Boxing

MANNY PACQUIAO ‘isn’t training this hard to say goodbye’ and wants to prove he is still one of the best fighters in the world. PacMan looks to defy age and the odds once more when he challenges for Errol Spence Jr’s welterweight titles on August 21.
Manny Pacquiao, with his long-time trainer Freddie Roach, is not looking to ‘say goodbye’ in his next fightCredit: Getty
Pacquiao, 42, fights Errol Spence Jr for welterweight titles on August 21Credit: Rex
The boxing legend has not committed to how many fights he has left in his glittering, iconic career.
And while long-time trainer Freddie Roach admitted it could be his final one, he is certainly not treating it like the beginning of the end.
Roach said: “Manny doesn’t need to play his golden oldies. He is still producing new hits.
“He hasn’t cut one corner in training camp. Not one. He runs up the hills in Griffith Park straight to the Hollywood sign.
“He crunches thousands of sit-ups daily. He spars three days each week and hits every bag on the gym floor with bad intentions every day.
“He is still the hardest worker I have ever trained and an eager student. He wants this one more than anything.
“Manny isn’t training this hard to say goodbye. It’s to prove he’s still here. Philippine politics might influence when Manny hangs up his gloves.
He crunches thousands of sit-ups daily. He spars three days each week and hits every bag on the gym floor with bad intentions every day. Freddie Roach on Manny Pacquiao’s training
“Maybe this is Manny’s last fight. But this summer, he has been training for his greatest victory, and for Manny, that is saying something.
“It’s the stuff that greatness is made of.”
Pacquiao, 42, will have been out the ring for over two years by the time he faces Spence, 31, having not returned after beating Keith Thurman, 32, in July 2019.
And in the period since, he has been without Hall of Famer Roach due to the coronavirus pandemic, leaving the Filipino icon housebound in Manila.
But he recently linked up with his coach in Los Angeles, after almost 24 months of communicating over the phone.
Roach told SunSport: “We haven’t been together in almost two years now, but we stayed in touch all the time. 
“He knows my birthday, I know his birthday but we suck on the telephone. We’re no good on the phone. 
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“He sends me tapes of his workouts and I send him my thoughts back. It works really well, we stay close. 
“This is a big, big fight and when he picked Spence I called him up and congratulated him, I said, ‘Thank you for picking a real fighter. I’m tired of these actors being popular and trying to be fighters’. 
“These are two of the best fighters in the world going at it, I can’t wait. Manny is doing well and he’s getting better and better.” 
Boxer Manny Pacquiao hit with wooden stick in training ahead of Spence fight More

MANNY PACQUIAO confirmed he still wants a rematch with Floyd Mayweather… but has NO interest in facing Jake Paul. Pacquiao was left devastated after his 2015 defeat to arch rival Mayweather, which still stands as the most lucrative fight ever.
Floyd Mayweather beat Manny Pacquiao in 2015 – and still wants a rematchCredit: AFP or licensors
Boxing champion Amanda Serrano with Jake PaulCredit: Instagram / @serranosisters
But the Filipino claimed he boxed with a torn rotator cuff and has called for a rematch ever since.
Mayweather, 44, has continued to deny Pacquiao, 42, but the eight-division champion has not lost hope of gaining revenge.
Asked by TMZ Sports about Mayweather, he replied: “I’m still active in boxing, he’s retired already, so I don’t know.”
And when quizzed on whether he is open to a rematch, Pacquiao said: “Yes.”
Mayweather officially hung up the gloves in 2017, after he beat UFC superstar Conor McGregor, 33, in ten rounds.
But he has twice returned since, both in exhibition bouts, starting against featherweight kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in 2018.
No, I will not. I will not. I want to fight the best to add on to my legacyManny Pacquiao on fighting Jake Paul
Then, in June he faced YouTuber Logan Paul, 26, in an eight-round pay-per-view spectacle.
Mayweather was unable to score a knockout, meaning no winner was technically declared.
Pacquiao, who fights Errol Spence Jr, 31, on August 21, has been critical of Mayweather’s decision to fight Logan.
And it leaves PacMan scoffing at the idea of fighting the social media sensation’s brother Jake, 24, who is 3-0 all by KO.
Pacquiao said: “No, I will not. I will not. I want to fight the best to add on to my legacy.”
Jake has so far faced limited opposition, beating YouTuber ‘AnEsonGib’, ex-NBA player Nate Robinson, 37, and retired UFC welterweight Ben Askren, 37.
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Jake Paul entered elite company

But he faces his biggest step up to date on August 29 against ex-UFC champion Tyron Woodley, 39.
On the undercard, Tyson Fury’s brother Tommy, 22, fights Paul’s sparring partner Anthony Taylor, 32.
Wins for both Tommy and Paul put the pair in line for an expected PPV fight of their own.
Tommy Fury brands opponent Anthony Taylor an ‘Oompa Loompa’ and reckons he could beat him AND Jake Paul in same night More

FLOYD MAYWEATHER cancelled strip club plans at 3am to begin training for his fight with Miguel Cotto, his ex-friend 50 Cent once said. SunSport revealed Mayweather’s unorthodox training methods, which included partying BEFORE hitting the gym.
Miguel Cotto was beaten by Floyd Mayweather in 2017Credit: Getty Images – Getty
50 Cent said Floyd Mayweather left a strip club at 3am to start training to box Miguel CottoCredit: Getty – Contributor
But in 2012, before the American legend confirmed his super-welterweight fight with Cotto, he opted against a night out, to instead get to work.
50 Cent told Yahoo Sports at the time: “He did six miles that night. I thought he was crazy. I thought he was joking.
“I have never before just seen a person start randomly training like that. We were so far away from the gym, we weren’t even close.
“Before that, we were going to a strip club. That is what he is all about, working hard and showing that kind of extreme work ethic no one else has.
“He showed a lot of spirit and determination. Everyone understands what it takes to be successful but he does it better than anyone.”
Mayweather won the fight on points but was bloodied up and later admitted it was one of his toughest ever wins.
And he referenced his spur of the moment run after what was his 42nd career victory.
Before that, we were going to a strip club. That is what he is all about, working hard and showing that kind of extreme work ethic no one else has. 50 Cent on Floyd Mayweather’s training
Mayweather, now 44, said: “The first day back I ran six miles. “I hadn’t done anything for nine months and I just went out and ran six miles.
“Cotto had fought not that long ago, so I had to get my endurance in. Training camp started right then.
“I was running a lot, 5.45 or 6:00 minute miles. It all set me up.”
The fight was Mayweather’s last before he served a three-month jail sentence for domestic violence.
And it also proved to be the final in his friendship with 50 Cent, with the rapper never again representing ‘The Money Team’.
50 Cent – real name Curtis Jackson – claimed he was due $2million from Mayweather for taking care of the boxer’s business affairs during the prison stint.
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Mayweather denied owing any money to the music star and it sparked a bitter feud between the pair, which is still yet to be resolved.
50 Cent, 46, continues to aim digs at his former pal online, who officially hung up the gloves in 2017 after beating Conor McGregor, 33.
But Mayweather did return in June for an exhibition bout against YouTuber Logan Paul, 26, which ended without a winner as no knockout was scored.
Watch Floyd Mayweather, 44, show off speed on the pads as boxing legend enjoys ‘light work out’ after Logan Paul fight More

FLOYD MAYWEATHER ignored calls to knock Logan Paul out as he ‘didn’t want to hurt’ the YouTube star. His cousin Dejuan Blake, who has been part of the boxing legend’s camp since 2002, has revealed that boxing legend Mayweather went easy in the controversial bout.
Logan Paul took Floyd Mayweather the distanceCredit: Getty
Dejuan Blake, middle, watches on as Floyd Mayweather trainsCredit: @dejuanblake
Paul scored a huge moral victory in June as he survived all eight rounds in his exhibition with Mayweather against the odds.
And after avoiding a KO loss there was no winner declared – but that is the way Mayweather wanted it.
Blake told SunSport: “He didn’t want to hurt Logan Paul.
“Once again, it’s an exhibition, like Floyd said, he’s not a boxer, why would he want him to get hurt and not be able to go home and talk to his family.
“One punch could change the game, why would he want to hurt him like that?”
Mayweather, 44, was a master in defence during the second half of his career and often received criticism for his safety-first approach.
“One punch could change the game, why would he want to hurt him like that?” Floyd Mayweather’s cousin on Logan Paul fight
But he always referenced avoiding his uncle Roger’s aggressive style, which later affected the boxing’s trainer’s health, right up until his death last year.
Inflicting pain on Paul, who had boxed only TWICE beforehand, was not part of Mayweather’s plan, no matter how much trash talk there had been.
Blake said: “A lot of people said, ‘You should knock him out for all the s*** he’s talking’.
“But at the end of the day, Floyd loves the sport that he’s been involved in, but he also hates what comes with the damage that comes after the sport is over.”
Blake, a boxing manager who works with Mayweather, also goes back a long way with Paul, 26, having met him before in 2018 in Las Vegas.
At the time, the social media sensation was looking to fight online rival KSI and wanted Showtime to broadcast it.
Floyd Mayweather’s cousin Dejuan Blake with Logan Paul in 2018Credit: @dejuanblake
It eventually fell through, with the pair boxing to a draw on YouTube pay-per-view, before rematching on DAZN in the US and Sky Sports Box Office in the UK.
Despite the failed talks with Showtime, it was an eye-opening experience for Blake, who was unaware of Paul, or his massive following.
He explained: “Back then, we didn’t know how much the world watches these YouTubers.
“I came outside of the damn studio and there was a bunch of kids waiting outside for Logan Paul. I was like,’ S***, this kid is huge.”
Showtime were later convinced to join the Logan Paul business, investing in the exhibition with Mayweather, who also promoted the event.
Blake said: “Floyd being loyal to the companies he’s been loyal to for so long, he said the fight must happen on Showtime.”
‘IT WAS A SUCCESS’
Despite no KO ending, Mayweather and Paul’s collective fanbase still came together with more than 1million PPV buys.
Mayweather, who was outweighed by TWO STONE, boasted of the ‘legalised bank robbery’ which he claimed pocketed him $100MILLION.
Blake added: “Floyd is closer to his 50s than he is his 20s and he was able to capitalise on that generation, that youth, that young crowd.
“It was a great experience, a great event. We did great numbers for a non-professional fight, it was a success.”
Mayweather now appears content in retirement, travelling the world in his private jet.
But for Blake the work does not stop, continuing to manage boxers and MMA fighters, some of which Mayweather promotes.
And he has even landed some of his MMA stable contracts with the UFC.
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Blake revealed: “I’m still with boxing, but now we’re venturing off into MMA. 
“Mayweather Promotions also have a couple of events coming up, but we don’t know the dates yet. 
“We’re in the process of building these guys who we have on our stable.” 
Floyd Mayweather praised Logan Paul after their exhibitionCredit: Amanda Westcott More

TOMMY FURY claims Jake Paul has ‘no balls’ but believes he will fight the YouTuber next.The unbeaten boxing star – young brother of Tyson Fury – has been involved in a fierce social media row with the controversial YouTuber over recent months.
Tommy Fury, pictured with Frank Warren, believes he will eventually fight Jake PaulCredit: PA
The YouTuber has become embroiled in a fierce social media war with FuryCredit: ryan@ryanloco.com
But Paul made it personal after he shared an alleged private Instagram message from his rival’s partner Molly-Mae.
The ‘screenshot’, from October 2018, read: “Might be coming to America later this year and have always been a fan of your videos. Maybe you can show me around?”
But the Love Island star, who came runner-up with Fury in 2019, hit back and insisted the DM was fake.
The two rivals will be in the same arena when Fury faces Jake’s sparring partner Anthony Taylor on August 29 before the social media favourite headlines the show with a boxing match against ex-UFC ace Tyron Woodley.
Fury has agreed a two-fight deal with US broadcaster Showtime – who have now also secured Paul to their network.
And when asked by talkSPORT whether he is expecting the two of them to meet in the ring, he replied: “That’s the plan. That’s why I’m training so hard, that’s why I’m doing everything right.
“God willing I come through my test and God willing he comes through his test.
“We can get it on because he’s not putting me on the undercard for the good of my health, that’s for sure.”
Fury continued: “You never know with these guys, when you rock up there and they see you in the flesh, how big you actually are.
“I don’t know, you can’t tell what somebody’s thinking.
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“He obviously doesn’t need the money so it’s whether he’s got a pair of balls or not – I’ve said that from day one.
“I know he hasn’t got no balls. I’m going over there, it’s my American debut, it’s live on Showtime, so I’m not really thinking about Jake Paul.
“I’m thinking about impressing the American audience and leaving my mark in the US.”
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Tommy Fury brands opponent Anthony Taylor an ‘Oompa Loompa’ and reckons he could beat him AND Jake Paul in same night More