Latest news with #FloydMayweather
The Independent
a day ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Shakur Stevenson proves he's boxing's new Floyd Mayweather
Headed into the fight, there were many questions surrounding Stevenson's ability to handle a fighter with Zepeda's output – but the Newark native proved beyond any doubt that he can adapt to any style and win 'whatever it takes'. While it may seem early to make comparisons to a legend like Mayweather, the similarities are hard to ignore. Mayweather was heavily criticised towards the end of his career for his defensive boxing style. Shutting his opponents out made for less interesting fights for the spectators. Eddie Hearn openly spoke against Mayweather before his 2014 clash with Marcos Maidana for avoiding the big fights and taking on subpar opposition. Hearn said: 'When the big fights don't happen, the public loses faith. That is happening with Floyd Mayweather.' He continued: 'He is the king of the ring and the king of making money. But fight week seems particularly flat, and I'm hearing from my people in America that there is not the buzz or even much interest in his fight with Marcos Maidana.' This is something Stevenson has also been accused of – not being a fan-friendly fighter and winning his world titles against opposition who never really posed a threat. Long-serving commentator and Hall of Famer Jim Lampley said of Stevenson: 'So far Shakur Stevenson is choosing to win, and so far in choosing to win, he's getting less entertaining. But for both men, a time came when they had to prove to the world that they could stand and fight with the best. Stevenson vs Zepeda (2025) For Stevenson, Zepeda was the perfect opportunity to show his grit against a fighter whose power and volume punching made him a ferocious competitor who has more knockouts than Stevenson does fights. Stevenson showed incredible composure and counterpunching ability to tame the fire of Zepeda and dominate their exchanges, landing eye-catching counter shots and combinations. Just like we saw from Mayweather during his best years, Stevenson boxed from behind a Philly shell when he was forced to the ropes. He was not only effective on the back foot, however, the WBC champion surprised onlookers when he was happy to go toe-to-toe with the fierce Mexican puncher, absorbing or avoiding the best he had to throw and responding with precision and power. The only flaw in an otherwise commanding performance was a well-timed right hand from Zepeda that briefly unbalanced Stevenson, but the American did not waver and quickly returned to dominating the fight. Zepeda showed true spirit to continue his assault despite not landing any meaningful work for the majority of the fight. But the more he threw, the more obvious it became he was outmatched by the American, who could answer him from anywhere – on the inside, at range, on the backfoot or even off the ropes. After the fight Shakur sent a message to the world and said he is more than just a boxer, he is a fighter too. Stevenson said: 'Whatever it takes to get the job done. I got dog in me, I'm not no puppy, I'm not no poodle, I'm a tough guy.' He continued: 'He pushed me to another level.' Mayweather vs Cotto (2012) Mayweather had announced his retirement from boxing after brutally stopping Ricky Hatton in 2007, but came back to the ring in 2009 to fight Juan Manuel Marquez. He put together an impressive couple of victories over Marquez and Shane Mosley, followed by a controversial knockout of Victor Ortiz, which saw him under heavy fire from the boxing public. As well as the controversial ending to the fight, many thought Mayweather was boxing too negatively in his comeback and not providing fans with the entertainment they had paid for. Mayweather's moment of vindication came against Miguel Cotto in one of the toughest challenges of his career. Cotto was, similar to Zepeda, a hard-hitting machine with an unrelenting come-forward style that Mayweather had struggled with in the past against the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Jose Luis Castillo and Carlos Hernandez. But on the night, Mayweather proved that the days of the destructive 'Pretty Boy Floyd' were not past him but had just morphed into and become a part of his new 'Money' Mayweather persona. Cotto barrelled forward at Mayweather, head low and unloading heavy barrages of hooks, which initially looked to trouble the American. But his signature Philly shell defence took the sting out of most of the punches Cotto was throwing. The five-weight world champion, although he could have, chose not to rely so heavily on his defensive brilliance to beat Cotto and instead took the fight to the Puerto Rican on the inside using the upper cut as an effective weapon. These tactics, as we also saw with Stevenson, created an insurmountable advantage for Mayweather. Cotto could not be effective on the inside and was simply getting picked off at range, which led to a wide unanimous decision for Mayweather against another Hall of Fame opponent. After the fight, Larry Merchant, who had been a critic of Mayweather, asked him how he felt after being in a war with Miguel Cotto after so many years of avoiding punishment. Mayweather said: 'When it's pay per view and the fans are paying and the fans are coming to see you. You want to give the fans excitement." Merchant interrupted and reminded Mayweather that we had not seen him in a fight this tough in some time. Mayweather responded: 'It's about giving the fans excitement. That comes with the territory. Sometimes we have to suck it up and fight hard.' The ability of Mayweather to muzzle an aggressive opponent with inch-perfect defence and lashing counter punches is something we hadn't seen replicated so masterfully until Stevenson. With victory over Zepeda. The boxing world has seen the true potential of Stevenson. He is a fighter who continues to evolve and rise to the challenges as they are thrown at him, just as we saw Mayweather do throughout his career. As a three-weight world champion at just 28 years old, the lightweight champion's achievements at such a young age are undeniable, but the Newark fighter's toughest challenges lie ahead of him.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Manny Pacquiao net worth: How much money boxing legend has made in career earnings, endorsements and politics
Manny Pacquiao grew up in extreme poverty, to the point that he had to drop out of high school to help support his family. Few could have imagined the type of globally prominent figure he would become. A legendary boxer who took on a political career and even dabbled in professional basketball, Pacquiao is now one of the faces of the Philippines — and money is no longer an issue. Between winnings and endorsement deals, Pacquiao has amassed more wealth than he ever could have imagined. Here's a closer look at Pacquiao's net worth, career earnings and sponsorship deals. MORE:Ranking Manny Pacquiao's 9 best fights Manny Pacquiao net worth Pacquiao has an estimated net worth of $220 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. For someone whose family struggled so much financially while he was growing up, that is a remarkable figure. Pacquiao has earned plenty of winnings in his boxing career, which includes 62 wins and numerous high-profile fights, but he has also made significant money through endorsement deals as a result of his global popularity. MORE:What happened when Manny Pacquiao fought Floyd Mayweather? Manny Pacquiao career earnings in boxing Pacquiao has made $575 million in career earnings as a boxer — or $775 million adjusted for inflation. Pacquiao's non-adjusted figure ranks third among fighters behind only Floyd Mayweather and Mike Tyson. Pacquiao's pay-per-view fights have generated nearly $1.3 billion in revenue, including a stunning $400 million for his highly-publicized fight against Mayweather in 2015. While he certainly doesn't see all of that revenue, he sees enough — and won enough in other fights — to amass hundreds of millions in earnings. In 2012, Forbes ranked Pacquiao as the second highest-earning athlete of the year, trailing only Mayweather. MORE:Boxing scoring, explained: A guide to understanding the rules, points system and judges Manny Pacquiao endorsements Like many prominent athletes, Pacquiao has acquired plenty of his wealth through brand endorsement deals. At the height of his career, Pacquiao had deals with Nike, Nestle, Hewlett-Packard and Hennessy, according to the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines. Very few details of the deals were disclosed, though it was reported Pacquiao's deal with HP was worth more than $1 million. Pacquiao's other sponsorship deals included Wonder Pistachios, Monster Energy, Sony and San Miguel Beer, though his brand started to suffer a bit when he suffered back-to-back losses in 2012. In 2016, Nike dropped Pacquiao over controversial comments he made criticizing same-sex relationships. Pacquiao issued an apology for the words he chose but not the sentiment, and he signed a new deal with Chinese apparel brand Anta later in the year. MORE:Meet Manny Pacquiao's aspiring boxer son, politician wife and more Manny Pacquiao career earnings in politics Pacquiao's positions in the Filipino government did not come with high-paying salaries. While the exact figures he received year-by-year are not available, even the president of the Philippines — an office he unsuccessfully sought in 2022 — makes less than $100,000 per year in U.S. dollars. Compared to the money Pacquiao made as a boxer and through endorsement deals, his foray into politics was not lucrative on its own. MORE:Manny Pacquiao politics timeline, from becoming a senator to a run for President Manny Pacquiao career earnings in music, acting and media Pacquiao has made a handful of TV and movie appearances in his career, including acting roles in Filipino films early in his boxing career. More recently, most of his appearances have been as himself — including numerous appearances in documentaries. There is no available information regarding Pacquiao's earnings from acting or media appearances, though his appearances largely haven't been significant enough to assume a notable chunk of his net worth comes from the screen. Tax issues and legal settlements Pacquiao and his wife were assessed a $55.8 million tax bill, including penalties and interest, for allegedly failing to completely pay what he owed between 2008 and 2009, taking issue with his failure to report U.S. earnings. Pacquiao claimed he paid the taxes in the U.S. However, an appeals court dismissed the bill in 2022, ruling that the tax agency violated Pacquiao's due process by basing the assessment on news reports and not informing him of the the factual basis behind the assessment. While Pacquiao has a net worth of more than $220 million today, a $55.8 million tax payment would have been a significant hit for the legendary boxer. "I thank the Lord that the truth has come out," Pacquiao said after the ruling, which was upheld in early 2025. MORE:Why Mario Barrios said 'the respect won't be there' when he fights Manny Pacquiao
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios predictions, odds, picks: Does Pacquiao, 46, stand a chance?
Manny Pacquiao, 46, looks to become the second-oldest world champion in boxing history with a win over WBC welterweight titleholder Mario Barrios on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. A win for Pacquiao could set up a potential Floyd Mayweather Jr. rematch — no, we have not gone back to 2010. But Pacquiao will certainly be hoping to turn back the clock Saturday and find a performance that would've been expected from him in the late 2010s. Aside from an intriguing title showdown in the main event, there are two thrilling rematches on the pay-per-view card and the return of a former champion. It's an action-packed event Saturday, so let's dive in and break it all down. Betting odds courtesy of BetMGM. WBC welterweight title: Manny Pacquiao (+260) vs. Mario Barrios (-313) "Father time waits for no one," the adage goes. Pacquiao hopes to defy logic and dethrone Barrios, 16 years younger, from his WBC reign. "PacMan" hasn't stepped into a boxing ring since his decision loss to late replacement Yordenis Ugas in 2021. The last time the Filipino legend won a fight was his split-decision triumph over Keith Thurman in 2019 — six years to the day on Sunday. When Pacquiao faced Japanese kickboxer Rukiya Anpo in July 2024, he looked like a shell of the man who was a fixture on pound-for-pound lists a decade ago. If Pacquiao were facing another welterweight champion this weekend, namely Jaron "Boots" Ennis, I wouldn't give him even a remote chance. But with Barrios, it becomes a more interesting matchup. Barrios is one of the weaker champions in recent welterweight history. He lost to Keith Thurman comfortably three years ago and fought to a draw against a past-his-best Abel Ramos in November. If Pacquiao is going to suddenly come back and win a welterweight title, he's picked the correct champion to do it against. Even so, I don't think we will see Pacquiao get his hands raised in Las Vegas. Pacquiao was beaten by precision and simple long-range boxing against Cuba's Ugas four years ago. On that night, the speed and footwork that made the world fall in love with Pacquiao were nowhere to be found. And it's highly unlikely that four years later, we will see those attributes reappear again. Many boxers think they can come out of retirement and perform like they did decades ago. A fighter is always the last to admit when his time is over. In recent years, we've seen 58-year-old Mike Tyson, 60-year-old Oliver McCall, and now 46-year-old Ricky Hatton all come out of retirement. It was painful to watch Tyson and McCall return so many years after their primes, and no doubt it will be similarly difficult to watch Hatton end a 13-year retirement in December. If Barrios can use his reach advantage to keep the fight with Pacquiao at long range and meet the Filipino with a sharp jab every time he attempts to close the gap — as Barrios did at times against Ramos — I can see Barrios winning comfortably. Pacquiao's timing and speed will let him down. The mind knows what to do, but the body won't be able to carry it out. Anpo, who has a similar frame to Barrios, set out the blueprint to beat Pacquiao. Barrios just needs to follow it for 36 minutes. Pick: Barrios WBC super welterweight title: Sebastian Fundora (+125) vs. Tim Tszyu (-163) It was a brutal, bloody battle between Sebastian Fundora and Tim Tszyu for the unified super welterweight championship in March 2024. Tszyu was scheduled to face Thurman in the pay-per-view main event, but an injury to Thurman forced him to withdraw just 10 days out. Tszyu accepted Fundora as the late replacement, despite not preparing for Fundora's style and unique dimensions. All was going well for Tszyu in the early minutes of the fight until he suffered a horrific cut at the end of the second round from an elbow. Fighting with a cut of that magnitude, Tszyu faced the biggest adversity of his career. After dominating early, the bout began to get away from him — and before the Aussie knew it, Fundora's hands were raised after 12 action-packed rounds. Tszyu had lost his title belt. Rather than jump into a rematch, Tszyu chose to go straight into another title fight against the little-known IBF champion Bakhram Murtazaliev. Murtazaliev, a heavy underdog, put together the performance of his career, destroying Tszyu inside three rounds after four brutal knockdowns. Tszyu had departed Australia looking for the American dream that his famous father, Kostya Tszyu, experienced in the late 1990s and early 2000s — but 2024 turned into a nightmare year. Fundora made a successful defense of his title this past March, stopping Chordale Booker in four rounds, while Tszyu returned to his winning ways against Joey Spencer two weeks later. Now the rivals are set to do it all again. It could be a very different fight from their first meeting 16 months ago. Both men have had a full camp to prepare for the other this time around, and the momentum is firmly in Fundora's favor, with Tszyu still perhaps fighting the demons of a horrific 2024 campaign. Fundora, despite being a towering figure, refuses to use his physical advantages. The champ prefers to fight at close range and trade with shorter, more compact boxers. The key for him in this matchup will be to mix it up and fight with a tight guard. After getting knocked out, will Tszyu be as willing to put himself in danger trading with Fundora? Tszyu was noticeably more patient and defensively responsible in the early rounds of his return against Spencer. Tszyu could make the mistake of letting Fundora get in a rhythm and build up momentum if he doesn't disrupt Fundora's flow early. I expect it to be another grueling, evenly matched fight, but for Fundora to edge out another win and send Tszyu back down under with another defeat to his name. Pick: Fundora Featherweight: Brandon Figueroa (-250) vs. Joet Gonzalez (+195) Brandon Figueroa looks to get back into the win column against veteran contender Joet Gonzalez. Figueroa, who formerly held the WBC super bantamweight title, was defeated by Stephen Fulton in his bid to become a two-weight champion in February. Fulton also beat Figueroa in 2021 in a unification slugfest. The second meeting between the pair was far more reserved, with Fulton outboxing Figueroa to a comfortable unanimous decision. Three of Gonzalez's four defeats have come via decisions in world title fights. The California native has proven to be slightly below the world level. Gonzalez upset top contender Arnold Khegai by split decision in March to book himself a big fight and big stage against Figueroa. It is very much a loser-goes-home type of matchup in the night's pay-per-view opener. The winner could be on his way to another shot at a championship, but the man who leaves empty-handed Saturday will be a long way away from another chance against the division's elite. Fight fans have seen enough of Figueroa to know how he fights by now — he puts relentless pressure on his opponents and looks to overwhelm them with volume. Gonzalez fights smarter than that — but not in the "Tom and Jerry" way, to use Turki Alalshikh's phrase. He is a terrific body puncher and counter-puncher, but can also slug it out when necessary. Figueroa's performances against Magdaleno and Fulton leave a lot to be desired, while Gonzalez seems to be leveraging his experience to outlast and better contenders on the way up. It will be a closely contested fight that is almost certain to go the distance. I think the momentum could be in Gonzalez's favor for an upset. Pick: Gonzalez Undercard quick picks: Super bantamweight: David Picasso (-1400) def. Kyonosuke Kameda (+900) Lightweight: Mark Magsayo (-800) def. Jorge Mata (+550) Super featherweight: Gary Allen Russell Jr. (-1200) def. Hugo Castaneda (+850)
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Floyd Mayweather's uncle makes stunning claim about Manny Pacquiao's return to boxing after four years
Jeff Mayweather – the uncle of the legendary Floyd Mayweather – said it best this week. Manny Pacquiao is only returning to boxing for the money. But the veteran trainer goes even further, saying the whole promotion of his showdown with Mario Barrios this weekend is skewed in Pacquiao's favour so the Filipino icon can retire as one of the greats. 'I don't know why he's coming back – well I guess I've heard … money – but he's just putting himself out there to retire forever,' Mayweather told Code Sports ahead of Pacquiao's WBC welterweight world title fight with Barrios in Las Vegas this weekend. 'This is all set up, it's for him to win. 'He's making the most money. And Barrios is a young fighter that still has a long time left in the sport and can still become a world champion again. 'This is basically one last shot for Manny.' Pacquiao is a modern boxing great and fought in one of the biggest bouts in the sport's history against Floyd Mayweather. But he's 46 now and hasn't fought in four years. He hasn't even won a fight in six years. Tim Tszyu, who fights Sebastian Fundora in the co-main event, is tipping Barrios to win. 'Age isn't just a number in boxing,' he told Code Sports. 'Even though Manny Pacquiao is Manny Pacquiao, it's a big ask. 'He's a legend and he's cemented his legacy, but he's going in with a young, hungry lion.' He's the only eight division world champion in boxing history, but Pacquiao is a $3.10 underdog against the all action champion Barrios, and if he wins he'll set a new world record as the oldest titleholder in welterweight history. He already holds that record, set when he scored a split decision win over Keith Thurman in July 2019. The idea that Pacquiao – as great as he is – is allowed to come out of retirement and immediately land a world title shot, has rubbed many boxing people the wrong way. 'It seems unfair to me how this was done,' Mayweather said. 'Manny hasn't fought in four years, yet he gets an immediate title shot. 'That's not right. 'You have fighters that are in that weight class, and ranked one, two, three and four. 'But this man came from retirement and took all that thunder. 'Anyone who was next in line didn't get their shot.' Pacquiao's Australian trainer, Justin Fortune confirms Mayweather's claims about the mega payday Pacquiao stands to make. And the Los Angeles-based trainer, and former heavyweight contender, says Pacquiao may continue fighting after this weekend. 'If they offered you a lot of money, you'd fight too,' Fortune told Code Sports after Pacquiao fronted a huge press conference at the MGM Grand on Thursday. Fortune says it's not just Pacquiao cashing in, but Barrios too. And anyone else who fights him. 'The offers will come, and they'll come from a lot of fighters – they all want the payday,' he said. 'It's called prize fighting for a reason. 'You're there for the money, and right now, Pacquiao's the money. 'I would imagine (he'll keep fighting) but we just need to get through this bloke first. 'Manny's had a good camp, he's listened and he's done his stuff. He's listened to his body, he's fast, strong and he's happy.'
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Manny Pacquiao pushing for Floyd Mayweather rematch after Mario Barrios: 'He's been ducking, avoiding me'
When Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. entered the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 2, 2015, they did so taking part in the richest fight in boxing history. Five years of marination had led to a commercial bonanza, as 4.6 million Americans purchased the fight on pay-per-view, and the live gate — money from ticket sales — was a staggering $72 million. The event was gigantic, but ultimately the fight in the ring was a disappointment. Mayweather used his defensive prowess to box to a comfortable decision victory over Pacquiao to unify three welterweight belts. They say old habits die hard, and more than a decade later Pacquiao, 46, is back at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, fighting for a welterweight title against WBC champion Mario Barrios, with fresh talks of a Mayweather fight seemingly underway. "Of course [I'd be interested]," Pacquiao told Uncrowned's "The Ariel Helwani Show" on Wednesday about a potential second fight with Mayweather. "He's been ducking [the rematch]. "I don't want an exhibition with [Mayweather], I want a real fight." "It's been a long time [since the first fight]," Pacquiao added. "I want to give the fans a good fight between me and [Mayweather], but he's been ducking, avoiding me." First, Pacquiao has a stern test in front of him on Saturday in the form of Barrios. Barrios, 30, is a champion in his prime. "El Azteca" has been overlooked by opponents before, but each time he has proved his caliber. Barrios notably earned respect from the boxing community after a competitive fight with Gervonta "Tank" Davis in 2021. The welterweight champion followed that up with a loss to Keith Thurman, however he's since embarked on a three-fight win streak, including a victory over Yordenis Ugas — who sent Pacquiao into retirement in 2021. "The reason [I'm coming back] is that boxing is still my passion," Pacquiao said about ending his four-year absence from the ring. "I still have the ability to get a belt and win a world title fight. "The Ugas fight, I was distracted. There [were] so many distractions before the fight." Pacquiao was supposed to square off with Errol Spence Jr. in August 2021, but Spence Jr. was forced out with a torn retina just 10 days prior the event. After training and sparring for Spence, a southpaw, Pacquiao accepted the Cuban orthodox Ugas as a late replacement and was beaten on points. Despite having won titles in eight different weight classes and being a shoo-in for boxing's Hall of Fame, Pacquiao wasn't satisfied with his exit from the sport and wanted to return to his lifelong passion. "Two years [after I announced my retirement, I made the decision to come back]," Pacquiao revealed. "I really missed boxing. I really missed those days [in] training camp, promoting the fight, everything like that. I was consulting my family, my wife, and it just happened that my wife [gave me her blessing]." Pacquiao wasn't able to return to the ring straight away, though, as the Filipino boxer was still in the midst of his senate campaign. Earlier this year, however, Pacquiao finished 18th in the Philippine race for Senate, which meant he could finally shelve his political ambitions — at least temporarily — and focus on attempting to become the oldest welterweight champion in boxing history. "He's taller than me, and he's a champion," Pacquiao said of Barrios. "To become a champion, it's not that easy, so at least he's proven something: That he can fight." Pacquiao has also been linked to a boxing match with former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor in recent years. McGregor made his professional boxing debut in 2017, losing to Mayweather in the second-richest fight in boxing history, behind only Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. "[We] almost make that [fight] happen, but there's so many problems with his manager," Pacquiao said of negotiations for a McGregor fight. In 2020, Pacquiao signed a contract with Paradigm Sports — which represents McGregor — to organize a boxing match between the pair. However, no fight was made as McGregor lost to Dustin Poirier, and Pacquiao instead signed to fight Spence Jr. with Premier Boxing Champions (PBC). Pacquiao and Paradigm Sports have been embroiled in a legal battle since the fight fell apart — a situation Pacquiao told Uncrowned is still ongoing and makes a potential fight between himself and McGregor difficult to organize for the time being.
