Manny! Redemption is here!

We all know what would happen come November 24, 2013, as the date fast approaches the excitement all over the boxing world also rises, for the supporters of Brandon "BamBam" Rios this would be one of his biggest opportunity to strengthen his position in the group of elites in boxing, while in other hand for the believers of Manny "Pac-man" Pacquaio this would be the perfect time for him redeem himself.

Photo from Google

Its no secret for all of us the two consecutive loses of Manny, first was at the hands of American Boxer Timothy Bradley, many have considered that fight to be a very controversial one, people got shocked with the decision at the end of the fight because clearly Manny controlled the whole fight, but that's boxing, anything can happen in boxing.

Photo from Google

And who can forget that Manny's devastating lost against his mortal enemy, the El Dinamita, Juan Manuel Marquez, that was one of the biggest shocker in the world of boxing, everybody knew that it would be a close fight but nobody expected that Manny would suffer such kind of defeat, Marquez really took Manny down to the canvass and made him asleep.

Photo from Google

All of Manny's fans were speechless, they did know what hit them, it was very uncommon to the eyes of the people who followed Manny's career from the start, everybody's low in moral, some thought that it was the end of his career, many had doubts, many started to believe that he will never return to the boxing ring, with such kind of loss, you cannot blame them because clearly it was a very terrible loss.

But with this coming fight at hand, all eyes to the people's champ, nobody knows what will happen, it certainly has this kind of excitement where no one knows if Manny can pull this one off or not, but one thing is for sure, it is going to be a tough and exciting match!

I myself can still feel that excitement that I used to feel when Manny fought Morales, Barrera, Dela Hoya, and etc. Rios has said in his previous interviews that he will send Manny to retirement but I myself refuse to believe in that, I strongly believe that Manny will come out strong as ever, he will bounce back from those two losses, he will show again to the world that he is not yet done.

This time, once again, let us show support to our people's champ, Manny carried all of us for so many times, and in times like this it is very important to show that we still got his back and that we still believe in him, that would be a big factor to fill Manny's heart with more courage, a courage that would bring back the glory to our nation.

Redemption is here! GO MANNY!

Bradley to Roach: I'm boxing, not running

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

MANILA, Philippines – Undefeated American Timothy Bradley vowed to give Russian fighter Ruslan Provodnikov a lesson in boxing when he defends his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title on March 16 in Carson, California.

Bradley was reacting to the comments made by Provodnikov’s trainer, Freddie Roach, who said the American star will run "like Forrest Gump" during their title fight.

"I've heard Bradley say he's going to take the fight to Ruslan. He said the same thing before his fight with Manny (Pacquiao). And when he feels Ruslan's power, like when he felt Manny's, it's going to be a remake of Forrest Gump," Roach said in a RingTV report.

Speaking with Luis Sandoval of Boxing Scene, Bradley said: "This is boxing, Freddie. All right? This ain't MMA (mixed martial arts). This is boxing."

"There's a difference between being a runner, sprinter. They run. I don't run. I box. That's what I do. It's called the sweet science, it’s called boxing," Bradley added. "That's what people need to realize, that this is boxing."

Bradley cited legendary fighters including Muhammad Ali and Pernell Whitaker, as well as reigning pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr., as some of the best in the "hit and don't get hit sport."

"A lot of people can't deal with that. Ruslan Provodnikov ain't gonna be able to deal with that," he said. "So guess what we're going to do? We're going to outbox him."

Although Bradley defeated Roach’s top fighter, Pacquiao, in their June 2012 fight, the Hall-of-Fame trainer remains unimpressed with the American.

"When Manny was preparing to defend his title against Bradley last spring, I said any of Manny's sparring partners could beat Bradley. Ruslan will prove that on March 16," Roach said.

Bradley will be making the first defense of the WBO championship that he won from Pacquiao.

Bryant does his Magic by turning from scorer to passer

source: www.spin.ph

MINNEAPOLIS — For 17 years, Kobe Bryant has been a supremely confident, ultra-aggressive offensive force who believed that the more he scores, the better the odds the Los Angeles Lakers win.

Even by his standards, Bryant was on a blistering run to start this season. He averaged just over 22 field goal attempts, right up there with the highest averages of his career. He took 31 shots in a loss to Houston, 41 in a win over Golden State and 32 in a loss at Toronto.

Off to a 17-25 start, and with the playoffs slipping away, Kobe has revamped his game. He's channeling more Magic than Michael now, becoming the Lakers' chief playmaker to jumpstart the struggling team. After posting double-digit assists just once in his first 42 games, Bryant is averaging 11.2 assists over the last five, a stretch that has produced four victories to offer some hope that all is not lost.

"It feels good," Bryant said on Friday (Saturday, Manila time), when the Lakers beat the Timberwolves. "You're just trying to do whatever it takes to win. Trying to figure things out, even if you're adjusting your game as dramatically as I have, it's just doing whatever it takes to get your team to win."

Passing hasn't exactly been absent from Bryant's game over the years. It just hasn't been at the forefront of his approach to breaking a team down. He's always thought of himself as the best one-on-one player in the world, and that mentality has fueled a get-out-of-my-way approach that has helped him fly up the career scoring chart.

He's averaged a healthy 4.7 assists for his career and was right at that number through the first 42 games this season. Bryant has more career assists than any of the five players who have scored at least 30,000 points. But he has completely changed his role in the last two weeks.

In the four-game losing streak that preceded the Lakers' mini-surge, Bryant attempted 25, 32, 22 and 23 shots and dished out a total of 14 assists.

In the last five games, he's taken 10, 12, 12, 17 (the only loss) and 13 shots and picked up 56 assists.

"I just try to dominate the game through passing and getting to the rim and scoring when the opportunity presents itself," Bryant said. "There's many ways to dominate a game."

For someone as notoriously stubborn as Bryant, it's quite an eye-opening transformation.

"It's not the easiest thing in the world to change a mentality," Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said. "But he's definitely trying."

In the twilight of his career, and with Steve Nash and Dwight Howard not close to the All-NBA players they have been, it's also been absolutely necessary for the Lakers' survival. They are 21-26, good for 10th place in the competitive Western Conference.

"It's different now playing against him than watching him on TV," Wolves forward Derrick Williams said. "He's just a deadly weapon. If you leave a little space he's going to knock down a shot. If you get too close to him, he's going to hit people with backdoor passes."

His teammates are feeding off the newfound unselfishness, too. Pau Gasol had struggled for most of the season, but he had 22 points and 12 rebounds against the Timberwolves on Friday night. Antawn Jamison has scored in double figures in four straight games, and Nash is adapting quite well to playing off the ball and knocking down all the open shots that come when Bryant draws so much attention from the defense.

The Timberwolves certainly didn't have an answer for his new game Friday. In the first quarter, he relentlessly backed down the overmatched Luke Ridnour in the post, drawing double teams from a scrambling Wolves defense. Bryant easily surveyed the scene, kicking to wide open shooters on the perimeter for easy shots. The Lakers hit eight of their first 10 3-point attempts to build a 29-point lead in the second quarter.

Bryant said he studied Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson and John Stockton as much as he did Jordan while he was growing up. And whenever he's asked about Magic — widely considered Bryant's biggest competition for title of the greatest Laker — he smiles broadly.

"That's the thing that gets lost as the years go on," he said. "People forget how good he was and some of the passes he makes. You go back and look at some of that (stuff) he was throwing around out there, it's outrageous. Some of the things he sees. And me growing up a huge Magic fan, I'm very familiar with that."

If Bryant can somehow dig these Lakers out of the rubble and take them to another title, it will be the sixth of his career — tying Jordan and moving him past Magic on the ring count.

"We're trying to find that balance a little bit," he said. "We're obviously not reaching our full potential if I go through a full half without really shooting the ball. But at the same time, I think the most important part is to get everybody in rhythm. I can always find my offensive rhythm throughout the game."

That's an ongoing conversation with D'Antoni.

"You need to be aggressive and make the right play," the coach said. "When you take off and they collapse on you, make the pass. If they don't, then score. I think you need to do it for four quarters. You can't come into a game and be a facilitator for a quarter, (then say) 'OK, now I'm going to be a scorer.'"

Bryant is getting more and more comfortable with each passing game, and all of a sudden these Lakers have new life. Once buried under a pile of injuries and dysfunction, they're 3½ games behind Houston for the eighth seed and charging. They're close enough that Bryant is starting to peek at the standings again.

"A little bit now because you kind of want to have in your mind's eye what's going on," he said. "But we'll catch up."

NBA: Heat too hot for Nets in the third

source: www.gmanetwork.com

The Brooklyn Nets had a huge run to tie the game at the half. The Miami Heat used an even bigger run in the third to put this one away.

The visiting Miami Heat used a 36-14 third quarter to blow out the Brooklyn Nets, building to a 105-85 win, Wednesday (Thursday, PHL time) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The victory by the reigning NBA champs ended an eight-game win streak by Brooklyn on their home court. It also improved Miami's record to 29-13, to keep them on top of the Eastern Conference, and dropped the Nets to 27-19.

Nine points by LeBron James in the first quarter helped the Heat to a 30-20 advantage after twelve minutes. Lay-ups by Dwyane Wade got it to a first half high of 12 twice, at 36-24, and then at 41-29, the latter coming with 7:30 still to play.

However, the home team Nets used an 18-6 run, fueled by a combined 10 by big men Brook Lopez and Andray Blatche, to knot things at 47-all. A Chris Bosh dunk momentarily gave the lead to Miami anew, but Deron Williams canned a jumper with 2.3 ticks left in the half to forge just the second tie of the game up to that point.

The third quarter saw the Heat reassert their dominance though, as the team shot 15-of-23 from the field, or 65.2 percent, en route to their 36 points. Their defense meanwhile, held the Nets to just 14 points, all from three players, Lopez, Williams and Joe Johnson, for an 85-63 lead.

Brooklyn couldn't cut into the huge deficit any more than 17 points in the fourth, which led to both sides sending in their bench to close this one out.

LeBron James led all sides with 24 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Dwyane Wade added 21 markers. Chris Andersen, signed to a second 10-day contract, was a nice spark off the bench, tallying three points, five rebounds, a steal and a block in under 10 minutes of play.

Brook Lopez led the Nets with 21 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Joe Johnson scored 16, but needed 15 attempts, while Deron Williams was held to just nine points and five assists. Williams was also forced into a team-high six turnovers.

Miami wound up shooting better than 50 percent from the field, 51.8 percent, and beyond the arc, 57.9 percent. The Heat also got a whopping 20-to-4 advantage in fast break points. - AMD, GMA News

NBA: Spurs overwhelm Bobcats in Popovich's return

source: Reuters through www.gmanetwork.com

The San Antonio Spurs gave recuperating coach Gregg Popovich a welcome return to the sidelines on Wednesday (Thursday, PHL time) by romping to a ninth consecutive win with a 102-78 thumping of the Charlotte Bobcats.

Popovich had missed the last three games through illness and despite the absence of big man Tim Duncan for a fourth straight contest with a knee injury, the NBA-leading Spurs were far too strong for the Bobcats.

Tony Parker stepped in to fill the void left by Duncan and recorded 22 points with seven assists, as Kawhi Leonard added 18 points to help San Antonio cruise to another comfortable win at home, where they are 21-2 this season.

The Spurs (37-11) set the tone for an easy night's work when they opened the game with an 8-0 run and never fell behind.

San Antonio enjoyed a typically efficient shooting performance with an impressive 55 percent success rate from the field, including 9-of-16 from three-point range.

Ramon Sessions scored 20 off the bench to pace the Bobcats (11-34), who lost for the 10th time in 12 games. - Reuters

Manny Pacquiao OK with fighting in September instead of April

source: www.interaksyon.com

With plans for him to fight in April falling apart, Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said he doesn’t have a problem with postponing his comeback for September instead.

“Puwede naman, puwede namang September na lang,” said Pacquiao, who is coming off consecutive losses — to Timothy Bradley in a controversial decision and to Juan Manuel Marquez in a shocking knockout — last year.

According to Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz, putting together an April fight for the fighter was a massive undertaking, especially with Top Rank promoter Bob Arum expressing his preference for a later fight date.

The Pacquiao camp reportedly considered Singapore, Macau, Dubai, and Manila as possible venues for an April fight, but was unable to secure support to stage the bout. But the venue was not the only problem, according to Koncz.

“We have to work with HBO. They’re the expert in choosing the television dates,” he said.

Koncz also denied rumors that Pacquiao’s desire to fight in April was motivated by politics. Pacquiao, the incumbent representative of Sarangani, will run unopposed for a second term in May’s elections.

The Final Score: Rajko Toroman rejoins the race

source: www.gmanetwork.com

Rajko Toroman runs on a Wednesday morning with nothing but his thoughts. No earphones. No mp3 player. He hears the sound of his own breathing. His mind is engrossed, not by the frenzy of traffic around the Ortigas area, but by plans for his new PBA team, Barako Bull.

It’s the weekday drill for Toroman. Wake up at four. Watch a Euroleague game. Then by six, head out the door and begin a daily nine-kilometer run. As always, he runs for an hour.

On this midweek jog, Toroman’s brain is probably working harder than his feet. He thinks about Wednesday’s scheduled practice game against GlobalPort. He doesn’t think about the controversy surrounding his title as PBA Head Coach. He thinks about the new players on his team, instead. He imagines how JC Intal may finally unlock his potential. He pictures how Barako Bull will benefit from Allein Maliksi’s versatility.

Someone inside a jeepney shouts, “Coach! Good morning!”

The coach momentarily stops thinking about basketball, smiles and waves back.

Toroman returns to his reflection. He knows coaching Barako Bull won’t be easy. He has to convince PBA players to leap out of their comfort zones. Spend more hours in practice. Spend less time freelancing on the court. It’s the only way they will prosper under his watch. It’s the only way his system will work.

“I love the offense, “ Mick Pennisi, Barako Bull’s bearded veteran, admits. “It’s perfect for me because I’m an unconventional big man. We just need time to make it work. I just need to tell the younger guys that the system takes time.”

Toroman runs past the PhilSports Arena. He inhales. He exhales. There’s a map of sweat on his shirt. He’s not gasping for air at this point. He’s excited. He can’t wait for the tournament to start. He can’t wait to show critics that the Toroman Way can succeed.

[Related: Barako Bull shake up roster, dealing with four different teams in blockbuster]

Many believe Barako Bull greatly benefited from the recent five-team, 10-player PBA mega-trade. I agree, albeit cautiously. They brought in brand new players to beef up a brand new team. That team now plays under a brand new coach. On one hand, the set-up exudes possibilities. On the other hand, I worry about a cavalcade of untested variables.

“They say Filipino players have a hard time succeeding internationally because of size,” Toroman, who is fully aware of his widespread reputation as a drill sergeant, explains. “So if you’re smaller compared to players from other countries, shouldn’t you train even harder than the bigger guys? Right now, bigger players from other countries train harder than the players here. I want to change that.”

Toroman can see the Ynares Center along Shaw Boulevard from a distance. A scene from practice pops in his head: Moments after he completed his first practice session with Barako Bull, Jonas Villanueva started to experience muscle cramps. Sean Anthony approached Villanueva and comforted his new teammate by saying, “Welcome to the Serbian Military Camp.” Toroman heard Anthony’s quip and revealed a wry smile. -- GMA News

EPL: Terry says Chelsea lacked fight against Brentford

source: Reuters through www.gmanetwork.com

LONDON - John Terry said Chelsea lacked fight in their recent Cup disappointments and called for the team to "liven up" if they want to play Champions League football next season.

Captain Terry started his first game since returning from a knee injury in the 2-2 draw with third tier Brentford on Sunday (Monday, PHL time) and was clearly not impressed.

[Related: Torres rescues FA Cup holders Chelsea with late goal]

"It was always going to be hard. The pitch was a bit worse than we thought, but no excuses," Terry told Chelsea TV.

"We're really disappointed, and even though it's great to be back personally, on a team performance we should be winning the game and now we make it difficult for ourselves with a replay.

"We have another game we could do without but we should beat them at the Bridge. I was disappointed because we didn't fight and they wanted it more than us."

Only a late equalizer from Fernando Torres spared Chelsea an embarrassing exit against Brentford following their League Cup semifinal defeat by Swansea City.

Chelsea were eliminated from the Champions League at the group stage and are a distant third in the Premier League.

Terry's knee injury meant he has hardly featured since Rafa Benitez replaced Roberto Di Matteo as coach, but now he is back he wants a big improvement against Reading in the Premier League on Wednesday (Thursday, PHL time).

"It's disappointing going to Swansea and not scoring over two legs, then being lackluster [at Brentford]," he said.

"We came [to Brentford] and didn't create too much. Fair play to them, they played well but we need to liven up a bit and realize the importance to the fans and the club.

"Champions League football is a must next season. It's difficult but we have a squad and it's down to the players who come in to rotate and play well."

Goalkeeper Petr Cech and central defender David Luiz are both ruled out for the trip to Reading.

Cech has a calf injury and may return for the match at Newcastle United this weekend but Luiz is expected to miss both games due to a calf problem. - Reuters

Gilas needs longer buildup for Fiba Asia

source: www.philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines - Coach Chot Reyes said Gilas Pilipinas would need an intensive preparation to reach competitive level that would match the continent’s best and give them a good shot at playing in the global meet.

Reyes appealed to the pro league that they be given the longest possible period of time to train for a serious crack at the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship set at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay on Aug. 1-11.

Fresh from his Hong Kong trip where he steered the Gilas cadet team to a championship in an invitational tourney, Reyes sat down in an initial meeting with PBA commissioner Chito Salud yesterday afternoon.

They discussed ways to get maximum time to brace for expected tough competition against Asian traditional title contenders China and Korea, new powers Iran, Jordan, Lebanon and Qatar and other contenders like Japan and Chinese Taipei.

“Big thing is the third conference adjustment. But we’re still working on the time that would be available for us (to train). Naming of the lineup is going to be dependent on the final schedule,” said Reyes.

The national mentor, however, has an idea on what kind of team he’s forming.

“Magbubuo tayo ng team, di tayo magbubuo ng collection of superstars (We’ll form a team. We’ll not put together a collection of superstars),” said Reyes.

“We’ll never have size advantage so we’ll have a team that has speed and outside shooting. It must be versatile. It must be a team with role players,” Reyes added.

He said players who played for Gilas in the last Jones Cup and FIBA Asia Cup and even the young cadet players who donned the national colors in the Dubai and Hong Kong invitationals will be considered for the team to the FIBA Asia Championship.

“They’re under consideration. They’ll be part of the pool where we get the final lineup,” said Reyes.

Greg Slaughter, the country’s lone seven-foot player, could well be the cadet player with the best chance of making the team. For a long time, he was part of the previous Gilas team under Serbian coach Rajko Toroman. Slaughter and Petron rookie center Junmar Fajardo are likely to fight it out for the role as Marcus Douthit’s backup.

Reyes said they’re also in the lookout for a naturalized player backup.

Considerations in this regard are naturalization papers and the salary. “It’s hard to pay him just to be a backup. Unlike in Lebanon, they already have four naturalized players to choose from. At yung naturalized nila hindi malalakas, super lakas,” said Reyes.

Reyes also mentioned the advantage of their rivals in preparation period, but nonetheless expressed gratitude to the PBA for its backing.

“We’re very thankful for their all-out support in this program in trying to achieve the goal in qualifying for the world championships. We’re very appreciative,” he said.

“What is clear from the PBA standpoint is we are here to fully support the cause of Gilas Pilipinas and as a proof of that we will come out with a third conference schedule that will certainly strengthen the chances of our national team,” said Salud.

“We are bending over backwards. We are meeting with the national team coach to see to it that his needs are met appropriately and from that standpoint we also want to be able to help the SBP and the MVP Group in successfully hosting this FIBA Asia,” Salud added.

Bundesliga: Leaders Bayern eager to keep spirits high on the bench

source: Reuters through www.gmanetwork.com

BERLIN - Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich tried to boost the confidence of their big-name substitute's bench on Tuesday, saying all players will be called upon when the team gets into the full swing of three competitions.

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes has been spoilt for choice since the recent Bundesliga mid-season restart and has left several players, including Arjen Robben, Mario Gomez and Claudio Pizarro, on the bench or even out of the squad completely.

Brazilian Luiz Gustavo, Ukraine international Anatoliy Tymoshchuk and Jerome Boateng have also not featured much in recent weeks.

The Bavarians are 11 points clear in the Bundesliga with 15 wins from 19 games as they seek to end a two-season title drought.

"These are all players who can compete at the very top level, they are hugely motivated," Heynckes told reporters. "We do not have 11 starting players, we have 20 starting players."

Bayern were the biggest Bundesliga spenders in the last transfer season bringing in Spaniard Javi Martinez, Swiss international Xherdan Shaqiri, Croatia forward Mario Mandzukic and Brazilian Dante.

The wealth of talent in a squad that reached the Champions League final last season was by no means low when the new signings arrived.

The competition for a starting spot has been fierce this season with Mandzukic becoming first-choice striker over former Bundesliga top scorer Gomez, who has missed much of the campaign through injury.

Martinez has also established himself as a starter.

Dutch winger Robben, however, has not seen much action since his return from injury and has started the last two league games on the bench.

"This is of course a pity but the players have to accept that," said Heynckes, who will be replaced by Pep Guardiola at the end of the season.

"At the moment there is no need for big changes," added the coach, whose team beat VfB Stuttgart 2-0 away on Sunday (Monday, PHL time). "We need to be successful and I will not risk anything.

"The players know I will rotate once we get to the busy weeks where we will be playing Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday."

Bayern are taking on Arsenal in the Champions League Round of 16 and meet holders Borussia Dortmund in the German Cup quarterfinal next month. - Reuters

Manny Pacquiao’s proposal for April fight reportedly turned down by MVP group

source: www.interaksyon.com

A planned ring return for eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao in April in Manila has apparently been scuttled, leaving the fabled Filipino fighter with no other choice but to wait for a fifth fight with Juan Manuel Marquez in September.

Sources reveal that Team Pacquiao’s asking price was too big, compelling telecom titan Manny V. Pangilinan to turn down a proposal to stage a fight in mid-April.

Besides, Pangilinan’s group is neck-deep in commitments this year, making it virtually impossible for the country’s premier sports patron to lend a hand to Team Pacquiao’s wish to fight on local soil.

(InterAKTV is part of InterAksyon.com, the news website of TV5, which is chaired by Pangilinan.)

Pacquiao had earlier eyed Singapore, Macau and Dubai as likely venues but the lack of time to stage such a huge event was a big contributory factor for it to be set aside at least for the meantime.

Promoter Bob Arum is not hot on the idea of Pacquiao engaging in an interim fight before the fifth showdown with Marquez in September.

Even trainer Freddie Roach prefers Pacquiao to sit it out as it will only do him good since he is coming off a sixth-round beatdown at the hands of Marquez.

Still, all is not lost for members of Team Pacquiao since they are on the lookout for solid backers.

But if they could not come up with something by next month, everything will point to September.

Marc Pingris to join SMART-Gilas for FIBA Asia Championship campaign

source: www.interaksyon.com

Marc Pingris has decided to join the SMART-Gilas Pilipinas national team set to compete in the FIBA Asia Championship.

Rene Pardo, San Mig Coffee’s representative to the PBA Board, confirmed the news to InterAKTV on Tuesday.

“I encouraged him to join,” Pardo said in a telephone interview. “He was supposed to visit his dad in France, but I told him that Chot Reyes was requesting for his services.”

The 6-foot-4 do-it-all forward is the latest PBA player to join the squad to be handled by Reyes. Pingris is one of those players on the wish list of Reyes.

Just recently, the PBA Board agreed with the proposal of commissioner Chito Salud that all teams should lend at least a player each for the national squad’s campaign in FIBA Asia to be hosted by the country for the first time in 40 years.

“Tayo ang host ng FIBA Asia, kaya dapat tulong-tulong tayo,” added Pardo.

Pingris’ inclusion is a good boost for SMART-Gilas’ bid to form a team composed of the best players from the PBA.

Last year, the Philippines won the Willaim Jones Cup tournament, a prestigious annual event, with the help of some of the top pros in the country.

But the SMART-Gilas squad was forced to play with a group composed mostly of amateur players in two international tournaments this month.

On Monday, FIBA Asia secretary general Hagop Khajirian, who ranked the country only at No. 5 seed, urged the Philippines to field its best squad in the tournament.

Why the rush to return, champ?

source: www.spin.ph

PROMOTER Bob Arum is telling everyone that there is no economically viable arena available to host the fight, at least not in April. Just about every boxing expert worth his salt is advising him to take the time available and let the wounds of battle completely heal.

But no, Pacquiao wants to lace on the gloves again, and he wants it in April. He has even expressed his willingness to fight in Manila if no other venue is available. A few years ago, such a thought would have been difficult to fathom: You know, nobody wanting to host a Pacquiao fight.

Times have changed though, particularly after Pacquiao hit skid row in December when he fell in six rounds to Mexican nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez. With his career now hanging by a thread, the popular opinion is that Pacquiao should be more judicious in plotting his return to the throne.

It is so easy to say that machismo has a lot to do with Pacquiao's desire to immediately return. Before he swallowed the right hand that shocked the world, Pacquiao appeared to be on his way to a technical knockout victory over Marquez. Knocked down in the third, he rebounded strongly by flooring Marquez in the fifth round. Pacquiao was running rings around a banged-up Marquez when he got overexcited and walked into a huge right hand with one second left in the sixth round.

Suffice it to say, Pacquiao thinks Marquez just got lucky. The craving for an immediate return to the squared circle is anchored on emotion, the desire to erase in a snap of a finger the memories of that December ember.

Oh, lest we forget, there is also the need for Pacquiao to recapture the image of a winner before he tosses his hat anew into the political arena in May. By the time he seeks re-election as a member of Congress, Pacquiao wants to be a winner again in the eyes of his constituents and this will only happen if he fights in April, a month before the national elections. Machismo aside, this is the real reason why Pacquiao wants an early return. And this is why this writer believes the Pacman needs a reality check.

The loss to Marquez was an accident waiting to happen. Heading into their fourth meeting, Pacquiao was no longer his old, ferocious self. The inner fire had been tempered, either by his newfound religion or political forays. Or perhaps by both. Bottom line, Pacquiao was too distracted when he fought Marquez.

Over a month after the loss to Marquez, the distractions are still there. In fact, Pacquiao has not done anything to shake it off his system. What is more dangerous is that he still apparently believes he can get away with it again.  At this stage in his career, when questions about his health and condition linger, that is a very perilous mindset.

There is no urgency for Pacquiao to return as early as April. Note that after the loss to Marquez, Pacquiao was placed under 120-day medical suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. This means Pacquiao is prohibited from engaging in any boxing-related activity, particularly sparring, during the time of the suspension. The medical suspension was recently shortened by the commission and will be effective until March 9. However, the commission made it clear that Pacquiao cannot figure in any sparring until February 7. Unless Pacquiao has not been complying with the directive, this means that if he returns in April he would have had very little sparring. As in the Marquez fight, he would be cramming again.

It is easy to argue that Pacquiao need not train that hard because he would only be taking on a patsy if he returns in April. But here's the rub: There is no telling how much of Pacquiao's once towering confidence has been chopped off by Marquez's right hand. No fighter's confidence is the same after he goes through a harrowing experience like what Pacquiao went through. While Pacquiao may only end up fighting a trial horse in April, any diminution in the boxer's confidence will level the playing field. This means that while the patsy remains an underdog, he has more than a faint chance.

Another reason for Pacquiao not to fight in April is the fact that two of the country's best champions today, Brian Viloria and Nonito Donaire, Jr., are also seeing action in April. Viloria will defend his WBA-WBO flyweight title against Mexican Juan Fransciso Estrada on April 6 in Macau while Donaire is mulling on an April 27 defense of his WBO super bantamweight crown against Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux in Las Vegas. Whether he likes to admit it or not, Pacquiao will be reduced to third fiddle if he fights in the same month.

Pacquiao will get his revenge, but he has to be very judicious and patient in planning it. First things first, he has to get rid of all the excess luggage in his closet. We all want to see Pacquiao back in the ring again, but we will not settle for anything less than the vintage Pacman or something close to that. - Ed Tolentino

Rajko Toroman: Preparation, not talent, key to SMART-Gilas chances in FIBA Asia

source: www.interaksyon.com

More than just getting the best talent available, having ample time to prepare would be the key for success for SMART-Gilas Pilipinas in this year’s FIBA Asia Championship, according to Rajko Toroman.

The Serbian coach, who piloted the national team to a fourth-place finish in the 2011 edition of the tournament, said picking just the best players available wouldn’t be enough for the Philippine team, which will be trying to duplicate its feat 40 years ago when it last hosted the top Asian cage event.

“It’s no guarantee that you will win a championship,” said Toroman, who is known for his rigorous training and preparation.

He led Iran to victory in the FIBA Asia Championship in 2007, before moving to the Philippines to continue his coaching career.

“There are many components in building a championship team for the FIBA Asia tournament, but you could prioritize preparation and chemistry. Putting players and having them play together for six months, that’s the most important thing,” said Toroman.

The PBA has already committed to adjusting its scheduling, promising to shorten the Governors’ Cup to give SMART-Gilas more time to prepare for the competition. The league has also committed to lend at least one player from each team to the national squad, with commissioner Chito Salud and SMART-Gilas coach Chot Reyes scheduled to seat down to discuss details of the lineup.

FIBA Asia exec tells Team Philippines: ‘Field your best squad’

source: www.interaksyon.com

FIBA Asia secretary-general Hagop Khajirian ranked the Philippines as one of the top five teams for the regions top cage competition, which the countryn will host in August.

But the Lebanese official qualified his comment by saying that SMART-Gilas Pilipinas will have to field its best lineup for the FIBA Asia Championship slated for August 1 to 11.

Khajirian named China, South Korea, Iran, Lebanon and the Philippines as the countries that have strong chances for the top three slots in the tournament, which come with tickets to the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain.

“I’m judging on the record in the past decade,” said Khajirian on Monday in a press event arranged by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

“The Philippines reached the quarterfinals and the semifinals of the last two FIBA Asia. These five countries will be my favorites and maybe Jordan. But sometimes we witness some surprises.”

Powerade Team Pilipinas coached by Yeng Guiao finished eighth in Tianjin, China in 2009, while SMART-Gilas coached by Rajko Toroman was fourth in Wuhan in 2011.

The Powerade squad was bannered by top professional players, but did not feature a naturalized reinforcement. The 2011 edition of SMART-Gilas, meanwhile, include a mix of college and professional players along with center Marcus Douthit.

“We never saw a Philippine team in full. The best players, unfortunately, only some of them joined. I hope in this event will be different,” said Khajirian.

“I hope you get prepared for this Championship with your full squad.”

Rajon Rondo out for season with torn ACL

source: www.sports.yahoo.com

BOSTON – Celtics star Rajon Rondo tore the ACL in his right knee and will be lost for the season.

It is possible that Rondo could return for the start of the 2013-'14 season, but a timetable for his return won't be clear until after his surgery.

Rondo injured the knee in Friday's double-overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks, where he had delivered his second consecutive triple-double. He was scratched from the Celtics-Heat game on Sunday with what the team termed a "hyperextended right knee." MRI results Sunday afternoon confirmed the Celtics' worst fears.

Even with Rondo in the lineup, the Celtics had lost six consecutive games and dropped to 20-23 and into the eight spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Boston could miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2006-'07 season, prior to the arrival of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in what turned out to be a championship season in 07-'08.

Rondo was voted to the Eastern Conference's All-Star starting team, but commissioner David Stern will now choose a replacement for him.

Victoria Azarenka retains Australian Open title with win over ailing Li Na

source: www.interaksyon.com

MELBOURNE – Victoria Azarenka retained her Australian Open title with a tense 4-6 6-4 6-3 victory over China’s Li Na, who suffered a sickening ankle injury in the second set and hit her head in the third when she twisted the joint for a second time.

Li had dominated the first set on Saturday but Azarenka raced out to a 3-1 lead in the second before Li slipped and twisted her left ankle. She had it strapped but had problems pivoting and Azarenka won the set 6-4.

The Chinese sixth seed, who won the French Open title in 2011, had taken a 2-1 lead in the decider before a fireworks display delayed play for about 10 minutes and she immediately went over her ankle again when they returned and hit her head.

A smiling Li returned to court but Azarenka managed to break in the fifth game, then hold serve to jump to a 4-2 lead and she sealed the title, which ensured she retained the number one ranking, when she broke Li in the ninth game.

Gilas Pilipinas cruises to easy semis win over Changsha Park Lane to reach HK tilt finals

source: www.interaksyon.com

The Gilas Pilipinas national team smashed Changsha Park Lane, 90-69, in their semis duel to reach the finals of the 19th Super Keung Sheung Cup International Invitation Basketball Championship on Saturday at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wanchai, Hong Kong.

Nino Canaleta led the way for the Philippine quintet with 18 points and eight rebounds while naturalized player Marcus Douthit added 13 markers and eight boards for the Chot Reyes-coached national squad.

Kevin Alas contributed 10 markers for the Filipinos, who will face the winner of the semifinal encounter between defending champion Southern California Fukienese Association and Hong Kong national team, which was being played as of posting time.

The Gilas five had a quick start, erecting an early 26-9 lead after the first period before the team Snow Wolves managed to keep pace with Filipinos in the second period, 21-20, but still trailed 29-47 at halftime.

It was also close in the last two quarters but the Filipinos were to keep the big lead for good and advance into the championship match on Sunday.

Ronald Pascual and Garvo Lanete contributed eight apiece for the Philippine squad.

Liu Fuxiang led the young Changsa Park Lane team with 17 points while Sun Jian added 11.

Little Azkals demolish Chelsea in first match

source: Cebu Daily News

CAGAYAN de Oro's Jeremiah "JB" Borlongan scored a hattrick as the Little Azkals once again showed their unbeatable team work by routing the Korean-based Chelsea FC Under 14 team, 6-1, yesterday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in the first of their two exhibition matches.

The Philippine Under-14 football team proved that they have an unbeatable bond despite coming from different parts of the country by surprising the visiting Chelsea FC with their press to the goal and their agility on the pitch.

All of the goals in the match were scored in the first half, with Little Azkals team captain Jed Ramos Diamante of Davao starting the scoring spree with just minutes into the match. This was followed by Borlongan's three straight goals.

Davao's Javier Romero-Salas further stretched the Little Azkals' lead to five while Diamante capped the junior national team's win with his final goal in the first half.

Chelsea FC scored its lone goal in the last minute of the first half. The second half saw both teams scoreless.

With the sizable lead that the Little Azkals posted, head coach Oliver "BingBing" Colina felt confident to field all of his players in the second half to give those on the bench enough exposure.

"We dominated the first half but Chelsea was able to adjust in the second half and managed some counter attacks. We surprised them with our press and speed, it was clear that they weren't expecting that," Colina said.

Despite having won convincingly, Colina said more adjustments will be done today in their second match against Chelsea FC at the Turf Bonifacio Global City (BGC) at 4 p.m. since he is anticipating that the visiting team will be making their own adjustments.

"The Chelsea FC has a high-level of understanding of the game and they play physical," Colina said.