By Nick Giongco

British promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing is keen on bringing Manny Pacquiao to fight Mikey Garcia to Saudi Arabia in early-July.

Hearn, whose Matchroom outfit has a seal with DAZN, a UK-based streaming service, told ESPN MMA that he is in talks with Paradigm Sports Management (PSM) to pair Pacquiao and Garcia together for a fight in Diriyah, a town outside the capital of Riyadh where in December last year hosted the rematch starting Andy Ruiz and Anthony Joshua.

“All I’m concerned about is to try and make a fight between Manny Pacquiao and a top welterweight out there,” Hearn said.

“This Saturday on DAZN, we have a brilliant fight between Mikey Garcia and Jessie Vargas. Mikey Garcia has made it quite clear if he comes through on Saturday night, he would like to fight Manny Pacquiao next,” said the 40-year-old Hearn.

“I’ve had a number of conversations with (PSM head) Audie (Attar) and we would definitely like to make a play for Manny Pacquiao to fight on DAZN in Saudi Arabia,” said Hearn. “We now have a partnership with Skills Challenge Entertainment, which is our partners that we staged the Saudi fight with Andy Ruiz and Anthony Joshua to complete for a number of shows each year.”

Hearn said Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight-division champion, remains immensely popular.

“The next one is planned for early July, and Manny Pacquiao is a fighter that they would love to have onboard to box in Saudi Arabia. One of the problems with Manny Pacquiao is it seems there are 162 people claiming to represent him right now.”

But Hearn believes Attar has the authority to represent the 41-year-old Pacquiao, who beat Keith Thurman last July in his last fight in Las Vegas.

“With Audie and Paradigm looking to have the only official link, a recorded link of at least a conversation between the two of them where Manny confirms he’s being represented by Audie,” added Hearn.

About two weeks ago, Pacquiao forged a deal with Attar although Sean Gibbons, who heads MP Promotions, made it clear that Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions, still has live contract with the Filipino star.

Pacquiao, whose deal with PBC called for two fights, signed an extension with Haymon before the fight with Thurman.

PBC did the first fight when Pacquiao faced Adrien Broner in January 2019.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

How San Miguel Beer will play sans June Mar Fajardo is expected to draw intrigue as a competitive race to hold the prestigious Jun Bernardino Perpetual Trophy awaits the season-opening PBA Philippine Cup on March 8.

“Nawalan sila ng kanin kaya tignan natin how they gonna react, how they gonna adjust and yun ang gusto ko makita,” San Miguel Sports Director Alfrancis Chua said after the PBA’s press launch at the Forbes Ballroom of the Conrad Hotel in Pasay City.

The absence of Fajardo, who will be out for at least the duration of the Philippine Cup due to a fractured right tibia suffered in practice, has put the Beermen’s bid for a sixth straight title in the most important tournament of the pro loop in jeopardy.

San Miguel team governor Robert Non acknowledged the tough road the Beermen face with the threat from the perennial contenders like last season’s Governors’ Cup champion Barangay Ginebra, Magnolia and corporate rival TNT KaTropa.

But Non remains confident of SMB’s chances to keep its title reign even without the gentle giant.

“The last five championships (in the Philippine Cup) we have June Mar there. Pero pag tinignan mo lalo na last season, balanse na yung teams even with June Mar,” Non said.

“This year, ito ang pinakamabigat,” he added. “Kailangan talaga mag-step yung team namin. May mga konti kaming adjustment because of the absence of June Mar this All-Filipino hanggang third conference and hopefully Mo Tautuaa can fill up the big shoes and the other guys have to step up also.”

Fajardo’s injury not also leaves a big hole for SMB but also put the PBA without one of its crowd drawers.

“He’s an essential part of not only the PBA who brings people in the coliseum because he has a lot of fans but also that of Gilas (Pilipinas),” PBA chairman Ricky Vargas of TNT said. “You know, June Mar is a staple in Philippine basketball representing the country so we wish him well that he gets better pretty soon. And we need him back in the PBA.”

The PBA enters the season trying to deal with a four-percent drop in attendance and also the 25-percent rise in online viewership.

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial acknowledged the struggles trying to fill the venues but added that the live stream could another aspect the league wants to capitalize.

“Lahat ng mga tao nasa gadgets so papunta na rin po kami dun sa digital. Tinitignan namin kung paano natin maayos yung sa venue,” said Marcial, who was given a three-year extension to run the PBA.

San Miguel faces Magnolia on March 8 to kick off the new season at the Smart Araneta Coliseum following the Leo Awards and the opening ceremonies.

The eliminations will run until May 16 with three out-of-town games in Balanga, Dipolog and Cagayan de Oro aside from regular games at the Big Dome, Mall of Asia Arena and Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

There’s a chance the league may holds games at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum and Philsports Arena, venues that were refurbished before the recent Southeast Asian Games.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

San Miguel Corporation sports director Alfrancis Chua, also Barangay Ginebra governor, respects the decision of Greg Slaughter to take a break from basketball, adding that there’s no reason for him to reach out to the 7-foot center.

“Di naman na siguro kailangan kasi wala naman siyang nireach out kahit kanino e,” Chua said after Tuesday’s press launch of the 45th PBA season at the Forbes Ballroom of the Conrad Hotel in Pasay City.

“That’s his decision. He’s old enough so no one or me can question him kasi matanda na. Nasa tamang edad na siya para magdesisyon kung ano pakay niya or what he wants so respetuhin na lang natin,” he added.

Chua made his first statement since Slaughter decided to undergo a sabbatical following Ginebra’s title victory in the PBA Governors’ Cup that fueled numerous speculations.

Slaughter, whose contract expired after the Finals series against Meralco, had an exit interview with coach Tim Cone before making the stunning announcement.

Cone has yet to comment if he and Slaughter made succeeding discussions about the decision that left Ginebra without of its big men.

Still, Chua is confident of Ginebra’s chances in the PBA Philippine Cup which opens March 8 since it has already had experience winning titles with and without Slaughter.

Ginebra was without Slaughter when Ginebra captured the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup while the former Ateneo star was Best Player of the Conference during the following season’s title run in the season-ending tournament.

“Ok pa rin ang Ginebra. Anu lang adjustments lang yan,” Chua said. “Dati nung na-injure siya, they won a championship without him, tas nag-champion din with him. Kaya dinedicate ko yung championship sa kanya dahil nakatikim na siya ng championship.

“So I think Ginebra is ready because we won the championship with him and without him. Naramdaman na pareho,” he added.

Ginebra opens its Philippine Cup campaign on March 14 against Blackwater in an out-of-town game in Balanga, Bataan.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

San Miguel Alab Pilipinas has issued an ultimatum to Justin Brownlee after repeatedly missing flights since agreeing to reinforce the team for the ASEAN Basketball League.

Team owner Charlie Dy told the Manila Bulletin that Brownlee has promised to arrive this week after talking with coach Jimmy Alapag to discuss the situation that left Alab with just two imports in the previous matches against the Kuala Lumpur Dragons and Saigon Heat.

Dy added that if Brownlee fails to arrive by Friday, Alab will be left with no choice but to search for another import before the league’s deadline of signing new players on Feb. 29.

“Nag-message siya kay Jimmy, he’ll be here this week,” Dy said. “Pag wala pa siya by Friday, then we have to move forward without him.”

Brownlee was tapped more than a week ago as a replacement to Prince Williams, a move Alab is hoping would translate into an improved showing in a season that has been a rollercoaster.

But Brownlee twice missed his flights from Los Angeles, forcing Alab to play with Nick King and 7-foot-5 Sam Deguara as its two imports.

Alab split its two games with King and Deguara as reinforcements.

Meanwhile, Alab has decided to replace Deguara with former PBA import and one-time Singapore Slingers reinforcement John Fields.

Fields is expected to play his first game on Sunday when Alab travels to Ho Chi Minh City to take on the Heat.

The 31-year-old played for the Columbian Dyip in the 2018 PBA Commissioner’s Cup and suited up for just one game with Magnolia in last year’s edition of the midseason conference.

He averaged 29.1 points, 19.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 blocks for the Dyip in 2018.

Fields also helped the Slingers reach the 2019 ABL Finals but losing to Indonesia’s CLS Knights in five games. He posted 21.6 points and 12.4 rebounds in 36 games for the Lion City outfit.

Deguara averaged 14.5 points and 10.1 rebounds in 14 games after replacing Adrian Forbes.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Agence France-Presse

A tearful Michael Jordan on Monday remembered his “little brother” Kobe Bryant at a star-filled memorial in Los Angeles for the basketball great and his daughter Gianna, who died with seven others in a helicopter crash last month.

“When Kobe Bryant died, a piece of me died, and as I look in this arena, across the globe, a piece of you died,” the NBA legend said with tears streaming down his face.

“I promise you, from this day forward, I will live with the memories and knowing that I had a little brother,” Jordan, widely regarded as the greatest player in history, added.

“I tried to help in every way I could. Please rest in peace, little brother.”

The public memorial — dubbed “A Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant” — was held at Staples Center, the arena where Bryant wowed fans for 17 years, and known as “the house that Kobe built.”

The 2/24 date carries special significance as it coincides with Bryant’s jersey number — “24” — and Gianna’s “2” jersey number.

Another basketball legend, Shaquille O’Neal, also spoke at the ceremony, drawing cheers as he recalled the three NBA titles that he and Bryant won together.

“Kobe and I have pushed one another to play some of the greatest basketball of all time and I am proud that no other team has accomplished the three-peat the Lakers have done since Shaq-and-the-Kobe Lakers did it,” O’Neal said.

He also spoke of their well-known feuding, saying that even though “we fought, bantered or insulted each other with off-handed remarks,” there was mutual respect between the pair.

“Make no mistake,” O’Neal said. “Folks thought we were on bad terms, (but) when the cameras were turned off, he and I would throw a wink at each other.”

Beyonce, backed by a choir, opened the ceremony with one of Bryant’s favorite songs “XO,” from her 2013 album, followed by “Halo.”

“I’m here because I love Kobe,” said the 70-time Grammy-nominated singer, who was dressed in a golden suit — the color of the Los Angeles Lakers, Bryant’s team for two decades.

Read more: ‘He was my everything’: NBA’s Kobe Bryant mourned at emotional Los Angeles tribute

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Agence France-Presse

Kobe Bryant’s widow Vanessa filed a lawsuit on Monday against the operators of the helicopter that crashed on January 26, killing the NBA icon and eight others.

The suit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on the same day that Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and the other seven crash victims were memorialized in a public ceremony at the Staples Center.

The lawsuit names Island Express Helicopters, Island Express Holding Corp. and the estate of the helicopter’s pilot, Ara Zobayan, who was among the victims.

Gianna Bryant’s basketball teammates Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester, Altobelli’s parents John and Keri, Payton’s mother Sarah and basketball coach Christina Mauser were also killed.

The National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the exact cause of the crash, although preliminary findings showed no sign of mechanical failure.

Monday’s lawsuit faults the company for allowing the helicopter to fly in “heavy fog and low clouds” that Sunday morning, conditions which prompted “law enforcement agencies and tour companies” to ground their helicopters.

“On information and belief, Island Express Helicopters Federal Aviation Administration operating certificate limited its pilots to flying only under visual flight rules,” the lawsuit says.

“The subject helicopter was not licensed or certified to be flown into instrument conditions. On information and belief, the pilot-in-command, Ara George Zobayan, was required to fly only in conditions that he could navigate visually.

“Ara George Zobayan attempted to maneuver the helicopter up and forward to clear the clouds, then entered a turn sending the helicopter into steep terrain at approximately 180 mph,” according to the suit. “Witnesses on the ground reported seeing the helicopter flying through a layer of clouds and fog before the helicopter crashed.”

The lawsuit notes that in 2015 Zobayan was cited by the FAA for violating the visual flight rules minimums by “flying into an airspace of reduced visibility from weather conditions.”

Island Express did not immediately comment on the suit, which seeks unspecified general, economic and punitive damages.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Reuters

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A gallery of basketball legends joined thousands of Kobe Bryant fans in Los Angeles on Monday to pay tribute to the transcendent NBA star, his daughter and seven others who died in a helicopter crash last month that shocked the world of sports and beyond.

The “Celebration of Life” memorial at the Staples Center, Bryant’s home arena during most of his storied 20-season career with the Los Angeles Lakers, featured an emotional address by Bryant’s widow Vanessa, who started dating Kobe when she was 17.

She told a rapt audience that included National Basketball Association luminaries and show-business celebrities about the pain of losing her 13-year-old daughter Gianna, “an amazingly sweet and gentle soul,” and the husband she called her “soulmate.”

“He was my everything,” she said of Bryant, who joined the NBA at age 18 straight out of high school, was a five-time champion and fourth-highest scorer in league history with 33,643 points.

“God knew they couldn’t be on this earth without each other,” Vanessa Bryant said, referring to her husband and daughter. “He had to bring them home to heaven together.”

Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and former Bryant teammate Shaquille O’Neal were among the Basketball Hall of Famers who attended the memorial, which opened with a performance by singer Beyonce and a montage of Bryant’s on-court highlights.

“When Kobe Bryant died, a piece of me died,” said Jordan with tears streaming down his face. “Please rest in peace, little brother.”

Read more: Tearful Michael Jordan commemorates ‘little brother’ Kobe Bryant

Bryant, 41, and the others were killed on Jan. 26 in a crash in Calabasas, California, while en route to a youth basketball tournament at which Kobe was planning to coach his daughter and her teammates.

Vanessa Bryant filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the operator of the helicopter. The pilot was one of those killed in the accident.

Read more: Bryant’s widow sues helicopter company over fatal crash

An avid basketball player herself, Gianna hoped one day to play for the powerhouse collegiate program at the University of Connecticut, and she bonded with her father over their shared love of the game.

Fans gathered outside the arena hours before the ceremony started, many of them clad in Lakers purple and gold.

“I have been a Kobe fan for a long, long time. It is so sad, especially with the children. But it has really brought the city together,” said Bubacar Drammeh, who stood outside the venue and planned to watch the memorial on TV.

Inside the Staples Center, the mood was somber. Concession stands were closed and cell phone use discouraged. Attendees were not allowed in if they arrived late.

The proceedings attracted A-list Hollywood stars, including Jennifer Lopez, Queen Latifah and Spike Lee. Grammy award-winning musician Alicia Keys performed the “Moonlight Sonata.”

Late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel cried as he read out the names of the deceased and expressed the shock felt by loyal fans of the self-proclaimed “Black Mamba,” who dazzled the Los Angeles community well beyond his time on the court, even winning an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film in 2018.

“This is a sad day, but it is also a celebration of life, of their lives,” said Kimmel, who had Bryant on his show many times.

After his 20-year playing career, the Lakers retired both jersey numbers Bryant wore for the team – 8 and 24 – which hang from the arena’s rafters along with the numbers of other Lakers’ greats, including Johnson and O’Neal.

During the annual NBA All-Star weekend three weeks after the crash, the league said it would name its All-Star Game Most Valuable Player honor for Bryant.

Since his death, tributes to Bryant have appeared across the Los Angeles area, with his numbers displayed on the Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel, city buses bearing “RIP Kobe” signs and purple and gold lights added to the pylons at LAX airport.

“In the game of basketball, in life, as a parent, Kobe left nothing in the tank,” said Jordan, articulating one of the reasons Bryant’s stardom transcended sports. “He left it all on the floor.”

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

Game Tuesday

(Rizal Memorial Stadium)

7:30 p.m. — Ceres vs Quang Ninh

Ceres-Negros goes for another win when it host Vietnam’s Than Quang Ninh in the resumption of group stage campaign in the AFC Cup at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

The Busmen hope to build on their 4-0 drubbing of Cambodia’s Svay Rieng two weeks ago when they face the Vietnamese side seeking to bounce back from a 4-1 defeat to Indonesia’s Bali United.

Kickoff is set at 7:30 p.m. with Ceres playing its second straight match at home.

Quang Ninh was supposed to host Ceres in Cam Pha but the AFC decided to move the match in Manila after the Vietnamese government decided to ban all sporting events as a preventive measure against the novel coronavirus disease.

A victory enables the reigning Philippines Football League and Copa Paulino Alcantara champions to get some momentum before they play Bali United at home on March 11.

Bali faces Svay Rieng in Cambodia in the other match of Group G.

The top team earns a place in the ASEAN Zonal semifinals the runner-up must emerge as the best among its counterparts from other groups in order to earn a slot in the next phase.

Strikers Bienvenido Maranon and Robert Lopez Mendy will key the Ceres attack along with star midfielder and team captain Stephan Schrock.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jan Carlo Anolin

Honorio Banario is riding on Team Lakay’s successful start in 2020 and seeks to climb back up the ranks of the ONE Championship featherweight division.

The 30-year-old Banario faces Thai foe Shannon Wiratchai in ONE: King of the Jungle in a closed-door event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on February 28, making his first comeback in the featherweight bout.

“Here [in featherweight,] I am faster, more explosive, and the fans will surely enjoy an exciting match between two hungry veterans looking to make a statement to start the year,” Banario said.

The Team Lakay veteran seeks to bounce back from three straight losses in the lightweight division with the latest defeat coming from Japanese grappler Shinya Aoki via first round technical submission in ONE: Century II last October.

“Even before my last bout, I wanted to move to featherweight. However, I couldn’t pass upthe chance to compete against a legend like Shinya,” Banario said, stressing that he felt ‘heavier’ and had to endure injuries even at peak condition in the lightweight division.

The 31-year-old Wiratchai, meanwhile, aims to end his three-game skid and gain his first win since 2018 against Rahul K. Rahu of India.

Banario admitted that he wasn’t at “100 percent” during his lightweight run, adding that moving down will be good for his body – physically and mentally.

As the title hunt begins, the Baguio native fighter believes the decision will bring out the best in him. “I can’t relax in my training,” he said.

Banario decided to move a weight higher in 2016 after suffering five straight losses, from 2013 to 2015, in featherweight class.

Going up, the inaugural ONE featherweight world champion showed a different side of him and emerged victorious five consecutive times in the lightweight bout, from his 2016 debut until 2018.

“When I first competed at lightweight, I felt good because I was able to bring my power and speed up there and still feel light,” Banario said. “My reaction time is a bit later than I want. It’s a huge factor in my decision to move down.

“I just hope to win this one and keep on winning this year. I’m returning to my original weight division, and I want to continue to work my way back to the top.”

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Nick Giongco

The next stage of John Riel Casimero’s training for his unification bantamweight title fight with Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue on April 25 has already been laid out.

“John Riel is arriving here in Las Vegas on March 15,” Casimero’s chief handler Sean Gibbons said Monday from Sin City.

Since early this month, Casimero has been training under the watchful eyes of Cuban trainers in Miami, Florida.

Casimero is bringing his World Boxing Organization crown to the fight at the Mandalay Bay while Inoue, the big favorite, is taking the World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation straps in what is being predicted as a slambang showdown of hard-hitters.

When Casimero relocates from Florida to the deserts of Las Vegas, he will be joined by conditioning coach Memo Heredia and his core team that includes Nonoy Neri, a member of Manny Pacquiao’s entourage.

Meanwhile, Inoue, also in the thick of preparations in Yokohama, is likely to depart Japan for the US sometime in the third week of March.

Promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc., the Inoue-Casimero clash will produce a winner who will boast of three belts.

Other than the WBO, WBA and IBF, the only other bantamweight titlist is from the World Boxing Council, which lists Nordine Oubaali of France as its champion in the 118-lb class.

Casimero (29-4 with 21 KOs) and Inoue (19-0 with 16 KOs) both share the sentiment of unifying all four belts.

Source: Manila Bulletin