Date post: | 17-Aug-2015 |
Category: |
News & Politics |
Upload: | anthony-settipani |
View: | 12 times |
Download: | 1 times |
Head with Floyd, heart with Pacman
M a y 2 2 0 1 5 S AT U R D AY S TA RNEWS10
To be eligible to enter the competition, you must be married
between 01 July 2014 and 31 July 2015. Finalists must be able to
attend the finals in Johannesburg on 22 August 2015.
Just got married? Getting married between now and the end of July 2015?
OF THE MONTH
ENTER THE BRIDE OF THE MONTH COMPETITION.
YOU COULD BE VOTED BRIDE OF THE MONTH.
Be voted Bride of the Month and you will win a spa experience at Hands on
Retreat, a weekend in Durban with Gooderson Leisure, a Canon camera and
a hamper from House of York. All other finalists receive a couple massage
at Hands on Retreat. The Bride of the Year wins an overnight spa experience
at Hands on Retreat and a fantastic second honeymoon in Phuket!
Second honeymoon
at Outrigger Laguna
Phuket Beach Resort
Romantic Couple Breakaway at the Hands on Retreat
A weekend in
Durban with
Gooderson L
eisure
Hamper from House of York
THE WORLD’S most famous boxeris backing Manny Pacquiao to beatFloyd Mayweather with heavy-weight legend Muhammad Ali ahuge fan of the Filipino fighter.
Welterweights Pacquiao andMayweather finally meet in LasVegas tomorrow morning in whatwill be the sport’s biggest fight in
terms of prize money andglobal audience.
And the “Pacman” hasAli, the former unified
heavyweight cham-pion, in his corner.
Ali’s daughterRasheda told TMZSports: “My dadis Team Pac-quiao all the
way. My dadreally likes
Manny.”
Even the most optimistic boxing fan probably thought this day would never dawn. But after fiveyears of will they, won’t they, the most eagerly-awaited fight of the century has finally arrived
ANTHONY SETTIPANI
EVEN the beneficiaries of FloydMayweather’s “generosity” won’t berooting for him tomorrow.
Steve Masike, boxing coach andco-founder of the Dube Boxing Clubin Soweto, says he was not im-pressed with the superstar’s lack ofhumility when he met him outsidethe ring just over a year ago.
“Mayweather came to the DubeGym. He came there for six minutes.After six minutes, he left.”
Mayweather’s visit in Januarylast year was aimed at revitalising
boxing in South Africa. He visitedgyms and community centres inJoburg, Cape Town, Bloemfonteinand East London. He even held anauction at Emperors Palace inKempton Park to benefit the DubeClub.
According to Masike, membersof the club did not receive aninvitation.
“I don’t have respect for that boy.The only impact he made was toshow his body, then push off.”
When it comes to taking sides inwhat boxing fans around the worldare terming the “Fight of the Cen-
tury”, Masike grudg-ingly acknowledges hishead is telling him to gowith Mayweather.
“His boxing is beauti-ful,” Masike said.
“You can’t hit him twicewith the same punch.”
But the veteran trainer hasno trouble saying where hisheart truly lies.
“Pacquiao must just deliverthat punch,” Masike sayswistfully.
“That punch that sendshim to slumberland.”
SAMEER [email protected]
FORMER world boxingchamp, Dingaan Tho-bela, believes the fightbetween Floyd May-
weather and Manny Pacquiaowill help reignite boxing inSouth Africa.
The fight, which takes placein Las Vegas tomorrow morn-ing, has been billed as the Fightof the Century, with Pacquiaobidding to be the first fighter tobeat Mayweather.
Thobela, better known asthe Rose of Soweto, says a fightof this magnitude is what isneeded to spark interest in box-ing in South Africa again.
“This fight has the potentialto make waves in boxing com-munities around the world,”Thobela told the SaturdayStar this week.
“It’s just what weneed to reigniteinterest again.There’s no
doubt South Africans will beexcited by this fight. Our box-ing community needs to takeadvantage of the hype andbuild on it.”
Thobela, one of SouthAfrica’s most talented boxerswith three major titles underhis belt, is backing May-weather to win the fight.
“It’s a very tough one tocall,” said Thobela.
“But I am backing May-weather to come out victorious.His immense skill, fantastic de-fence, and his undefeatedrecord is why I am leaning to-wards the American.
“ T a k enothing
away from Manny. “He is a great boxer and
could spoil the odds, but I be-lieve his defence is vulnerable.”
Mayweather is the bookies’favourite to win the fight.
“His record speaks for itself.“He is yet to be beaten and I
think it’s a huge possibilitycome tomorrow thathe will remain un-defeated,” saidThobela.
H a v i n gfought in somebig bouts,
Thobela says there is a lot ofpreparation that goes into get-ting ready for a fight.
“You spend most of yourpreparation time in the gymgetting into the best shape ofyour life.
“But boxing is not only aphysical game. The mental
aspect also plays a hugepart in getting ready
(for a fight).“Most boxers
are hypnotisedbefore theclash,to re-
move the fear of the opponent.All boxers have some kind offear.
“There is no doubt Mannyand Floyd will be hypnotisedbefore the match. It’s crucial tobe in the right frame of mindwhen fighting.”
While Mayweather may be afew years older than his Fil-ipino counterpart, Thobela be-lieves age will not be a factor.
“I know of many boxerswho ended up winning titleswhen they were over the age of40. In boxing terms, May-weather is still a baby, and is
still fresh inthe ring.
T h a t
shouldn’t have any impact onhis performance.”
While Thobela is backingthe US boxer to come out victo-rious against Pacquiao, he is indisagreement with May-weather that he isthe greatestfighter ofall time.
M a y -w e a t h e rc l a i m e dearlier thisyear he was agreater boxerthan heavyweightchampion Muhammad Ali.
“I’ve watched boxing all mylife, and Muhammad Ali stillremains the greatest boxer. Heis the best there is, the bestthere was, and the best thereever will be.” The MGM Grand
Hotel, has been selected to host the fight which will
be screened from 3am(SA time) tomor-
row.
FAN CLUB: Anenthusiastic fanholds up a fightposter as others wait for theundefeatedWBC/WBAwelterweightchampion, FloydMayweather jr, ofthe US at the MGMGrand Arena in LasVegas, Nevada.Mayweather facesWBO championManny Pacquiao ofthe Philippines in aunification bout atthe arena in the earlyhours tomorrow.
PICTURE: REUTERS
Floyd
M a y w e a t h e r -America
Age: 38Nickname: Money MaysHeight: 5ft 8inReach: 72insStance: OrthodoxCareer earnings: $420mil-
lionWorld title fights: 24Record - 47-0Knockouts - 26
Rounds boxed -363
Manny Pacquiao – Philippines Age: 36Nickname: PacmanHeight: 5ft 8inReach: 72insStance: SouthpawCareer earnings: $420millionWorld title fights: 19Record - 57-5-2Knockouts - 38
FIGHT FEVERFIGHT FEVERHITS SAHITS SA!!
Justin Bieber will usher FloydMayweather’s camp into thering. PICTURE: REUTERS
Bieber to singFloyd’s praises
JUSTIN Bieber will carry his palFloyd Mayweather’s championshipbelts into the ring at the MGMGrand in Las Vegas ahead of hisfight against Manny Pacquiao.
The undefeated boxing cham-pion has asked Bieber to lead hisentourage into the ring ahead ofhis £150 million (R2.7bn) fight.
Mayweather, 38, first becamefriends with the 21-year-old starbecause his 14-year-old daughterLyanna is a huge fan of theheartthrob. A source told a UKnewspaper: “As long as his daugh-ter wants Justin there, he’ll be hismain man. They get on really well.”
Bieber is also reported to haveinvited his ex-girlfriend SelenaGomez to accompany him to thefight. However, he’s since said tohave asked his pals Kendall Jennerand Hailey Baldwin to attend.
Jamie Foxx is set to sing the USnational anthem before the fight.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao will bewearing the world’s most expen-sive shorts when he takes the ring.The Pacman’s shorts alone will carrysponsorship logos worth $2.25m(about R26.3m).
Ali rooting forplucky Filipino
SAMEER [email protected]
WHO WILL come out on top intomorrow’s much-anticipated fightbetween Floyd Mayweather andManny Pacquiao? Saturday Starcaught up with a handful of boxingfans in South Africa to ask themtheir views ahead of the Fight ofThe Century.
Tokoloho Moeketsi will be finewith whoever wins. I’ll be watching at home. It’sboxing’s most anticipated event.
This fight is right up there withAli-Frazier, Hagler-Leonard, Louis-Schmeling, however, we have towait for the result before giving itdue ratings. It has the hallmarks ofa classic, though. I hope it lives upto its hype.
Michael Nathanson is a Pacquiao fan.I’ll be watching the fight at myfriend’s house. I will be waking upfor it because I have been waitingfor about six years to watch the twogreatest fighters of our generationtake each other on. I hope Mannycan destroy Floyd’s unbeatenrecord. But if I were a betting man,
I would bet on Floyd.
Tino Madzongwe is confidentMayweather will win.I will be watching from the comfortof my couch with a cup of hotchocolate and a bottle of wine tocelebrate Floyd “Money Mays”victory! I have been following Floydand Manny’s fights for four years,and they truly have added an artto boxing.
These are two unconventionalicons of boxing. One who beganfrom hardship and the other whohad guidance from early on andactually applied himself to becomewho he is. These guys will give youa full bout of boxing and havepunched above their weightclasses.
Kyle Knezovich and his friendsare planning a braai at 3am.This is the fight the world has beenwaiting for. It is the biggest of thecentury, two geniuses finally in thering together.
Over the past 15 years, wehaven’t seen anything like it. I ambacking Manny, as he delivers morepunches per round, and he is quickenough to get out before Floydlands many punches.
SOUTTH AFRICCANS
TAKKE THEIRR CORNERSRS