In Boxing News: Manny Pacquiao Mea Culpa, Slimmed Down Vargas, Gatti & More
By Boxing News January 25th, 2006In Boxing News: A Manny Pacquiao Mea Culpa
As regards Manny Pacquiao, today our own Matt Aguilar - in Boxing columnist running out of time? - steps up with a mea culpa: Sometimes writers are so off the mark, it’s hard not to giggle at their ridiculous judgment. Sometimes, they’re so out-of-sync with reality, that it is almost impossible not to reply to that writer and tell him what a dope he is. This is one of those times. And the replies were overwhelming. As stated here already, the response to Matt’s pre-fight column from the Filipino boxing fans was full-blooded to say the least. Full marks to Matt for holding up his hands and taking the incoming volleys with grace and humor. And I do agree with Matt about the Filipino fight fans. I watched Morales-Pacquiao in a very crowded bar that was jam-packed with Filipino Pacquaio fans. The atmosphere was fantastic for watching a fight, and after HBO interviewed Morales most of the Pacquiao fans applauded El Terrible. That was good to see. When Pacquaio was interviewed, well … I’m sure you can imagine.
Maybe Erik Morales’ best days as a fighter have already been witnessed, applauded and recorded. Three losses in his last four fights? That isn’t a bump in the road, says Rick Folstad, it’s a cold shower, a hard slap in the face. It’s a cruel, all-too-early wakeup call that tells you maybe it’s time to change jobs. There’s a rematch clause, but Pacquiao shouldn’t take the rematch and Morales shouldn’t want it, concludes Folstad. Editor in chief of Ring Magazine, Nigel Collins, suggests had Morales’ father still been in his corner the fight would have been stopped earlier.
With the help of his personal nutrition and health specialist, Fernando Vargas insists he has finally overcome the appetite that caused him to put on weight between fights in the past. Before he began training for one bout, he was up to 193 pounds. He struggled mightily to lose almost 40 pounds and make weight. Vargas said Tuesday, I couldn’t believe it. I said to myself, `I’ll never do that again,. Now I can pat myself on the back because I’m happy I didn’t mess up. Here’s hoping it’s indeed the case, because it seems to me that Vargas has said the same thing a number of times in the past. Vargas, of course, meets Shane Mosley on Feb. 25 in Las Vegas in a junior middleweight bout.
Nat Gottlieb, writing for HBO, says Arturo Gatti’s fans can’t get enough of ‘Thunder’. Nat seems to be onto something there. Even though he was blown out badly - in as bad as it gets - Gatti comes right back on HBO (January 28th) against Thomas Damgaard. Lou DiBella goes as far as to say, if Gatti doesn’t get into the Hall of Fame it would be an atrocity. I absolutely believe he is a first ballot Hall of Famer. I’m as big a fan of fellow-Canadian Gatti as anybody, but I wonder if that might be getting a little carried away. Or is that where the bar is set for entry into the International Boxing Hall of Fame?
The World Boxing Council has ordered Jermain Taylor to make his next defense against Winky Wright. If Taylor and Wright don’t reach an agreement by next Monday, a purse offer could be held in which other promoters would have the chance to bid for the fight. Wright’s team asked for a 50-50 split of the purse two weeks ago, and talks appeared to break down. Now, Taylor is looking at other options.Taylor is considering fighting Australia’s Sam Soliman, though promoter Lou DiBella says no deal has been completed: He’s a quality opponent and we’ve spoken to his people, but nothing is signed yet and there’s nothing done yet.
In the New York Daily News, Tim Smith reports the unhappy marriage between IBF heavyweight champ Chris Byrd and promoter Don King is about to come to an amicable ending. Talks are underway that will allow Byrd and King to settle their dueling lawsuits and leave Byrd a free agent.
Oscar De La Hoya has not fought in the ring in 16 months and has moved on to a wide-ranging entrepreneurial career. But he plans to step back inside the ropes this year for two more bouts, his last hurrah as a boxer. First, he is to meet Ricardo Mayorga in a light middleweight title fight May 6.
With two separate fight cards featuring several top female fighters taking place this weekend in Southern California, the Press-Enterprise looks at the advancements and regressions women’s boxing has taken recently.
(As always … more Boxing News Links at TheSweetScience.com)
January 25th, 2006 at 6:17 pm
Thankfully the WBC has suggested Jermain Taylor’s next defence (first loss) be against Winky Wright. The WBC’s proclamations make sense. It’s the best fight at middleweight, for the fans and the fighters.
Probably not for Taylor. He’ll rally behind the money excuse and seek out recently defeated fighters like Sam Solimon to fight.
So what - it’ll mean nothing Jermain.
Another situation could arise, with the WBC stripping a hesitant Taylor of his title, allowing Wright to fight someone who doesn’t deserve a shot for the right to be called champion.
So what, it’ll mean nothing Winky, not when there is an undisputed champ already who doesn’t want to fight.
The situation in all likelihood will become farcical, because two fighters (and their management) couldn’t agree on a purse split due to pride and fear.
The IBF and the WBA should follow the leader (the WBC) and order Taylor to fight Wright or risk being stripped.
That’ll put some pressure on the undisputed champ.
Boxing fans should pressure these guys too.
Tell them not to be so stupid, fearful or filled with pride.
Tell them we won’t watch them unless they fight each other.
I certainly won’t.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:32 pm
Prognostication is an error filled exercise. There were columnists here in the Philippines who predicted that Pacquiao would lose when he faced Barrera. They too got red faced and they also got threats. Serious or not it made for an amusing column and talk show conversation afterwards.
When Pacquiao faced Morales in their rematch they already knew better.
January 26th, 2006 at 12:13 am
it’s nice
January 26th, 2006 at 12:41 am
i think that this article is too busy….
and yes, i am a proud filipino fan of mr.pacman pacquio!!!
January 26th, 2006 at 1:32 am
I am a regular visitor of your great site, gents.
The main reason is I can feel that your site is well organized and runned
on a high professional level. The writers continuously dishing out floods of those good read articles. And they are humble when acknowledging their unintentional error in judment(notably Matt A.) Too bad Mr. Pat Putnam is now punchin’ up there. I’m from the Philippines and big pacman fan.
It’s now wild and crazy here. Pacman’s win had seemed to do more good changes in one fell swoop than the last four (4) presidents of my country had during their terms. Officially, two (2) persons have died so far while watching the Pacman-El Terrible fight. frankly, it could have been more.
I watched the fight live on a ppv theather and saw an old guy on his wheelchair watching it, too. This is factual, gents. The guy said he knew it will be bad for his heart, but he also said that if he’s gonna go anyway, be it watching a Pacman victory and he’ll go quietly with a smile on his face…
January 26th, 2006 at 2:58 am
Nobody’s perfect. we can always make predictions but still be surprised by the result… it’s only good that these people accepts it when they make mistakes or are proven wrong… but it’s so sad that there are people who can’t accept the fact that manny pacquiao won via TKO against morales.
January 26th, 2006 at 4:20 am
See what happen to Morales, he said he will knockdown pacman but instead he’s the one. pacman is the best boxer ever so barrera and marquez must prepare themselves because they are next.
January 26th, 2006 at 5:55 am
so matt aguilar…have you got anything more to say about paquiao running out of time ey?….you should buy chris a beer for bailing you out. duh.
January 26th, 2006 at 1:08 pm
eii pacquiao galing galing m0 talga ng kababayan k0 ah..kala mnamen di ka mananal0 yer da bez m0ney yer da bez ever..we l0ve y0u s0 much…GUDLUCK EN GOD BLESS YOU …..
January 27th, 2006 at 1:07 am
the country is in euphoria today (jan.27). it’s p-day. smiles can be seen in almost 80-million faces as television cameras flash with that constantly battered yet granite-hard face of the national hero.. no one has seen this so widespread jubilation for over 20 years since a bloodless revolt staged against a dictator…
all i can say is, thank GOD! for giving the Filipinos, a Pacman..!
the next best thing to Elorde!
January 27th, 2006 at 1:31 pm
Nobody ever said that “the sweet science” is an EXACT ONE! (pun intended)