Who Does Manny Fight Next?
After his commanding performance over Antonio Margarito, everyone in the boxing world was immediately curious as to who Manny would face in the ring in his next fight. With the possibilities of it being Mayweather diminishing, three names are most often mentioned have the greatest chance . However, after being recently dominated by Floyd Mayweather, the fight really does not seem to have a need. If you read any boxing site, you will see it doesn't excite the public either. A solid victory would not prove anything, and a loss would be devastating. Shane Mosley in his prime would make a great opponent. The thirty nine year old Shane Mosley of today has no business in the ring with Pacquiao. Yet it seems that Bob Arum most covets this fight, which is no surprise since he rarely likes to expose his fighters to fights which could be problematic.
Andre Berto is another name that is often mentioned . At just twenty seven he looked spectacular in his quick knock out of unheralded Freddy Hernandez recently in Las Vegas. Often accused of never ducking quality competition, Berto would certainly be taking on his biggest challenge if he were to square of with Manny. It seems like it might be a little too soon for this match. Andre needs to take a step up in class, but this is a leap much more than he is likely ready for. In a year or two, the fight will still be there and Berto will be even more dangerous.
Finally, we come to the man Pacquiao has already met before . Juan Manuel Marquez gave Manny all he wanted and more in their two previous duels. Receiving a draw and a split decision loss in those two fights, many people think Marquez actually deserved the victory in both fights. A third meeting would allow them to settle the score in what would promise to be a memorable fight. At thirty seven, Marquez is getting up there in age, but his recent war with Michael Katsidis showed that he is still one of the best fighters in the sport. He wants the fight, and by him receiving it, the boxing fans of the world would be treated with a fantastic bout.
For once lets hope the promoters do the right thing for fans of the sport rather than themselves. Mosley has had a great career, but his time at the top is in the past. While Manny is still at his peak, let him battle fighters who are also in the primes of their career. The first two Pacquiao-Marquez fights were memorable , and a third would be sure to deliver as well. Berto would also make a nice opponent, and would be a nice consolation prize, but Marquez is the right move . Logic, unfortunately, is too often missing when it comes to matching up fighters.
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Watch Pacquiao Vs Margarito
MANILA, Philippines – Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao was regarded by American television newsmagazine “60 Minutes” as a “phenomenon,” given his unprecedented achievements in his sport.
The only seven-time world champion in 7 different weight divisions was profiled in the “60 Minutes” episode, which also featured US President Barack Obama.
Correspondent Bob Simon asked Pacquiao whom he thinks is the greatest pugilist ever.
The boxer-congressman paused then asked, “Including me?”
When told that he was included in the choices, Pacquiao immediately answered, “Of course, me,” and flashed a beaming smile.
The reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) king will aim to win his record 8th title at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
He will face Mexican Antonio Margarito for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) super welterweight title.
Top Rank, Inc. CEO Bob Arum and trainer Freddie Roach also talked about Pacquiao’s greatness.
Arum said he thinks Pacquiao is the best boxer he has ever seen even if he has promoted 2 fights for boxing legend Muhammad Ali, who is called “The Greatest.”
“Because Muhammad Ali was essentially a one-handed fighter,” Arum reasoned. “Manny Pacquiao really shocks these fighters because he hits equally hard from the left side and the right side.”
Roach added that Pacquiao is simply “one-of-a-kind.”
“I never saw somebody with so much explosion on a punch. Bang, bang, bang. Bang, just like a gun firing off. I never saw that in my life. And I've been with a lot of good fighters,” Roach related upon seeing Pacquiao in the ring for the first time.
Politics getting in the way?
Roach, however, is wary that Pacquiao could lose to Margarito because of the distraction of politics.
“I’ve had anxiety attacks over this. I’m worried about it. I’m walking around at 2:00 in the morning,” the renowned trainer said. “And something is not right and we are not preparing the way we should for this fight.”
Pacquiao earlier told ABS-CBN News that he has reached his 100% condition.
Meantime, he told “60 Minutes” more about his political aspirations.
“I already achieve my goals in boxing, my dreams in boxing. And what I want to achieve more is in public service, you know. I wanna be a champion there,” he said.
When asked if he thinks that he might be the President of the Republic of the Philippines, Pacquiao refused to comment.
“It’s hard to have a comment right now because it’s that far away,” the Saragani Province congressman stated. – With a report from CBS News' "60 Minutes"
News
THREE-PART PACQUIAO-MARGARITO SPECIAL ON IBC 13 BEGINNING TONIGHT
three-part special on the November 13 showdown between pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito will be telecast by Viva Sports over IBC 13 beginning Monday, November 8 at 8:30 p.m.
Part II will be telecast on Wednesday and Part III on Friday at the same time. The specials will also be replayed on Viva Prime over Destiny Cable on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
The special will provide insights into the training camps of both fighters, a series of interviews with trainers Freddie Roach and Robert Garcia, interviews with Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning guru Alex Ariza as well as sparring partners Michael Medina and Glen Tapia.
The special will also feature interviews in training camp with Pacquiao as preparations progressed. There will also be highlights of his training, his practice with his band in Baguio City where the music got to Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who liked the beat, got up and danced.
Part I will also briefly tackle the hand-wraps issue with special correspondent Jannelle So of Kababayan LA 18 asking Garcia about the psychological effect on Margarito.
Highlights of the Margarito battering of Miguel Cotto, his KO of Kermit Cintron and his loss to Shane Mosley will also be featured together with trainer Garcia’s own battering at the hands of Diego Corrales.
It promises to be a riveting series.
Related: Watch Pacquiao vs Margarito | Watch Pacquiao vs Margarito
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The Satisfaction Factor: To Pound Or To Ground
With the recent annihilation of Kimbo Slice at the fists of Seth Petruzelli this past weekend, many fans could be heard either cheering in elation for the finality of yet another hyped-up banger or lamenting the fact that this would have been different in a boxing ring. And it is in this aspect of both combat sports that their will always be a silver lining.
While quick stoppages in either sport are nothing new (see Mike Tyson vs. any '80s opponent or BJ Penn vs Caol Uno), there will always room for what-ifs when fights are stopped by punches. Some fans are claiming Kimbo's loss was stopped too early (hardly). Others feel the result would have been different under boxing rules (duh!). And then there are the promoter's favorite fans: Those who want to see a rematch and feel a lucky punch was landed.
There is a glaring difference in the world of UFC when it comes to certain stoppages. No one, and this writer means no one, has commented that a fighter got in a "lucky" submission. The closest exclamation to his this kind of ending came when Ryo Chonan submitted Anderson Silva,the current pound-for-pound king, (with respects to George St. Pierre, you can't train a chin) in a fight in which he was being dominated and attempted and completed an improbable, highlight-reel submission.
It is the submission aspect of MMA that will forever be the deciding factor between MMA and boxing fans. There is no denying it takes much more all-around skill to compete in MMA. A good boxer will always have a puncher's chance. A good kickboxer will always have that plus a kicker's chance. And a jiu-jitsu/wrestler will always have the other's, plus the ability to take you down and either submit an opponent with a hold or pummel him into verbal/physical submission. Of course the latter takes much more technique than the former.
While a puncher will always have the option to close his eyes and go for broke, a jiu/jitsu/wrestler will never have that luxury. And it takes a skilled kickboxer to try that with a kick. And in a sport that oozes machismo (thank you, Razor Ramone) two men battling toe-to-toe will always be more aesthetically pleasing to the average fight fan.
The UFC, which is essentially neo-MMA, understood and respected this popular opinion and revamped its rules. Gone were the days where a legend like Royce Gracie could lay on the mat and take his time to implement his technique. Now, ground fighters had to do more than take an opponent off his feet. Now they had to add injury to take down and quickly, or the fight would be brought back to the standing position. While this obviously favors strikers, it also emphasizes the fact that fans would rather see a tactical battle than a plodding, albeit, technical ground game. This may also be because of the field of vision, but this writer would like to think that it's because of the higher possibility of a knockout.
Think of it as a batter and a pitcher, an analogy which has been made before. A batter is celebrated more and has a better chance of knocking one out the park, than a pitcher has a chance of throwing a curve ball or slider. The latter takes much more technique. And though they both need each other in the game of baseball, when was the last time the All-Star Game held a Strike Out Contest?
(As long as boxing produces fighters like Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, there will always be those niche fans. For more: www.aolccdn.com)
For Boxing, there will always be fans. From the bareknuckle days of John L. Sullivan to the flamboyant speed of Muhammad Ali to the aura of invincibility of Mike Tyson, boxing always had it fans. Even when K-1 kickboxing picked up a bit of steam, you had strong boxing PPV numbers. And even with the resurgence and dominance of the UFC, boxing will always have its fans who prefer plain ol' regular coffee. And then, you will always those fans who want the options of Starbucks.
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Watch Pacquiao Vs Margarito Fight
Pacquiao vs Margarito —World pound-for-pound champion Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao stands to earn as much as $25 million from his November 13 fight against Mexican American Antonio "Tijuana Tornado" Margarito, according to his promoter Bob Arum.
"Manny is guaranteed $15 million for the fight, and including his share from the pay-per-view upside, he could make as much as $22 million to $25 million," Arum said in a phone interview from Manila.
Arum, chief executive of Top Rank Promotions, predicts that Pacquiao vs Margarito will exceed the almost 1.2 million PPV sales generated by Pacquiao's fight with Puerto Rican star Miguel Cotto last November 14.
The top boxing impresario also said Margarito, who is guaranteed $3 million for his biggest pay check, could earn as much as $7 million to $8 million if the PPV sales hit 1.3 million or more, as expected.
Pacquiao's distractions
Arum said he was glad that Pacquiao, who has had a hard time keeping his training schedule, is finally focusing on his preparations for his stab at a record-extending eighth world title in as many weight classes.
He stressed that Pacquiao has to be at his best to beat the bigger and stronger Margarito.
"I know that Margarito is training extra hard for this fight. I know that for a fact because I get updates from my fighters' camps," Arum said. "Manny is everyone's favorite, but if he comes less that 100 percent for the fight he could lose."
The Hall of Fame promoter branded as "crazy" the widening odds which showed Pacquiao now a 6-1 favorite in some online betting outlets to steamroll Margarito.
"Six-to-one odd is just crazy. To me the odds should be something like 2-1 or thereabouts," he explained.
Sell-out arena
Arum said tickets sales for the fight at the state-of-the-art Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas are selling briskly, adding that he expects the live gate to hit 60,000 to 70,000.
Arum said he is flying out of Manila Thursday afternoon and expects to get to Las Vegas almost the same time due to the 15-hour time difference.
He said that Pacquiao is scheduled to leave for Los Angeles Saturday night to resume his training at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood owned by his trainer Freddie Roach.
Arum said Pacquiao will hold a media day on Wednesday at the Wild Card Gym to be followed the following day by Margarito's turn to show off his wares to the press.
Robert Garcia, Margarito's trainer, confirmed that Margarito will hold his media day past noon at the Fortune Gym, a 1950s-style gym on Sunset Boulevard in the heart of Hollywood. The gym is owned by former heavyweight contender Justin Fortune of Australia.
Garcia said Margarito sparred eight rounds Wednesday afternoon and will spar 10 rounds on Friday.
Margarito 'very sharp'
"Tony (Margarito's nickname) is very sharp. You should see for yourself," he enthused by phone. "We're having an excellent training camp, and we're right at the stage [of preparations] that we want to be."
He said his prized Mexican American fighter will spar 12 rounds for the last time on Monday and then gradually taper down.
In Baguio City, meanwhile, Roach told the Manila media that they have two more weeks of rigorous training, even as he assured that Pacquiao would be in tip-top shape on the night of the fight.
The heavy training, Roach added, would include more sparring with tougher spar mates, including undefeated junior middleweight contender Vanes Matirosyan (28-0, 17 by knockouts) of Glendale, California.
The six-foot Matirosyan, who fights with the ferocity of Margarito, is expected to give Pacquiao the kind of workout that would prime the Filipino icon for his tough battle with the hard-punching Tijuana Tornado. Watch Pacquiao Vs Margarito Fight
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Watch Pacquiao Vs Margarito
Margarito Guarantees Knock Out Victory Over Manny Pacquiao
Pacquiao is looking to dispatch Margarito and win a record eight championships in as many weight divisions while Margarito has an eye on derailing the Pacquiao Express by late stoppage, thus becoming only the third man in Pacquiao's career to do so.
"Pacquiao won't stand up to my punches," said Margarito, "He's been shook by smaller fighters than me and he will find out the hard way that his punches won't hurt me."
With an overwhelming majority of people having already discounted Margarito's chances of winning much less stopping Pacquiao this fight, one would think there's no reason to pay the asking price for this HBO PPV event.
Why tune into a fight that the public has already deemed an automatic victory for the Filipino Bomber?
Robert Garcia, Margarito's trainer, has an answer.
"I know what I've got in Antonio Margarito. He's a fighter's fighter. He comes to not just work, but to improve on what he has been learning since training camp has started."
"Antonio isn't going to be the same pressure fighter from before; he's going to be a pressure fighter that applies his will smarter and with more patience and defense."
After recently speaking with Antonio, I now believe that his goal of not just beating Manny Pacquiao, but stopping Manny is a high probability that may come to fruition.
Margarito is training like a demon possessed, but not overly tense. He is seemingly calm and relaxed, but more importantly unphased by the taunts from the naysayers, including Pacquiao's famed coach, Freddie Roach.
"I know that everyone's saying that I'm going to lose and get knocked out and that I'm no match for him (Pacquiao)," Margarito continued, "I heard that Roach even said I was going to be just like a punching bag and that Manny would stop me early."
"I think that's fine to let people say what they want, but they have to remember that there's only two of us getting into that ring and fighting for that title."
"Manny's not going to have everyone's help in their (ring); he's going to fight me and me only. He won't have anywhere to go once I start to apply the pressure and throw my punches at him. I will knock out him out because of this."
"And as far as what Roach says, I don't have much to say about him except for thinking that he needs to keep his f**king mouth shut and that because he talks too much that his fighter's going to pay the price by getting a serious beating by me. His career is over; he needs to be a trainer instead of talking too much. I'm going to shut his f**king mouth by stopping Manny in eleven rounds."
Garcia and Margarito both believe that Manny has had trouble with fighters that pressure him and believe that the uppercut is a major key to Margarito's victory.
Said Garcia, "We're not going to just get in there and throw punches in volume; we're going to set it up with jabs, angles, and then go in for the attack."
Margarito added, "I've seen other guys hit him and give him pressure, but then they don't continue their attack. I am going to go nonstop if I see or think he's hurt and I'm not going to stop until he's on the floor."
"The way he (Pacquiao) fights, he is open to uppercuts. He's going to be eating mine and when he does, he won't want to come inside."
Garcia and Margarito are so confident in their victory over Manny Pacquiao that Antonio told me that he agreed to let Pacquiao come in under the initially approved weight of 149-150 pounds.
Margarito stated, "He wanted to come in lighter than what was agreed on and so I said, 'OK, because it's not going to matter in the end when I'm weighing in and with the game plan I have . I think he's going to weigh probably around 145, 146(lbs.) I know what he's doing, but it's not going to work."
If you think that Margarito is fighting for redemption, you're wrong.
According to Antonio, he doesn't feel any added pressure to dispel the stain of being caught with his hands illegally wrapped prior to his bout with Shane Mosley in January, 09 which led to a lengthy suspension that he was forced to serve.
"I don't feel like I have to prove anything extra to everyone because of my suspension. I know that I'm a great fighter and a good boxer. People will see that again when I beat Manny Pacquiao. My fans have been behind me through all of this and this victory will be for them."
Though Antonio says he feels no pressure in wooing the audience, he is a tad concerned about the judges.
"I know that Jerry Jones, Bob Arum, HBO, and everyone else wants Pacquiao to win. They have their ideas on future plans so I do feel that going to the scorecards is not good for me. I can't chance a bad decision so I'm making it my job to knock him out before theres any chance of a controversy happening.
So as the media frenzy continues to descend on Team Pacquiao, Antonio Margarito and his trainer, Robert Garcia, quietly go about their business of honing Antonio's skills and biding their time until November 13 when they plan to deliver a Texas sized upset to Top Rank and Jerry Jones and win the WBC Super Welterweight title and effectively end Manny Pacquiao's status as the "Mexican Assassin."
Related: Watch Pacquiao Vs Margarito | Pacquiao Vs Margarito
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Watch Pacquiao Vs Margarito Live
Watch Pacquiao Vs Margarito Fight - Manny Pacquiao has turned his attention to former welterweight champion Antonio Margarito for a November fight, after his promoter could not get a deal signed against former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Top Rank chief Bob Arum told The Associated Press on Saturday night that Pacquiao will fight Margarito in a junior middleweight bout on Nov. 13. The location is still undecided because Margarito isn't currently licensed to fight in the United States, but Arum is moving ahead with the matchup anyway.
"We'll finalize everything this week," Arum said.
Margarito was chosen for the lucrative payday over junior middleweight titleholder Miguel Cotto, Arum said, because Pacquiao has already defeated Cotto once. The Margarito fight will likely be for the WBC 154-pound title that Sergio Martinez vacated earlier this year.
A victory would give Pacquiao titles in a record eight weight divisions.
"Antonio is so much bigger than he is, it's a very attractive fight," Arum said. "Cotto, we figure, should have another fight this winter and shown the improvement he's made under (new trainer) Emanuel Steward and then we could look at him maybe next year."
The fight was made relatively quickly after Mayweather allowed a deadline set by Top Rank for a proposed megafight to pass last weekend without a word. Mayweather told the AP two days later at a charity basketball game hosted by Dwyane Wade and Alonzo Mourning in Miami that he isn't thinking about boxing at all following his one-sided victory over Shane Mosley in May.
"I'm not interested in rushing to do anything," Mayweather said.
On Monday, Mayweather advisor Leonard Ellerbe issued a statement that said no negotiations for a fight against Pacquiao ever took place — which took Arum completely by surprise.
Arum insists that he has been negotiating for possibly the richest fight in boxing history with Mayweather's team for months. Arum said he was using HBO Sports boss Ross Greenburg as an intermediary because he has a rancorous relationship with Mayweather, and that all that was left was for Mayweather to sign for the fight.
Greenburg has repeatedly declined to comment on the negotiations.
"The thing that's silly about this is all Floyd had to say from the get-go was, 'Hey, I'm not interested in fighting this year,"' Arum said. "That's all he had to do."
The biggest winner in the bizarre soap opera ends up being Margarito, who was once considered among the most feared fighters in boxing. Then came his own fight last year against Mosley, when he was discovered to have loaded hand wraps before a stunningly one-sided loss.
Margarito and his former trainer were suspended for at least one year by the California State Athletic Commission, a decision that has been upheld by other state commissions.
That creates a logistical problem for his fight against Pacquiao.
Arum said he wants to hold the fight in Las Vegas, where Pacquiao would not be subject to income taxes and where he could most likely get the largest site fee. For that to happen, Margarito would need to get licensed in Nevada, and his request earlier this month was tabled by the state athletic commission until he answers to authorities in California.
"In Nevada, he's asked for them to consider giving him a conditional license to fight on Nov. 13. He's also going to file his application for his license in California," Arum said.
"There are other states that have contacted us that say they'll give him a license."
One possibility is Texas, where 50,000 people packed into Cowboys Stadium to see Pacquiao defeat relatively unknown Joshua Clottey earlier this year. If all the options in the U.S. fall through, the fight could happen in Margarito's native Mexico, where officials in Monterrey have already expressed interest.
"The fight means so much economically to Nevada," said Arum, whose company is based in Las Vegas. "I cannot conceive the commission turning down his request."
Pacquiao has never fought above the 147-pound welterweight limit, although he's only looked better with each division he tries. Most critics believed that 140-pound champion Ricky Hatton would be too big for him, and he knocked him out in the second round. The same went for Oscar de La Hoya, whom Pacquiao made quit on his stool after the eighth round.
Margarito, meanwhile, will be fighting at 154 pounds for the second straight time. He came back from a year off following the Mosley fight to easily dispatch of Roberto Garcia in May, a fight that was held in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Watch Pacquiao Vs Margarito
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Mixed Martial Arts & Boxing: The #1 Way To Combat Bullying?
As parents, we do everything we can to protect our children from harm and to provide them with the skills they need to be healthy, successful adults. The problem is, we are not with them all the time. What our kids do at school is sometimes a mystery to us. Are they polite to their teachers? Do they participate in class? Are they bullying other kids? Are they being bullied? There is something you can do to help get them on track to be successful in school and to avoid the bully-trap – even when you’re not around: Enroll them in a martial arts class. Sports Picks
One of the biggest misconceptions about enrolling children and teenagers in martial arts is that the kids become aggressive and, therefore, a likely bully. The fact is, however, that martial arts do just the opposite. Bullies often have sense of superiority over others and their environments and lack impulse control. Often time, bullies don’t know how to manage their anger so they take it out on people they deem weaker than themselves. Many times, bullies are being, or have been, bullied at some point in their lives as well. Martial arts help solve these problems.
Martial arts can also help kids who are being bullied. Bullies thrive on attacking (physically or emotionally) people that they see as weak. Kids who are bullied often have (generally as a result of the bullying) low confidence levels, inability to concentrate on school work, lack of focus and high stress levels which make them look even weaker. Martial arts help solve these problems too. Sports Betting
The many benefits of martial arts for children are a great way to combat bullying, but as you read on, you’ll see that the benefits extend way past bullying and will help your children succeed in other areas of their lives as well:
Concentration and Focus. Training martial arts is not a mindless activity. It requires complete concentration and focus at all times during training. The best part about this needed concentration, however, is that it carries over into all parts of your children’s lives. You’ll notice (and your children’s teachers will probably also notice) that they will be able to focus more on their school work and they might even have more successful grades.
Confidence and Control. Martial arts will help your children get in tune with their minds and bodies. This will help kids better understand themselves, their actions and their options. They know that they don’t need to lose their temper to handle stressful situations and they’ll also know that they have the ability to physically defend themselves if needed. All of this knowledge will increase their confidence and over all demeanor making them appear (and be) stronger individuals and less likely to be a victim of a bully. It will also help prevent them from bullying others because they will be more aware of themselves and those around them.
Stress Reduction. You probably already know that physical exercise is a great stress reliever for you. Do you also know that it works for your children as well? Any type of exercise such as jogging or playing sports can relieve the physical stress that your children feel from daily life – and it may be more than you’d expect. Training martial arts goes one step further, however. It will also help your children relieve their emotional stress because martial arts require them to concentrate their training, not dwell on their problems.
Respect. If you send your children to the right school, their martial arts instructors will both command and deserve respect from all of their students. They will also be able to instill in your children that all people deserve respect, especially adults. Sports Handicapping
I Don’t Know Much About Mixed Martial Arts & Boxing Except …
My only experience in the martial arts was a three week long experiement with kung fu. I went to the class to see what it was like and to learn about the thing that took many of my friends captive on every Tuesday and Thursday night. I cautiously entered the Chinese restaurant with my friends and proceeded into the basement where the class was held. I was not fond of the huge mirrors lining the longest wall, but I didn't mind the incense sticks that burned in little holders around all four edges of the room. It didn't take me long, however, to learn that martial arts wasn't for me. MMA Forum
My little bout with martial arts taught me a lot about myself and a lot about martial arts. In all honesty, I expected to arrive at kung fu class and find it to be easy and mindless. I would soon learn that kung fu, like all of the martial arts, requires a level of strength and discipline that I could only dream of possessing. Each person in our class came prepared to work hard and to do this they left the troubles of their lives at the door. Entering the martial arts room meant entering a new world for them. A world that required everything and more that they had to give. Mixed Martial Arts
Martial arts isn't for the physically weak, that is for sure. I left feeling pretty confident after attending my first class. It wasn't until the next morning when each step I took sent shooting pain in every direction of my body that I realized the level of torture I had done to my body. My kung fu friends said that this level of pain was normal and that eventually my body would get used to the hard workouts and it wouldn't hurt so badly. Unfortunately, my three weeks of staggering pain were enough for me and I never made it beyond the pain stage. Sure, I had experienced pain from sports or tough workouts before, but no pain that compared to the pain I received from an hour of martial arts.
Everyone I know who sticks with the martial arts really loves it. I guess bodies begin to crave the strength and discipline that the martial arts require and so the workouts become something to anticipate rather than dread. My friends who have continued with the martial arts have developed this amazing sense of mental fortitude as well. They are able to make it through not only the hardness that the martial arts bring but also through any hardship life presents. Their classes are a training ground that teaches them to press on and endure all that happens in life.
So, while I never stuck with the martial arts long enough to fully understand them, the things I took away from my three weeks of kung fu are lessons I will continue to ponder for a long time. MMA Picks & UFC Picks
Hopkins vs Jones Jr. II Battle of the Oldies
Well its been 17 years since the first bout in which Roy Jones Jr. defeated Bernard Hopkins in an unanimous points decision. Since that time both fighters have moved on towards legendary status, while at the same time dodging each other. Now Jones, 41 and Hopkins, 45 finally face each other on the 3rd of April. However, lets be honest here, this is a really 'nothing' bout, as both fighters are past their prime.
Roy Jones lost in 122 seconds into the first round in his bout against Danny Green in Sydney late last year, while Hopkins has had only 1 bout in over a year. So what exactly is at stake? Perhaps it is for the money? Perhaps not. Bernard Hopkins rejected a much bigger pay packet to fight Danny Green in Vegas. Perhaps it is one last chance in the limelight for both fighters to bring down the curtains on their illustrious careers. It is not clear who will win, but this fight will probably mean a lot more for Hopkins who is gunning for revenge, while their isn't a clear motive for Jones to fight. Hopkins has clearly showed a lot more in his fights in the last 5 years than Jones has, and the fight against a much younger Kelly Pavlik showed that. However Roy Jones has shown that he still has the speed to bewilder his opponents and Jeff Lacy can testify to that.
For the record, I think Bernard Hopkins will win, but this is really a nothing fight, one or both fighters may well retire, but no one can say they didn't have their time in the sun.
Cotto vs Foreman
Things have gone pear-shaped for Miguel Cotto in recent years. Since the 2007 bout against Antonio Margarito that left Cotto with a bruised ego, battered face and his first professional lost, he has looked far from impressive. Incedently he has expressed a desire in the near future, but contradictorily, he has moved up to the light-middleweight division for the first time- against champion, Yuri foreman. It may seem that Cotto is testing himself whether he still has his 'mojo', or whether Manny Pacquiao took it away from him.


