Behind every great man is a great woman

Rachel Donaire and Roberto Garcia

“Once we got married my wife told me that as a man of the house I was required to make all the family decisions, pending her final approval,” smiled Big Steve during our morning java at Starbucks on Western Avenue:” To which I replied that behind every great man stands a great woman. So tell me, did you talk to Mrs. Donaire? How was she able to patch up a quarrel between her hubby and Top Rank?”

 

Cute as button, Mrs. Nonito Donaire has a strong backbone; she stands behind her man. Rachel has not always been a darling with a media. As a matter of fact, she has been blamed for Nonito cutting off a relationship with his father as his trainer and more… Than there are others that say that she helped to turn Nonito from a boy that sometimes he still is, into a grown man.

 

“Nonito’s lawyers advised him to go into litigation with Top Rank. That was his decision and his legal team’s decision,” said lovely Mrs. Donaire when I interviewed her on Saturday at the Undisputed Gym inSan Carlos:” After a while it was my birthday wish that he’d get back in the ring. So, there was always an open door with Top Rank and Bob Arum had personally came up to me and apologized for the things that he emotionally had said at that time and I put all my pride aside and it doesn’t matter to me and I felt that I needed to make sure that he was o.k. So we discussed the things that Nonito thought was important in his career and what path he wanted to go down and I sat down with Todd Duboef. We mapped out a plan, a fight plan for Nonito and ever since than we’ve been down the same path.  Nonito was 112 when he signed with Top Rank the first time .They didn’t think he was going to be 118,122,126. So now that they are understanding that Nonito is willing to take a chance to move up, they are understanding how much pride he wants to bring to the Philippines, now they are all for it.”

 http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-glendale-ca/behind-every-great-man-is-a-great-woman

 

Nonito may be slight better than Pacquiao according to Roberto Garcia

Nonito Donaire

Pound for pound king, Manny Pacquiao is a Pilipino pugilist who fights inAmerica. His possible heir apparent, Nonito Donaire is an American fighter who does not forget his Pilipino heritage. While Pacquiao was on the plane flying from Philippines to Los Angeles, Nonito Donaire hosted a gym work out to a growing army of Filipino fans that showed up to see the rising star at the Undisputed Gym in San Carlos, California. It was a real treat.

 

Nonito treated packed house at the Undisputed gym to ten hard rounds of sparring, Q&A with fans and media, autograph signing session, ruffle and prizes along with other exercises which included fan interaction. It was as if Donaire has been doing it all his life.

Considering that the best fighter on the planet is contemplating retirement and looks toward his future in politics, could Nonito Donaire be the one to take over? I asked Nonito’s trainer to elaborate.

 

“If we talk about accomplishments, Manny Pacquiao has done it all,” said Roberto Garcia when I interviewed him yesterday inSan Carlos:”He’s beaten everybody in the world. He’s moved up from flyweight to super welterweight, which is something that we might never see again. But if we talk about skills; he is there or may be slight better than Pacquiao. You never know his skills are so good that I could say he is as good or even better, but if we talk about accomplishments we can not take it away from Manny Pacquiao. He ‘s done so much and deserves that spot to be pound for pound best in the world.”

http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-glendale-ca/nonito-may-be-slight-better-than-pacquiao-according-to-roberto-garcia

 

Is Tim Bradley on the right track to face Pacquiao?

Photo by Chris Farina

“Was Timothy Bradley added to November 12^th event inLas Vegas?” inquired Big Steve during our morning java at Starbucks onWestern Avenue.

 It was announced earlier this week that following his signing of an exclusive long term promotional contract with Top Rank, Timothy “The Desert Storm” Bradley will be defending his WBO junior welterweight title against former Olympic Gold Medalist, Cuban veteran, Joel Cassamayor on November 12^th on the undercard of Pacquiao Marquez III main event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

 

Decorated amateur from Palm Springs, Bradley had to come up the professional ranks the hard way; fighting tough bouts on club shows in Inland Empire of Southern California. In hind sight it might have been a great benefit for his future. I remember covering Bradley’s fight with veteran Jaime Rangel in 2006 at Chumash Casino inSanta Ynez,California.

I recall writing that despite a tough fight young prospect walked around the ring as if he owned it and was sure to become a world champion soon.

 

It took him a couple of years, but Bradley went toEnglandand took the title away from Junior Witter at his own back yard. Earlier this year Timothy unified WBC and WBO light welterweight titles in an impressive fashion, dominating previously unbeaten champion from St Luis, Devon Alexander.

And just when it looked like his career was about to reach a new Plato, Bradley turned down a mega fight and a huge pay day to face Amir Khan.

 http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-glendale-ca/is-tim-bradley-finally-on-the-right-track

 

“I doo see Margarito wearing Cotto down,” Roberto Garcia

Photo by Chris Farina

“Boxing will end this year with a bang,” exclaimed Big Steve as we embarked on an uphill clime towards Hollywood Sign insideGriffithPark:” But the fight I most look forward to is Cotto Margarito II. Do you think it will be as good as the first one? One year apart to the day, Pacquiao ruined both of them, the only difference was that referee Kenny Bayless stopped Cotto fight  in 2009 while 2010 fight with Margarito should have been halted but went the distance. Let’s call this one –who has more fuel left in the tank.”

 

Even though both warriors left a big part of themselves in the ring during their respective battles with pound for pound king, Manny Pacquiao, they still have a score to settle from their historic bout of 2008, at least Cotto feels this way. Miguel Cotto believes that the outcome of their first fight was affected by Margarito’s loaded gloves. Margarito says he will stop Cotto just like he did before. We will find out who is right on December 3^rd, when these two warriors face each other in a squared circle at theMadisonSquareGarden inNew York City. The event will be televised live by HBO Pay Per View.

 

Stopping 2009 battle with Manny Pacquiao, referee Kenny Bayless gave Miguel Cotto an opportunity to fight another day. 2010 fight with Pacman going the distance, Antonio Margarito’s career was in jeopardy due to a broken eye socket.

 

“Now that we know that there was a fracture in his eye,” said Margarito’s trainer Roberto Garcia when I asked him if he would stop the fight considering what we know now:” Of course. But even though Pacquiao won most of the rounds I still think Margarito always had the chance because he is tough. He is strong and he is hungry.”

http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-glendale-ca/i-doo-see-margarito-wearing-cotto-down-roberto-garcia

 

Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, yin and yang

Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao

“ You want to hear my theory on why the world is so obsessed with Mayweather Pacquiao fight, aside from them being two best boxers in the world ?” inquired Big Steve during our lunch at Porto’s Bakery on Brand Boulevard:” Because this is a classic battle between good and evil, a true yin and yang. And for once, a little kid inside of each and every one of us has a real hope for a fairy tale ending where good defeats evil.  And so we keep hoping and waiting.”

 

As they have defeated their respective opponents both fighters and got larger in stature both super stars claim that they don’t need each other, but yet it always comes back around their eventual meeting in the ring. They are contrary forces that are intertwined somehow, yin and yang.

 So what about this mega fight?

“We’ve been talking about this for the longest,” said Mayweather at the post Ortiz press conference:” Pacquiao has a boss. Before he worries about fighting Floyd Mayweather he has to get his business in order.”

http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-glendale-ca/floyd-mayweather-and-manny-pacquiao-yin-and-yang

 

Morales Stops Cano

 

Photo by Marlene Marquez

LAS VEGAS – Erik Morales can lay claim to being one of the greatest Mexican boxers of all time, and the last fighter to have beaten Filipino strong-boy Manny Pacquiao.

Already a living legend, add to that list Morales is now a four-time world champion after Pablo Cesar Cano’s corner halted their recent vacant World Boxing Council super-lightweight title match at the MGM Grand.

The bout was a good one littered with tons of action that stretched from the first round until late in the 10th as the 14,687 fans in attendance were pleased at the proceedings.

In fact, when the fight was stopped Judge Dave Moretti had it a draw (95-95), while Tim Miller favored Morales, 96-94, and Ricardo Ocasio scored it, 97-93, also siding with Morales.

“He’s a young fighter and he throws really hard punches,” said Morales, who improved to 52-7-0 with 36 knockouts. “It took me some time to get my rhythm, but when I did I was clearly the better fighter.”

Cano was sorry his corner threw in the flag. “I’m a little upset I didn’t win, but I took the fight on a week’s notice and did what I had to do,” he said. “I fought a legendary fighter and now the world knows who Pablo Cesar Cano is.”

Cano has nothing to be ashamed of as he absorbed only the first defeat in 24 bouts with one draw and 17 knockouts.

The last round was a powerful statement from Morales, who hit on 21 of 33 power punches, and cut and bloodied Cano’s face.

“I was ready to fight Lucas (Matthyse), but circumstances came up and I had to fight Pablo,” said Morales, who landed 42 percent of his power punches, 38 percent of his total shots and 34 percent of his jabs. “I’m very happy about winning the fourth title, but it was more difficult than I expected. He came to give it his all, but I dominated him because of my experience.”

Cano scored numerous times in the second round after each fighter sleep-walked through the opening three-minute stanza.

Morales rallied in the third round, and landed a splendid right-left combination in the fourth,  before closing it out with a big right hand toward the latter portion of the frame.

The fifth round see-sawed, with Cano, who found the range on 31 percent of his total punches, 22 percent of his jabs, and 42 percent of his power shots, jumping out in the first half of the round, and Morales making a late charge.

Little took place in the next round, while the seventh appeared close, with a slight edge to Morales, who captured the next two rounds.

 

 

Juan Manuel Marquez:” I want this fight!”

Photo by Chris Farina

“According to my bookie Marquez has as much of a chance of beating Pacquiao as Ortiz did against Mayweather,” said Big Steve during our morning coffee at Starbucks on Glenoaks andWestern Avenue:” Do you think it will be a better fight?”

 

Dealing with Juan Manuel Marquez in the ring is not for the faint of hearts. There is a very good reason why his boxing moniker is Dynamita or handle with extreme caution. All you have to do is ask the current pound for pound king of boxing, Manny Pacquaio who dropped Mexican warrior three times in the first round of their memorable battle in 2004 only  to be out boxed down the stretch for a  highly disputed draw. Manny tried to do it again in 2008; he dropped Marquez with a shot that could have ended a career of any other fighter, only to see Juan Manuel get up and take him to the limit of yet another historic bout.

 

Or may be you should ask Manny’s legendary coach, Freddie Roach.

“They’ve had twenty four rounds between them. One round that separates them,” said Roach during a press conference inLos Angelesearlier this month:” This is a classic fight. This is the fight that I’ve wanted for a long time. This is the one that I think I have a challenge against Nacho. He is a great trainer and I have a great student in Manny Pacquiao and we are going to be at our best for this one.”

http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-glendale-ca/juan-manuel-marquez-i-want-this-fight

 

Does Victor Ortiz deserve a rematch with Floyd Mayweather?

Getty Images

“Do you think Victor Ortiz should get a rematch?” inquired Big Steve during our morning jog throughBrandPark:” I watched this fight over and over. Joe Cortez said time in and then Mayweather fired. It was a legal sucker punch.”

 “Joe Cortez has done a lot of great fights, but he must have had an off night,” said Oscar De La Hoya during a telephone conference assembled to discuss the aftermath of the event:” We saw at least fifteen elbows from Mayweather. I know that Cortez is much better than that. He had no control of the fight.”

 

After Joe Cortez scolded Victor for intentional head butt and deducted a point, he clearly said “time in”, at which time Ortiz came up to Floyd to touch gloves again while some body was calling Joe Cortez. Cortez looked away. Ortiz, who didn’t hear time in, looked at the ref and Floyd saw the opportunity and took it. Fight over.

 “Obviously, the fight ended in a controversial manner,” continued Victor’s promoter and mentor, Oscar De La Hoya: “Take a look at the fight carefully.  Look at all of the elbows thrown.  Victor was coming on. Mayweather wasn’t going to knock him out. A fighter as young as Victor takes time to come on strong. He was coming on strong. If Mayweather has any honor, he’ll say he wants the rematch.”

 Mayweather’s response to the whole situation along with many other pundits is:” Protect yourself at all times.”

 “I can concur with that,” said Ortiz during the same telephone conference:” If only the referee had been paying attention.  I agree 100%, but it’s like my manager said, the referee doesn’t say fight yet, and one of the guys fights. Personally, to me, that was a cheap shot… At the end of the day, Floyd will never be respected in my eyes as a pound for pound greatest fighter.  He was fearing the fact that I was coming on. His punches were not hurting me, and I was hurting him. A fighter who smiles (like Floyd) is usually hurt.”

http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-glendale-ca/does-victor-ortiz-deserve-a-rematch-with-floyd-mayweather

 

One Ring Circus

 

Photo by Tom Hogan

LAS VEGAS – Boxing is a sport in which anything can happen. This past Saturday evening at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, a new and ugly chapter was written.
In what looked to be a promising clash between a living legend and an up-and-coming star, there was a head butt administered by Victor Ortiz, an apology on his part, then two punches from Floyd Mayweather Jr. – the second knocking out the 24-year-old left-hander with one second left in the fourth round.
It was strange and bizarre to say the least, and for the 14,687 fans who witnessed the event, a real sense of loss enveloped the building because there was high hope the scheduled 12-round World Boxing Council welterweight title fight would shed some light.
But it wasn’t meant to be, and those backing Ortiz, a 5-to-1 underdog, were highly disappointed at how the fight ended. Was it a pair of cheap shots?
“I’m not a cocky-type of person,” said Ortiz. “Every fight’s a learning experience. It was a good shot. They took a point away from me [for the head butt]. But I’ll be a champion again.”
Mayweather’s amazing hand speed and timing are nearly perfect, and on this night his right hand set the tone as he captured the opening round on Judges’ Glenn Trowbridge and Adalaide Byrd’s scorecards, while Jerry Roth voted for Ortiz. However, all three agreed the next two rounds belonged to Mayweather.
What transpired in the fourth round was something out of the “Twilight Zone.” Early in the stanza, Ortiz found the range and landed several solid punches before the pair eventually became entangled.
Ortiz (29-3-2 with 22 knockouts) was unable to get his arms free, and then went dirty, launching his head into Mayweather’s mouth.
“He head butted me not once, but twice,” said the 34-year-old Mayweather, a six-time world champion in five weight divisions. “Only the strong survive. And like the referee always says: protect yourself at all times.”
Ortiz came over to Mayweather (42-0 with 26 KO’s) and hugged him. Referee Joe Cortez deducted a point from Ortiz, who won the WBC belt from then-undefeated Andre Berto in April, and looked at the time keeper.
When he did, Ortiz, who later said the Hall of Fame referee uttered something, briefly took his eyes off Mayweather, who then unleashed a left hook followed by a long right. Just like that it was over, and the real chaos began.
“I’m blessed to be in this position,” said Ortiz, who grew up an orphan in Garden City, Kansas along with his brother and sister, but who now resides in Southern California. “I apologized to him. He caught me with a payback, but I do want a rematch.”
Ortiz said he respects Mayweather as a boxer. “Floyd’s a great fighter,” he said, “but I’m not concerned with how it ended. I was warming up. It was the fourth round. I made a mistake. It was a slip up on my part.”
There were no mental freezes for Mayweather, who was cool as ever at the post-fight press conference.
“He was starting to break down as each round wore on,” he said. “I’m going straight to him. I could see his face bust up as the fight wore on.”
It appeared that way, but we’ll never know for sure.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Two former Olympians fighting to salvage their professional careers

Rocky Juarez

“Forget Mayweather,” said Big Steve during our morning java at Starbucks onPacific Avenue:” There are three boxing shows in Southland this Friday. Which one are you covering?”

” I will be in the desert,” I replied :” Like my friend Elie Seckbach says REPORTING from Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino where Vicente Escobedo and Rocky Juarez will face off in a  true cross roads fight.” Ten rounds or less super featherweight contest between Vicente Escobedo (23-3,14KO) and Rocky Juarez (28-8-1,20KO’S) will be the main event of the show which will be televised by Solo Boxeo.

 

Houston’s Rocky Juarez is probably the best fighter to never win a world championship. 2000 Olympics’ silver medalist, Rocky began his professional career winning twenty four fights in a row. He suffered his first professional defeat at the hands of Mexican multiple division champion, Humberto Soto in 2005. Rocky’s claim to fame was a controversial split decision loss to Marco Antonio Barrera inLos Angelesin 2006 and a draw against undefeated Indonesian master boxer, Chris John in 2009. Well schooled fighter with good power, Rocky has never been able to claim an illusive world tile, possibly due to the caliber of opposition he had to face or may be he is just lacking something intangible that makes one a champion.Juarezlost his last four fights. Last one inMexicoagainst little known, Alejandro Sanabria.

 

“I’ve stayed in the gym ever since my last fight,” said Juarez over the phone:” I learned in that fight to stay in the gym and stay ready because I know I was going to get calls for big fights like this one.”   At the age of thirty one, Rocky Juarez is one loss away from becoming an opponent.

“I’m one never to give up and always give my best,” continued Juarez who trains under tutelage of well regarded Ronnie Shields inHouston:”I’m looking for bigger and better things. You always have to do your homework. This is a crossroads fight for me and for Escobedo. I’m staying positive and things are going great. I need a victory to get back to a world championship fight.”

http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-glendale-ca/two-former-olympians-fighting-to-salvage-their-professional-careers