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I fought Floyd Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya but ‘incredible’ fighter hit harder than all of them

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Floyd Mayweather

MANNY PACQUIAO had 72 professional fights and fought fellow legends Floyd Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya – but there was one opponent who hit harder than anyone.

The Filipino icon, 44, is the only eight-division world champion in boxing history and won 12 major world titles in his career.

He has battled the best of the best over the years – including British hero Ricky Hatton – while defeat to Mayweather in 2015 still remains the highest grossing fight of all-time.

However, shortly after that epic showdown, he was asked by Ring Magazine who had hit him the hardest in the ring.

And he revealed that it was none other than Miguel Cotto, who he eventually beat in the final round when they faced-off in 2009.

Pacquiao even dropped him in the third and fourth in what looked to be a dominant performance.

But Pacman was adamant that he was still feeling the effects of the punches he received in that bout all those years later.

He said: “Miguel Cotto. I can still feel some of those punches he threw at me.

“Staying on the ropes is not the best place to be when you are fighting him.

“He’s also accurate. He’s incredible.”

Cotto started boxing aged 11 in Puerto Rico and won silver at the 2000 Olympics.

He then enjoyed a great career after turning pro, becoming a four-weight champion.

Pacquiao’s fairytale in the ring ended in 2021 when he lost a world title fight against Yordenis Ugas via unanimous decision.

He retired with a record of 62–8–2, with 39 wins by knockout, and his place in the hall of fame assured.

 

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BOXING

Anthony Joshua next fight date: UK start time for Otto Wallin bout

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anthony joshua

Anthony Joshua will look to set up a highly-anticipated clash against Deontay Wilder when he fights Otto Wallin on December 23.

Former two-time heavyweight world champion Joshua is back in the ring for the third time this year after beating Jermaine Franklin in April and Robert Helenius in August. ‘AJ’ looked set to return in the first quarter of 2024 but a short-notice fight with Wallin was agreed upon for a blockbuster card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The event will also feature the return of Wilder, who hasn’t fought since knocking out Helenius in a round last October. ‘The Bronze Bomber’ will need to get past Joseph Parker to keep up his side of the deal for a fight with Joshua. the likes of Daniel Dubois and Dmitry Bivol are also in action, so here’s all you need to know about the big event…

When is Anthony Joshua vs Otto Wallin and what time will it start in UK?

Joshua and Wallin will fight on Saturday, December 23. The rivals will not walk to the ring until around 11pm UK time, which is 1am on Sunday morning in Riyadh. There are seven fights taking place on the star-stacked undercard, which is set to get underway at 7pm. Fight times are subject to change depending on the results of the undercard bouts.

How to watch Anthony Joshua vs Otto Wallin in UK on TV channel and live stream

Joshua vs Wallin is being shown exclusively on DAZN pay-per-view and the event will cost fans in the UK £19.99. DAZN can be watched on multiple devices such as laptop, smart TV and the mobile app. Fans can start their subscription to DAZN for £9.99 a month, with a minimum term of 12-months, by clicking here.

Who is fighting on the undercard?

Deontay Wilder vs Joseph Parker

Daniel Dubois vs Jarrell Miller

Dmitry Bivol vs Lyndon Arthur – for WBA lightweight title

Jai Opetaia vs Ellis Zorro – for IBF cruiserweight title

Filip Hrgovic vs Mark de Mori

Arslanbek Makhmudov vs Agit Kabayel

Frank Sanchez vs Junior Fa

Quotes corner

Joshua: “People taken about I’ve peaked have never even seen what a peak looks like in their careers. I look forward to delivering my message to Wallin on December 23. I know where I want to go and I know what I want to do. I believe I’m going to be three-time heavyweight champion of the world.”

Wallin: “My manager and I spoke about this fight and we thought it made sense. We came to a conclusion in about two days, I’m coming into this fight after a great win against Gassiev. I’m in a great position and I’m on top of the world, I’ve been waiting for this fight for a long time.”

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BOXING

Watch out Ryan Reynolds! World heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury challenges Deadpool to a fight following Wrexham’s 6-0 mauling of Morecambe

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Tyson Fury

WHAT HAPPENED?

The enigmatic boxing superstar has reacted to Wrexham’s 6-0 mauling of Morecambe in their latest League Two fixture – with Fury a native of the Lancashire town. He has previously launched a bid to complete a takeover of the seaside-based outfit, which would have put him in direct competition with Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in the chairmanship stakes.

WHAT FURY SAID

For now, Fury wants to exact revenge of sorts by squaring up to Reynolds’ famous Deadpool character in the ring. He has asked his loyal legion of social media followers to choose who would win in a fight if he were to trade blows with the Marvel superhero.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Fury had revealed back in September, after seeing Wrexham join Morecambe in League Two, that he intended to “call out Ryan Reynolds” when attending a meeting between the two clubs. He has been as good as his word, with the larger-than-life 35-year-old currently readying himself for a unification fight against Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia on February 17, 2024.

WHAT NEXT?

Wrexham will face Morecambe again shortly after that battle in the Middle East – on March 9 – with it possible that Fury will be in attendance at Mazuma Mobile Stadium. Until then, he is reflecting on a crushing defeat for the Shrimps that saw Red Dragons striker Paul Mullin add another hat-trick to his collection.

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BOXING

Anthony Joshua could fight Deontay Wilder in an ‘unbelievable’ final eliminator for Tyson Fury’s WBC title

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Anthony Joshua

The WBC confirms their heavyweight title will be on the line both in the undisputed Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk fight on February 17 and also an expected subsequent rematch; But Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder could box in a final eliminator if they both win their next fights

Anthony Joshua could meet Deontay Wilder in potentially the biggest final eliminator the world has ever seen.

Joshua and Wilder will compete in separate bouts on December 23 against Otto Wallin and Joseph Parker respectively.

If both Wilder and Joshua are victorious they will be on course to box each other next year. But even though they are the No 1 and No 2-ranked contenders with the WBC they won’t fight each other for that heavyweight championship.

The WBC has confirmed to Sky Sports that their heavyweight championship will not only be contested, along with the IBF, WBA and WBO belts, in the Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk undisputed title fight on February 17 but also in an expected Fury-Usyk rematch.

Mauricio Sulaiman, the WBC president, emphasised that his organisation has been committed to supporting establishing an undisputed champion at heavyweight.

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BOXING

Crawford Isn’t Ruling Out Jermell Charlo Showdown, But No Longer That Interested

By
Terence Crawford

Terence Crawford tore a piece of paper and began mapping out how he wanted the last few years of his career to play out.

Of course, fighting Errol Spence Jr. was number one on his agenda. Beating the former unified champ meant that he could become an undisputed champion in his second weight class. Once Spence was out of the way, Crawford began drawing the face of Jermell Charlo, the former undisputed champion in the junior middleweight division.

From there, the rest of Crawford’s sheet of paper was blank. Considering his age and how long he was in the sport, he hinted at walking away if everything went according to plan. So far, his strategy is going along just fine.

In late July, Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) dismantled Spence, winning virtually every second of every round before finishing him off in the ninth frame. Immediately following the beatdown, the pound-for-pound star turned to Charlo who was sitting in the crowd, and warned him that he was next.

Terence Crawford

At the time, Charlo had a lot to offer. He was the proud owner of the WBA, WBO, WBC, and IBF titles. He was also as violent as they come.

All in all, Crawford was excited about facing Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs) next. But before the two could immure themselves in the negotiating room, Charlo’s name lost a bit of its shine.

With a lopsided loss against Canelo Alvarez, coupled with the WBO stripping him of his title and later dropping the IBF, Crawford is left a bit uninterested. Although he won’t summarily dismiss the likelihood that they’ll eventually meet, Crawford acknowledged that a Charlo fight isn’t so sexy anymore.

“I’m not gonna rule it out,” Crawford told FightHype’s Sean Zittel during a recent interview. “Charlo still got two belts, he’s still the champion but right now, I’m not looking to fight Charlo.”

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BOXING

“Dude understood every damn key about boxing” – Floyd Mayweather’s incredible no-look punching routine has fans convinced he has ‘boxing cheat code’

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Floyd Mayweather

Boxing royalty Floyd Mayweather is argued by many to be the greatest athlete to ever step foot inside the squared circle and ‘Money’ also has the accolades to support that claim.

Even at the age of 46, Mayweather is still active as a boxer and can be seen in action from time to time. In a video that recently surfaed online, Mayweather can be seen hitting the pads without even looking at them.

The video captured the attention of several boxing fans, who took to social media to share their thoughts on it.

One person showered praise on Mayweather, claiming that the boxer was well-versed in all aspects of the sport.

Another individual drew parallels between Mayweather and Mike Tyson and claimed that even at the age of 80, the former would look good in training.

Another user proclaimed him to be one of the greatest, saying

However, some were unimpressed by the training footage and argued that the individual holding the pads was doing the heavy lifting in the video.

Floyd Mayweather

What’s next for Floyd Mayweather?

Despite announcing his retirement from professional boxing, Floyd Mayweather continues to participate in exhibition fights. ‘Money’ has shared the boxing ring with the likes of Tenshin Nasukawa, Logan Paul, Aaron Chalmers and Deji Olatunji in exhibition matches.

Now, Mayweather is expected to take on John Gotti III in a rematch. Although no official date or venue for the fight has been announced, the event is expected to take place in February next year in Las Vegas

The two first competed in an exhibition bout in June 2023. The event was held at the FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida. Both fighters kept trash-talking each other during the fight, which eventually resulted in the referee stepping in and calling off the fight in the sixth round.

Gotti then attempted to continue fighting, leading to a brawl inside the ring.

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BOXING

“They Didn’t Have Man’s Clothes?”: Floyd Mayweather’s “UPS Uniform” Like Outfit In Recent Photo Fails To Impress Fans

By
Floyd Mayweather

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has a massive net worth of $450 million. Being one of the richest boxers also means he can afford some ridiculously expensive stuff. From luxury clothing to expensive care and houses, the boxer has it all. Yet his fans have been criticizing his fashion sense. Are they right in doing so?

Mayweather recently posted a picture on Instagram before taking a flight. Social media users noticed his peculiar fashion sense and were underwhelmed.

Fans are unimpressed as Floyd Mayweather poses in his unique outfit

The first thing fans noticed in the post was ‘Money’ Mayweather’s outfit. While some comments were appreciative, many were just directed at his styling sense. “New UPS uniforms?” questioned one person. “Someone get this brudda a stylist always the worse dress sense know to man,” wrote another fan requesting a stylist for Mayweather.

“I don’t want to see anybody hating on Floyd you casuals go get your sh*t together,” wrote one fan in the boxer’s defense.

Floyd Mayweather

“It’s like Julez said there’s not price sign with swag, the clothes are all fire but the lay is terrible Floyd,” said another fan. Mayweather might have conquered boxing and the financial world, but it seems fans are still waiting for him to up his fashion game. After all, this isn’t the first time he has received negative feedback over his attire.

When ‘Pretty Boy’ received flak for his Louis Vuitton outfit

Months ago, Floyd Mayweather was in Paris- one of the biggest destinations for every fashionista. He shared images of his Louis Vuitton outfit, but fans were not on the same page. His yellow-on-black jacket and trousers didn’t receive any love.

Similarly, in May 2023, the boxer shared more images of his Louis Vuitton outfit which didn’t sit well with many. The black leather jacket with leather pants seemed uncomfortable, as per fans.

However, there have been instances when his fans loved his clothing choice. Back in February 2023, Mayweather went on a shopping spree for his 46th birthday. He was seen wearing a denim jacket over a white t-shirt, denim jeans, and his signature chunky chain. People took to the comment section to not just wish him a happy birthday, but also appreciate his outfit.

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BOXING

It’s a Bit Disappointing For Joshua To Be Fighting Wallin Instead of Wilder

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Anthony-Joshua and Deontay-Wilder

Former super middleweight champion Carl Froch was really hoping that former world champions Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder would collide at the end of the year.

Instead, the two top heavyweights will face other opponents as part of the same card.

On December 23rd in Saudi Arabia, Joshua will face once-beaten contender Otto Wallin in the main event, with Wilder taking on former world champion Joseph Parker in the other co-main.

Should Joshua and Wilder win their respective fights, there is a good possibility of a showdown in 2024.

Froch views Joshua vs. Wilder as one of the most intriguing fights in the sport.

Anthony Deontay

“It’s a bit disappointing for AJ to be fighting Wallin instead of Deontay Wilder, because the AJ vs Wilder fight for me is a very big fight, it’s a fight I could look forward to, it’s a fight I could get excited about,” Froch told Talk Sport.

“It’s one of them where you think, ‘What happens?’. Does AJ get absolutely obliterated and knocked out in a couple of rounds because he’s a bit mentally still tentative in the way in which he does his work? Or does AJ actually turn up and put on a boxing masterclass and maybe even finish off Wilder? There’s so many different outcomes, it’s a juicy fight, so to now find out that AJ’s fighting Wallin, I’m disappointed.

“You can see Anthony Joshua, Eddie Hearn and his team are still in the rebuilding process, because Otto Wallin is not a bad fight. It’s AJ back out there against someone who is quite capable, we saw him against Tyson Fury and he gave him that nasty cut, he’s on a run of a few decent little wins since then, but let’s be honest it’s nothing to get too excited about.”

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BOXING

Viddal Riley gives his verdict on Ben Davison training Anthony Joshua for Otto Wallin fight

By
Anthony Joshua

There will be another new face in Anthony Joshua’s corner when he takes on Otto Wallin in Saudi Arabia on 23 December.

After years standing alongside Rob McCracken, the two-time heavyweight champion has made changes to his team since losing his titles to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021. Robert Garcia was brought into the camp for the rematch but after Joshua came up short again against the undefeated Ukrainian, that partnership came to an end.

This year, Joshua linked up with Derrick James, the experienced American who also counts Errol Spence Jr, Jermell Charlo and Ryan Garcia among his stable of fighters.

Relocating his fight camps to Texas where James is based, Joshua got back to winning ways under his guidance, securing a points win over Jermaine Franklin in April before his vicious knockout victory over Robert Helenius in August.

With his pre-Christmas showdown with Wallin announced just six weeks before fight night, Joshua has remained in the UK to work in camp with Ben Davison, who he has been working with over the last few months, according to his promoter Eddie Hearn. While Joshua recently opted not to discuss the situation, Davison will reportedly be in his corner on the night.

Davison counts Tyson Fury, Billy Joe Saunders and Josh Taylor as the world champions he has worked with in the past with Leigh Wood – who vacated his featherweight title to move up in weight last month – part of his current stable.

He also has intimate knowledge of Joshua’s opponent Wallin, having been in Fury’s corner the night he fought the Swede four years ago in Las Vegas.

It has been reported James remains Joshua’s head trainer, with the arrangement with Davison a one-time deal brought on by logistical issues around the fight.

 

Viddal Riley, the reigning English cruiserweight champion, has first-hand knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes to prepare a fighter having trained YouTube stars KSI and AnEsonGib before shifting focus back to his own burgeoning career.

The Hackney fighter developed close connections with the men he put through their paces, believing Joshua and Davison can develop a similar understanding providing the latter can ‘get through’ to the former heavyweight champion.

‘It is an experiment,’ Riley told Metro.co.uk. ‘There is a lot on the line so it gets a lot of attention so people like to throw in their non expert views which they are entitled to do. Buts it is an experiment.

‘He could be a great coach for someone else and not be a good coach for Anthony Joshua. But then he could be great for AJ. Ben is a proven coach. At the end of the day, it is down to their personal communication and methods of teaching.

‘We can’t say Ben is a bad trainer or he is not qualified for the job because he is has shown he is, he has trained multiple world champions over multiple divisions. But can he get through to AJ? Only they and the people who are in the gym and around them will know that. Hopefully they can.’

Viddal believes the fighter-trainer dynamic is the same for any athlete in sport looking of guidance and instruction. It applies no more so than in football where he likens the situation to that of former Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho, one of the game’s most celebrated coaches who hasn’t always found perfect harmony with his players.

‘That’s what every athlete is seeking, a coach who can get through to them,’ he continued. ‘A coach who can make the difference. It is not based on accolades. Jose Mourinho is a very accomplished manager but with certain teams, he can’t make it happen.

‘It doesn’t mean he is a bad manager, it just means he couldn’t connect with that group of players. It is all about communication and connection. So if he [Davison] has that relationship and AJ can absorb what Ben is saying like a sponge and they get on well, then I think we see a great outcome in December.

‘Finding the right coach can be as simple as finding the right pair of trainers. It is just the public eye is on it. It is hard to keep things under wraps because everything is just gossip. It isn’t fair, but it is part of the process and part of being a world class athlete. People care and that is the reason [these fighters] are in this position.’

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BOXING

Subriel Matias Wants Big Fights, Targets Teofimo Lopez, Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney

By
Gervonta Davis

Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas – IBF junior welterweight champion Subriel Matias broke down, battered and stopped previously unbeaten Shohjahon Ergashev in a brutal and entertaining slugfest that has become a staple of Matias’ career.

After absorbing a barrage of punishment and looking completely overwhelmed and winded, Ergashev refused to come out of his corner to start the sixth round, as Matias notched his 20th stoppage in 21 fights and his fifth straight retirement stoppage.

The official time of stoppage was two seconds into the sixth round, and it ended another dominant, ruthless showing from Matías, who improved to 20-1 with 20 KOs in his first title defense, while Ergashev dropped to 23-1 with 20 KOs.

“When I started feeling [Ergashev’s] punches in the first round, I knew he didn’t have the power to knock me out. That’s when I started attacking,” Matias said.

“For left-handed southpaw fighters, I just need three or four rounds to decipher them. Then, what happened tonight, usually happens. Teofimo Lopez, Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney, if you want that [IBF title], come over here and fight.”

The victory was nearly a mirror image of Matías’ fifth-round stoppage of Argentina’s Jeremias Ponce that capped a wild brawl in February on Showtime that saw Matías soak up a ton of punishment before turning the tide and battering Ponce to win the vacant title. This time, it was the southpaw Ergashev who started fast, driving Matías into the ropes with a left to the body early in the first round as all three judges gave Ergashev the opening frame.

Ergashev continued to land unanswered punches in the second as Matías stood directly in front of Ergashev and took his best shot. But Matías started to loosen up in the third, as he landed a series of left uppercuts and followed up with a left to the body that hurt Ergashev toward the end of the frame. Matías, fully engaged and walking down his opponent, hurt Ergashev again in the fourth with a pair of right hands that pinned Ergashev against the ropes.

Moments later, Matías again pinned Ergashev in the corner and raked him over with punches in the final minute of the fourth as Ergashev, who appeared totally gassed and out of sorts.

Matías connected on 108 of 317 total punches for a 34% clip, compared to 44 of 235 and 19% for Ergashev, with 26 of Ergashev’s total connects in the first two rounds. Over five rounds, Matías landed 71 power punches and 37 jabs to complete the dominant performance.

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