LAS VEGAS – January 15, 2019 – Two of boxing biggest stars kicked off fight week in style on Tuesday as eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao and four-division world champion Adrien Broner arrived at MGM Grand in Las Vegas to a throng of excited fans for this Saturday’s WBA Welterweight World Championship.

Pacquiao returns to defend his WBA title in his first fight on U.S. soil in more than two years against must-see attraction Adrien Broner live on SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Joining Pacquiao and Broner at Tuesday’s arrivals were the co-featured fighters featured in Saturday’s four-fight PPV telecast. Two-division world champion Badou Jack will face unbeaten top-rated contender Marcus Browne, while former world champion Rau’shee Warren will meet Nordine Oubaali for the vacant WBC Bantamweight World Championship. In the opening bout, unbeaten Jhack Tepora will defend his interim featherweight title against former world champion Hugo Ruiz.

Here’s what the fighters had to say on Tuesday.

Manny Pacquiao:

“People say I appear happier this fight. I am happy. I’m so excited to be back in the U.S. to fight again. Everyone has been so good to me here; it’s like a second home.

“I’m getting very excited for Saturday night, and I’m ready for Broner. Forty is just a number to me. My sparring partners are in their mid-20s.

“The fact that I worked so hard in training is an example for my passion for boxing. I am always looking for ways to improve. Now that I’m older I listen to my body. If I’m sore I will take an extra day to recover if I have to.

“Every day in training camp I have been strong, fresh and fast. I am not ready to retire; I am ready for my next fight.”

Adrien Broner:

“I’m just excited I’m the underdog and I know there are a lot of people that are here to see me lose. This is my second fight with my trainer Kevin Cunningham and we brought in strength and conditioning, so we good. You’ll see so on January 19.

“I don’t feel like I had to sacrifice around the holidays, because every day is a holiday for me. With all my friends, we can do whatever we want to do on any day. I just have to stay focused and I’m ready to put on a hell of a show on Saturday night.

“It’s great having a guy from Cincinnati like Rau’shee Warren on this card with me. Even though I’m at this stage in boxing, Rau’shee Warren is still like a big brother to me. That was the first person I looked up to when I came in the gym. He will be a champion again on Saturday night, and I will too.

“I’m so focused that I don’t feel any of this hype surrounding the fight. This just starts another chapter in my book. I’m still writing my story and it’s going to have a happy ending.”

ABOUT PACQUIAO VS. BRONER

Pacquiao vs. Broner is headlined by Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao,boxing’s only eight-division world champion, ending his two-year hiatus from a U.S. boxing ring to defend his World Boxing Association Welterweight World Title against former four-division world champion and must-see attraction Adrien “The Problem” Broner Saturday, January 19 in the main event of a SHOWTIME PPV® event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Kelly Swanson

Thanks everyone for calling in for the Manny Pacquiao vs. Adrien Broner media conference call for their fight on January 19 live on SHOWTIME PPV® from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

I’m more than happy to introduce Leonard Ellerbe, Chief Executive Officer of Mayweather Promotions to begin our call. Leonard?

Leonard Ellerbe

Thank you Kelly. I would like to thank everyone for joining the call today. We’re nine days away from what I consider to be the biggest fight of 2019. These fighters are fresh off of two outstanding media day workouts yesterday in California. Both guys seem very focused. They are both in great shape.

We have an unbelievable fight coming next Saturday night. We’re really looking forward to it.

K. Swanson

At this time, I would like to introduce Stephen Espinoza, President of Sports and Event Programming for Showtime Networks Inc. Stephen?

Stephen Espinoza

Thanks Kelly and thanks Leonard. Look, all of you guys are very well-acquainted with Manny and Adrien, you’ve covered them for years. They’re two of the biggest names in the sport so I don’t need to tell you anything more about them.

What I will do is give you some brief programming updates. Episode 2 of “ALL ACCESS” premieres this Friday 9:30 ET/PT on SHOWTIME. That is immediately before ShoBox, which is a three-fight card headlined by Devin Haney.

Then, once we get into fight week — as has become our hallmark — we will be distributing a whole variety of premium content across social media platforms, on SHOWTIME and elsewhere.

We’ve got the four installments of “ALL ACCESS DAILY.” That’s a daily digital series throughout fight week on YouTube and Facebook. We’ve got a daily series created specifically for Snapchat that is going to start even earlier than Fight Week.

We’ll also have livestream coverage of the Wednesday press conference, the Thursday press conference, the Friday weigh-in, as well as the Countdown Live pre-fight show.

So, as we get into these last nine days before the event, there is a variety of content available to satisfy every boxing fan’s need.

Both SHOWTIME subscribers and non-subscribers alike can purchase and live stream this event directly through the SHOWTIME app on a variety of platforms — plus, of course on traditional pay-per-view distributors — making this event available virtually everywhere and anywhere sports fans want to consume their content.

K. Swanson

Now we’re going to hear from Manny Pacquiao and to introduce Manny Pacquiao we have Fred Sternburg. Fred?

Fred Sternburg

Thanks Kelly. Well, I think Stephen said it best, “No introduction needed for boxing’s only eight-division World Champion and the reigning Fighter of the Decade.” So, let me present to you Manny Pacquiao.

Manny Pacquiao

Hello everyone. Good morning. I feel so happy and excited for the fight on January 19 and we’re ready – it’s all set.

Q

Manny, you’ve been now a professional for 24 years and I wonder, as all the big fights that you’ve had, what it is that still motivates you to keep boxing?

M. Pacquiao

I’m still passionate about the sport of boxing and boxing is my passion and that’s why I’m still here continuing fighting. I really love boxing and that’s why I’m always excited and preparing for my fight to be settled on January 19.

Q

Are there any things particular that you still want to accomplish?

M. Pacquiao

Talking about accomplishments, I really have accomplished what I want to accomplish in life. What I want to do is to maintain and stay at this level.

Q

Manny, are there any concessions or changes that you’ve had to make due to your age?

M. Pacquiao

The routine of my training is the same. Jog in the morning and train in the afternoon. But we have a couple of adjustments in training specifically for recovery.

Because sometimes we push ourselves heavy in training in the day and then I we’ll see if overnight I can recover, and then we’ll push again.

But if I cannot recover then I let my body rest so that the following day it can push again and work hard.

Q

What was it that lead you to take fights away from the Unites States?

M. Pacquiao

I think it just happened that some promotors and some people are most of the people they wanted me to fight there to see me live in-person. So, that’s an opportunity for them that they can see my fight.

Q

I just got off the phone with Freddie Roach and he said he thinks that you have the old killer instinct back. Is there indeed the return of a killer instinct and do you have more of a mindset of going for the knockout in this fight?

M. Pacquiao

That’s true I still have that killer instinct and the fire in my eyes is still there. That aggressiveness, the interest in this career is still there 100%. The speed, the power are still there. I’m so thankful to God.

I’m not saying I’m going to predict for this fight. I will do my best and I look forward to this the same as the last fight. But no prediction, I will do my best with what we did in training camp.

Q

Would you tell us what you said to Floyd Mayweather when you saw him at the basketball game the other day?

M. Pacquiao

Surprisingly, I didn’t know that he was there at the game. I was invited on that Filipino Heritage Night at the Clippers’ game. I didn’t know that he was there and then when they were throwing t-shirts to the crowds I saw him. And then I just say, “Hello.” That’s it.

Q

Regarding the Floyd Mayweather fight whether or not it’s going to happen. Has it gotten to a point where you kind of feel a little annoyed with the question?

M. Pacquiao

You cannot avoid the people that will ask if there’s a rematch with Floyd Mayweather because I think they have a big question mark in their mind and also in their heart about that what happened in that fight.

I’m just answering them that I don’t have a plan yet. I’m very focused on this fight January 19 against Adrien Broner because Broner is a former champion and he’s the kind of fighter that you cannot underestimate or take him lightly.

Q

What did it feel like having Freddie Roach back in your corner helping you prepare for a fight?

M. Pacquiao

Freddie’s never out of Team Pacquiao it just happened that I wanted Buboy to experience being a head trainer in one fight.

But it’s a good thing that we’re working here again and I like to be back here in Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles and back again in Las Vegas for a fight. I think that it’s good for us to be united and focused for this coming fight next week.

Q

Was the talent at welterweight a bit of a motivating factor to sign with PBC and potentially get those types of dream matches and turning them into a reality?

M. Pacquiao

I think after this fight it’s easy to talk about my next opponent. That’s very easy but right now my plan is one at a time, because — as they said — I am 40 years old.

I’m focused for this fight against Adrien Broner. One at a time. After the fight on January 19 that night then we can talk about my next fight.

Q

Could you rank your top five opponents as far as preparing for the fight and degree of difficulty?

M. Pacquiao

I think my top opponents are Oscar De La Hoya, Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera, Miguel Cotto, Floyd Mayweather, Erik Morales and Ricky Hatton.

Q

What challenge does Adrien pose?

M. Pacquiao

We know already about his counter-punching. I know that he will wait for me and counter like Marquez did. I’m prepared for that and it will not happen again. I learned in the past and I have to correct my mistake.

Q

Can you talk a little bit about what you felt when you saw Mayweather fight on New Year’s Eve and is there any comparison between Adrien Broner and Floyd Mayweather?

M. Pacquiao

Adrien Broner is not a tune up fight. He’s a former champion. He’s fast, he moves fast and he’s a good boxer. And that’s why I don’t want to talk about my next fight until we finish this. I finish this business against Adrien Broner on January 19.

And about the exhibition of Floyd Mayweather in Japan, it’s my first time to see an exhibition that you knock your opponent out. Supposedly an exhibition is just to entertain people and nothing serious for three rounds. That’s what I understand about exhibitions.

Q

Do you have the desire to once again to be the undisputed Welterweight Champion?

M. Pacquiao

Let me take care of this January 19 and then I have to worry about who is my opponent next. I have no problem to fight anybody as long as there’s not a problem about negotiation. But my plan is just one at a time.

Q

What do you think of Adrien Broner as an opponent and as a person heading into January 19?

M. Pacquiao

It’s unfair to him that people are thinking that he’s not a serious challenge for me. No, Adrien Broner is a good boxer, he’s a high-caliber boxer. He’s a former champion and he’s the kind of fighter that you cannot underestimate or take him lightly.

K. Swanson

Thank you so much Manny, for answering those questions, we appreciate it. We’re so happy you’re back fighting in the United States for all of us to be able to come and watch you.

M. Pacquiao

Thank you, guys. Nice to be back here in the United States. Thank you, God bless.

K. Swanson

Thanks, Fred. Okay, now we’re going to transition over to Adrien Broner. I’d like to introduce Ravone Littlejohn. He’s the CEO of About Billions Promotion and he will make the introduction of Adrien Broner. Ravone?

Ravone Littlejohn

At About Billions Promotions we’re happy to be promoting this fight as the premier event that we’ve had in our infancy as a company. Adrien has trained very well and very hard. He’s more than ready for his opportunity. We’d like to thank all the promotional entities who are involved in this fight. And at this time I’ll go ahead and pass it over to Adrien.

Adrien Broner

What’s up with everyone? What’s good? Training camp’s been great. I’m training my ass off. I’ve been focused and I’m just ready to go out there and prove all the naysayers wrong.

Q

Adrien are you motivated by being am underdog in this fight?

A. Broner

It’s real motivating, but I don’t worry about it. I just don’t let it get to me. I just can’t wait for the bell to ring January 19.

Q

If you beat Manny Pacquiao how much would that erase any bad feelings or negativity associated with your losses?

A. Broner

It definitely would. In life they say you’re only as good as your last performance, so it’s definitely going to sweep a lot of things under the rug.

Q

What would it mean to you then to get that caliber of a victory? How big in the scheme of things would that be for you?

A. Broner

It’s going to be huge and I’m taking full advantage of it. I’m well-prepared and I’m just ready to go out there and perform.

Q

There’s there’s been some news reports about some of your legal issues. Has that in any way impacted your training or focus on this fight?

A. Broner

No, that’s just something I’ll take care of after the fight. Right now I’m 100% focused on this fight and I’m just ready to come to the ring January 19 and get a victory.

Q

My question is for Stephen Espinoza. Hey, Stephen, how are you? Just briefly, this event is a SHOWTIME PPV event on January 19. Do you have any comments on specifically Eddie Hearn and Oscar De La Hoya saying that PPV is dead in boxing?

And furthermore, do you think on a microeconomic level that PPV and American professional sports is dead?

S. Espinoza

Sure, I’m happy to. Look, on the concept of PPV we’ve consistently said that it’s a useful tool when it’s necessary, when you have a premium event. If you’ve got a filet mignon event, you’re going to have filet mignon prices. You don’t get filet mignon at the price of ground beef.

I think a lot of the blowback and the negativity around PPV comes when networks are trying to sell people PPVs that don’t belong there.

I didn’t hear too many people saying that Wilder versus Fury was not a premium event, a special event, a Heavyweight Title fight, an International Worldwide Title fight that deserved to be PPV

Likewise, on January 19 you have two of the biggest stars in the sport. Manny has a long history on PPV and the way this event was able to happen was through that tool. So these two events, plus Mayweather and McGregor, are the only PPVs we’ve done in the last three years.

So, I understand what Eddie Hearn and Oscar De La Hoya are saying. It’s a great marketing ploy and that’s really all it is is just a catchphrase because both of those guys rely on PPV and have relied on it as an integral part of their business in the past.

Eddie on one hand will say that they’re are terrible thing and they’re dead, but if we look at his U.K. business it’s basically all built on PPV.

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Oscar himself while he’s saying that boxing PPVs are dead is simultaneously selling an MMA PPV. So, the reality is, it’s a useful tool. It rewards the fighters for taking tough fights and it allows some fights to happen that wouldn’t otherwise happen without that tool. But it should be used sparingly.

Q

Adrien, has that been frustrating for you that some people may not be taking you seriously?

A. Broner

No disrespect but I don’t care at all about Mayweather and Pacquiao or any other fights people are talking about. I’m focused on Adrien Broner and Pacquiao. I’m focused on getting this victory. And then I’m going to go to the drawing board with my team and make bigger moves.

Q

Did you get a chance to see Pacquiao’s last fight against Lucas Matthysse? And if so, what do you think of Pacquiao and how his skills have sort of translated now being 40?

A. Broner

Pacquiao’s a legend. He’ll always go down as one of the best in the boxing business. But I just feel like it’s my time to take over this sport and I’m coming to take the throne from Pacquiao.

Q

I just asked Manny on the previous call what his top five fights were in terms of preparation and degree of difficulty. He listed about six or seven and the top one was Oscar De La Hoya. You weren’t on the list. What do you think that says about him and do you think he’s in for a rude awakening?

A. Broner

I’m just focusing. I’m just ready to go in there and have a hell of a night and start a new chapter in my career.

Q

Do you think that your counter-punching ability is the antidote to his style of speed, jumping in, being aggressive?

A. Broner

It’ll definitely play a big part but we’ve got more in store to beat Pacquiao and I will show that January 19.

Q

What is the difference between the Adrien Broner who lost three fights and the one who is going into this fight?

A. Broner

My dedication to the sport. People who have seen me would 100% vouch for me. I know what’s at stake. A win over Pacquiao could take my career somewhere that I can only dream of. So I’ve got to take it seriously and I just really feel like it’s my time.

Q

What are the things you’re looking at in camp that gives you the confidence that you can knock Manny out?

A. Broner

The knockout is good but I’m definitely just going for the win. I just want to win, pointblank, period. Everybody goes into a fight wanting to knockout. Who doesn’t want to knock someone out? But, you know, things will unravel on January 19.

Q

Do you think that this is a must-win fight for you?

A. Broner

At the end of the day, if you’re a boxer, every fight is a must-win fight. You don’t ever want to go to a fight trying to lose.

As a competitor, as an athlete, when I prepare, I go in to win. I’m trying to win. It’s always a must-win situation.

Q

I’m wondering what you perceive the stakes to be when you ponder this and say to yourself, “Okay, I’m going to beat Manny Pacquiao.”

A. Broner

I don’t look at that. Boxing is a sport where you’ve got to go a fight at a time. So, I’m focused on Manny Pacquiao and after that we’ll look at other things and other avenues.

Q

Can you speak to the fact that you say this fight is for the ‘hood and how important it is to you to come out victorious?

A. Broner

Where I come from, man, we barely have seen someone to come out and be at the top level where I am today. So that’s why I’m doing this for the ‘hood to give back hope and show the young kids that they can follow their dreams.

That motivates me to just go in there and do my best. We’re going to go in there and get the victory.

By Norm Frauenheim-

Manny Pacquiao is back in America amid a mix of inevitable questions faced by any boxer about to fight for the first time since turning 40. It’s an old face. Yet a fresh one, too, perhaps because he really is renewed or maybe because we’ve just missed him.

During an era ruled by noisy narcissism Pacquiao has been missed for everything he doesn’t say, which has always been a lot. Everybody flexes their mouth these days. Even LeBron James is calling himself the greatest (lower case intended).

After a couple of decades that have included titles at eight weights and political titles in two Filipino houses, however, the former Congressman and current Senator leaves over-the-top exaggeration to somebody else.

For the next week-and-a-half, that somebody happens to be Adrien Broner, who gets headlines more for what he does outside of his boxing career. Only Broner’s warrants are outstanding.

Broner loves the bully pulpit, and he figures to use it loudly and profanely before his last chance for welterweight relevance on Jan. 19 against Pacquiao at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand in a Showtime pay-per-view bout.

Standing in a striking contrast, there’s Pacquiao, a few years older than he was in his last American visit, yet as modest as ever.

“My journey in this sport is still continuing,’’ Pacquiao said Wednesday to the assembled media at trainer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym. “I’ve accomplished everything I’ve wanted to, but I also want to continue to keep my name at the top.

“Even at 40-years-old, I can still show the best of Manny Pacquiao. I’m going to give the fans the speed and power that they’re used to seeing.’’

That’s boilerplate Manny. Five years ago, it would have sounded naïve, more moments of Manny uttering platitudes. But today there something comforting about those familiar words. At one level, at least, he’s the same guy. Only at opening bell will we know whether he’s the same within those ropes. But that unchanged modesty is a sure sign that at least some of the physical skills are still intact. Bragging is a symptom of insecurity and there has never been sign of that in the quiet poise still evident in Pacquiao.

Can Broner test him? Beat him? Yes and yes. Broner’s right-handed counter is dangerous enough to put a premature end to Pacquiao’s comeback. But will he? It says here he won’t for reasons already seen. Broner’s defining fight was a 2013 loss to Marcos Maidana. It was damning then and Broner has yet to prove he isn’t the guy who shrunk in retreat under Maidana’s furious rate of punches during a long night in San Antonio.

Video of Pacquiao at a media workout this week indicated he’s in terrific condition, good enough to at least rain down successive punches onto Broner during the early moments. Guess here is that Pacquiao’s power is still very much there. Let’s just say it’s as genuine as that modest streak. If Broner feels it a couple of times, he’ll use his speed in much the same way he did against Maidana more than five years ago. He’ll retreat, straight into another defeat.

That would spark intense speculation about what – who – is next for Pacquiao. It also would set up talk about a rematch with you-know-who. Fact is, there’s already talk about a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

In history-repeats-itself, Pacquiao ran into Mayweather at another NBA game this week, this time at a Clippers game at Los Angeles’ Staples Center. The immediate and inevitable parallel was their meeting at a Miami Heat game, a key encounter that finally led to the disappointing Mayweather decision over Pacquiao in 2015. For a lot of fans, I suspect, a sequel would be more of a historical redundancy than a good rematch.

“My plan is to take it one fight at a time,” Pacquiao said. “I can’t talk about future fights until I do what I have to on January 19. You can ask me again after this one.’’

Trite, true and good enough for me. Welcome back, Manny.

– photo credit : Chris Farina –
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Photos By Chris Farina / ChrisFarina.com

NEW YORK – December 28, 2018 – SHOWTIME Sports will chronicle the buildup to the welterweight world championship between Senator Manny Pacquiao and must-see attraction Adrien Broner with a new installment of the Emmy Award-winning series ALLACCESS. The multi-part series premieres Friday, January 4 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME and airs on consecutive Fridays leading into the January 19 SHOWTIME PPV® from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

ALL ACCESS: PACQUIAO VS. BRONER will peel back the curtain as Pacquiao transitions from the final days of Senate in his native Philippines to training camp in Los Angeles for his first fight in America in more than two years. The immersive series will document Broner, one of boxing’s most colorful personalities, as the four-division champion prepares for a chance to become a two-time titlist in boxing’s glamour division.

Episode two of ALL ACCESS: PACQUIAO VS. BRONER will premiere Friday, January 11 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. ALL ACCESS EPILOGUE, which spotlights the immediate buildup to fight night and the solemn aftermath of world championship prizefighting, will premiere on Saturday, January 26.

The acclaimed SHOWTIME Sports original series will be accompanied by digital features released throughout fight week on the networks’ social media channels. ALL ACCESS DAILY will deliver the same intimate access and signature storytelling as the intensity builds toward fight night. New installments of the digital series will be available each day beginning Wednesday, January 16 on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page.

Filming for the series is underway as Pacquiao recently begun phase two of his camp in Los Angeles under the legendary Freddie Roach. Cincinnati’s Broner, the second-youngest four-division champion in history, is in the midst of training camp in West Palm Beach, Fla., under the tutelage of Kevin Cunningham.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (December 28, 2018) – What would a Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao training camp be without a few bons mots from World-Famous Freddie Roach, the seven-time BWAA Trainer of the Year?

Upon hearing the news that Pacquiao’s opponent Adrien “The Problem” Broner had been arrested on Sunday in Broward County, Florida, on a bench warrant for failure to appear in court (https://www.tmz.com/2018/12/26/adrien-broner-arrested-mug-shot-smiling-christmas-florida/?vtest=100), a seemingly chronic issue for the four-division world champion, Roach had this to say:

“Sounds like Adrien should change his ring name from ‘The Problem’ to ‘The Fugitive.’ This may be the first time I face a corner that includes a bail bondsman!”

Hailed as a national treasure by his fellow Filipinos, boxer laureate Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs), boxing’s only eight-division world champion, a member of the Philippines Senate, and the BWAA’s reigning Fighter of the Decade, is in his most intense phase of training as he prepares for his WBA welterweight world title defense against Broner (33-3-1, 24 KOs), of Cincinnati. Pacquiao vs. Broner takes place on Saturday, January 19, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. It will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® and presented by Premier Boxing Champions beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

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A three-time Fighter of the Year, Pacquiao, who hails from Sarangani Province in the Philippines, is the only sitting Congressman and Senator to win a world title. After serving two terms as Congressman, Pacquiao was elected to a Philippine Senate seat in May 2016, capturing over 16 million votes nationally. Pacquiao’s boxing resume features victories over at least seven current and future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, and Juan Manuel Marquez. In his last fight, with Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in attendance (the first time two heads of state attended a championship boxing event), Pacquaio regained the welterweight title for a fourth time with a vintage performance on July 15 at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, by knocking out defending WBA champion Lucas Matthyssee in the seventh round.

Promoted by MP Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions in association with About Billions Promotions, remaining tickets to the Pacquiao vs. Broner welterweight world championship event are priced from at $100, not including applicable service charges, and can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.

LOS ANGELES (December 21, 2018) — MANNY IS BACK!  Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs), the Philippines’ national treasure and boxing’s only eight-division world champion, returns for his first U.S.-based training camp in over two years on Saturday.  The Pacman Express is scheduled to deliver the reigning WBA welterweight world champion and his team to LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal at 6:15 p.m. PT via Philippine Airlines flight PR 102.

 

            What a whirlwind journey it has been for the Amazin’ Manny.  After knocking out defending WBA welterweight world champion Lucas Matthyssee in the seventh round of  their July 15 bout which took place at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, there has been no down time for Manny, a schedule that keeps the international icon thriving.  Manny has traveled to the United Kingdom at the invitations of the prestigious Oxford Union and Cambridge Union to speak about his life and answer questions from the student members on consecutive days.  He embarked on a coast-to-coast U.S. media tour to announce his title defense against four-division world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner (33-3-1, 24 KOs), from Cincinnati, followed by an immediate flight back to Manila where he gave a speech to the plenary to further push his Senate Bill 1599 seeking to raise the excise tax on tobacco products.

            Then it was 14 to 16-hour days divided into two-part rigorous training sessions and a full work day dedicated to his senatorial duties. Once the Philippine Senate session ended on December 12, Team Pacquiao returned home to General Santos City to focus on training — with one exception — his 40th birthday celebration.  He began his birthday celebration one day early, as he has traditionally done, by donating and handing out 2,000 bags of groceries to residents of Barangay Tinoto in Maasim, Sarangani.  The following day, it was a gala celebration that filled the KCC Convention Center.  Friends, family, celebrities and government dignitaries of the highest order, including President Duterte,  joined together  to wish Manny a happy 40th birthday   But typical of Manny, he was the one who was giving the gifts, which included the raffling of major prizes, featuring four automobiles, 58 motorcycles, and two dozen large screen LED televisions.

            “Life begins at 40,” exclaimed Manny at his gala.  “Physically, I still feel like I am 25, but with the benefit of the wisdom that comes from the added years of my life experience.  I still have a lot I want to accomplish as an athlete, a public servant, and a father, husband and son.  I look forward to adding more chapters to my life story.”

            Now it’s off to Hollywood, California and his second home, Wild Card Boxing Club,  where Manny will endure the most intensive part of his training in preparation for his title defense against Broner.  Holidays will be work days for this training camp, which will begin on Christmas Eve. Manny and his team have taken a vow to leave no stone unturned as they prepare for the battle with Broner.

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            The Pacquiao vs. Broner world championship event will take place Saturday, January 19 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.  Pacquiao vs. Broner and its co-main event fights will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® and presented by Premier Boxing Champions beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

Promoted by MP Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions in association with About Billions Promotions, remaining tickets to the Pacquiao vs. Broner welterweight world championship event are priced from at $100, not including applicable service charges, and can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.

By Norm Frauenheim-

Manny Pacquiao’s return to the United States this week has a nostalgic feel. He stopped in New York. Then, Los Angeles. It was fun to see him.

That shy, enigmatic smile is still in place. His reunion with trainer Freddie Roach for a Jan 19 fight with Adrien Broner was the perfect touch, especially on Thanksgiving week. The family is back together. But I’m not sure it’ll mean much in a couple of months.

Does he beat Broner? Maybe. He’ll be 40 in a few weeks – Dec. 17. It’s tough to hazard a guess on how any 40-year-old fighter will do. Broner has speed and an overall skillset that Pacquiao didn’t see against Jeff Horn or a shot Lucas Matthysse.

But Broner also has shown – again and again – that he bails out at the first sign of adversity. Power is the last thing to go in any aging fighter. Pacquiao probably still has enough of that to force Broner into surrender or a hasty retreat into a scorecard defeat.

Then what? The widely-reported plan is for Pacquiao to then fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a rematch of their revenue record-setting bout in May 2015. Could it happen? Of course.

For Mayweather, celebrity and legacy are like T-shirts and caps. They are commodities, transactional in every way. He won’t turn away from a chance to cash in all over again. Reportedly, that’s what he and Pacquiao talked about weeks ago, supposedly in a chance meeting in Tokyo, where Mayweather’s on-again, off-again New Year’s Eve date with an unknown kick boxer is apparently on again.

By all accounts, Pacquiao is again in need of money. He reportedly earned between $160 million and $180 million for his decision loss to Mayweather in 2015. It’s anybody’s guess where all that money went within three-plus years. Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s ex-promoter, once said that the Filipino Senator was the Pacific Island nation’s only social welfare system.

To wit: He gives it away, apparently at such a rate he can’t even write a lot of it off. He has fought in the U.S for two years because of a reported IRS bill. Apparently, the IRS problem has been resolved. His spending habits, however, are still enough of question to wonder if he won’t still be fighting at 50.

Above all, there are reasons to think he and Mayweather have overestimated the market’s appetite for a rematch. It’s not as if the under-whelming first fight would ever sell a rematch anyway.

The other issue is that the overall market has changed. HBO is exiting after this Saturday’s telecast of Dmitry Bivol-Jean Pascal in Atlantic City. HBO, a key to Pacquiao’s international celebrity and huge purses, is leaving within two months of Pacquiao’s return. Gone are the nine-figure paydays.

Consider this: Terence Crawford, the best welterweight of the day, is earning between $3.0 and $3.5 million for each of his bouts under his current deal with Top Rank and ESPN. If that’s the new pay scale, Pacquiao can forget $160 million or $180 million. He has name recognition, but would anybody rank him among today’s five best welterweights?

On this list, Crawford is at No. 1, Errol Spence No. 2, Keith Thurman No. 3 and Shawn Porter No. 4. You could put Pacquiao at No. 5, but that would put him ahead of Horn, who beat him in a controversial decision. It also would put him ahead of Mickey Garcia, who is jumping two weight classes – from light to welter – to challenge Spence on March 16.

Garcia, who now has to considered at welterweight, never even mentioned Pacquiao as a possibility early in his dangerous pursuit of Spence. It’s not clear Pacquiao would have agreed to a date with Garcia anyway. But Garcia’s decision to bypass any consideration of the Filipino might say it all about what the market place thinks about Pacquiao’s value these days.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – November 20, 2018 – Boxing’s only eight-division world champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao and former four-division champ Adrien “The Problem” Broner were all business on Tuesday as they concluded their two-city press tour in Los Angeles announcing their Saturday, January 19 showdown for Pacquiao’s WBA Welterweight World Title. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

Promoted by MP Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions in association with About Billions Promotions, tickets to the Pacquiao vs. Broner welterweight world championship event will go on sale on Saturday, November 24. Tickets are priced at $1,500, $1,000, $750, $500, $300, $200, $100, not including applicable service charges, and can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.

Here are what the fighters and executives had to say on Tuesday.

MANNY PACQUIAO:

“This fight is going to be a good fight. I have to pass through him before fighting Floyd Mayweather. I want to prove to the boxing fans that Manny Pacquiao is still in the pack. You will see more fights with Manny Pacquiao here in the United States.

“He’s young and he’s fast – and he’s fast with his mouth. There will be more action in the ring – we know what the people want. It’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a fight you will never forget.

“I continue my career as a boxer because boxing is my passion. When I hung up my gloves once, I felt sad not being in the ring and giving inspiration to people in the Philippines and boxing fans.”

On potentially fighting Floyd Mayweather again:

“I don’t think Adrien will agree with that, because I need to pass through him. This is not an easy fight.”

On working with Al Haymon:

“I have only good things to say about Top Rank – they helped me a lot. But I’m really thankful to be partnered with Al Haymon and have a chance to work with him.”

“[Broner’s] a funny guy. I think after his boxing career, he could have another career as a comedian. I don’t get upset about the jokes. I can’t help but laugh when I look at his face.”

Will the Mayweather rematch be next?

“I can’t give you an answer, but if you ask me, it would be good for me to have that fight.”

ADRIEN BRONER:

“January 19, I am coming to win. Screw the money, I’m going to be victorious. They keep talking about a Pacquiao-Mayweather 2, but I’m going to mess those plans up. I just don’t see Manny Pacquiao beating me.

“He’s still in great condition. He’s trained his ass off. I have to keep my composure and stay focused on my game plan. But I’m not going to tell you what that plan is.

“Hope isn’t my strategy – there will be no luck. I feel like he can’t beat me. Look at my resume – what do I do to southpaws? I stop them. Going into this fight, I’m very confident. I’m going to do what I always do to southpaws and dismantle him.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, President Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.

“These two fighters have resumes that you’re all familiar with. On the surface they seem very different, but they’re more similar than you’d think.

“They’re two of the most entertaining and popular fighters in the sport. They are also two fighters who are all heart. We’ve seen them in tough fights, and there’s one thing you know you’re going to get out of Manny Pacquiao and AB, and that’s 100 percent effort throughout the fight.

“When Adrien Broner and Manny Pacquiao fight, it’s a huge event. Add in Mayweather Promotions and MGM Grand and Las Vegas, and it’s one of the biggest fights of the year. There’s a lot at stake – this will be an all action fight. It will be a special weekend, and we can’t wait.”

JOE RAMOS, Head of MP Promotions

“We all know Adrien is hungry, but he’s fighting boxing’s only eight-division champion. Manny will show the world that he’s the best fighter on the planet come January 19. Don’t miss a chance to be part of history.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“We know we have a great fight come Jan. 19. You’ll see a future Hall of Famer in Manny Pacquiao, and a guy in Adrien Broner who has never backed down from a challenge. He knows he has to be at his best to beat Manny Pacquiao. The style matchup with these two guys is very intriguing. I promise you this will be a great fight.”

RAVONE LITTLEJOHN, Co-Head of About Billions Promotions

“It’s going to be a great fight. If my man AB hits the right shot, it could be a short night. We’ve never been down for the count, and we’re not going to start now. We know the position we’re in. It’s a pleasure to fight a legend like Manny Pacquiao.”

RICHARD STRUM, President of Las Vegas Live Entertainment and Sports

“This fight kicks off another tremendous year of entertainment for MGM. I’d like to welcome Manny Pacquiao and Adrien Broner, two of the sport’s most iconic fighters, back to MGM Grand and Las Vegas.”

MANILA (November 1, 2018) — MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO has made a career out of taking opponents to school. He has done it 60 times inside a boxing ring. Now, boxing’s only eight-division world champion has accepted an invitation to return to school himself and speak at the Oxford Union on the campus of the University Oxford and the Cambridge Union, at the University of Cambridge on Monday, November 5, and Tuesday, November 6, respectively.

“To be invited to these beacons of higher learning to speak to their students is indeed a tremendous honor,” said Pacquiao. “I treasure moments like these where I can share my story and my culture, as well as exchange ideas, with the next generation of leaders.”

The Oxford Union has a rich history. Founded in 1823, it has grown to become the most prestigious student society in the world. The Oxford Union, the largest society at the University of Oxford, has hosted world leaders in every field, including Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Malcolm X, Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, Roger Bannister, and former U.S. Presidents Reagan, Nixon and Carter, to name a few.

Founded in 1815, the Cambridge Union is steeped in history, being the oldest debating and free speech society in the world, and the largest student society in the University of Cambridge. It too has hosted an impressive list of world leaders in every field, including Margaret Thatcher, Theodore Roosevelt, Stephen Hawking, Buzz Aldrin, Antonin Scalia, Ian McKellen, and Sebastian Coe.

Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs), who hails from Sarangani Province in the Philippines, is the only sitting Congressman and Senator to win a world title. After serving two terms as congressman, Pacquiao was elected to a Philippine Senate seat in May 2016, capturing over 16 million votes nationally. Pacquiao’s boxing resume features victories over current and future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, and Juan Manuel Marquez. A three-time Fighter of the Year and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s reigning Fighter of the Decade, Pacquiao regained the welterweight title for a fourth time on July 15 by knocking out defending WBA world champion Lucas Matthyssee. The fight took place at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia. Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duerte and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad were in attendance, marking the first time two heads of state attended a championship-boxing event.

Pacquiao recently announced that he has entered into an exclusive agreement to work with manager / advisor Al Haymon. The new alliance will have team Pacquiao and Haymon working together to navigate the remainder of Pacquiao’s illustrious career. Pacquiao’s first defense of the WBA welterweight world title will kick off the new partnership and will have him appear on the Premier Boxing Champions series. Pacquiao’s promotion company, MP Promotions, will promote all of his upcoming bouts under this new alignment with Haymon. MP Promotions will also work with Haymon to bring some of the best fighters from the Philippines and Asia to the United States to appear on the PBC series.

MANILA (October 22, 2018) — Senator MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO, boxing’s only eight-division world champion, announced today that he has entered into an exclusive agreement to work with manager / advisor Al Haymon.The new alliance will have team Pacquiao and Haymon work together to navigate the remainder of his illustrious career. Pacquiao’s first defense of the World Boxing Association welterweight world title will kick off the new partnership and will have Pacquiao appear on the Premier Boxing Champions series. Pacquiao’s promotion company, MP Promotions, will promote all of his upcoming bouts under this new alignment with Haymon.

MP Promotions will also work with Al Haymon to bring some of the best fighters from the Philippines and Asia to the United States to appear on the PBC series.

“I’m very excited about this new chapter in my career and I’m looking forward to a fresh start. I’m reinvigorated by the prospects of bringing up new fighters under the MP Promotions banner,” said Pacquiao. “My team will work closely with Al Haymon for the remainder of my career to deliver the most anticipated fights with the top PBC fighters. Those are the fights the fans want to see and the ones I want to have to close out my career.”

“MP Promotions is very excited about this last phase of Senator Manny’s Hall of Fame Career. We look forward to launching this new relationship with Manny’s first world title defense,” said Joe Ramos, who heads MP Promotions. “I would also like to acknowledge matchmaker Sean Gibbons, legal counsel Tom Falgui, and Senator Manny’s aide Steve Jumalon for their tireless efforts and invaluable advice.”

Pacquiao, a three-time Fighter of the Year and Boxing Writers Association of America’s reigning Fighter of the Decade, will return to the ring early next year. The fight, which will be announced soon, will be co-promoted by MP Promotions and TGB Promotions.

With Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duerte and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad in attendance (the first time two heads of state attended a championship boxing event), Pacquaio regained the welterweight title for a fourth time on July 15 at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia by knocking out defending WBA champion Lucas Matthyssee in the seventh round.

Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs), who hails from Sarangani Province in the Philippines, is the only sitting Congressman and Senator to win a world title. After serving two terms as congressman, Pacquiao was elected to a Philippine Senate seat in May 2016, capturing over 16 million votes nationally. Pacquiao’s boxing resume features victories over current and future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, and Juan Manuel Marquez.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Manny Pacquiao is close to a deal to face Adrien Broner on January 19th in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao made the announcement Thursday during an appearance at a news conference in Manila for the non-profit International Sports Promotion Society, which named him an ambassador.

Pacquiao said he would be fighting Broner next, either on Jan. 12 or Jan. 19. The fight, which Pacquiao termed “90 percent” done, would likely take place in Las Vegas. However, a source with knowledge of the deal told ESPN the fight would be Jan. 19, not Jan. 12, though a fight likely wouldn’t be formalized until he settled his tax issues with the U.S. government.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the issue of Manny Pacquiao not receiving payment from Top Rank for the July 15th fight against Lucas Matthysse for the American Television rights is being solved.

“Congratulations and good luck to Top Rank Boxing and ESPN on your 7-year partnership agreement,” Pacquiao wrote. “I know both of you have been very busy finalizing the deal. However, I have not received the U.S. rights payment for my July 15 fight against Lucas Matthysse that was broadcast on ESPN plus. Therefore, I am initiating legal proceedings against Top Rank and all other parties based on the non-payment and attempt to restrict my future rights. Thank you.”

“We read the Instagram post and [Top Rank attorney] Harrison [Whitman] handled it with Pacquiao’s attorney, and it looks like everything will be resolved,” Top Rank’s Arum told ESPN.

By Bart Barry-

Saturday on the ESPN+ app Filipino Manny Pacquiao smelted Argentine welterweight titlist Lucas Matthysse in Malaysia. Saturday on no app whatever undefeated Russian cruiserweight Murat Gassiev will fight undefeated Ukrainian cruiserweight Oleksandr Usyk in Moscow to unify their division. If the latter’s lack of an American broadcaster is bizarre, the former’s broadcaster was indeed apropos.

A temptation at times like these is to hedge one’s SportsCenterish prepositional phrase. Y’all know the drill: “in recent memory” is the way you take credit for boldness one word before you walk things back with a comma. Not today. After Saturday’s 25-minute comain of commercials, junior-dev graphics and overwrought pontification, it’s time someone other than an ESPN employee asserts what so many of us feel.

Manny Pacquiao’s comeback tilt in Kuala Lumpur was the greatest ESPN+ fight in history.

Before its cancellation some years back ESPN’s “Friday Night Fights” consistently presented the weakest boxing on television, the sort of underbudgeted slop advertisers and reputable promoters skirred. Far from appearing on FNF himself Pacquiao wouldn’t consider permitting towelboy Buboy to chiefsecond even Manila minimumweights on the program. Yet here we are in 2018 and Pacquiao’s now fighting on the smartphone equivalent of FridayNightFights.com.

A word or two about that, actually. What the hell are commercials doing on a paid stream? Having charged us $5/month ESPN gave us at least a halfhour of commercials during its otherwise-inexplicable 150-minute prefight Pacquiao promotion, and had its commentary crew act like nothing was the matter. “Two revenue streams!” some pitchman inevitably proclaimed, but that’s all sorts of wrong because most Saturday viewers were on a free trial and won’t be renewing after the three hours of their lives they just gave ESPN+ for seven rounds of desired boxing. “But wait,” they say, “there are all those Muhammad Ali fights that come with your subscription!” – like either they don’t know about YouTube or figure we don’t.

Almost a decade ago one of promoter Top Rank’s leaders talked about a concept he called “brand of boxing” – encouraging his peers to imagine their sport as an ecosystem whose general health be far more important than any one of their events. Today an American aficionado spends monthly $25 for basic cable (ESPN), $10-$15 for Showtime, $5 for ESPN+ and soon $10-$20 for DAZN – and that $50-$65 monthly bill assumes both a savvy cordcutting bent for our aficionado and his cancellation of HBO some time ago. But here’s the brand-of-boxing punchline: That kind of money spent the first week of July, our aficionado looks forward to the year’s best fight this Saturday and finds to his amazement somehow not one of these sundry pay services is televising Murat Gassiev vs. Oleksandr Usyk to crown the rarest thing in our beloved sport – an undefeated, undisputed, unified champion of the world.

A word or two about that, too, actually. Gassiev-Usyk is a fascinating cruiserweight culmination of World Boxing Super Series’ inaugural season. Former Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer is associated with the WBSS and repulsive. There’s no history needed to make that assertion; if we, as men, were taught to trust our intuition the way mothers do, we’d all have heeded our genuine first impressions of Schaefer 14 years ago. But while Schaefer once combined visibility and repulsiveness in a unique way he’s not otherwise repulsively unique and definitely not repulsive enough to keep us from enjoying what exceptional cruiserweight matches WBSS gave us in its semifinal round. But Schaefer or somebody affiliated with him appears to have repulsed American broadcasters sufficiently to keep Gassiev-Usyk off even our smartphones.

Which makes brand-of-boxing, for the next week at least, toxic.

Writing of which, how about that Lucas Matthysse? We already knew power punchers kept prizefighting’s frailest psyches, but Matthysse’s comportment these last few years makes one consider the symmetrical possibility a boxer’s mental hardiness is inversely proportionate to his punching power.

Five years ago while writing The Ring cover story mentioned on Saturday’s broadcast I came across an exquisite Argentine boxing writer named Osvaldo Príncipi whose Spanish prose and presence make him something like South America’s Hugh McIlvaney. During our correspondence he attributed a whole lot of things like Mathysse’s tattoos to a divorce. I felt for Matthysse then; by all accounts the guy does little in his life but love his daughter, play with his dogs, avoid the media and fight.

Saturday’s second knockdown, though, is hard to excuse. It’s one thing to realize you’re in over your head and race towards unconsciousness, but it’s something else entirely to court it so wishfully – to hope a punch cuts the lights, find it didn’t, then in full consciousness genuflect to your opponent. Let’s move on.

Saturday’s iteration of Manny Pacquiao was a pleasant return to what belligerence once endeared him to so many of us. A return to the man who dealt swiftly and disproportionately with anyone who caused him a sting, a man who didn’t collect grievances or connive but rather sought instant redress – that’s who we saw go after Matthysse each of the three times the Argentine did something offensive to Pacquiao. And it was electrifying.

So Pacquiao fights on. One can’t seriously entertain the possibility GGG is a great middleweight – hard stop – and begrudge Pacquiao three or four farewell tours against career 140-pounders like Matthysse or a talented lightweight like Vasyl Lomachenko. In fact, Pacquiao-Lomachenko in Helsinki might make a great Christmas present for ESPN+ subscribers.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

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https://www.facebook.com/gmanews/videos/10156668063841977/?t=5

HAZARDS OF THE JOB. WBA welterweight challenger Manny Pacquiao is so
anxious to get into the ring on Sunday, July 15 (July 14 in the US)
against champion Lucas Matthysse of Argentina that a little flick of
his fist went a little, too much. That punch actually hurt trainer
Buboy Fernandez during mitts sessions at the Le Meridien Hotel boxing
gym. Fernandez ended up with a chipped tooth. On Saturday, Pacquiao
and Matthysse will tip the scales at the Malaysia International Trade
and Exhibition Center.
MITEC is located at 8 Jalan Dutamas 2, Kompleks Kerajaan.

Pacquiao Expected to Easily Hurdle Today’s Weigh-in Ahead of Matthysse

KUALA LUMPUR–Manny Pacquiao is expected to easily hurdle today’s
weigh-in ahead of WBA champion Lucas Matthysse at the Malaysia
International Trade and Exhibition Center (MITEC) Saturday (July 14)
morning here.

Weigh-in starts at 8 A.M. and will be free to the public. “Fight of
Champions,” the biggest boxing event ever to be shown in Malaysia in
the last four decades, will have 10 more additional bouts in the
undercard three of which are for world titles.

Pacquiao has been one of the smallest welterweight champions in
history and has been tipping the scales three or four pounds lighter
than the 147-pound (66.68 Kg.) limit since he first fought in the
division 10 years ago.

Matthysse, the sledgehammer-fisted Argentine who has won 36 of his 39
victories by knockout (against 4 losses), will be fighting only for
the third time as a welterweight after winning the WBA crown early
this year.

For the 10th time, Kenny Bayless will be the referee starring
Pacquiao. Bayless, 68, first officiated the second meeting between the
Filipino and the legendary Erik Morales in 2006.

Derek Milham of Queensland, Australia will join 74-year-old Stanley
Christodoulou of Johannesburg, South Africa and Glenn Feldman of
Connecticut, USA in scoring the match should it last the full 12
rounds.

The “Golden Boy,” himself, Oscar Dela Hoya, will be on hand for the
weigh-in of Matthysse, a boxer promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.

Unbeaten Jhack Tepora of Cebu City, Philippines, (21-0, 16 KOs) will
vie for the vacant World Boxing Association featherweight title
against Edivaldo “Indio” Ortega (26-1-1, 12 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico in
the main supporting bout.

Carlos “CCC” Canizales of Venezuela (20-0-1, 16 KOs) will try to
prevent Lu Bin of China from becoming only the first boxer in history
to win a world title on his second bout. They will fight for
Canizales’ WBA light flyweight belt.

Veteran Moruti Mthalane of South Africa and Muhammad Waseem of
Pakistan will lock horns for the vacant International Boxing
Federation (IBF) flyweight title–the last of the four exciting world
championships offered by MP Promotions headed by Pacquiao, himself.

The explosive card will open with Thailand’s Ratchanon Sawangsoda
(12-2, 12 KOs) facing Juan Miguel “The Boss” Elorde, grandson of the
great Filipino “Flash” Elorde in a six-round junior featherweight
match.

Malaysia’s local hero Theena Thayalan (5-0, 2 KOs) will battle
Siddarth Ravindra Varma of India (4-1, 1 KO) in the second bout.

Right after the Pacquiao Vs Matthysse battle, five more exciting
matches spice up the star-studded event that is expected to be beamed
to 200 territories throughout the world including Japan’s Yuuki
Kobayashi (17-1, 8 KOs) battling flyweight Vincent Astrolabio of the
Philippines (10-1, 7 KOs) over 8 rounds.

Other matches include Australia’s shining lightweight George Kambosos
Jr. (14-0, 8 KOs) against Jay Ar Magboo, (17-1, 8 KOs); Eleftherios
Tzouramanis (19-3-3, 3 KOs) fighting Jayar Inson of the Philippines
(15-1, 10 KOs); Youngquiang Yang (10-0, 7 KOs) of China facing
Harmonito Dela Torre (19-1, 12 KOs); and Abdi of Indonesia (5-2, 2
KOs) facing Aiman Abu Bakar of Malaysia (7-0, 3 KOs).

(Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Center (MITEC) is located
at 8 Jalan Dutamas 2, Kompleks Kerajaan.)

By Norm Faruenheim-

Manny Pacquiao is just the latest example of how boxing makes fools out of everybody who sticks around too long. Inevitably, the pro ring collects sad clichés like debris around a clogged drain.

I’m not sure how Pacquiao became just another one. Maybe, he needs the money. Maybe, he’s nostalgic for the good old days, although he might have a tough time recalling them if he continues to fight.

Nearly eight years ago, it was hard to imagine that Pacquiao would be poised for still another fight, this time against Lucas Matthysse in Malaysia on ESPN+ Saturday (9 pm. ET/6 p.m. PT) in the Filipino Senator’s 69th pro bout.

He’ll be 40-years-old later this year, Dec. 17. He’s been fighting for nearly a quarter century. His first recorded bout was Jan. 11, 1995, but that formal record doesn’t include all those other unregulated fights on Filipino back streets for a few pesos, or a meal, or just for the hell of it.

Pacquiao had come so far, so fast, that it was easy to think he would be different. His ascendancy from Filipino street kid, to international celebrity, to national hero was like spontaneous combustion. From karaoke to pro basketball, he’s done it all.

For a few years, much of the world stopped and watched on a night when Pacquiao fought.

He could even stop a war.

I recall his victory in a second rematch with Erik Morales on Nov 18, 2006 at Las Vegas’ Thomas & Mack Center. I was seated next to a Filipino journalist who pointed to his computer and showed me reports from Manila on how a civil conflict on one of the nation’s many islands would cease for as long as the bout lasted. Opposing soldiers wanted to see Pacquiao fight before they resumed their own fight.

The truce lasted only three rounds. The soldiers resumed their fight after he finished his. But it occurred to me that Pacquiao’s dangerous hands were rare weapons. They could knock out opponents and wars. Then, the boxing ring looked to be just a stepping stone for a Fighter of the Year on his way to a Nobel Peace Prize. There was no reason to think he would stick around. There was so much more to do. There was too much ambition. But I was wrong, just another one of those aforementioned fools.

Like so many for so long, another opening bell has become an irresistible siren song for Pacquiao. Guess here is that he needs the money. He always needs the money.

Top Rank’s Bob Arum once said he was the only social welfare system in the Philippines. He bought homes and fishing boats for poor Filipinos who asked. Depending on the source, Pacquiao collected between $120 million and $180 million for his loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2015. That’s huge money, but not a national budget.

Now, however, Pacquiao is not the attraction he was a decade ago. The beginning of his decline can be traced to one punch in one of his greatest fights. Midway through the sixth round of a November, 2010 fight in front of more 41,000 at Cowboys Stadium in the Dallas Metroplex, Antonio Margarito left him doubled over in pain with a vicious body shot to his left side. Pacquiao went on to win the fight for his eighth world title, scoring a courageous unanimous decision, despite 17-pound disadvantage. But he was never the same, never again the smiling warrior, always as happy as he was fearless.

In the rearview mirror, that would have been the time to think about retirement. But Pacquiao continued, despite that first sign of real vulnerability.

He’s made money, spent money.

He’s won fights and lost a few notable ones – Timothy Bradley, Juan Manuel Marquez, Mayweather and – in his last outing – Jeff Horn.

In the controversial loss to Horn in Brisbane, Pacquiao (59-7-2, 35 KOs) looked like a shrunken version of his former self. He still showed some speed and perhaps enough quickness to win on the scorecards. Matthysse (39-4, 36 KOs) looked shot in his last outing, yet the Argentine had a big punch and power is always the last thing to go Pacquiao’s footspeed might be critical.

The troublesome aspect to the Matthysse bout is talk about Pacquiao’s next move if he wins. There’s already speculation about a bout with lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko, the pound-for pound favorite who is recovering from shoulder surgery. The good news is that there is less talk about Pacquiao against newly-minted welterweight Terence Crawford, whose one-sided stoppage of Horn on June 9 showed just how much Pacquiao has declined. Lomachenko is very good, but Crawford is dangerous, perhaps more dangerous than anybody in the ring today.

Crawford could leave Pacquiao with long-term damage. Lomachenko beats him bad. Those aren’t options. They are a fool’s choice.

https://www.facebook.com/MannyPacquiao/videos/1884248125212538/UzpfSTE0MzgyODkyNTcyMTU1OToxNjg2NzczMTg0NzYwNDUx/

GENERAL SANTOS CITY–Challenger Manny Pacquiao sparred for five rounds
Saturday while WBA champion Lucas Matthysse doubled up the effort as
the main combatants to “Fight of Champions” ground it out with eight
more days before their monumental clash in Malaysia.

Pacquaio, fighting for the first time after losing a controversial
bout with Australian bruiser Jeff Horn last year, looked calm and
happy with the way his preparations have transpired thus far.

The 39-year-old legend of boxing feels rejuvenated. He hopes to win an
unprecedented 11th world title in his 23rd year of boxing come July 15
(July 14 in the US) at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur.

Standing in his way is “The Machine” Matthysse, who is leaving no
stone unturned in his own bid of retiring Pacquiao at all cost, even
hinting of giving up his own life in trying to defend the crown he won
early this year.

Pacquiao sparred for two rounds with compatriot Jheritz Chavez and
another three with unbeaten Australian lightweight George Kambosos
Jr., as training sessions started to taper down.

In stark contrast, Matthysse’s corner is showing a different route of
training as they closed out sparring sessions also on Saturday.
Trainer Joel Diaz was satisfied with his ward’s condition and speed
and was convinced his fighter is ready to fight at any moment now.

Matthysse and his team planed in two nights ago from Los Angeles,
California in hopes of acclimatizing early in his bid to retain his
welterweight belt against the only eight-weight division boxing
champion Pacquiao.

But Pacquiao’s think-tank remain unfazed. Chief trainer Buboy
Fernandez thinks his boyhood friend has done enough in training to
dethrone Matthysse.

“He (Pacquiao), himself, said that he is happy with how training camp
is about to end. He is happy with the coaching staff’s cohesion and
cooperation. Even (Australian) coach Justin (Fortune), his cooperation
being the strength and conditioning coach has rubbed off good vibes
within the camp,” said Fernandez.

Pacquiao is gunning for his 60th victory. He has lost seven time and
drew twice (38 KOs) in his storied career. Retiring is far from
Pacquiao’s mind as he showed moves which he has employed against a
bevy of opponents in the past, when he was a lanky flyweight moving up
to the ranks of bantamweights and even as high as a super
welterweight.

(JULY 7, 2018) ? The next chapter in the storied career of former eight-division world champion and future first-ballot Hall of Famer, Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, will stream live and exclusively in the United States on Saturday, July 14 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN+ — the recently-launched multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN. This will be Pacquiao’s first fight since headlining cable television’s highest-rated and most-watched boxing telecast since 2006, when he fought Jeff Horn in July of 2017 on ESPN.

Pacquiao will challenge Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse for the WBA welterweight title at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In addition, in the world championship co-feature, Filipino power puncher Jhack Tepora (21-0, 16 KOs) will face Edivaldo “Indio” Ortega (26-1-1, 12 KOs) for the vacant WBA featherweight title. Pacquiao and Matthysse are expected to enter the ring at roughly 11:30 p.m. ET. ESPN+ is available to all fans on the ESPN App and ESPN.com.

Pacquiao-Matthysse will cap a full day of boxing on the ESPN family of networks, as Regis “Rougarou” Prograis will defend the WBC Diamond super lightweight title against Juan Jose Velasco, and lightweight sensation Teofimo Lopez will face William Silva, live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 7 p.m. ET and via streaming on the ESPN App from the Lakefront Arena in New Orleans. Undercard action from New Orleans will stream live on ESPN+ starting at 4:30 p.m. ET.

“I am very happy that all of my fans in America will have a chance to watch my next fight on ESPN+, and I am looking forward to putting on a show,” Pacquiao said. “Matthysse is a great opponent. I am training with all of my heart because I want to be champion again.”

“This extraordinary event only affirms ESPN’s commitment to providing boxing fans with the biggest and best fights in the sport,” said Bob Arum, Top Rank’s founder and CEO. “Manny Pacquiao is one of the greatest champions in boxing history, and his fight against Matthysse promises to be a sensational one.”

“This matchup is a perfect example of the world-class caliber of events we envisioned for ESPN+ when we announced our agreement with Top Rank,” said Burke Magnus, ESPN Executive Vice President of Programming and Scheduling. “Pacquiao vs. Matthysse, which will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+, shows the commitment we have to delivering fans the best of boxing year-round on our direct-to-consumer platform.”
Pacquiao (59-7-2, 38 KOs), the living legend from General Santos City, Philippines, will look to score his first knockout victory since 2009. Before losing the WBO welterweight world championship to Jeff Horn via controversial unanimous decision last July, Pacquiao recaptured the title on November 5, 2016 by defeating then-champion Jessie Vargas at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. In a career that has spanned more than two decades, Pacquiao has victories against legendary fighters like Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley, Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Ricky Hatton.

Matthysse (39-4, 36 KOs) won the vacant WBA welterweight title Jan. 27 in Los Angeles with an eighth-round knockout over Thailand’s Tewa Kiram. One of boxing’s best punchers, pound-for-pound, he is an all-action brawler who has participated in multiple Fight of the Year contenders, including an 11th-round knockout win over John Molina in 2014 and a 12-round majority decision victory over Ruslan Provodnikov in 2015. Matthysse has won two straight since a 10th-round knockout loss to then-undefeated Viktor Postol on Oct. 3, 2015.

Upcoming exclusive boxing on ESPN+ includes the July 28 battle for the vacant World Boxing Organization 130-pound title as Puerto Rican Star Christopher Diaz faces Masayuki Ito at the Kissimmee Civic Center. Diaz-Ito will stream live and exclusively in the United States at 9:30 p.m. ET with undercard action starting at 6:30 p.m. ET.

For more information visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo, facebook.com/espndeportes; Twitter:twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, @ESPN @ESPNBoxeo,@ESPNDeportes. Use the hashtag #PacquiaoMatthysse to join the conversation on social media.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the first-ever multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN. It offers fans thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks.

The ESPN+ lineup includes 18 exclusive, live Top Rank events per year, dozens of fights from other Top Rank undercards, an unmatched library of the greatest fights in boxing history, and two exclusive, original boxing programs: The Boxing Beat with Dan Rafael (Tuesdays) and In This Corner (twice monthly).

It also features hundreds of MLB, NHL and MLS games, Grand Slam tennis, PGA TOUR golf, college sports, international rugby, cricket, the full library of ESPN Films (including 30 for 30) and more. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is an integrated part of the completely redesigned ESPN App. Already the leading sports app, the new ESPN App is the premier all-in-one digital sports platform for fans and is a showcase of the company’s culture of innovation. With a richer, increasingly more personalized experience, the new ESPN App curates all of ESPN’s incredible content into an experience unique to each fan’s individual tastes. ESPN+ is also available through ESPN.com.

KUALA LUMPUR–It’s going to be “war” in Malaysia as WBA welterweight
champion Lucas Matthysse didn’t hide his intentions of defending his
championship belt by retiring boxing’s living legend Manny Pacquiao 10
days from now here.

Just right after landing from a grueling 18-hour journey from the
other side of the Pacific, Matthysse and his team buckled down to
work, hitting the gym and tried to shake the effects of jet lag in his
system.

Fight day will be on July 15 at the Axiata Arena (July 14, 8 PM in the
US) and three other world championship fights are scheduled to add
drama to the roadshow presented by Pacquiao’s own MP Promotions.

So focused is Matthysse that he only has Pacquiao on his mind. How to
beat the fighting Senator from the Philippines, the only eight-weight
division champion of boxing, is the only order of business for him.

“Manny Pacquiao. I want to defeat a legendary fighter like Manny. This
is not Judah, Alexander, Postol or Garcia,” said Matthysse, who planed
in together with manager Mario Arano, trainer Joel Diaz, Golden Boy
Promotions PR man Ramiro Gonzalez and three others who are helping out
in training.

Matthysse has a 39-4 win-loss record with 36 of these fights ending by
spectacular knockouts. Incidentally, (Zab) Judah, (Victor) Postol,
(Devon) Alexander and (Danny) Garcia are the only boxers who have
beaten the 35-year-old fighter in the past.

For Arano, Matthysse has gotten over these losses and has become a
more dangerous and complete fighter since last losing to Postol in
2015.

His lean but mean entourage pales in comparison to Pacquiao’s own
team, which will arrive on Monday–a whole plane-load of trainers
flying on a chartered flight from General Santos City, including
utility persons and fans and supporters.

Matthysse’s early arrival signified his desire to leave nothing behind
and ensure victory for Argentina. “This is Manny Pacquiao, and this is
the quest for anyone in boxing (to defeat Pacquiao,)” said Matthysse.

BOXING LEGEND Manny Pacquiao is gunning for one of four world titles
at stake against WBA champion Lucas Matthysse in the “Fight of
Champions” roadshow that promises to electrify the Axiata Arena on
July 15 from start to finish.

Playing the unlikely role as challenger in an inspired bid to win an
unprecedented 11th world title, the only eight-weight division boxing
champion Pacquiao (59-7-2, 36 KOs), is training to dethrone the
dangerous Matthysse of Argentina (39-4, 36 KOs).

The World Boxing Association has recently ordered for Jhack Tepora of
the Philippines (21-0, 16 KOs) to fight Edivaldo “Indio” Ortega of
Mexico (26-1-1, 12 KOs), for the vacant “regular” WBA featherweight
title.

Tepora, the explosive 25-year-old Cebu native, will get his hands full
against the 28-year-old Ortega of Tijuana, Mexico. Tepora is looking
to deny Ortega the pleasure of beating another Filipino in his quest
for the world title. Ortega has beaten Drian Francisco in his last
fight.

This will be Ortega’s first match outside Mexico and his major title
shot. Tepora, who has previously won minor titles, is just too eager
to show his wares in a larger stage as he has scored knockouts in his
last five outings.

“Fight of Champions,” which has a total of 11 fights, will be beamed
live throughout the world. MP Promotions, the promotional company put
up by Pacquiao to give back to boxing, loaded up the card with boxers
raring to showcase talent and potential.

Pacquiao did not scrimp on assembling the best boxers from around the
world and offer it to Malaysian fight fans as China is looking to
break an elusive boxing record. Lu Bin (1-0), the talented Jinan,
China boxer with a sterling amateur career, has been given the title
shot by the WBA to face light flyweight champion Carlos “CCC”
Canizales of Venezuela.

Should Lu Bin upset the heavy-handed Canizales, (20-0-1, 16-KOs), he
will become only the first boxer in history to become world champion
in his second fight.

Moruti Mthalane of South Africa, the 35-year-old veteran (35-2, 24
KOs), is unbeaten in his last 12 fights since losing to Nonito Donaire
Jr. in November 2008. Mthalane will square off with Pakistan’s
legendary amateur Muhammad Waseem, (8-0, 6 KOs) for the International
Boxing Federation flyweight crown.

Waseem has had a run of victories for more than seven years as an
amateur. He is a two-year pro who has won his last three fights by
knockout and successfully defended once the WBC silver flyweight title
in 2016.

Two Australians will be in the undercards. Pacquiao, who has lost to
Australian Jeff Horn in a controversial match, has invited his
Australian sparring mate George Kambosos Jr. (14-0, 8 KOs), to fight
Filipino JR Magboo (17-1, 8 KOs). They battle over 8 rounds at
lightweight.

Another Filipino world title hopeful, Jayar Inson of Davao will face
Terry Tzouramanis of Australia in another eight-round welterweight
match.

Malaysia’s welterweight phenom Theena Thalayan (5-0, 2 KOs), will
battle India’s Siddharth Varma (4-1, 1 KO) in a six-round battle while
Kuala Lumpur native Ailman Abu Bakar (7-0, 3 KOs) battles Indonesian
Abdi (5-2, 2 KOs) for four rounds in the 126-pound division.

Harmonito dela Torre of General Santos City, Philippines, (19-1, 12
KOs) will have his hands full against an unpredictable and unbeaten
Chinese talent, Yongqiang Yang (10-0, 7 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight
clash.

Other Filipinos seeing action include bantamweight Vincent Astrolabio
(10-1, 7 KOs) fighting Yuuki Kobayashi of Japan (13-7, 7 KOs) and Juan
Miguel Elorde (25-1, 13 KOs) facing Ratchanon Sawangsoda of Thailand
(12-2, 12 KOs).