More on Dirrell-Abraham

by: FightNews.com

Andre Dirrell turned the Super Six World Boxing Classic upside down and handed previously undefeated Arthur Abraham his first loss on an 11th-round disqualification Saturday in a fight at the Joe Louis Arena during a Free Preview Weekend on SHOWTIME® that ended in bedlam with family, friends, officials and team members of both camps in the ring. Referee Laurence Cole stopped a Group Stage 2 bout in which Dirrell (19-1, 13 KOs), of Flint, Mich., had performed magnificently at 1:13 of the 11th after Abraham (31-1, 25 KOs) connected with a sweeping right hand while Dirrell, who had slipped in Abraham’s corner, was down on one knee.
At the time of the disqualification, Dirrell was ahead by the scores of 98-91 and 97-92 twice. He was taken from the ring to the hospital for observation.

By winning, Dirrell became the fourth hometown fighter to triumph in as many tournament fights. He scored the bout’s lone knockdown in the fourth round, although Abraham, who was bleeding from the right eye, thought he had scored a knockdown in the ninth that the referee missed.

With the victory in the first of three Group Stage 2 fights, Dirrell earned his first two points in the tournament. Abraham remains the tournament leader with three points.

Until he was knocked unconscious from the late hit, Dirrell had boxed beautifully, switching effectively from orthodox to southpaw throughout.

But Abraham, a notorious slow starter, was rallying. He said the foul was unintentional.

“He did not go down. I shouldn’t be DQ’d for this,’’ the favored Abraham told SHOWTIME’s Jim Gray in the ring afterward. Later, at the post-fight press conference, Abraham added, “I was not looking at his feet. I was looking at his eyes. If you are a professional boxer, you look for every opportunity to knock out your opponent. You do not wait for him to recover. But I wish Andre Dirrell well and hope he is OK.’’

Group Stage 2 bouts in the Super Six World Boxing Classic resume on Saturday, April 24, and Saturday, June 19, on SHOWTIME. Undefeated Carl “The Cobra’’ Froch (26-0, 20 KOs) of Nottingham, England, will defend his WBC 168-pound title against former WBA 168-pound champion Mikkel “Viking Warrior’’ Kessler (42-2, 32 KOs) of Denmark on SHOWTIME (9 p.m., ET/PT, same-day delay) from MCH Arena, in Herning, Denmark, while undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) 168-pound champion Andre Ward (20-0, 13 KOs) of Oakland, Calif., will make his first title defense against world-ranked contender “Sweetness” Allan Green (29-1, 20 KOs), of Tulsa, Okla., on June 19 on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from the Oracle Arena in Oakland.

SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC SCOREBOARD

Record Fighter Points
1-1 Arthur Abraham 3
1-1 Andre Dirrell 2
1-0 Carl Froch 2
1-0 Andre Ward 2
0-1 Mikkel Kessler 0
0-0 Allan Green 0

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING announcers Steve Albert, Al Bernstein and Antonio Tarver called Saturday’s action with Jim Gray reporting from ringside. The executive producer of SHOWTIME Sports is David Dinkins with Bob Dunphy directing.

Saturday’s bout, which was co-promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, and Sauerland Event, will re-air Monday, March 29 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME 2. The fight will be available On Demand beginning Tuesday, March 30.

Floyd is Afraid to Fight Manny

By Epifanio M. Almeda
PhilBoxing.com

My good friend, Engr. Samson Tiukinhoy, texted to share his daughter’s (Dr. Susan Tiukinhoy) first hand conversation with George Foreman in a Houston elevator. Recognizing big George, Dr. Susan asked what he thinks of a fight between Manny and Floyd. The fearsome heavyweight champion of the world replied, “Floyd is afraid to fight Manny”.


Foreman knows first hand what happens when a fighter fears his opponent. The fighter who fears loses the fight even before the first bell rings. Ken Norton couldn’t look straight at George’s eyes and just bowed his head as the referee was giving the pre-fight instructions. The fight for the heavyweight championship was held on 26 March 1974 in Caracas, Venezuela. Muhammad Ali sat at ringside as a fight commentator.

George was undefeated when Norton was shoved forward to fight him after scoring a win over the great Ali. Norton couldn’t shake off his mind Foreman’s fearsome reputation of being a big puncher with a frightening KO record. George knocked down Norton’s good friend, Joe Frazier, six times before stopping him in the 2nd round to wrest the heavyweight championship of the world. Foreman and Norton were about the same size but George knocked down Norton three times in the second round to end the fight. Muhammad Ali identified the cause of Norton’s loss. Norton was scared of Foreman.

George’s observation on Floyd vs. Manny he shared with Dr. Susan confirms Floyd Mayweather Sr.’s own fear for little Floyd which the Sr. showed as he tried to identify the kind of performing enhancing drugs (PED) he accused Manny of taking. Who wouldn’t fear the Pacman who comes from a country whose World War II guerillas have a reputation of continuously charging forward despite facing a barrage of gunfire? If no gunfire could stop a guerilla from charging forward, how much less could Floyd’s brittle bare hands stop a such PED enhanced Manny who already has that reputed habit in the ring of always charging forward?

With little Floyd’s ability to come up with excuses for the fight not to happen, the Floyd-Manny fight may never happen. No disrespect intended for Shane Mosley, but Floyd is just too slick and too good for Shane to handle come May 1. Floyd’s been there facing a fighter many thought had a good chance to beat him. Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo, Ricky Hatton, Oscar dela Hoya, to name them who had names in the fight game. Floyd didn’t fear them and he beat them all.

But Manny Pacquiao is different. He retired the 6 weight division champion Oscar giving him no round of 8, bulldozed Hatton in 2, and ate the best Miguel Cotto could dish out while still asking for more. It was the legitimate welterweight Cotto who said “no more” by dancing away from the charging Manny until what has become a mere semblance of a fight was mercifully stopped just before the end of the 12th round.

When Manny’s charging forward could not be stopped with a legitimate welterweight champion firepower, Manny must really be somebody no other else is. All these did not escape the Floyd Mayweather camp’s attention and Floyd Jr. himself despite his claims of intentionally not viewing Manny’s fights.

Floyd Jr. already has the advantages of size, reach and maybe his defensive skills and accurate counter punching. But what can these do to a fighter who “punches very hard” according to Marco Antonio Barrera, is “so fast” according to David Diaz, smiles after a great round of skirmish with his opponent in some of his good fights, and seems to be more motivated to charge further forward when hit and bloodied?

The over US$40 million guaranteed purse couldn’t make Floyd fight after Manny’s beat up of Miguel Cotto. With Manny’s recent shut out of Joshua Clottey who had the advantages of size, reach, a tight defense, and with a reputation of not having really been overwhelmed by fighters his size, Floyd will come up with even more excuses for the fight not to happen.

If he beats Mosley and the PPV buys outnumber the Pacquiao-Clottey number, expect Floyd to no longer agree to a 50-50 purse split. “Negotiations” will go nowhere as it did before. The Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight, which all and sundry want to see, will not happen.

And the reason is as what George Foreman told Dr. Susan, “Floyd is afraid to Fight Manny”.

The End Is Near For Floyd’s Reign

By Scoop Malinowski
BoxingInsider.com

There were some very surprising happenings at the Mosley vs. Mayweather Los Angeles press conference earlier this month which seem to have been overlooked by the media. I just saw the video this week and let me tell you this, Floyd is showing signs of falling apart mentally.

Unlike in New York and Washington DC, Mayweather was heavily booed repeatedly on this sunny afternoon in Los Angeles. And this harsh reaction at the introduction of his presence seemed to have an effect on the sensitive 33-year-old who tried his best to ignore it and cover up the hurt.

Remember, Sonny Liston could not overcome the negativity his reputation and behavior inspired and surrendered to Clay in Miami. George Foreman also was deeply affected by playing the role of the villain and those “Ali Bomaye!” chants in Zaire and was destroyed by Ali.,

“The humble shall be exalted and the exalted shall be humbled.”

Shane Mosley is highly respected by just about everyone in boxing because he’s always been a gentleman, always carried himself with class and humility, always taken on the best of the best. He is the symbol of a true champion, a positive inspiration of the people.

Sugar Shane stated at the podium simply that “May 1st is gonna be May’s first (loss). I’ll make sure of that. Thank you.”

The key phrase was spoken softly but with a severe certainty. “I’LL MAKE SURE OF THAT.”

Floyd was booed again as he rose to speak. He seemed flustered and frustrated about it, and that Mosley was exuding a supreme confidence. Floyd is not used to dealing with that intangible. Floyd also seemed hurt by the fact that after all he’s worked for and all he’s been through, the fans greeted him with a shower of insulting and disrespectful boos as he walked meekly to the podium. It was as if Floyd felt shame and just did not have the strength to combat them. Maybe he understands they’re right to disrespect him for all his wicked conduct.

I’ll never forget the time in Miami when Floyd lifted his head up to acknowledge the huge roar of love from boxing fans to Oscar De La Hoya at the Oscar-Floyd Miami press conference in January 2007. Floyd was in awe and proud to even hear something like that, surely craving that kind of positive adoration for himself someday. All the money in the world can’t buy that type of respect.

Three years later, Floyd’s behavior has made him arguably, as evidenced by the booing, one of the most loathed characters in all of sports. He has no love except from a small band of fans and his team of sychophants.

Floyd composed himself to speak a fair bit but none of it was convincing in the least, “I want Shane to believe in himself. I believe in my skills…”

It was eery to see such a self-proclaimed great champion look and sound so weak and command such little respect. And appear so vulnerable. “I have a great trainer, he has a great trainer, we must understand – our trainers can’t fight for us…”

“That’s what I want to do, I want to test my skills against the best guys out there…”

About the new drug testing protocol he demanded for this fight…”I just want to change the way the sport of boxing is. I want to say, My sport is clean.”

The truth is he never cared about any of this until it was time to be sacrificed to Manny Pacquiao on March 13.

In the middle of this soliloquy, a red glove was brought over to Shane to sign from Floyd’s side of the stage. Floyd kept on babbling this bulljive to himself, which only an ignorant few really believe. “That’s why me and Shane are taking random…”

But suddenly Floyd began to stutter badly. The pressure to conceal the truth suddenly broke out. It was as if the hidden truth was leaking out of himself. He was losing his mind. He really didn’t know what he was talking about, it wasn’t coming straight from his heart, it was all really a horrible scheme concocted to defame and discredit Pacquiao, to avoid getting brutalized by Pacquiao on March 13.

The stuttering continued, astonishingly. “…random urine and random blood, random blood…” Floyd began to wave his hands helplessly, stuck for words, he really didn’t even know what he was talking about, even Richard Schaefer and Mosley looked up at him, like, wow, partly embarrassed for him.

He finally figured out what to say: “..random blood test.”

Floyd could not have sounded more unconvincing and fake. The whole random blood testing is obviously a lie, a scam, a fraud to prevent the bigger fraud from being revealed.

I believe the massive booing hurt Floyd and weakened him to expose his true self in Los Angeles. If Mosley has enough left in his tank, the now clearly fragile and flustered Floyd will be destroyed once and for all in Las Vegas on May 1.

But it could actually be a blessing in disguise for Floyd. If he can take the loss with class, he will gain more respect by far in defeat than all his wins combined.

“The humble shall be exalted. The exalted shall be humbled.”

“The man enslaved to wealth can never be honest.” — Democritus

“The truth annihilates falsehood.” –Qoran

Contact Scoop: mrbiofile@aol.com

Pacquiao: I don’t need Mayweather "Pacman Picks Mosley to win over Mayweather"

By Dennis Principe
www.FightNews.com

In what is so far his strongest message against bitter rival Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao said he considers his legacy in boxing as already cemented that he sees no need to fight the undefeated American boxer. Pacquiao made this declaration in a mini-press conference held during his courtesy call to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo at the Malacanang Palace moments after the pound-for-pound king arrived in the country Monday morning. “Our records will show I have beaten far better fighters compared to Mayweather. I’ve stated before that I am willing to fight him if that’s what the fans want to see. But if the fight doesn’t happen, I’m fine with it,” said Pacquiao.

Late last year talks about a Pacquiao-Mayweather bout went full steam until a stringent demand by the undefeated American that they both undergo Olympic-style blood testing messed up what would have been one of the sport’s most anticipated match-ups.

Mayweather has made countless allegations that Pacquiao used Performance-Enhancing Drugs (PED) to increase the chances of the seven-time world champion against bigger foes in moving up in weight from a skinny light flyweight all the way up to the welterweight division.

“He needs me more than I need him. If he wants the fight then let’s do it. I’m clean because I get my strength through hardwork and my faith in God,” said Pacquiao.

Mayweather is out to prove his point both in boxing skills and his aim of establishing new standard in drug testing when he battles fellow American Shane Mosley on May 1 in Las Vegas.

For their 12-round battle, Mayweather and Mosley have agreed to a no-advance-notice urine and blood testing to be conducted by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

“I pick Mosley to win that fight because he can throw a lot of punches compared to Mayweather who’s a very defensive boxer. Defense can’t win fights especially against a fighter like Mosley who relies on speed,” said Pacquiao.

Pacquiao meanwhile has indicated his willingness to hang-up his gloves especially now that his already illustrious mother Dionisia is more vocal than ever in earnestly seeing his son retire for good.

“That’s something that I am seriously considering because I’m sure you do not want to see me end up being a beaten man, right? I know I can still compete but it’s better to retire while I’m still healthy and enjoy my success with our countrymen,” said Pacquiao.

Pacquiao, a congressional candidate in the coming May elections, recently defended World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown via a 12-round decision winover Ghanaian Joshua Clottey in front of 51,000 paying fans last March 14 at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas