A week ago on this very blog, I made a little joke about not rearranging my work schedule to be able to attend the Kelly Pavlik-Paul Williams fight on December 5. At least I intended it as a joke, because I really would like to see that fight sooner rather than later.
Despite Bob Arum's happiness with the progress Pavlik and his troublesome staph infection are making, it appears we still shouldn't save the date just yet. The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting that Pavlik hasn't been cleared to train.
As per Mike Pavlik, official big brother of Kelly, Team Pavlik is "still looking at Dec. 5" but nothing could be made concrete until The Ghost received medical clearance. Reading between the lines, it sounds like the fight could get pushed back. Again.
If that happens, Pavlik could be looking at nearly a year of inactivity since he retired Marco Antonio Rubio this past February. Call me crazy, but I'm not sure I'd want there to be any chance I'd have ring rust when I stepped in against The Punisher.
Let's do some Shoe Shining...
SHOE SHINING
The always hilarious Michael Marley (often unintentionally so) spun a whole column, kind of, out of Freddie Roach's reaction to Juan Manuel Marquez drinking his own urine on 24/7. Somehow I doubt Manny Pacquiao will be downing a glass of his own pee any time soon...
In the wake of Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto making appearances at Yankee Stadium to promote their upcoming bout, the AP ran a story about the attempt to return boxing to the venue. Okay, it wouldn't technically be a return at this version of Yankee Stadium, but you get the idea. Also of note: Arum's comments that a meeting between the Pacquiao-Cotto winner and the Floyd Mayweather-JMM winner would be "unlikely." Just posturing, or something else?...
Could the continued rise of MMA as the hip combat sport make it difficult for aspiring boxers to find places to train? A boxing club in Sarasota, Florida is getting pushed aside so that the gym can be used for MMA training. As I've said numerous times, I enjoy both sports, but it would be a real shame if this kind of thing would become a trend.
Posted by The Franchise
Showing posts with label freddie roach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label freddie roach. Show all posts
11.9.09
8.5.09
Friday Night Fights Report - May 8, 2009
I have some things to do tonight, but I will keep my eye on FNF in case anything interesting goes down.
Tonight's FNF brings us Brian Vera against Craig McEwen in the main event from Fort Worth, Texas.
Teddy Atlas made some opening remarks about the similarities between McEwen and Andy Lee.
Vera beat the at-the-time undefeated prospect Andy Lee on FNF, and Lee has not been very visible since. Lee actually knocked Vera down in Round 1 of that fight. Lee is 2-0 since that fight, but both fights have been back in Ireland, and as far as I know, not televised here. Lee is more than just your usual prospect, and is a very talented fighter. Vera will try to defeat McEwen as he did Lee.
Back in the studio, Brian Kenny reports that the Kelly Pavlik-Sergio Mora fight has been postponed due to staph infections.
Bernard Hopkins is in the studio. B-Hop was in the Ricky Hatton locker room following his fight with Manny Pacquiao. Ricky did not know a half-hour after the fight what he had been hit with and was asking Bernard about it.
On a side note, ESPN2 showed a Tecate commerical that was completely in Spanish. I thought that was interesting.
Adrian Broner vs. Fernando Quintero
An interesting fight between the 8-0 Broner and the 7-0 Quintero. The fight went the full eight rounds.
Teddy has it a draw.
Judges:
76-76
77-75
78-74
Adrian "The Problem" Broner wins by majority decision.
Back to the studio...
Bernard said Hatton never had a chance to change tactics. Manny was coming from all over the place. Hatton didn't know what to do.
Bernard said that hatton was overwhelmed after Round 1 and he never recovered. Bernard said he should have ducked, or put his hands up, or bought himself some time like a veteran.
Teddy said that Hatton shouldn't have gone straight into the propeller, he should have made Manny come to him.
They showed a number of photos of Ricky at the pool posing for pictures and hanging out with party-goers in Vegas, but interestingly the ESPN crew made zero reference to them. I thought maybe they were going to say that Hatton was unfocused or something, but they literally showed the pictures and never mentioned them.
Bernard said that JMM is no tune-up for Money Mayweather. Floyd has been off for a long time, and Bernard says the gym is not the same as fighting for real. He does think that Floyd will win at the end of the day.
Neither Teddy nor Bernard believes that the weight will be too much of an issue. But Teddy does think it is important that JMM's managers do not give up too much in negotiations as far as weight, ring size, gloves, etc.
Atlas believes it will be a tough fight but Mayweather will win. Teddy wonders if Money May is taking the fight for the wrong reason due to the IRS lien. Hopkins thinks that the money could actually be a motivation because of how much is on the line financially. Floyd may have the extra motivation that he needs.
Manny-Floyd? Bernard goes with Floyd. He has a lot to bring that Manny has never seen before.
Atlas is going with the Pac-Man.
Vera vs. McEwen - 10 Rounds
Round 1
Uatu: Vera 10-9
Vera landed some hard shots, McEwen stayed moving and worked in and out. A good first round and both men had their moments.
Round 2
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Another good round. McEwen fights lefty, and he's looking like a slower poor man's version of Bute, who was a close version of Calzaghe. I liked the work that McEwen did, but he did catch a big right in the early goings.
Round 3
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Both fighters have had moments that made me a little nervous. At times I thought either man could fall or get roughed up, but maybe they are just off-balance.
Round 4
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
In my opinion McEwen controlled the majority of this round.
Round 5
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Teddy has it 4-0 McEwen. McEwen hasn't been hit with that Vera right in a few rounds.
Round 6
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Marco Antonio Barrera is in some of those Tecate ads. Bernard has sparred with McEwen to prepare for Winky and JoeCal. A lot of grabbing, a lot of McEwen landing.
Round 7
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 7 was a slugfest. Both men threw some serious haymakers. Vera managed to land the right again.
Round 8
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 9
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 10
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
I enjoyed this fight. Good spirited effort by both men.
Teddy:
99-91 McEwen
Judges:
97-93
97-93
97-93
Craig McEwen wins by unanimous decision.
Freddie Roach manages and trains McEwen so I imagine we will see him again. Tarver-Dawson II up next.
Signing off...
Posted by uatu
Tonight's FNF brings us Brian Vera against Craig McEwen in the main event from Fort Worth, Texas.
Teddy Atlas made some opening remarks about the similarities between McEwen and Andy Lee.
Vera beat the at-the-time undefeated prospect Andy Lee on FNF, and Lee has not been very visible since. Lee actually knocked Vera down in Round 1 of that fight. Lee is 2-0 since that fight, but both fights have been back in Ireland, and as far as I know, not televised here. Lee is more than just your usual prospect, and is a very talented fighter. Vera will try to defeat McEwen as he did Lee.
Back in the studio, Brian Kenny reports that the Kelly Pavlik-Sergio Mora fight has been postponed due to staph infections.
Bernard Hopkins is in the studio. B-Hop was in the Ricky Hatton locker room following his fight with Manny Pacquiao. Ricky did not know a half-hour after the fight what he had been hit with and was asking Bernard about it.
On a side note, ESPN2 showed a Tecate commerical that was completely in Spanish. I thought that was interesting.
Adrian Broner vs. Fernando Quintero
An interesting fight between the 8-0 Broner and the 7-0 Quintero. The fight went the full eight rounds.
Teddy has it a draw.
Judges:
76-76
77-75
78-74
Adrian "The Problem" Broner wins by majority decision.
Back to the studio...
Bernard said Hatton never had a chance to change tactics. Manny was coming from all over the place. Hatton didn't know what to do.
Bernard said that hatton was overwhelmed after Round 1 and he never recovered. Bernard said he should have ducked, or put his hands up, or bought himself some time like a veteran.
Teddy said that Hatton shouldn't have gone straight into the propeller, he should have made Manny come to him.
They showed a number of photos of Ricky at the pool posing for pictures and hanging out with party-goers in Vegas, but interestingly the ESPN crew made zero reference to them. I thought maybe they were going to say that Hatton was unfocused or something, but they literally showed the pictures and never mentioned them.
Bernard said that JMM is no tune-up for Money Mayweather. Floyd has been off for a long time, and Bernard says the gym is not the same as fighting for real. He does think that Floyd will win at the end of the day.
Neither Teddy nor Bernard believes that the weight will be too much of an issue. But Teddy does think it is important that JMM's managers do not give up too much in negotiations as far as weight, ring size, gloves, etc.
Atlas believes it will be a tough fight but Mayweather will win. Teddy wonders if Money May is taking the fight for the wrong reason due to the IRS lien. Hopkins thinks that the money could actually be a motivation because of how much is on the line financially. Floyd may have the extra motivation that he needs.
Manny-Floyd? Bernard goes with Floyd. He has a lot to bring that Manny has never seen before.
Atlas is going with the Pac-Man.
Vera vs. McEwen - 10 Rounds
Round 1
Uatu: Vera 10-9
Vera landed some hard shots, McEwen stayed moving and worked in and out. A good first round and both men had their moments.
Round 2
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Another good round. McEwen fights lefty, and he's looking like a slower poor man's version of Bute, who was a close version of Calzaghe. I liked the work that McEwen did, but he did catch a big right in the early goings.
Round 3
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Both fighters have had moments that made me a little nervous. At times I thought either man could fall or get roughed up, but maybe they are just off-balance.
Round 4
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
In my opinion McEwen controlled the majority of this round.
Round 5
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Teddy has it 4-0 McEwen. McEwen hasn't been hit with that Vera right in a few rounds.
Round 6
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Marco Antonio Barrera is in some of those Tecate ads. Bernard has sparred with McEwen to prepare for Winky and JoeCal. A lot of grabbing, a lot of McEwen landing.
Round 7
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 7 was a slugfest. Both men threw some serious haymakers. Vera managed to land the right again.
Round 8
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 9
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
Round 10
Uatu: McEwen 10-9
I enjoyed this fight. Good spirited effort by both men.
Teddy:
99-91 McEwen
Judges:
97-93
97-93
97-93
Craig McEwen wins by unanimous decision.
Freddie Roach manages and trains McEwen so I imagine we will see him again. Tarver-Dawson II up next.
Signing off...
Posted by uatu
1.5.09
Pacquiao vs. Hatton: Live Weigh-In
The show is on at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Mario Lopez is the master of ceremonies. He opens the show to pump up the crowd and now hands the mic over to Michael Buffer. Buffer is doing well. He makes some jokes about the swine flu. The crowd is really pumped up. It sounds like they are mostly there for Ricky Hatton.
They start the weigh-in with the the first undercard fight between two young super middleweights. Buffer hands the mic back over to Lopez. He says there are three more to go before the main event weight-in. The second undercard fight that weighs in has the first stare-down. Lopez now hands the mic over to Richard Schaefer and Bob Arum. Arum says something in Tagalog and receives a lot of boos from the pro-Hatton crowd. Schaefer says "There's only one Ricky Hatton!"
They now use some footage from Hatton and Pacquiao's training and press conferences for filler. The footage has ended and Lopez says that Bernard Hopkins, Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley will be on the stage momentarily. Here's some more banter from Arum and Schaefer. Arum says that all Mexican fighters will be rooting for Manny Pacquiao. Schaefer says that that's enough from Bob.
Sugar Shane comes on the stage first. He says the weigh-in is an impressive show of fandom. It sounded like a pretty pro-Mosley crowd.
They jump from Mosley right into the weigh-in of Michael Walker vs. Daniel Jacobs at middleweight. Jacobs looks to be in great shape. The crowd is pretty quiet now. Jacobs is a few inches taller than Walker.
Right into some more filler of Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr. from a press conference.
Hopkins is on the stage now. Wow, the crowd is a seriously hating on B-Hop. They let him have it with a loud chorus of boos. He looks a little bigger than usual, not fat, but mostly muscle. Bernard says he's picking Hatton because "he's with us," meaning Golden Boy. He doesn't sound too convinced with his decision.
It's now time for the Humberto Soto vs. Benoit Gaudet weigh-in. They both make weight and look to be in good shape.
Juan Manuel Marquez and De La Hoya take the stage now. They both get a lot of cheers. Oscar put on a lot of weight. He's certainly not in boxing shape, but I guess he doesn't need to be. The British fans start a Ricky Hatton song. Amir Khan follows De La Hoya on the stage. Khan says that it's going to be a great fight. Juan Diaz, the Baby Bull, is in attendance. They show the crowd and it is truly amazing - thousands and thousands of fans.
Now it's time for the main event weigh-in. Buffer introduces Manny first. Hatton's British band is really going nuts. Hatton comes on now. The crowd goes crazy as expected. Manny is going to take the scale first. Manny looks to be in amazing shape.
Manny weighs in at 138 pounds.
Hatton follows and also looks to be in stellar shape. He looks a little thinner than Pac-Man.
Hatton weighs in at 140 pounds.
Manny and Hatton are all smiles. They pose for some pictures. Now it's time for the stare-down. It looks like there is no height difference between them. They both look like they trained hard, but Manny looks like he has more muscle on him.
Hatton says he kept in shape and he has never had a problem making weight. He sounds confident. It sounds like his game plan is to counter punch, which will be interesting to see. Manny is on the mic now. He says he feels strong and hungry to fight. Roach says that Hatton's game plan will play right into Manny's hands and they will pick Hatton apart once he reverts to his old ways.
Hatton and Manny close the show and thanks all of the fans for traveling such a long distance to see the fight. Manny does the same and says that nobody knows what's going to happen, except God.
That's it. The weigh-in has me excited for tomorrow night. One more day!
Posted by spartan117
They start the weigh-in with the the first undercard fight between two young super middleweights. Buffer hands the mic back over to Lopez. He says there are three more to go before the main event weight-in. The second undercard fight that weighs in has the first stare-down. Lopez now hands the mic over to Richard Schaefer and Bob Arum. Arum says something in Tagalog and receives a lot of boos from the pro-Hatton crowd. Schaefer says "There's only one Ricky Hatton!"
They now use some footage from Hatton and Pacquiao's training and press conferences for filler. The footage has ended and Lopez says that Bernard Hopkins, Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley will be on the stage momentarily. Here's some more banter from Arum and Schaefer. Arum says that all Mexican fighters will be rooting for Manny Pacquiao. Schaefer says that that's enough from Bob.
Sugar Shane comes on the stage first. He says the weigh-in is an impressive show of fandom. It sounded like a pretty pro-Mosley crowd.
They jump from Mosley right into the weigh-in of Michael Walker vs. Daniel Jacobs at middleweight. Jacobs looks to be in great shape. The crowd is pretty quiet now. Jacobs is a few inches taller than Walker.
Right into some more filler of Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr. from a press conference.
Hopkins is on the stage now. Wow, the crowd is a seriously hating on B-Hop. They let him have it with a loud chorus of boos. He looks a little bigger than usual, not fat, but mostly muscle. Bernard says he's picking Hatton because "he's with us," meaning Golden Boy. He doesn't sound too convinced with his decision.
It's now time for the Humberto Soto vs. Benoit Gaudet weigh-in. They both make weight and look to be in good shape.
Juan Manuel Marquez and De La Hoya take the stage now. They both get a lot of cheers. Oscar put on a lot of weight. He's certainly not in boxing shape, but I guess he doesn't need to be. The British fans start a Ricky Hatton song. Amir Khan follows De La Hoya on the stage. Khan says that it's going to be a great fight. Juan Diaz, the Baby Bull, is in attendance. They show the crowd and it is truly amazing - thousands and thousands of fans.
Now it's time for the main event weigh-in. Buffer introduces Manny first. Hatton's British band is really going nuts. Hatton comes on now. The crowd goes crazy as expected. Manny is going to take the scale first. Manny looks to be in amazing shape.
Manny weighs in at 138 pounds.
Hatton follows and also looks to be in stellar shape. He looks a little thinner than Pac-Man.
Hatton weighs in at 140 pounds.
Manny and Hatton are all smiles. They pose for some pictures. Now it's time for the stare-down. It looks like there is no height difference between them. They both look like they trained hard, but Manny looks like he has more muscle on him.
Hatton says he kept in shape and he has never had a problem making weight. He sounds confident. It sounds like his game plan is to counter punch, which will be interesting to see. Manny is on the mic now. He says he feels strong and hungry to fight. Roach says that Hatton's game plan will play right into Manny's hands and they will pick Hatton apart once he reverts to his old ways.
Hatton and Manny close the show and thanks all of the fans for traveling such a long distance to see the fight. Manny does the same and says that nobody knows what's going to happen, except God.
That's it. The weigh-in has me excited for tomorrow night. One more day!
Posted by spartan117
22.4.09
Roach Says Arlovski May Make Move to Boxing Permanent
Regular readers of this blog know I have a lot of (platonic) love for Freddie Roach. Sometimes, though, I wonder if even he believes everything he says.
In this case I'm talking about his hyping up of MMA fighter Andrei Arlovski. Roach told Michael David Smith of AOL's FanHouse blog that Arlovski was finally ready to debut as a boxer on the undercard of the Chris John-Rocky Juarez rematch on June 27.
Haters can stand down, as this apparently isn't a case of someone looking to dabble in the sweet science (ahem, Anderson Silva). Smith writes that Arlovski is considering making a permanent career change and boxing from here on out.
Still, the real eyebrow-raising part of the piece is that Roach thinks The Pitbull could establish himself as a top heavyweight in a short amount of time, fast enough that he talks about him facing current titleholders like Nikolai Valuev and Wladimir Klitschko.
Obviously, Roach knows a lot more about how realistic that might be than I do. It just seems like after the numerous athletes who have weighed in about the vast differences between boxing and the stand-up aspect of MMA (spacing, timing, stances, etc.), it may be a bit more difficult than that.
So either Freddie is just doing his part to sell his guy or he really thinks the heavyweight landscape is as bleak as popular opinion says it is. We'll see in a few months - or perhaps not, as Arlovski doesn't officially have an opponent yet and isn't guaranteed to make it onto the televised part of the card.
Posted by The Franchise
In this case I'm talking about his hyping up of MMA fighter Andrei Arlovski. Roach told Michael David Smith of AOL's FanHouse blog that Arlovski was finally ready to debut as a boxer on the undercard of the Chris John-Rocky Juarez rematch on June 27.
Haters can stand down, as this apparently isn't a case of someone looking to dabble in the sweet science (ahem, Anderson Silva). Smith writes that Arlovski is considering making a permanent career change and boxing from here on out.
Still, the real eyebrow-raising part of the piece is that Roach thinks The Pitbull could establish himself as a top heavyweight in a short amount of time, fast enough that he talks about him facing current titleholders like Nikolai Valuev and Wladimir Klitschko.
Obviously, Roach knows a lot more about how realistic that might be than I do. It just seems like after the numerous athletes who have weighed in about the vast differences between boxing and the stand-up aspect of MMA (spacing, timing, stances, etc.), it may be a bit more difficult than that.
So either Freddie is just doing his part to sell his guy or he really thinks the heavyweight landscape is as bleak as popular opinion says it is. We'll see in a few months - or perhaps not, as Arlovski doesn't officially have an opponent yet and isn't guaranteed to make it onto the televised part of the card.
Posted by The Franchise
19.4.09
Recap: Pacquiao-Hatton 24/7, Episode 2
The world's greatest show started in Hollywood.
Manny is living in a crowded condo again, with ten men living in the small condo.
Freddie has actually moved out of the gym into his own house.
Now people can't knock on his door at all times.
He doesn't seem to like it much, as he said the house may be rented soon.
Now Roach also has to sit in traffic and drive to the gym.
At the gym that day were Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale - Max Payne and the Batman/John Connor.
They showed Manny working over some sparring partners, knocking some dude down and out with a body shot.
Hatton is in Vegas.
Floyd, Sr. was running late for practice.
He stopped at Taco Bell.
He likes the number eight combo (hard shell), and he wants tomatoes on those with a Mountain Dew to drink.
Hatton was shown doing that Mayweather mitt routine.
I wonder if we will see any Hatton sparring footage.
The show went through Hatton's entourage and who all the players were.
The crew hit Vegas for some blackjack at night.
Back in L.A., Manny toured his new Hollywood house with his wife, Jinky. This will only be a second house, and not the primary residence.
Freddie said that Manny is now complete, he thinks. He sets things up, he is explosive, etc.
Michael Moorer got some airtime next.
Moorer is getting an education, he works from 6:30 am to 8:30 pm and he is getting an opportunity to help Freddie due to Roach's condition.
Hatton does his runs on Mount Charleston, where Floyd takes Hatton twice a week for serious training.
The show next did some time showing Hatton's family.
His fiance, Jennifer, and son are back in the U.K.
Hatton's mom theorized that Ricky is attracted to his fiance because she is taller than Ricky. His fiance is 5'10". Hatton's son is now 8 years old.
Floyd went on a mini-rant about Hatton being a racehorse and Manny being a mule.
Manny was on husband duties taking Jinky to the airport.
Freddie and Michael were up late into the night taking in Hatton tape on the couch.
Moorer was not impressed with the "new" Hatton, saying he reverted to his old ways and didn't do anything new in the ring.
Next they introduced us to Shane Langford. Freddie took in this fellow and lets him live in the gym and clean the place. Shane has had a rough life and he showed us his knife wounds.
The following bit was about Freddie's early training life. He had to work as a telemarketer to support himself in Vegas. His big break came from Mickey Rourke who called him to train him. Mickey would show up only once that first week. Roach ripped him so bad he cried and left Vegas. Rourke called him every day for 30 days and Roach returned. Roach had him promise that the next day off he would get would be the one Roach gave him. Roach trained Rourke for seven fights, after which, Mickey sold his gym and gave his equipment to Roach.
Back in Vegas we got more Hatton training footage as Floyd put him through exercises. Floyd was flexing for the camera and showing off his muscles. He bragged about how he could eat cookies and cake and still look ripped even at age 56.
Back at his house, they showed Floyd watching tape of his career. He admits he had a bad career. He said he was one hell of a fighter that never got a break. He got shot with a shotgun while holding one year old Floyd Jr. Floyd Sr. said he still wants a relationship with Jr.
Even with Sr. having dropped out of school, he has managed to succeed in life, and he said he feels blessed.
The show ended with a dramatic montage of training, the auxiliary people in the fighters' lives and the trainers.
Posted by uatu
Manny is living in a crowded condo again, with ten men living in the small condo.
Freddie has actually moved out of the gym into his own house.
Now people can't knock on his door at all times.
He doesn't seem to like it much, as he said the house may be rented soon.
Now Roach also has to sit in traffic and drive to the gym.
At the gym that day were Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale - Max Payne and the Batman/John Connor.
They showed Manny working over some sparring partners, knocking some dude down and out with a body shot.
Hatton is in Vegas.
Floyd, Sr. was running late for practice.
He stopped at Taco Bell.
He likes the number eight combo (hard shell), and he wants tomatoes on those with a Mountain Dew to drink.
Hatton was shown doing that Mayweather mitt routine.
I wonder if we will see any Hatton sparring footage.
The show went through Hatton's entourage and who all the players were.
The crew hit Vegas for some blackjack at night.
Back in L.A., Manny toured his new Hollywood house with his wife, Jinky. This will only be a second house, and not the primary residence.
Freddie said that Manny is now complete, he thinks. He sets things up, he is explosive, etc.
Michael Moorer got some airtime next.
Moorer is getting an education, he works from 6:30 am to 8:30 pm and he is getting an opportunity to help Freddie due to Roach's condition.
Hatton does his runs on Mount Charleston, where Floyd takes Hatton twice a week for serious training.
The show next did some time showing Hatton's family.
His fiance, Jennifer, and son are back in the U.K.
Hatton's mom theorized that Ricky is attracted to his fiance because she is taller than Ricky. His fiance is 5'10". Hatton's son is now 8 years old.
Floyd went on a mini-rant about Hatton being a racehorse and Manny being a mule.
Manny was on husband duties taking Jinky to the airport.
Freddie and Michael were up late into the night taking in Hatton tape on the couch.
Moorer was not impressed with the "new" Hatton, saying he reverted to his old ways and didn't do anything new in the ring.
Next they introduced us to Shane Langford. Freddie took in this fellow and lets him live in the gym and clean the place. Shane has had a rough life and he showed us his knife wounds.
The following bit was about Freddie's early training life. He had to work as a telemarketer to support himself in Vegas. His big break came from Mickey Rourke who called him to train him. Mickey would show up only once that first week. Roach ripped him so bad he cried and left Vegas. Rourke called him every day for 30 days and Roach returned. Roach had him promise that the next day off he would get would be the one Roach gave him. Roach trained Rourke for seven fights, after which, Mickey sold his gym and gave his equipment to Roach.
Back in Vegas we got more Hatton training footage as Floyd put him through exercises. Floyd was flexing for the camera and showing off his muscles. He bragged about how he could eat cookies and cake and still look ripped even at age 56.
Back at his house, they showed Floyd watching tape of his career. He admits he had a bad career. He said he was one hell of a fighter that never got a break. He got shot with a shotgun while holding one year old Floyd Jr. Floyd Sr. said he still wants a relationship with Jr.
Even with Sr. having dropped out of school, he has managed to succeed in life, and he said he feels blessed.
The show ended with a dramatic montage of training, the auxiliary people in the fighters' lives and the trainers.
Posted by uatu
11.4.09
Recap: Pacquiao-Hatton 24/7, Episode 1
The new season of 24/7 begins with a look at Manny Pacquiao's upbringing amidst the poverty of General Santos City in the Phillipines. We flash forward to Pacman's most recent victory over Oscar De La Hoya, and trainer Freddie Roach explains why he was so sure his charge would win.
The scene quickly switches to Manchester, the home of Ricky Hatton. A flashback to 2007 shows Hatton riding high before his fight with Floyd Mayweather, where as we know, he didn't fare too well. He uses the word "devastated" to describe how he felt after losing, and his family and countrymen took it hard as well.
Back in the Phillipines, we see the reaction of his fans to his last win. We see the christening of his baby, which like every Pacquiao-related event, was a huge deal - complete with 48 godparents.
The first training footage shows Manny at Roach's Wild Card Boxing Gym. Former heavyweight champ Michael Moorer is there too, giving advice. Hatton and former trainer Billy Graham talk a bit about their relationship and why Ricky felt the need to make a change.
The entertainment value immediately picks up as we hear from Hatton's new trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr. He makes it clear in no uncertain terms that he thinks he's the greatest trainer ever, and he's anxious for the world to see how Hatton is continuing to improve.
More detail is shown of Moorer's role in Pacquiao's training camp, which looks to be pretty large. Why add another person to the mix? Roach admits that he was spreading himself too thin, especially with other fighters to train and Parkinson's disease to battle.
Freddie also says he has to close the gym for a few hours a day because Pacquiao is so popular. Manny also looks like he hasn't been taking it easy on his sparring partners.
Hatton and Mayweather travel from England to Las Vegas to finish his training. Floyd says his goal is to keep Ricky's aggressiveness and tenacity but teach him defense and evasiveness.
On the personal side, Ricky and Floyd have had to adjust to each other's personalities and senses of humor. Mayweather has a little rhyme for Pacquiao too.
We see some scenes from the press tour for the fight, including the fighters playing darts in an English pub. The episode ends with dramatic training montages for both men.
Posted by The Franchise
11.3.09
Franchise Thoughts: Who's the Better Trainer, Freddie Roach or Floyd Mayweather Sr.?
Kevin Iole's most recent boxing mailbag for Yahoo! Sports leads off with a look at an intriguing subplot to the upcoming Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight: the rivalry between trainers Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr.
It's no secret that the two men don't have high opinions of each other. Iole mentioned that Roach started the verbal sparring this time by saying he'd be more worried about Hatton if he was trained by Roger Mayweather, a remark intended to get under the skin of Floyd Sr. given his contentious relationship with his brother.
Mayweather has yet to really let loose for this fight, but in the past has given Roach little credit for his accomplishments, downplaying his role in molding champions like James Toney and Pacquiao. With Floyd you get the sense that some of his posturing is strictly for show, but there's little doubt that he means it when he calls himself the best trainer in boxing.
Trying to figure out who is the "best" trainer is largely a subjective matter because there are so many factors that go into the trainer-boxer relationship that are difficult to quantify. It's also not just a two-horse race - Nazim Richardson, just to name one, would deserve some consideration after his work with Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley.
Still, there are a few different areas where you can stack Roach and Floyd Sr. up head to head to see where they stand, and that's exactly what I did to formulate my own opinion:
Top fighters trained:
At first glance, I was ready to give this category to Roach. The list of fighters he's worked with at some point in their careers sometimes seems endless, and includes huge names like Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, Hopkins, and, of course, Pacquiao. But Roach was sometimes a short-term solution for many boxers, and it's hard to determine how much impact a trainer has when he is in the corner for just a fight or two.
Mayweather trained his son Floyd Jr. during his formative years and worked with De La Hoya when he was the most dominant force (at least economically) in the sport. He also currently trains Chad Dawson, who's getting increasing support as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters today. (Uatu note: Eddie Mustafa Muhammad trained Dawson for the Dawson-Tarver fight.)
Advantage: Push
Psychology:
At least publicly, both men do a great job propping up their fighters' confidence levels. They go about it a bit differently, with Roach preferring to make simple statements that he has a winning plan and Mayweather opting for brash, sometimes comical boasts.
Floyd Sr. clearly loves being the center of attention, but I think he's also crafty enough to know that he can take some pressure off his boxers by putting it on himself. Roach is starting to show a similar side to his game with his comments leading up to the De La Hoya-Pacquiao bout, but Mayweather really has it down pat.
Advantage: Mayweather
Power to transform:
Conveniently, the boxer each man is currently training provides some of the best insight into this category. Roach's impact on Pacquiao has been undeniable, changing Manny from a one-dimensional destroyer (albeit a really good one) into a complete package. Footwork, spacing, variety of punches... virtually every part of Pacquiao's game has improved under Roach's tutelage.
Mayweather may be working a similar makeover on Hatton; it's just too soon to tell. The Hitman showed a much greater range of skills when he took out Paulie Malignaggi last November, but that was the first time Floyd Sr. was in his corner.
If Hatton gets past Pacquiao, that may give Mayweather the nod here, but for now, Roach gets the edge.
Advantage: Roach
Reputation and intangibles:
Simply put, Roach is the hottest trainer in the sport. Pacquiao is considered by most reputable sources to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, and even people outside the sport, like MMA fighter Andrei Arlovski, are seeking Roach's counsel.
On top of that, Roach seems like a guy who genuinely has the best interests of his fighters at heart. He's been very vocal about the more unsavory characters in Team Pacquiao and has tried to ensure Manny hasn't been taken advantage of financially.
By contrast, Mayweather comes across as much more of a mercenary, concerned primarily with his paycheck and his status. It almost goes without saying that his dysfunctional family ties always threaten to be huge headaches at any time.
Advantage: Roach
That's obviously a very simplified analysis, but it's enough for me to give Roach the nod over Floyd Sr. as the better trainer in this fight, and probably any fight in the sport today.
Posted by The Franchise
It's no secret that the two men don't have high opinions of each other. Iole mentioned that Roach started the verbal sparring this time by saying he'd be more worried about Hatton if he was trained by Roger Mayweather, a remark intended to get under the skin of Floyd Sr. given his contentious relationship with his brother.
Mayweather has yet to really let loose for this fight, but in the past has given Roach little credit for his accomplishments, downplaying his role in molding champions like James Toney and Pacquiao. With Floyd you get the sense that some of his posturing is strictly for show, but there's little doubt that he means it when he calls himself the best trainer in boxing.
Trying to figure out who is the "best" trainer is largely a subjective matter because there are so many factors that go into the trainer-boxer relationship that are difficult to quantify. It's also not just a two-horse race - Nazim Richardson, just to name one, would deserve some consideration after his work with Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley.
Still, there are a few different areas where you can stack Roach and Floyd Sr. up head to head to see where they stand, and that's exactly what I did to formulate my own opinion:
Top fighters trained:
At first glance, I was ready to give this category to Roach. The list of fighters he's worked with at some point in their careers sometimes seems endless, and includes huge names like Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, Hopkins, and, of course, Pacquiao. But Roach was sometimes a short-term solution for many boxers, and it's hard to determine how much impact a trainer has when he is in the corner for just a fight or two.
Mayweather trained his son Floyd Jr. during his formative years and worked with De La Hoya when he was the most dominant force (at least economically) in the sport. He also currently trains Chad Dawson, who's getting increasing support as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters today. (Uatu note: Eddie Mustafa Muhammad trained Dawson for the Dawson-Tarver fight.)
Advantage: Push
Psychology:
At least publicly, both men do a great job propping up their fighters' confidence levels. They go about it a bit differently, with Roach preferring to make simple statements that he has a winning plan and Mayweather opting for brash, sometimes comical boasts.
Floyd Sr. clearly loves being the center of attention, but I think he's also crafty enough to know that he can take some pressure off his boxers by putting it on himself. Roach is starting to show a similar side to his game with his comments leading up to the De La Hoya-Pacquiao bout, but Mayweather really has it down pat.
Advantage: Mayweather
Power to transform:
Conveniently, the boxer each man is currently training provides some of the best insight into this category. Roach's impact on Pacquiao has been undeniable, changing Manny from a one-dimensional destroyer (albeit a really good one) into a complete package. Footwork, spacing, variety of punches... virtually every part of Pacquiao's game has improved under Roach's tutelage.
Mayweather may be working a similar makeover on Hatton; it's just too soon to tell. The Hitman showed a much greater range of skills when he took out Paulie Malignaggi last November, but that was the first time Floyd Sr. was in his corner.
If Hatton gets past Pacquiao, that may give Mayweather the nod here, but for now, Roach gets the edge.
Advantage: Roach
Reputation and intangibles:
Simply put, Roach is the hottest trainer in the sport. Pacquiao is considered by most reputable sources to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, and even people outside the sport, like MMA fighter Andrei Arlovski, are seeking Roach's counsel.
On top of that, Roach seems like a guy who genuinely has the best interests of his fighters at heart. He's been very vocal about the more unsavory characters in Team Pacquiao and has tried to ensure Manny hasn't been taken advantage of financially.
By contrast, Mayweather comes across as much more of a mercenary, concerned primarily with his paycheck and his status. It almost goes without saying that his dysfunctional family ties always threaten to be huge headaches at any time.
Advantage: Roach
That's obviously a very simplified analysis, but it's enough for me to give Roach the nod over Floyd Sr. as the better trainer in this fight, and probably any fight in the sport today.
Posted by The Franchise
6.2.09
Roach Comments on Magarito Controversy
During tonight's Friday Night Fights, ESPN2 host Brian Kenny interviewed trainer Freddy Roach about the plaster that was almost added into Antonio Margarito's gloves against Shane Mosley last week.
Roach was asked how dangerous the plaster can be. Roach explained that the plaster can become "as hard as a rock" and can do some serious damage. He added that a sparring partner of Margarito's suffered a broken eye socket and that he suspects that this substance was in Margarito's gloves for all of his sparring sessions.
Kenny asked Roach what he believes would be a suitable punishment. Roach suggested that Margarito and his trainer Javier Capetillo should be "banned from boxing for life" and that this is one of the most criminal offenses in all of the sport.
14.1.09
Reports: Guerrero Returns, Pacquiao-Hatton Fight in Trouble
Fans of Robert Guerrero have found him as difficult to view in action recently as his nickname: The Ghost.
That's going to change in less than two weeks, as the 25-year old southpaw returns to action for the first time since knocking out Jason Litzau last February on Jan. 24. The AP is reporting that Guerrero will appear on the Antonio Margarito-Shane Mosley undercard, facing well-traveled (to put it kindly) veteran Edel Ruiz.
Guerrero's inactivity was due to the favorite cause of boxers everywhere, promotional problems. But his career has forward motion again now that he's signed with Golden Boy Promotions. The AP piece says GBP would like to get Guerrero a super featherweight title shot later this year, meaning we could see him take on Humberto Soto or Jorge Linares.
Elsewhere, Michael Rosenthal posted yesterday on The Ring Blog that the Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight is in trouble. The reason? You guessed it: money.
Rosenthal quotes both Bob Arum and Freddie Roach while explaining that Pacquiao's lawyer is pushing for a 60-40 split while all other parties seem content with 50-50 - even Roach, who admits that much of the money will come from England.
My guess is that cooler heads will prevail or that an outside force will intervene, as HBO did when the Margarito-Mosley fight ran into a similar hurdle. There isn't a bigger money fight that can be made in boxing today unless one of the fighters can convince Floyd Mayweather to come out of retirement.
Of course Manny has other skills he can fall back on if he has to wait to land another top flight opponent. Any basketball teams in search of a 5-foot-7 combo guard may want to out the MP Warriors of GenSan when they take the court later today.
UPDATE: Well, it didn't take long for GBP to start thinking about Guerrero's next fight - yes, the one after the fight I wrote about above. ESPN's Dan Rafael is reporting that The Ghost may appear as part of an HBO tripleheader on March 7 that will also feature James Kirkland vs. Joel Julio and Victor Ortiz vs. Vivian Harris. With or without Guerrero, that sounds like a great night of boxing.
That's going to change in less than two weeks, as the 25-year old southpaw returns to action for the first time since knocking out Jason Litzau last February on Jan. 24. The AP is reporting that Guerrero will appear on the Antonio Margarito-Shane Mosley undercard, facing well-traveled (to put it kindly) veteran Edel Ruiz.
Guerrero's inactivity was due to the favorite cause of boxers everywhere, promotional problems. But his career has forward motion again now that he's signed with Golden Boy Promotions. The AP piece says GBP would like to get Guerrero a super featherweight title shot later this year, meaning we could see him take on Humberto Soto or Jorge Linares.
Elsewhere, Michael Rosenthal posted yesterday on The Ring Blog that the Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight is in trouble. The reason? You guessed it: money.
Rosenthal quotes both Bob Arum and Freddie Roach while explaining that Pacquiao's lawyer is pushing for a 60-40 split while all other parties seem content with 50-50 - even Roach, who admits that much of the money will come from England.
My guess is that cooler heads will prevail or that an outside force will intervene, as HBO did when the Margarito-Mosley fight ran into a similar hurdle. There isn't a bigger money fight that can be made in boxing today unless one of the fighters can convince Floyd Mayweather to come out of retirement.
Of course Manny has other skills he can fall back on if he has to wait to land another top flight opponent. Any basketball teams in search of a 5-foot-7 combo guard may want to out the MP Warriors of GenSan when they take the court later today.
UPDATE: Well, it didn't take long for GBP to start thinking about Guerrero's next fight - yes, the one after the fight I wrote about above. ESPN's Dan Rafael is reporting that The Ghost may appear as part of an HBO tripleheader on March 7 that will also feature James Kirkland vs. Joel Julio and Victor Ortiz vs. Vivian Harris. With or without Guerrero, that sounds like a great night of boxing.
28.11.08
Franchise Thoughts: Things I'm Thankful for in Boxing This Year
I should probably be out helping to stimulate the ailing economy right now, but until BoxingWatchers.com turns into a profitable side gig, I have to stay at the keyboard. At this time of year, it's a bit of a cliche (okay, more than a bit) to cook up a list of things to be thankful for, but here in the U.S., it got that way for a reason. It's just the right time of the year to do it.
So without further ado, and in no particular order, here are the boxing-related people, places and things making me give thanks as 2008 comes to a close:
So without further ado, and in no particular order, here are the boxing-related people, places and things making me give thanks as 2008 comes to a close:
- Manny Pacquiao - Aside from his status as my favorite boxer (Disclaimer: the staff members of BoxingWatchers.com are all part Filipino!), the new episodes of 24/7 are showing once again that he's just a compelling personality. The wide range of opinions about whether he can and will beat Oscar De La Hoya are adding to my anticipation for Dec. 6.
- Freddie Roach - He seems to be taking the high road more often than not after his perceived snub at De La Hoya's hands, and he sure is doing his all to show his confidence in Manny. You sometimes forget he is battling through ongoing health concerns to continue on in the sport he loves.
- Affliction - Yes, their stuff is a bit pricey, and I have to pick shirts carefully to avoid scaring my small children. As long as they keep sponsoring fighters and fight cards, I'll keep supporting them.
- Bernard Hopkins - His domination of Kelly Pavlik was something to see. If his other performances over the past three or four years were carried out in the same way, I'd probably be a huge B-Hop fan.
- Volume punchers - I like to think I'm sophisticated enough as a boxing fan to appreciate some of the subtler aspects of the sport. That being said, it's sometimes fun to see guys throw 100-plus punches a round and just try to overwhelm the other boxer.
- Boardwalk Hall - My ultimate goal is still to be in Vegas for a fight weekend in 2009. Still, it's nice to have a venue within driving distance that puts on championship fights, and it's possible to get a decent seat there without draining your entire bank account.
- David Haye - Quite possibly positioned to give the heavyweight division a jolt of electricity - win or lose, actually. I hate to keep beating a dead horse, but said jolt is long overdue.
- Versus - With ESPN cutting back on its boxing content in 2009 (so long Wednesday Night Fights), Versus is at least trying to give fans in the U.S. more fights on cable. It will also soon be home to The Contender, which I'm likely to watch despite the presence of Tony Danza.
- Tavoris Cloud - My favorite discovery of 2008, in the sense that I did not know who he was before this year. He's still raw but immensely entertaining, and he sure doesn't get cheated any time he throws a punch.
- Emanuel Steward - Almost singlehandedly keeps the HBO crew from cheerleading too much for one particular boxer at times. I don't always agree with him, but I do appreciate his insight.
- Ricky Hatton - As my brother Uatu has mentioned on numerous occasions, he's great for boxing because of the atmosphere he brings to his fights. And as an added bonus, he looked great in his most recent fight.
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