Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines celebrates after defeating Miguel Angel Cotto of Puerto Rico in their WBO Welterweight Championship fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 14, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao hopes his stunning victory Saturday over Cotto will put him in line for a mega welterweight showdown against Floyd Mayweather in 2010.

Manny Pacquiao hopes his stunning victory Saturday over Miguel Cotto will put him in line for a mega welterweight showdown against Floyd Mayweather in 2010.

Filipino southpaw Pacquiao showed he is ready to lead boxing’s revival by taking Cotto’s World Boxing Organization belt and claiming his seventh world title in seven different weight classes.

He scored a final-round technical knockout, putting the Puerto Rican champion down as the referee stopped the onslaught 55 seconds into the 12th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Under siege from mixed martial arts, boxing has seen its fan base shrink in the past few years.

With his stunning demolition of his last three opponents, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and now Cotto, Pacquiao has become the face of the sport even making the front page of the Asian edition of Time magazine this month.

What better way to showcase the sport’s newest poster boy than to have a pound-for-pound showdown between Pacquiao and American Mayweather.

Filipino fans react wildly in Manila after Asian boxing icon Manny Pacquiao beat Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto to take the World Boxing Organisation welterweight title in Las Vegas. Pacquiao hopes his stunning victory Saturday over Cotto will put him in line for a mega welterweight showdown against Floyd Mayweather in 2010.

“That is the fight the whole world wants to see,” said Paquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach.

Asked after the Cotto fight if he wanted Mayweather next, Pacquiao said, “My job is to fight and it depends on promoter Bob Arum to negotiate that.”

Pacquiao said earlier in the week he doesn’t think Mayweather will step up to the plate and called him a boring boxer.

“Boxing for him is like a business. He doesn’t care about people around him watching. He doesn’t care if the fight is boring as long as the fight is finished and he gets his money,” Pacquiao said.

Roach said even if Mayweather agrees to a deal, the fight won’t take place at any cost.

“If Floyd wants a 65-35 (purse) split then he is not going to get it,” Roach said.

Manny Pacquiao (R) of the Philippines lands a punch on the face of Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico (L) before Pacquiao wins their WBO welterweight boxing championship bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 14, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao hopes his stunning victory Saturday over Cotto will put him in line for a mega welterweight showdown against Floyd Mayweather in 2010.

Heading into the Cotto fight, Pacquiao looked relaxed all week even smiling and waving as he climbed into the ring. (more…)

Manny Pacquiao (L) and Miguel Cotto exchange blows during their WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao won the title by stopping Puerto Rican champ Cotto 55 seconds into the 12th round.

Filipino challenger Manny Pacquiao won the World Boxing Organization welterweight title here by stopping Puerto Rican champ Miguel Cotto 55 seconds into the 12th round.

Pacquiao became the first fighter to win seven world titles in seven weight classes.

Manny Pacquiao smiles as he poses with WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto during the final news conference for their bout at the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino, on November 11, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao and Cotto will meet in a WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand on November 14.

When Miguel Cotto was 11 years old and 156 pounds he figured the best way to lose weight was to follow in the footsteps of his two older brothers and take up boxing.

Not only did he lose the weight but he developed a passion for the sport and that journey that began as an awkward adolescent continues Saturday when he steps into the ring to defend his World Boxing Organization welterweight title against Filipino Manny Pacquiao.

“I started in the Gym Bairoa in Caguas,” Cotto said. “I lost weight, but I started to feel something for boxing. In the beginning it was just a game, but then I started to love boxing.”

If his training sessions are an accurate measuring stick then Cotto thinks he has what it takes to score an upset over boxing’s pound-for pound king.

Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) knows the odds are stacked against him with people saying he lacks the confidence and doesn’t have the hand speed to prevail over Pacquiao.

But Cotto, already a workaholic in the gym, says he has put more time into sparring and sitting in front of a film projector than for any other fight in his career.

“I feel confident,” said Cotto at Wednesday’s news conference at the MGM Grand Hotel’s Hollywood Theatre. “I trained like never before for a fight. We have created our game plan for the fight.”

WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto attends the final news conference for his bout against Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino, on November 11, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao and Cotto will meet in a WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM on November 14.

The 29-year-old Cotto says the only pressure he feels is the pressure he puts on himself.

“I don’t get mad about whether people want me to win this fight or not. I just work for the win. That is what is going to happen on Saturday.”

This will be Cotto’s first fight in Las Vegas since his loss to Antonio Margarito in July of last year. It was the first time Cotto had lost a bout after 33 straight victories and while he landed some thundering shots to Margarito he also took his share of heavy blows. (more…)

Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines, trains as he prepares for his fight against Miguel Cotto, at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles, on November 4. The Filipino boxing hero, gearing up for a world title clash with Puerto Rico’s Cotto that could give Pacquiao a slice of boxing history, says he doesn’t put much stock in those who say Cotto’s superior size could prove too much.

To pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, size really doesn’t matter.

The Filipino boxing hero, gearing up for a world title clash with Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto that could give Pacquiao a slice of boxing history, said he doesn’t put much stock in those who say Cotto’s superior size could prove too much.

“I have heard that a couple of times the past two years,” Pacquiao said with a smile Wednesday, as reporters, photographers and TV cameramen jammed Hollywood’s WildCard boxing club to see him train.

After all, Pacquiao’s most recent victories have come against bigger opponents. Admittedly Oscar De La Hoya was past his prime when Pacquiao stopped him in the eighth round in December of 2008.

On May 2, Pacquiao knocked out Britain’s Ricky Hatton in the second round of their junior welterweight clash.

“It’s not about comparing size, not about comparing power,” Pacquiao insisted. “Knowledge is power. You don’t have knowledge, you don’t have power.”

Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines, trains as he prepares for his fight against Miguel Cotto, at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles, on November 4. The Filipino boxing hero, gearing up for a world title clash with Puerto Rico’s Cotto that could give Pacquiao a slice of boxing history, says he doesn’t put much stock in those who say Cotto’s superior size could prove too much.

Pacquiao handed Hatton his first defeat at junior welterweight. He claimed the International Boxing Organization belt to match a ring record with a title in a sixth career weight class.

Pacquiao secured his place among boxing’s all-time greats, adding the junior welterweight crown to past world titles at lightweight, super featherweight, junior featherweight, featherweight and flyweight.

With the hard-hitting Cotto’s World Boxing Organizagion welterweight belt on the line in a bout to be fought at 145 pounds, Pacquiao could capture an outright record by claiming a title in a seventh weight division.

“If I win it’s boxing history – seven titles in seven different weight divisions,” Pacquiao said. “I would be so proud – being a Filipino who captured titles in seven weight divisions.”

Philippine boxing hero Manny Pacquiao (centre) is blessed by a priest after a training session at a gym in Manila, on October 24, hours before leaving for the US in preparation for his bout with Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto on November 14. In the Philippines, Pacquiao is seen as nothing less than a national hero whose feats can lift the nation.

Pacquiao’s prowess in the ring has made him a hero in his homeland, and his victories over De La Hoya and Hatton have raised his profile in the United States. (more…)

Vitali Klitschko, seen here on September 2, will put his World Boxing Council (WBC) title on the line when he meets unbeaten Cristobal Arreola in a heavyweight bout at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles.

Vitali Klitschko, who shares three of four major belts with brother Wladimir, puts his World Boxing Council title on the line when he meets Cristobal Arreola in a heavyweight bout on Saturday.

Klitschko, who has battled injuries which led to a four-year hiatus from the sport, is the heavy favourite for Saturday’s fight at Staples Center arena.

“This will be fight number three at Staples and I spend a lot of time in Los Angeles,” Klitschko said. “For me it is the biggest arena and I am ready to fight there. I will show my skills and punch in the ring.”

The 38-year-old Klitschko has not lost since a 2003 bout against Lennox Lewis at Staples that was stopped by the referee because of a deep cut over his left eye.

Wladimir is the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization title holder and together the two Ukrainian brothers who live in Germany cut a striking figure with their ripped physiques.

Vitali Klitschko tipped the scales at 252 pounds at Friday’s weighing for Saturday’s fight.

“I am always in shape,” Vitali said. “It is never tough to get in shape. I don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t do drugs. I always maintain the fitness.”

This marks Klitschko’s third fight on his comeback from the four-years off.

Arreola (27-0, 24 KOs) is trying to become the first fighter of Mexican descent to win a heavyweight belt.

Much has been made of Arreola’s weight for Saturday’s bout. He even joked about it at the weigh in, initially stepping on the scale with a weighted vest hidden under his t-shirt. But his weight for Saturday’s fight is no laughing matter.

The 28-year-old Arreola weighed 239 pounds 15 months ago when he beat Chris Witherspoon but has beefed up to 251 for the fight against Klitschko.

“It’s not going to go far, plain and simple,” Arreola said. “It is going to be a knockout fight and it is going to be exciting.

“I am going to bring emotion and determination to win the title for Mexicans and Mexican-Americans to celebrate. That is my goal.”

Cristobal Arreola celebrates after knocking out Jameel McCline in the fourth round of their heavyweight bout in April 2009.

Klitschko (37-2, 36 KOs) brings a lot more world title experience to the ring that Arreola who is in his first career title fight. This is Klitschko’s second defence of his WBC title and his ninth career title fight (7-2).

Klitschko, a student of boxing, is hoping to use the first few rounds to figure out Arreola’s game plan then end it with a knockout.

“If I find the mistake in the defence of Arreola, I will send him to the floor,” Klitschko said.

Floyd Mayweather (R) of the US lands a punch on Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico in their Welterweight fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena September 19, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada

Floyd Mayweather Jr. made an amazing return to the ring after a 21-month layoff with a unanimous points victory over Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas.

The 32-year-old dominated all 12 rounds of the non-title welterweight contest and made full use of both his left jab and agile movement at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Mayweather also put his Mexican opponent on the canvas in the second round – the victory taking his professional record to 40-0 with 25 knockouts.

“I’ve been off for almost two years but it felt really good to be back,” said Mayweather, whose last appearance brought a 10th round stoppage of Ricky Hatton in December 2007. “I was happy with the victory but I know can get better.”

MAYWEATHER-MARQUEZ

From the time Floyd Mayweather Jr. turned pro in 1996 until his last fight in 2007, he was never out of the ring for more than eight months.

While the regular activity kept Mayweather sharp — he won titles in five weight divisions from 130 pounds to 154 pounds and was long considered the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world — it also burned him out some. In addition, there were nagging hand and shoulder injuries that never quite healed 100 percent.

But Mayweather (39-0, 25 KOs) knocked out Ricky Hatton in the 10th round to retain the welterweight title in December 2007 and announced his retirement a few months later, sending him into the longest layoff of his career.

Now, “Money” is ending the nearly two-year retirement few thought would last in order to face lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs) at a catch weight of 144 pounds Sept. 19 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (HBO pay-per-view).

Despite the long layoff, which was extended when a July 18 bout was postponed for two months because of a Mayweather rib injury, he said he feels as good as he ever has.

For one thing, Mayweather said the rib injury is behind him.

“We had a freak accident in the past, and the only thing we trying to do is just move on,” he said. “That was in the past. I’m a lot better now. I feel strong, and I’m ready to fight.”

The layoff did him good, he said.

“I don’t know if the two-year layoff is going to affect me, but I feel fast, I’m strong and my timing is there,” Mayweather said this week. “And we’re in the gym every day and we’re looking good. So I feel the same way as I felt before I left. Actually, I feel a little bit better.”

“I think the break actually helped because I haven’t had a break since ‘87 [when he was a busy amateur]. So I think my body gets a chance to heal and I just grew mentally as a person and I feel good.”

Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. appears in the ring during the WWE Monday Night Raw show

It’s not like Floyd Mayweather walked back into the gym and was immediately in boxing shape. He admitted that it took some time for him to regain his timing and shake off the rust.

Before the May announcement that he was ending his retirement, Mayweather had been visiting his boxing gym and working out. But he hadn’t been training for an actual fight.

When the fight with Marquez was finalized, that was when he got serious.

“When I started training, preparing for the fight, I was looking sharp anyway because when I got to gym, I worked the pads with my uncle Roger. I was looking extremely sharp,” Mayweather said. “But once I started boxing, I had to box a few times, box four or five times, and the fifth time I started boxing, I still was looking good. I wasn’t taking no punishment. But by the fifth time I started sparring, I started looking really, really sharp and looking really, really good, actually.

“The first day I think I [returned to boxing], I boxed eight rounds.”

Mayweather sparred with such fighters as Lamont Peterson, an interim junior welterweight titleholder, and Mark Melligen, a rising prospect from the Philippines.

“I was working with a few different guys around my gym,” Mayweather said. “They are all good fighters and they got me back sharp.”

We’ll see just how sharp Sept. 19.