Pacquiao-Cotto showdown set for November in Vegas

LAS VEGAS (AFP) - Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao and three-time world champion Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico will meet in Las Vegas on November 14, promoter Bob Arum announced on Monday.

Pacquiao, considered the pound-for-pound world champion after flattening England's Ricky Hatton in the second round in May, will meet Cotto after failed overtures from US veterans Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather Jnr.

"Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto have reached an agreement to fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on November 14," said Arum, the promoter for both fighters.

Cotto agreed to contesting the fight at a weight limit of 145 pounds, two pounds below the welterweight maximum.

Pacquiao, 49-3 with two drawn and 37 knockouts, has won world titles in a record-tying six weight classes from 112 to 140 pounds.

Last year, the flashy Filipino defeated Juan Manuel Marquez, David Diaz and Oscar de la Hoya. Pacquiao then continued his win streak to 10 fights by stopping Hatton in the second round.

Cotto, 34-1 with 27 knockouts, has defeated a host of top fighters including Mosley, Zab Judah and Joshua Clottey. Cotto's only loss came last year to Mexico's Antonio Margarito.

The announcement comes as a disappointment for World Boxing Association welterweight champion Mosley, 46-5 with 39 knockouts.

Mosley said he was willing to take only 40 percent of the purse and would agree to fight at the light-welterweight limit in order to strike a deal with Pacquiao.

Mayweather, 39-0 with 25 knockouts, will make his return from a 21-month layoff in September when he fights Mexico's Marquez. The fight was delayed from last weekend after Mayweather suffered a rib injury.

A Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown is the mega-fight most boxing fans would want to see, matching the past and current pound-for-pound ring kings, but now both men must overcome a difficult opponent simply to set the stage for such a bout.

Mayweather said last week it was unlikely he would fight Pacquiao because both camps were insistent on the lion's share of a 60-40 fight purse split. Mayweather also has bitter feelings toward Arum, his former promoter.

Mayweather still quiet on injury, but ready to go

By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer

Although Floyd Mayweather Jr. still isn’t saying exactly how he injured his ribs training for his comeback fight, he has plenty to say about nearly everything else.

Mayweather kicked off the publicity campaign for his Sept. 19 fight against Juan Manuel Marquez on Tuesday by dismissing those who believe Manny Pacquiao is boxing’s best overall fighter, ripping Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum, and confirming an improved relationship with his father.

Yet the undefeated former pound-for-pound king still won’t give specifics about his abrupt injury last month, which forced the fight’s postponement from July 18 and immediately led to suspicions of skullduggery.

Many boxing observers speculated Mayweather wanted time to line up a big-money bout with Pacquiao for his first fight since December 2007. Mayweather (39-0, 25 KOs) insists he was injured in a “freak accident” in training, but won’t say much else.

“Believe me, it wasn’t a small guy that done it, but it didn’t even come from sparring,” Mayweather said. “When it happened, I tried to work through it. I was sparring for a while, but then it happened again. I said, ‘You know what, I can’t try to be a superhero. I’ve got to take time off and let it heal.’ I’d never tell exactly what happened. I just had a rib injury.”

Others wondered whether Mayweather thought he needed more time to prepare for the veteran star Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs)—or even whether Mayweather was disappointed by reportedly lackluster ticket sales for the fight, which Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer insists wasn’t the case.

Marquez, who’s training in Mexico City, believes Mayweather’s story about the injury, saying he used the extra time to take his children on vacation.

“I’m sure that there’s solid evidence,” Marquez said through a translator. “There should be some paperwork from the doctor, and I’m sure he presented the paperwork that was needed. I was calm. I’m fine. Things happen for a reason.”

Mayweather confirmed discussions with Arum and Top Rank about facing Pacquiao, but didn’t specify whether they occurred before or after the rib injury. Mayweather ripped Arum for demanding a 50-50 split of the purse for Pacquiao, the undersized Filipino star whose recent run of electric victories has elevated him to boxing’s top echelon.

“If he wouldn’t be so greedy, that fight would happen,” Mayweather said of Arum, his own promoter until Mayweather bought out his contract to promote himself.

Mayweather resumed training two weeks ago, but has limited himself to basketball and calisthenics. He plans to get back in the boxing gym this week.

He’s also spending more time with Floyd Mayweather Sr., the respected boxing trainer who molded his son into a champion before a furious family split several years ago. A family friend got the Mayweathers together for dinner this summer, and the two are back on friendly terms.

“He’s teaching his oldest grandson how to box, and that’s a good thing,” Mayweather said. “He’s coming to the birthday parties of his granddaughters. He’s spending more time getting to know his grandkids. My kids are the future of the Mayweather family and of the Mayweather brand. I feel our family is stronger if we stay together.”

Mayweather, Marquez and their promoters curiously won’t reveal the exact weight limit for the fight, saying only it’s a welterweight bout—which could mean anything from 141 pounds to the 147-pound class limit. De La Hoya claimed the mystery is designed to get people to watch the weigh-in on Sept. 18.

Marquez has never fought at more than 135 pounds, only moving up from 130 recently. Mayweather says he’s already close to 147 pounds, meaning the few extra pounds won’t be tough to lose.

Although Mayweather Promotions is closely aligned with Golden Boy, Mayweather also needled two Golden Boy partners during the conference call.

He blasted Sugar Shane Mosley as a cheater for using steroids, which Mosley says he did unwittingly. Mayweather also speculated De La Hoya “was just in it for the payday” when he lost to Pacquiao last year.

If Mayweather saw irony in a fighter whose self-proclaimed nickname is “Money” warning of the dangers in fighting solely for paychecks, he didn’t acknowledge it. Mayweather, whose camp has denied problems with the IRS over unpaid taxes, insists he’ll reclaim his spot atop the sport, starting next month.

“The biggest fight in boxing isn’t Mayweather vs. Marquez,” Mayweather said. “It’s Mayweather vs. anybody.”

Mayweather says money dispute foils Pacquiao fight hopes

LAS VEGAS (AFP) - Unbeaten US star Floyd Mayweather Jnr declared himself fit to fight after a rib injury delayed his comeback but says money demands have foiled a possible showdown with Manny Pacquiao.

Mayweather dismissed Pacquiao's claim to the world pound-for-pound throne Mayweather vacated by retiring in December of 2007, saying, "It's like a T-Bone steak. After I eat all the meat off the steak, they throw him the bone."

Mayweather, 39-0 with 25 knockouts, will fight Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez, 50-4 with one draw and 37 knockouts, on September 19 after this Saturday's planned date was scrapped over an injury whose origin Mayweather kept secret.

"It didn't come from sparring," Mayweather said Tuesday. "Freak accidents happen in training. It was just a freak accident.

"I tried to work through it but then it happened again and I'm like, 'I can't be a superhero. Take a little time off.' I healed. Now I'm ready to rock and roll. I can't wait to get back out there."

Mayweather will fight for the first time in 21 months, since a 10th-round stoppage of England's Ricky Hatton, who was flattened in the second round last May by Filipino star Pacquiao.

Interest is great for a Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown but Mayweather said the bout is unlikely because Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum seeks a 50-50 split of profits rather than a 60-40 break in Mayweather's favor.

"He wants a 50-50 split. That's never going to happen. If Bob Arum wasn't trying to be so greedy, that fight would happen," Mayweather said. "It still is a business even if it is a sport."

Mayweather's past two fights, with Hatton and Oscar de la Hoya, enticed 3.5 million US pay-per-view purchases, said Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer, while Pacquiao "did a little bit more than half of that" against the same foes.

"It's difficult for Floyd to say it should be 50-50 because it really shouldn't be 50-50," Schaefer said. "Both fighters have a certain market value and they should get compensated accordingly."

While Mayweather said he has no grudge against Pacquiao, he neither has any great desire to fight him if the price is not right.

"Pacquiao is a good fighter. I don't take nothing from him," Mayweather said. "He hasn't done nothing I haven't done. Where was he when I was dominating in the '90s? He hasn't called me out. I'm not hard to find.

"I ain't worried about him. With or without him, I'm comfortable. I'm happy. He don't make me (nothing). I don't chase opponents. Opponents chase me. The biggest fight in boxing is Mayweather versus anybody."

Mayweather and Arum had a bitter breakup and Mayweather said Pacquiao loses 27 percent of his paydays.

"Manny Pacquiao has the worst contract in boxing with Bob Arum right now - 27 percent," Mayweather said. "I keep 100 percent of my money. Are you serious - 27 percent? Arum tells Manny Pacquiao the same bull he used to tell me."

Marquez rallied from being sent to the canvas three times in the first round to draw Pacquiao in 2004 and lost a controversial split decision to him in 2008 but Mayweather rates Marquez a better rival than Pacquiao.

"I would have to rate him ovr Manny. For a guy to knock him down three times in the first round and he comes back to get a draw, we know who lost," said Mayweather, who has recently healed strained relations with father Floyd Snr.

Fight co-promoter De la Hoya, who lost to Pacquiao last December, said that Mayweather deserves the pound-for-pound crown, not Pacquaio.

"I'd have to go with Floyd. I felt more skill coming out of Mayweather than I did with Pacquiao," de la Hoya said. "The winner between Mayweather and Marquez is the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet."

Marquez dismissed Pacquiao as well, saying, "Mayweather is the best. He retired undefeated. When I fought Manny I thought I beat him both times."

De la Hoya tossed another dig at "Pac-Man", saying, "The fans are the ones who speak and we all know Marquez beat Pacquiao."

Cotto keeps focus on Clottey as Pacquiao comes calling

NEW YORK (AFP) - Manny Pacquiao will be sitting at ringside to watch Miguel Cotto defend his welterweight crown Saturday against Ghana's Joshua Clottey, the Filipino superstar sizing up his potential next opponent.

Puerto Rican star Cotto, 33-1 with 27 knockouts, will face Clottey, 35-2 with 20 knockouts, on the eve of the annual Puerto Rican Day parade in New York - a date that has become a fight tradition for Cotto at Madison Square Garden.

Pacquiao is considered boxing's pound-for-pound champion after knocking out Britain's Ricky Hatton in the second round last month at Las Vegas.

"It was very good and a very strong moment for Pacquiao in that fight," Cotto said.

While fight fans hunger for a Pacquiao showdown against unbeaten US star Floyd Mayweather Jnr, who ends his retirement next month against Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez, it might be Cotto who climbs into the ring with "Pac-man" next.

"I can?t tell you about anything the rest of the year or next year because I'm preparing for Clottey," Cotto said. "The only person I have on my mind right now is Joshua Clottey."

Pacquiao and Cotto each have Bob Arum as promoter while Mayweather has often worked with Oscar de la Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, which can offer veteran US fighter Shane Mosley as a possible next opponent if Pacquiao-Mayweather does not materialize quickly.

Clottey is a major obstacle in Cotto's path, however.

Cotto suffered his first loss last July to Mexico's Antonio Margarito but bounced back to win the lightly regarded World Boxing Organization crown, the one he risks Saturday, from Britain's Michael Jennings in February.

"It was good coming off my first loss," Cotto said. "After that fight I felt pretty good to be ready for this fight now. This fight is important.

"No matter what Joshua brings to the ring, I will be fine. If he wants to move, I am ready for him. If he wants to face me in the middle of the ring, I am ready for that, too.

"I don't know what's going to happen. The only thing I know is I am going to be the winner."

Clottey knows the crowd will be with Cotto.

"When I come to the ring I'm a very deaf guy. I see people but I don't hear what they're talking about," Clottey said. "I don't know how tough he's going to be, but anybody who chooses me to be the winner, they will win, because that's what I'm going to do. I will win the fight."

Clottey won the International Boxing Federation welterweight crown by beating US veteran Zab Judah last August but was stripped of the title in April for refusing to fight South African mandatory challenger Isaac Hlatshwayo in favor of Cotto.

Now Clottey figures if he defeats Cotto, he will have a place in the conversation about whom Pacquiao fights next.

"Cotto is going to fight Pacquiao if he wins - that?s what I?ve been hearing," Clottey said. "Cotto is going to get his. Even if he wins it is not going to be easy at all. He?s not going to be able to fight somebody else."

Pacquiao awaits next foe, dismisses Mosley's big talk

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Manny Pacquiao dismissed Shane Mosley's talk about an impending deal for an October fight as a ploy, saying Thursday he has many possible next foes and no impending deal with the American.

Pacquiao responded after Mosley claimed the Filipino superstar's willingness to fight him - if the details were right - was an acceptance of a challenge to meet him in the ring.

"I am not blaming people for coming up with ideas to lure me to fight them," Pacquiao said. "Of course everyone wants to fight me.

"We will make the announcement at a proper time and a proper place after all the fight details have been discussed."

The super fight most boxing fans want to see is Pacquiao and unbeaten Jnr, although with hard feelings between Mayweather and Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum, negotiations could be difficult and derail such a showdown.

World Boxing Association welterweight champion Mosley indicated he would face Pacquiao at a catchweight and accept only 40 percent of the purse to 60 for Pacquiao, which sparked several errant reports that a deal was finalized.

"It?s funny that I am the last man to know about this supposed fight," said Pacquiao. "I know everyone wants to fight me and I have said I will fight anyone, including Mosley.

"But I have not heard from my promoter or have seen any contract or fight detail, so there is no fight yet.

"I am flattered that even the great 'Sugar' Shane Mosley is now going after me by any means. I am not closing the door on any negotiations, though, and I trust my promotional and training team to make the best decision for me."

Mosley's willingness to accept a secondary payday could help if talks ever become serious with Pacquiao or Mayweather, who has said he will not settle for even a 50-50 split with Pacquiao to effectively foil mega-fight talks before they can even start.

"I have said it before and I will say it again, I will not run away from a great fight," Pacquiao said. "Floyd Mayweather is even using reverse psychology, saying he will not agree to fight me for a 50-50 purse."

Pacquiao, 30, has won world titles in six different weight divisions and while he does not hold any major belt he is considered the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

Pacquiao knocked out England's Ricky Hatton in the second round last month at Las Vegas, serving notice to Mayweather on the day the US fighter announced his return from retirement.

Mayweather, who will fight Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez next month, will have to reclaim the abdicated pound-for-pound throne in the ring against Pacquiao, whose next fight could yet be against Mayweather or even Mosley.

But another possible foe is Puerto Rican star Miguel Cotto, who faces Josh Clottey next week in New York in a fight that Pacquiao will attend at Madison Square Garden.

Pacquiao plans a Los Angeles vacation next week and will bankroll a 100,000-dollar darts tournament in nearby Burbank June 18-21.

Pacquiao to return home, ignores swine flu advice

MANILA, Philippines (AP)—Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao will return to Manila as scheduled, ignoring advice from Philippine health officials to observe self-quarantine in the United States to help prevent the spread of swine flu.

In interviews with Manila television and radio networks, Pacquiao said Thursday he and others in his entourage, who were in Los Angeles, do not have any flu symptoms that could justify their quarantine. They will fly home as planned on Friday, he said.

“If you are healthy, why should you be quarantined?” he told DZBB radio.

On Wednesday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III urged Pacquiao—who beat Ricky Hatton in a light welterweight bout in Las Vegas on Saturday night—to postpone his homecoming because the virus was found to have spread to California.

Duque cited the “strong recommendation” from the World Health Organization for Pacquiao and his entourage to observe self-quarantine for at least five days — time enough for any infected person to show flu symptoms.

The WHO advised Pacquiao and his group to observe self-quarantine for the same length of time after their return on Friday, and airport welcomers should maintain a 1-yard distance from the boxing champ and his party, avoiding handshakes and hugs.

The WHO has reported a “third-generation human-to-human transmission” of the virus in Los Angeles, citing the case of a Mexican who infected another individual, who in turn contaminated a third person.

A “national day of celebration” for Pacquiao’s latest triumph has been postponed for next week and a meeting between President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Pacquiao originally set for Friday has been moved to Monday, executive secretary Eduardo Ermita said.

Environment secretary Lito Atienza, a staunch Pacquiao supporter, said “no one can stop Manny from returning home because that is his right.”

He said, however, Pacquiao’s victory parade around Manila may be held in the middle of next week “because we are also taking precautions.”

The Philippines has no confirmed cases of swine flu, while three of five patients under observation have been cleared, Duque said.