Bob Velin
249 articles · USA Today
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Pacquiao’s pro hoops debut upset promoter Arum
By Bob Velin
Basketball is Manny Pacquiao's passion. But boxing brings home the bacon ? and lots of it ? for the Filipino superstar. So last weekend, when he left his training camp in the…
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De La Hoya: Best fight to be made not Mayweather-Pacquiao
By Bob Velin
McLEAN, Va. ? The fight the world has begged for since they were, well, much younger ? Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao ? remains faintly on Oscar De la Hoya's radar. The…
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Floyd Mayweather’s unanimous decision round by round
By Bob Velin
Floyd Mayweather Jr.,used a brilliant game plan to retain his welterweight and light middleweight titles with a unanimous decision against Marcos Maidana Saturday night in Las Vegas. One judge scored it 115-112,…
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After midnight: Mayweather makes delayed D.C. tour stop
By Bob Velin
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- At midnight Tuesday, Floyd Mayweather took the stage at DAR Constitution Hall, as a couple hundred patient and persistent fans cheered boxing's pound for pound king and joined the…
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New champ Algieri hopes to ride breakthrough to top
By Bob Velin
Chris Algieri has always known where he wanted to get to in his boxing career. It was just slow-going taking the local route. Last weekend at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Algieri…
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Chris Algieri stuns Provodnikov, wins split decision, title
By Bob Velin
Chris Algieri was knocked down twice in the first round and fought most of the fight with one eye closed Saturday night, but picked himself up off the canvas and stunned champion…
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Freddie Roach short on time, long on fighters
By Bob Velin
As a six-time trainer of the year, member of boxing's Hall of Fame and tutor of at least three current world champions, most notably Manny Pacquiao, Freddie Roach never has to worry…
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‘Golden Boy’ De La Hoya reflects as he enters boxing Hall
By Bob Velin
On Sunday afternoon, in a small town in upstate New York, Oscar De La Hoya, the Golden Boy from East Los Angeles ? Olympic champion, world champion, successful businessman, husband, father, and…
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Middleweights Sergio Martinez, Miguel Cotto to battle
By Bob Velin
There's no question that Sergio Martinez and Miguel Cotto, warriors in their prime, are not the fighters they once were. The question is, do they have enough left to entertain an expected…
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Nonito Donaire hopes changes can revive his career
By Bob Velin
The way Nonito Donaire looked at times in the ring last year, he could've changed his nickname from "The Filipino Flash" to "The Filipino Flash-in-the Pan." In losing his super bantamweight title…
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Pacquiao contract extension could doom Mayweather fight
By Bob Velin
Any hopes that the boxing public might someday see Manny Pacquiao fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. likely fell by the wayside Tuesday. Top Rank Promotions announced that WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao signed…
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Marquez defeats Alvarado in slugfest at Forum
By Bob Velin
Looking far younger than his 40 years, Mexican great Juan Manuel Marquez outboxed, outpunched and beat Mike Alvarado to the punch in winning a unanimous decision Saturday night in boxing's return to…
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Marquez, at 40, still seeking elusive welterweight title
By Bob Velin
At 40, Juan Manuel Marquez might be thinking about retirement. But before he hangs up his gloves, the Mexican great will need that leather to attain a goal he's determined to meet.…
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Amir Khan wants Floyd Mayweather, but when will it happen?
By Bob Velin
LAS VEGAS -- Amir Khan knows he's the most logical choice to be Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s next opponent in September. Khan is 27 and coming off a spectacular three-knockdown victory against Luis…
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Floyd Mayweather beats Marcos Maidana, but crowd unhappy
By Bob Velin
LAS VEGAS -- Floyd Mayweather and Marcos Maidana arrived together at their post-fight press conference Saturday night, about an hour after Mayweather had won a hard-fought majority decision in a much tougher…
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MGM Grand looking into post-fight incident with fans
By Bob Velin
LAS VEGAS -- Officials the MGM Grand are looking into a post-fight incident involving dozens of fans following Saturday night's Floyd Mayweather-Marcos Maidana championship fight. Scott Ghertner, a spokesman for the MGM…
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Floyd Mayweather stays unbeaten with tough split decision
By Bob Velin
LAS VEGAS -- Boxing's No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter Floyd Mayweather encountered one of his toughest fights but managed to hang on Saturday night and gain a split decision against Marcos Maidana to…
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Underdog Marcos Maidana set to prove doubters wrong
By Bob Velin
LAS VEGAS ? The combatants in Saturday's main event of "The Moment," Floyd Mayweather and Marcos Maidana, are as opposite as two men could be. Mayweather is outgoing, brash, flaunts his piles…
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‘No question’ Mayweather distracted by breakup as Maidana fight looms
By Bob Velin
LAS VEGAS -- Floyd Mayweather is an overwhelming 11-to-1 favorite to defeat WBA welterweight champion Marcos Maidana in their pay-per-view unification bout at the MGM Grand on Saturday night. Yet there are…
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Mayweather says he thinks of retiring, settling down
By Bob Velin
LAS VEGAS - This time, he even took his closest friend and advisor by surprise. Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions, said during Wednesday's final press conference that when Floyd Mayweather mentioned…