Key quotes from Pacquiao, Mosley, Roach and Arum on Fight Camp 360

By Chris Robinson, examiner.com





Earlier today on CBS, the inaugural episode of Pacquiao-Mosley Fight Camp 360 premiered in advance of the May 7th encounter between the two welterweight stars. Manny Pacquiao defends his WBO crown against Shane Mosley inside of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and with Showtime pay per view televising the festivities, we are given an all-access look into the two men's lives.

In the first episode the primary focus was on the coast to coat press tour that the stalwarts embarked on as well as the early phases of their two training camps. Mosley is training out of Big Bear, California as is often the case with him while Pacquiao's first month was spent in Baguio City in the Philippines with his grand arrival to Los Angeles, California taking place just hours from now, where he will then shift his focus to the Wild Card Boxing Club.




Also in the episode we were treated to Pacquiao getting a chance to visit President Barack Obama as part of his Washington, D.C. press stop. A congressman in the province of Sarangani in his homeland, a meeting with Obama shows just how far Pacquiao has come from being a poverty-stricken kid wandering the streets of General Santos City.

Read below for some telling quotes from the first episode of Fight Camp 360...

"I am so eager to prove everyone wrong." - Shane Mosleyon his precious opportunity

"Nothing personal...just doing my job." - A very humbleManny Pacquiao insisting that there is no bad blood between him and Shane

"I don't think anybody, even Manny, would have dreamed we would be where we are at today." - Pacquiao's advisorMichael Koncz speaking on the wild ride that he has enjoyed being around Manny

"Manny Pacquiao is the best boxer I have ever seen." - Top Rank promoter Bob Arum being completely honest when assessing his star fighter

"There is pressure but I can handle that." - Pacquiaospeaking on yet another world title fight that lies ahead


"I love a good scrap" - An excited Mosley when told of Pacquiao's aggressive style and how it may play into his hands

"Getting ready to go to Vegas. Should be very interesting now." - Mosley looking ahead to his
press stop in Nevada at the MGM Grand

"He thrives from chaos. He causes it but he's not the result of it." - Publicist Fred Sternburg, a man who has gotten to know Pacquiao very well over the years

"I realized at a young age that anything that was one on one I was going to win. Because I'm that competitive." - An ultra confident Mosley reflecting on his childhood

"Pacquiao is an exceptional fighter. Especially when he moves from different weight classes. It's extraordinary." - Mosley's trainer Naazim Richardson showing admiration to the eight-division world champion

"It's really hard to leave the Wild Card but Manny Pacquiao is my man" - Freddie Roach as he embarks on yet another trip overseas to assist his prized pupil

"The thing with Pacquiao is you can see his flaws but nobody has exploited them yet. Sometimes you have to dare to be great." - Richardson on the task that lies ahead.

"Ithought Top Rank didn't do a very good job with Donaire" - Paulie Malignaggi

By Chris Robinson, examiner.com


Logic says that things are going to be a little awkward, at least for a while, for blossoming superstar Nonito Donaire. A few weeks back the Fil-Am fighter made headlines when it was announced that he had opted out of his promotional union with Top Rank by signing an exclusive deal with Golden Boy Promotions, a move that some backed and others couldn't quite fathom.

Promoter Bob Arum took great offense to Donaire's actions, fully believing that his contract with the 28-year old was still binding for various reasons. The 79-year old took the matter to court and earlier this week judge Daniel Weinstein saw in his favor, enjoining Golden Boy from promoting Donaire at this point.

Several people have chastised Donaire for creating this situation but not everyone is so critical. A few days ago I had a lengthy talk with former IBF junior welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi and we closed our rap session by analyzing the situation.

Always one to wear his own emotions on his sleeve, Malignaggi, who himself recently ponied up with Golden Boy after a stint with Lou Dibella, seemed to sympathize with Donaire.

"I think every fighter has the right to do whatever they want for their career. I don't understand what the backlash is. He's coming off of a big win over Montiel. Nobody said he has to stay with Top Rank. He did the same thing when he beat Darchinyan. He left Gary Shaw and went to Top Rank. Nobody was complaining then. Why is everyone complaining now?," Malignaggi remarked of Donaire's initial interest to pursue life outside of Top Rank.

Malignaggi continued on, showing obvious admiration towards Donaire and a definite bit of disdain towards the way the three-division champion's career was handled by Top Rank.

Marquez dropping third Pacquiao fight in favor of new Golden Boy deal?

By Scott Heritage, Examiner.com

Not so long ago Juan Manuel Marquez was heavily tipped to be leaving current promoters Golden Boy in hopes of securing a big money trilogy fight against pound for pound champion Manny Pacquiao.

Top Rank boss Bob Arum had been mentioning the possibility of a third fight between the pair in the media recently, and Marquez's contract with Golden Boy expired in February. Also upping the ante, Marquez recently turned down a fight with Erik Morales that would have extended his contract.

Marquez announcing his departure from Golden Boy and announcing some kind of deal with rivals Top Rank then seemed inevitable.

More recently however, Marquez seems to have reversed his decision.

Marquez said of his negotiations with Golden Boy in a recent interview with Boxingscene's Jhonny Gonzalez:

"A lot has been said that if I sign with Golden Boy, the third fight with Manny Pacquiao will not happen. But I do not know if that's something that the people still want to see. Right now I'm in no hurry. I liked the offer that they gave me and I will study it."


Judging from Marquez's statements it sounds as if he has been offered both more money and possibly a number of interesting potential opponents not previously on the table.

Could it be then that after years of demanding a third fight with Pacquiao, claiming to have won the first two fights, and even having t-shirts printed, Marquez has finally given up on the idea?

Given his age and time left in the sport perhaps that isn't such a far fetched notion.

After all the Manny Pacquiao that Marquez came close to beating and 2004 and again in 2008 is now a much different fighter, as well as now fighting several weight classes heavier.

Marquez has since then settled at lightweight, and in his one showing higher than 135lbs against Floyd Mayweather looked far from his best, ultimately losing a one sided decision after recovering from being knocked down in the first round.

Also Marquez's comment that he was 'in no hurry' perhaps indicates that he still believes that a fight with Pacquiao might be a possibility in the future even if he remains with Golden Boy.

But does a new deal with Golden Boy permanently take a third Pacquiao fight off the table?

As far as Marquez is concerned, the answer is almost certainly yes.

Golden Boy and Top Rank are currently embroiled in a legal battle over the formers share in the promotional income generated by Manny Pacquiao, and could well take to the courts again in the near future over Nonito Donaire also.

Then there is Manny Pacquiao's defamation suit which names both Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer amongst those who allegedly accused him of taking performance enhancing drugs.

So on the face of things neither Top Rank boss Bob Arum nor Pacquiao himself will be in any rush to work with Golden boy again in the near future.

Still perhaps given where they have both gone since they last fought, Marquez could be better off without Pacquiao and vice versa.

Pacquiao taking on a genuine welterweight instead of a smaller opponent climbing up in weight will likely be more competitive, and Marquez perhaps moving to light welterweight to test himself against the likes of Zab Judah or Amir Khan also makes for more intriguing bouts than a one sided beating from Pacquiao would be.