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Solar Sports is set to announce this week, details of its planned multi-network telecast of the “BATTLE FOR GREATNESS" between eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao and undefeated pound for pound No.1 Floyd Mayweather Jr. In an announcement, Solar Sports said “the highly anticipated matchup can be seen in the Philippines courtesy of Solar Sports, the longtime broadcast partner of Pacquiao’s fights.”
Five division world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash”Donaire had a good workout Sunday morning in Alabang and said later he is “very ready and happy” about his condition for his return to the ring against Brazil’s William Prado on the blockbuster “Pinoy Pride 30” fight card at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on March 28. Donaire told us that he is currently at 130 pounds which is his “projected weight at this point” and he should have no problem making the 122 pound limit at the official weigh-in on March 27.
IBO light flyweight champion Rey “Hitman” Loreto has retained his title with a stunning first round knockout of former champion Nkosinathi Joyi in a rematch in East London, South Africa. The rematch had been cancelled twice before, with the first plug being pulled last December before Loreto forced a postponement from February 28 when he underwent surgery for a swollen appendix two months ago which drastically cut down his sparring and his training regimen as he was recovering from the operation.
An expert on the use of various forms of performance enhancing drugs, Victor Conte, claims the current so-called random drug tests conducted by the US Anti Doping Agency on Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao which boxing scribes continue to refer to as “Olympic Style testing” is incorrect. Conte responded to a question from BoxingScene.com/New Standard/Viva Sports in the wake of the verbal exchanges between Pacquiao’s longtime adviser, Michael Koncz, and Mayweather Promotions CEO, Leonard Ellerbe - after Koncz had suggested that if either fighters tests positive for a banned substance, he pays a fine of $5 million to his opponent.
American trainer Rick Staheli expects five division world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire to make a winning comeback in his return to the ring in “Pinoy Pride 30” at the Smart Araneta Colisum on March 28 following his painful 6th round TKO loss to the bigger and stronger featherweight super champion Nicholas “The Axe Man” Walters last October 18 in Macau. Staheli who steered Manny Pacquiao to his first world title in December 1998 when he scored a sensational 8th round knockout over Chatchai Sasakul of Thailand told the New Standard/Viva Sports he had received glowing reports of Donaire’s preparation for his fight against 31 year old William Prado of Brazil who has a record of 22-4-1 with 15 knockouts while the 32 year old Donaire’s record is 33-3, 21 knockouts.
Just like eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao, undefeated pound for pound No. 1 Floyd Mayweather Jr has also undergone two random drug tests conducted by a medical technician from the United States Anti Doping Agency. Pacquiao was first tested while training at the Pan Pacific Park and then again at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles while Mayweather is believed to have been tested at his home and at his gym in Las Vegas.
Five division world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire has been elevated to the Class of 2014 Elorde Hall of Fame alongside WBO light flyweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, the longest reigning Filipino world champion who last January 1 surpassed the record of world junior lightweight champion Gabriel “Flash” Elorde who reigned for 7 years and 3 months. Nietes and Donaire will be enshrined in the prestigious “Flash” Elorde Hall of Fame where the first honoree was eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao.
Five division world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, who has problems making the weight for his North American Boxing Federation super bantamweight title fight against Brazil’s William Prado, is reportedly getting tired as a result of his rigorous efforts to trim down from around 132 pounds. Donaire’s father/trainer “Dodong” Donaire told BoxingScene.com/News Standard/Viva Sports that Nonito was “getting tired making the weight” although he worked out at the ALA Gym and ran around the oval in the complex.
MICHAEL KONCZ, eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao’s longtime adviser, is keeping an eye on the random drug tests being conducted by the US Anti Doping Agency on the Filipino icon, even as the most popular fighter in the world begins sparring behind closed doors at the Wild Card Gym today (Tuesday in LA). When USADA announced their involvement with the fight, there were some who raised concerns over Mayweather's close relationship with the company.
Despite his comparatively poor record of 13 wins against 16 losses and 4 draws with just 3 knockouts, unheralded Filipino Roque Lauro who is ranked No. 3 by the Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation in the minimum weight division knocked out Japan’s Daisuke Hayakawa at 1:16 of the third round in Aichi, Japan. In their first meeting on December 7, 2013 the 29 year old Lauro won a unanimous eight round decision with scores of 77-76, 78-74 and 78-75 for the fighter from the Katipunan 1, Quezon City Gym of Cucoy Elorde, one of the daughters of the late Gabriel “Flash” Elorde.