Bob Arum: “We’re Willing To Make Anything Happen”

08/02/201412/04/2013 Vitali Shaposhnikov

arum5463 Of all the things that seem to be in the way of a Mayweather Jr. vs. Pacquiao fight, and there are many, the boxing fans claim that Bob Arum of Top Rank is one of the primary causes of the inability of this bout to materialize.

While there has been, and possibly still is some bad blood between Top Rank and Mayweather Promotions (along with Golden Boy Promotions), it is the money that dictates the flow, and it’s the promoters who would ultimately secure a safe and financially care free life for their families’ future.

In a recent interview with USATooday, when Arum was asked whether he still intends on pursuing the mega-fight, Arum gave a long answer:

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Manny Pacquiao: “I Am Willing To Fight Floyd. So It Is Up To Him”

08/01/201411/25/2013 Vitali Shaposhnikov

pac6838 pac6838 As expected, the two names that are involuntarily intertwined forever, Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. are back where they belong: in people’s heads and forum boards.

Now that Pacquiao disposed on Brandon Rios, winning every single round of their fight according to most, Mayweather Jr. is being mentioned as a possible opponent sometime in 2014. Their match-up, at least in my opinion is unavoidable, and the two stepping inside the ring across each other is just a matter of time.

The question that Pacquiao vs. Rios was supposed to answer is whether Manny is still a viable competitive opponent for Mayweather Jr., but was that question really answered? Was Rios the test? According to Freddie Roach, the fight is still hot.

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Pacquiao to Roach: “Are Those The Guys That Made Fun Of You? That’s All I Need To Know”

08/02/201411/21/2013 Vitali Shaposhnikov

roach73 roach73 When Freddie Roach and Alex Ariza got into a scuffle, it was evident that this fight, at least the competitive angle of it, is going to change its course. Verbal back and forth is always a part of boxing, its marketing and hype. Nevertheless when Alex Ariza kicked Freddie Roach and made fun of his Parkinson’s, he signed his respect away, and boxing fans are unlikely to give it back anytime soon.

Roach was also out of line, and is now being dubbed a racist for saying a few things that are certainly worthy of such a title. But knowing Roach and Wild Card, it seems very unlikely that it was anything but the heat of the moment that made him say what he did, as his gym is probably the most international one of them all.

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Bob Arum: “It’s Going To Be Like Hagler-Hearns”

09/14/201611/20/2013 Vitali Shaposhnikov

arum45 arum45 This is OK in an event in the United States. But we’re going to throw huge security around this, because this is not something that is appreciated by the Chinese. I think, that with all this undercurrent that’s going on, it’s going to be like Hagler-Hearns,” Arum recently stated in response to the scuffle between Freddie Roach and camp Rios.

The animosity between the camps has been there since the day the fight was signed. Freddie Roach and Alex Ariza working against each other is an ingredient that is bound to create heat. Not only that, but Brandon Rios himself has been on the defense/offense, showing his strong dislike of the fact that many boxing fans as well as media members have already written him off as nothing more but a sleep chosen for slaughter.

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Roach and Alex Ariza Make Pacquiao vs. Rios a Personal Affair, Adding Fuel To The Fight

11/22/201311/20/2013 Vitali Shaposhnikov

By now, most boxing fans have already heard of, or seen the video where Freddie Roach gets kicked by Alex Ariza in the midst of Roach arguing with multiple members of camp Rios over gym time.

The scuffle was aggressive in nature, with not only name calling, but race as well as Roach’s Parkinson’s disease used as verbal weapons. Alex Ariza went farther than most would, not only kicking Freddie Roach but also mimicking his speech stutter.

Roach and Ariza never worked together in harmony, and their professional relationship also ended in a bad fashion. Words were said, and there was an abundance of finger-pointing coming from both sides.

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Timothy Bradley Warns Rios About Pacquaio: “He Is Very Difficult To Hit”

11/18/201311/18/2013 Vitali Shaposhnikov

rios777 rios777 The most difficult part for Brandon Rios in facing Manny Pacquiao, is not the physical or even psychological portion of it all, but the significant difference in Pacquiao versus any other opponent that Rios has ever faced. The unexpected surprise that Rios might encounter during the fight, the revelation that Pacquiao is significantly faster and stronger than team Rios had anticipated, may force Rios to abandon any fight plan, and try to swing hard in hopes of landing a “Marquez” punch.

Timothy Bradley, the first man in a long time to claim a victory over Pacquiao, suggests that Pacquiao is very hard to land on, and that Rios needs to be ready to deal with frustration:

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Carl Froch or GGG: Who Would Make More Sense For Ward To Face Next?

11/19/201311/17/2013 Vitali Shaposhnikov

froch673 When it comes to leaving no doubt in the eyes of the boxing press and the fans, ‘Son Of God’ is a virtuoso. Being a second best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Andre Ward has to not only sweat bullets when it comes to training, but perform in a way that suggests his absolute dominance from bell to bell.

Yesterday, after the longest layoff in his career paired with a shoulder surgery, Andre Ward left his ring rust at home, dominating the previously unbeaten Edwin Rodriguez in a fashion that proves his ownership of being a true pound-for-pound champion, dictating that Ward is a force that just might plow through the rest of the top rated competition in a similar fashion.

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Robert Garcia: “Darchinyan Really Hates Nonito Donaire”

08/01/201411/08/2013 Vitali Shaposhnikov

Team Donaire are not taking Vic Darchinyan lightly, assuming that the bad blood between the two fighters makes Vic more dangerous than ever before. Nonito Donaire’s trainer Robert Garcia believes that finally getting the rematch that Darchinyan had wanted so badly for all these years, is likely to push Vic to new higher limits in preparing for this fight.

“He really hates Nonito. We got to be very well prepared and very careful for a dangerous fight. Darchinyan could be a very dangerous opponent because he has nothing to lose. And I’m sure he trained like nothing before, because he wants this rematch so bad. Now that he’s got it, he’s going to do anything possible to win the fight,” said Robert Garcia in a recent interview with Hustle Boss.

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Roach: “Mayweather is in the Same Position Pacquiao Is”

08/01/201411/08/2013 Vitali Shaposhnikov

roach45 roach45 While I was sure that Mayweather Jr. vs. Pacquiao was nothing but a fantasy at this point in time, it seems as though Freddie Roach hasn’t yet let go of the possibility of the fight happening in the near future:

“Every big fight that was supposed to happen in boxing happens somewhere along the way, I just hope this one isn’t going to happen too late when they’re both washed up and not the same. I still have hope. Mayweather is in the same position (Pacquiao) is. You’ve only got eight fighters in the world that can sell pay-per-view and make money. That’s why I give it a shot,” stated Roach.

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Darchinyan vs. Donaire, War for the Once Was vs. The Is

11/06/201311/06/2013 Vitali Shaposhnikov

The clock is ticking, as both Nonito Donaire and Vic Darchinyan are eyeing a victory this coming Saturday night on HBO from Texas, as they step into the ring against each other for the second time. For Darchinyan, this will be a long awaited chance to redeem himself to the boxing fans that have witnessed Darchinyan being handed a rather nasty loss in his first fight against Donaire.

Ever since that night, Darchinyan has voiced his quest for the rematch over and over, but being that boxing is a political as well as a business career, it’s not always about being humble and giving your competition chances that are unnecessary and don’t make long term sense.

At last, Darchinyan, by way of Rigondeaux beating Donaire, has arrived at this golden opportunity to not only avenge a loss, but to skyrocket his career to all new heights.

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