HBO's Pacquiao/Cotto 24/7 series: (Far From) Reality TV!!!
HBO's recent 24/7 series on the pending Pacquiao/Cotto showdown gave the world a glimpse of a few things that some wish they probably hadn't seen. SHOWTIME's '360 Fight Camp' showed fight fans a pretty neutral image of the fighters involved, but HBO's 24/7 continues to lean towards the whole good guy versus bad guy plot. The oddity so far in the latest series is that it focused on LITERALLY EVERYTHING going wrong in the camp of Filipino Manny Pacquiao. While I do believe that the info reported was all accurate and non-scripted, HBO failed miserably to strike a balance between the two men, ultimately making the normally humble Manny Pacquiao look like a villain in the company of a man well known for his fair share of deliberate low-blows and elbows. Considering the radicals that follow Pacquiao, it'll be hard to turn their love and admiration in another direction, but with Mayweather home watching like the rest of us, I guess the writers of the show had to cast someone on the dark side, and apparently, Pacquiao's the man! Trouble is, that totally blows the concept of REALITY television, because anyone who knows him knows better. What television rating would I give the HBO series? VIEWERS DISCRETION ADVISED.
Pacquiao/Cotto: No 'Beef' In This 32oz 'Stake'
The closer November 14th draws near, the more and more Filipino Manny Pacquiao and Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto become accutely aware of how high the stakes are for a fight of this magnitude. Recently, trainer Freddie Roach informed a member of the media that Team Pacquiao is OK with the stakes being high, as long as the 'steak' (count) for Miguel Cotto is low. Translation.....Team Pacquiao is more than fine with earning an extra $1M for ever pound Cotto goes over the proposed weight of 145lbs, but under no circumstances will they go forward if the Puerto Rican crosses the line. In Roach's exact words, at 147lbs, "we'll let that fight happen"; but anything above, "I would call that fight off". So, if there are any questions, let them officially be laid to rest. This game of high stakes will all come down to Cotto's consumption (or should I say over-consumption) of his beloved steak. That being said, my message to Junito, keep the wifey in your life.....lose the steak and Pincho's!
Freddie Roach to Manny Pacquiao: The Truth Hurts....
Have you ever sat and actually listened to the things that Freddie Roach has to say? Some listen, some opt out, but if you don't, try it, and later on revisit those thoughts to see precisely how accurate they are at times. All along, Roach has disagreed with certain elements of the Pacquiao camp. We've seen a certain level of chaos following the non-adherence to each one of those request. Of all the things Roach mentioned, there's one that could reverberate quite loudly the morning after the big showdown. That statement was when he spoke to his charge about what he viewed as a lazy approach to his training on his last sparring session before leaving the Philippines en route to Los Angeles last Saturday. His words to Pacquiao was that if he does that laying on the ropes stuff against Cotto, "he'll lose". To create a change a pace and develop more chemistry, the team added new sparring partners in place of Porter and Castillo. Not quite sure if that will work, but what I do know is that if Pacquiao isn't conditioned or decides to lay on the ropes for any length of time at all, the breather he'll try to get will definitely be replaced with a set of sore ribs and perhaps even a loss. Not listening in this case for Pacquiao could yet again prove the truth hurts.....in more ways than one!
Marquez/Pacquiao: 3rd Time The Charm?
Juan Manuel Marquez has long desired a third and decisive shot at Filipino Manny Pacquiao. Like anything in life, the rugged Mexican warrior is learning that prayer changes things, and according to Freddie Roach, his wish could very well come true. Roach recently spoke about pairing the two fighters together again in March of 2010 at the jr.welterweight limit of 140lbs. Many felt that Marquez won the initial two fights, although he never got credit, with one being a draw, and the other being awarded to Pacquiao. It'll be nice to see these men settle the score, but if Marquez wins, we'd have to see a fourth fight because both men will have won one, with the third fight being a draw. Looks like these two will have their horns locked for quite some time. Although that could all change if the 'Money' is right. And you know exactly who I'm referring to.....Stay tuned.
Bradley/Peterson: One "O" Must Go
Timothy Bradley (24-0, 11KO's) is clearly a perennial force in the jr. welterweight division, but depending on who you listen to, his reign could be a very short one. His next opponent, Lamont Peterson (27-0, 13KO's) is pretty dangerous, and has made it very clear that he isn't coming to lay down. Initially, it was believed that Bradley wanted nothing to do with the fight after a bizarre negotiating period, but the talented champ, known as 'Desert Storm', would later clarify that it only appeared that way because he didn't want the fight based on there not being any "big money involved" (clearing my throat). Whatever the case may be, these two talented jr. welterweights are set to hop in the ring December 12th, and when the headlines are printed on the morning of Sunday, December 13th, only one man will have an "O", while the others will be forced to go. Should be a great fight. Stay tuned...
Andrew Golota: Next Time, Just Listen To The Lady...
The old adage has it that 'Mothers know best', but if we can add a quick addendum, perhaps that statement should include wifes as well. After asking her husband repeatedly to put the gloves on the shelf for good, the hard-headed Golota apparently wasn't hard-headed enough, as a few flush blows to the dome sent the Polish fighter (and his career) down the drain, perhaps for good. Mariola, Golota's wife, told a local radio station that she was basically dead set against him taking the fight with Adamek, and in the end, her logic appeared to be spot on. With no more convincing left to do, it appears we've seen the last of Andrew, and despite all of the "I told you so's" he's probably hearing at home, to rub it in one more time for good measure, he'll have her to thank!
Lennox Lewis On David Haye: Small Chance Against Big Man....
Former Heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis has continued to express concerns regarding David Haye's ability to defeat the giant (literally) Nikolai Valuev. Among the reasons Lewis cited was that the size differential of "nearly a foot and 100lbs" will be a "massive amount" to overcome. And just to think, Haye stands at roughly 6'3", so where would that leave some of the heavyweights of the past? Once again, I revert to my old argument that the sport desperately needs a Super-heavyweight division. Who in their right mind will think that the average man has the same chance as Chagaev, and almost Holyfield, too, (had it not been for an unpopular decision) against a giant this size?
Winky Wright Returns...
Perhaps one of the best defensive wizards of this era will return to the ring on the evening of Friday, December 11th, in Puerto Rico. After a turbulent career that has seen many lows and several highs, Wright will attempt once again to find his place among a new era of stars. His last few outings haven't exactly been what the doctor ordered, but with the proper motivation and economics in place, it would be foolish to rule out something grand for the talented southpaw. His opponent, Alex Sanchez, isn't the biggest challenge in the world, but by the end of the night, we'll all be able to gauge the worth of Wright much better than we can now. Stay tuned.
