Tag Archives: Bob Arum

Fight of the Year competition for Timothy Bradley-Ruslan Provodnikov comes this weekend in Rios-Alvarado II

Posted: March 25th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Boxing, Sports Blog | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
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Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado will have their highly-anticipated rematch this weekend, and could be an early contender for Fight of the Year along side Timothy Bradley’s unanimous decision victory over rugged Ruslan Provodnikov on March 16.

In their first fight, Rios scored a seventh-round TKO when he rallied against Alvarado. It was an exciting fight between two guys who just went after each other. The first fight was also a Fight of the Year candidate, losing out to Manny Pacquiao getting knocked out cold in the sixth round by Juan Manuel Marquez.

But during their tele-conference last week, they were still buzzing about Bradley-Provodnikov.

“I was almost jumping on the TV watching that fight,” Rios said.  “It brought back memories.  I was like ‘Damn, they are showing the warrior spirit.’  They were going at it.  Like they said, Bradley came out with a different game plan and he proved that he’s a warrior and a fighter.”

Promoter Bob Arum is in a nice position. He promotes Rios, Alvarado, Bradley and Pacquiao. And he has worked well with Marquez. The talk is there might be a mini-tournament between the top welterweights.

So if Rios wins, he could set up a fight against Manny Pacquiao probably in the fall. Marquez has talked about wanting to fight for another title and that’s where Bradley will come in. Only time will tell if that materialize. If it does, it will be a great situation for Arum and HBO, which last week announced it won’t air any fights from Arum’s rival Golden Boy Promotions.

“Fans aren’t stupid.  They want to see action,” Arum said. ”Mike Alvarado and Brandon Rios are action fighters.  Timothy Bradley showed that he is an action fighter.  Juan Manuel Marquez is an action fighter.  Manny Pacquiao is an action fighter.  Ruslan Provodnikov is an action fighter.  They don’t play around.  They don’t dance around.  They fight.  That’s what the public wants to see, so we’ll mix and match as we go along because they are the big fights that people want to see.  That is the way the fighters can be rewarded monetarily.”

 

 

BNP Paribas Open: Bob Arum’s message to tournament

Posted: March 14th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Boxing, Sports Blog, Tennis | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
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The Indian Wells Tennis Garden’s 16,100 main stadium would be an ideal situation to hold boxing. With the dimensions of the court, it would be perfect to install an ring with great site lines for fans. But the main stadium could be a little big for boxing, if you don’t have a real marquee fighter to headline a card. Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather are the only sure bets. Cathedral City boxer Timothy Bradley could do well also, being the hometown hero.

But with the new Stadium 2 being built after Sunday’s tournament completes, and with a target for opening it by next year’s tournament, it could be well suited for boxing. It will be an 8,000-seat stadium, with two restaurants and should have nice site lines.

Told about the stadium, Top Rank’s founder Bob Arum had a message for the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. “Tell them we’re in,” said Arum, who represents Bradley, Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire, who was the fighter of the year.

 

For Timothy Bradley, if not Manny Pacquiao, then why not Floyd Mayweather?

Posted: August 9th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Boxing, Sports Blog | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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So if Timothy Bradley doesn’t get the rematch against Manny Pacquiao, then what? Well the first target for the Bradley camp will obviously be Floyd Mayweather, who was released from prison last week. Mayweather will need an opponent soon if he wants to fight before the end of the year. His three top candidates — Sergio Martinez, Canelo Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez — are all fighting on Sept. 15 and it would be unlikely they would be ready before the end of the year.

Bradley had just beat Pacquiao in June, so it would be an appealing opportunity for Mayweather to beat the man who beat the man. Also, Bradley would be the smaller man, which could help entice Mayweather.

A drawback is Arum is exploring a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight for April. Mayweather could elect not to fight until then.

As for Bradley, he wants to fight the best, and Mayweather is the best. And if Bradley and Mayweather could fight in November or December, and Bradley could win, then the possible April fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather could be an eliminator for a rematch with Bradley in a best-case scenario.

 

Who should Manny Pacquiao fight next?

Posted: August 7th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Boxing, Sports Blog | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
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This week, Bob Arum is in the Philippines to discuss with Manny Pacquiao who he should fight next among three candidates — Timothy Bradley, Juan Manuel Marquez or Miguel Cotto.

Pacquiao has said a few times in published reports he would like a rematch against Bradley and it only seems to make sense. In winning the controversial decision, Bradley’s athleticism and defense made Pacquiao miss frequently. If Pacquiao ever does fight Floyd Mayweather, and there’s some belief it could happen in the spring (quit rolling your eyes), then no one would better prepare Pacquiao than Bradley. Plus, despite what anyone thinks, it is a loss, and why wouldn’t Pacquiao want redeem himself?

Marquez was at the Bradley-Pacquiao fight and it was believed he was there to announce a fourth fight against Pacquiao until Bradley won. Marquez and Pacquiao have fought three wars, which is a selling point. But all three fights were essentially the same fight. Is a fourth necessary? As my esteemed colleague Larry Bohannan said, Marquez-Pacquiao doesn’t need to be Police Academy.

As for Cotto, they can’t seem to agree on what weight to fight in. Cotto wants Pacquiao to be as heavy as possible. Pacquiao wants Cotto to shrink down. But Cotto just came off a competitive fight against Floyd Mayweather. And Floyd just got out of jail and will be looking for a dance partner. It only makes sense these two would fight again, or at least it makes more sense than Pacquiao-Cotto II.

Manny Pacquiao said judges won’t be needed if he fights Timothy Bradley again

Posted: July 14th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Boxing, Sports Blog | Tags: , , , , ,
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Manny Pacquiao returned to the Philippines this weekend and said no decision has been made on who his Nov. 10 fight will be against. But if it is against Cathedral City’s Timothy Bradley, Pacquiao has already started to throw some verbal jabs.

Pacquiao spoke to ABS-CBN and said it’s OK if it’s Bradley and then said “payback time,” as translated by the Philippine Star (philstar.com).

Bradley won the controversial split decision over Pacquiao. Promoter Bob Arum was irate, feeling Pacquiao dominated the fight. The HBO broadcast crew, which televised the pay-per-view fight, also had Pacquiao dominating.

Two judges scored it 115-113 in favor of Bradley, giving him Pacquiao’s WBO welterweight title. The third judge scored it 115-113 in favor of Pacquiao.

The WBO ordered the fight to be reviewed by five independant judges, and all five scored it in favor of Pacquaio.

At the end of the story, Pacquaio said, “If there is a rematch, there will be no need for judges.”

Below is the link to the Philstar.com story, which translated Pacquiao’s quotes.

Wild day with Freddie Roach at the gym

Posted: May 9th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Boxing, Sports Blog | Tags: , , , , ,
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Photo of tattoo and merchandise shop in the same strip mall the Wild Card Boxing Club is located.

Freddie Roach said Manny Pacquiao has given up his vices and is more focused than he’s ever been, which had been a growing concern for the Hall of Fame trainer.
Roach said Pacquiao gave away his night club, casinos, given up everything to be more focused.
No word on who the Manny Pacquiao Merchandies & Tattoo shop in the strip mall where the Wild Card Boxing Club is located.
But Roach said Pacquiao has been even more focused, hoping to redeem himself after his close victory over Juan Manuel Marquez in November.
Pacquiao’s shot at redemption will come on June 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena when he faces Cathedral City boxer Timothy Bradley, and undefeated fighter with three world titles.

Chancellorgate in El Paso and Timothy Bradley’s undercard

Posted: April 26th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Boxing, Sports Blog | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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The University of Texas System regents using fear without providing evidence is striking a nerve with me.

For those of you who haven’t heard, Texas cancelled a fight between popular Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., and Andy Lee by the regents over elevated security concerns over violence from across the boarder spilling over. Problem is, the law enforcement community have said they have not heard of any concerns, let alone any that would justify cancelling a fight that could provide millions to El Paso.

I grew up in Tucson, Ariz., which is 90 minutes from the Mexican border. Some politicians would talk about violence spilling over from the border, creating a security concern. Problem is, I had family and friends. That was not the case. And it sounds like the same thing.

Something is not right in Texas.

On another note, the Timothy Bradley-Manny Pacquiao undercard has been set. Here’s the release from Top Rank.

Tickets are still available for the June 9 fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The three-bout pay-per-view undercard will feature undefeated No. 1 welterweight contender MIKE “MJ” JONES battling two-time world champion and current No. 2 contender RANDALL “The Knockout King” BAILEY for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight title; undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) super bantamweight champion GUILLERMO “El Chacal” RIGONDEAUX defending his title against world-rated TEON “The Technician” KENNEDY; and five-division world champion and Méxican icon JORGE “Travieso” ARCE, in his first fight in a Las Vegas ring in more than one year, taking on Puerto Rican knockout artist JESUS ROJAS in a 10-round junior featherweight fight.

Tickets are still available for the June 9 fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.They run from $200-$1,200. You can find tickets at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Timothy Bradley, the waiting game

Posted: January 27th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Boxing, Sports Blog | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
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It’s been over two months since his last fight and Cathedral City champion Timothy Bradley still doesn’t have an opponent yet. But good things come to those who wait.

What’s holding things up for Bradley is the negotiations for Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. If Pacquiao doesn’t make that fight, then he will select from a group of four boxers, which includes Bradley. A fight against Pacquiao has earned opponents a reported $5 million in the past.

The other four being considered are Lamont Peterson, Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez. The way things are looking, Bradley might be the best option.

Miguel Cotto reportedly refuses to fight down in weight at 147, claiming he was drained in the last fight trying to lose so much weight. Pacquiao, who usually comes in under at 147, won’t fight up, so the weight appears to be a deal breaker.

A fight against Marquez would be the fourth, and people are cooling over yet another fight between the two. Yes, they’ve all been great fight, but nothing new to be explored there.

Peterson was an interesting choice, coming off his victory over Amir Khan. But Peterson was dominated by Bradley. Now that a mandatory rematch has been ordered for Peterson-Khan, that choice seems unlikely.

That leaves Bradley. The knock on Bradley is that he doesn’t bring in enough marquee value for a pay-per-view fight. But what Bradley brings to the table might be too attractive to turn down. Bradley would best prepare Pacquiao for Mayweather as there is talk they would more likely fight in November than May. Drawback, Bradley could be the toughest opponent Pacquiao has faced in a while. At 28, Bradley is young, fresh and quick, something you can’t say for Pacquiao’s last few opponents over the last few years. If the Pacquiao camp thinks Bradley is too dangerous, they might try to squirm out of the fight.

Hence, the waiting game. If Bradley can’t get the Pacquiao fight, then he has an attractive alternative in Marquez, a superstar in Mexico. A victory over Marquez would enhance Bradley’s already impressive resume.

We should know more by next week. So we’ll all be on the edge of our seats.

Goings on with Tim Bradley and Las Vegas

Posted: November 11th, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Boxing, Sports Blog | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
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Today will be the official weigh ins, which is always a show when Timothy Bradley is invovled. Bradley said he’s carrying only 2.5 percent of body fat on his body-builder physique. And the way Bradley has been emotional, it should be a show within the show. But Bradley’s weigh in won’t be on ESPN, which will televise the Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez weigh in live, which is about 3 or 3:30 p.m.

As for main event news, Bob Arum, Manny Pacquiao will be among the guests on CNN’s Piers Morgan telecast tonight. Arum was touting it all day. At the media dinner, he joked that because of the right wing agenda of the MGM, Piers Morgan won’t be available at the hotel because they don’t carry CNN.

Arum is touting this will be the most successful Manny Pacquiao pay-per-view ever, which is saying a lot. With the history between Pacquiao and Marquez, this could be a modern-day Thrilla in Manilla. That will help Bradley, who wants to fight on a large stage.

For those who made it to Las Vegas, there has been a lot going on already and will be even more going on this weekend. Indio boxer Gabino Saenz fights tonight at the Mandalay Bay. During his weigh in, people were filing in for the Latin Grammy’s at  the casino. This weekend, there are several celebrity birthday parties, including Snooki from the Jersey Shore. Mario Lopez of Extra is hosting his own party, and Nelly will  host a post-fight party. There’s a lot of good information from the Las Vegas Sun. Oh, and there columnist happens to be Robin Leach. Yes, that Robin Leach. http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/nov/11/celebrity-preview-pauly-d-snooki-pacquiao-lfl-nell/

Champaign wishes and caviar dreams.

Timothy Bradley, one step closer to Manny Pacquiao bout

Posted: September 29th, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Boxing, Sports Blog | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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What was expected, Timothy Bradley signed with Top Rank, the promotion company run by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. There was a big reason why Bradley signed with Top Rank, and that was to get a shot at Manny Pacquiao, the cash cow of boxing along with Floyd Mayweather.

Because promoters rarely have their fighters box against guys from other promotion companies, Bradley had to sign with Top Rank to get a shot at Pac-Man. The other big gun in boxing is Golden Boy Promotion. But Golden Boy wasn’t happy when Bradley didn’t fight Amir Khan. It was also one of their other fighters, Erik Morales, that pushed to get Bradley’s title removed so Morales could fight some tomato can for the title. Obviously, that relationship probably wasn’t going to work. The other big name in boxing, Don King, just isn’t active as much and his fighters don’t have enough bouts. That has been a problem for Bradley who has only had two fights in two years.

So when would Bradley get a chance at Pac-Man? It could be sooner than you think. Tentatively, the talk has been that Pacquiao would next fight in May. If things go well, it could be the fight fans have been clammoring for — Floyd Mayweather. But there’s been talks for years and nothing has come of it. First, it was Pacquiao’s refusal to take a drug test, and then Mayweather has turned down recent offers. That fight should be the top priority for both fighters. If not, then Bradley could step in. And it would be Pacquiao’s toughest fight. It’s been a long time since he’s fought a fighter under 30 and in the prime of their career.

Bradley also wanted to sign with Arum for another reason, they actually promote fighters. After Bradley won his first world championship in 2008, he has been frustrated by the lack of promotion he got from his two promoters. And other boxing experts have concurred that Bradley wasn’t promoted as well as he should have been. He’s an American fighter near a major market in Los Angeles and few boxing people know about The Desert Storm. Palm Springs is in such close proximity to Los Angeles and Las Vegas, it’s a wonder why he has NEVER fought in those two cities.

What will happen with Bradley and his lawsuit with Shaw and Thompson? Who knows.  But apparently it’s nothing that can stop Timothy Bradley.