Noted boxing historian Bert Sugar believes that a clash between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao would rival Sugar Ray Leonard's comeback 14th-round knockout of Thomas Hearns in September 1981, when the victor trailed by four, three and two points, respectively, on the three judges' cards.
Calling it "today's Super Bowl of boxing," Sugar said the demand and scope of Mayweather-Pacquio "easily passes" Felix Trinidad's controversial September 1999, 12-round majority decision over Oscar De La Hoya, even as theirs was a clash of a Puerto Rican icon in Trinidad and a cross-over Mexican-American star in De La Hoya.
"[Mayweather-Pacquiao] has international appeal, particularly in Asia. And you've got HBO, which will be pumping it with their 24/7 series. It will be the fight of the century," said Sugar, who, as then-editor of Ring Magazine, named Leonard-Hearns "Fight Of The Year."
In this FanHouse exclusive, we caught up with Mayweather Sr. to find out what he thinks of Manny Pacquiao's chances against his son. Mayweather also takes a few shots at Pacquaio's trainer, Freddie Roach, and claims his unbeaten son, Floyd Mayweather Jr., is the toughest competition around.
LAS VEGAS -- Boxing is alive and thriving, and you can see it in the nationalistic pride that enveloped Las Vegas on Friday. The Filipinos and Puerto Ricans descended on The Strip with their colorful flags and chants, and they queued in orderly groups -- Manny Pacquiao's publiko/bayan here, Miguel Cotto's publico/paisanos there -- for a raucous weigh-in Friday afternoon at the MGM Grand Garden.
So much excitement, for two 145-pound boxers standing on a scale. But Pacquiao-Cotto is the biggest thing to happen to boxing since Pacquiao-Oscar De La Hoya. Or Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton.
Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.
Troy Rowland considers himself "a down-to-earth, small-town guy," even though that town is Grand Rapids, Mich., hometown of the great Floyd Mayweather Jr.
But on Saturday in one of boxing's meccas, Las Vegas, the fighter with no nickname has a chance to make a name for himself against unbeaten Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., son of a legendary Mexican great. Chavez-Rowland takes place on the undercard of Miguel Cotto vs. Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand.
See what's on Rowland's mind in the video after the jump.
LAS VEGAS -- Grand Rapids, Mich., resident Troy Rowland will get his big chance on Saturday night when he steps into the ring opposite Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in a clash of 6-foot middleweights at the MGM Grand Hotel.
The 34-year-old Rowland (pictured left in the red), who nearly gave up the sport in October of 2005, will earn $38,000 compared to $300,000 for the 23-year-old Chavez, the son of the former legendary world champion by the same name.
The 160-pound Rowland, whose wife, Stacie, will be at ringside for his fight, takes a record of 25-2, with seven knockouts against Chavez (40-0-1, 30 KOs).
TAMPA, Fla. -- Several times a year, Fred Tukes leaves his wife Heather, his two-year-old son Jeremiah, and his 14-year-old daughter Alana, at home in Atlanta to go and trade punches with some of the world's best professional boxers.
Yet when you listen to Mayweather talk about De La Hoya, it seems he is still trying to promote that fight, trashing De La Hoya, wondering why anyone would love him.
In this FanHouse exclusive hear what Floyd has to say, get Oscar's reaction and find out what Mayweather thinks of the upcoming Amir Kahn - Dmitry Salita fight.
Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.
Boxing star Bernard Hopkins is one of the most entertaining figures in sports and an interview with him never disappoints. In this FanHouse exclusive, Hopkins tells us what would happen if he got into the ring to face Manny Pacquiao, why fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr. would be one of the easiest fight of his life and who he thinks is the best pound-for-pound boxer today.
LAS VEGAS -- Floyd Mayweather Jr. stood on his triumphant post-fight podium Saturday night, flanked by the boxer who openly challenged him in the ring after his win by unanimous decision over Juan Manuel Marquez, and said he is ducking no one.
"Shane Mosley is a good fighter, and he's got an upcoming bout (vs. Joshua Clottey on Dec. 26) and I wish him nothing but the best," Mayweather said of the current WBA welterweight super champion, who jumped into the post-fight ring, grabbed the microphone like Kanye West and openly challenged "Money" to fight him minutes after Marquez had been dispatched.
LAS VEGAS -- Sin City is the adopted hometown of Floyd Mayweather Jr., but you'd hardly know it on the eve of Fight Night, when the flamboyant six-time world champion in five weight classes returns to the ring after a 21-month hiatus.
Mariachi bands are strolling outside the MGM Grand Garden Arena, trumpeting the presence of Juan Manuel Marquez as the People's Choice in Saturday night's non-title welterweight fight (HBO pay-per-view). The Mexican flag flies from the windows of honking cars idling in the usual weekend traffic jam along Las Vegas Blvd.
Does that mean Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs), the likeable reigning lightweight champion and a beloved Mexican sports figure, has an emotional edge in a fight that most everyone believes is a tailor-made setup to welcome Mayweather, 32, back from the distractions of TV stardom, professional wrestling and the money-draining rap music business?
Hardly. This is Las Vegas, and nothing is ever as it seems.
.jpg)
Noted boxing historian Bert Sugar believes that a clash between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao would rival Sugar Ray Leonard's comeback 14th-round knockout of Thomas Hearns in September 1981, when the victor trailed by four, three and two points, respectively, on the three judges' cards.
Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos. 
Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos. 
LAS VEGAS -- Grand Rapids, Mich., resident 
Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos. 
Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to 
LAS VEGAS -- 
LAS VEGAS -- Sin City is the adopted hometown of 
