2023-09-01 11:00:00
SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Manny Pacquiao (62-8-2, 39 KOs) intends to compete in the 2024 Olympics in France.
At least that’s what the president of the Philippine Olympic Committee, Abraham Tolentino, claims.
The Pac Man is 44 years old, He will be 45 next year. He is the only boxer in the world to have been crowned champion in eight weight categories. But he is not satisfied. He wants an Olympic gold medal.
He will have to find a qualifying tournament somewhere in the world, because several competitions do not accept boxers over 40, as is the case for the next Asian Games which will take place in Hangzhou, China. , from September 29 to October 8.
Despite everything, Pacquiao will be able to qualify somewhere else, where boxers over 40 are accepted.
It’s a shame
Personally, I find this unfortunate and incomprehensible. Pacquiao is on his way to the Boxing Hall of Fame. He started boxing at the age of 12. He had an amateur career of 60 wins once morest 4 losses. He did not participate in the Olympics when he was young.
As a great boxer and politician that he is, why go and measure yourself once morest young people who are often 17, 18 or 19 years old who also dream of a gold medal at the Olympic Games.
I have no objection to seeing professional boxers take part in the Olympic Games, provided they have no more than ten fights on their record with the pros. It seems to me that when you were crowned professional world champion in eight weight categories, that you also embellished your life as an actor, singer and politician, it is already quite an honor.
Since the 2000 Games
Since the year 2000, there have been six Olympic Games and only Bakhodir Jalolov had ever boxed professionally. His professional record before appearing at the 2020 Tokyo Games, produced in 2021 was (8-0, 8 KOs)
Since 2016, pros have the right to participate in the Olympic Games. If you take a look at all the gold medalists at heavyweight and super heavyweight, all of them had never played in paid matches before the Olympics.
At the heavyweights, it’s had Julio Cesar DeLaCruz, Evgeny Tishchenko, Oleksandr Usyk, Rakhim Chalhkiev, Odlanir Solis and Felix Savon.
Among the super-heavyweight, in addition to Jalolov, we find Tony Yoka, Anthony Joshua, Roberto Cammarelle, Alexander Povetkin and Audley Harrisson.
All of them started their profitable career following winning their gold medal, except for a few exceptions such as Roberto Cammarelle, from Italy and a few Cubans.
Today, Pac Man’s fortune is valued at US$220 million following his fights and sponsorships which earned him no less than US$500 million.
Inactive for two years
Pacquiao hasn’t fought in two years, since losing to Yordenis Ugas on Aug. 21, 2021.
It’s obvious that he has slowed down and if he ever follows up on his idea, he’ll see that three-minute rounds, or nine minutes of amateur fights, it’s fast, not to say very fast, even super fast.
I have a lot of respect for Manny Pacquiao. If he really intends to put the gloves on, let him do it once morest professionals… not once morest teenagers or young adults. Instead of gold, he would then touch greenbacks.
Jean Sablon used to sing: “You mustn’t break a dream…” But there is a limit.
The cash cow lost
Nico Ali Walsh, the grandson of Muhammad Ali, finally experienced defeat. Unfortunately for him, a draw verdict would have been preferable in the eyes of the crowd who saw people show their disagreement with the judges’ result.
Personally, I had Walsh winning following six bouts. But I would have accepted a null verdict.
What’s worse is that Sona Akale (8-1, 4 KOs) is kind of an argument. He is 35, has been boxing professionally for two years, has never beaten anyone and even lost by K.-O. technique/6 in his last outing once morest a certain Cameron Krael.
I can’t wait to see if the promoters will be as quick to hire Ali Walsh now that he suffered the defeat… So far, we have mainly used the name of his illustrious grandfather Muhamed Ali for him allow them to flourish and at the same time fill the galas well.
Will it improve or stagnate?
Career to follow…
« Canelo » change de camp
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) takes his role seriously on the eve of facing Jermell Charlo on September 30. In an effort to improve his cardio, he decided to move his training camp from San Diego to Truckee, California, a small town some twenty miles from Lake Tahoe.
“Canelo” therefore works in the mountains at a height of nearly two kilometers where the air is more rarefied.
“Canelo” is very popular in the Lake Tahoe area for having participated in many celebrity golf tournaments.
The fight of the week
The rematch between Liam Smith (33-3-1, 20 KOs) and Chris Eubank Jr. 32-3, 23 KOs will take place at the Arena in Manchester, England on Saturday. September 2nd.
The first confrontation between the two ended in a victory by K.-O. technical/4 from Smith, but Eubank never accepted this loss and immediately following the setback he demanded the rematch clause that existed.
The two have been defeated on three career occasions and both have lost once by knockout.
Eubank is a good boxer, but every time he faces a champion, he finds himself in the losing corner. It happened once morest Billy Joe Saunders, the ex-WBO middleweight monarch, once morest George Groves, the ex-WBA super middleweight champion and finally once morest Liam Smith, the ex-WBO super middleweight champion.
Smith is a better hitter than Eubank.
Prediction : Smith by K.-O. before the 9th round
At the casino
Thursday evening, at the Casino de Montréal, the GYM boxing series will allow Mathieu Germain (22-2-1, 9 K.-O.) to make the final once morest Jose DeLeon Jasso (12-3-11, 5 K.- O.).
Lasso will be on his second visit to Canadian soil. Two months ago, he dropped the flag by decision to Mark Smither (12-0) of Barrie, Ont.
Germain has won his last four fights and sits 12th among IBF light welterweight contenders.
Prediction : Germain by decision
Au Lac Leamy
At the Casino du Lac Leamy, it is Christian Mbilli (24-0, 20 KOs) who takes the spotlight by taking on Demond Nicholson (20-5-1, 22 KOs).
Mbilli is ranked in the four associations, including first in the WBC, where Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez reign supreme.
As for Nicholson, he has already lost by K.-O. once morest Jesse Hart in April 2018. He also abdicated by decision once morest Demetrius Andrade (31-0, 19 KOs) in his last outing last April.
Prediction : Mbilli by K.-O. before the 8th round
Bob Arum likes it heavy
If you take a look at the Top Rank site, you will find that no less than twelve heavyweights feature on the site.
Just last Wednesday, a twelfth name was added. It’s Brandon Moore (12-0, 8 KOs), a 29-year-old heavyweight from Lakeland, Florida.
We know that two of our Quebec heavyweights are part of the Top Rank stable. They are Arslanbek Makhmudov (17-0, 16 KOs) and Simon Kean (23-1, 22 KOs).
Others are Tyson Fury, Jared Anderson, Bakhomir Jalolov, Richard Torrez, Efe Ajagba, Sonny Conto, Antonio Mirales, Damian Kuyba, Dante Benjamin and Guido Vianello.
Surely there must be others hidden somewhere.
The Prince’s son won
Adam Hamed, the son of the famous Prince Naseem Hamed (1-0, 1 KO) started his professional career on the right foot thanks to a victory in the first round over Vojtech Hady (1-3-0, 1 KO) last Saturday night on the undercard of the match between Jared Anderson and Andrii Rudenko.
Big order for the son to match the exploits of his father.
A total of 808,000 listeners for Navarette vs Valdez
The clash between Emanuel Navarette and Oscar Valdez a few weeks ago, where Navarette retained his super featherweight crown, was seen by 808,000 people at its peak. On average, no less than 669,000 households saw the match which is likely to be chosen the fight of the year.
Ruiz dreams in color
Andy Ruiz challenges everyone, but there’s no point in negotiating with him. He demands no less than $10 million to face a rival. At least that’s the amount he was claiming when negotiations with Deontay Wilder’s clan fell through.
Since his fifteen minutes of fame what has Ruiz done?
He picked up victories over Chris Areola, a 42-year-old boxer. Then, on September 4, 2022, he managed to defeat 44-year-old Cuban Luis Ortiz.
Ruiz’s approval rating is far from worth ten million dollars and it is mainly for this reason that he has been unemployed for a year and has nothing in sight.
Return of Billy Joe Saunders
Billy Joe Saunders (30-1, 14 KOs) is expected to step back into the ring sometime next December. Everything indicates that he will fight his first fight since May 8, 2021 at 175 pounds. The others will follow at 168 pounds.
Saunders has been out of action for more than two years, since his eighth strikeout loss to “Canelo.”
The Briton is now 34 years old.
Anderson wants Ajagba or Sanchez
Jared Anderson does not budge. He wants to get to the top of the ladder as soon as possible. On the strength of his victory over Andrii Rudenko by K.-O. in the fifth engagement, he would like to try his luck once morest one of the first ten aspirants to the world crown.
The first name he mentioned was that of Frank Sanchez ranked third and fifth WBO and IBF contender.
I don’t feel like his promoter Bob Arum will fulfill his desire, because Anderson is good, but he has some shortcomings, mostly defensive, to fix.
The exploits of yesterday and tomorrow
August 31, 1969: Former world heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano dies in a plane crash in Newton, Iowa. He was 45 years old. He would have been one hundred years old on September 1 this year if he had survived.
September 2, 1953: Sonny Liston delivers his first professional fight in St. Louis. He passes the K.-O. from the first round to Don Smith.
September 2, 1965: Former world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis was born in London, England.
September 2, 1979: Former world heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin is born.
September 3: Birth of Jean Douville, head of combat sports competitions in Quebec.
September 4, 1969: Former Canadian heavyweight champion Robert Cléroux (47-6-1-37/KO) announces his retirement from boxing.
September 4, 2002: Stewart Hilton (4-0-0—1/KO) of the Hilton family, delivers his first pro fight in Miami.
September 5, 1960: Cassius Clay (Muhamed Ali) wins the light heavyweight gold medal at the Rome Olympics.
September 6, 1997: Birth of boxer Daniel Dubois in London, England.
September 6, 2002: Eric Lucas successfully defends his WBC super middleweight title at the Bell Center once morest Omar Sheika.
September 7, 1971: Birth of former champion Shane Mosley (49-10-1-41 / K.-O.)
September 7, 1996: Mike Tyson passes the K.-O./1 to Bruce Seldon and adds the WBA title to his WBC crown.
Happy boxing!
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