Filipino top tier boxers have been in the losing column recently. Manny Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire and Brian Viloria suffered their respective losses. They need to win on their next fight to pick-up what they left before they were defeated—especially Pacquiao, which is in a make-or-break fight against Brandon Rios on November in Macau, China. Pacquiao 54-5-2 (KO 38) even if will get past Rios 31-1-1 (KO 23), has few fights left in him before he will finally decide to retire and end his stellar career in boxing.

The question now is who will be next possible frontier in Philippine boxing landscape?

Here are my top three prospect, under 30 years’ old, undefeated Filipino boxers that could become the leading edge in Philippine boxing and perhaps can emulate the achievement of the Filipino boxing icon.

Milan Melindo 29-0 (KO 12) – is the Transnational Boxing Ranking Board’s (TBRB) rank number 8 flyweight. The 25 years old from Southern Philippines is a savvy tactician in the ring. Although not known as a power puncher, Melindo is noted for his methodical approach. He knows basics and throws a lot of combinations during exchanges. He is coming from a fourth round TKO win against tough Indonesian Tommy Seran on April 6 in Macau, China. He is scheduled to fight against WBO and WBA flyweight titlist Juan Francisco Estrada also in Macau, China on July 27.

Merlito Sabillo 21-0 (KO 11) – is undefeated 29 years old and TBRB’s rank number 10 at the straw weight division. He is a heavy handed southpaw who stopped his Columbian challenger Luis de la Rosa with a single punch. He will headline Pinoy Prides’ 21’st edition on July 13 at the luxurious Solaire Resort and Casino in Manila to defend his WBO title.

Arthur Villanueva 22-0 (KO 12) – is only 24 years old and had the OPBF title in his resume. He is TBRB’s rank number 10 in the junior bantamweight division. Villanueva is a tough fighter. You will admire his precise counter-punching during exchanges. At 5-feet 5-inches tall he seemed to have the height advantage in this division. And he is able to use this advantage to maintain a comfortable distance to throw punches but out-of-range from opponents counter. He will co-feature the Pinoy Pride 21’st series on July 13 against Mexico’s Arturo “Fuerte” Badillo, a heavy puncher who has 19 knockouts out of his 21 wins.

While watching TFC (The Filipino Channel) TV Patrol tonight, ABS-CBN's sports correspondent Dyan Castillejo reported an interview of Manny Pacquiao after a break from playing basketball. Pacquiao told that he forget already the devastating loss that he suffered from his Mexican rival, Juan Manuel Marquez.

Pacquiao told that Rios is a good fight, "Kagaya ng pagkatalo ko dati noong nag uumpisa pa lang ako... babalik ako..." (Like my first defeat when I was just started... (boxing) I will come back...). "Sikap at tiyaga lang talaga" (It's just really diligence and perseverance).

The Filipino boxing icon is playing basketball daily in his residence in Southern Philippines to stay sharp and maintain stamina prior to his preparation for training for a fight against Brandon Rios in November. Aside from boxing, Pacquaio also loves to play basketball. He told in an interview before that if he had the height he would prefer basketball rather than boxing.

Playing basketball really improves stamina because it is more on running. But I blame basketball for Pacquaio's claim of cramp calves. Basketball not only plain running. It includes jumping running in a continuous changing direction that create strain in the ankle and calves.

I'm nagging about this not as an expert in cross-training but I speak through my experience. I'm a basketball addict too. When I played a lot basketball, lets say two games in a row. I started to feel cramps in my calves.

Do you think playing basketball really has more benefit than risk for Pacquiao?

Gennady Golovkin, 27-0 (KO 24) was a beast on Saturday night. Golovkin proved skeptics wrong and silenced critics on their seats while watching him dismantled Matthew Macklin. Those who believed he was a hyped and overrated fighter, were in disbelief how he battered Macklin in just three rounds. Golovkin’s seek-and-destroy style that hardcore and casual fans love to watch will always stand out. Macklin was supposed to be the toughest test of GGG’s career. But he was nowhere near a hard task to tackle, instead he look like a prey to a hungry monster.


In the first round it was evident that Golovkin had no little respect for Macklin’s power. Golovkin immediately jump at Macklin and throw punches with real bad intention. He was marching towards Macklin as if he was holding Thor’s hammer. The heavy handed phenom from Kazakhstan shook the underpowered challenger that look stunned and frightened with every punch that landed.
 
In the second round I am asking myself this question, until when Macklin now dropped to 29-5 (KO 20) could keep himself standing. With this question in my mind, I know this is going to be a short walk in the park for Golovkin. HBO should better back-up with good quality under-cards whenever they headline Golovkin, it is going to be guaranteed short night.

Golovkin backed Macklin several times through the ropes. Macklin seemed confused on how to react the situation, whether to punch out off the ropes or to cover up downstairs or upstairs. Macklin had neither answer nor clear defense for Golovkins head and body assault.

In the third round, Golovkin unleashed a powerful shot to the body that put Macklin down for good. Macklin took a knee and was counted out from there.

Prior to the fight, Macklin was regarded as an acid test for Golovkin. Macklin had been in a war with top tier middleweight Felix Sturm and Sergio Martinez.  Although he lost against Martinez, he gave the champion one hell of a fight that if it went through the final bell, for sure he would have taken the title. Against Felix Sturm, we all know who won. However, last night Macklin was overpowered and overwhelmed by a different kind of beast.

What next for Golovkin now that he passed the ‘toughest’ test?

Sergio Martinez, sitting on top of the middleweight hill, would likely be the next opponent for GGG. But with Golovkins performance tonight, I don’t know how willing Maravilla would take the risk. Martinez narrowly escaped the final round knockdown scored by Chavez Jr. in their September 2012 fight. Against Golovkin, he will be treated with more of the same punches. But his awkward style is interesting to watch against a heavy handed stalker.

Andre Ward, the number two pound for pound boxer next to Floyd Mayweather Jr. is another mouthwatering match-up. But I hate to hear Ward calling out opponents to come up or to come down at 168-pounds. A catch-weight at 164 is ideal.

What do you think would be GGG’s best next opponent?

The fight between eight-time and five division world champion Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. and super welterweight world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will host a press conference in Bayfront Park, Tina Hills Pavilion at 301 North Biscayne Boulevard Miami according to Golden Boy Promotion press release.

The open-to-the-public press conference that will be held on Friday June 28 at 1PM (E.T.) will discuss their Super Welterweight World Championship fight taking place on Saturday, Sept. 14 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas.


The fight, which is billed as “The One: Mayweather vs. Canelo” featured both undefeated fighters. And after the fight there could be only one, which will remain undefeated. Canelo Alvarez will try to erase that “O” on Mayweather’s record and dethrone the pound-for-pound kingpin, which his previous 44 opponents failed to do. The winner will be boxing’s “Numero Uno”.

The fight will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV®.

Since this press conference is open to the public, fans are encouraged to arrive early.

Photo Credit: Al Bello

COMMENTARY│Expected and considered by some as "the next big thing" in boxing, Adrien "The Problem Broner" scored a split decision victory against hometown favorite Paulie "The Magic Man" Malignaggi at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY on Saturday.

The Cincinnati fighter, Broner, captured the WBA welterweight title from the often regarded as "paper champion" Malignaggi, from this talent-packed 147 pound division. Broner at 23, became three division champion: having won world titles at super featherweight, lightweight and welterweight.


Broner now improved to 27-0 (22 KO), skipped 140 pound division to fought Malignaggi. His move was criticized. He is accused of ducking the likes of Danny Garcia, Lucas Matthysse, Lamont Peterson, Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado. These fighters would give real problem to "The Problem" and will pose the biggest test of Broner's talent.

Well, fast forward, he chose to fight Malignaggi 32-5, (7 KO) at 147 pound, last night on Showtime. A fight that was somehow perceived, to be an easy job for Floyd's so called "younger brother".

Most if not all boxing aficionados picked Broner to win via knockout or in a very impressive manner. I predicted that Broner will win unanimously in a lopsided battle. I did not predict a KO because Broner is a newcomer at welter and Malignaggi has been fighting in this division for several fights. Instead, I expect Broner to showcase more from his talent and ring prowess to outwit the feather-fisted Malignaggi.

Maybe I am expecting a lot from Broner. But what I should expect from a fighter who is positioned to be the next big thing in boxing? I expect an easy job for a pick out job.

However, although Broner won and remained undefeated, his performance is far from my expectation. Broner started the fight slow as expected, which he always did to size up his opponent. Malignaggi at 32 managed to land jabs and was the busier fighter. Broner has the lower punch output because his hands were too busy on shoulder roll and doubling up to protect from Malignaggi's volume jabs to his head and body in the first four rounds.

Broner, increased his output in the fifth and throw more uppercuts and left hooks that find mark on Malignaggi's head and body. But Malignaggi stuck to his game plan, he continued to keep distance using his jab and clinched whenever Broner got close.

Broner failed to adjust Malignaggi's game plan. Knowing that he can take whatever the light hitting Malignaggi throws. He kept coming towards Malignaggi flat footedly in one direction, using his shoulder roll as the only defense. But it also prevented him to throw more punches of his own.

Broner has the upper body movement of Floyd but without the footwork. He did not use lateral and more head movement to evade Malignaggi's jabs. The added weight made him slow and did George Foreman's move that Muhammad Ali describes as a "mummy walk" prior to their "the rumble in the jungle" fight in 1974.


On the other hand, I saw what I don't expect from Malignaggi; he was able to keep up the next big thing in boxing and was never in a verge of collapse or getting KO'd. He religiously stuck to his game plan from start to finish. The only thing that is lacking is the sting from his punches. If he has decent power I think it would have been a different story.

Photo Credit Tom Casino/Showtime

Photo Credit: Tom Casino SHOWTIME

Brooklyn’s hometown favorite Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi will defend his WBA world welterweight title against Cincinnati’s undefeated and current lightweight champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner on June 22 as the main event of Showtime’s’ tripleheader at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The fighters showed (photos below) to the media what they have got in their respective training on a media workout held on Tuesday.

The tripleheader features 12-round bout between Johnathon "Mr." Banks (29-1-1, 19 KO's) and Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell (25-1-1, 19 KO's) and Sakio "The Scorpion" Bika (31-5-2, 21 KO's), of Sydney, Australia,  against Mexico City's undefeated Marco Antonio Periban (20-0, 13 KO's) will clash for the vacant WBC Super Middleweight Championship.


Malignaggi and Broner exchanging heated and sometimes below-the-belt verbal assaults against each other on social media, continued during the media workout, here are some quotes.

Paulie Malignaggi

"I'm going to dominate him, punish him and make him quit on his stool"

"It's not just him coming to beat my ass.  He's forgetting one thing: I'm coming to beat his ass and, that's the plan on Saturday night."
 
Adrien Broner

"June 22, he's going to wish there's another corner he can run to"

"Paulie is Paulie.  You know, I'm gonna be honest with you, if you're not on you're A-game against Paulie, he can slip away from you.  He's a guy with some tricks up his sleeve, but we're not here for a circus day.”

Whatever Malignaggi and Broner had already been said against each other, only one questions lingers on, whose trash talking will transpire in the ring comes fight night?

Photo Credit: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME

Mikey Garcia officially joins the one percent league of elite fighters in the sport, making former two time champion Juan Manuel Lopez like a club fighter. Garcia stops Lopez in round 4, after knocking him down in the second round. The official time of the stoppage: 1:35 in the fourth round.

Both fighters started the first round cautious, trying to figure its other out. But the snapping jabs of Garcia were dominating. Just in the second round, Garcia perfectly thrown a quick-as-a-cat one-two combination that Lopez never saw it coming. Boom! Down went Lopez on his butt. He never saw it coming.

The knockdown came from a very treacherous attack. Garcia was so calm, seems not willing to engage at that time and content with his jab connecting well on Lopez's face. But all of the sudden Garcia unleashed a cracking one-two punch.

Lopez, not badly hurt, got up and continued the fight.

In the third round, Garcia is landing at well, beating the former champion form Puerto Rico by the punch. Lopez was totally off in his counters, he is just swinging in the air, not able to touch Garcia.

With the win, Garcia will make the title vacant. He was not able to make the division limit 126 pounds coming in during the weigh-in two pounds over at 128 pounds and did not bother to make the weight, because according to him it might affect his health. Mikey said after the weigh-in that his body seems like 'shutdown'.

I think Garcia's win will be put into question somehow for not making the contractual weight. He had two hours to get the right weight but instead of shedding the extra poundage he give Lopez several thousands of dollars.

Maybe those two pounds might not matter at all, but those division limits, were being set for a reason. Two pounds is two pounds.

However, looking into Lopez performance tonight, do you think he will not get knockout by Garcia, if he (Garcia) make the right weight?

I think Garcia will still knockout Lopez even if he weighed the same. Or even if they were both above the featherweight limit. The execution of Lopez was never near his level before he was knockout by Salido. He looked old and sluggish. He was totally wrecked from the two battles he endured against Salido.
 
Meanwhile, Garcia was ask if he will fight at 130, he said that If he feel comfortable fighting at 130 come next fight, he will stay there. But if not, and 126 still his division, he will go back down.

Maybe Garcia’s explosive win will be question, but the kid has a very bright future ahead of him. A fight with Rocky Martinez is inevitable for another classic Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry.

Garcia vs Lopez Weigh-in Result:

Garcia came in on the scales at 128 pounds, two pounds over the featherweight limit. Garcia looks so drain in the weigh-in. It seems he is having difficulty making the division limit. I hope this will not be a big factor in the fight outcome.

I believe he should move up to super-featherweight division after this fight.

Juan Manuel Lopez came in at 125.25 pounds and look ripped. 
    
The featherweight showdown between undefeated WBO champion Mikey Garcia and Puerto Rican star Juan Manuel Lopez will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark at the American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.

Garcia did not bother to make another try to make the weight that might pose health problems. This means that he lost his WBO Featherweight title without even setting his foot in the ring.

Lopez at 125.25 will be contesting the title that he once held.

For my preview of the bout you will find it here on THESCUFFLE.COM.

Weigh-In Result:

Mikey Garcia - 128 pounds
Juan Manuel Lopez - 125.25

Follow Retech Son on twitter @RetechSon

Originally posted on THESCUFFLE.COM
Undefeated WBO featherweight champion Mikey Garcia will face former two-division champion Juan Manuel Lopez at the American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas, USA on Saturday, June 15.

Mikey Garcia was coming from a technical decision victory over Mexican banger Orlando Salido in January wresting the title once held by Juan Manuel Lopez that he will defend on HBO’s “Boxing After Dark”

Garcia, 31-0 (KO 26), is a young and fast rising star that graduated from being simply called prospect, now making way to become member of the sports elite. He is a kind of fighter despite being young; He thinks like a veteran in the ring.


He is very patient and picks his punches very well with total precision. He tends to be very cautious in the ring. And has the tendency to be boring against fellow counter puncher. But against puncher/brawler, it will be very interesting to watch and that should be the case against Lopez.

A win against Lopez would help solidify his claim in the featherweight division and would get his self ready for another potential bigger name in the division, perhaps against brawler, fellow undefeated Abner Mares—WBC champion.

Lopez, 33-2 (KO 30) is coming from two consecutive victories against, Aldimar Santos and Eugene Lopez. He is trying to get back into the winning column after he suffered TKO losses against Orlando Salido.

Lopez is a two fisted fighter who wanted to slug it off punch by punch. He is a fighter that one’s get himself into a brawl stops thinking about defense and just throwing bombs after bombs, not caring if he gets hit as long as he hits. If you are in the opposite corner against Lopez be sure you can absorb wicked punches to your body, or you will drop to your knee.

Lopez cannot afford to lose this fight, if he wants to go back to the status he left before losing from Salido. A win against Garcia would make him beat the man, who beat the man that beat him. It’s a redemption against those TKO loses in his career.

Against common opponent—Orlando Salido

Garcia vs. Salido – Garcia scored a total of four knockdowns against Salido, twice in the very first round and once in rounds three and four. In round eight Garcia suffered a broken nose from an accidental head butt. The fight was stop and Garcia was awarded the title.

Mikey Garcia was a bit criticized for not continuing the fight. He was accused of quitting from the fight after the head butt. Robert Garcia, Mikey’s trainer, being aware that his fighter was way ahead in the judges’ scorecards, insisted that his fighter cannot continue. He knows that it is very dangerous for his fighter to continue fighting, having a broken nose, against a guy who is noted to be very strong in the closing rounds.

However, the blame cannot erase the fact that the 25 years old, fast rising prospect was schooling the veteran Orlando Salido. Salido was out boxed and was beaten by the punch all night long. He was always a recipient of well timed counters from a technically savvy Garcia.

Salido vs. Lopez (twice) – Lopez was defeated by Salido twice via technical knockout. It is a fight that Lopez believed he can defeat Salido into a slugfest. In the first bout, although up on his feet but unable to answer several punishing shots from Salido, the fight was stop by the referee. Lopez pointed out that the fight was stop prematurely.

In the rematch, Lopez didn’t learn the lesson in his first defeat. He met Salido head-on again. And even if he was wobbled several times, he chose to trade bombs after bombs. But Salido’s more powerful and devastating punches prevailed.

Prediction

Looking into each gentleman's performance against a common opponent, it is easy to say that Garcia has the edge, which I believe is the case for this fight.

However, I also believe that Lopez learned from the mistakes he made from the two defeats in his record. I think he will not rush to engage Garcia in a slugfest because he knows he will be walking ahead to Garcia's precise counters. I think he will fight intelligently this time around.  If Lopez considers plan B, I like to see him slug it out in the latter rounds and to find out how much Garcia can absorb from his power.

Nevertheless, I still think that the skills and slickness of Mikey Garcia will prevail and he will cruise into a unanimous decision.

Follow Retech Son on Twitter @RetechSon

The second installment of Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s 6-fight deal with Showtime against Saul "Canelo Alvarrez will stage 11-city, two-country media tour that will kick off on June 24 in New York City and will culminate Phoenix and Los Angeles according to Golden Boy Promotion Press release forwarded to me via email.

You can read full details of the schedule here.

I've been a freelance writer for Yahoo! Contributor Network (YCN) submitting content for possible publication on Yahoo! websites, for almost a year now. Being a boxing fan that loves to write about the sport, having my work published on Yahoo! is very much fulfilling. As a starter, it is a confidence booster to have my articles posted on their site.

One thing I learned in submitting contents to yahoo is about timing. YCN editors review submitted contents four to ten days after submission. And because of this, it is not favorable to write boxing results. HBO and Showtime stage boxing bouts every Saturday night.


Granted you submit your article right after the fight--it will be published the earliest on Wednesday, which is too late for a news story to be published after four days.

One example is the article I wrote regarding Hopkins-Cloud result. I submitted the article right after the fight, (Saturday night) but it was published after four days (Wednesday). Most of the related stories are already online right after the fight. Anyway, I can handle that because I am not a Yahoo! sport news correspondent (just an aspiring contributor/writer).

I decided to ditch news stories. I tried writing fight and future match-up predictions. This is better; all I need to do is choose a match-up, know when it will happen, and submit the prediction a week before, just to make sure it will be published two or three days before the fight.

However, when I wrote a piece predicting two possible opponents of Floyd Mayweather Jr, yet the timing was off. I can't help but to laugh at the result.

I submitted the article on May 28, but to my surprise Mayweather announced his opponent on May 30. That made my article totally useless. I wanted to blame Mayweather (lol...) for that early announcement.

I have option to delete it before it will be published, but I choose to keep it. I wanted to see if Yahoo! Contributor Network editors will notice it. But to my surprise it was published after five days. So, I told to myself, "better late than never". I kept the article and submitted another one with a headline "Mayweather Jr. Vs. Canelo: Is Floyd Pressured to Fight Alvarez"

Now I understand that timing is very essential in everything we do. I do hope YCN editors will shorten the number of days for reviewing contents. Let say at a day or two.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. posted in his twitter account on Thursday that he will fight Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on September 14 at the MGM Grand.

“I chose my opponent for September 14th and it's Canelo Alvarez. I'm giving the fans what they want. It will be at the MGM Grand.”

Before even a heated discussion for this match-up begun, Mayweather gave his decision to fight the most dangerous opponent in boxing today.

I can’t help, but to get so excited about this decision Mayweather just took. This is a fight that salvages the most anticipated fight for almost half a decade, the Mayweather-Pacquiao super-fight. But what comes to my mind is that why Mayweather took the decision so soon. I’m not saying it is a bad decision; in fact it is good for the fans and for the sport of boxing.

However, looking into the past decisions of Mayweather in picking opponents, it seems to me that his decision to fight Alvarez is too soon. I anticipate that he will delay this fight and will look for other opponent on his second fight for his Showtime 6-fight deal. This is to build-up more hype and to entice the fans. I am expecting that a Canelo fight will be the finale on his contract.

I can’t hold my gut to say that, is Mayweather took a lot of pressure to fight Canelo now than fighting him last?

We can’t deny the fact that the Mayweather-Guerrero didn’t met expectation. The pay-per-view buys didn’t hit the million mark, which is always a Mayweather number--every time he fights. According to Forbes magazine, Showtime lost $ 12 million. To salvage the contract, I think Mayweather took tremendous pressure to fight Canelo which I believe could bring the most number of Benjamin’s than any other fighter including Pacquiao. In fact, Mayweather agree to fight Canelo above the welterweight limit.

With the above being said, true or not, Canelo, not truly worthy but also dangerous for Mayweather. At 22, Canelo is strong, hungry and experience at 44-0. He has the skill and heart to face the uncanny defense system of Mayweather.

Let the discussion begin that boxing has to offer courtesy of the world’s best—Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Source: www.theroar.com

Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s started contractual obligation to his massive 6-fight deal with Showtime with a fight against Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero in May. The undefeated Mayweather won with ease via unanimous decision. The ongoing question is who he will fight next?


Here are my top three possible opponents for the highest paid athlete for two consecutive years.

Devon Alexander

Before the Mayweather-Guerrero fight, boxing insiders were already talking that Guerrero deserves the jackpot to fight Mayweather because of his gutsy performance against Andre Berto.

However, to the surprise of many, Mayweather tweet that negotiations for a fight with Devon Alexander are almost done.

“The negotiations for my fight are almost done. The front runner is IBF Champion Devon Alexander. It’d be a unification bout at welterweight.” 

Nevertheless, Mayweather-Alexander fight did not materialize because Alexander was already under contractual obligation to defend his IBF title against Kell Brook. And Alexander also injured his biceps during training that made it uncertain if he will be able to fight on Cinco de Mayo.

Mayweather and Alexander won their last fight and the obvious interest of the former to fight the latter; I don’t see any reason for this fight not to happen.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez

The Mayweather-Guerrero fight originally had Alvarez-Trout bout as part of the undercard.  Alvarez, marketing wise could add his Mexican fan for Showtime’s Cinco de Mayo boxing event.
 
However, Alvarez pulled out from the card because Mayweather Jr. refuse to put into writing a verbal agreement to fight Canelo next.

“I'm tired of being accessible to fight him, since he never was real in what he was talking. The truth is he does not want to fight me. I will continue doing my own history."

With the above being said by Alvarez doesn’t mean it erased the fact that sharing spotlight with Mayweather Jr. will give him the richest paycheck so far in his career.  Money being a proven motivator could lure Canelo to fight Mayweather Jr.  And agree to all his (Floyd) conditions.

Manny Pacquiao has been reelected in the Philippine Congress uncontested. He is the representative of the lone district in Sarangani. His wife Jinky also won as Vice Governor in Sarangani in her first attempt to politics.

During the period of political campaign, I seldom heard Pacman talking boxing. His focus at that time was politics. A good thing he must do: to focus on something what he actually doing at hand.


Now that Manny Pacquiao won and reelected as congressman, what will be his next move? Where he will focus his attention now? Is it show-business, preaching or boxing?

Pacquaio, a man who like to do multiple things while in a training for a fight. Some boxing insiders admired him how he handle distractions. But that was before his back to back losses.

Pacquiao's devastating loss to long-time rival, Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in December some blame for his lack of focus and having too many distractions. It is noted that he skipped Alex Ariza's conditioning training. And show up in the Wild Card Gym two weeks late for the scheduled training due to pressing matters outside boxing.

If Pacquiao wanted to regain his faded glory in the ring, he should shift focus to boxing. He must start to assess himself if there is still fire in him that would fuel him in the ring.

Philippine front-line boxers were not having a good start this year. It actually started late last year with the devastating defeat of Philippine boxing icon Manny Pacquiao to his long time rival Mexican master counter-puncher Juan Manuel Marquez.

Transnational Boxing Ranking Board (TBRB) number 10 pound-for-pound boxer Brian "Hawaiian Punch'' Viloria 32-3 (KO 19) will defend his WBO and WBA flyweight title against Juan Francisco Estrada in Cotai Arena, Macau, China on Saturday night.

I can not watch this fight on Saturday evening because I will be traveling to Manila for a vacation from Kuwait. But before I finally pack my things tonight, I will give my prediction of this fight.

I pick Viloria to win this fight via knock out in the middle rounds. Viloria at 32 has become better and stronger in his previous last six wins and knock out four of them--Veerapol, Segura, Romero and Marquez.

After his three losses many believed that Viloria is done in boxing. I have also that same feeling. Vilorias' losses except that lone KO was by a decision. It is a fight wherein I thought he could win if he had the proper conditioning.

Viloria look so tired, breathing from his mouth and with his hands low. Those two losses could have been salvaged if he was able work more in the championship rounds.

However, after his last loss against Carlos Tamara, three years back, Viloria came back strong, sweeping six opponents.

Juan Francisco Estrada at 22 years old (10 years younger than Viloria) is coming from a 12-round UD loss against Roman Gonzalez in November last year. It seems that Estrada has problem also going into the distance. He is not used to finish 12-rounds and win a decision. Most of his wins are TKO/KO.

Estradas' 75% KO percentage is a testament that he is a very good knockout puncher. And he has a punchers luck against Viloria who also loves to trade punches.

Nevertheless, I picked Viloria to win because of his experience coupled with his decent power. I think Viloria could systematically break down Estrada and finally release that power shot that will turn the lights off.

I may not be able to add the predictions of my favorite boxing sites and writers because as I mention above, I am going to prepare my baggage for a vacation in Manila. I will post my fight results once I get there and probably watch a replay there.
 

With the latest removal of Brandon Rios's precious 'O' in his record courtesy of Mike 'Mile High Mike' Alvarado on Saturday, I welcome Adrien Broner 26-0 (KO 22) to my undefeated boxers list.

A reader once ask why I did not include Broner in my undefeated boxers list when I update it on March 2013. Actually, when Sergio Martinez defeated former undefeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. I need to choose between Bradon Rios and Adrien Broner.


I chose Rios over Broner on my March update simply because of quality opponent and the risk Rios took on Alvarado.

Both Rios and Alvarado where undefeated when they first meet in October last year. Now, with Alvarado even up the score against Rios, it is time for Broner to shine on my list.

In the next update Adrien Broner will be included.

With the existing alphabet belts (sanctioning bodies) in boxing, no one can tell who the real champion is, in every weight division. Each sanctioning bodies has its own version of world champion. The creation of TBRB or TRANSNATIONAL BOXING RANKING BOARD is viable, not as an alternative but as a definitive organization that will determine real boxing rankings.    

What's the use of a boxer called the 'welterweight world champion' if yet there is another four champions who shared the same title on four different alphabet belts?

There is a need to have a organization, that will rank boxers . A ranking board that oversees the entire sport of boxing. Unlike the existing alphabet belts who ranks only their own roster of fighters that pay their sanction fees.

However, there is already an alternative for the alphabet belts that exists for a long period--"The Ring Magazine", that first published in 1922. But in recent years had been drag into questionable changes in their policies on how to rank and crown champions.

"But what do you do when you need an alternative to the alternative?" said Eric Raskin a former managing editor of The Ring magazine and co-hosts the twice-monthly boxing podcast Ring Theory, in his article on ESPN.

In this article, Raskin also explains how TBRB work. As a boxing fan I support TBRB for their effort for the betterment of boxing. I hope, once this board become a solid source of boxing ranking, will not end up being eaten by corruption.

(Full disclosure: I became a member of Transnational Boxing Ranking Board in July 2013, two months after I posted this article.) 

Let me quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American essayist and poet, “Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.”

Mike “Mile High Mike” Alvarado, 34-1 (KO 23) clearly understood the mistakes he made in the previous fight, and made necessary adjustments with his style, to even the score against Brandon Rios, 31-1 (KO 23) to win the vacant interim WBO Light welterweight title, on Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.


Alvarado sticks the plan, which is to box from the distance, move side-to-side, look for more angles, but engages whenever, is necessary.

"It was that movement I was talking about," Alvarado said.

Alvarado also intelligently ties Rios from the inside to limit Rios’s output from close quarter situation—the place where Rios’s more successful during the first match.

I predicted Alvarado to win this fight, and will not abandon the strategies mention above. In the first match, he was effective with those movements but was lured by Rios for a brawl.

Alvarado tweaking his style never slips from the expectation of another war in this rematch. In fact the only calm round—was the fifth round when an accidental blow from Rios—opt Referee Tony Weeks to stop the fight—for Alvarado to recover. He just put more legs into the fight not to clash head-on to Rios.

"The difference this time was that Mike had better legs”, his trainer, Henry Delgado said.

However, these adjustments don’t save Alvarado’s face from Rios’s aggression. He looks like the loser after 12 rounds. He’s bloodied early, from a cut over the left eye.

Alvarado headed to the hospital after the fight.

Round 8 was terrific, that let me up on my feet. Alvarado halts Rios from his track, with a big right hand—that Rios admits after the fight that he didn’t get rocked, but instead got rocked, and wobbled.

Rios is a ‘superman.’
How many hooks landed on Rios’s chin? It staggered him but not stopped him. I come to a conclusion that it is not only ‘Superman’ that is made of steel, or ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson. Please include Brandon Rios.

I want a trilogy.
With Alvarado clearly understood the experience he learned from the first match and successfully adjusted his style that paid off a win to even the score. I am too excited to see how Rios will adjust his own style for a possible trilogy.

There is nothing wrong to do it again because Rios and Alvarado like to do it.

What I love about trilogy: is that it is all about adjustment in all aspects, from training, strategy till fight night’s real-time.

Rios-Alvarado rematch was a win-win card for the sport of boxing: from fighters, officials, promoters and specially the fight fans. A fight card that you will never see happens every Saturday Night.