN: “I’m coming to knock him out. He’s a good fighter, it’s nothing personal, I’m just coming to knock him out. I’m just going to punch the left and the right with damaging punches. I’m just coming to destroy him. I’m looking for a knockout in the fourth round. Is it going to happen, I don’t know."

Yonnhy, how will you prepare for Vic and counteract his technique?

PEREZ: “I’m prepared for however Darchinyan comes out. If he comes out to slug I’m going to slug with him. If he comes to box, I’m going box. I’m prepared for whatever Darchinyan brings to me. We’re just ready.”

Vic, you’re fighting in a consolation fight. Are there any issues with motivation?

DARCHINYAN: “I’m a professional and I’m concentrating on my next opponent. What’s happened in the past stays in the past. I’m just looking forward to this fight.”

Yonnhy, can you answer the same question?

PEREZ: “I have motivation in my family. I fight for my kids so they’re better off, my family back home, friends, everybody. I fight for my country and my family. I’m just taking this fight as another fight that I need to win to get to that title shot again.”

Who do you think is going to win between Agbeko and Mares?

DARCHINYAN: “I don’t care about who’s going to win. I just want to fight the winner. I’m looking forward to my next fighter.”

PEREZ: “Both fighters are great fighters. But my friend Abner Mares is going to win this fight and he’ll be a world champion. I know how hard he’s worked for it and it’s his time.”

Yonnhy, you’ve fought them both. Do you think you should be first up to challenge the winner of the tournament?

PEREZ: “I believe so. That’s why I’m getting ready for this fight because I know that the winner of this fight will take the next step to getting a rematch with either fighter.”

Vic, what would you tell your Armenian fans?

DARCHINYAN: “Boxing is about excitement. I’m not coming just to win the fight; I’m coming to bring excitement. I want excitement. I want to fight bigger guys. I want to fight world champions. I want to just prove my point and show everyone how strong I am at the moment. I have my style, I am who I am. I’m just going to show everything in the ring. You’re going to see my punches and you’re going to hear my punches.”

“On the other side of the world in Armenia , April 24 is a very big day for Armenia . It’s the Genocide of Armenia. I want everyone to see this fight and see how motivated I am for this fight. All my team is going to come and remember 1915. It’s a very big day for Armenia .”

DARCHINYAN & PEREZ CLOSING COMMENTS:

PEREZ: “I just want to thank SHOWTIME for putting this tournament together. And I want to thank the promoters. This is a big event and hopefully there are more events that can follow this.”

DARCHINYAN: “I’m fighting on SHOWTIME. I want to do something special. I want to put all my exciting fights on Showtime. “

AGBEKO & MARES OPENING COMMENTS:


AGBEKO: “I want to thank SHOWTIME for putting together this tournament. Abner Mares is a very good fighter but I know I’m the best bantamweight in the world and I’m going to win on April 23.”

MARES: “I want to thank SHOWTIME for giving me this opportunity to showcase myself. I’m prepared 100 percent for this fight. I’m really focused and I’m going as a champion and I’m defending my title, too. It’s destiny. About a year ago this time I was training to fight Yonnhy Perez, who I fought on May 22 of last year. Now I’m ready to fight Joseph Agbeko on April 23. It’s destiny, it’s a year apart. It’s the same belt – I let it go once, it slipped away from my hands, and I got a draw. I shook it off and we worked harder. Now we have a second chance. Not many people get second chances and I’m just going to take advantage of it.”

Abner, is there anyone you’ve fought that you can compare style-wise with Agbeko?

MARES: “I’ve said it before, I don’t like to study tapes or an opponent because you don’t know what’s he going to bring in. When he comes to fight you it could be totally different. I’ve never faced a fighter like Joseph Agbeko – Agbeko is a complete fighter, he can box, he can bomb, he can do whatever he wants in the ring. Really, it comes down to whatever style he brings in - we have to work with it and adapt to his style.”

Abner, can you talk about how that setback against Perez affected you?

MARES: “A loss or even a draw, which motivates you more, it depends on the person. I took it really serious and went back and worked extremely hard. I had the chance to fight for a world title and I got a draw, which I pretty much consider a loss. I didn’t get the title so I just went back in the gym and trained harder. Now I have a second chance and I have to take advantage of it.”

Joseph, how did the loss to Perez outside the tournament affect you?

AGBEKO: “After losing to Yonnhy Perez I learned a couple of lessons and I’ve been working very hard since then. I had the chance to get back with the SHOWTIME Bantamweight Tournament and I was able to reclaim my belt from Yonnhy Perez. The lessons I learned from the first fight are making me work harder and harder every day for the fight with Abner Mares.”

Abner, did the Perez fight help you in any way with motivation against Darchinyan?

MARES: “I think every fight that you fight you take something from it and you learn something from it. The Darchinyan fight was a really tough fight. The first couple of rounds didn’t go my way. I was cut and I was knocked down. I think what really helped me there was just the motivation and the strength, mentally, that I had just thinking about my family and not thinking about losing. Just the strength – mentally, I never gave up and I always continued to go forward and never had a losing mentality. I think that was the key in that fight.”

How do you think your styles will mesh in this fight?

MARES: “I think it’s going to be an exciting fight. Obviously, you’ve seen our styles and have seen us fight. We can both brawl, we can both box. It really just depends what we bring into the ring and how adapt to the styles. I like to give exciting fights. There are times, even Agbeko said, where you go toe-to-toe; I sometimes like that because it makes the fight interesting and exciting.”

AGBEKO: “I think we both are skillful and we both are very aggressive. Abner is a very strong guy and always like coming in and throwing a lot of punches. I can do the same. I believe it’s going to be a very beautiful fight. There’s going to be a lot of action in this fight. I think the smarter fighter is going to win this fight. We’re going to fight with our body, our strength and our energy and I think the smartest fighter is going to win.”

Abner, who do you think is going to win the Darchinyan-Perez fight?

MARES: “I have no comment on that fight. I just think it’s going to be a great fight because of their styles. Yonnhy is a guy that is there to be hit – he’s forward, he doesn’t like to back up. And Darchinyan likes that. It can go both ways. If Darchinyan lands that left hand that he likes to land right on the chin I think Yonnhy might go down. But, again, if it goes down to Yonnhy being stronger and Darchinyan not being able to take his pressure, it goes both ways. I really don’t have a winner there; I just think it’s going to be a great fight.”

What do you like about this tournament?

AGBEKO: “I love this tournament. This tournament gave me a chance to get my title back from Perez. It’s a tournament where you’re not going to fight any other contender – you’re only fighting the best bantamweights in the world. You’re not going to fight the 15th contender or the 10th contender; you’re only going to fight the best bantamweights. If you come out of the tournament as the winner then you’re going to be the best bantamweight in the world. I think this tournament gives us a chance to prove ourselves and show we’re the best bantamweights. I really like the tournament so I with it could continue longer.”

MARES: “It’s helped me tremendously to get myself known out there. Back then, people would hear rumors about Abner Mares but I never had been showcased. Now, on SHOWTIME, it really helps people recognize me and people recognize my fights. SHOWTIME has done a tremendous job to showcase my style and showcase my life. For me, it worked out great. If they keep going with any other division it will definitely help not just the fighters but boxing as well.”

MARES: “When Agbeko said he’s similar to a Mexican fighter it’s because he’s a warrior who gives his all in the ring. He fights his heart out. He throws a lot of punches. He does have a little bit of everything in the ring. It’s going to be a great fight. He’s a champion and he’s a great champion.”

Joseph, what do you think are your advantages going into this fight?

AGBEKO: “I don’t think about advantages in any fight because I’ve been fighting very tough fighters for some time now. My advantage is going to be my heart. I’ve worked a lot on strength for this fight and I’ve worked a lot on speed. I would like to thank SHOWTIME for giving the opportunity to be in this tournament and to become a world champion again.”

Abner, what are your advantages?

MARES: "My advantage is fighting here at home. I know that they say the people aren’t fighting for you; you’re the one going up in the ring. But the people and the crowd are the ones that feed you that energy. Once I get up in the ring and hear people cheer for me feeds me that energy to go the 12 rounds to fight an energetic fight. I want to thank everybody, especially Golden Boy Promotions. They started me from zero – I’m their first project. They turned from zero to a chance for a world title.”

*Photo Credit: Tom Hogan - Hoganphotos/Golden Boy Promotions

Orlando Salido Media Workout Quotes & Photos

FORMER WORLD CHAMP ORLANDO SALIDO

MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES & PHOTOS

 

Former Featherweight World Title Challenger Martin Honorio

To Face Undefeated Prospect Luis Cruz In Co-Feature

After Roman Martinez Pulls Out Of Fight With An Injury

 

PUERTO RICO (April 12, 2011) – Former world champion Orlando "Siri" Salido arrived late Monday evening in Puerto Rico and held a Media Workout on Tuesday at the Wilfredo Gomez Gym in Guaynabo , Puerto Rico , where he was welcome by two-time world champion Ivan "Iron Boy" Calderon.

 

Salido will challenge unbeaten World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight champion Juan Manuel “Juanma’’ Lopez this Saturday, April 16 in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING live on SHOWTIME® (10:30 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

 

Salido and his team, Jose Santos, Victor Barron and Armando Castro, met the media and worked out for one hour, hitting the mitts, speed bag and shadow boxing.  Salido stated that he was almost on weight for the 126-pound clash at Ruben Rodriguez Coliseo in Bayamon, Puerto Rico    

 

In the co-feature, undefeated Luis Cruz will now face former world title challenger Martin Honorio, of Mexico City , Mexico , in a 10-round super featherweight bout after Roman "Rocky" Martinez suffered a back injury while training and was forced to pull out of the fight.

 

Cruz (17-0, 14 KOs), of Philadelphia by way of Las Piedras, P.R.,  is ranked No. 11 by the IBF at 130 pounds and has won six in a row by knockout, including a TKO 2 over Wilfredo Acuna in his most recent start last Dec. 4, and 11 of his last 12 inside the distance. Cruz has gone the route only three times since turning professional in March 2007. The furthest he’s gone is 10 rounds.

 

A former world title challenger at 126 pounds, Honorio (29-5-1, 15 KOs) owns wins over previously undefeated prospect John Molina,  junior featherweight contender Rogers Mtagwa, and former world champs Steven Luevano and Cristobal Cruz.  Honorio challenged Robert Guerrero for the IBF featherweight world title in November, 2007, losing via a devastating one-punch knockout at 0:56 of the first round.  Honorio has lost just once since moving up to 130 pounds. 

 

Salido (34-11-2, 1 ND, 22 KOs), 30, of Ciudad Obregon , Mexico , is more dangerous than his record would indicate. In his last start, he scored a knockdown and went the distance against power-punching WBA featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa on Sept. 11, 2010. The points loss came one start after he registered two knockdowns en route to winning a decision and the then-vacant IBF title over Cristobal Cruz.   

 

The exciting, hard-hitting Lopez (30-0, 27 KOs), of San Juan , P.R., is a two-division world champion who’ll be making his third WBO title defense. The talented southpaw is coming off an excellent eighth-round TKO over Mexico’s boxing legend and future Hall of Famer, Rafael Marquez, in a tense give-and-take slugfest last Nov. 6 on SHOWTIME. Lopez, 27, has knocked out 90 percent of his opponents.

 

Below is what Salido had to say at Tuesday’s workout:

 

ON FIGHTING IN PUERTO RICO :

"I have everything to gain and nothing to lose, all the pressure is on him. He is the champion.  He’s fighting at home and everyone expects him to win.  Let’s see if he can deliver.  I did not come all this way to lay down for him"

ON JUANMA LOPEZ:

"I do believe that he is the best featherweight in the world and a great champion, but he also likes to fight and that will be to my advantage. We both have power and will test each other all night"

ON FIGHTING FOR A WORLD TITLE AGAIN:

"This is a great opportunity for me. I worked very hard for nearly two and half months and just feel great.  My confidence is sky high for this fight.  I know this could be my last chance and I want to take advantage of it"

ON WHAT KIND OF FIGHT HE EXPECTS

"I know it will be a war and that it will be tough for both us. I know Juanma comes with everything in the first few rounds and I will have to be smart and stay focused at all times. I believe that the longer the fight goes it will be to my advantage.  I know that he is not the same fighter in the end that he is in the beginning" 

ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GAMBOA AND LOPEZ: 

"From fighting Gamboa and from what I seen of Lopez, I believe that Lopez is the more well-rounded boxer. Gamboa still fights like an amateur at times and he is very fast, but Juanma looks like he has more power.  I guess I find out more on Saturday night"

ON THIS CAMP AND THE ONE FOR GAMBOA:

"I did not have a very good camp for the Gamboa fight because I went to Mexico City to train and I just never got comfortable. This time I trained in Nogales and Ciudad Obregon and feel a lot better about my preparation.  That's what I did for the Cristobal Cruz fight when I won the title and that's what I should have done for the Gamboa fight"

 

Gus Johnson will call the action from ringside with Al Bernstein providing color commentary, Antonio Tarver serving as expert analyst and Jim Gray serving as ringside reporter. David Dinkins Jr. is the executive producer of SHOWTIME Sports^® with Chuck McKean producing and Bob Dunphy directing. 

 

For information on SHOWTIME Sports Programming, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go the new SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports.

Video: Juan Manuel Lopez Highlights

Juan Manuel Lopez & Bob Arum SHOWTIME Conference Call Highlights

"With all due respect to Miguel Cotto and Ivan Calderon – two great champions – I feel that I’m the most popular boxer in Puerto Rico . 

– Juan Manuel Lopez

Undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez and Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum participated in media conference call on Friday to discuss Lopez’s upcoming title defense against former International Boxing Federation (IBF) 126-pound champ Orlando “Siri” Salido, on Saturday, April 16, live on SHOWTIME® (10:30 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

 

The exciting, hard-hitting Lopez (30-0, 27 KOs), of San Juan , P.R., is a two-division world champion who’ll be making his third WBO title defense. The talented southpaw is coming off an excellent eighth-round TKO over Mexico’s boxing legend and future Hall of Famer, Rafael Marquez, in a tense give-and-take slugfest last Nov. 6 on SHOWTIME. Lopez, 27, has knocked out 90 percent of his opponents.

 

Salido (34-11-2, 22 KOs), 30, of Ciudad Obregon , Mexico , is more dangerous than his record would indicate. In his last start, he scored a knockdown and went the distance against power-punching WBA featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa on Sept. 11, 2010. The points loss came one start after he registered two knockdowns en route to winning a decision and the then-vacant IBF title over Cristobal Cruz.   

 

The fight will originate from Ruben Rodriguez Coliseo in Bayamon, Puerto Rico and is promoted by Top Rank, Inc.

 

Here’s what Lopez and Arum had to say on Friday:

 

ARUM:  “JuanMa Lopez is one of the great fighters in the sport today.  He has another tough test on April 16 when he fights Orlando Salido, who is one of the top featherweights in the world. I know that many of you have followed the progress of JuanMa Lopez as he has gotten better and better and he matures as both a person and a fighter.  JuanMa is one of the great stars in boxing today and one of the most exciting fighters around.”

 

LOPEZ:  “I’m very happy to be in this fight with SHOWTIME. I’m very happy and I’m ready to go. 

 

“I feel really good. We had our seven day weigh in today and I came in at 130 (pounds).  I feel great – it’s been a real good camp.  We did all we needed to do and we’re right there at weight. 

 

“Usually going into this week I weigh one or two more pounds than I did today. That just shows you how hard we’re working and how good we’ve done with training. We’re a little surprised that we came in this low. 

 

Juan, do you want to have a better performance against Salido than Gamboa did? 

LOPEZ:  “I don’t think about it that way.  Every opponent is tough, every opponent is different.  We’re all different fighters.  To me, it’s just what I can do. I certainly want to look good and I want to do as well as I can, but I don’t want to compare myself to what he did and what I’m going to do.”

 

Juan, do you not like when people compare your victory over Rogers Mtagwa to Gamboa’s victory over Mtagwa? 

LOPEZ:  “People can say or think what they want about those fights and they’re going to do the same with what I do against Salido and what he did against Salido.  It’s not that important. I think what’s important is once we get in the ring – we’ll see how we do against each other.”   

 

Gamboa said that Top Rank is going to wait to make the fight (Gamboa-Lopez) because Juan doesn’t have what it takes to beat him.  Juan, did you hear him say that?

LOPEZ:  “We’re just fighters. I don’t think we’re afraid of each other. I’m not afraid of fighting Gamboa anytime he’s there.  We never said we wouldn’t fight him.  Bob Arum, he’s our promoter.  He’s the best.  He’ll tell us when the fight is ready.”

 

Is there anything about JuanMa that has surprised you?  Has he exceeded your expectations?

ARUM:  “The thing that makes him so special is how fan friendly he is.  How he lights up a room, how the fans drift to him. There’s nobody better as far as the Puerto Rican fans are concerned.  The Puerto Ricans have embraced JuanMa similar to the way they did with Tito Trinidad and Miguel Cotto.  When you put a very popular Puerto Rican, a real top Puerto Rican, on a pay-per-view card you can count on tremendous numbers of buys from the island. That’s why we did so well in the Cotto-Mayorga fight – because we had 55,000 Puerto Rican households buy that fight.  JuanMa is quickly getting a fan base where he will be able to reach those numbers.”

 

JuanMa, what do you know about Salido.  What kind of fight do you expect?

LOPEZ:  “He’s one of those fighters that comes forward.  He won’t stop when you put on the pressure. He’ll be there all night.  I have to be intelligent.  I have to know that he’s going to be coming at me at all times.  I just have to be very smart and be careful and do my job – win every round and win round by round.”

 

Are there any opponents that you could compare to Salido?

LOPEZ:  “I think (Gerry) Penalosa was the same kind of fighter – a guy that came forward and was there all night and was a very strong fighter.  The only difference was he was lefthanded.”

 

JuanMa, who was your favorite Puerto Rican fighter growing up and is it important for you to be considered one of the best fighters from Puerto Rico ?

LOPEZ:  “I know the great tradition that there is in Puerto Rico with the boxers. I’m very proud to be part of that tradition. Without a doubt, growing up my idol and still is Felix Trinidad.” 

 

Bob, congrats on being in boxing 45 years.  What are the biggest differences now in the sport?

ARUM:  “Well, you have to understand when I first started in the sport in the mid-‘60s there were no satellites – no international satellites, no domestic satellites.  So the communication, we would look at it as being in the dark ages. When we did a closed circuit fight it was a whole different business model because of how limited we were in communication.  Now, we have all of the satellites, we have pay-per-view, we have stuff that no one even contemplated 45 years ago.  In the next 10 or 15 years people will be buying a pay-per-view fight on their iPad.  They won’t only be buying it on their iPad but they’ll be electing which corner to watch between rounds and which camera angle to watch a fight from.  Everything changes yet everything stays the same because, ultimately, it’s two guys in the ring facing off against each other.”

 

Do you see any comparisons between the first Leonard-Hearns fight and a potential fight between Gamboa and Lopez? 

ARUM:  “Everyone likes that comparison because the first Leonard-Hearns fight was such a tremendous event.  There had been such anticipation over the years because they both fought other people.  I believe if this could be even 50 percent of the excitement which we went into with the Leonard-Hearns fight I would be very grateful.”

 

JuanMa, you had some scary moments with Marquez in your last fight and Salido is a pretty decent puncher. Can you afford to continue to be reckless? 

LOPEZ:  “Every fight you have to adapt to whatever is happening in the ring.  With Marquez, I did what I needed to do and with Salido I’ll do what I need to do.  Everybody knows that I love to engage and if that’s what I have to do then that’s what I’ll do.  I’m young, I’m strong and I’m ready for whatever he brings.”

 

JuanMa, if the Gamboa fight isn’t ready yet for pay-per-view do you feel that your body can wait or do you feel like you’ll have to move up soon to 130?

LOPEZ:  “I don’t think I have a lot of time here at 126.  I think if the fight comes along this year it will be at 126, if it doesn’t I think it will be at 130 next year.”

 

After the tremendous fight against Marquez, are you able to walk the streets in Puerto Rico or are you mobbed with autographs? 

LOPEZ:  “It’s hard for me to move anywhere in Puerto Rico . It takes a lot longer to get things done that I want to get done.  People are always talking to me, always stopping me, but you just always go with the flow.  With all due respect to Miguel Cotto and Ivan Calderon – two great champions – I feel that I’m the most popular boxer in Puerto Rico .”

 

JuanMa, is there any chance that you feel like you could experience a letdown against Salido?

LOPEZ:  “I know how important every fight is for my career and I’m going to be at my best no matter who the opponent is.  I believe that Salido is going to give me a real tough fight.  I know how good he is and I know that I have to be well-prepared to beat him.”

 

“I just want to thank everyone, especially the fans, for all the support they’ve given me. I hope they watch the fight.  I think it will be a great fight and I hope they enjoy it. 

 

Gus Johnson will call the action from ringside with Al Bernstein providing color commentary and Jim Gray serving as ringside reporter. David Dinkins Jr. is the executive producer of SHOWTIME Sports^® with Chuck McKean producing and Bob Dunphy directing.   

 

For information on SHOWTIME Sports Programming, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go the new SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports.

  

*Photo credit: Top Rank Boxing/ Jose Perez

LA Media Workout: Yonnhy Perez

FORMER IBF BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION YONNHY PEREZ TO HOLD MEDIA WORKOUT MONDAY IN SANTA FE SPRINGS , CALIFORNIA

 

WHO:             Yonnhy Perez, Former IBF Bantamweight World Champion

Ken Thompson, President of Thompson Boxing Promotions

 

WHAT:           Former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Yonnhy Perez will hold an open media workout in preparation for his April 23 fight against Former Two-Division World Champion Vic Darchinyan in the SHOWTIME Bantamweight Tournament Final: Winner Takes All.

 

WHEN:           Monday, April 11

Noon PT

 

WHERE:         Santa Fe Springs Activity Center

11155 Charlesworth Road, Santa Fe Springs , Calif. , 90670

 

FACTS:           Bantamweight Tournament Final: Winner Takes All featuring Joseph Agbeko vs. Abner Mares in the main event and Darchinyan vs. Perez in the co-feature will take place on Saturday, April 23 at Nokia Theatre at L.A. LIVE in Downtown Los Angeles and will be televised live on SHOWTIME® at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

 

Tickets, priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25 are on sale now and available for purchase online at Ticketmaster.com and via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (800) 745-3000.  Tickets are also available at STAPLES Center Box Office.

*Photo credit: Thompson Boxing

Super Six Super Middleweight Semifinals Update

THE SEMIFINALS CONTINUE!
WBC CHAMPION CARL FROCH DEFENDS

AGAINST FORMER WORLD TITLIST GLEN JOHNSON

 

LIVE on SHOWTIME^® Saturday, June 4, at 9 p.m. ET/PT

From Adrian Philipps Ballroom of Atlantic City 's Boardwalk Hall

 

NEW YORK (April 8, 2011) – An opportunity to compete for the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic Cup will be on the line when Carl “The Cobra” Froch (27-1, 20 KOs) defends his World Boxing Council (WBC) super middleweight title against former world champion Glen “The Road Warrior” Johnson (51-14-2, 35 KOs) of Miami, Fla., in the last Semifinal of the Super Six World Boxing Classic on Saturday, June 4, live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Adrian Philipps Ballroom of Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall.

 

The Froch-Johnson winner will advance to the Final against the victor of the May 14 Semifinal between World Boxing Association (WBA) champion Andre Ward (23-0, 13 KOs) of Oakland , Calif. , and former world champion Arthur Abraham (32-2, 26 KOs), of Berlin , Germany , by way of Armenia . Ward-Abraham will be shown live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

 

Froch and Johnson are seeded Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, entering the Super Six Semifinals. Ward is seeded No. 1, Abraham No. 4.

 

In his last start on Nov. 27, 2010, the 33-year-old Froch, of Nottingham , England , manufactured perhaps a career-best performance, recapturing the then-vacant WBC 168-pound crown with a one-sided 12-round decision over Abraham in the final Group Stage 3 bout from Helsinki , Finland . There were no knockdowns but Froch dominated en route to tallying up the lopsided scores of 120-108 twice and 119-109.

 

Froch is 2-1 in the Super Six. In addition to dismantling Abraham, he won a split decision over Andre Dirrell in Group Stage 1 and lost a tight decision – along with the WBC title – to Mikkel  Kessler in back-and-forth Fight of the Year candidate in Group Stage 2.

 

The Jamaican-born Johnson, a tournament replacement for the injured Mikkel Kessler, advanced with an eighth-round knockout over Allan Green in a Group Stage 3 fight on Nov. 6, 2010, in Las Vegas .

 

Johnson, 42, a former world light heavyweight champion who was making his first start at 168 pounds in 10 years, was ahead by three points on one of the scorecards and behind by one on the others when a left hook to the body followed by an overhand right to the side of head finished Green at 0:36 in the eighth.

 

Following Group Stage 3, Froch called Johnson an “old wise fox” and said he expected nothing less than a strong performance from a “great” fighter like Johnson.

 

"Glen Johnson is a blue-collar fighter who always gives his best and is a gentleman outside of the ring,” said Froch. “He commands respect and I give him respect.”

 

And the respect is mutual. Johnson offered, “The guy is a two-time champion. You do it once then you can say maybe it’s a little luck but to do it twice you know he deserved it. I have tremendous respect for Carl Froch.”

 

But the kind words will cease when the bell rings for what should be a fiercely contested 12-round affair. Johnson said of Froch, “I know he has a few weaknesses and I have every intention of exploiting those. I really feel like I’m the favorite right now. I just have to take it one fight at a time.”

 

Froch added, "I don't just plan on beating him, but I plan on halting him in style. Our styles gel very well for a competitive battle for as long as it lasts and I'm looking forward to it. I have a date in the final of the Super Six and I won't be overlooking Johnson in any shape or form – which will spell bad news for Glen.

"It will be another win for the Cobra, maybe by stoppage as I plan on making another big statement for the SHOWTIME fans." 

 

Both fighters hold the tournament in high regard and covet the value of emerging victorious. Froch opined, “I could win this tournament and retire – that’s what it means. I can win this and say, ‘You know what? I’ve done it. I don’t need to fight anymore.’ I wouldn’t do that – I’ve got a couple of years left in me and there’s some big fights out there for me – but that’s how big this tournament is.”

 

Johnson recalled, “I know when this [tournament] was first put together I remember thinking to myself, ‘Man, I wish I was a super middleweight.’ But I’m in right now and I’m here to win the entire tournament. I believe I’m in it for a reason and that’s to win it.”

 

“Glen Johnson and Carl Froch are two of the most fan friendly fighters in boxing, said promoter Lou DiBella. “Both are proven winners who have earned fans the ole fashioned way, by entertaining fans fight after fight. Glen is known as ‘The Road Warrior’ because he isn’t afraid to go to someone else’s turf for a big fight, and Carl’s biggest wins have come outside the UK . Everyone knows that both men will leave it all in the ring in Atlantic City for the right to advance to the Super Six final.”

 

The event is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Warriors Boxing and Carl Froch.

Big in Japan: Gonzalez dethrones Hasegawa; Nishioka, Aoh retain crowns

In the big boxing event held at the World Memorial Hall in Kobe, the defending Japanese boxing champions failed to sweep their foreign oppositions as the popular WBC featherweight champion Hozumi Hasegawa (29-4, 13 KOs) fell to Jhonny Gonzalez (48-7, 41 KOs) of Mexico.

Hozumi Hasegawa was the lone casualty among the Japanese champions when the referee stopped the fight in the 4th round of the scheduled 12- round championship fight. 


After being knocked down by a powerful right to the chin by Gonzalez, Hasegawa was able to beat the count but was unsteady on his feet prompting the referee to waive the fight off with only a token protest from the champion.

The two protagonists started out fast and strong but Gonzalez was obviously the better and faster fighter as he outhustled and outlanded the game and eager Hasegawa in the first two rounds. 

In the third round, Hozumi Hasegawa turned the fight around as he got the better of Jhonny Gonzalez with accurate body punches in their exchanges but with 2 minutes left in the 4th, the Mexican landed a powerful counter right hand to the chin of Hasegawa that sent the Japanese champion on the seat of his pants en route to the stoppage.

WBC junior lightweight champion Takahiro Aoh (21-2-1, 10 KOs) retains his belt in impressive fashion by knocking out the pesky Humberto Gutierrez (28-3-1, 20 KOs) with a single punch to the body after both fighters traded hard and powerful shots for the first three rounds. The time was 1:43 in the 4th. 

WBC super bantamweight Toshiaki Nishioka (38-4-3, 24 KOs) was victorious in his sixth defense of the crown he won in 2009 but had to sweat it out a little before disposing off Mauricio Munoz  (21-3, 9 KOs) in the 9th round with a powerful straight left to the face that sent the Argentine fighter reeling to the corner and on the seat of his pants for the count.