cmo
11/14/10, 01:42 AM
Pacquiao fights Margarito today, attempts to win 8th title
MANILA, Philippines – Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao will attempt to win his 8th world title as he faces Mexican "Tijuana Tornado" Antonio Margarito today at the Cowboys Stadium in Texas.
At stake in the 12-round blockbuster title clash is the World Boxing Council (WBC) super welterweight crown.
Pacquiao, who weighed in at 144.6 lbs. (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/11/13/10/pacquiao-lighter-cowboys-stadium-weigh) on Friday (Saturday in Manila), will have to contend against Margarito’s size advantage.
The Mexican tipped the scales at an even 150 lbs to make their agreed catch weight limit. Margarito is expected to climb the ring today at around 160-165 lbs.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/people/athletes/111310_PacmanMargarito1.jpg
Pacquiao, however, is confident that he will beat Margarito to the punch with his superior speed (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/11/04/10/pacquiao%E2%80%99s-speed-will-take-down-margarito-%E2%80%93-roach).
"I'm not worried (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-boxing-pacquiao-margarito-20101113,0,2869897.story)," Pacquiao said in a report by LA Times.com. "That's what we did for training — train hard. My weight came down from what it was to make me faster.
"For the last week and a half, [trainer] Freddie Roach let me do what I wanted to do, get to where I'm as fast as I can be."
Margarito, on the other hand is confident of his chances to score an upset.
"It's very good. I'm very strong," said the Tijuana Tornado. "They can say what they want."
Aside from eyeing the title, Margarito is seeking to win back his reputation as a fighter after being caught in a hand wrap scandal (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/10/29/10/margarito-still-carries-stigma-hand-wrap-scandal) in January 2009.
All eyes on the fight
Filipinos here and abroad (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/11/13/10/pinoys-austria-excited-over-pacquiao-margarito-bout) are usually glued to their TV sets or giant screens prepared by local governments or enterprising restaurants during Pacquiao's fights.
Road traffic is expected to be light and crime zero as motorists and wrongdoers capture the winning moments and the drama.
The military has also suspended offensive operations (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/11/13/10/afp-declares-%E2%80%98unofficial%E2%80%99-ceasefire-pacquiao-match)on Sunday so soldiers can join in cheering for Pacquiao.
Even residents near Mt. Bulusan hope the volcano would stop spewing ash (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/11/12/10/bulusan-spews-ash-4th-time) on Sunday so they could take a break and watch the televised fight (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/video/nation/regions/11/13/10/irosin-residents-watch-pacman-fight).
Even President Aquino (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/11/13/10/pnoy-root-pacquiao-while-attending-apec-summit), who is attending the APEC Leaders Summit in Japan, is set to watch the Sunday bout.
Some of Pacquiao's colleagues from the House of Representatives (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/11/08/10/10-15-solons-seek-permission-watch-pacquiao-fight) will be watching the fight live.
Doubts (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/10/29/10/ariza-concerned-over-pacquiaos-conditioning) on Pacquiao's focus and preparation for this fight against Margarito have been attributed to his work as a a legislator (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/06/28/10/manny-pacquiao-transfers-liberal-party).
One of the boxing world's most popular, Pacquiao has considered retiring from boxing (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/11/08/10/pacquiao-tells-60-minutes-im-best-boxer-ever) to become the "champion" in public service.
3 Pinoys in Pacman-Margarito undercard
Three other Filipino boxers, headed by the grandson of Filipino boxing legend Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, will also fight in the undercard of the Pacquiao- Margarito bout (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/11/12/10/3-filipinos-fight-pacquiao-margarito-undercard).
Juan Martin Elorde is following the footsteps of his grandfather, "Flash", as he goes toe-to-toe with Texan Angel Rodriguez in a 4-round fight at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The 25-year-old Elorde currently keeps an 11-0-0 record with 4 knockout (KO) wins while Rodriguez holds a 54-2-1 record with 4 KO wins. The fight will be Elorde's first-ever international bout.
The 2 other Filipinos in the undercard list are Richie "Magnum" Mepranum and Dennis Laurente.
Mepranum will stake his 22-2-1 record against American Anthony Villareal (10-3-0), in the flyweight bout.
Laurente (35-3-5, 18 KO wins), meanwhile, will exchange blows with Pacquiao's sparring partner Rashad Holloway (11-1-2, 5 KO wins).
source (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/11/13/10/pacquiao-fights-margarito-today-attempts-win-8th-title)
MANILA, Philippines – Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao will attempt to win his 8th world title as he faces Mexican "Tijuana Tornado" Antonio Margarito today at the Cowboys Stadium in Texas.
At stake in the 12-round blockbuster title clash is the World Boxing Council (WBC) super welterweight crown.
Pacquiao, who weighed in at 144.6 lbs. (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/11/13/10/pacquiao-lighter-cowboys-stadium-weigh) on Friday (Saturday in Manila), will have to contend against Margarito’s size advantage.
The Mexican tipped the scales at an even 150 lbs to make their agreed catch weight limit. Margarito is expected to climb the ring today at around 160-165 lbs.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/a_images/people/athletes/111310_PacmanMargarito1.jpg
Pacquiao, however, is confident that he will beat Margarito to the punch with his superior speed (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/11/04/10/pacquiao%E2%80%99s-speed-will-take-down-margarito-%E2%80%93-roach).
"I'm not worried (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-boxing-pacquiao-margarito-20101113,0,2869897.story)," Pacquiao said in a report by LA Times.com. "That's what we did for training — train hard. My weight came down from what it was to make me faster.
"For the last week and a half, [trainer] Freddie Roach let me do what I wanted to do, get to where I'm as fast as I can be."
Margarito, on the other hand is confident of his chances to score an upset.
"It's very good. I'm very strong," said the Tijuana Tornado. "They can say what they want."
Aside from eyeing the title, Margarito is seeking to win back his reputation as a fighter after being caught in a hand wrap scandal (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/10/29/10/margarito-still-carries-stigma-hand-wrap-scandal) in January 2009.
All eyes on the fight
Filipinos here and abroad (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/11/13/10/pinoys-austria-excited-over-pacquiao-margarito-bout) are usually glued to their TV sets or giant screens prepared by local governments or enterprising restaurants during Pacquiao's fights.
Road traffic is expected to be light and crime zero as motorists and wrongdoers capture the winning moments and the drama.
The military has also suspended offensive operations (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/11/13/10/afp-declares-%E2%80%98unofficial%E2%80%99-ceasefire-pacquiao-match)on Sunday so soldiers can join in cheering for Pacquiao.
Even residents near Mt. Bulusan hope the volcano would stop spewing ash (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/11/12/10/bulusan-spews-ash-4th-time) on Sunday so they could take a break and watch the televised fight (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/video/nation/regions/11/13/10/irosin-residents-watch-pacman-fight).
Even President Aquino (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/11/13/10/pnoy-root-pacquiao-while-attending-apec-summit), who is attending the APEC Leaders Summit in Japan, is set to watch the Sunday bout.
Some of Pacquiao's colleagues from the House of Representatives (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/11/08/10/10-15-solons-seek-permission-watch-pacquiao-fight) will be watching the fight live.
Doubts (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/10/29/10/ariza-concerned-over-pacquiaos-conditioning) on Pacquiao's focus and preparation for this fight against Margarito have been attributed to his work as a a legislator (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/06/28/10/manny-pacquiao-transfers-liberal-party).
One of the boxing world's most popular, Pacquiao has considered retiring from boxing (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/11/08/10/pacquiao-tells-60-minutes-im-best-boxer-ever) to become the "champion" in public service.
3 Pinoys in Pacman-Margarito undercard
Three other Filipino boxers, headed by the grandson of Filipino boxing legend Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, will also fight in the undercard of the Pacquiao- Margarito bout (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/11/12/10/3-filipinos-fight-pacquiao-margarito-undercard).
Juan Martin Elorde is following the footsteps of his grandfather, "Flash", as he goes toe-to-toe with Texan Angel Rodriguez in a 4-round fight at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The 25-year-old Elorde currently keeps an 11-0-0 record with 4 knockout (KO) wins while Rodriguez holds a 54-2-1 record with 4 KO wins. The fight will be Elorde's first-ever international bout.
The 2 other Filipinos in the undercard list are Richie "Magnum" Mepranum and Dennis Laurente.
Mepranum will stake his 22-2-1 record against American Anthony Villareal (10-3-0), in the flyweight bout.
Laurente (35-3-5, 18 KO wins), meanwhile, will exchange blows with Pacquiao's sparring partner Rashad Holloway (11-1-2, 5 KO wins).
source (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/11/13/10/pacquiao-fights-margarito-today-attempts-win-8th-title)