AJ Banal Falls, Benabe Concepcion Triumphs

Pinoy boxing has a taste of both sweet victory and bitter defeat this week. First let's take on the bad news first so that you'll feel better at the end of this post.

One of the brightest Pinoy boxing prospect has fallen. AJ Banal experienced his first defeat at the hands of Panama's Rafael Concepcion in front of the hometown crowd in Cebu City yesterday. According to reports Banal was in control during the entire match and was even leading in the scorecards by the ninth round.

However, the tough Concepcion was able to withstand Banal's attack and was able to outlast and finish the exhausted Banal in the tenth round. Banal was said to be extremely exhausted at he end of the fight that he had to be rushed to a hospital.

Now the question needs to be asked? Will Banal be able to bounce back from this loss? Some might question his stamina. I think this is his first time to fight in the late rounds. Perhaps he will end up like Z Gorres who performed well against Darchinyan and Montiel before losing steam and eventually losing or earning a highly controversial draw.

I mus admit that I was not expecting Banal to lose but this is a good lesson for him. He needs to work on his stamina. He has good power but he has to realize that he can't knock everyone out and he has to prepare to battle into the late rounds. Let's hope that he can recover and fully fulfill his potential.

Let's move on to some good news. Bernabe Concepcion another top Philippine boxing prospect and the current North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super bantamweight champion, defeated Adam Carrera in the third round. their match was part of the undercard for the Cotto-Margarito superfight.

Here's a video of the third round of the fight:



Bernabe Concepcion has been impressive in his international outings. His trainer Aljoe Jaro said that he is ready for a title shot. I agree with that but I would still like to see Concepcion domiunate a real contender before he challenges for a title.

Well, that's if for this post. i hope that our pinoy boxing prospects will have better luck next time.

Pacman Destroys Diaz in Nine Bloody Rounds

Pacman just took the lightweight division by storm with his impressive performance against David Diaz. The Pinoy Boxing icon took the WBC lightweight Title with his first fight in the division.

The Filipino boxing icon used his superior speed, quickness and power to wrest the WBC belt from the defending champion. Pacquiao battered Diaz for nine rounds causing numerous cuts and bruises which erupted all over the champion's face. The fight ended mercifully at the ninth round when Pacquiao landed a short left that laid Diaz face first on the canvass. The referee did not bother with a count and announced Pacquiao the winner by TKO.

Although Pacquiao was favored to win this fight, many boxing experts did not expect a one sided beating. Many boxing predictions projected that Manny would win by UD and some by late KO. However, they did not foresee that Pacquiao would totally dominate Diaz.

I personally thought that Diaz would offer some form of resistance against the Pinoy boxing star. Well, he did last for 9 rounds which is a testament of his toughness. However, he was virtually a punching bag in those rounds. He was trying to land some punches but Pacquiao is just too quick and fast for his punches to do significant damage.

Some boxing pundits describe Diaz as a fighter who is willing to take two punches to land a single oner. However, against Pacquiao, it was more like five or six punches to a single Diaz punch. And it's a known fact that Manny hits hard so a even a two to one exchange may not have worked for Diaz.

With this win, Pacquiao became one of the best fighters to come out of Asia. He has won four world titles in different divisions. He won titles at flyweight, super bantamweight, super feather weight and light weight division. This success makes him the most accomplished Asian fighter of all time.

Now, what's next for Pacman? Well, recent boxing updates and news indicate that Bob Arum is trying to get Edwin Valero as next Pacquiao opponent. That fight will be one of the top fights that can be made for this year. Valero is feared for his power and all of his fights have ended in KO victories, most of them in the first round. Now that the V-nom ( Valero) has been cleared to fight in the US, a mega fight against Pacman has become possible.

There are also a lot of talks about a fight against Ricky Hatton in early 2009. Many observers point out that Pacquiao seems to be at ease at the 135 lb division and can easily make the transition to 140 lbs. I don't know if Pacquiao can carry his strong points to junior welter weight but a fight against Ricky Hatton will surely bring big bucks for the Filipino boxing star.

Well, I guess we all just have to wait and see what Bob Arum can come up for Manny's next fight. One things for sure. We'll all be cheering for Manny come fight time.

Pacquiao VS Diaz This Weekend!

Its only two days before Manny Pacquiao meets David Diaz in his debut at the light weight division. The Pinoy boxing icon will challenge Diaz for his WBC title. I'm very excited to watch this fight and see if Pacquiao can make an impact on the light weight division. But there's one little problem.

Last Saurday, Typhoon Fengshen or Frank ravaged Iloilo and covered it in mud and water. As a result, power lines are down and many towns still do not have electricity including my hometown. We haven't had electricity for a week now which proves how devastating the effects of typhoon affected our region.

Well, the typhoon wasn't that powerful but the flood that came with it was really destructive. I witnessed the rising waters because I had been foolish enough to travel in the middle of a raging storm. I saw people frantically trying to escape the flood waters as I am being "rescued" together with others stranded by the deluge.

But I'm not here to talk about that tragedy. After all, this is a Philippine boxing blog. But that's my problem. If we still won't have electricity by Sunday, then I won't be able to watch Pacquiao-Diaz live (well, technically none of Pacquiao's international fights on national TV are live because of the delays).

Fortunately, I have heard rumors that the government will try their best to restore power to all the towns in my province. Maybe they know that the people's morale will be lifted by a Pacquiao victory. Well, I hope that they can fix this problem in time. Watching the fight as it happens is the best way to view a boxing match.

After surfing the web for predictions on this fight, I have noticed that Pacquiao is expected to win. Well, that's not a difficult prediction to make because people feel that Diaz is a hand picked opponent and the weakest among the lightweight titlists. However, I feel that Diaz is a live opponent who will not give up his title easily. As the bigger man with a good chin, he is capable of pulling the upset.


Filipino Boxing Updates:

I've just found out that another Pinoy boxing champ, Nonito Donaire, has signed a deal with Bob Arum. Apparently, Donaire decided to junk his contract with Gary Shaw because he is not getting any fights. His last fight was against Luis Maldonado last December and he needs a fight to keep him in top shape.

I think this is a good decision on Donaire's part. Arum is perfectly capable of setting up the fights he need to become successful in his boxing career. Inactivity can cost him his title just as in the case of Florante Condes.

June Pinoy Boxing Updates

It's only a week before Pacquiao's next fight. And I'm obviously excited. I hope that we see another exciting and nerve racking fight like Pacquiao-Marquez 2.

Since, the fight is approaching, I heard that both fighters are in the final stages of their preparations. Both parties claim that their fighter is in great shape and are ready to go to war. Well, I hope that Manny Pacquiao and David Diaz are in their best come June 28. Two fighter at their best and giving it their all makes a great fight.

I also noticed that Pacquiao is being favored to win this fight. I guess thats a logical prediction because Manny is a pound for pound fighter while Diaz probably doesn't make it to the top 20 in the P4P rankings. But I think that Diaz is no push over. He's the bigger fighter and I'm not sure if Pacquiao's punches will be very effective against him.

Well, I guess we just have to wait and see. Now let's move o to Philippine boxing updates.

Sadly, Florante Condes lot his IBF miniflyweight title by decision to Mexican Raul Garcia in La Paz, Mexico. Condes won the title about a year ago but promotional squabbles left him inactive. Some say he lost due to inactivity and bad management.

Of course, Garcia also performed well to take the title away from the Filipino champ. He used his boxing skills to avoid Cnodes power punches to earn a decision. Condes was able to score a knockdown in the final round but he was unable to stop the Mexican challenger. Fortunately, Condes is talented and I think he will get another shot at a title.

Pinoy boxing prospect, AJ Bazooka Banal has been scheduled to face Rafael “Little Bull” Concepcion for the vacant WBA superflyweight title. This is a big break for Banal. he has been impressive in his recent performances. Reports say that he is working hard to prepare for the biggest fight of his career. Let's see if he be successful with his first try at a world title.

Meanwhile, WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa is facing a dilemma. H has yet to make a decision on fighting Nestor Rocha. This match is scheduled to happen on the undercard of the battle between lightweight champion Joel Casamayor and former WBC super featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez on September 13 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Reports say that Penalosa is having problems with the purse for the fight. He is being offered a measly purse of $100,000. Rocha holds a fight record of 18-1 with 6 knockouts and the Pinoy boxing star is expecting a bigger purse against a decent challenger.

Penalosa has also expressed concern over running out of time. he is already at an advanced age and there is no clear possibility of him facing another high profile opponent. he was asking for a rematch against Daniel Ponce de Leon but that has become a remote possibility when De Leon suffered a KO loss at the hand of rising star JuanManuel Lopez.

Well, I hope that Pinoy boxing will have a good month. That means a victory for Manny Pacquiao. He is favored in the fight and he has to make up for Condes' loss. If Manny wins, then Philippine boxing will have 4 world titlists and a P4P champion.

Manny Pacquiao No. 1 Pound for Pound!

With Floyd "Money" Mayweather announcing his official "retirement", the Ring Magazine, the recognized “Bible of boxing" elevated Pinoy boxing icon, Manny Pacquiao to the top spot of its pound-for-pound ratings.

Well, this is certainly a great achievement for Pacquiao. He is the first Filipino boxer to be ranked no. 1 of the P4P rankings. He is probably the first Asian to hold the coveted top spot. He has been ranked number two behind Floyd for some time now so it's logical that he'll take over now that Floyd has hung up his gloves.

Granted, the P4P rankings are subjective and every one can make a list of the top active boxers. However. the Ring has the respect of many boxing fans and the rankings are decided upon by boxing writers and experts. The list offers an alternative to the muddied rankings found on the different boxing organization.

Then again, since Golden Boy now owns The Ring there have been talks about the rankings being biased towards Pacquiao. Golden boy shares Pacquiao with Top Rank so marketing Pacquiao as the top P4P boxer certainly seems a good business move.

It's also important to consider the Pacman's top competitor for the top P4P spot. Joe Calzaghe is also a very good candidate for the top boxer in the world. he is undefeated and is coming off a string of high profile wins against Hopkins, Kessler and Lacy.

Well, I think Pacquiao's performance against Diaz will prove if he indeed deserves the top spot in the P4P rankings. If he can knock out Diaz then it will solidify his status. It will also bring him more high profile and lucrative fights.

Manny Pacquiao Stamps Mania!

Getting your face on a stamp is a great honor. You need to be famous to gain the prestige of having your mug on a stamp. Of course, if you're a member of an endangered species then you probably won't have any difficulty in seeing yourself in the mail. Anyway, enough with the corny jokes. I just found out that postage stamps featuring Pinoy boxing icon, Manny Pacquiao, went on sale a few days ago.

The initial offering of four Manny Pacquiao stamps mounted on a cover and costing P7 each. This is a clear indication that Pacquiao will be known as one of the great sports heroes in Philippine sports. I think I need to find out where I can get these stamps. Someday I might be able to tell my children and grand children the story behind the stamps of a smiling guy with boxing gloves.


Manny Pacquiao Training Camp Updates

At the moment, the Philippine boxing hero is busy preparing for his lightweight debut against WBC champ David Diaz. This boxing event has been named “Lethal Combination” and will be held at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on June 28.

To promote this lightweight showdown, Pacquiao and Diaz held a free public workout at the West Wind Martial Arts School in Berkley. Both fighters captivated fans with their pugilistic skills and whetted their appetites for the showdown at Las Vegas.

Reports say that trainer Freddie Roach has recruited an aggressive southpaw to help Pacquiao prepare for Diaz. Diaz is a southpaw like Pacquiao so this will be an interesting fight. Most of Pacquiao's opponents have been orthodox fighters so it will be interesting to see how Pacquiao handles Diaz.

Some boxing experts say that that Pacquiao's southpaw stance has been a big advantage against his opponents. Indeed Pacquiao has been considered a rare breed among south paws because of his punching power. Powerful lefties are apparently a rare breed in boxing. Now the question is, will he lose this advantage against Diaz. I guess we'll have to see. Perhaps Diaz will also find difficulty in facing another south paw.

Then there is also the question of the new weight class. Will the Filipino boxing phenom lose all the attributes that made him successful when he steps up in weight? If Pacquiao loses his power and speed then he will find it difficult to be effective against Diaz. Pacquiao's strength has always been his offense. How can he win if he can't hurt Diaz? I guess we'll find out on June 28.

Pinoy Boxers Repel Invasion!

Well, I know that this topic is late by a few weeks but I would like to blog about it anyway because it's a significant victory for Pinoy boxing. I am pretty busy lately so I was unable to post on this when it was fresh. This blog has now achieve Google's PR 4 so I'm now motivated to make a post.

Anyway, in the early part of this month, Pinoy boxing champions and champions displayed their pugilistic prowess against challengers from all corners of the world. The promotion was aptly named "Invasion: Philippines versus the World" to emphasize that our boxers were defending their belts and our country's honor against fighters from Uruguay, Mexico, Thailand, Indonesia and Korea.

As you probably know, the invasion turned into a massacre when our boxers defeated their opponents in impressive fashion. Ciso Morales stopped Korean boxer Yoo Shin Kim on the fifth round. Morales' performance may have earned him a fight in the US.

AJ Banal performed very well when he scored a technical knockout in the fourth round against Caril Herrera an undefeated fighter from Montevideo, Uruguay. Herrera was rumored to be suffering from the effects of a 30 hour flight and may have not performed at his best. However, Banal had no choice but to do his job and impress the Filipino boxing fans.

Bautista resumed his comeback at the world stage by going up against a Mexican fighter, Genaro Camargo. Rey Bautista displayed patience as he pounded his opponent into submission in the second round. Boom Boom may need to step up his competition and perform well to prove that he deserves another title shot.

In the main event, Gerry Penalosa successfully defended the WBO Bantamweight title against Thailand's Ratanachai Sor Vorapin of Thailand. This came as no surprise to me as
Penalosa knocked Vorapin out in their first encounter. The Thai did not come to lose but Gerry was simply too good for him. The question now is what's next for Gerry. I think he should retire if he can't get a high profile fight against Daniel Ponce de Leon, Israel Vasquez or Rafael Marquez.

Other Philippine boxing prospects also performed well after the big main event. Bert Batawang stopped Indonesian Henri Amol in seven rounds and Michael Domingo of the ALA Gym disposed Themimint Sor Chitapattana of Thailand in two rounds.

The success of our boxers in this promotion was a victory for Pinoy boxing. These promotions will attract promoters and open more opportunities for our fighters. We have to honor them for doing their best and taking advantage of the local crowd support to come up with the victory.

“Invasion – Philippines vs The World”

This weekend, Pinoy boxing will once again showcase its pugilistic talent in a loaded promotion that features Philippine boxing prospects and champions. The promotion is headlined by WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Peñalosa who will face former world champion Ratanachai Sor Vorapin for the second time.

Peñalosa defeated Sor Vorapin by KO in their first meeting but will he able to to beat him again to defend his title? We'll find out this weekend. Sor Vorapin will not enter Philippine territory to lose. I expect him to be hungry and wary of committing the same mistakes against Gerry.

Filipino boxing prospect, AJ Banal will also face another test when he battles Caril “El Raton” Herrera. Herrera is an undefeated fighter out of Uruguay with an impressive record of 21-0, 13 KO’s. However, a quick look at the quality of his opponents show that Banal will probably be his toughest opponent yet. Nevertheless, on paper he seems like a fine opponent for AJ Banal.

Rey "BooM Boom" Bautista continues on his comeback journey when he faces Mexico’s Genaro Camargo. Bautista's opponent has a record of 13 wins, 3 losses with 10 KO's. It's not a very impressive record but it shows that Camargo can punch and hurt Bautista.

The other bouts included in this promotion include Ciso “Kid Terrible” Morales against South Korea’s Yoo Shin Kim, Bert Batawang against rugged Indonesian Heri Amol and Michael Domingo against Thepnimit Sor Chitpattana.

This looks like a very entertaining promotion. I hope our boxers can perform well and display courage on the ring. They will have the support of the local fans (and maybe the judges) so I think they will put on a good show.

PacMan Wins by Split Decision!

After twelve rounds of hard fought rounds, two of three judges gave the nod towards Pinoy boxing icon, Manny Pacquiao. With this close win, Pacquiao solidifies his claim as the top 130lb fighter in the world.

Personally, I thought Marquez won. I thought that Pacquiao did not work hard enough to win the last two rounds to secure the victory. If he had been more active in the eleventh and twelfth rounds, then I don't think that a lot of people would argue that Marquez won. Then again, maybe I'm not just satisfied with Manny's performance so I came under the impression that he was not active enough in the last couple of rounds

It was a close fight so it's understandable that boxing fans have different opinions about who won. The knockdown scored by Manny in the fourth round probably won him the match but I admire Juan Manuel Marquez for getting up and surviving the fifth round. I really thought that Pacquiao would finish him off since he was very unsteady when he came out at round five.

I can also understand that Marquez felt that he was robbed again. The fight was close so I can't blame him for thinking that he won. I also know that he has a lot of pride so losing this fight is hard for him to accept.

I think the more important matter to think about now is a third bout between these warriors. Arum said that an immediate third fight between the two would not be profitable. That means the best we can hope for is that Pac-Marquez 3 will be at the final months of the year. Arum wants to match Pacquiao against David Diaz next so I'm not sure if a third match between Manny and Marquez will happen this year.

All we can do is hope that a third match between them will indeed happen. It might be at light weight but I'm sure that they will bring us another classic.

Last Man Standing

The much anticipated rematch between Pinoy boxing icon, Manny Pacquiao and his rival, Juan Manuel Marquez is less than two days away. And I know all you boxing fans can't wait to see the fight.

Pacquiao certainly has a great influence in the Philippines. When he fights, everyone in the country are sure to be glued to the TV screen. Everything stops when Manny fights, even crime.

The Philippine National Police are predicting zero crime when Pacquiao fights this Sunday. It's an easy prediction to make. Virtually no crime occurred, when he fought his last few fights. Still, its a remarkable feat. The only other man who was able to bring crime in the Philippines to a halt is the late Pope John Paul II.

When the pope visited the country as part of the World Youth Day celebration, crime in the country dropped dramatically. That phenomenon happened more than a decade ago, but it is being duplicated whenever the Philippine boxing superstar performs. Even feuding politicians agreed to a truce so that all parties can give their attention to the fight.

Some boxing fans have declared that March 15 will be a sad day for the Philippines if Marquez emerges triumphant. I have agree with that statement. The outcome of this rematch will have a significant effect on the country. A loss for Pacquiao will make Filipinos feel bad.

However, Pacquiao will be able to come back, even if he loses. He is already one of the most widely recognized fighter and he can sell tickets. Their are still plenty of attractive fights that can be made in the case that he losses. Of course, winning will give him bigger opportunities and paybacks. Promoter Bob Arum has made announcements that Pacquiao will challenge David Diaz for his light weight title in June. That means Manny will be moving up in weight. However, Marquez is a huge hurdle to overcome.

I guess there's nothing more to say but to bid each fighter good luck. I hope that they will give us an exciting fight. All we can do now is wait for the bell to ring and find out who will be the last man standing.

PacMan vs Dynamita!

In the last couple of weeks, boxing and Pinoy boxing fans witnessed great fights. Rafael Marquez and Israel Vazquez fought for a third time and gave every boxing fight a wonderful fight. Juan Diaz and Nate Campbell also gave us a memorable bout at the lightweight division. And less than a week from now, Pacquiao and Marquez will meet for some unfinished business.

To whet your appetite for the fight you should check out Pacquiao's most Significant Fights by Don Steinberg of ESPN. This will lead you into a journey though the Pacman's most memorable fights.

The article also provided a little history of Pacquiao's career including his losses and hiss greatest triumphs. Juan Manuel Marquez is already a part of Pacquiao's story and we will see another chapter this weekend. Many Philippine boxing fans are expecting this to be one of the greatest rematches of all time.

Both fighters fought a very entertaining and controversial bout and this rematch has been well anticipated. In fact, it may have gone too long that some people say that Marquez is no longer in his peak. He still has the skill to beat Pacquiao but he may not be in top form.

Marquez seems to have become more hittable in his last outings. however, that may also be due to his effort to attract more fans to his fights. Despite his considerable boxing prowess, Marquez has been unable to draw a large crowd. A victory against Pacquiao will certainly encourage boxing fans to watch his fights.

This fight is also very important for the Pacman's career.He has been training hard for this encounter because he realize that Marquez is very difficult to beat. If he wins against Marquez, then he will be the undisputed top fighter in the 130 lbs division. Some analyst say that Pacquiao is ready for the lightweight division. His size could prove to be an advantage against Dynamita and some think that he could simply overpower Marquez.

If Manny wins he could fight for a title in the lightweight division or schedule a bout against Hatton or Dela Hoya. Both of these superstars have expressed that they would welcome a bout against Pacquiao.

Well, I guess there is nothing we can do but wait. We only have a few days of waiting before these great fighters exchange leather in the ring. I hope that they will give us a memorable battle.

"Hurricane"

I like to read. When I have nothing else to do, I usually look for a book to give me some entertainment. I went to a book sale a few days ago to look for a new novel. But a hard bound book caught my eye. It was a book entitled Hurricane.

Now, I know about a famous boxer nicknamed Hurricane, and so I decided to examine the book. To my surprise it was about the boxer that the book reminded me of. It was a biography of Rubin "hurricane" Carter, a top middle weight contender in the sixties who was imprisoned after being accused of a crime he did not commit.

I have been reading the book and I'm glad to say that I enjoyed it. It was inspiring to read about a man fighting to be free from a punishment that he did not deserve. Carter never gave up and fought for his freedom. I decided to look for videos on his fights to see him in action. The book described him as a scary, intimidating fighter with a vicious left hook.

Luckily, I was able to find some videos of Rubin Carter in action. I was glad when i found a video of Carter's biggest win. He was able to knock out Emile Griffith, a Hall of Famer and the reigning welterweight champion of the world at the time. Carter displayed the viciousness of his vaunted left hook in this bout. Here is the video:



Carter's life inspired the writing of books, documentaries and movies. Denzel Washington portrayed him in the latest movie about his life. I also found a video of Bob Dylan singing "Hurricane", a song written to help gather support for Carter's struggle towards freedom. Click here to watch the video. Let me end this post with a part of the lyrics of the song:

Rubin could take a man out with just one punch
But he never did like to talk about it all that much.
It's my work, he'd say, and I do it for pay
And when it's over I'd just as soon go on my way
Up to some paradise
Where the trout streams flow and the air is nice
And ride a horse along a trail.
But then they took him to the jailhouse
Where they try to turn a man into a mouse.

Pacman Mobbed in San Francisco!

Hundreds of adoring fans mobbed Pinoy boxing superstar, Manny Pacquiao when he arrived at the Titanium Training Center. The boxing star is scheduled for a public workout at the venue prompting fans to flock at the location.

The Philippine boxing icon was moved by the reception that he expressed a desire to schedule a bout in San Francisco. Manny said, "I want to fight in San Francisco. It thrills me that so many people are here. I'm going to ask Mr. Arum to do a fight in San Francisco."

Manny Pacquiao also assured his fans that he will have no problems in making the weight limit for the super featherweight division. Even though he was reported to weigh in at nearly 140 lbs in the WBC-mandated 30-day weigh-in, Pacquiao said that he can slim down to 13o lbs in time for the showdown.


Nonito Donaire Begins Hard Training

Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire the IBF/IBO flyweight champion has began training seriously for his scheduled title defense in Dubai. He will face Australia’s Hussein Hussein, a tough fighter who has experience in big fights.

Donaire arrived in Las Vegas a few days ago. He decided to train in the gambling capital of the world after scrapping his original plan of making his preparations for his title defense in the Philippines. His manager has reportedly prepared some Mexican sparring partners to help him prepare for the fight in Dubai.

I hope that our Filipino boxing stars can train well for their upcoming battles. The pride of their country is at stake in these bouts. Let us hope that they can perform well and bring honor to their country.

Pacquiao-Marquez II Training Updates

Pinoy boxing star,Manny Pacquiao and rival, Juan Manuel Marquez are deep into their training camps. Both fighters will put their boxing careers and pride on the line when they meet in less than a month for their much anticipated rematch.

Mexican star, Juan Manuel Marquez has reportedly hired a trio of Mexican southpaws to help him prepare for Manny. These tough Mexican sparring partners will help him cope with the speed and style of his left handed opponent. Observers of his public workouts say that he looks incredible. This is good news for fight fans because they want both fighters to be at their best on March 15.

Marquez began his fight preparations before Christmas and already weighs in at 132 which is well on target for the 130 pound limit. Marquez expresses his confidence at winning the fight with this statement. "I am 34 years old but I feel 25 and as far as experience is concerned I’m as smart as a 48 year old. The important thing for me is supreme conditioning and I’m in the best shape of my entire career because for me, this is the most important fight of my career." You can get an idea of Marquez's training routine in this article.

Meanwhile, Manny Pacquiao is also training hard for his upcoming fight. The Filipino boxing icon is fully focused while training tin the Wild Card gym in LA. Freddie roach seems to be satisfied with his progress and is confident that his ward will be ready on the big night.

A point for concern though is Pacquiao's weight. There were reports that he is having problems with passing the super featherweight limit in his lat few fights. The Philippine boxing star has also weighed at least 140 lbs at fight night and some people have expressed that it may be time for him to move up in weight. Some people have also pointed out that his bigger frame will be an advantage against Marquez.

Well, there is nothing we can do but wait for the opening bell come fight night.

Villoria Wins Comeback Fight !

The Beginnings of a Comeback

Brian "the Hawaiian Punch" Viloria made another step towards making his come back by earning a unanimous decision victory over Cesar “Gallito” Lopez. The bout took place in the undercard of the “Revenge or Repeat” fight card featuring Kelly Pavlik and Jermain Taylor.

Viloria is a former light flyweight champion titlist who is now campaigning in the flyweight division. He is now among the Pinoy boxing prospects who is looking to bring another title to the Philippines.

He only took an eight rounder because the card was so loaded with great world title fights. He had to take this fight because it will bring him a lot of visibility that could possibly lead to another crack at a world title. Brian was able to score a knockdown in the fifth round but the durable Lopez was able to survive. Viloria won the bout with sores of 78-73 twice and 77-74 on the last score card.

I hope Viloria can continue this streak and compete for a world title again. he has good power but he lacked focus in the early part of his career. If he can focus totally in his boxing career and use his talent well then another title might be possible.

I can't find any video highlights of this fight yet but I will post a video of it as soon as I can find one.

Very Impressive Pacman Knock Out Video!

Today I felt a bit disappointed when I heard that Pinoy boxing prospect, Rodel Mayol suffered a KO defeat because he took a fight on short notice. Luckily I found this great Manny Pacquiao video to cheer me up.

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Manny really looked like a monster in this video. he was still at the 122 lbs. division in this stage of his career. He was punching so hard at super bantamweight that you can hear his punches hit Julio.

Anyway, back to Mayol. I followed Mayol's career since he was still a young ALA boy in Cebu. He had great power but made some costly mistakes in his first two world title challenges. This third devastating loss will likely derail his career.

The was that he had no choice but to take this fight because he needed the money. apparently his wife just gave birth and his purse will take care of his wife's expenses. Since this fight was taken at short notice, Mayol was out of shape and ultimately lost the fight. The sad thing is that Mayol is supposedly being scheduled for a third crack at a world title. He can say goodbye to that chance now.

This does not seem to be a good start for Philippine boxing. Earlier this year, Z Gorres did not have enough stamina to outbox Darchinyan en route to a controversial split draw. The only consolation we have is that Bernabe Concepcion defended his NABF title and won by unanimous decision.

I hope our Pinoy boxers can put an end to the shaky start we have this year. And I also hope you'll enjoy the KO video! :)

Early February Filipino Boxing Updates

The furor over the result of the controversial Now or Never main event still hasn't died down. There are still plenty of articles made by Pinoy boxing writers on that subject. However, I think its time to move on to other things. Anyway, these are some significant info on Philippine boxing for this month.


Manny Pacquiao

Pinoy boxing star, Manny Pacquiao is currently training hard for his well anticipated rematch against Juan Manuel Marquez. Unlike his training camp for his rematch against Barrera, his training in the US is quiet with no major controversies. The only significant info on his preparations is that he is looking good and is focused on his regimen.

While Manny is hard at training, boxing writers, analysts and enthusiasts are busy making fight predictions. Some think that Manny will win because Marquez has slowed down since there first meeting while others feel that Marquez still has enough skills to outbox Pacquiao. All these discussions are certainly whetting my appetite for this super fight.

Another significant piece of news i have picked up is that Manny has given a donation to aid the family of fallen boxer, Alex Aroy. Aroy passed away due to injuries sustained during a 10-round bout in Villaba, Leyte.


Bobby Paqcquiao

With far lees fanfare than his brother's training camp, Booby Pacquiao is trainign hard for a bout against Urbano Antillon a lightweight contender. After seeing his stack rise with a string of victories aginst well kniown but faded fighters, Booby's career i once again on the way down following his KO loss against Humberto Sotto.

He is facing an uphill battle against Antillon who is fihting at the lightweight division. This Mexican lightweight prospect is undefeated in 21 fights with 14 KO victories. I hope Bobby can give his Pinoy bosing fans a great performance in this one.


AJ Banal Update

Undefeated Philippine boxing prospect, AJ Banal might be fighting Uruguayan Caril “El Raton” Herrera. Herrera is currently ranked No. 5 in the World Boxing Council and No. 12 in the International Boxing Federation. The proposed venue for this bout is the Cebu Coliseum. Let's hope that the boxing fans can keep their cool if this fight will be held there.

This will be a test for Banal as Herrera is also undefeated. If he surpasses this test then perhaps Banal is ready to step up. However, he is still a growing fighter and there is no need to pressure him into taking big fights. He needs to polish his skills and train hard if he wants to be successful at the highest level.


The Donaire Brothers

Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire Jr. the current IBF/IBO flyweight champion has mnade a chance of plans. He has announced that instead of training in Cebu for his forthcoming title defense against Australian Hussein "Hussy" Hussein, he will return to the US for the preparations.

Donaire did not elaborate further on the reason of their sudden change of plan. Well, if he thinks that training in the US is the best way to go then I'm all for it. He needs to train well because he will be up against a very good and experienced fighter. The championship bout is the main event of the blockbuster April 4 card by Third Force Promotions of Noli Eala in Dubai.

Meanwhile, his brother, Glenn "The Filipino Bomber" will face Brazilian Olympian, Jose Albuquerque when he returns to the ring just two weeks away. Glenn and Albuquerque fought to a six round draw in their first meeting. The rematch between them will be scheduled for eight rounds.

Well, I have nothing more to say but good luck to our fighters. I hope that they will train well and give a good performance in their upcoming fights.

Now or Never Results in Controversial Draw!

The match between Pinoy boxing prospect Z Gorres and former flyweight champion, VIc Darchinyan ended in a disappointing and controversial draw.

I have to admit that I felt that Darchinyan deserved the nod in that fight. Gorres had a great start and was even able to score a knockdown when he dropped Darchinyan in the second round. He was also able to deftly avoid Darchinyan's predictable lunging attack. However, by the eight round it was clear that Gorres was fading and he was losing his legs.

I thought that Gorres would focus on his stamina and conditioning for this fight. It was his stamina that failed him in his title challenge against Montiel. But, against Darchinyan it seems that he had less stamina. I've read that Gorres also came two pounds overweight at the weight-in and that indicated that he was not in shape for his match against Vic.

I was also very disappointed at the behavior of some Pinoy boxing fans during the bout. Some fans got carried away by their emotion when they pelted the referee, Darchinyan, and the visiting trainers with plastic bottles, coins and other debris. The visiting referee did an awful job and Darchinyan used dirty tactics at that fight but it was still wrong for some of the fans to throw things at them.

Throwing coins can be dangerous and any debris and the ring can also cause harm to the fighters. The unpleasant behavior displayed by some fans may also bring a negative image to our country. Foreign champions will feel reluctant in defending their belts in the country and promoters may be discouraged in investing in fights held at the Philippines.

I was also a bit disappointed with the referee when he made a mistake by scoring a knockdown against Gorres in the first round instead of a slip. But, I had nothing but pity for him when he was hit by a water bottle. I mean how can we expect him to be a fair umpire when he feels that the mob will lynch him if he makes a call against Gorres.

It was clear to me that his judgment was affected when he did not call the legitimate knockdowns against Gorres on the last few rounds of the fight. Gorres went down several times in those rounds because he had clearly lost his legs. However, I think he went down a cvouple of times due to the impact of Darchinyan's punches.

It was his first officiating job in foreign soil and the violent reactions of the crowd obviously had an effect on him. Had he scored the knockdowns for Darchinyan, it would have been a clear cut victory for the former champion.

Well, this is how I feel. I know that some Philippine boxing fans may feel differently towards the fight and I respect their views. I hope that Filipino boxing fans can control their emotions and never throw any debris in the ring again.

Now or Never: Gorres vs. Darchinyan

The exciting bout between Z "the Dream" Gorres and Vic "the Raging Bull" Darchinyan is only about 12 hours away at the writing of this post.

Will this be a big win for Gorres or will this be the start of a come back for Darchinyan. I guess we'll see tonight.

I'm excited that's for sure. Of course I'm rooting for the Pinoy boxing prospect since I'm Filipino. But that doesn't min that I'm sure Gorres will win. Darchinyan is a very dangerous opponent especially because of his power. He is also a former champion who wants to get back to his former glory.

The Raging Bull has declared that,“If I catch him I will knock him out and twelve rounds is a long time to run.” That probably sums up Darchinyan's strategy for this fight. He will rely heavily on his punching power and attempt to knock Gorres out.

Gorres has his advantages in this fight. He probably has the advantage in speed and technical skills over Darchinyan. Then there is also his age. He is 25 years old while Darchinyan is 32 which is old for a super flyweight. Maybe Darchinyan's chin has still not recovered from Nonito Donaire's left hook. And of course, Gorres will have the support of Philippine boxing fans in Cebu.

I think the key to winning this fight for the Filipino boxing prospect is to box smartly, have enough stamina to avoid Darchinyan's bombs, and exploit his opponents leaky defense.

Well, i think I can say nothing more but good luck to both fighters. i hope that they will bring boxing fans an entertaining fight.

Pacquaio Training Updates and Other Pinoy Boxing News!

Pacquiao Training Camp

It seems that Manny Pacquiao is training religiously for his rematch against Juan Manuel Marquez on March 15 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Well, he very well should kill himself in training. This rematch against is a very important fight at this stage of his career.

His training camp appears to be on schedule ans a set of sparring partners has been lined up when he begins sparring this week. Danny Cervantes, Roger Gonzales, David Rodela and Adrian “A-game” Gallon will be given the task of sparring against the Pinoy Boxing star.

Observers who witnessed Pacquaio pounding the mitts described his power as explosive. The sound of the Philippine boxing icon's fists striking mitts sounded like exploding firecrackers. Other writers also describe Pacquiao as "very dangerous" due to the power he displayed in the early part of training.

Well, Pacquiao always has reliable punching power. However, he needs more than power to beat Marquez. He put Marquez down on the deck thrice in their first encounter but it was not enough to give him the victory. He needs to develop other areas and skills if he is to defeat Dynamita.


Other Pinoy Boxing News

Darchinyan Lands in Cebu

Vic "Raging Bull" Darchinyan and his team has finally arrived in Cebu. Team Darchinyan is confident that their fighter can beat Z Gorres when they square off at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel in the 12-round main event this upcoming weekend.

Darchinyan is scheduled to hold a public workout to display his boxing prowess as well as to prepare himself for Gorres. Vic has plenty of time to adjust to the warm Philippine climate and is fully prepared to unleash his full arsenal against his Pinoy opponent.


Ganoy To Fight Julio Diaz


Ranee “KO Kid” Ganoy a Sydney-based Filipino boxing prospect will face a huge test in his boxing career as he is scheduled to exchange blows with former IBF world lightweight champion Julio Diaz.

The bout is one of the supporting matches of the IBF/IBO flyweight title fight between Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire and Australia’s Hussein Hussein. This boxing promotion will be held in Dubai on April 4 of this year.

Ganoy is a powerful puncher and has been on a roll following a string of successive wins. His biggest win so far is a KO victory over Robbie Peden. He is now being trained by former multi-division world champion Jeff Fenech. Fenech described him as the best pure puncher I have seen.”

Well I hope everything works out great for our Pinoy boxers. If they train hard then perhaps it will be another good year for Filipino boxing.

Marco Antonio Barrera to Make A Splash in Pinoy Ad Market

It seems that the Baby Faced Assassin will grace the Filipino TV screen with his acting talent. Apparently, the Mexican boxing star will test his luck on the Filipino advertisement industry. You can check out this story and other boxing articles at Philboxing.com

The information about this bit of news came from Barrera's cutman, Tony Rivera. Rivera told a reporter that, "It's a done deal,we're just waiting for the paperwork. However, Rivera did not reveal the name of the company that will be promoted by the Mexican legend.

Maybe he wants to enjoy the same success as his compatriot, Erik Morales. El Terrible has starred in a few commercials in the Philippines including a San Miguel Beer commercial with Manny Pacquiao. Here is a video of one of Erik's commercials in the Philippines.



I think Erik looked good looked in that ad with Pinoy boxing star, Manny Pacquiao. Even Freddie Roach was given a break in that one.

Anyway, it seems that Barrera is not going to do ads in the Philippines. Barrera is also interested in investing in the Philippines. He is planning to establish gyms and discover Pinoy boxing talent. He knows by experience that Filipinos have great potential as boxers.

I hope that Barrera will be able to make a commercial in the Philippines. Pinoy boxing fans have a lot of respect for him and will surely welcome him into the country and give him a taste of our hospitality.

RJJ Triumphant Plus Pinoy Boxing Updates

Roy Jones Junior emerged victorious over fellow faded superstar, Felix "Tito" Trinidad in their light heavyweight match up last weekend.

Jones proved to be the dominant fighter and scored two knockdowns during the fight. The final scored tallied 116-110 twice and 117-109 all for RJJ.

Well, I think the outcome was really no surprise at all. I was hoping Trinidad would win because I am a Tito fan but Jones was really to big for him. Tito was dominant at 147 while Jones managed to win a heavyweight belt.

Trinidad also had difficulty against P4P fighters who were heavier than him. He Hopkins, Wright ans now Jones has proven that Trinidad did not have the explosive power he possessed at welterweight.

So what does this mean for both fighters? For Roy Jone Junior, well this victory will probably open the possibility of another fight for Roy. He has a lot of fans and he has a big name so promoters will be willing to find a lucrative bout for him.

And for Tito? Well, retirement is probably the best option. He has lost his last two fights and he will not be able to attract promoters to set him up for another big payday. He should not surrender the spotlight to fellow Puerto Rican, Miguel Cotto.

Filipino Boxing Updates

Donaire to Help Gorres

There have been reports that Donaire will help Gorres as he train for his match up against Vic Darchinyan. I think this is a good idea because Nonito is the only fighter to have beaten Vic. His experience will be valuable in helping Z Gorres deal with Darchinyan.

Darchinyan's main weapon is his power while Gorres has superb boxing skills. If Gorres can dodge Vic's power punches, exploit his opponent's poor defense and use the hometown support then perhaps he will deliver Vic's second career loss. However, if Darchinyan can use his power to derail Gorres' game plan then he will probably win by knockout.

Gorres has been impressive in his workouts so perhaps he will be fully prepared in this fight. His conditioning failed him against Fernando Montiel and cost him a world title. Let's hope he will be able to avoid or deflect Vic'c bombs through out the fight.


Local Fights

The ALA gym continues to produce talented fighter as one of the vaunted ALA boys displayed his boxing prowess in the ring. Ala boy, Jomar Omaz passed his acid test when he tangled against tough veteran Pedro Malco.

Malco has the same number of wins as his losses but he has experience against world class competition. He has lasted the distance against top Thai fighters including, Terdsak Jandaeng and Ratanachai Sor Vorapin.

Omanz scored a knockdown in this match up but did not escape unscathed as Malco landed his own share of power punches. Omanz's skill and talent proved to be the difference in this fight and came out the victor with a unanimous decision victory.

Pacquiao-Marquez Two Press Conference Pics!

The photos of the recent press conference for the Pacquiao-Marquez rematch have released. The two boxing superstars will clash for the second time on March 15 in Las Vegas. The Pinoy boxing superstar and "Dynamita" fought to an exciting draw during their first meeting and every boxing fan expect great action and drama from the anticipated rematch.

Here are the photos:

Manny Pacquaio and Juan Manuel Marquez pose for the cameras.



Promoter Bob Arum and Philippine boxing icon, Manny Pacquaio applaud JMM.


Arum selling the superfight to boxing fans around the world. This fight is an obvious sellout.


I am really excited to see both future Hall of Famers go at it again in the ring. Manny better come prepared in this one. Juan Manuel Marquez will surely do his best to claim the title as the best 130 pounder in the world. If Pacquiao will not focus in his training and on Marquez, then he might not be able to escape with a draw this time.

January 2008 Philippine Boxing Updates

Pacman vs. Hitman

These past few weeks, there has been a lot of buzz about a possible super fight between Pinoy boxing star, Manny Pacquiao and British boxing star, Ricky Hatton.

Since Ricky Hatton is about the same height as Manny and has a two inch reach disadvantage, some people have argued that it would be a good match up. In terms of weight, Pacquaio had weighed in at around 140 lbs. at fight time, which is around Hatton's usual weight.

This is not a good match up in my opinion because even if both fighters are of the same height, I don't think that they are of the same size and weight. Hatton would be the natural bigger man and has a big advantage in size. Pacman weighed at about 140 at the night of some of his fights but I think Hatton for his part weighed over 150 lbs in most of his fights. hatton has also been known to balloon in weight before fight training.

Furthermore, Hatton has been fighting at 140 lbs and more for most his career and is used to taking shots from fighters in this weight class. On the other hand, Manny has fought from 106 lbs to 130 lbs, and fighting at 140 lbs would diminish his speed. Let's face it, Manny's speed is a huge factor in his success as a boxer.

Of course, this fight can bring a lot of money to both fighters because of their huge fan base and it is an exciting match up as both fighters love to mix it up. However, Pacquiao faces big disadvantages against Hatton so I don't think that this fight would happen. On the other hand, if Manny wins convincingly against Marquez, then anything can happen.


Gerry, Boom Boom and AJ

Gerry Penalosa is scheduled to defend his bantamweight title against Ratanachai Sor Vorapin on March 2 at the Araneta Coliseum. About seven years ago, Gerry knocked Sor Vorapin out in six rounds in a minor title defense. However, Sor Vorapin has stayed active since then and has manged to win the WBO bantamweight title. he lost the title to Jhonny Gonzalez who in turn lost it to Gerry last year.

Pinoy boxing prospects Banal and Bautista have been scheduled to fight in the undercard of this boxing event. Banal has kept his winning streak alive while Bautista is on the comeback trail after suffering his first lost. I hope our fighters can come up with victories this March and continue the success Philippine boxing has experienced last year.

Gabriel "Flash" Elorde

Today, January 2 marks the death anniversary of the late Gabriel "Flash" Elorde. Now, I don't know a lot about Elorde because his career ended before I was born. However, I have heard a lot about him from Filipino and international boxing writers and analysts. He is also regarded by most as the greatest Filipino boxer of all-time.

Here is an article written in tribute of this great Pinoy boxing legend:

REMEMBERING 'FLASH' ELORDE by Ronnie Nathanielsz

Gabriel "Flash" Elorde was the youngest in a family of sixteen, born into a poor farmer’s home in the town of Bogo. His poverty served not as a burden but as a challenge.

Elorde walked off the streets of Cebu where he worked as a pier hand, a dishwasher on an inter-island cargo boat and a pinboy in a bowling alley to punch his way to the world junior lightweight crown, in the process winning international acclaim and the hearts of millions of his countrymen.

The Philippines has been blessed with a long line of remarkable champions from Pancho Villa to Ceferino Garcia and in more recent times the incredible Manny Pacquiao. But in the fascinating history of boxing, Gabriel "Flash" Elorde stands out as the greatest of all time, not merely for his incredible skill and raw courage but even more so for the exemplary human qualities that shone like a beacon among the heroes of our time.

One of the greatest fighters to ever come out of the Asia-Pacific region, Elorde was born on March 25, 1935 and turned professional when he was barely 16.

An excellent boxer, the famed southpaw became an oriental champion at all weights - from bantamweight to lightweight.
In an active career Elorde had 44 title fights, 15 for world titles, and was involved in at least one every year from 1952 to 1967.
Read the rest of this article at Philboxing.com

Elorde also has a great record and fought great fighters like Sandy Saddler. You can personally check his fight record People say that he was a great man inside and outside the ring. he also had the same electrifying and unifying effect as Philippine boxing icon, Manny Pacquiao.

I hope that we will have more boxing greats like Pacquiao and Elorde in the future. Boxing is currently enjoying a "golden age" as we have four world champions and an elite boxing icon. We should use this time to develop our country's boxing program so that we will have more boxing greats in the future. Let me end this post with a picture of Elorde in action against fellow Hall of Famer, Sandy Saddler.