UPDATE AT 4:50 PM EST:
PROMOTER BOB ARUM ADMITS PACQUIAO "IS A BIT RELUCTANT" (TO FIGHT YURI FOREMAN)I BUT SAYS "I AM WORKING ON IT."
Manny Pacquiao may fight in Las Vegas or the Dallas area in March but the opponent won’t be unbeaten WBA junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman.
The Brooklyn resident and rabbinical student was formally rejected Thursday as Pacman’s next foe and replacement for a squashed mega bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Pacman trainer Coach Freddie Roach and agent Michael Koncz teamed up to put the kibosh on Foreman as a foe much to the chagrin of promoter Bob Arum.
Arum thought making a deal for Megamanny to challenge the four or five inch taller but light hitting Foreman was going to be a cinch as both are under the Top Rank banner.
So did crusty Foreman manager Murray Wilson until he got the TR offices in the Howard Hughes Center in Las Vegas Thursday morning.
“I am disgusted,” Wilson told Examiner.com and Boxingconfidential. “Manny fought Oscar de la Hoya, beat him so badly he put him into retirement, and Oscar’s half inch shoter than my guy Yuri is.
“I told them to go bleep themselves. Here was a chance for Pacman to try for a record eighth weight divison world title and they don’t want it now. All of a sudden, Yuri is too tall. Let them go to Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus and find a midget for him to fight then.”
For the record, Megamanny officially stands 5-6 1/2 while Oscar is 5-10 and Foreman is just under six foot at 5-11.
Wilson said that Arum thought he could convince the trainer and the adviser otherwise but they never changed their “No Foreman” tune.
“They just don’t want the fight. They brought to the fountain four times on this fight and now they shut off the water. Do you remember Roach and Manny putting out press releases in December about wanting the fight? I do but now they changed their tune.”
Wilson said he waited two hours in Arum’s office but Roach and Koncz continued to nix the fight.
“Maybe they think Yuri grew, got taller since December 1, I don’t know but it’s ridiculous,” Wilson said.
Arum had previously considered matching Foreman against Pacman’s last foe, Miguel Cotto, in the Puerto Rican Week boxing show in June at Madison Square Garden.
Cotto is in mourning over the sudden death of his father in Puerto Rico.
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Comments
Wilson can only blame himself for this. He was the one who said:
Foreman's Manager: "Yuri Will Be Too Much For Pacquiao" in BoxingScene.
Lessons learned?? Be careful what you say, it might come back and bite you.
Yeah, I agree. If Yuri Will Be Too Much For Pacquiao, then what's the point in fighting, yes?
If Mayweather is such a great big man and Pacquiao is a small great man, then why make the fight? Just keep on dodging, and dodgin and dodging like a scared bitch, yes?
If Pacquiao uses steroids, then why are these whores calling him out? Go find your own bitch, bitch!
Does Ringling Brothers still actually HAVE any midgets left?
I agree that too many people may be underestimating Yuri Foreman. One, he fights like Cotto on the boxing mode (but not running away) and secondly he has the age/size advantage. I think Dela Hoya will look like an amateur vs Yuri Foreman because Yuri is not flat footed forward type and Yuri has decent hand speed unlike Dela Hoya who takes time to get the stance to strike. Given enough exposure he can prove himself against other champions in his weight category. So for now, I think Yuri presents a risk but the money he brings to the table is not really proven. Sure Pac can win but he may need a bigger name to fight and attract fans.
Best for Manny this time is to defend his Jr. WW..then Super WW if he could make the weight comfortably by the time, then get the 8th..after that defend his WW belt that he won from Cotto. He could have 3 belts if he can to defend..that could be Guinness World Record.
I believe Pac can fight Yuri but with more time for promotion and time for him from fighting a tough one in Cotto.
I think it's funny that people are getting upset at Pacquiao for not wanting to fight Yuri. He said immediately after his last fight with Cotto that this would be the last weight class, and the dude is WAY bigger than him. Even fully hydrated and pumped up, Manny would still likely come in under 154 on fight night, while Yuri could easily weight 170+. Since when is it frowned upon to not fight in a weight class 2 classes above yoru natural size? Even Yuri is taking it in stride.
Dear Mr. Marley and to all fans in the world wanting mayweather to fight pacquiao but it wouldn't happen.....for me the only way to make this fight could happen that every fight of mayweather will not be televise in any country who loves boxing and will not be supported by HBO....
Countries should not televise mayweather's fight!!!
PHILIPPINES
GREAT BRITAIN
MEXICO
PUERTO RICO
CHINA
JAPAN
THAILAND
WHOLE ASIA Should not televise mayweather's fight!!!!
1.Count me in Boycott!!!!
I think it's funny that people are getting upset at Pacquiao for not wanting to fight Yuri. He said immediately after his last fight with Cotto that this would be the last weight class, and the dude is WAY bigger than him. Even fully hydrated and pumped up, Manny would still likely come in under 154 on fight night, while Yuri could easily weight 170+. Since when is it frowned upon to not fight in a weight class 2 classes above yoru natural size? Even Yuri is taking it in stride.
it was not pacman who said about fighting foreman it was roach and arum. even though pacman is beating up bigger guys but yuri is like a giant compare to a midget pac. well if the fight really happens yuri have a hard time beating pacman. yuri himself might get knocked down. this is crazy boxing anymore out of cobtrol. but hey if pac will beat yuri then they will really think that pax is on PED. wake up people/
MR WILSON, DO U KNOW HOW RIDUCLOUSLY DESPERATE U SOUND IN WANTING THIS FIGHT WITH PACMAN? UR A DESPERATE MAN, BUT BE CAREFUL OF WHAT U WISH FOR MR WILSON....
Bring on Juan Manuel Marquez, or Tim Bradley!~ I want to see a fight, not a dance recital.
Mr.Wilson, If Pacquiao does not want to go for the 8th weight division record, that's not your concern. Don't worry about his legacy because it's already established. Just worry about your own fighter. Don't act too desperate.
let manny fight foreman.at 154 weight limits.at 5ft 10" (just like GBP height)catch height limit.lol!!!lets get ready to RUMBLE!!!!
manny is not ducking foreman.is it only the height that he is concern of.lot of sense.at least he is challenging big guys!unlike floyde the coward!
JMM or Bradley are the only substitutes for Gayweather I would watch. I don't think PED will be an issue if Manny fights his own size. And damn JMM and Margocheato at Dallas Cowboy's! I will be a Standing Room Only!!!!
NOW THAT THE FIGHT WILL NOT HAPPEN, BIG MOUTHED MAY WAIVER IS VERY HAPPY BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT HE'S WISHING FOR. HE HAD FINALLY ESCAPED LIKE A RAT IN A TRAP. HE'S TRAPPED WHEN PACMAN AGREED TO FIGHT HIM. PACMAN THOUGHT HE WAS SERIOUS, ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT MAY WAIVER WAS JUST PRETENDING. MAY WAIVERS ARE THE GREAT PRETENDER AND THE MOST COWARD PEOPLE ON THE PLANET.
Who the hell is telling the truth?!!!! Fck all this boxing people including mayweather and pacquiao!!!
Fck you too Marley coz you can't find the answer for this. I hope boxing will die in an agonizing death!!!
We want Bradley! We want Bradley!
I hope Manny chooses Timothy Bradley Jr to fight on March 13, 2010 at junior welterweight. If not, Juan Manuel Marquez at lightweight for the lineal/ring crown.
They're just being nice to Yuri's manager.
It's better to say "he's too tall" than to say "he's not good enough".
the reason why manny pacquiao doesnt want blood to be taken from him is because you will lose energy when blood is taken out of you. try donating and see how it feels. it will take 30 days to replace that blood with new blood. Pacquiao agreed blood testing 30 days prior to the fight. Mayweather wanted it the day before the fight. Mayweather is big. Pacquiao needs power to beat mayweather. Maywether wants pacquiao to lose power. because thats the only way he has a chance to beat pacquiao. thats the real reason. mayweather even wanted bigger gloves to fight pacquiao so that he cant feel the punches. Maywether you are already exposed!!!
told ya,this fight aint gonna happen
Pac vs Duck Megafight is off in the ring but the fight will be going on in the Courts. Promoters should not be disappointed because they can still generate millions of dollars by making the court proceedings of Manny vs Money a live tv coverage through PPV.
Not too fast Mr. Wilson! We know steroids is irrelevant for Foreman who is 5'11 and @ 154lbs is definitely a tall order for Pacman. You're not going to allow Pacman don his Wapakman suit in the ring, dont you?
"All Pacman has to do is say he wants to fight me!"
First rabbi champion vs first pinoy p4p champion.The former will conduct ceremony in synagogue possibly before and after the fight if materialize.The latter listen to the sermon from a priest every Sunday...might meet in the ring.This will be become a heaven sanctioned fight,no need to pry,doubt or even to hype.
Welcome good people of the sport of boxing and be a witness to an
intriguing match-up.So be it /thy will be done.
I just can't understand why Mr. Wilson acting like a cry baby for Manny not wanting to fight his ward Yuri. He should understand that Yuri is so big for Manny & he's in no way obli-
gated to fight Yuri. If he really wants his ward to eArn his big payday let him challenge Manny's belt at WW. It's Manny's turn now to just sit & wait for a worthy challenger for his jr. WW or WW belt. Manny climbing at higher weights does not neccessarily
mean that he should fight bigger opponents at higher weights. He's just human & have his limitations. Mr. Wilson, you should know this.
People are forgetting that manny IS NOT REQUIRED TO TAKE ANY BLOOD TESTS AT ALL. For him to agree to take any blood test at all is a compromise itself. For Floyd to think he can dictate new rules and stipulations on Manny is crazy. Manny can simply refuse to take any and he'd be FULLY WITHIN the RULES of the NSAC.
CMON MANNY! GET YURI!
Floyd Mayweather, Jr-- "I'll whip Manny Pacquiao's punk ass!" @ www dot bb1970a dot blogspot dot com
the last best fight for manny is to fight the remaining trio love triangle in welterweight. The guy who beat the guy, who beat the guy. I mean cotto - moseley - margarito love triangle. Cotto is down, next will be margarito or moseley.
clottney is no good fight, all risk no reward. it will not do any good for his legacy.
CMONNNN!!! WaTdaF! just fight Yuri...i will have no problem if yuri beat pacquiao, at least pacquiao tried for the 8th title and yuri is a good guy...forget clottey, malignnagi or any1 out there, they're all losers, they have nothing to offer pacquiao. yuri is the only option, pacquiao can beat this dude even if he's 6ft. let the legend continue for one last time, then pacquiao can retire win or lose..
Now the fight is off between gayweather vs. the pacman, we heard that gayweather will fight mallignagay! I'm just curious if who gonna watch the fight! Gayweather should fight berto, shane or cotto. Let's see if he will also duck all those guys.
Yuri's manager was the one who said Foreman will be too much for Pacman.
Now he's complaining??! Careful on what you say, it might come back and bite you.
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