Happy Halloween!

Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach (dressed as Batman) get into the Halloween spirit as they display their “six packs” at the Wildcard Gym in Hollywood, CA.

Beginning Nov. 15, International Boxing Organization junior welterweight title-holder Manny Pacquiao will have 60 days to decide whether he’ll defend or relinquish his championship, according to a Wednesday statement from IBO President Ed Levine. The IBO is the only sanctioning body to recognize Pacquiao as a world champion. “Manny Pacquiao was notified that he will be given time to decide whether to defend his championship at 140 pounds or vacate the title,” Levine said. “He is still well within his time requirements to make a title defense in the weight class. So, we’ll allow him a chance to decide and notify us.”

Levine released the statement in response to several inquiries about Pacquiao’s title status.

Pacquiao won the IBO belt from then-champion Ricky Hatton in May and is scheduled to meet Miguel Cotto in a welterweight bout in Las Vegas on Nov. 14.

Mike Tyson and Don King reunite

Tyson has joined the broadcast team to add color commentary to King’s “Halloween Thrilla” fight card Saturday (Oct. 31) from Treasure Island Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The exciting five-fight undercard will be offered globally on pay per view for $5.99 at www.DonKingTV.com beginning at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT/10 p.m. GMT. The legendary former undisputed heavyweight champion, whose greatest years were spent with King, was the youngest man to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world titles. Tyson went on to become one of best heavyweight boxers in history. “Oh what a glorious day,” said King. “My prodigal son has returned. It may be Halloween, but this is no trick. This will be a treat for boxing fans around the world. Mike is more than one of the greatest heavyweight champions in boxing history. He is a boxing historian, and nobody can break a fight down like Iron Mike.” Tyson will join blow-by-blow announcer James “Smitty” Smith and analyst Ken Miller at ringside.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr will not be the main event, YES!

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, has been headlining his own boxing cards in Mexico and the United States over the last few years but on November 14 he will be the main supporting bout in “Firepower” the big championship card promoted by Top Rank to be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. “This is a big opportunity for me. To be part of such a big event will be very important for my career and I will try to give the fans a good and exciting fight as I can,” Chavez Jr from Culiacan where he training for this fight. Chavez Jr will take on Troy Rowland of Grand Rapids, Michigan on a 10 round middleweight bout.

Photo: Rafael Soto/Top Rank Inc

“I have seen a little tape of Rowland. He is a big strong guy and I will need to be at my best to win this fight. That why I’m training so hard to be ready for this fight,” said Chavez Jr.

Miguel Cotto heads to Las Vegas – Los Angeles

Three-time world champion Miguel Cotto breaks his Tampa training camp and heads to Las Vegas this Sunday, November 1. Cotto fans are invited to greet the champ at McCarran International Airport when he arrives at 3:55PM PT on American Airlines flight #2249.

Photo: Chris Farina-Top Rank

On Tuesday, Nov. 3 he will be in Los Angeles for a press workout.

Santiago added that he, Cotto and the team “…do not pay any attention to whatever (Pacquiao trainer) Freddie Roach is saying.”
“We are focused on one person – Pacquiao,” said Santiago. “Roach is trying to play mind games with us, but it’s not working.”

Pacquiao and Cotto will battle in Top Rank’s ‘Firepower’ at the sold out MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday, November 14. Pacquiao and Cotto ‘Firepower’ is promoted by Top Rank, MP Promotions, Cotto Promotions, MGM and Tecate. Pacquiao vs Cotto will be available on HBO Pay Per View.

HOW HIGH SHOULD BOWE GO?

Hopefully the one time heavyweight champion of the world Riddick Bowe will never fight again. His post career problems have been well documented.

The question now is, where does Bowe rank among the great heavyweights of all time? How would he have fared against Louis, Marciano, Frazier or even dream fights in his own time against Lewis or Tyson? Here is a boxer who may have never realized his full potential. When he was near it his career declined due to his own self-indulgence.

After Lennox Lewis stopped Riddick in the 1988 Olympics, Bowe was considered a risky project. Rock Newman took the risk of managing Bowe and convinced the skeptical but astute Eddie Futch to undertake the task of molding Riddick. The rest is history. Bowe progressed nicely thru the ranks turning pro in 1989 by halting future contender Lionel Butler in two rounds. In 1990 he stopped faded ex-champion Pinklon Thomas in nine. He also destroyed Bert Cooper in two.

Larry Merchant talking smack!

By Clark Hoyt from The New York Times

Larry Merchant, a former newspaper sports writer and editor who now comments on boxing on HBO, recently wrote to Tom Jolly, the sports editor of The Times, to protest the paper’s relative lack of coverage of boxing.

Merchant’s letter and Jolly’s reply provide a fascinating glimpse into issues that transcend the immediate question of whether The Times should devote resources to a sport that even an ardent admirer like Merchant acknowledges is no longer mainstream. In many ways, Merchant and Jolly are discussing the role of a general interest newspaper in a dramatically changed world.

I thought readers would be interested in their exchange. Here it is, Merchant first, then Jolly, then a reply from Merchant:

Notes from FIREPOWER Camps!

Manny Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, offered one thousand dollars to any of Pacquiao’s sparring partners who is capable of dropping the Filipino superstar during their training sessions.

Pacquiao, who is considered the best pound for pound fighter in the world, began his training at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, CA, in preparation for his November 14th against Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico.

The twelve round bout which will be held in Las Vegas, NV, will be for Cotto’s WBO welterweight title and if Pacquiao would to win, it will be his seventh title in as many divisions.

“The money is still in my pocket and I am telling all the new sparring partners that it will be theirs if they can knock out Manny during sparring,” Roach stated.

With a win, Pacquaio could secure a bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

“Right now we are concentrating on the fight with Miguel Cotto who we consider a complete and strong fighter,” Pacquiao added.

Hall of Fame’s Autograph Alley

Fighters appear at L.A. show

Last weekend was a boxing bonanza for L.A. fight fans.

If you were to bring a brand new boxing glove to the event, you could’ve walked out with over 30 signatures scrawled on your shiny new mitt!

The nonprofit World Boxing Hall of Fame (WBHF) held their annual Autograph and Collectibles Show at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott last Saturday afternoon. This was quite a lineup with over 30 former champs and boxers seated at the VIP tables. The event was a prelude to the group’s 30th Annual Banquet of Champions taking place later that night.

Israel Vazquez: “I would love to fight in Mexico!”

More than likely, the fourth and quite possibly a bloody fourth between Isael Vazquez and Rafael Marquez is on its way.

“The fans want to see that fight and its the one that I want also.  I feel great after my return to the ring and I know that Rafael also wants the fight.  The networks en the United States are very interested in putting it on,” Vazquez stated from Mexico City where he vacationed with his family.

“We both have come forward styles and more than likely it will be another blood bath, a blood war,”the 31-year-old Vazquez added.

Vazquez, who returned to the squared circle after a nineteen month absence last month with a convincing win over Angel Priolo, owns two out of three wins against Marquez in one of boxing’s best trilogies.

DEMARCO WINDS DOWN TOUGH TRAINING CAMP

As the WBC #1 ranked lightweight Antonio DeMarco (record) winds down his training camp for his next bout on Saturday, October 31st, versus Jose Alfaro (23-4, 20KO) for the interim WBC lightweight belt from Las Vegas, NV, he looks back at the last eight weeks of his life.

“The pressure has been tough, my trainer Don Romulo Quirarte frequently has stopped me and told me how to do things right,” DeMarco states after one grueling session.  “He always asks for more even if we do it right but that is what we need as fighters to do our job.”

“Sometimes it seems that I can’t get up in the morning to go run or to come to the gym but right now, the words ‘I can’t’ do not fit in my vacabulary so I erase them and go on with my business.”

As far Quirarte, he feels that they have done enough to go after Alfaro, a former lightweight champion, even though they have not changed much in the gym expect to work even harder.

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