Columns · PhilBoxing.com

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Donaire bored by Carson dance

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Thu, 19 Aug 2021

LAS VEGAS. WBC bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire, Jr. thought of driving with wife Rachel to Carson City to witness the fight between WBO titlist JohnRiel Casimero and challenger Guillermo Rigondea…

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Sparmate for Manny, Ugas speaks out

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Thu, 19 Aug 2021

LAS VEGAS. There’s something unique about California southpaw Maurice Lee. He sparred with Manny Pacquiao early in his training camp at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles when WBC/IBF welterweight champ…

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The man called Sugar

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Wed, 18 Aug 2021

Ting Ariosa. LAS VEGAS. In boxing circles, coach Ting Ariosa is called Sugar. Not because he resembles Ray Leonard or Ray Robinson in any way. It’s more a term of endearment for a man who once coached…

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Roach predicts KO for Manny

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Tue, 17 Aug 2021

LAS VEGAS. There’s no doubt in Freddie Roach’s mind that Sen. Manny Pacquiao will knock out WBA welterweight “super” champion Yordenis Ugas of Cuba in their scheduled 12-round title fight at the T-Mob…

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Casimero retains crown in yawner

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Mon, 16 Aug 2021

LOS ANGELES. It wasn’t the way WBO bantamweight champion JohnRiel Casimero wanted his duel with Guillermo Rigondeaux to play out but the Cuban challenger mistook the ring for a ballroom and danced 12 …

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Manny ready to fight even now

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Sun, 15 Aug 2021

LOS ANGELES. Sen. Manny Pacquiao’s fight against WBA welterweight “super” champion Yordenis Ugas of Cuba is still a week away but strength/conditioning coach Justin Fortune said yesterday he’s ready t…

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Widespread telecast for Manny’s fight

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Sun, 15 Aug 2021

LOS ANGELES. Fight fans are in for a treat because the local TV rights holder for the WBA welterweight “super” championship fight between defending titlist Yordenis Ugas of Cuba and challenger Sen. Ma…

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Casimero to put Rigo to sleep

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Sat, 14 Aug 2021

LOS ANGELES. WBO bantamweight champion JohnRiel Casimero made light of regular WBA titlist Guillermo Rigondeaux’ boast that he’ll box the Filipino’s ears off when they tangle in a scheduled 12-round u…

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Manny switches sparmates

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Fri, 13 Aug 2021

LOS ANGELES. Now that Manny Pacquiao will face right-hander Yordenis Ugas instead of southpaw Errol Spence at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on August 21, he’s making adjustments in his sparring part…

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Pacquiao unperturbed by opponent switch

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Thu, 12 Aug 2021

LOS ANGELES, California—With less than two weeks to go before his fight in Las Vegas on Aug. 21, Sen. Manny Pacquiao found himself in an unusual situation. His original opponent, WBC/IBF welterweight …

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Manny’s first thought was to pray for Spence

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Thu, 12 Aug 2021

LOS ANGELES. It was early last Monday night when Sen. Manny Pacquiao found out WBC/IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence wouldn’t be available for their fight at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Au…

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First and third didn’t work

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Thu, 12 Aug 2021

Paalam (R) in action against Yafai. TOKYO. The battle plan was for Carlo Paalam to execute the “first and third” attack against England’s Galal Yafai in the Olympic men’s flyweight final here last Sat…

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Abnett credits team for surge

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Thu, 12 Aug 2021

Abnett. TOKYO. Don Abnett wouldn’t take any credit for the Philippine boxing team’s three-medal finish at the Olympics here and instead, applauded the efforts of the entire delegation in delivering a …

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Ice cream for Nesthy

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Fri, 06 Aug 2021

TOKYO. Just minutes after claiming the Olympic silver medal in women’s featherweight boxing at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Arena last Tuesday, Nesthy Petecio said the first thing she’d like to do is to eat …

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Two for the gold

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Thu, 05 Aug 2021

Marcial (L) and Paalam (R). TOKYO. Two more wins then it’s Olympic gold for middleweight Eumir Marcial and flyweight Carlo Paalam with their stint in the final depending on the outcome of their semifi…

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Olympic legend pays tribute to Pinoys

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Sun, 01 Aug 2021

Rigondeaux. TOKYO. Two-time Olympic gold medalist and regular WBA bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba recently paid tribute to Filipinos as “some of the toughest fighters in boxing” wit…

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Missing lightflyweight boxing

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Thu, 29 Jul 2021

TOKYO. Of the Philippines’ collection of 11 Olympic medals since 1924, five came from boxing and three were in the lightflyweight division. The other two were in the bantamweight and featherweight cla…

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World title shot for Mama

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Tue, 27 Jul 2021

Jayson Mama. In December last year, unbeaten General Santos City fighter Jayson Mama flew to South Africa to challenge then IBF flyweight champion Moruti Mthalane only to be told the match was cancell…

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Bradley picks Spence over Manny

By Joaquin Henson, PhilBoxing.com Mon, 26 Jul 2021

Pacquiao (R) and Bradley. Former WBC/WBO superlightweight and WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley has lost to only one fighter in his career that spanned 37 fights and he was beaten twice by the sam…