Catch tonight’s replay of Manny Pacquiao-Brandon Rios and judge for yourself

There were differing opinions as to just how good Manny Pacquiao fought last Saturday when he easily defeated Brandon Rios over 12 rounds, really battering Rios’ face along the way in Macau, China. Some thought Pacquiao looked great. Others thought he looked good but perhaps was shy about finishing off Rios inside the distance. Pacquiao, of course, was coming off a crushing 6th-round knockout loss at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez in December 2012.

Tonight, fans who did not purchase last week’s pay-per-view can judge for themselves when HBO shows a replay of the fight. It is part of a telecast that will also have two light heavyweight title fights from Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

Adonis Stevenson (21-1, 19 KOs) of Quebec will defend his title against Tony Bellew (20-1-1, 12 KOs) of England. In the other, Sergey Kovalev (22-0-1, 20 KOs) of Russia defends his belt against Ismayl Sillakh (21-1, 17 KOs) of the Ukraine.

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Zab Judah proud of longevity in the ring; takes on Paulie Malignaggi on Dec. 7

Zab Judah has been a professional fighter for 17 years and two months. And he’s still competitive against good fighters, a deserved feather in his cap.

Just this past April, Judah challenged Danny Garcia for his two junior welterweight belts. Judah lost a unanimous decision, but not before giving Garcia heck at times during their 12-round fight at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Garcia, 11 years Judah’s junior, won by scores of 114-112, 115-112 and 116-111.

Judah, who has won world titles in the junior welterweight and welterweight divisions, takes on another former two-division champion – Paulie Malignaggi – on Dec. 7 at Barclays Center (on Showtime). Both fighters hail from Brooklyn.

Judah, speaking during a recent conference call, noted his longevity with pride.

“My motivation comes from the opportunity, the opportunity of still being here 18 years strong, to be competitive against young fighters like Paulie Malignaggi and Danny Garcia, and to still be competing at a high level of boxing,” Judah said.

Most of what Judah said was spot on, but Malignaggi doesn’t quite qualify as a young fighter any longer as he turned 33 this past Saturday.

Judah is 42-8 with 29 knockouts. Malignaggi is 32-5 with only seven knockouts.

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J’Leon Love will headline Mayweather Promotions card on Showtime

Undefeated middleweight J’Leon Love will take on LaJuan Simon of Philadelphia in the 10-round main event Dec. 6 at Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Wash. on Showtime’s ShoBox series.

Love, of Dearborn Heights, Mich., is 26. He is 15-0 with eight knockouts. Simon, 34, is 23-4-2 with 12 knockouts. Simon hasn’t fought since December 2011, when he was knocked out in the first round by middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin.

Three other bouts will be televised. Among them is junior lightweight Mickey Bey (18-1-1, 9 KOs) going against Carlos Cardenas (20-6-1, 13 KOs) of Venezuela.

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Manny Pacquiao batters Brandon Rios for 12 rounds in Macau, China

Many wondered how Manny Pacquiao would react to being viciously knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez in December in Las Vegas. Now, everyone knows.

Pacquiao on Saturday battered Brandon Rios for 12 rounds in their welterweight fight in Macau, China. Rios’ face was badly beaten, with both eyes being damaged.

The end result was a wide unanimous decision victory for Pacquiao, who won by scores of 118-110, 119-109 and 120-108.

Pacquiao, 34, is now 55-5-2. Rios, of Oxnard, is 27. He is 31-2-1.

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Heavyweight Andy Ruiz stops Tor Hamer when Hamer does not answer for 4th

Andy Ruiz of Imperial via Mexicali is now 21-0 with 15 knockouts after he stopped Tor Hamer after three rounds of their heavyweight fight Saturday on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao-Brandon Rios in Macau, China. Hamer did not answer the bell for the fourth round.

Hamer, of New York City, is now 21-3.

 

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Manny Pacquiao, Brandon Rios make weight for Saturday’s fight in China

Manny Pacquiao weighed 145 pounds and Brandon Rios tipped the scales at 146 1/2 Friday at the weigh-in for their welterweight main event Saturday at the Venetian Resort in Macau, China (on HBO pay-per-view).

Pacquiao, 34, is 54-5-2 with 38 knockouts. This will be his first fight since being knocked out in the sixth round by Juan Manuel Marquez in December in Las Vegas.

Rios, 27, is 31-1-1 with 23 knockouts. The former lightweight champion last fought in March when he lost a unanimous decision to Mike Alvarado in Las Vegas.

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AP report: Pacquiao will make Rios camp pay for mocking Freddie Roach

According to an Associated Press story, Manny Pacquiao wants to make the Brandon Rios camp pay for its strength and conditioning coach, Alex Ariza, mocking Freddie Roach’s speech just before Ariza kicked Roach in the chest during a brawl between the camps Wednesday in Macau, China.

Roach indicated Pacquiao will do that by dispatching Rios early when the fighters duke it out Saturday at the Venetian Resort in Macau (on HBO pay-per-view).

Roach, who has Parkinson’s, and Ariza are bitter enemies. Ariza worked in the Pacquiao camp for years before he was let go, apparently at the behest of Roach. The camps tangled at a Macau gym because the Rios camp was there longer than it was supposed to be, cutting into Pacquiao’s time.

Roach said in the AP story that Pacquiao watched video of the incident, and that he was not pleased.

“(Pacquiao) said to me, ‘Are those the guys that made fun of you?’ ” Roach said. “And I said, ‘Yes.’ And he said, ‘That’s all I need to know,’ and he walked away.

“He told me he’s going to take care of this guy quickly.”

 

 

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World champion Ruslan Provodnikov in China to support Manny Pacquiao

Junior welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov of Russia will be ringside at the Venetian Resort in Macau, China on Saturday when Manny Pacquiao and Brandon Rios square off there in the welterweight main event (on HBO pay-per-view).

Provodnikov and Pacquiao are friends and former sparring partners. Both are trained by Freddie Roach.

“I made sure I was in Macau to support my friend Manny Paquiao in his big return to the ring, and I will be rooting for him in this fight.”, Provodnikov said.

Provodnikov, a hard puncher, is coming off a 10th-round TKO of Mike Alvarado in October; Provodnikov took Alvarado’s title in the process.

Provodnikov’s moniker is “Siberian Rocky.”

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Final episode of HBO’s ’24/7: Pacquiao/Rios’ is on tap tonight at 7

The third and final episode of HBO’s “24/7: Pacquiao/Rios” will be televised tonight at 7 (Pacific time). This could be the best of the three if HBO shows some of the brief brawl that took place between the respective camps of Manny Pacquiao and Brandon Rios Wednesday (Tuesday in the U.S.) in Macau, China.

Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38 KOs)   and Rios will tangle in the welterweight main event at the Venetian Resort.(31-1-1, 23 KOs) in Macau (on HBO pay-per-view). It will be Pacquiao’s first fight since being knocked out in the sixth round by Juan Manuel Marquez in December at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

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