Pacquiao vs Hatton

News of Floyd Mayweather Jr's unretirement has been floating around lately. And as much as some boxing fans eagerly await the official announcement of his return and his possible bout with Pacquiao, Manny Pacquiao's camp is not looking beyond his current challenge in Ricky Hatton. Ricky Hatton vs Manny Pacquiao. Manny Pacquiao vs Ricky Hatton.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Manny Pacquiao. Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather. However which way you put it, the title alone gives fight fans a chilling tingle to the possible matchup. Mayweather vs Pacquiao. Pound for pound. There can only be one. Now that's one fight boxing fans should never miss.

But let us focus on the current business at hand. Pacquiao vs Mayweather will never happen unless Pacquiao gets by Ricky Hatton who in recent reports have been throwing a lot of bombs towards Pacquiao's camp.

Ricky Hatton has time and again boldly declared that he will shock Manny Pacquiao during their May 2 fight in Las Vegas. Citing ultimately that Pacquiao's team is not preparing him for the new and overhauled Hitman Hatton.

With Floyd Mayweather Sr. in his corner, Ricky Hatton is beaming with confidence. So confident in fact that he believes that not only will he overpower the smaller Pacquiao, he will also match Pacquiao in speed and aggressiveness. Hatton has boldly predicted that he will knock Pacquiao out and claim the Pound-for-pound title.

But let us look at all the fight hype objectively. With Floyd Mayweather Sr. in Ricky Hatton's camp, all the bombs towards the other camp is expected. It is part of Mayweather Sr's tactic of psyching out the opponent. Boxing after all is not just a brute fight in the ring. It is also a mind game. And this is what Floyd Mayweather Sr. is trying to pull off.

But come fight night, will Ricky 'the Hitman' Hatton really overpower the Pacman? Will he be able to neutralize Pacquiao's speed, power and unrelenting attack? Will his size advantage be really that much of a difference? And more importantly, with Floyd Mayweather Sr in his corner, how much of a difference will it really make?

We've seen Ricky Hatton transform into a boxer from a bullying brawler in his fight against Paulie Malignaggi. And fight fans should not forget how Hatton fared in his previous fight. Yes Ricky Hatton has slowly changed his fighting style. He now picks his moments and has added some defensive arsenal in his fighting style. But is this really good for Hatton? When all his life he has fought straight-up, brawling his opponents to submission?

What fight fans should remember is Paulie Malignaggi is a weak boxer who depends so much on scoring points to win fights. He is no Manny Pacquiao, not even close. And although Hatton outscored Malignaggi in their fight, Ricky Hatton cannot do the same against Pacquiao.

When Hatton starts feeling Pacquiao's power, I doubt he will be able to retain composure. This is evident on how Hatton lost his cool against Floyd Mayweather Jr., which eventually led to him kissing the canvass.

Ricky Hatton has declared that he is the king of the 140-pound division and no one can beat him at that weight. Well, THAT is a fact...for now that is. But how long can Hatton hold on to his crown? Until Manny Pacquiao officially fights at 140, we will just have to wait.

May 2. East vs West. Hatton vs Pacquaio. Pacquiao vs Hatton.

Is Bob Arum Afraid of Mayweather for Pacquiao?

Pacquiao against Cotto. Pacquiao against Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. These are the fights Top Rank Boss Bob Arum wants. And with the rumors of Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s comback floating around every corner, Arum is obviously playing deaf. Or is he?

The big fight for Pacquiao, should he win against Ricky Hatton, is Cotto or Chavez. This was according to Arum of course. Even the name of a fighter who should have retired years ago is being put into the picture. And that name is Oscar Dela Hoya.

Arum obviuosly thinks that Mayweather is not the name to rake in the money right now. Well let's say that maybe, just maybe, Money May needs a little bit of a tuneup before he can again be in the boxing spotlight. But it is an undeniable fact that the rumors of Mayweather coming out of retirement (not the closet) is making more buzz than the names Miguel Cotto or Julio Cesar Chavez.

Even Chavez 39-0-1 (29KO), who is fresh off a victory against Luciano Cuello in Tijuana, Mexico on Saturday night is overshadowed by the mere news of Mayweather's return. Besides, Chavez fights in the Junior Middlewieght ranks and Pacquiao has only started to climb up to Welterweight. If many argued how much of a mismatch Pacquiao's last fight against Dela Hoya was, I wonder what boxing fans would think about this matchup. Sure, Pacquiao could give Chavez a beating like he did Oscar, but it would still be a mismatch one way or another.

Given that both Cotto and Pacquiao are promoted by Arum's Top Rank seems logical enough that Arum wants the two slug it out. However, this is not the fight fans want to see.

Mayweather is a boring fighter. He cherry-picks his opponents. He runs around the ring more than he throws punches. And Freddie Roach was spot on when he said that when you fight Mayweather, win or lose, you look bad doing it.

Nevertheless, even with all these negative publicity, Mayweather undeniably still has star-power as well as hate-value that keep fight fans interested in him. And a fight with Pacquiao definitely will pull in more PPV numbers than a fight against Cotto and Chavez combined.

Bob Arum apparently does not want Pacquiao to fight Mayweather for the reason that if the current Pound-for-Pound champ loses to the former Pound-for-Pound champ, Pac will lose the luster he has earned during his one-sided win against Dela Hoya. Pacquiao after all is his Money Man.

But will this really be the case? Other than Paul Williams, Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito, Pacquiao has what it takes to beat Mayweather. And should this fight materialize, it will still be one hell of a fight (all credits to Pacquiao of course).

Mayweather is a boring fighter but he is good at what he does. And if Arum wants Pacquiao to fight anyone but PBF, that makes him no different than the cherry-picker in Mayweather.

Pound-for-Pound Champ Pacquiao is 2008 Fighter of the Year

For the second time in three years, Manny Pacquiao has been voted by The Boxing Writers' Assn. of America on Tuesday as the Fighter of the Year.

The Filipino fighter, who is currently preparing for his May 2 clash against Ricky Hatton, edged out the recently retired Joe Calzaghe for the award. Freddie Roach, the Hall of Fame trainer of Pacquiao, was also named Trainer of the Year for the third time since 2003.

Pacquiao, who first fought Juan Manuel Marquez in 2008 won a super-featherweight world title last March on a split-decision. He then moved up in weight and beat world lightweight champion David Diaz by ninth-round knockout. After that fight, he once again moved up in weight and defied boxing logic by dismantling Oscar De La Hoya over eight rounds in December, making the 10-time world champion quit before the ninth round began.

"It's always nice to be recognized for doing a good job. I appreciate it a lot. We worked hard on making Manny a better fighter, and I think he was last year."

Roach said Pacquiao is "very excited" at the honor and intends to attend the BWAA dinner in June in New York.

Pacquiao is currently training under Freddie Roach for his May 2 fight against Hatton with a possibility of facing Floyd Mayweather on July.

Mayweather to Comeback; Still Cherry-Picking?

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Some want it. Some don't. But make no mistake, Floyd Mayweather will come back.The main issue however is who Floyd wants to fight.

Marquez has openly expressed his intention on fighting Mayweather. The winner of the Pacquiao-Hatton fight on May 2 is also being put on the line. And there's Shane Mosley.

Mayweather of course is reportedly asking for a tune-up fight before taking on the bigger fights. Many think that Andre Berto, an undefeated boxer going up in the welterweight ranks, would be perfect for this tune-up fight.

With all these developments, one cannot help but ask why a lot of significant names are not being mentioned. When Mayweather retired on 2007, he said there was no more challenge left for him in boxing. This of course was a lie. A lie that Mayweather knows but made himself firmly believe in.

Miguel Cotto.

Antonio Margarito (who unfortunately is suspended).

Paul Williams.

These names are the biggest names in Welterweight along with Mosley. But Mayweather has continually ducked them opting for safer fights in the older Dela Hoya, the smaller Hatton, and the safety of retirement.

Before Mayweather retired, Cotto was undefeated. He was the man-to-beat. He was a hungry champion. But Mayweather has ducked him straight up while giving lousy excuses. He knows Cotto was dangerous. He would not dare risk his record against him.

Cotto, of course suffered his first defeat in the hands of Antonio Margarito. With his rock-hard chin and hands, Margarito was a feared man. He simply walks up to his opponents straight up and pounds them like a jackhammer on concrete. Its no wonder Mayweather avoids him.

But the biggest name in the welterweight ranks has got to be Paul Williams. At a towering 6'1, williams is an unstoppable force. Height advantage, reach advantage, speed, power, metal chin, and a physique made of molded iron, Williams possesses all the arsenals that make him the best Welterweight.

What these three fighters need to do is go to Mayweather's gym or anywhere else and challenge him straight up in front of many people. This way, Mayweather will have no choice but to accept or risk being exposed of yet ducking these fighters.. in public.

Marquez is too small. Hatton had his chance. Pac could beat him. Mosley is great but old.The real fights are there in his own division. So why look in the lower weights? If Mayweather says he is the best then he should prove himself against the best.

My two-cents worth:
Cotto will give Mayweather a run for his money and take it away.. Margarito will beat him to a pulp.. and Williams will send him back into retirement.

Why Mayweather's Comeback Is Bad For Boxing

Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s name has been making news in the recent weeks. Recent reports talked about his possible comeback to the boxing scene and much hype is passed around about his possible square-up against Marquez, Hatton, Pacquiao or Mosley.

What I do not get is why boxing reporters are giving Pretty Boy so much hype. Well it is a given that he is an undefeated boxer and the former pound-for-pound best, a title which he does not very much deserve.

How can he be pound-for-pound best when he hasn't even fought the top fighters in his own division?

I also do not get why some writers anticipate his return like its the event to watch out for. Mayweather is a boring boxer, a very boring one in fact. Having seen plenty of his fights, I am surprised that people still watch him do his stuff in the ring. If you are wondering what I am talking about.. get a copy of his fights and tell me if you are entertained.

Each time I watched his fights with some friends and six-packs, it never fails to get those "oh man, will you just stand your ground and fight like a man" comments. It's boxing for crying out loud and people do not pay to see someone throw one punch and run around like a chicken. Heck even I am embarassed by his "please dont hurt me" style.

Mayweather was given the nickname "Pretty Boy" because his face has never been cut or bruised in a fight. Well of course. That's a given considering his fighting style if it could even be considered fighting.

My point is why give a fighter much hype when he is bad for the sport? I remember one a hall-of-fame commentator saying, during Mayweather's fight against Dela Hoya, that he hoped the fight will be as good as all the hype during the pre-fight events. This was an obvious concern over the fate of boxing with the growing popularity of another combat sport in Mixed Martial Arts.

If it wasn't for Dela Hoya's pressure from time to time, the fight would have been a lot more boring than it was. The fight sold record pay-per-view numbers of course because Dela Hoya is a house-hold name in boxing. There was much hype in that fight with all the celebrities at ring-side and serious and casual boxing fans glued to the their sets on PPV.

The fight however was a disappointment. There were no knockouts. Even Dela Hoya did not get a single bruise from all Mayweather's one-punch and run tactic. And it was bad for the sport. During a time when the sports world's attention was focused on boxing, Dela Hoya gave it all and Mayweather did his usual running.

Fighters like Pacquiao and Marquez have kept boxing alive and exciting. Mayweather's return may and will cause some excitement. But it will be short-lived and overshadowed by his boring style. And it is bad for boxing.

Mayweather to return july 11; wants Pac or Hatton

Mayweather's return is imminent. Reports of his return first surfaced when he was sighted doing some workouts in his Las Vegas gym. Now, his adviser Al Haymon has reportedly started talks with HBO for Mayweather's comeback fight. Money may has been hounded with problems with the IRS and now he IS going to the bank.

Now the question is, who will he fight?

Mayweather's camp is saying that he will fight anyone who wants him. Marquez, Mosley, Pacquiao or Hatton. He however expressed his unwillingness to fight Dela Hoya a second time around.

The winner of the Hatton-Pacquiao fight could be Mayweather's next opponent. Pacquiao, the clear favorite in the May 2 fight, would make for a good matchup against PBF. Pacquiao is the only fighter today that matches Mayweather in speed and there's no doubting his power as well.

The other names being thrown into the picture may not make a good fight as the others being considered.

Marquez against Mayweather would just be plain ugly. Marquez is clearly too small for Mayweather and both fighter's styles pitted against each other would make up for an ugly, boring match. Although, Marquez has shown otherwise when he fought another defensive counter-puncher in Joel Casamayor. We will have to see if this fight can materialize.

We've seen how Mayweather's defense has frustrated Hatton in their last fight and I do not think fight fans want to see that again. Besides, Hatton still has to deal with Pacquiao first.

Now, Mayweather against Shane Mosley. Now this would also make for a good matchup. Mosley, who PBF has been accused of ducking, is a strong fighter. He is well past his prime but he obviously can still deliver based on his last fight against Antonio Margarito. His exciting power-punching style would be perfect for Money May's defensive boxing. Fight fans would be excited for the outcome of this long-overdue fight.

What remains a mystery though, is why other prominent fighters in Mayweather's weight class are not mentioned. Names like Paul Williams and Miguel Cotto or even the suspended Margarito (they can fight anywhere). Marquez, Hatton and Pacquiao are fighters who belong in the lower weight classes from Mayweather's natural weight class which is already a clear advantage for him.

Will Mayweather follow his usual pattern of cherry-picking? We will see.

Mayweather to return July 11

Maywether's adviser Al Haymon is reportedly having talks with HBO for Floyd's possible return to the boxing scene. The retired former Pound-for-pound champ is expected to return as early as July 11 of this year.

Sources say that PBF is very interested in fighting the winner of the Hatton-Pacquiao fight in May 2. However, he is most likely to take a tune-up fight first. Haymon has said that Mayweather has expressed that should he return, his fights should be under HBO and not pay-per-view. The only problem is that Money May wants pay-per-view-level cash which obviously is impossible.

The probable reason that he wants HBO to cover his first fight is because if pay-per-view numbers are not good in his tune-up fight, then it could be a bad precedent for his future fights.

Mayweather's last two fights though have been off the charts, PPV-wise. However, his opponents in Oscar Dela Hoya and Ricky Hatton were clearly the factor why it became so. Oscar Dela Hoya, boxing's Golden Boy, has pay-per-view written all over each of his fights regardless of the opponent. Ricky Hatton, the British pug, also has a very large following in his home country England.

No name has been given yet on who Mayweather plans to fight for his comeback.

Pacquiao injures Sparmate

Manny Pacquiao gave his sparmate a beating, knocked him down and left a huge cut in his left eyelid. His first training session at Freddie Roach's Wild Card Gym in LA was curt short as his sparring partner Art Hovhannesyan got injured during the fight.

That the 27-year-old Hovhannesyan was injured while equipped with a head gear with a face mask further underscored the power behind Pacquiao’s punches. Hovhannesyan, who holds a 7-win, no-loss, 1-draw record with 2 knockouts, fights out of the Glendale Boxing Club in California.

According to Dr. Ed de la Vega of Philboxing, a crisp left cross first sent the Armenian diving to the canvas. It was, however, a left hook that opened a one-inch cut on Hovhannesyan’s left upper eyelid and halted the sparring.

Pacquiao has just started his training under Freddie Roach and his assistant, former Heavyweight champ Michael Moorer. He is preparing for his fight against Ricky "the Hitman" Hatton on May 2.

Hatton Predicts KO against Pacquiao

International Boxing Organization (IBO) Junior Welterweight Champion Ricky Hatton is confident he will knockout Manny Pacquiao at least midway into their 12-round title fight in Las Vegas on May 2.

Hatton predicts a knockout between the sixth and 10th rounds. He said he is in top form to beat the best pound-for-pound fighter today. Both Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach and Top Rank Promotions boss Bob Arum similarly pronounced earlier the May 2 boxing showdown will not go the distance.

Hatton is now on rigid training in Manchester under the watchful eye and supervision of Floyd Mayweather, Sr..He is not on strict diet, although he admits, he still needs to lose more pounds. Hatton is excited on their new game plan, which he calls “controlled aggression” to match the hand speed and fast footwork of Pacquiao.

"We're both very aggressive fighters. I'll have to go for the knockout so," Hatton said. "I mean, you can never say never. I mean, the main thing is, I'm sure Manny would say the same, is that we win."

Meanwhile, Mayweather, Sr. celebrated his 56th birthday in Bristol, where a non-title boxing card was also presented by Hatton Promotions.

Win or lose, Hatton wishes to visit the Philippines and is open to do a commercial project with Pacquiao. Hatton was amazed how Filipino boxing fans glorified Pacquiao especially during their previous UK promo tour.

"The people are wonderful, very, very nice people. When we had a press conference in London and Manchester lots of Filipino people turned up and they were very nice, very, very polite, very proud of their fighter,” he said. He added: “Yeah, of course, I mean I've heard good things about the Filipino people. The brief encounter I've had with them is everything that people have said is true, they're very nice people.”

Hatton did not forget to greet his Filipino fans, too."Mabuhay kapamilya, maraming salamat," said Hatton.

Hatton is set to leave for the United States on April after watching the boxing match of his younger brother, Matthew, on March 28 in Altrincham, England.

Mosley wants a piece of Pacquiao

Shane Mosley wants Pacquiao.

In an interview with Ricardo Lois of Examiner.com, the WBA welterweight champion was quoted as saying “I’m very interested in that fight, I really want that fight bad. Very good for the boxing world and the public, Manny Pacquiao being No. 1 in the pound for pound list.”

But the 37-year-old Mosley doesn’t want to go down to junior welterweight anymore, saying it would be very difficult for him to fight at 140 lb having fought at 154 in the past.

Pacquiao of course is preparing for a fight with Ricky Hatton at the 140 lb level. His last fight against Oscar Dela Hoya was at 147.

Freddie Roach Fires back at Mayweather Sr.

The celebrated trainer and coach of the current pound-for-pound best boxer in the world fires back at his nemesis in Floyd Mayweather Sr.

Freddie Roach was quoted as saying that Ricky Hatton's trainer Floyd Mayweather Snr was "a poor choice" and insists that the British fighter would have been better served "coming to join me in Los Angeles, with me as his trainer."

Roach simply thinks that Mayweather specializes in defensive boxing which is very much in contrast with Ricky Hatton's natural style.

"Floyd doesn't have Ricky's style, and they are a poor mix of styles. I'd have been much better for Ricky than Mayweather. He should have come to me in Los Angeles. "

"Mayweather's a trainer who teaches a defensive, slick fighting style. That's not Ricky's style. The best way to make Ricky into a better fighter is what we have done with Manny Pacquiao. You can't make Hatton fight like Juan Manuel Marquez. He's different."

Mayweather Sr. has always called Roach names like "the joke" and downplayed his abilities as a trainer.

Roach of course, unlike Mayweather Sr., is a 2-time Trainer-of-the-year and is in the Hall of Fame of Boxing.

Mayweather to "make an Announcement"

Backing up earlier reports that Floyd Mayweather Jr. may come back from his retirement, his camp has issued a statement that he is set to give an "announcement" this week after pulling out of a fund-raiser days earlier.

This announcement may or may not have anything to do with him coming back or anything related to boxing at all. However, his every move is being closely watched. It seems that May fans and haters alike are feeling some hints of "itch that needs to be scratched" from Floyd.

But if you ask me, I hope Mayweather stays retired. Its better for boxing that way. Fight fans will be given more punch-for-each-penny-paid action-packed fights with him out of the picture.
Many boxing fans probably want him to go back to boxing to watch him taste defeat in the hands of Cotto, Mosley, Williams and other great Welterwights. However, I shit you not that it will never happen.

Duck and collect. That's how Money May fights and it will stay that way. So please, Floyd.. enough drama and STAY RETIRED. Enjoy your life out there and let us enjoy action-packed boxing the way it should be.

Hatton's Corner: Will Mayweather Sr. make a difference?

Having a new trainer in Floyd Mayweather by his side, Ricky "the Hitman" Hatton is confident that he will win in the scheduled clash against Manny Pacquiao on May 2.

But how different will Hatton really be come fight night? Watching his last fight against Paulie Malignaggi, which was his first fight with Mayweather Sr. in his corner, the British pugilist has shown a lot more patience inside the ring. He was slightly different from the Hatton-of-old who brawled his opponenst senselessly without any hint of defense. Malignaggi of course is no Pacquiao. Comparing him to the Pacman is like comparing paper to stone.

Now the question is, when faced with a much faster and a much-hard-hitting fighter, will Hatton be able to maintain composure? Or will he go back to his old vulnerable brawling style once he gets hurt?

The answers on May 2.

Chasing Money May: Shane, Pac & Marquez

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been creating plenty of buzz lately as he was recently spotted in his Las Vegas Gym doing some sparring rounds. Many has taken this as a sign that Money May is now once again coming back to the boxing scene.
His last retirement in 2007 was never really taken seriously by fans and critics alike. Many thought it was just a ploy to avoid big, risky fights with Cotto, Margarito or Mosley. As we know, there are only two things Mayweather is concerned about.. money and his unblemished record.
And now that his name is being dragged back into the boxing spotlight, three names are coming up as potential opponents should Prettyboy Floyd really come back: Juan Manuel Marquez, Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley.


Juan Manuel Marquez: Fresh of his victory against Juan Diaz, Marquez immediately called out Mayweather, saying he is the best and he wants to fight the best. This of course was seen as a ploy to lure out Pacquiao. But should this fight happen, here is my two-cents worth for the fight:

The Fight: An ugly and boring match (or mis-match). Among the 3 fighters mentioned, Mayweather though is most likely to pick Marquez as his opponent as he is the fighter that poses the least threat to his record. Marquez is a much smaller fighter from the Super-featherweight ranks. Should he move up and fight Money May even at a catch weight of 144, he wont have enough power to hurt him. Mayweather is much bigger and faster than him. He also possesses a better defensive skill set. Marquez though has this unique ability to grow stronger late into the fight which might just give Mayweather a run for his money in the later rounds.

The Verdict: Mayweather by a late TKO or decision (a close one).



Manny Pacquiao: Now this would make for a classic fight. Manny against Money. Offense against Defense. Pound for Pound. Although, Pac has never really flat-out called on Mayweather, fans have been clamoring for this fight to happen. The former Pound-for-pound champ against the current Pound-for-pound champ. Many has now considered Pacquiao to be the one to defeat Money May based on their fights against Oscar Dela Hoya. When Mayweather fought ODLH, it came down to a very close and controversial Split-decision. It was a much different fight when Pacquiao fought Oscar. The fight was so one-sided that Oscar's camp was forced to stop the fight in the beginning of the 9th round.

The Fight: Mayweather is known for his defense and quick hands. But with Pacquiao's wide stance and long straight power-punching style and very good lateral movement, his style is perfect against Mayweather. Money May's sound defensive boxing has often frustrated opponents, making them lose focus and engage in a brawl. This is where Mayweather's quick hands come in to either KO his opponents or score quick points. Just like what happened to Ricky Hatton.
Pacquiao however is a much better and polished fighter than Hatton. He never engages mindlessly in brawls and possesses a hand-speed as fast as Mayweather. With his wide stance, he is able to engage his opponents from afar and unload those powerful 1-2 punch combination. And surprisingly he has brought his power with him going up in weight as he has demonstrated in his fight against Dela Hoya where the latter was forced into submission. But since Mayweather is very sound defensively, he may just avoid being KOed by Pacquiao.

The Verdict: Pacquiao by decision

Shane Mosley: One of the greatest Welterweights of all-time just like Mayweather. Another would-be-classic should this push through. I can not blame Money May for ducking Shane Mosley during his prime. He is a very dangerous fighter after all. But now that aged has caught up to him at 37, Mayweather might just agree to fight him for some serious dough. Reports have emerged that Mayweather has named his price at $20 mil to fight Mosley. This ridiculous amount is either based on May's love for money or to yet duck Shane once again. Shane Mosley is fresh off a stunning victory against Antonio Margarito, another strong welterweight that Mayweather is accused of ducking.

The Fight: If you've seen how Shane demolished Margarito in their last fight, you would not doubt that he definitely still has it. A very dangerous power-puncher with a very strong chin, Shane will pressure Mayweather all through out the fight until he forces him to kiss the canvass. Make no mistake though, that Mayweather's defense and quick counters will hurt Shane and give him a hard time. But Shane's bulk, power, experience and unrelenting pressure will be the difference in this fight.

The Verdict: Shane Mosley by KO or decision

Dream Match: Pacquiao vs Mayweather

If a fight between Many "Pac-man" Pacquiao and Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. is to happen, it will certainly have Fight of the Year, or even Fight of the Decade written all over it.

"Ther can only be one. Pound for pound." would be a perfect catchphrase.

The photo above says it all. The Hype. The Drama. The One. The Undisputed. The Greatest.

But one question remains. Who will win?

I put my money on Pac. Are you up for it?

Mayweather Back In Training?

Another report has surfaced hours ago that Floyd "Money" Mayweather is back in his Las Vegas Gym for some sparring sessions. If these reports are accurate, this may very well be a sign that Money May is dead set on coming back to the boxing scene.

Days after Juan Manuel Marquez has called out Money May, it seems that the former Pound-for-Pound best has started to smell the bait.

The undefeated boxer seems ready to unretire and the "hurt" business is in for another classic with the Money Man.

But is his unretirement really good for boxing?

I for one would not think so. I would like to, but no.

Mayweather's timing is too predictable in my opinion. It seems that, if he ever comes back, the fighter he would be willing to face is Juan Manuel Marquez, a much smaller fighter coming from a fresh victory in the Lightweight ranks, and whose natural fighting weight is at the Super Featherweight Division. May's natural fighting weight is at Welterweight, two legitimate weight classes above Marquez'.

Putting Marquez and Mayweather will give us one of the most boring fights, given both fighters' styles. Mayweather will make money and may again retire undefeated, not challenging the best in his weight category. This would just be another disappointment in the sport where fans clamor for action-packed classic fights.

However, if Money Mayweather decides to fight legitimate fighters in his own weight class, then he might just change a lot of critics' and fans' opinion about him.

With 39 fights in his belt still undefeated, Mayweather is no doubt one of the greatest boxers of all-time. But until he gets to his 40th to 50th fights, the stage where the legitimate, prime Welterweights clash, he will just be Pound-for-pound best in paper. Not proven. Doubted.

Marquez vs Mayweather to materialize?

A very recent report has surfaced that when Marquez called on Mayweather, he was dead serious about it.

After his fight with Juan Diaz which ended in a spectacular knockout of the "Baby Bull", Juan Manuel Marquez called on the retired, former Pound-for-pound great Floyd Mayweather Jr. However Marquez' statement was not taken seriously as it was viewed only as a ploy to lure Pacquiao into agreeing to a third matchup with Marquez.

Reports have also surfaced about Pacquiao finally agreeing to a third meeting with Marquez after his May 2 encounter with Ricky Hatton.

Now things are becoming a little complicated since Golden Boy Promotions' Richard Schaefer has said that Marquez was serious with his intent on fighting Mayweather. And it seems that Mayweather just might take the bait. A fight with Marquez, after all, is the most low-risk, high-pay fight for him at the moment. As many boxing fans know, Mayweather is all for low-risk money fights.

But should this fight materialize, would it really make for a "money" fight?

With Mayweather's trashtalking and boxing fans' curiosity on how high Marquez can go with his 35-year-old body, ring smarts and sheer guts, this matchup could just have the right ingredients for it. Being the "money" fight does not make it THE FIGHT though.

As always, Mayweather will always duck stronger opponents like Pacquiao, Williams, Mosley, Margarito (who is currently suspended) and Cotto. Marquez is also great, but lets face it, among all the fighters I mentioned, he is the most low-risk fighter to fight Mayweather.

And with both their styles being defensive and counterpunchers, its going to be a boring fight.
I think the better matchup would be Marquez-Pacquiao and Mayweather against Mosley or Cotto or Williams. And whoever wins in these matchups will fight each other.

Now that would make for a great fight!

Hopkins picks Pacquiao over Hatton

Last time around, Hopkins was sure there was no way Pacquiao could beat Dela Hoya.
Now, he is picking Manny Pacquiao to win against Ricky Hatton. According to legendary Middlewieght, Pacquiao's speed will spell the difference in the fight.

Mayweather Sr. has also continued to trashtalk Pac's camp. He has given his word that his fighter, come fight night will be stronger and faster than Pacquiao. Adding to these statements is his continuing trashtalking against Freddie Roach, trainer of Pacquiao, calling him names like "the joke" Roach.

With all these fight hype and analysis of the May 2 fight, Pacquiao has remained the favorite to win the fight.

Pacquiao now wants Marquez

After years of hounding Pacquiao like a starved mongrel, Marquez is finally getting a shot on a third encounter with the current Pound for pount best fighter in the world. This, at least, is according to the latest comments issued by Pacquiao.

Pacquiao has been quoted as saying that he is willing to face Marquez for the third time to settle the score once and for all.

Pacquiao and Marquez' first two fights have been hounded by controversies following a Draw in the first fight and a Split-Decision favoring Pacquiao in the second contest. Both contests were closely contested that debates on who really won still rage on.

After his stunning victories against Joel Casamayor and Juan Diaz, both of whom who have never been stopped before, Marquez has definitely cemented his place among the best fighters in the world today. The title of Pound for pound best is now being challenged by Marquez, since Joe Calzaghe has announced his retirement.

Marquez, like Pacquiao, has climbed up in weight, fighting legitimate lightweight champions. What is amazing is how he has brought his power and intensity to this weight level. Pacquiao, on the other hand, has impressed fans and critics alike, going from Superfeatherweight to Lightweight to fighting in the Welterweight ranks. Pacquiao's last two fights were against David Diaz (Lightweight) and the legendary Golden Boy Oscar dela Hoya whom he upset and forced into submission.

However, many fans and critics argue that Marquez has fought the tougher fights going up in weight.

Boxing fans will continue to argue on who between the two is the better fighter. I for one believe that both fights should have been called a Draw.

Pacquiao-Marquez III, if pushed through this year, will definitely have Fight-of-the-Year potentials, and could even overshadow the explosive Diaz-Marquez fight.

I'm hoping that this matchup will materialize. Since Pacquiao has hinted that he will be retiring after two more fights, then Pacquiao-Marquez III would be a perfect ending to his illustrious career and go down in boxing's Hall of Fame as one of, if not, the greatest boxer of all-time.

This of course, can only happen after his fight with Ricky Hatton come May 2.

Pacquiao-Marquez III: The Final Showdown... Let's get it on!