Hopkins Versus Pavlik
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP)—Bernard Hopkins gave Kelly Pavlik a boxing lesson and a first loss that he will never forget.
The 43-year-old Hopkins used lightning quick combinations and a cagey, near-perfect defense to embarrass and confuse Pavlik in a 12-round non-title bout Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall.
Hopkins, who dominated the middleweight class for a decade, made the 26-year-old Pavlik—the WBC and WBO middleweight champion—look slow and powerless in fighting at 170 pounds, 10 pounds over his weight class.
“I think this was my best performance, better than (Antonio) Tarver, better than (Felix) Trinidad, better than Oscar (De La Hoya), better than my 21 defenses,” Hopkins said. “I am extremely happy.”
Hopkins received winning scores of 119-106 from judge Alan Rubenstein, 117-109 from Barbara Perez and 118-108 from Steve Weisfeld.
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The mismatch was obvious from the opening bell, and Hopkins reveled in the beating he gave the Youngstown, Ohio boxer. By the fifth round, Pavlik was bleeding from the nose and by the seventh Hopkins was taunting him.
During one stretch in the round, Hopkins landed four or five straight punches, and then stepped back started winding up on his punches before delivering them.
“He was a great fighter but I knew my style and quickness was underrated and it was going to give him problems tonight,” Hopkins added.
Pavlik (34-1) never stopped stalking Hopkins of Philadelphia, but he never seemed to hurt him.
“I just could not get off tonight,” Pavlik said. “I don’t know why? It was not his slickness. It just wasn’t me out there tonight. I couldn’t do anything I’m used to doing. We’re going back to the drawing board. it just wasn’t me tonight. I’ll be more comfortable going back to 160.”
With tinges of gray in his beard, Hopkins even looked the fresher fighter. He came into ring wearing an executioner’s mask and black robe with an ‘X’ on both, and he terminated Pavlik’s perfect mark in improving to (49-5-1).
The crowd had come to hail Pavlik, who had battered Gary Lockett in his first title defense in June.
When he was in trouble early, they chanted “Kel-lee! Kel-lee!”
Halfway through the fight the chants become “B-Hop! B-Hop!”
Hopkins landed a barrage of blows in the 12th round and started yelling at Pavlik in a move that was no more than a gleeful taunt.
“I wanted to pick it up and step it up,” Hopkins said. “I wanted to stop him.”
When the final bell sounded, both fighters continued to throw punches, forcing referee Benji Esteves to dive between them.
Hopkins then walked over to the television cameras and glared, wondering how so many had predicted that Pavlik would knock him out for the first time in his career.
In hindsight, it’s a wonder Pavlik was still standing at the end.
Hopkins praised Pavlik after the fight.
“I was a fan of yours before the fight and I am a fan of yours now,” Hopkins told Pavlik in the corner. “You just need to get a little more slickness. You need to bend you knees more like your coach was telling you. Middleweight is your destiny.”
Underage Chinese Gymnast
BEIJING (AP)—The International Olympic Committee said Friday it had asked gymnastics officials to investigate whether the Chinese women’s gymnastics team that won the gold medal had underage athletes, saying “more information has come to light.”
“We’ve asked the gymnastics federation to look into it further,” IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said. “If there is a question mark and we have a concern, which we do, we ask the governing body of any sport to look into it.”
The IOC, which also asked the Chinese gymnastics federation to investigate, would not give details on what new information prompted it to act now, three days after the gymnastics competition ended.
Messages for the International Gymnastics Federation were not immediately returned.
Chinese coach Lu Shanzhen told The Associated Press they gave the FIG new documents on Thursday to try to remove the doubts about He Kexin’s age, including an old passport, a residency card and her current ID card.
He said all these documents were issued by various departments of the Chinese government and that he felt there was nothing more that they could do to put peoples’ minds at ease.The FIG has said repeatedly that a passport is the “accepted proof of a gymnast’s eligibility,” and that China’s gymnasts have presented ones that show they are age eligible. The IOC also checked the girls’ passports and deemed them valid.
A gymnast must be 16 in an Olympic year to compete at the games. But questions about the ages of at least three of the athletes have persisted. Online records and media reports suggest three Chinese gymnasts—He Kexin, Jiang Yuyuan and Yang Yilin—may be as young as 14.
The IOC had said previously that it had verified the passports of all athletes competing at the games.
“We are not in a position to say ‘It’s good, it’s not good.’ It’s a government document,” FIG president Bruno Grandi said earlier this week in an interview with The Associated Press.
The Chinese women won six medals, including the team gold and a gold on uneven bars by He. The media reports include a Nov. 3 story by the Chinese government’s news agency, Xinhua—that suggest He is only 14. She was asked about her age again after winning the uneven bars title, beating American Nastia Liukin in a tiebreak.
If the FIG would find evidence supporting the questions that the gymnasts are underage, it could affect four of China’s medals. In addition to the team gold and He’s gold on bars, Yang won bronzes in the all-around and uneven bars.
“I was born in 1992 and I’m 16 years old now,” He said Monday. “The FIG has proved that. If I’m under 16, I couldn’t have been competing here.”
Age falsification has been a problem in gymnastics since the 1980s after the minimum age was raised from 14 to 15 to protect young athletes from serious injuries. The minimum age was raised to its current 16 in 1997.
North Korea was barred from the 1993 world championships after FIG officials discovered that Kim Gwang Suk, the gold medalist on uneven bars in 1991, was listed as 15 for three years in a row. Romania admitted in 2002 that several gymnasts’ ages had been falsified, including Olympic medalists Gina Gogean and Alexandra Marinescu.
Even China’s own Yang Yun, a double bronze medalist in Sydney, said during an interview aired on state broadcaster China Central Television that she was 14 in 2000.
Olympic Delegates
The Beijing Olympics has started this August 8, 2008 (for obvious reasons) with a colorful celebration or festivities. The Olympics will run from August 8-24, 2008 and everybody is hoping to bring home the beacon.
In line with this event, he Philippine delegates composed of Hidilyn Diaz (weightlifting); Henry Tanamor (boxing); Daniel Coakley, and Christel Simms (swimming); Henry Dagmil and Maristella Torres (athletics); Tshomlee Go and Mary Antoinette Rivero (taekwondo); Mark Javier (archery); Miguel Molina, James Wlsh, Ryan Arabejo, Rexel Ryan Fabriga and Sheila Mae Perez (diving); and Eric Ang (shooting) flew to China this AUgust 7, 2008 to compete. The delegates fly via Philippine Airline Flight PR358 from Ninoy Aquino International.
Since the Philippines have not yet bring home a gold in the history of olympics, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will give a reward amounting to 15 Million whoever wins the gold. The money will not from here alone, some sponsors maybe.
World Sports Travel
They all have sort of sports including the famous rugby, golf, football, cricket, horse racing, and among others to name a few.
Yao will Resume His Workout
Chinese newspapers say Yao Ming is likely to resume working out with China’s national basketball team later this week.
The Houston Rockets’ center has a “very high” chance of playing in China’s three games at the Stankovic Cup Olympic warmup tournament in the eastern city of Hangzhou, Hu Jiashi, deputy director of the Chinese Basketball Association was quoted as saying by newspapers.
China’s first game is against Serbia on Thursday.
Tied 3-3 in 10th
J.D. Drew hit a two-run homer for the Americans off Edinson Volquez in the seventh, tying the score at 2.
Tejada singled off Boston reliever Jonathan Papelbon, who was booed lustily by the sellout crowd. Tejada stole second and went to third on catcher Dioner Navarro’s throwing error before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Adrian Gonzalez.
San Francisco closer Brian Wilson retired the first two batters in the eighth before giving way to Wagner. He gave up a single to Grady Sizemore, who stole second without a throw and scored when Longoria golfed a 2-2 delivery down the left-field line for a ground-rule double.
Manny Pacquiao vs David Diaz
Once manny "pacman" pacquiao won against david diaz last june 28, 2008. Today, he has a total of four belts.
Pacquiao vs Diaz ROUND 8 and 9
Wow! Pacquiao is really great! Another belt for him.
CONGRATS!
Pacquiao vs Diaz Countdown
Once again People Champ Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao won against Mexican Boxer David Diaz after a 9 rounds of great boxing.
So, see him again on November as he fights against Hatton.
Congatulations Manny!
MANNY PACQUIAO - DAVID DIAZ in Jessica Soho
An interview with Manny Pacman Pacquiao before his fight.
Hernandez hits first Grand Slam
With two outs in the second inning, Hernandez took a healthy hack at Santana's first pitch and drove an opposite-field shot over the right-center fence to give Seattle a 4-0 lead.
Hernandez hobbled away from the play, then crumpled to the ground as manager Jim Riggleman and a trainer came out to check on the 22-year-old right-hander.
Pacquiao vs Hatton in November
Even before his showdown with Marquez, however, Top Rank chief honcho and Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum broached the idea of staging Pacquiao-Hatton either in Dubai, United Arab Emirates or Las Vegas in November.There may be a hitch, though, as Hatton—who is fresh off his victory over Juan Lazcano last month—is also keen on battling Italian-American Paulie Malignaggi in November.
Three Filipinos to carry 2008 Olympic Torch
Three Filipinos will carry torch in the 2008 Olympic torch in China, including CNN's Beijing bureau chief Jaime FlorCruz, his daughter Michelle FlorCruz, and marketing executive Maroc Torres.
Mr. FlorCruz was scheduled to carry the Olympic torch on August 6 in Beijing, two days before the opening ceremonies of the Games.Michelle, a student at the International School in Beijing, will carry the torch on August 3 in Tangshan City, and Torres on July 5 in Lanzhou, Gansu province.
FlorCruz and Michelle, 17, were selected by the Beijing City government for their contribution to China, while Torres placed second among eight foreigners selected by an Olympic sponsor company to carry the Olympic torch through an Internet voting competition called "expats for Olympic torchbearers" last year.
Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Cataumber Brady said it would be a "great honor" for the Philippines to be represented in the event.
"We also hope that during the Beijing Olympics, we will finally win our very first Olympic gold medal," she said.
FlorCruz, was a former Time magazine Beijing bureau chief, he first arrived in Beijing in August 1971. One of the 15 Filipino youths who were invited by the China Friendship Association for a three-week study tour, FlorCruz stayed on when martial law was declared in the Philippines; he has remained there for the past 37 years.
"I covered the 1988 Seoul Olympics for Time Magazine and Sports Illustrated. Now I am looking forward to covering the Beijing Games as well, this time as CNN's Beijing Bureau Chief. It would be fun not just to report on it but to actually participate as one of the torch bearers during the relay," he said.
His daughter Michelle has this to say about her forthcoming experience: "I was "Made in China," born in the Philippines, and bred in Beijing. I guess that makes me a top quality product, a fusion of different cultures."
"I love Beijing and I love the Olympics. Proof of this is that I declined an opportunity to move to Shanghai if only for the Olympics. I also know now that my destiny of being in the Olympics will be fulfilled," Torres said.
Pacquiao claims pound-for-pound No. 1
When Manny Pacquiao fights David Diaz on June 28, he will carry with him the awesome reputation as the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter.
Formerly ranked No. 2 by FightFan.com, the Filipino ring icon was elevated to the top on Sunday following the retirement of former topnotcher Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Saturday.
The Filipino ring superstar also used to hold Ring Magazine’s pound-for-pound honor.
Pacquiao, the reigning World Boxing Council titlist, is seeking Diaz’s WBC lightweight belt at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
A victory over Diaz will make the GenSan superstar the first Asian to hold four crowns in different divisions and the first Filipino to rule the 135-pound category.
The 29-year-old Pacquiao, also acclaimed as the world’s best fighter in 2006, made his professional debut at 106 lb in 1995 and has been fighting top boxers since 2003.
Among Pacquiao’s prominent victims are Mexican greats Marco Antonio Barrera, whom he beat twice, and Eric Morales, whom he defeated twice in their fight trilogy.
Pacquiao beat World Boxing Organization British super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe for the honor.
Another Mexican, Juan Manuel Marquez, from whom Pacquiao wrested the super featherweight crown in March 15 also in Las Vegas, was rated No. 3.
Mexican WBC super bantam champion Israel Vasquez came in fourth, followed by unbeaten Puerto Ricans Miguel Cotto, the WBA welterweight champion, and Ivan Calderon, respectively.
Ranked from seventh to 10th were Bernard Hopkins, Kelly Pavlik, Winky Wright and Rafael Marquez.
Meanwhile, Diaz turned 32 on Sunday in his hometown in Chicago, where he has been in training at the JABB gym since last month.
But Pacquiao should have been more careful for what he wished for because he is going to be in the fight of his life. The battle is on and I am going to leave the ring as boxing’s new No.1 pound for pound fighter.‘ - Marco Antonio Barrera
Pagulayan the Man to Watch
Not to be ignored, too, is Cebu native and three-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Warren Kiamco, who will be gunning for back-to-back wins after ruling the inaugural leg of this nationwide tour at the Star Mall in Muntinlupa City last May 10.
Despite Pagulayan’s loss to upcoming Marvin Gentapa of Cebu City and rising star Joven Bustamante in the recent Magnificent 7 Winner-Take-All 9-Ball Invitational in Mandaue City, Alex still managed to win the championship.
I feel Alex is well-placed to win in Cebu because he is playing on familiar territory.
Sometime last year, at the height of his falling out with the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines, Pagulayan proved his critics wrong by winning, with a flourish, a major tournament in Cebu.
While Pagulayan is not yet in the class of Hall of Famer Bata Reyes, Alex is pleasant to watch. He dazzles pool circles with his relentless, often comic, ways in establishing himself as a terror with the cue stick.
“I’m always nervous when I compete,” Pagulayan admitted. “However, I’m confident of doing well in this (Cebu) event.”
Pacquiao-Diaz's MAKE or BREAK Fight
Boxer's Profile
Diaz (34-1-1, 17 KOs), an American who became an unlikely champion two years ago, arrived first at the latest stop on the fighters' coast-to-coast publicity tour for one of the summer's biggest bouts.
Pacquiao (46-3-2, 34 KOs), the Philippines' most popular celebrity, wins another title belt in his long-anticipated move up to lightweight.
Gallego beats Parica in 10-Ball Match
Filipino cue master Ramil "Bebeng" Gallego beat comrade Jose "Amang" Parica, 9-5, to win the overall championship at the Hollywood Billiards Memorial Day 10-Ball in California.
A report posted on BilliardPhilippines.com said the Japan-based Gallego pocketed the $1,600 top prize of the two day event that ran from May 24 to 25 at the Hollywood Billiards.
On the way to the finals, Gallego defeated American Louis Ulrich in the semis, 7-1, to arrange a finals showdown with the US-based Parica.
Before their finals meeting, Parica beat Gallego, 7-5, in the winner's brackets.
Gallego had to dispose all his opponents in the loser's side to force a rematch with Parica, the acknowledged leader of the Filipino invasion in the US in mid 80's.
Parica went home with the runner-up prize of $1,000.
2008 Beijing Olympics Torch Relay
The design concept of the torch relay graphic
Phoenix is the king of birds and belongs to Fire in Five Elements. It is the spirit of fire. The soaring phoenix with graceful bearing and dignified air is the totem of fire. The legend "phoenix nirvana and rebirth out of ash" also symbolizes man's constant striving spirit.
Down the ages, "Loong" (Chinese dragon) and "Phoenix" are the traditional totems embedded with people's blessing and hope.
Phoenix has left a deep imprint in Chinese civilization. The auspice and hope represented by it has always been a part of people's daily life.
Visual creation concept: Passion, Vigor, Culture and Celebration.
In conformity with the concept of "People's Olympics" of the Beijing Games, we aim to express Chinese people's hospitality in inviting the world and blessing the world, to exhibit the vitality and passion of the Olympic Games, and to deliver China's long history and unique culture with modern technique.
According to this design concept, we determined our ultimate goal as under the guidance of the basic values of the Olympic Games, taking the unique culture of the host country and host city as the basis of the visual design, to create a Chinese humanistic style, unique and vigorous core graphic for the Olympic Games.
The torch relay graphic is comprised of the core graphic of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the traditional Chinese phoenix pattern.
The torch relay graphic comprises the lucky cloud pattern exquisitely with the phoenix pattern, achieving the effect of vivid and distant. The modern design deeply expresses the unique integration of hardness and softness, implicitness and elegance in traditional Chinese arts.
The phoenix joins the great Olympiad, bringing the hope of luck and peace to the world, representing the core connotation of the torch relay graphic.
David Coulthard Smashed in Monaco
May 25, 2008 -- A terrifying moment happened to David Coulthard when almost smashed his head by inches in a horror 185mph
acceleration in Monaco
Coulthard admitted: "I was very lucky. That was one of the biggest hits I ever had. The tire missed me but I can now tell you what a Bridgestone looks like close up."
"I lost the rear of the car. I don’t know why. It's the worst place to have an accident as you're over 185mph.
The Scot, 37, admitted he feared hitting the central reservation where Karl Wendlinger was left in a coma after his horror smash in 1994 - just two weeks after Ayrton Senna had been killed in Imola.
It was also where Jenson Button crashed in 2003 and Coulthard's fellow Brit was forced to miss that race after spending the night in hospital.
Coulthard was powerless as the car slid several hundred yards down the escape road after coming out of the famous tunnel. It then smacked another barrier. He added: "I knew after the first hit that I didn't want to do a Wendlinger. If you hit the barrier there it really hurts."
Coulthard starts today's race in 10th spot. Lewis Hamilton could only manage third in his McLaren behind Ferrari duo Felipe Massa, who grabbed pole, and reigning champion Kimi Raikkonen.
Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao - David Diaz Battle
The Diaz-Pacquiao televised undercard also is taking shape. Arum said 2004 U.S. Olympian Vanes Martirosyan, a rising junior middleweight prospect, will be on the card, and he already has matched heavyweights Tye Fields and Monte Barrett. Arum said the co-feature might include rising lightweight star Amir Khan of England, a 2004 Olympic silver medalist and 2007 ESPN.com prospect of the year. Khan is a mandatory challenger for unified titlist Nate Campbell but could have eyes on a mega fight with Pacquiao instead. Arum said he and Frank Warren, Khan's promoter, are talking about putting Khan on the card and working their way toward an eventual meeting between the two. "We both like the idea," Arum said.
