Tag Archives: Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Posted on 06/06/2020

By: Hans Themistode

World titles in five divisions, victories over at least 20 former champions, a perfect record through 50 career fights and a whole lot of cash. In its most simplistic form, that would define the legacy of Floyd Mayweather Jr. 

Words such as iconic, legendary and celebrated seem to undervalue arguably the greatest fighter that has ever laced up a pair of gloves. 

Receiving a comparison to Mayweather is almost akin to a death wish. The pressure becomes too immense and the expectations become extraordinarily too high. But in the case of WBO Featherweight titlist Shakur Stevenson, they aren’t high enough. 

“Shakur Stevenson is the future star in the sport of boxing,” said Arum on a recent conference call. “A future super star. I look at him as the southpaw version of Floyd Mayweather. And I think he will exceed the performances by Floyd. I just think that he is a rare, rare talent. The young man is growing in size. I think 130 pounds will be a brief stop in his career. He is growing into a Welterweight and maybe even a Jr Middleweight.”

Stevenson will get the chance to show off the Mayweather-esque skills that Arum is alluding to on June 9th against Felix Caraballo at 130 pounds. It will be the first live boxing show for the mainstream public to consume since COVID-19 reared its ugly head. 

Through 13 career fights, Stevenson has made it look easy against decent opposition. But should he leave the ring on June 9th with the win against an opponent who will be fighting for the first time outside of his home country in Puerto Rico, Arum is expecting to revisit a matchup with fellow champion Josh Warrington. 

If Stevenson manages to navigate himself to a win over Warrington, the Mayweather comparisons will come two fold. Something that the WBO belt holder doesn’t exactly have a problem with. He is just quick to remind those that do juxtapose him to Mayweather, for as great as he was, he is only the tip of the iceberg. 

“It makes me feel good, being compared to Floyd. He’s like somebody I came up looking after a lot as a kid and as an amateur,” Stevenson said in a media conference call. “I looked up [to him] as one of my favorite fighters. So, it makes me feel good. But at the end of the day, I’m still me, so I’ve gotta create my own path and my own destiny. So, I appreciate all the comparisons. But I’m really the first Shakur Stevenson. And I think that I’m gonna take over and surpass Floyd and be better than what Floyd was. And I’m trying to make as much money as or [even] more money as Floyd did. So, my vision is like I’m looking past that stuff.”

Posted on 06/02/2020

By: Hans Themistode

The death of George Floyd has seemingly shaken up the entire world. Millions have marched, protested and even looted in his honor. Amongst those affected by his tragic death is former undefeated boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. He has since reached out to the family of Floyd to not only express his condolences, but to also pay for the entire funeral services of the fallen hero. 

“He’ll probably get mad at me for saying that,” said CEO of Mayweather Promotions Leonard Ellerbe. “But yes, [Mayweather] is definitely paying for the funeral.” 

Floyd was an unarmed African American who was killed at the hands of white police officers last week in Minneapolis. Dereck Chauvin, the white officer who was most responsible for the crime, inexplicably pressed his knee against the neck of Floyd for over 8 minutes which led to his death. 

For reasons that don’t exactly make sense, it took nearly one entire week before he was arrested and charged. Although he has been officially charged with third degree murder, that has done little to quell the protestors who are causing havoc. 

As for Mayweather, this isn’t the first time that he has done something so generous. 

In 1998, Mayweather won his first world title against Genaro Hernandez. A memory that Mayweather has always held dear to his heart. So much so, that when Hernandez passed away in 2011, Mayweather covered his funeral expenses. 

The retired Mayweather has always been known for his flashy lifestyle, but his philanthropic ways have flown under the radar.

“Floyd has done these kind of things over the last 20 years.”

Posted on 05/19/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Manny Pacquiao has spent the vast majority of his career with an X on his back. 

With world titles in eight divisions and wins over countless hall of famers, it makes complete sense that Pacquiao has always been the hunted. Grabbing a win over him not only leads to a career high payday, but it could also provide you with your own hall of fame ticket as well. 

But now, at the age of 41, former Pacquiao opponent, Floyd Mayweather is somewhat disgusted with the non stop call outs. 

“It’s sad that you hear guys say, ‘I want to fight Manny Pacquiao,” said Mayweather to Fighthype. “But Manny Pacquiao is 41 now. Don’t chase him. You young guys chase each other. Stop chasing this old man. If the opportunity presents itself, go out and do what you got to do. Let Manny Pacquiao pick and choose who he wants to fight. With everything he’s accomplished, hopefully, he’s made some smart investments.”

Mayweather of course defeated Pacquiao back in 2015. Since then, Mayweather decided to hang up the gloves just two years and two fights later. Pacquiao on the other hand, is showing no signs of slowing down. He wrapped up year number 24 with a one sided victory over Adrien Broner and capped things off with a close but clear win over Keith Thurman. The latter gifted Pacquiao with yet another world title on his already filled mantle. 

Retirement doesn’t seem to be on the mind of Pacquiao either, as he is picking from the young contenders who continually call him out. That would include 32 year old Mikey Garcia, age 32 Terence Crawford and 30 year old Errol Spence Jr. Even 21 year old Lightweight contender Ryan Garcia has thrown his hat into the race. 

Protruding from those names to become the odds on favorite recently has been Mikey Garcia. With another young strong fighter seemingly on tap for the 41 Pacquiao, Mayweather doesn’t have an issue with it, he’s just speaking what’s on his mind.

“It’s his prerogative to do what he wants to do. I don’t have anything against him, but it’s not me.”

Posted on 04/28/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Mike Tyson share a few things in common. They’re both polarizing figures, they both made ridiculous amounts of money in the ring (nearly $700 million for Tyson and over one billion for Mayweather). And whenever the goat discussion comes up, both of their names are mentioned. But even with as many similarities that they share, they’ve never seen eye to eye. 

Tyson has criticized Mayweather for his TBE (The Best Ever) claims, along with other situations during his career. 

Yet now, with Mayweather deciding to hang up the gloves and trade in his boxing hat in favor of one that’s labeled “trainer” Tyson believes he can be one of the best in the world. 

“I give Floyd a good chance at doing it,” said Tyson. “Mostly, the guy that’s the great trainer is not the great fighter and that’s why he becomes the great trainer. I give Floyd a good chance because Floyd’s a gym rat, that’s all he does. You see him in the club for one week but he’s in the gym every day for 25 years. He does it in his sleep, this is what he [does].”

Floyd Mayweather has always had expensive taste. He seemingly has every luxury car ever created, he has diamonds encrusted in nearly all of his possessions, including an iPod case that is worth $50,000 and he has not one, but two private jets. 

While his materialistic assets have meant the world to him, it’s been the recent death of his former trainer and uncle that has affected him the most.

“As many of you know, I’ve had incredible trainers which included my dad and uncle,” said Mayweather. “Due to the recent passing of my Uncle Roger, I’ve felt inspired to help those around me. The same way they have been there for me throughout my boxing career.” 

For years Mayweather has had the spotlight beamed on him and him alone. Even as he retired from the ring on multiple occasions, the attention never ceased. But now, at the 43, Mayweather seems content with helping others get their moment in the sun. 

“It has become a goal of mine to help others reach the best versions of themselves and walk with it in confidence. I want to leave an impression on those around me and allow them to see their potential.”

Posted on 10/02/2018

by Bryanna Fissori 

 

Conor McGregor (21-3) will be fighting again for the first time since his pro boxing debut against Floyd Mayweater Jr, just over a year ago. The former 2-Division UFC Titleholder faces potential his toughest MMA opponent yet in Khabib Nurmagomedov (26-0).

More Than a Championship Title 

The bout is for the UFC Lightweight Title, which McGregor was stripped of earlier this year due to inactivity. But, there is more on the line this fight than just a championship belt. McGregor and Nurmagomedov have an open dislike for each other for years.

In April, McGregor flew from Ireland to the U.S. to hurl a handtruck through the window of Nurmagomedov’s bus, which was also carrying several other UFC fighters. The event was supposedly instigated by Khabib slapping a teammate of McGregor’s.

Recent Comments About the Bus Situation 

In the recent UFC press conference, McGregor had something to say about the event,
“I showed you my hands, no weapons. The first thing [I did] when I showed up at that bus, I showed my hands to let him know, ‘I have come unarmed, no weapons. Step off the bus, you talked a big game and now I’m here.’ He done f*cking nothing. He sat there and took a shit on that bus. He hid and cowered behind women and caused [what happened], so that’s f*cking that. So here’s my location now, you little fool — right in front of you . . . “

“If you got off that bus, you’d be dead now. You’d be dead and I’d be in a cell, so shut your f*cking mouth…”

It was unclear for some time whether Conor McGregor would face legal ramifications preventing him from competing. Instead, he lives up to his nickname “Notorious” and has added fuel to the fire for this bout. Maybe he learned more than boxing moves last summer when he was studying Mayweather, who seems to know his way around a courtroom.

Toughest MMA Match to Date

The matchup between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov is a classic striker vs grappler, although both are well-rounded, high-level martial artists. Seven of McGregor’s nine wins in the UFC have come via knockout or technical knockout. He’s well known for his fan-friendly striking style. Nurmagomedov is noted to be a brutal grappler with a tough chin.

Though many fight promotions are guilty of promoting main events as “The Best Fight in History,” this one does seem to have some serious potential.

UFC 229

Conor McGregor vs Khabib Nurmagomedov is schedule as the main event on UFC 229 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The fight will be five – five-minute rounds for the UFC Lightweight Championship Title. Tickets to the event sold out in a just few hours. The rest of us will be watching it on Pay-Per-View. 

Posted on 04/29/2015

By Ivan G. Goldman

Lots of fighters, trainers, and other experts have been doing a fine job analyzing the intricate advantages and disadvantages of each fighter in the history-making super-contest this Saturday night.

It’s Manny Pacquiao’s straight left against Floyd Mayweather’s shoulder roll, Floyd’s straight right against Manny’s vulnerable southpaw stance. And so on. And all that is fascinating.

Inevitably, we hear that it all comes down to who wants it more. That’s often true, but in this case their desire to win may be too strong to even measure. Unless there’s a rematch, which is unlikely, this will be the biggest fight of their lives, the chief standard by which their fantastic decades-long careers will be quantified.

Bernard Hopkins expects a knockdown or two because in the split-second give and take of offense, defense, and counter-offense, there will be moments when something won’t work for one of them.

At the start, the pressure is on Congressman Pacquiao, who feels the weight of the entire Philippines nation on his shoulders. In order to win, he’s got to hurt his man and then take advantage of the opportunity. But Mayweather needs only to do what he’s done his entire career — slip or blunt what’s coming at him, counter it from his lengthy list of offensive tricks, and, as usual, win more rounds.

In fact, according to Oscar De La Hoya, Mayweather doesn’t even need to win all those points by himself. He merely, as old-timers like to say, needs to make it close enough to steal.

“Look,” Oscar told the Los Angeles Times, “it’s Las Vegas, Mayweather’s hometown. His picture’s on the side of the MGM. The close rounds are going to go to Mayweather. It’s big business. It’s no secret.”

Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao — who can impose his will?

Yes, Oscar doesn’t much like Floyd, and the feeling is mutual. But if you check the video of Floyd’s first outing against Jose Luis Castillo, you know The Golden Boy isn’t imagining anything here.

Or just check the record of the fight that almost everybody agrees Castillo won. It was April 20, 2002, MGM Grand, three lopsided scores for Mayweather were turned in by John Keane, Jerry Roth, and Anek Hongtongkam. And just to make sure everybody got the message, the Nevada commission chose Roth to score four additional Mayweather bouts and Keane one more.

You could argue that Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs) gets no favors in Las Vegas, where he lost a crazily scored split decision to Timothy Bradley in their first contest and came away with only a draw against Juan Manuel Marquez in their first fight after knocking down Marquez three times in the first round.

And none of this is a secret to Mayweather (48-0, 26 KOs), who is one of the best money weapons Las Vegas can bring to bear against rival Macau, which stole so many of the city’s high-rolling visitors.

You could find two other reasons Floyd wins in Las Vegas. One, he almost always deserves to win, and two, judges, who’ve never seen him lose, expect him to win. So they’re susceptible to seeing what they expect to see instead of what’s actually happening. Plenty of scientific experiments prove this phenomenon exists. Behavioral scientists even have a term for it: cognitive bias.

It’s no secret that much of the sweet science has to do with what’s in the mind – both in terms of intelligence and emotions. Each of the fighters will try to bend the emotions of the other and make him doubt his powers.

After the fight starts, Floyd will try to induce Manny to believe, at least in his subconscious, that Floyd just can’t be beat in Las Vegas, that he’s too slick and all the factors that favor him are too overwhelming.

Except there’s also this: Floyd didn’t want this fight. CBS Chairman Les Moonves had to intervene to get him to accept the largest purse in history, and it still wasn’t easy, not even with a 60-40 split in Floyd’s favor. Why? Because something in Mayweather’s mind told him no, don’t do it.

During the course of the contest, it will be up to Manny to remind Floyd just what it was that made him hesitate.

Neither fighter has an easy task ahead.

New York Times best-selling author Ivan G. Goldman’s Sick Justice: Inside the American Gulag was released in 2013 by Potomac Books. Watch for The Debtor Class: A Novel from Permanent Press in spring, 2015. More information here.

Posted on 04/29/2015

By Tyson Bruce


Floyd “Money” Mayweather

Record: 47-0 (26 KOs)
Weight: 147 lbs. (welterweight)
Reach: 72″ Biceps: 12 1/2″ Fist: 8″
Date of Birth: February 24, 1977
Height: 5’8”
Birthplace: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Residence: Las Vegas, Nevada
Stance: Orthodox
Trainer: Floyd Mayweather Sr., Roger Mayweather

MANNY “PacMan” PACQUIAO

Record: 57-5-2, 38 KOs
Height: 5’6.5”
Reach: 67” Biceps: 13″ Fist 10″
Residence: Kiamba, Sarangani Province, Philippines
Birthplace: Kibawe, Philippines
Date of Birth: December 17, 1978
Stance: Lefthanded
Advisor: Michael Koncz
Trainer: Freddie Roach

Age & Physical Equipment:

One only had to look at the two fighters when they faced off—or glanced off in this case—at the press conference to understand that Mayweather, (47-0-0, 26 KOs), is the bigger fighter. The truth is that Mayweather and Pacquiao have never really been true welterweights, as they both moved up from the lower weight classes and essentially walk around at or around the 147-pound limit in their day-to-day lives. The fact their accomplishments rank with some of the best in the division’s history is a testament to the great talent of both fighters.

Mayweather, however, has been blessed with some unique physical advantages. Floyd’s 72-inch reach is remarkable for his size when you consider that middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, a much larger boxer, only has a 70-inch wing span. Mayweather has a six-inch reach advantage over Pacquaio (67-inch reach), which represents the single most graphic physical advantage for either fighter.

Mayweather also has a two-inch height advantage but Pacquiao, (57-5-2, 38 KOs), is accustomed to fighting boxers far taller than him, so that doesn’t figure to play much of a factor in the bout.

At 38 and 36 years of age, both Mayweather and Pacquiao have clocked a lot of miles on the speedometer. Remarkably, Pacquiao has seventeen more professional fights and a great deal more high contact, violent fights.

Conversely, Mayweather is probably the more physically handicapped boxer at this point in his career. Mayweather has suffered from a plethora of physical injuries throughout his nearly twenty-year career, including torn rotator cuffs and numerous broken hands.. Speculation is rampant that Mayweather no longer possesses the ability to move on his toes for 12 rounds, which was once the hallmark of his style.

Both men have been able to sustain dominance for such a long-time due to their high work ethic and the discipline to stay in quality condition in between fights. Despite his nocturnal lifestyle and his nefarious associates, Mayweather has always treated his body like a temple. By all accounts, he never drinks, smokes or takes drugs. Early in his career, the wild party life of Pacquiao was well-documented, but he’s left that behind in favour of an evangelical lifestyle.

Advantage: Mayweather

Offense:

A strong argument can be made that Pacquiao may be one of the most offensively talented fighters of the post-war era in boxing. Unquestionably, Pacquiao’s blend of blurring hand speed, one-punch knockout power and punching accuracy puts him in a league of his own when it comes to offence in this particular boxing era.

In the process, Pacquiao has put together some truly mind-boggling numbers. He joined the prestigious “400-club” when he rearranged Antonio Margarito’s face by landing a withering 474 blows, the 11th most ever tracked by Compubox. Pacquiao landed over three hundred punches against Marco Antonio Barrera (309) and Miguel Cotto (336), two future Hall-of-Fame fighters.

In his bout against Cotto, a great fighter in his own right, Pacquiao was able to land a staggering 336 out of 780 (43%) punches. Mayweather, on the other hand, was only able to land 179 of 687 punches thrown (26%) against the Puerto Rican slugger. In just eight rounds against Oscar De La Hoya, Pacquaio was able to land 224 punches, which is 17 more than Mayweather landed (207) in a full twelve rounds.

Even against Shane Mosley, which is recognized as one of Mayweather’s more offensive outings, Pacquiao landed more punches, with 228 landed to 208 for Mayweather. That said, Mayweather landed at a 44% connect rate to just 31% for Pacquaio.

While it’s easy to see why Pacquiao is such a prodigious offensive fighter, Mayweather’s offense is often vastly underrated. While he often has an extremely low punch count, he makes up for it by landing extremely obvious and flashy counter punches that allow him to steal rounds because regardless of how aggressive his opponents are, they rarely land anything clean. Mayweather’s “less is more” philosophy allows him to connect on an astonishingly high 44% of his punches, the most of any active boxer.

What all of these punch stats illustrate more than anything is that Pacquaio is the more committed offensive fighter. In doing so, he puts himself in a great deal more danger than Mayweather, but also inflicts a great deal more hurt on his opponents. There hasn’t been a single Pacquiao opponent, even the times that he’s lost, that didn’t receive a vicious amount of punishment fighting him. Pacquaio, even with a diminished killer instinct, is clearly the offensive force in this bout.

Mayweather relies on sharp flashy counter punches to steal rounds and rarely lets his hands go in multi-punch combinations the way he did earlier in his career. This was his way of coping with fighting bigger and stronger fighters. Pacquaio took the opposite approach and uses his hand speed to out-punch bigger slower boxers. It’s hard to argue that either approach hasn’t worked out splendidly.

Advantage: Pacquiao

Defense:

As dominant of an of offensive force as Pacquiao has proven himself to be, he doesn’t come close to matching Mayweather’s superiority on defence. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Mayweather equals or even surpasses all time great defensive geniuses like Willie Pep and Pernell Whitaker.

The fact that he’s managed to retain his reflexes into his late thirties perhaps gives him the leg up on anyone in boxing history in the category of defence. According to Compubox– a computerized scoring system that counts every punch a boxer throws and lands—Mayweather’s opponents connect on a measly 19% of their punches. That puts Mayweather miles ahead of any other fighter currently in the sport.

In fact, prior to his Showtime contract that began in 2013, the last nine Mayweather opponents landed just 16% of their punches, which is the lowest collective figure in more than thirty years of tracked boxing.

While Mayweather remains the most elusive target in the sport, his shield of invincibility is beginning to show some cracks. Since his bout with Robert Guerrero in 2013, Mayweather’s opponents connect percentage has risen with each passing fight: 19, 21, 22, 26 and 22.

That Marcos Maidana, not known for being an accurate puncher, landed 26% of his punches against Mayweather set off a potential red flag that the champ was beginning to slip. More telling than the percentage was the fact Maidana landed more punches (221) than any other opponent in his career. To put that in perspective, in Pacquiao’s second blood-curdling war with Marquez, he was hit with 172 punches.

Boxing experts have frequently lambasted Pacquiao for his perceived lack of defensive skills. Pacquiao is far from the punching bag that some of his detractors accuse of him of being, but he’s not exactly Willie Pep–or Mayweather either. Pacquiao wins fights by being aggressive and overwhelming people with the speed and power of his combinations. Often his aggression can lead to him getting hit more, although it must be noted that Pacquiao has made a conscientious effort to be more defensively responsible since his devastating knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez.

Over his last five or so bouts, Pacquiao’s opponents have connected on 24% of their total punches. That’s not bad when you consider that one of those opponents was Tim Bradley, a top-ten ‘pound for pound’ level talent and superior fighter to anyone Mayweather had fought since arguably Miguel Cotto in 2012. That gives Pacquiao a plus/minus ratio of plus-12, which ranks sixth best among all active championship level fighters.

Advantage: Mayweather

The Financials:

Despite a record short promotional build-up, the financial numbers involved in this bout are truly breathtaking. Even before the start of the bout, it’s fairly easy to say that from a financial standpoint Mayweather-Pacquiao will be the most significant fight in boxing history.

The most decadent and easiest point to start with are the purses of both fighters. Before PPV profits, Mayweather will earn $120 million and Pacquaio will make $80 million. If you combine the salaries of both men, it exceeds the salary cap of an NFL football team. If the PPV sales for the fight, which are priced at a record one hundred dollars, go as well as expected, you can guarantee that they will make many millions more.

The fight is truly a sporting event for the one percent of society, as virtually no tickets will be sold to the general public. Instead, the promoters (Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank) and the MGM Grand (the hotel/casino hosting the fight) will act as mercenaries selling the tickets to the highest bidders. The live gate gross is already a record setting $72 million, which is more than the top fifteen UFC live gates in Nevada combined.

Reportedly even Academy Award winning actor and multimillionaire Liam Neeson has pandered to Pacquiao personally for a ticket to the fight. What some people have done to actually get tickets to the fight borders on the grotesque. Pacquiao was given a ten million dollar mansion by a prestigious LA Realtor who narrowly out bid a business rival just to get a handful of tickets. Bob Arum was reportedly offered 200,000 dollars by mystery celebrity to sell him his seat to the fight.

Various companies have also came up with creative ways to profit from the massive event. According to website spin.ph, a six by four inch patch of Pacquiao’s boxing trunks will cost a whopping $300,000 and the smaller patch, which looks like an imperceptible spot on TV, will run for a cool $150,000. And to think that us boxing fans used to laugh at the unscrupulous and ridiculous “goldenpalace.com” signs that would be painted on fighters’ backs.

The fight week will be an orgy of excess, as the “who’s who’s” list of entertainment, sports and the business worlds gather to see and be seen at the biggest fight since Ali-Frazier I. That vast majority of true boxing fans have been totally excluded from the event is as much of a condemnation of our times as it is about the people involved in the fight.

Posted on 04/23/2015

By Ivan G. Goldman

Selling tickets to the May 2 super-fight at the official price was like throwing currency out the window of a moving vehicle. They were worth at least five times their stated value a split second after changing hands.

But in what amounted to a public relations gimmick, the Las Vegas MGM Grand offered up about 500 of them today, according to the Associated Press count, and they were gobbled up, by some accounts, in less than 20 seconds at prices ranging from $1,500 to $7,500.

As it turned out, the toughest negotiations between the Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather camps centered on the distribution of those tickets. Not only are seats worth several fortunes, but there’s a magic to them that transcends their monetary value. Everyone wants to be seen with the celebrities who will be sprinkled around the arena, including their fellow-celebrities.

The ticket quarrel was finally settled by intermediary Les Moonves, the CBS chairman, whose intercession was also necessary to make the fight happen. With both sides finally satisfied Wednesday night, the casino was free to release some tickets.

Those trusting souls who thought they could get lucky and jump into the right place in the cyberspace line were almost certainly bidding against users of a mysterious computer science involving mathematical algorithms, whatever they are.

It’s related to the same techno-process now employed by options traders who spend millions and millions of dollars putting together programs that can purchase or sell financial derivatives in tiny slivers of milliseconds so they can take advantage of new data long before puny human brains can act.  

According to Slate, these automated actions exercised by bots can even be triggered by tweets. In the case of Mayweather-Pacquiao, bots could be trained like cyberspace spaniels to watch the MGM Grand Internet site for any twitches of movement.

Apparently most of the 16,800 seats in the arena were allocated to the two camps, and you can bet most of those are already or soon will be on the secondary market. Because after all, you can’t expect the two fight teams to be satisfied with the miserable hundreds of millions of dollars in purse totals (weighted 60-40 in Mayweather’s favor).

Just about everything you read about this ticket flap is no more than a rumor because no one on the inside talks about it on the record, and when they do they talk around it in a kind of code. It may be easier to get top secret information on the placement of nuclear missiles.
The fighters’ camps apparently suspect they might be accused of greed so they figure the less we know about details the better.

Anyway, I’ve actually inspected the worst seats in the MGM Grand Arena and whatever you do, don’t waste your money. The fighters look like mice from up there and many of the seats have no line of sight to the giant monitors. If you actually care about the fight itself, and not just the spectacle surrounding it, you’re much better off curling up with a brew and watching on a nice high-def screen for a miserable $100.

New York Times best-selling author Ivan G. Goldman’s Sick Justice: Inside the American Gulag was released in 2013 by Potomac Books. Watch for The Debtor Class: A Novel from Permanent Press in spring, 2015. More information here.

Posted on 04/22/2015

By William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider special edition notebook for the upcoming Mayweather vs. Pacquiao super bout, set for May 2nd in Las Vegas, Nevada. This notebook covers most of the news and notes that have been emerging from their respective camps.

-FanDuel has sponsored Floyd Mayweather for his May 2nd fight against Manny
Pacquiao FanDuel’s logo will appear on Mayweather’s trunks at the beltline on fight night. FanDuel and Mayweather are running a contest billed “The Mayweather Fight
Experience”, where 6 trips and tickets will be awarded to winners through one-day fantasy leagues on FanDuel. The first contest will run tomorrow for baseball – Friday April 24th. It is $2 to enter and awards $135,000 in cash and prizes. First place wins a trip fro two to Vegas, two tickets, a hotel room, and $10,000 cash.

-You can join here:

Tickets will be on sale Shortly!

Bob Arum told Yahoo Sports: “We resolved all of the issues and now we’re waiting for the paperwork, I said on the call that if what we agreed upon is in the paperwork we receive, we will sign it and the tickets will be released.” There will be a small number of tickets made available at a cost of $7,500; $5,000; $3,500; $2,500 and $1,500.

HBO’s Mayweather/Pacquiao: The Legends Speak Premieres April 25th

Mayweather/Pacquiao: The Legends Speak will debut on Saturday, April 25th (12:14 a.m. ET/PT), immediately following HBO World Championship Boxing.

The half hour special will feature Jim Lampley sitting down with Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley, who both faced Mayweather and Pacquiao, to talk with them about what they think each fighter will need to do to win the upcoming showdown. HBO also captured interviews with Juan Manuel Marqez, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto.

The segment will close with Max Kellerman anchoring a roundtable discussion with George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, and Bernard Hopkins about the upcoming fight and what it is like to train and excel for a super fight.

Referee and Officials Are Selected>

Veteran referee Kenny Bayless has been selected by the Nevada Athletic Commission to referee the Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao fight. The three judges are Dave Moretti, Burt Clements, and Glenn Feldman.

The list of candidates included twelve referee and thirty judges before the final picks were announced. Bayless is scheduled to make $25,000 for the fight and the three judges will make $20,000 a piece.

Manny Pacquiao’s Conference Call Cancelled

Manny Pacquiao was supposed to have a conference call with reporters on Monday, April 20th, but it was quickly cancelled just as Pacquiao was about to speak.

Top Rank blamed technical difficulties for the cancellation, as the system had so many calls that several reporters were unable to get on the conference call to speak with Pacquiao.

Promoter Bob Arum decided to cancel the conference call when he heard a reporter ask the first question that wasn’t supposed to be the first person in line to ask Pacquiao a question.

Tickets Required for Mayweather/Pacquiao Weigh-In

Fight fans who can’t afford to go to the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight but are hoping to attend the weigh-in will have to do something that is rarely done in professional boxing.

They will have to pay for a ticket for the weigh in.

The MGM Grand will be charging fans $10 a piece to attend the weigh in and the money generated from sales to the weigh-in will be divided equally among two charities—the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. The Susan G. Komen Foundation was Mayweather’s choice of charity and the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health was Pacquiao’s choice.

Heightened Security Expected at Mayweather-Pacquiao Fight

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that unprecedented security measures will be in place for the May 2nd fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. Prior to other big events, such as the NBA All-Star Weekend, over 400 arrests and shootings were related to the showcase event. Hotels and law enforcement are already bracing for the influx of visitors.

The WBC Created a $1 Million Belt for Mayweather vs. Pacquiao

The World Boxing Council (WBC) has created a belt that is worth a reported $1 million dollars for the winner of Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. The belt is encrusted with more than 3,000 real miniature emeralds and will travel to the MGM Grand from Mexico escorted by the President of the WBC and two private security guards.

More information can be found here.

Pacquiao Selling Advertising Space on his Trunks

It’s not uncommon for boxers to sell the space on their trunks to advertisers when they have a big bout on the horizon. Pacquiao is offering space on his trunks to potential advertisers, at a whopping sum of $300,000 for a simple six inch by four inch path on his trunks.

Smaller logos on the front of his trunks are priced at $150,000 and a logo on the back of his trunks will cost around $100,000.

More information can be found at this link.

Floyd Mayweather Using -220 Degree Cryotherapy Bath for Pacquiao Fight

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is using a -220 degree nitrogen gas Cryotherapy sessions to get ready and heal his body after training as he prepares for his bout with Manny Pacquiao.

The cryo sessions last 90 seconds to 3 minutes and allegedly helps enrich blood and expel toxins.

Radio GMA to Exclusively Broadcast Pacquiao-Mayweather Fight from Las Vegas in the Philippines

GMA Radio stations will have an exclusive right to broadcast the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight live from Las Vegas on May 3rd in the Philippines.

Mike Enriquez, the GMA Vice President, stated,” This is not going to be a delayed broadcast or what and this will be aired not only in Mega Manila but in all our radio stations AM and FM from as far as south of Tuguegarao to as far south of Zamboanga. So even the people in places like Maguindanao and Basilan, they will have a chance to listen to live real-time blow-by-blow fight.”

Pacquiao to Appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live

On Wednesday, April 22nd Manny Pacquiao will appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live at 11:35 P.M. ET on ABC. This will be the ninth time that Pacquiao has appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel show, dating back to November 3, 2009, a week before his fight with Miguel Cotto.

Pacquiao’s last appearance on Jimmy Kimmel occurred after the March 11th press conference announcing the fight between himself and Floyd Mayweather Jr. That appearance can be viewed here.

Raging Babe Soiree fight weekend

The Raging Babe Soiree: Reaching New Heights presented by RAGING BABE will take place on April 29, 2015, just three days before the fight of the century, Mayweather vs Pacquiao.

Over 100 of boxing’s most prestigious and influential women have been invited to attend this exclusive event. The Raging Babe Soiree will be held at Chayo Mexican Kitchen + Tequila Bar, located in The Linq Promenade in Las Vegas. After dinner, the women of boxing will take in the best views of Las Vegas aboard the world’s tallest observation wheel, the High Roller, which features 28 spherical passenger cabins which can accommodate up to 40 passengers each, and is illuminated with dynamic multicolored LED lights nightly.

May Pac store opening up in Las Vegas

With the historic Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao match up just over a week away, fans will have a unique opportunity to engage in the pre-fight excitement at the official “MayPac” pop-up shop opening this Friday, April 24 at the corner of Las Vegas Blvd. and Fremont St.

The 1,700 square foot space will offer a one-of-a-kind fan experience featuring an interactive game, official merchandise and VIP meet and greets. The pop-up shop will remain open to fans through fight night on Saturday, May 2.

The fight simulation experience will give fans the opportunity to step into the ring, as either Mayweather or Pacquiao and take on the other as an opponent. Custom designed to resemble Mayweather and Pacquiao’s own training rings, each game is equipped with a high-impact punching sensor and a video screen over 10 feet tall, delivering an immersive experience like no other.

Fans will also have the opportunity to purchase official fight gear, merchandise and art commemorating the historic matchup in addition to attending celebrity meet and greets.

More information including shop hours and celebrity appearances is available at http://maypacstore.com/

Pacquiao Feels He’s Too Young to be President

There’s been a lot of discussion as to what Manny Pacquiao will do once his political career is over, but as of now he says he’s too young to think about becoming the future president of the Philippines, but that he’s not counting out a run for the senate.

This was in response to earlier comments by Bob Arum in which he believes Pacquiao will one day run for president. Pacquiao also is on a strict no sex plan before the fight.

Posted on 04/21/2015

By Ivan G. Goldman

Let’s forget those hundreds of millions of dollars, the persistent odor of a tickets scandal, the soap operas about the fighters’ private lives, and the totality of the May 2 spectacle.

What about the fight itself?

If you’re like me, you’ve changed your mind eleven or twelve times about how it will go, sometimes holding an opinion only two or three minutes before making another shift. But let’s try to break down some advantages and disadvantages for each fighter:

Judges (yet-to-be-named): They often see what they expect to see even if that’s not what they’re seeing. And they expect Floyd Mayweather to win because after all, they’ve never seen him lose. Advantage Floyd.

Referee: Kenny Bayless, just named, is one of the best ever and always impartial. No advantage.

Speed: No fighter throws at the same velocity on each shot, and though Mayweather can show blinding speed, he tends not to put much leverage on those super-quick shots. No advantage to start with, but as fighters get hurt or tired they slow down. Advantage to be determined.

Power: Only a slight edge here. Mayweather can throw hard enough to hurt you. If he didn’t, power hitters like Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez would have disregarded his shots and come in at will, both fists flying. It wasn’t just defense that stopped them short. They were getting punched hard enough to prompt them to change plans. But Manny Pacquiao looks for knockouts while Mayweather looks for points. Advantage Manny.

Size: Yes, Pacquiao turned pro at 105 pounds, so supposedly he’s a bulked up small fry. That’s mostly a red herring. He was 16 at the time. At age 16 Mayweather was competing at 106 in the amateurs. However, Mayweather is the natural welterweight here. Pacquiao could probably still make 140. Advantage Floyd.

Height, reach: At 5 foot 8, Mayweather is an inch and a half taller, and he has 5 more inches of reach at 72 inches. Advantage Floyd.

Experience: This category is a two-edged sword. Whenever you hear TV analysts say some up-and-coming fighter has to deal with his opponent’s vast experience it usually means the opponent is a broken-down has-been and they’re trying to build suspense for an uneven match. These two have both fought a long roster of dangerous dudes. No advantage

The Crowd: Pacquiao, whether consciously or not, will try to impress his Philippines countrymen in attendance and back home, which means he’s more likely to do something stupid. Advantage Floyd, even if Manny draws more cheers.

Patience: See above.

Combinations: Advantage Manny. Obviously.

Health (including wear and tear): Manny, 57-5-2, 38 KOs, has been in more damaging wars. He also has a history of cramping calves. Floyd, 47-0, 26 KOs, has a long history of fragile hands. If you have sufficient determination you can throw hard with pained hands. A Charlie horse, however, can’t be ignored, and a fighter with compromised legs is a stationary target. Advantage Floyd.

Body attack: Floyd may hurt you to the body, but he rarely sticks around to inflict more torso damage. You need to get close to throw to the body, and he doesn’t like to stay close very long. Advantage Manny.

Head attack: While Pacquiao is throwing to the body it exposes his head. Advantage Floyd.

Footwork: Floyd’s is superb, but now that he’s 38 he can’t maintain it for 12 rounds against a sharp, aggressive opponent like Pacquiao. Pacquiao’s footwork is better than he gets credit for. Paulie Malignaggi sees a lot of wasted movement, but some of that works to Manny’s advantage because it’s unorthodox and unexpected. Slight advantage Floyd.

Conditioning: We’ve seen them both tire in later rounds, though not badly. No advantage.

Chin: Mayweather’s been staggered by Shane Mosley and cracked hard by Miguel Cotto, Marcos Maidana, and Jose Luis Castillo (in their first fight). His recoveries were spectacular. You know how much techno-savvy they’ve got in the Silicon Valley? That’s how much ring savvy Mayweather’s got in his mind and body. When it gets tough in there he gets tougher.

Pacquiao was stopped in 1996, 1999, and most famously, by Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012. The first two times he was just another Third World slugger fighting under the usual slipshod Third World conditions. As for that Marquez kayo, let’s try to speak frankly while not attracting sharks, lawyers or lawyer sharks.

Marquez, who clocked him beautifully in round six with one beautiful right hand, had never been able to hurt him like that in three previous fights. At age 39 he was curiously faster and stronger than he’d ever been, with what looked like a brand new body that was newly pimpled. His physical trainer was Angel “Memo” Heredia working under an alias. Heredia, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, was allowed to stay in the U.S. after testifying against associates and clients whom he’d assisted with banned performance-enhancing drugs. None of the athletes ever tested positive. Advantage Floyd.

Corners: Both trainers are superb. Freddie Roach says Floyd Senior gets excited and stutters, but Freddie fails to mention that Manny always has a guy shouting in his ear in Tagalog while Freddie’s trying to communicate in calm English. They will both have top-of-the-line cutmen. No advantage.

Summary: Slight advantage Floyd. Which helps explain why he’s the betting favorite.

New York Times best-selling author Ivan G. Goldman’s Sick Justice: Inside the American Gulag was released in 2013 by Potomac Books. Watch for The Debtor Class: A Novel from Permanent Press in spring, 2015. More information here.

Posted on 04/15/2015

By Jackie Kallen

Although there are many people who are going to Las Vegas the weekend of May 2 to see the Mayweather/Pacquiao fight, there are ten times as many who will be in town but who will never get near the arena. They are not there to see the fight itself. That is not the main draw.

They are there to PARTY!

For those who can’t get into the fight, there are viewing parties. If you can scout up a ticket, you can attend a viewing party at Caesar’s Palace for just $798 a person. You get free appetizers and a selection of beer, wine, and sodas.

Depending on who you are and how well connected you are, there will be many soirees to choose from. Lil Jon is hosting a party at Wynn Hotel’s Surrender Club on Friday night. This one is open to the public if you have the bucks for it. $1,772 will get you bottle service and a table for six.

Jermaine Dupri is throwing a party on Friday night at the Tryst Nightclub. It’s officially sold out but it’s rumored that there will be tickets floating around at the door. Kascade’s party at the Encore is not full as of this week and guys get in for $100, while females need only cough up $20.

If you really have deep pockets and a thirst for the big time, the party to go to is the one being given by Jay Z after the fight at the Cosmopolitan Hotel’s Marquee Club. A good table there will set you back $50 grand. But what’s a few bucks when you’re on a roll and having a good time?

If you’re in the mood for music and have $10,000 to spare, Nicki Minaj is performing at the Paris Hotel’s Chateau Nightclub right after the fight. She’s bringing along Funkmaster Flex, Sevyn Streeter and Jeremih. Should be a raucous end to a crazy night.

Then there’s the Chris Brown gala at Drai’s. I imagine some people will be going from party to party so as not to miss any of the action. The night before the big fight—it will be 50 Cent throwing the festivities at Drais.

So both Friday and Saturday will be huge parry nights. The clothes will be outrageous, the heels high, and the bling heavy. Wads of cash will be flashed and pimps and their hos will be strutting from one glam spot to the next.

For the common folks, not wanting to shell out five figures, every hotel and bar in town will be celebrating. From a beer at a downtown joint to table service at Tao’s, every joint will be jumping and no one will sleep much for 48 hours..

Gotta love this fight weekend!

Posted on 04/03/2015

By Ivan G. Goldman

When it comes to scoring a knockout, Floyd Mayweather is a longer shot at the sports books than Manny Pacquiao.

At the Bovada offshore betting site, a bet on Mayweather winning before the bell rings to end the 12th round at is set at +550 in their May 2 mega-match in Las Vegas. An early Pacquiao victory is +400. That means $100 will win you $550 on Mayweather but only $400 on Pacquiao.

Yet Mayweather remains the overall favorite. Odds have settled in at +170 Pacquiao, -210 Mayweather, a fight that will almost certainly attract record action before it’s over.

The line reflects everything that’s known about these two fighters, and it’s no secret that Mayweather has been more likely to settle for a points victory while Pacquiao more likely to take risks in order to put his opponent on the canvas.

Yet on the over-under, a distance fight is still favored by -300 to +230 over a stoppage by either fighter. That’s to be expected when you have two welters who’ve scored only three stoppages in their last 20 outings.

Talk to ten people in the know and you’ll get ten answers on where the odds will end up, but Mayweather was a 3-1 favorite before the fight was actually signed, and the number slimmed down in reported heavy action.

Looking for a close fight and can’t decide who will pull out the victory? You’re not alone. Well, you could look for a draw. It pays 16-1.

In other interesting situations that pop up on the Bovada offshore site, look at light heavyweights Adonis Stevenson versus Sakio Bika Saturday in Quebec City. Not surprisingly, it’s -1600 Stevenson and +800 Bika. But a stoppage by Stevenson, the hometown favorite, is favored at -150. A Stevenson win by decision actually pays a premium at +140. That’s how certain bettors are that Bika, 32-6-3 (21 KOs), won’t make it to the final bell against a knockout artist who’s 25-1 (21 KOs).

But over on 5Dimes, another offshore site, you can get +150 betting the bout won’t make it past 7 and 1/2 rounds. I find that an intriguing bet. The over is -170.

On April 11, gamblers give Irish southpaw Andy Lee only a puncher’s chance against Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin in Brooklyn, -325 Quillin, to +250 Lee.

Lots of bettors can’t make up their minds on what promises to be an action-filled tussle April 18 between junior welter powerhouses Lucas Matthyse, -140, and Ruslan Provodnkiov, +110 in Verona, New York.

Look at Vasyl Lomachenko, a staggering -2500 versus Gamalier Rodriguez, +1000 on the Mayweather-Pacquiao undercard at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. At 5dimes it’s +1900, -3800. When the spread is that wide it indicates the house doesn’t really want the action but will grudgingly book your bet. Within those odds is one of the looniest bets on the board. Would you really be willing to risk $3,800 just to win $100 on Lomachenko? But if you do want to bet Rodriguez, clearly 5dimes is the place to do it.

Finally we come to the 5dimes view of Willie Monroe versus crushing middleweight phenom Gennady Golovkin May 16 in Inglewood, California. It’s +2500 Monroe versus -7500 Golovkin. Now there’s a site that doesn’t want to bet against Triple G. A crazier wager you can’t find. Yes, Triple G is a lock, but you’ve still got to be nuts to risk $7,500 to win a mere $100.

Ivan G. Goldman’s 5th novel The Debtor Class is a ‘gripping …triumphant read,’ says Publishers Weekly. A future cult classic with ‘howlingly funny dialogue,’ says Booklist. Available in April from Permanent Press wherever fine books are sold. Goldman is a New York Times best-selling author.

Posted on 04/02/2015

By Ivan G. Goldman

So you thought the pay-per-view price for Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao would be $100? Well, you were just about right, according to the Wall Street Journal, which is usually correct on these financial topics. Its sources say the price will come in somewhere around $99 for high-def.

That exceeds the previous $75 record by about 33 percent.

Usually the sellers quote the price for the grainy, old-fashioned transmission because it sounds less expensive, but face it, most viewers will spring an extra few bucks for the high-def reception. It only makes sense. Otherwise it’s like trying to save money on a pizza by ordering no toppings.

The May 2 card will break all previous records by miles. The PPV money record is $152 million for Mayweather vs Canelo Alvarez in 2013. The record number of buys is 2.3 million for Mayweather-Oscar De La Hoya in 2007.

Notice any common characteristics? There are plenty, but I’ll name three. First, of course, there’s Floyd. Second? You can bet that once again a majority of the buyers hope he’d lose at last. Yes, there’s plenty of money to be made from playing the villain. Whether Mayweather — who’s on the upper end of a 60-40 purse split – just plays at being a villain or is the real thing is a judgment I’ll leave to you.

It’s the third common characteristic that’s been troublesome so far. Neither of the previous two fights was particularly entertaining. The De La Hoya fight was close, but solid exchanges were rare. Oscar won most of the first rounds, then lost steam, stopped throwing his superb jab, and faded as Floyd picked him apart, throwing a shot here, a shot there, and escaping with a split decision.

Against Canelo, Mayweather had his number from the first minute. Floyd hit and didn’t get hit much at all. One judge who seemed to be watching from Mars scored it 114-114. So Mayweather, who didn’t hurt Canelo much and once again never went in for the kill, came away with a majority decision.

It’s great for the sport when plenty of casual fans get interested in a fight, but when the fight disappoints, it leaves a sour taste behind, particularly when fans paid extra to see it.

The Journal says this will be a $74 million gate at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. That’s also where Floyd faced Oscar and later Canelo. If you figure in 3 million buys at $99, plus the sponsorships, the gate, the foreign rights and the closed circuit cash, you can see that a $400 million gross isn’t a far-fetched estimate.

Distributors normally get about half of the PPV money. This time, the Journal reports, they’ll have to settle for less, perhaps 40 percent. There are two networks to take care of – HBO and Showtime. They’ll do a joint telecast.

Undefeated Floyd has remained the betting favorite, slipping from about 3-1 to 2-1 as Pacquiao, a super-quick southpaw, attracts more support.

That’s another record that will be broken – the betting handle. If all the cash wagered offshore and with illegal bookies were legal and channeled through the Internal Revenue Service, we could inject some serious money into federal coffers.

New York Times best-selling author Ivan G. Goldman’s Sick Justice: Inside the American Gulag was released in 2013 by Potomac Books. Watch for The Debtor Class: A Novel from Permanent Press in spring, 2015. More information here.

Posted on 03/31/2015

By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider special edition notebook for the upcoming Mayweather vs. Pacquiao super bout, set for May 2nd in Las Vegas, Nevada. This notebook covers most of the news and notes that have been emerging from their respective camps for the week of March 24th to March 31st.

98 Million Filipinos to Receive Pacquiao vs. Mayweather on Free-TV

One of Manny Pacquiao’s biggest concerns on making the “super fight” was to be able to have the full support of over 98 million Filipinos when he takes on Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 2nd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

SolarSports, which bought the broadcasting rights of the fight for $10 million, had been in partnership with GMA7 when it comes to broadcasting the fight, but had decided to hook up with other networks, ABS-CBN and TV5, for the nationwide broadcast of the fight that will determine the best fighter of this era.

SolarSports president and CEO Wilson Tieng stated, “Manny played an important part to put this thing together. Solar Sports can only take part of the credit. It’s still congressman Manny who made this possible.”

More information can be found here.

HBO Sports Presents Mayweather/Pacquiao:At Last on April 18th

HBO Sports has begun production on the one-hour special Mayweather:Pacquiao: At Last, detailing the nearly six-year journey to the most anticipated fight of the modern era, the May 2 Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao blockbuster welterweight unification title bout.

It will debut on Saturday, April 18th (11:45 p.m.-12:45 a.m. ET/PT), immediately following HBO Boxing After Dark. The film will be narrated by Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan) and chronicles the biggest challenge of Manny Pacquiao’s pro career.

A special prime time replay will air on Thursday, April 23rd at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

“This is the mega-fight fans have been anticipating for many years, and we are thrilled to chronicle Manny Pacquiao’s path to this defining moment in his career,” says Rick Bernstein, executive producer of HBO Sports.

“This special will provide viewers with a narrative of how this fight came to be and spotlight Team Pacquiao’s preparations heading into the biggest challenge Manny has confronted in the ring. It will be a terrific primer for any viewer eager to go behind the scenes in the lead-up to May 2.”

Showtime Sports to Broadcast Inside Mayweather vs. Pacquiao

Showtime Sports will offer viewers exclusive access to Floyd “Money” Mayweather and the most anticipated event of the year with Inside Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, an intimate four-part documentary series chronicling the life of the Floyd Mayweather Jr. as he navigates his collision course with Manny Pacquiao.

The documentary will premiere on Saturday, April 18th, following the live Showtime Championship Boxing doubleheader featuring Mexican Superstar Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

Inside Mayweather vs. Pacquiao will deliver a unique perspective on Mayweather in the weeks leading up to the biggest prizefight of this generation. The fourth installment will focus on the unpredictable drama of fight week, take viewers inside the ropes on fight night, and into the mind of the fighter in the aftermath of the bout.

Episode 1 premieres Saturday, April 18 on SHOWTIME, immediately following SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Chavez vs. Fonfara (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).

Episode 2 premieres Saturday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME

Episode 3 premieres Wednesday, April 29 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.

Epilogue premieres Saturday, May 9 on SHOWTIME

Sky Sports Box Office Will Exclusively Show Live Coverage of Mayweather vs. Pacquiao

Sky Sports Box Office has been awarded exclusive live rights to “the fight of the century”, the welterweight world championship unification clash between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

Sky Sports’ viewers will be able to follow the build-up to Mayweather v Pacquiao across its channels and digital media outlets, including access to both boxers’ training camps, press conferences and public appearances.

Barney Francis, Managing Director of Sky Sports, said: “This fight has everything and is set to be one of the biggest sports events of the year. As the home of boxing in the UK and Republic of Ireland, we’re thrilled to be awarded the rights.

“We’ll provide Sky Sports viewers with the best possible build-up across our channels and outlets and the best coverage of the fight itself from our team in Las Vegas.”

Analysis of the fight will be provided by Adam Smith, former world cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson and former world lightweight champion Jim Watt, as well as a range of boxing experts. Sky Sports viewers can also enjoy an extensive schedule of support programming providing the best possible analysis of the fight, including the weekly magazine program Ringside, the Ringside Toe 2 Toe podcast series and feature length interviews.

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao Could Bring $400 Million to Las Vegas

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is already shaping up to be the biggest fight in Las Vegas since Mike Tyson fought Evander Holyfield II.

The purse is set to be in the neighborhood of $300 million with a the split set at a 60/40 in favor of Mayweather.

The rooms at the MGM Grand have already gone from a rate of $198 a night to $1,601 for a standard king room during fight weekend. Neighboring hotels have also seen similar rate increases. The face value of tickets for this bout have already been set at an astronomical price of $7,500.

More information on the economic impact of this bout can be found here.

Manny Pacquiao Hounded over Tax Affairs Ahead of Clash with Mayweather

The Telegraph is reporting that Manny Pacquiao is being hounded by the Philippines tax department over payments stretching back seven years, in spite of being the highest tax payer in the Philippines government.

Pacquiao earned $41.8 million in 2014, which made him the number one taxpayer in the Philippines. It put him about 64 percent higher than the next taxpayer. The Philippine government alleges that Pacquiao owed up to 2.2 billion pesos in unpaid taxes for 2008 and 2009.

Read more here.

Broker Selling Ringside Seats for $87,000 Each

TMZ Sports is reporting that a high-end NY based hospitality service says it has the very first authentic ringside seats to the Mayweather vs. pacquiao fight. . .and that they are going for $87,500 a piece.

Oren Schneider, the head of Precision Concierge New York (PCNY), told TMZ sports he has 39 tickets to the fight ranging from upper level to ringside seats.

More information can be found here.

Posted on 03/27/2015

By Tyson Bruce

The rebirth of boxing on mainstream network television and the approaching superfight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao is bringing unprecedented coverage to the sport of boxing in our times. One fighter who seems curiously absent from the goldmine of media coverage, however, is arguably the sports most talented practitioner, Andre “Son of God” Ward.

After defeating some the toughest opposition in recent years, Ward has spent the last two years in a curious tailspin of near constant injuries, out the ring squabbles, and inactivity. Until his recent signing with boxing’s newest player, Roc Nation Sports, Ward was involved in a bitter contract dispute with promoter Dan Goossen, a case that went to court three times on a variety of different jurisdictional levels.

Each time, Goossen was deemed to be in the right, one of the rare times in boxing the majority of its notoriously jaded fan base actually sided with the promoter instead of the fighter.

Goossen’s untimely death in 2015, however, allowed Ward to seek new representation.

Despite his high profile public signing with Roc Nation (courtesy of figure head Jay-Z’s celebrity) he has yet to sign a contract for a comeback bout. Rumors are abounding over the struggle between HBO and Ward over opponent selection. Recently the opponent selected by Ward’s people Thomas Oosthuizen, a struggling fringe contender from South Africa, was deemed inadequate by HBO.

Ward’s outright refusal to acknowledge the legitimacy of his contract led to him spending all of 2014 absent from the ring.

Andre Ward: boxing’s forgotten star (Photo: Facebook)

The “SOG’s” last performance was a foul-fest against top contender Edwin Rodriguez all the way back in November of 2013. Since that point, the public reaction to Ward’s perceived “diva” behavior has moved from scorn to utter indifference. It’s been so long since Ward has been in the ring that major boxing outlets like ESPN and The Ring (for what that’s worth) have removed him from the rankings for chronic inactivity.

Most boxing insiders appear to believe that Ward bears a great deal of responsibility for the wasteland that his career has become. However, is it possible that the public has always been a little too hard on Ward?

Ward’s path to success has been anything but conventional. Despite being the only American boxer to win a gold medal since 1996, Ward has constantly struggled for respect and recognition. Unlike many previous fighters, winning the gold medal didn’t lay a red carpet to riches and fame for Ward. After making a glitzy pro-debut on HBO, he was largely discarded by many in the boxing media.

Ward’s development happened on the back pages of the boxing world, where he honed his craft against a variety of journeymen and contenders with different assets and styles. Despite his low profile, Goossen somehow managed to maneuverer Ward into the ground-breaking “Super Six Championship” series on Showtime, a super-middleweight tourney where he was considered a massive underdog.

Despite having just twenty professional fights, Ward dominated tournament favourites Mikkel Kessler, Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch with an athletic superiority not seen since Floyd Mayweather. Ward capitalized on the victory by laying an absolutely clinical beating on then light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson.

Regardless of one’s personal feelings towards Ward’s personality or fighting style, one cannot deny the magnitude of his accomplishments. Ward has a Hall of Fame resume of victories, and he’s just 31 years of age.

Despite their vastly different personalities and temperament, Ward’s career greatly resembles that of Mayweather’s at a similar stage. Mayweather was a three-weight division world champion before he was twenty-eight and had been on the pound for pound list since his early twenties, yet before fighting Oscar De La Hoya the guy couldn’t sell out his living room. Mayweather, like Ward, struggled to tap into a boxing market that in North America is geared toward the Latino fan base.

In recent years, boxing promoters have utterly failed, for the most part, to engage with the African American market. After all, Mayweather only became a household name when he left Top Rank. Can Ward do the same thing? The move to Roc Nation, which as of yet has no track record of success in boxing, appears to be an attempt to engage with a wider cross section of fans because of Jay-Z’s success in the entertainment industry.

Ward shares almost no personality characteristics with Mayweather other than hubris, which they express in vastly different fashions. Ward isn’t going to “make it rain” or get arrested for domestic assault to draw attention to his fights. Ward must win people over the hard way: by beating the very best fighters out there. The truth of that statement makes his absence from the ring and contempt for the late Goossen all the more puzzling.

With boxing set to erupt in the next several months with a non-stop slate of events on a multitude of different platforms, Ward needs to set his ego aside and get into a boxing ring. If he does not, he runs the risk of reaching a level of obscurity that will be impossible to overcome.

Also, after so long away from the ring, how much longer can Ward go without fighting until his famous self-belief begins to give way to doubt and regret?