Miguel Cotto: We did what we needed to do

By Jose Santiago
Photo: Chris Farina/Top Rank

WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto spoke to the press after his career-defining win over reigning world champion Sergio Martinez on Saturday night in New York City.

[Cotto on the fight] We just went out in the first round to make our fight. We just hit him with really good punches. After the three knockdowns, we kept to our strategy and that was the thing that defined the fight….I was a little surprised I knocked him down

Pacquiao targets Mayweather in fight all fans crave

By Rebecca Bryan | AFP News
Manny Pacquiao avenged his loss to Timothy Bradley in convincing style, and said he's ready any time to negotiate the bout with Floyd Mayweather that fight fans crave.

"The line is open 24 hours, seven days a week," the Filipino ring icon said after his 12-round unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Bradley on Saturday.

The win rectified what most saw as a grave miscarriage in their first fight in 2012, when Bradley was awarded a split decision win and the World Boxing Organization welterweight belt.

Bob Dylan thrills boxer Pacquaio with visit

WENN:

Boxer Manny Pacquiao had a very special visitor check out a training session in Los Angeles on Thursday -- music legend Bob Dylan. The fighter was preparing for his upcoming rematch with welterweight champion Timothy Bradley at coach Freddie Roach's Wild Card Boxing Club when the music icon, a longtime boxing fan, phoned and asked if he could stop by with a friend.

Pacquiao's spokesman Fred Sternburg tells RollingStone.com, "I've never seen the place take an aura like this, and I've been going to that gym for nearly a decade. We were all awestruck. Manny sparred eight different rounds with two different fighters while Dylan was there. He stayed for an hour and sat on a bench that you'd use to lift weights. Before and after the sparring, Dylan posed for photographs with anyone that asked and signed autographs ... He accommodated everybody and smiled the whole time. But, my God, it was Bob Dylan! It was like seeing one of the apostles."

Even Pacquiao got in on the action, tweeting a photo of himself with the singer/songwriter. He wrote, "After BOB DYLAN watched me train today, Freddie Roach said, 'I think a hard rain's a-gonna fall on Timothy Bradley,'" referring to one of the singer's classics. Pacquiao will be hoping the visit from Dylan will bring him luck when he steps into the ring with Bradley in Las Vegas on April 12.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Manny Pacquiao or Amir Khan is it next.

Well Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., (45-0), is coming off two big wins in 2013 against Robert Guerrero and former undefeated champion Canelo Alvarez. Shortly after the Alvarez fight, rumors began to circulate that Money’s next opponent is the British boxing star, Amir Khan (28-3). Although nothing is settled at this point, there has been several indications that the two will mix it up soon in Cinco De Mayweather 2014.

When Floyd Mayweather Jr. is about to fight someone, his father is usually the first to spill it out to the media as a sort of advanced promotion. Floyd Sr. said to the press: “If there’s one fighter whose a** I want Floyd to whip it’s Amir Khan – he’s no outstanding fighter and as long as he stays here he’ll keep getting his a** whipped.” (as reported in The Daily Star .

MAYDAY – Mayweather vs Guerrero

The final press conference for MAYDAY’s headline fight took place this Wednesday 05/01/2013. Promoters, managers, trainers and fighter’s took the opportunity to address the media as Saturday looms. Up until this point in the promotion of this event, both Mayweather and Guerrero have strayed away from press conference antics, scuffles and any other rough tactics to promote interest in the event.

Donaire drops unanimous decision to Rigondeaux

(UPDATED) It was another sad day for Philippine boxing as Nonito Donaire lost his superbantamweight championship to Cuba’s Guillermo Rigondeaux via a unanimous decision.

All three judges scored it for the former Olympic gold medalist and World Boxing Association titlist, with the scores reading 114-113, 115-112 and 116-111.

Donaire scored the bout’s only knockdown in the 10th when he landed a crunching left that dropped Rigondeaux for the first time in his professional career, but the Cuban came back storng int eh last two round to put the outcome beyond doubt.

Bob Arum refuses Pacquiao-Bradley rematch, wants investigation into scoring controversy

LAS VEGAS – Promoter Bob Arum was still fuming about the split-decision verdict that went against Manny Pacquiao on Saturday and said there would be no rematch with Timothy Bradley unless Nevada attorney general Catherine Cortez Masto launches an investigation.

Bradley, a 4-1 underdog, upset Pacquiao in one of the most controversial outcomes in years to take the World Boxing Organization welterweight title.

Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao nearly agreed to a 2010 fight, documents show

AS VEGAS – Though sports fans remain desperate to see Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight Manny Pacquiao, in 2010 the superstar boxers came closer to fighting than anyone previously realized, according to a document obtained by Yahoo! Sports.

A contract sent on Dec. 11, 2009, by Golden Boy Promotions on behalf of Mayweather to Top Rank on behalf of Pacquiao proposed a 50-50 financial split between the sides for a fight that would have been held March 13, 2010. The eight-page agreement is so detailed that it

100 Olympic Tidbits: Barcelona's Many Defining Moments

If one were to ask about the defining moment of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, those in the know would be hardpressed to pick just one. For starters, these were the first boycott-free Games in 20 years, thus ensuring the participation of a record 169 nations and over 9,000 athletes. One of these nations was South Africa, which returned to the Olympic fold after abolishing apartheid. The athletes of the former Soviet Union, except those from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, competed together one last time as the Unified Team, and they went out in a blaze of glory, winning 45 gold medals to top the medal standings.

Will third time be a charm for Viloria?

World Boxing Organization (WBO) flyweight champ Brian Viloria will be facing a familiar foe when he steps into the ring on Sunday for the second defense of his belt. And it's not just any other former opponent. It's the one person who took away the very first world title he ever won — the WBC lightflyweight belt — and hacked out a majority draw in a rematch three months later.

For the third time, Viloria will mix it up with Omar Nino Romero, the tough Mexican whom he couldn't beat in two fights in six years ago.

NBA: James powers Heat into second round

LeBron James scored 29 points and Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh scored 19 each as Miami eliminated the under-manned New York Knicks with a 106-94 win in game five of their Eastern Conference series.

"We came out with a lot of intensity," James said after Wednesday's win. "We tried to get as many stops as possible and we were able to do that."
James went 13-of-15 from the free throw line and had eight rebounds and seven assists for the second-seeded Heat, which booked a second round berth against the Indiana Pacers that ousted Orlando in five games on Tuesday.
"They are very well coached," James said of the Pacers. "They play inside out. They control the paint and have some great perimeter players.
"We will savor this win tonight and get ready to go back to work tomorrow."

Khan boxing rematch with Peterson cancelled

The much-anticipated rematch between Lamont Peterson and British boxer Amir Khan has been cancelled after the American failed a drug test, Golden Boy Promotions announced.

Peterson and Khan had been due to fight on May 19 in Las Vegas, after the American took the WBA and IBF light-welterweight titles in December in a controversial split decision.
But Golden Boy said Peterson's failed drug test -- reports said he tested positive for synthetic testosterone -- combined with the Nevada State Athletic Commission's inability to hold a hearing in time led to the fight's demise.

Bradley will fall like Hatton, says Roach

MANILA, Philippines - It took Manny Pacquiao only two rounds to get rid of Ricky Hatton in 2009. According to trainer Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s next opponent Tim Bradley fights just like Hatton but has a stronger chin so the unbeaten challenger called “Desert Storm” will likely last up to six rounds before capitulating.

Pacquiao stakes his WBO welterweight crown against Bradley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on June 9. The 33-year-old Filipino was installed an early 5-1 favorite by Las Vegas oddsmakers to whip Bradley.
There’s no doubt in Roach’s mind that Bradley will end up flat on his back like Hatton. “He fights just like Hatton with a stronger chin,” said Roach. “He thinks he’s the best conditioned boxer in the world. For sure, he works out everyday. From what I know, he walks around at 165 pounds with very little body fat. He’s all muscle. I don’t think he’ll come in lighter than Manny.”

Salido Stops Lopez in Great Fight to Retain WBO Title: Fan Take

It was one of the better fights of the year so far, when Orlando Salido and Juan Manuel Lopez squared off in ring in San Juan, Puerto Rico March 10. Salido successfully defended his WBO featherweight title in a 10th round knockout of Lopez, but the fight leading up to the knockout was dramatic to say the least.

It started at little slow, but built one round at a time until nearing a peak. The ninth round was especially spectacular, bringing the crowd to their feet and leaving commentators struggling to find the words to express what they were seeing. If you didn't catch this one live, it's definitely worth seeing it delayed.

Salido punctuated his power over Lopez

The 10th round saw Salido attack Lopez with a ferocious combination that held an intense

Thunder top Lakers 100-85, tie Miami as NBA's best

Kevin Durant scored 33 points, Russell Westbrook added 19 and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Los Angeles Lakers 100-85 Thursday night to head into the All-Star break tied for the league's best record. The Thunder won their 12th straight home game and denied Los Angeles the chance to head into the midseason break with back-to-back statement wins on the road. The Lakers had won at defending NBA champion Dallas a night earlier and were trying to follow it by knocking off the other half of last year's West finals. Kobe Bryant scored 24 points but went 7 for 24 from the field for Los Angeles...Oklahoma City and Miami both have NBA-leading 27-7 records at the break. The Thunder pulled away in the second half to win their second in a row against the Lakers, who won eight of the teams' previous nine regular-season meetings and knocked Oklahoma City out of the 2010 playoffs in the first round. The Lakers, once able to use their size advantage against Oklahoma City, struggled to get those same inside baskets against the remade Thunder interior of

Silva vs. Sonnen 2 Close to Done Deal, but Where Will It Take Place?

The saga of putting together a rematch between Chael Sonnen and Anderson Silva continues.

Sonnen on Tuesday, when appearing on UFC Tonight on Fuel TV, stated that he has not officially been offered any rematch with Silva since his victory over Michael Bisping at UFC on Fox 2 in late January.

Sonnen’s manager Mike Roberts the same when speaking to MMAWeekly Radio recently, and it appears there might be a new snag in the works.

All signs had pointed towards a Silva vs. Sonnen rematch taking place in Brazil later this year, but right now it looks like where the fight will take place is what hasn’t been figured out yet.

Kyle Busch edges Stewart to win Shootout

Kyle Busch edged Tony Stewart in a thrilling finish to the first race of 2012, using a sling-shot pass Saturday night on the last lap of the exhibition Budweiser Shootout to beat the defending NASCAR champion to the checkered flag.

It gave Busch a victory in a wild race that included two incredible saves by the eventual winner to stay in contention in the 75-lap sprint around Daytona International Speedway.

"I don't know how many times I spun out, but I didn't spin out, you know?" smiled Busch, who gave Toyota its first Shootout victory.

The event was a preview of next weekend's season-opening Daytona 500, and showed that NASCAR has successfully broken up the two-car tandem racing that dominated restrictor-plate racing last year. Fans were overwhelmingly opposed to that style of racing — NASCAR said earlier this month surveys showed over 80 percent of those polled hated the tandem — and the sanctioning body worked hard through the offseason to develop a rules package that would separate the cars.

"The pack racing is back, and that gives the drivers a little more control and adds a lot of

Struggling Nets halt streak, upset Bulls

(Reuters) - The New Jersey Nets snapped an eight-game losing streak with a surprisingly easy 97-85 road win over the Central Division-leading Chicago Bulls at the United Center on Saturday.

New Jersey (9-23), taking advantage of the absence of NBA MVP Derrick Rose who missed his fifth straight game due to back pain, opened up a 22-3 lead five minutes into the game and never trailed as they handed the Bulls (25-8) just their second loss at home this season.

Deron Williams led the Nets' attack with 29 points including five three-pointers from nine attempts. Kris Humphries added 24 points and had a game-high 18 rebounds.

Despite the early offensive surge, Williams applauded the team's defensive effort as the Nets had relinquished double-digit leads in their two previous games.

"This was definitely the best defensive game of the season for us," Williams told reporters. "We got going early, built a lead and didn't let it evaporate."

Chicago's five starters struggled, combining for just 45 points, led by Carlos Boozer with 16, while Joakim Noah was held without a point in 21 minutes on the court.

WBC CONDEMNS POST-FIGHT RIOT AND ATTACKS ON TEAM CASIMERO

In a strongly worded statement the World Boxing Council headed by its president Don Jose Sulaiman has condemned what he called “a shameful brawl” after Johnriel Casimero won the IBF light flyweight interim title with a 10th round TKO of former champion Luis Lazarte in Mar del Plata, Argentina last February 10.

The WBC said it “condemns this cowardly attack that many fans made against the foreign fighter (Casimero) and his team” pointing out that “they were only 4 unprotected people who received brutal and unacceptable attacks from scores of people.”

Sulaiman said “The WBC rejects what happened and demands immediate action by the local authorities to punish those criminals that have stained boxing and the reputation of such an exemplary and honorable country like Argentina.”

Manny Pacquiao Mulls Retirement From Boxing to Be 'Bible Ambassador'

Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino boxer who has dominated the world rankings in multiple weight classes, may be hanging up his gloves for good after his upcoming fight with Timothy Bradley Jr., stating that it might not look good for a "Bible ambassador" like himself to beat on people in the ring.

Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KOs), who in addition to being a prize fighter is also a politician and representative in the Province of Sarangani in the Philippines, recently told ABS-CBN News that his fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on June 9 might be the last of his career.

The Catholic fighter-politician told the news station in January that his faith was reignited after he encountered God in a dream. He also said he would have "gone straight to hell" if he had died a year or two ago. He had faith at the time but said he would also do "evil things" like gambling and womanizing.