MANNY PACQUIAO: Good morning everybody. Training is good and we are getting ready for the fight.
FREDDIE ROACH: We had a really great training camp the first 3 weeks in Baguiao – very successful – and the last 3 weeks here in LA has been great. Manny’s focus is the best I have ever seen. We are going against a tough opponent, a tough undefeated opponent in Bradley. I have watched a lot of tapes on him and have seen a lot of holes in his defense and we are going to take advantage of them.
Is Bradley’s style – leading with his head – a concern to you?
FREDDIE ROACH: Yes, Bradley does come in head first. We have been working on how to nullify that. We have a lefty fighting against a righty. The two heads may clash, that could happen and it’s something we have to be aware of and something we will be prepared for.
What is your take on the way you last fight with Marquez happened?
MANNY PACQUIAO: The fight was not that hard for me but I was having some family problems. I was in 100% physical condition for that fight against Marquez but I did have some family issues that I had to deal with. I also underestimated him.
FREDDIE ROACH: Marquez is always going to give Manny troubles. He is a very good boxer and very smart. We had a great training camp going into that fight but on the last week everything fell apart. The personal problems affected the fight and I don’t think Manny will let that happen again. All of the distractions around him caused him to fight poorly. He is very focused for this fight.
What has been the key to your success in moving up all these weight classes?
MANNY PACQUIAO: The fights are all different. It is not easy to move up in weight but I try my best. I have to work very hard to build up my strength and gain weight. I have to build up my stamina to maintain the added weight while preserving my speed and movement.
FREDDIE ROACH: That’s where the bigger challenges were – the bigger fights. We do have to feed Manny more than 5 protein shakes a day to keep the weight on. He performed very well in those weight classes. Moving up in weight classes was necessary because that’s where the challenges were. We needed to do that to be where he is today. Manny did well and we did it the right way with Alex Ariza with the diet and the protein shakes and it worked out well for all of us.
FACT: When Manny moved from lightweight to welterweight he was taking in up to 8,000 calories a day.
Could you elaborate on Manny’s focus for this fight? FREDDIE ROACH: Yes, his focus is very good. We don’t have days where he comes in tired a so forth because he has no nightlife whatsoever, besides the bible study. He is very focused on the fight. He and God are very close right now and he is just a better athlete – with no distractions – yes.
Were you concerned that the same-sex marriage comments or non-comments would be a distraction?
FREDDIE ROACH: The thing is everyone has an opinion in life and we are all entitled to our opinions, but I see no problem whatsoever. TMZ was outside he gym for a couple of days and we pacified them and that was it.
Do you feel you need to match numbers with Mayweather?
BOB ARUM: We aim to get the biggest possible numbers that we can get. We operate a completely different model from Floyd’s model and whatever numbers he allegedly reached or didn’t reach is really not relevant to us. It varies from fight to fight. The Marquez numbers, from the Manny fight in November, are certainly much greater than Mayweather’s numbers with Ortiz. You also have to realize that Mayweather was fighting one of our great fighters, Miguel Cotto, who is the number 3 PPV attraction, who has gotten great numbers on his own. So you have to factor all of that in.
Did you expect the firestorm over the same-sex marriage statement you made?
MANNY PACQUIAO: Did I know that my answer on legalizing same-sex marriage would create controversy? Yes. It’s a controversial issue. The reporter asked me about my stance on it and I answered his question. I am against legalizing same-sex marriage. That was all I said.
Will your commitment to religion reflect on your fighting in the ring?
MANNY PACQUIAO: When I committed my life to the lord I gave up many things that were not in keeping with what the Bible teaches. Boxing is a job and I do not look at it as anything more than that. It will not affect my job.
FREDDIE ROACH: No, Manny Pacquiao is fired up and ready to go. He is motivated. We have had great workouts and sparring sessions. We had four new sparring partners that came in for this camp. Everything is right where it is supposed to be.
BOB ARUM: From somebody who has visited the training camp a few times, the difference in Manny’s face is so apparent. He’s not as tired as he was and he’s not as worn as he was. There is a glow in his face. I think this religious awakening has been all good on his part. I am a little prejudiced because I am religious myself but I believe when young athletes find religion it will greatly enhance their careers.
Do you think we will see Pacquiao vs. Marquez IV?
BOB ARUM: Everything is on the table. Manny has this fight against Bradley. It’s a tough fight, and after the fight, as we always do, we’ll confer and decide on who the opponent will be and when the fight will take place. I haven’t discussed this with Manny because I never discuss future fights with a fight coming up. We’ll have plenty of time to discuss that and we also have a trip coming up with his family to Israel and we can discuss it then.
What aspect have you been working on to improve?
MANNY PACQUIAO: We work hard and we train hard every day to make sure we have a good fight for the fans on June 9.
FREDDIE ROACH: I have been watching Bradley a lot and he doesn’t rely very much on counter-punching. He is very offensive. He comes to fight which will make it a good fight for everybody. We have the game plan set after watching many, many tapes of Bradley. Manny should have a very good fight on June 9.
As a Congressman, do you come across trash talking?
MANNY PACQUIAO: I do not trash talk in boxing or in politics. I ignore trash talking directed at me. I don’t find it productive.
Are you the toughest public servant on the planet?
FREDDIE ROACH: That’s a stupid question.
MANNY PACQUIAO: It is hard to compare myself to other people.
What does Bradley do particularly well?
FREDDIE ROACH: He comes forward and is very aggressive. He is a well-conditioned athlete and we know we are in for a tough fight. Bradley is a good opponent.
Have you fought anyone strong like him before?
FREDDIE ROACH: No, because he is very strong and very muscular up top. I don’t think we have fought anybody that muscular. We have fought bigger ands stronger people, like Margarito and so forth. We have fought strong guys like him before, yes.
MANNY PACQUIAO: I agree with Freddie.
Do you feel Bradley will be in front of Manny?
FREDDIE ROACH: Yes, he will try to fight Manny. He will try to prove he is the better athlete – the better-conditioned athlete. We have a mover in camp so we are prepared if Bradley decides to move around, so we are prepared for anything he brings. It is my job to figure out what he may do differently. We make adjustments to prepare Manny for whatever may come. He’s ready for a boxer and I’m covering all my bases.
What is Manny’s advantage?
FREDDIE ROACH: Experience, speed and power. Experience is hard to deal with. Power will knock you out. Experience will make it a little easier for you.
MANNY PACQUIAO: Bradley is a different type of fighter and we don’t take this fight lightly. We have trained hard for Bradley because he is the type of fighter we cannot underestimate. Tim Bradley is undefeated and he is a champion.
MANNY PACQUIAO: I don’t know what Tim Bradley will bring in the ring on that night but we will be ready for whatever he brings. I know he will be 100% conditioned for the fight. We have practiced every kind of fight in the ring with four different sparring partners.
BOB ARUM: When you look at Manny’s opponents, the freshest guy he has fought will be Bradley. The others he has fought have been great names like Cotto, Margarito and De La Hoya and Hatton, but Bradley is not a great name but he is a great fighter and young and fresh. When you have a fresh fighter who has not taken a lot of punishment, he can be dangerous. The most important element with Bradley is his mind. He is a very, very determined young man. He is confident in his abilities and determined and that is a tremendous plus for any athlete. He feels as if his mind can take over. Some have doubts in their performance and it shows in up, whether it’s football, boxing or whatever.
It’s been a while since Manny has stopped anyone. Is he still the same fighter?
FREDDIE ROACH: I believe he is a better fighter now. He is more focused. If a knockout comes it will be a bonus. Bradley is a great fighter and he’ll be resilient, but I think you’ll see the best Manny Pacquiao yet.
MANNY PACQUIAO: I am doing my best in training. I stay focused and work hard to give a good fight.
MANNY PACQUIAO: My final words are I would like to invite everybody to watch my fight on June 9. It will be a good fight and there will be a lot of boxing in the ring. Thanks to everyone that was involved in the teleconference today and have a nice day.
BOB ARUM: I would like to see as many of you as possible in Indio on Thursday at Bradley’s workout. There are buses leaving from Los Angeles and Las Vegas. I’ll be there and am anxious to see him train and I know most of you are. I think it’s going to be a great fight – something special. Another thing that is special is the bible study that Manny participates in. Tonight in Manny’s apartment, we are going to shoot the bible study that many has been participating in and make it into a program which we will distribute. When an athlete has a religious experience it is a great thing and I want to show it to as many people as possible.
All-new editions of HBO’s all-access reality series 24/7 PACQUIAO/BRADLEY debut on Saturdays – May 26 (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) and June 2 (9:45-10:15 p.m. ET/PT) – while the finale debuts Friday, June 8 (8:00-8:30 p.m. ET/PT), the night before the welterweight title showdown.
Congressman Manny Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KOs), boxing’s only eight-division world champion and the lone congressional representative from the Sarangani province in the Philippines, will be defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight championship crown against WBO junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley (28-0, 12 KOs), of Palm Springs, Calif., Saturday, June 9, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The Pacquiao-Bradley world championship fight will be produced and distributed Live by HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.
♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.
HBO's Emmy-Award®-winning reality series '24/7' is returning to CNN, which will air replays of the all-new four-part series 24/7 MAYWEATHER/COTTO, beginning Saturday, April 14 at midnight ET/PT.
In the lead-up to the blockbuster HBO Pay-Per-View® telecast on May 5 in Las Vegas when Floyd Mayweather and Miguel Cotto battle for Cotto's world super welterweight title, CNN will present all four episodes of 24/7 MAYWEATHER/COTTO, the all-access, behind-the-scenes pass that allows viewers to step into the lives of the fighters before they step into the ring. Mayweather lives and trains in Las Vegas, NV, while Puerto Rico's Cotto will train in Florida.
35-year-old Floyd Mayweather (42-0, 26 KOs) is a celebrated superstar making his sixth appearance on the '24/7' series. Cotto, 31, (37-2, 30 KOs) has reinvigorated his career by capturing the super welterweight title and successfully defending it twice in 2011. This is Cotto's third appearance on '24/7.'
Episode one will air on CNN on Saturday, April 14 at midnight ET/PT, following the HBO premiere at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. Episode two and three will air on CNN on subsequent Saturdays - April 21 (12 midnight ET/PT) and 28 (12 midnight ET/PT). The finale will air on CNN on Friday, May 4 at 12 midnight ET/PT, less than 24 hours before the mega-fight in Las Vegas.
In the past four years, HBO's 24/7 franchise has earned 14 Sports Emmys® for production excellence, making it the most honored sports series on television since its inception. Narrated by Liev Schreiber, the fast-moving, documentary-styled production focuses on the training, commitment and sacrifices that prizefighters make in order to realize their dreams. The turnaround time is among the quickest in television as the series follows the fighters and their teams both at camp and at home as excitement and anxiety builds for the big fight.
CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world's most extensively-syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.
WBC AND RING MAGAZINE LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION BERNARD "THE EXECUTIONER" HOPKINS AND FORMER WORLD CHAMPION "BAD" CHAD DAWSON TO MEET SATURDAY, APRIL 28 AT BOARDWALK HALL IN ATLANTIC CITY TO DETERMINE WHO IS CHAMPION "ONCE AND FOR ALL"The oldest fighter in boxing history to win a world title, Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins, and former World Champion "Bad" Chad Dawson will meet again to settle their heated feud following their October 2011 bout, which was originally scored as a TKO win for Dawson, but later ruled a no decision by the California State Athletic Commission. The two are ready to resume their high-stakes rivalryon Saturday, April 28 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The 12 round bout for Hopkins' WBC and Ring Magazine light heavyweight world championships will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET/7:15 p.m. PT.
"Chad Dawson can say whatever he wants, but I am not going to trash talk this one," said Hopkins. "Everyone knows what I am capable of in the ring. They have seen it over 50 times before in the last 20 plus years. I will say that I am really happy that this is on HBO so that all of my fans from across the country can see me continue this unprecedented path. I absolutely want to prove that I can beat Chad Dawson, another guy that is almost two decades younger than me and I am confident I will on April 28."
"The first fight did not go as planned, but I'm confident I was going to win that night," said Dawson. "Hopkins is going to have to face his fears. Bernard tried to run away from me, but here we are again. I'm thrilled about the whole situation. I'm very excited to fight on the East Coast because a lot of my fans will be there to see me live. I know I'll be ready come fight night."
"Whenever Bernard Hopkins fights, I get the chills because he is a living legend," said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. "Bernard has an amazing history, having fought and defeated so many world champions. I truly believe that he and Dawson facing off in Atlantic City on HBO World Championship Boxing is a recipe for an unforgettable night."
"The score must be settled once and for all," said Gary Shaw, CEO of Gary Shaw Productions. "Chad Dawson has something to prove. We all know Bernard Hopkins is a future Hall of Famer, but Chad is not going to let him get away with any of his antics or funny stuff. Chad wanted this bout and now that he has it, he's going to do whatever it takes to be a champion once again."
"Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson have unfinished business and we look forward to televising this intriguing light heavyweight showdown," said Kery Davis, senior vice president, programming, HBO Sports. "Bernard's credentials as a future Hall of Famer are firmly established and he captured the world's attention last year when he won a world title at the age of 46. Chad is an extremely talented fighter in his prime. This sets up to be a hard-fought encounter that boxing fans will be excited to see."
"Bernard Hopkins is a world champion athlete who grew up and trained in the greater Philadelphia area, just a short ride from Atlantic City, so this fight is going to be a great draw for Atlantic City," said Don Marrandino, Eastern Division President for Caesars Entertainment. "Some of the greatest boxing matches and sporting events have been hosted in Atlantic City and on April 28, Historic Boardwalk Hall will be the backdrop to what could be Hopkins' most historic fights and likely one of the final bouts of his career - he's one of the most exciting boxers to watch and one of the greatest athletes of the past 50 years."
"Hopkins vs. Dawson: Once And For All," a 12 round bout for Hopkins' WBC and Ring Magazine light heavyweight world championships, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Gary Shaw Productions and sponsored by Caesars Atlantic City. The bout will take place from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey and be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET/7:15 p.m. PT.
♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.
The card which will be aired live on HBO's "World Championship Boxing is entitled, "THE REAL Middleweight Championship - Get Your Irish Up", features Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez (48-2-2, 27KO's) defending his middleweight crown against Ireland's Matthew "Mack the Knife" Macklin (28-3, 19KO's). The card is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and will be shown live on HBO beginning 10PM ET/7PM PT. BUDDY MCGIRT: Matthew is in great shape for this fight. I've worked with him for the Yori Boy Campas fight a few years back so I've been aware for a long time just how good he is. We're not going to shout or boast about doing this or that. Matthew's just going to go in there and let his fists do the talking. I must say though that I am very confident that he is going to shock an awful lot of people in this fight.
LAR CORBETT: It's been a great experience to spend a few days with Matthew and see his preparations up close and personal. Myself and Eoin are very grateful to Brian Peters (Macklin co-promoter) and Martin Donnelly (Macklin Sponsor) for the opportunity to come over. Matthew is training like a demon for this fight and the level of effort and dedication he puts into his boxing has to be seen to be believed. Matthew has always been a great supporter of Tipperary Hurling over the years, through thick and thin, so we felt it was only fair that we return that support. There is huge interest in this fight back in Tipperary. I know there are loads of people traveling over to New York for the fight but for the people not traveling over, they will be glued to the television and the whole country of Ireland is behind him.
EOIN KELLY: I've known Matthew since we played hurling together as kids and it's great to see him living his dream now on the big stage. The hype in the US for the fight is phenomenal. There are big billboards in Times Square and huge media interest in the fight, but Matthew seems to take it all in stride. We came over to show our support to him because it's an absolutely massive night, not just for Matthew but for all of Ireland to have someone competing at that level, fighting a guy considered to be up there with the likes of Mayweather and Pacquiao on St. Patrick's Day at Madison Square Garden.
On hand to show their support for Macklin were Irish Hurling stars Eion Kelly (right of Macklin in the Photo) and Lar Corbett (left of Macklin in the photo), who had made the trip over from Ireland earlier this week and have been touring the city with Macklin to rally together the heavy Irish community throughout the New York area to come out and support Macklin on March 17.
BOXING'S BIGGEST STAR FLOYD "MONEY" MAYWEATHER AND WBA SUPER WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION MIGUEL "JUNITO" COTTOTO HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE AT HARLEM'S WORLD FAMOUS APOLLO THEATER TO OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE MAY 5 MEGA-FIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28 AT 1:00 P.M. ET HARLEM'S WORLD FAMOUS APOLLO THEATER **OPEN TO THE PUBLIC** 
On Wednesday, February 15, Donovan "Da Bomb" George (22-1-1, 19KO's) took a break from training camp and visited New York to promote his upcoming 10-round super middleweight showdown against fellow top-rated contender Edwin "La Bomba" Rodriguez (20-0, 14KO's). Rodriguez-George, being billed as "Bombs Away", will be shown live on HBO on the upcoming March 17, St. Patrick's Day card taking place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden featuring Middleweight champion Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez defending his crown against Ireland's top-rated contender Matthew "Mack the Knife" Macklin live on HBO. The card entitled, "THE REAL Middleweight Championship - Get Your Irish Up", ispromoted by DiBella Entertainment, and will be aired live on HBO's "World Championship Boxing" beginning at 10PM ET/7PM PT.
For 12 rounds last December, Lamont "Havoc" Peterson and Amir "King" Khan battled it out in one of the most compelling championship bouts of 2011. When it was over, controversy raged over the officiating and the final judges' verdict, but in the end Peterson won a split decision capturing Khan's world championship belts. On Saturday, May 19, the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nev. will host the highly anticipated Unified Super Lightweight World Title rematch the boxing world has clamored for as Lamont Peterson will defend his WBA World Super Championship and IBF World Championship against Khan in a fight televised live on HBO's World Championship Boxing.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. defended his version of the WBC Middleweight Championship this past Saturday, February 4, and as long as Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez follows suit in his upcoming matchup against Matthew Macklin on March 17, promoter Lou DiBella expects the two to meet to determine who is the full and real WBC Middleweight Champion.
The #1 middleweight in the world, and top three pound-for-pound fighter, Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez (47-2-2, 26KO's) is preparing for "Dazzling" Darren Barker (23-0, 14KO's) feverishly, respecting his foe's amateur pedigree and undefeated professional record and putting the final touches on another hard training camp with trainer Pablo Sarmiento and top sparring in Oxnard, CA. Martinez will be putting his WBC Middleweight Diamond belt and Ring championship on the line against the European Champion Barker, on Saturday, October 1st, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. The show, entitled "Noche de 'Maravilla': Martinez vs. Barker" is being presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Matchroom Sport, and Caesars Atlantic City, and is sponsored by Corona. The long awaited rematch between Andy Lee and Brian Vera will open the telecast. The show will be aired live on HBO's World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT.
In preparation for his July 23rd world championship unification match against Amir "King" Khan on July 23rd at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas , Zab "Super" Judah hosted a media workout at H.I.T. Factory Boxing Gym in Las Vegas Nevada.
