“All I ask is just respect my family,” Floyd Mayweather

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“I can’t stop thinking about Mayweather family feud,” exclaimed Big Steve as we embarked on a five mile jog throughBrandPark:” And what this episode would do to his children.”

 “All I ask is just respect my family,” said Floyd Mayweather when his long anticipated return to the ring against WBC welterweight champion Vicious Victor Ortiz was announced:” That’s all I ask. My children are of age now.”

Children are our future and it is the responsibility of parents to raise our offspring’s with a set of principles and values to be able to live in our society. So the media members embraced Floyd’s request with pleasure especially because the good looking brood was there at a press conference inLos Angeles.

 

Take my son for example, no matter how disinterested he looks when I talk to him, he remembers everything I say, but more than that, he remembers everything I do and mimics it perfectly. According to my wife I have this annoying habit of walking around the house in long boxer shorts and nothing else, Guess what?  From the age of six my son switched from wearing diapers to long boxer shorts; it was like mini me walking around the house. Now there were two people to annoy my wife. Even though I think my son Andrei is only interested in video games, he pays attention to everything I say only to make sure I walk the way I talk. One of the things I try to instill in my boy is to be honest regardless of consequences. So when I tried to use my juice card at the Universal Studios back lot to avoid waiting in line, my nine year old then asked me:” Daddy, why did you lie?”

http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-glendale-ca/all-i-ask-is-just-respect-my-family-floyd-mayweather

 

Floyd vs. Floyd; is it real or is it Cinemax?

Photo by Ray Flores

“Did you see 24/7 on HBO this weekend? “Asked Big Steve during our Monday morning coffee at Starbucks onPacific AveinGlendale:” Wow! Is this for real? I had disagreements with my father but this takes the cake. Just when I thought Floyd turned a corner in his maturity level. This came out of nowhere and hit me like a hurricane Irene whackedNew Jersey.” The serious damage caused by the hurricane Irene could most likely be repaired in due time, however the family trauma created in front of millions of viewers could be quite a different story.

 

Super star boxer Floyd Money Mayweather asked the media to respect his children right when the promotion for his upcoming bout with Victor Ortiz began months ago. “My children are of age,” said Mayweather when I interviewed him inLos Angeles:” All I ask is just respect my family. That’s all I ask.” It is too bad he could not respect his own father.

 

British philosopher, Bertrand Russell once said:”The fundamental defect with fathers is that they want their children to be a credit to them.” That seems to be the case with Mayweather’s family, but it should not be the reason for the son to disrespect his father.

http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-glendale-ca/floyd-vs-floyd-is-it-real-or-is-it-cinemax

 

Forget Floyd. Ladies at Playboy Mansion pick Ortiz to be the Victor

Miss Leila

“Why do men fight?” asked Big Steve as we continued our run through theBrandParkon Sunday morning:”

“It’s simple,” I replied:” To get women.” And there were plenty of beautiful women at thePlayboyMansionSaturday night’s fight party. And women love sweet science and fighters.

“I love boxing,” exclaimed gorgeous model andHollywoodstunt woman Miss Leila:” I love all the action, the crowds and it’s violent!”

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Mia StJohn vs. Christy Martin in the works on the undercard of Cotto Margarito

Photo by Igor Frank

“So what happened at thePlayboyMansionlast night?” asked Big Steve during our Sunday Morning jog throughBrandPark: “Where is it anyways,Beverly Hillsor Westwood?”

“Last night it felt like it was moved up North all the way up toSilicon Valley,” I replied with a devious smile.

 

Former playmate, super star lady of boxing, Mia St John was on hand at the Mansion to tell me very exciting news about her long anticipated rematch with “Coalminers Daughter” Christy Martin.

According to Mia she is working with a promoter Bob Arum and the deal is nearly done to put their rematch on December 3rd at theMadisonSquareGardeninNew Yorkon the undercard of another long anticipated rematch between Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto. Note to Bob Arum: may be they could call the whole promotion “Unfinished business.”

http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-glendale-ca/mia-stjohn-vs-christy-martin-the-works-on-the-undercard-of-cotto-margarito

 

Autograph hounds gear up for Pacquiao arrival in LA

Manny Pacquiao

“What does President Barack Obama and Manny Pacquiao have in common,” asked Big Steve during our morning java at Starbucks on Glenoaks and Western.” Besides the fact that they are involved in politics,” not waiting for my answer continued Big Steve:” They are very hard to get to.”

 

President Barack Obama has a large presidential security detail called United States Secret Service. They protect the president with their lives. Congressman Manny Pacquiao has a trusted body guard Rob Peters and his crew; they protect pound for pound king of boxing with their lives. Last time president Obama was inLos Angelesthey had to close streets in a traffic ridden city. With anticipated havoc not as dire, preparations have began forLos Angelesarrival of super star boxer they lovingly call Pacman.

 

Manny Pacquaio and his bitter rival Juan Manuel Marquez are set to embark on a Global media tour to promote their third and most likely final showdown which is scheduled to take place on November 12^th, 2011 at the Mecca of boxing, MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.  The historic bout will be televised by HBO PPV. As if this fight needed extra promoting the extensive media tour will cover a lot of ground; beginning on September 2^nd at Quirino Grandstand, a presidential plaza in Manila, Philippines where thousands of adoring fans expected to attend and ending on September 8^th atMonument ofRevolution inMexico City with similar fan fair.

In between on September 6th, Manny and his musical mentor, Dan Hill will perform  Pacquiao’s hit single “Sometimes when we touch” in front of thousands of fans in the Big Aple.

http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-glendale-ca/autograph-hounds-gear-up-for-pacquiao-arrival-la

 

Which Juan Manuel Marquez fight is your favorite?

Photo by Chris Farina

“I thought you were going to be inSan Josethis week covering Robert Guerrero’s fight,” said Dave the Barber instead of a greeting when I walked in his fine barber shop onSan Fernando Roadand Western:” What happened?”

“Robert injured his shoulder in sparring,” I replied:” And he is going to need a surgery.”

“Did you know that you have more followers on Twitter than” The Ghost,” cut in nineteen year old Bryan Speedy Gonzalez:”Your handle is Fightmonger, isn’t it?”

 

“I don’t want to talk about no twitter,” growled Al, the Barber:” We talk boxing at this barber shop.”

“Sounds good to me,” confirmed Dave the Barber:” Tell me son, which is your favorite Juan Manuel Marquez fight?”

“It has to be the first Fight with Pacquiao,” exclaimed Big Steve who was getting his bald head shaved:” Just like I said the last time. We all knew he was a very good boxer, but in that fight we discovered that he had steel in his heart. The man was swept up by a hurricane called Manny, down three times with a broken nose and a broken heart. Busted up and disgusted, but his spirit was not broken. He got up and fought back like a true Mexican warrior and showed the whole world what he was made of. That’s the stuff the legends are made of and that is why Dynamita has his own army of fans.”

http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-glendale-ca/which-juan-manuel-marquez-fight-is-your-favorite

 

How many championship belts are there in boxing?

Photo by Ray Flores

I’ve been trying to get my lovely wife interested in the murky and wonderful world of sweet science for years, desperately hoping to share my passion for boxing with her. “If only I could get her to ask me a couple of questions,” I thought. Recently after attending a major fight in Las Vegas, we took a huge step in that direction.

But the question that I have been waiting for floored me as if I was hit by a baseball bat; it came out of nowhere as we were enjoying our lunch at Cheesecake Factory inside the Americana.” What’s up with all those belts,” asked Tatiana opening her huge blue eyes wide:” It seems like everybody is a champion these days.”

 

How do you explain sanctioning bodies and seemingly countless championship belts to a novice? Unlike football or basketball where there is only one organization that controls the sport, boxing has a very complicated structure that one needs a college degree in science to understand. It is sort of like Wild West; whoever is more powerful controls the sport.

“I‘ve been in the game for a while now,” said veteran cut man Tony Rivera, who has been in the corner of such ring greats as Roberto Duran and Marco Antonio Barrera:” There are too many belts. I don’t even know all the champions. Any body can get a stinking belt.”

How many belts are there? Good question.

 

 There are four major international sanctioning bodies:

World Boxing Council or WBC

World Boxing Association WBA

World Boxing Organization WBO

International Boxing Federation IBF

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It’s not bragging if you can back it up- Mohammad Ali,how about Mayweather?

Photo by Paul Hernandez

“Do you think Victor Ortiz has a chance of beating “Cocky” out of Mayweather?” inquired Big Steve as I was trying to keep up with a stair master at the Y inGlendale.

 Young welterweight champion, Victor Ortiz has been walking around mad ever since Los Angeles press conference announcing his WBC title defense against no other than one of the top boxers of our era, Floyd Money Mayweather. They have a date in the ring on September 17^th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena inLas Vegas. Just like Rodney Dangerfield Ortiz gets no respect; no respect from fight fans who will not let go off the way Victor behaved in Maidana fight several years ago, no respect from the press, who give young champion little or no chance in a contest with Floyd, no respect from odds makers, who have instilled Mayweather as an eight to one favorite against Ortiz, and finally no respect from Money Mayweather himself, who praised Victor for accepting the challenge , but acted like he has already beaten young champion.

 

“I am saying bring me young, strong champions,” said Mayweather when I interviewed him in Los Angles:” I beat him it’s going to be an excuse. They are going to bring another fighter and say, well, Floyd Can’t beat him. Diego was undefeated. They said Floyd can’t beat him, and then they said he had a weight problem. There is always an excuse. An then once I beat Pacquiao…”

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Nostalgic look back at Pacquiao Marquez 1

Photo by Chris Cozzone

“I just watched Pacquiao Marquez l again last night,” exclaimed Big Steve during our morning coffee at Starbucks onBrand BoulevardinGlendale:” Wow! I don’t even care who won that fight any more. I came up with a good word for it; it was awe inspiring.”

 

Manny Pacman Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez first faced one another in the squared circle on May 8^th, 2004 at the famed MGM Grand Garden Arena inLas Vegas. With WBA and IBF featherweight titles on the line they fought twelve violent and dynamic rounds that flew bye like an original Rocky movie.

“Pacquaio came at Marquez,” marveled HBO color commentator Larry Merchant during the first round of the telecast:” Like a typhoon blowing across thePacific Ocean.” By the time the first round was over Juan Manuel Marquez tasted the canvas three times and had a bloody, possibly broken nose. Going down for the third time from the ferocious Pacquiao onslaught, Marquez momentarily looked like it was all over. Here is where I would like to give credit to “Fair but firm” referee, Joe Cortez, who had every right to stop the fight at that time, but had enough insight to allow it to go on and thus grant the boxing world one of the best fistic battles of the twenty first century.

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Pacquiao in LA September 7th. Would his press tour affect Mayweather?

 

Photo courtesy of Zimbio Pictures

“So when is Manny Pacquiao going to be back in LA?” inquired Big Steve during our Sunday morning jog throughBrandPark.” He is flying here fromNew Yorkon Tuesday, September 6th,” I replied.

 

Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez will be inLos Angelesto attend a press conference scheduled for September 7th to promote their third bout that is to take place on November 12th at theMeccaof boxing, MGM Grand Garden Arena inLas Vegas.

 

The world wide promotional tour is scheduled to begin on Saturday, September 3rd inManilawhere sixty thousand fans are expected to turn up for open to the public press conference. Promotional tour will end on September 8th inMexicowhere similar fan fair is anticipated. Following the conclusion of the press tour inMexico, congressman Manny Pacquiao will fly back toPhilippinesto attend to his senate duties.

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