Boxing

[Doc_Piptorious]

Vitali to make a comeback as the Maulin' Mayor in an attempt to sort out the guy who bullied Wlad a la Corrie Sanders.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Wonder will the current gangland kick off in Dublin have any impact on British boxing.

There are a number of Irish and British boxers under the MGM/Kinihan management banner, and it is not as though there has not been a track record of rough stuff at MGM events even before the recent murder at the weigh in.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Joshua meant to be announcing his next opponent today at 18:00.


Both his and Hearn's twitter mention it.


Charles Martin is the name popping up on most outlets as the likely opponent.

[fidget]

Firmino must be buzzing his head off having Sturridge and Coutinho to play with.
All on the same wavelength.

[RichC]

Firmino must be buzzing his head off having Sturridge and Coutinho to play with.
All on the same wavelength.

Unlike you it seems

[Doc_Piptorious]

lol

[Chazza]

[ame]https://twitter.com/anthonyfjoshua/status/698929093782478849[/ame]

[Vermilion]

good

[spud_gun]

Feeding off Tyson's scraps

[Doc_Piptorious]

Could be a good tussle. Martin is a big guy like Joshua and is also has a record made up of mostly early finished albeit against some pretty average to poor fare for the most part (again like Joshua).


Some career Joshua is having now. Fighting for the IBF strap in only his 16th bout. The IBF heavyweight belt may be a young belt compared to it's WBA and WBC counterparts but it is one that has a pretty good list of ex holders for the most part. Be a hell of an achievement for Joshua to win it so early in his pro career.

[Vermilion]

Unlike you it seems

No concentration is the problem, he just cant sit still that lad, always playing with his hands or moving around in his chair, no wonder he's confused.

[RedReet]

What time are Frampton/Quigg likely to be fighting at on Saturday?

[Chazza]

Should be on around 10pm but it's not on this weekend

[RedReet]

FFS, I keep blanking out this weekend because there is no PL and we have no game at all.

Cheers.

[Chazza]

Oh Dear

Manny Pacquiao has sparked a firestorm of criticism in the Philippines after describing gay couples as "worse than animals".

Nearing the end of a glorious decades-long boxing career, the 37-year-old is reinventing himself as a conservative Bible-bearing politician ahead of the country's May elections, when he is running for a senate seat.

"It's common sense. Do you see animals mating with the same sex? Animals are better because they can distinguish male from female," Pacquiao told local broadcaster TV5 in an interview aired earlier this week.

"If men mate with men and women mate with women they are worse than animals."

Gay marriage is outlawed in the Philippines due to strong opposition from the Catholic Church and 80 percent of the country's 100 million people subscribe to the faith.

Gay marriages are officiated at small churches but these unions are not recognised by the church or the state.

The country's most popular gay comedian, Vice Ganda, posted #PrayForMannyPacquiao to his 6.7 million followers on Twitter as he tore at the boxer.

"Some people think they can judge people like God just because they've attended a prayer meeting and read the bible," he said.

"The Senate needs experts on politics and law, not blind prophets," Vice Ganda added.

Singer Aiza Seguerra, who recently married her actress-girlfriend, called on voters to boycott Pacquiao, who is also preparing for his last boxing fight in April, calling him an "ignorant, bigoted hypocrite".

"You might have done our country proud but with your statement, you just showed the whole country why we shouldn't vote for you," Seguerra said in a post on Instagram.

Pacquiao gave the television interview as part of his campaign for one of 12 seats in the nationally-elected senate.

The most recent surveys suggest he would win. He currently represents his wife's impoverished home province of Sarangani in the House of Representatives and is notorious for his chronic absences, favouring boxing training over legislation.

In one of the rare times he spoke at the legislature, Pacquiao quoted heavily from the Bible as he vigorously sought to stop a proposed law, since passed, granting free condoms to the poor.

He credits his renewed Christian faith for transforming him from a free-spending womaniser and gambler into a devoted family man who can recite Bible verses.

"Outside the boxing ring, I don't think Manny Pacquiao should be taken seriously. It struck me first as funny. I pity him," Kakay Pamaran, a pastor at one of Manila gay churches, told AFP.

"I would advise him to talk to more LGBT (lesbian gay bisexual and transgender) persons, meet them and not just reduce his concept of LGBT to the sexual act."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/boxing/manny-pacquiao/12159100/Manny-Pacquiao-sparks-fury-by-saying-gay-people-are-worse-than-animals.html