The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Manny Pacquiao eager for decisive win in Bradley rematch Posted: 11 Apr 2014 08:53 AM PDT America's Bradley, renowned for his amazing durability, snapped the Philippine icon's 15-fight unbeaten streak with a debatable split decision triumph in their first showdown on June 9, 2012. The 30-year-old Bradley is out to prove he was deserving of the World Boxing Organization belt he seized that night and has since defended twice. For Pacquiao, 35, whose loss to Bradley was followed by a sixth-round knockout defeat to Juan Manuel Marquez, it's imperative he prove his unanimous decision victory over Brandon Rios in his only fight of 2013 marked a real rebirth of his ring career. "This is a 'must-win' situation for us," Pacquiao's Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach said. Even though Roach and "Pacman" want a clear-cut victory, both said Pacquiao - who has had to fend off talk of retirement - can't go in aiming for a knockout. Instead, they say he must press his attack consistently, avoiding the fallow minutes that apparently cost him the decision in the first Bradley fight, even though Pacquiao landed more punches and more power punches overall. "I'm not thinking about a knockout," the Filipino said. "My focus is to throw a lot of punches. I'm going to be aggressive. If the knockout comes, it's a bonus." Added Roach: "We're looking to win every round, one at a time." 'Manny can punch' Southpaw Pacquiao, the only man to win world titles in eight weight divisions, staked his claim to boxing's pound-for-pound crown with a spate of impressive knockout victories in 2008 and 2009. That included a ninth-round stoppage of David Diaz that proved Pacquiao could step up to lightweight and retain his fearsome power. He went on to stop Oscar de la Hoya in a 2008 welterweight bout, and delivered a spectacular second-round knockout of Britain's Ricky Hatton in 2009. Later that year, he punished Miguel Cotto en route to a 12th-round technical knockout in another welterweight bout - but Pacquiao hasn't finished off an opponent inside the distance since. Debate has raged as to whether he has lost his knockout power, or perhaps become too "compassionate" towards opponents after a deepening of his Catholic faith. "Manny can punch - he does have knockout power," Roach insisted Thursday as the fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena drew near. If Pacquiao has held back out of compassion for his foes, Roach said he'd likely learned his lesson in his most recent defeats. In the 2012 loss to Marquez, Pacquiao had the Mexican star on the canvas in the fifth round and in trouble in the sixth before Marquez connected for a stunning one-punch knockout. Pacquiao, who owns a record 55-5 with two drawn and 38 knockouts, puts that defeat down to "carelessness." However, it's given Bradley some boasting rights since the American has since edged Marquez in a duel between the last two men to beat Pacquiao. That win over Marquez followed Bradley's 12-round decision over Ruslan Provodnikov, in which the American absorbed a massive amount of punishment before emerging triumphant. 'Tough guy' Bradley's durability - on display against Provodnikov - is one reason not to seek a knock-out, Roach said. "He's a very resilient, tough, tough guy," Roach said. But Roach believes that Pacquiao has the skill to cope with Bradley's slick movement, and showed against Rios that he can still put together long combinations that will make the difference against the counter-punching Bradley. "We're using a lot of angles and hopefully that will nullify his defence," Roach said. "We'll set traps, catch him on the ropes - when we have him on the ropes, Manny knows what to do." And if the chance to knock out Bradley does come, Roach believes Pacquiao will take it without hesitation, fired by Bradley's pre-fight claim that Pacquiao had lost his "killer instinct." "When we're on the mitts we talk sometimes about strategy and what's going to happen," Roach said. "He told me one day, 'When I hurt him, this is the combination I'm going to finish him with.' "I was so happy to hear that." – AFP, April 11, 2014. |
| Mauritian veteran set to break Roger Milla’s age record Posted: 11 Apr 2014 08:48 AM PDT Kersley Appou of Mauritania could overtake Cameroon legend Roger Milla this weekend and become the oldest African international footballer. The 43-year striker with 10 goals from 24 national-team appearances is in an 18-man squad for the opening 2015 Cup of Nations (CAN) qualifier against Mauritania in Nouakchott. And if Appou starts or comes on as a substitute at the 40,000-seat Stade Olympique in the north-west Africa city, he will overtake 1990 World Cup show-stopper Milla. The Cameroonian bade farewell to international football at the 1994 World Cup in the United States aged 42 years and 39 days. Appou turns 44 on April 24, four days after the return match against Mauritania in a tie that gets the ball rolling in a 222-day qualifying competition for Morocco. However, the Mauritian from the Pamplemousses club has some way to go if he wants to become the oldest international footballer among FIFA member nations. That distinction belongs to MacDonald Taylor senior from the US Virgin Islands at 46 years and 217 days, according to football statistics foundation RSSSF. Netherlands beach footballer Roel Liefden holds the FIFA final competition record, playing at 46 years and seven months in the 2013 World Cup, the world governing body confirmed. The chances of Appou playing are good as he and 23-year-old Gurty Calembe are the only strikers chosen by coach Akbar Patel. Pamplemousses and Cercle de Joachim form the core of an all-local squad with five players each while Bulgaria-based midfielder Kevin Bru is unavailable. Lack of practice may hamper the Mauritian Les Dodos, a nickname derived from the now extinct flightless bird that inhabited the island state. Their last international was a 3-0 friendly defeat away to 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar last September while Mauritania drew 1-1 with Niger in Nouakchott just a month ago. Almost half the 24-strong Mauritania squad named by French coach Patrice Neveu are locals who featured in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) last January. Appearing at a CAF competition finals for the first time, the Mauritanians lost 1-0 to the Democratic Republic of Congo, 3-2 to Burundi and 4-2 to Gabon. Several debutants impressed amid the losses, including midfielder Moulaye Ahmed, better known by his "Bessam" nickname. A blow for former Niger, Guinea and DR Congo coach Neveu was the withdrawal of striker Dominique da Silva from Egyptian club Zamalek. Both teams want to improve dismal Nations Cup qualifying records with Mauritania winning only five of 18 home games and Mauritius just four of 45 away matches. The aggregate winners advance to the second preliminary round, joining 27 other countries in an April 27 Cairo draw. – AFP, April 11, 2014. |
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