Reformed Pacman takes on boxing world

LAS VEGAS -- Manny Pacquiao barely escaped to fight another day, and would need 28 stitches to close the cut over his right eye. Juan Manuel Marquez had nearly ended his remarkable run, but that didn't stop Pacquiao from singing at his post-fight concert and partying the night away with his huge entourage.

He returns to the ring Saturday (Sunday morning Philippine time), determined to show his last outing was nothing more than a fluke. Little known Timothy Bradley will be his opponent in a fight that could either end Pacquiao's lucrative career or revitalize it.

Pacquiao seeks KO win

CEBU CITY -- “David and Goliath.”

That’s how Manny Pacquiao sees himself and American challenger Timothy Bradley on Saturday night (Sunday morning Philippine time) when they go up against each other at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Azkals draw with Indonesians in friendly

MANILA -- Despite parading a young line-up, Indonesia was able to hold the Philippines to a draw, 2-2, in a rainy friendly match at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila on Tuesday night.

After a sluggish first half, both teams took turns in logging goals as veteran Indonesian striker Patrick Wanggai rose to smash in a header in the 58th minute from across by midfielder Oktovianus Maniani.

Azkals: Friendly vs Indonesia not a grudge match

FOR defender Rob Gier, his teammates in the Philippine men’s football team have no axe to grind against Indonesia, the country that crushed their hopes for a historical finals appearance in the Asean Suzuki Cup two years ago.

Gier said they have left the past behind as they will use the match slated Tuesday night at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila to prepare for the next staging of the tournament later this year.

Pacquiao set to fight Bradley on June 9

MANILA -- Filipino World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao tapers off his training regimen starting today, Monday, at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.

“Everything is there, power, strength, speed, stamina. Except for some minor improvements, I’m actually ready to fight,” Pacquiao said.

Regions step up vs NCR for 2012 Palaro

SPORTS teams from regions all over the Philippines gear up as this year's Palarong Pambansa draws nearer.

Sports execs divided over football stadium location

SPORTS officials in the country are divided over whether to construct a new football coliseum that could be the home base of the national football team or renovate the existing stadium in the Rizal Memorial Complex in Manila.

The House Committee on Youth and Sports Development recently held a hearing on House Bill 4298 authored by Cagayan de Oro City Representative Rufus Rodriguez and Abante Mindanao party-list Maximo Rodriguez Jr.

Azkals make history for booking trip to AFC Challenge Cup semis

MANILA -- Filipino booters bucked a wobbly first half to defeat former titlists Tajikistan, 2-1, as they marched into the semifinals of the 2012 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup in Nepal.

Trailing by one goal, lead striker Phil Younghusband pulled off the equalizer in the 53rd minute when he fired the ball into the empty net off a pass from Angel Guirado.

STI College supports Takbo Para Sa Karunungan

FOR the third straight year, STI Colleges has strengthened its commitment to support dzMM in its run for a cause. With education as its advocacy, this year's run is dubbed as dzMM Takbo Para Sa Karunungan, held at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on March 11.

STI Colleges has prepared school supplies for dzMM's 75 beneficiaries, comprised of scholars from Metro Manila, Cagayan de Oro, and Iligan City who were affected by the Typhoons Ondoy and Sendong.

Azkals vow to come out stronger in do-or-die match vs Tajikistan

NEARLY two weeks since coming over to Nepal for the 2012 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup, the men's national team Azkals will not pack their bags yet without giving former titlists Tajikistan a tough fight on Tuesday.

La Salle swimmer leads UAAP’s best in Season 74

FOR scooping rare seven gold medals and anchoring De La Salle University to a podium finish, swimmer Johansen Benedict Aguilar was adjudged as one of the three Athletes of the Year of the 74th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) season.

Malaysians draw Azkals in friendly match, 1-1

SHORT of duplicating the feat hacked out by their predecessors against Malaysia some two decades ago, the Azkals lost grip in the dying minutes of the game at the Rizal Memorial Stadium to end Wednesday night’s friendly at 1-1.

Malaysians shrug off 1991 loss as they face Azkals Wednesday

FILIPINO booters were able to upset Malaysia in the preliminaries of the 1991 Southeast Asian Games in Manila, a harrowing loss that the current mentor of the powerhouse team believe does not merit a repeat on Wednesday.

'Boxing best bet for Olympic gold'

FILIPINO boxers need to be in more fights to toughen them up for the Olympic Games, Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, chairman of the Senate committee on games and amusement has said.

Pacquiao touts Bradley fight, teases retirement

BEVERLY HILLS, California (Updated 9:05 a.m.) -- Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr. both realize almost every boxing fan wishes Floyd Mayweather Jr. had been standing next to Pacquiao at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Tuesday.

But when Pacquiao and Mayweather failed to make a deal for the fight everybody wants to see, Pacquiao moved down the list of contenders to make a fight he hopes his fans will enjoy.

Donaire wins 4th world title

MANILA (Updated) -- Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire took a split decision against Wilfredo Vazquez of Puerto Rico to win the WBO junior featherweight title Sunday (Philippine time) at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Donaire, making his debut in the weight class, won 117-110 on two scorecards and lost 115-112. He controlled the bout despite breaking his left hand somewhere between the second and fourth rounds before a crowd of 14,120.

Baguio to host national basketball tournament for teenagers

HIGH school students will meet in Baguio City next week for the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas' (SBP) Under-16 National Championship.

A total of 10 teams are seeing action in the men's division, while five squads make up the women's side of the meet slated January 22-28 at the University of Baguio, Cordillera Career Development College, and Eastern College gym, respectively.

Sports journalists to honor Cebuano cager

LIVING up to his lofty billing, Cebuano bigman Greg Slaughter consistently displayed virtuous performances as a rookie for the multi-titled Ateneo de Manila University.

Azkals to play Korean team for Sendong victims

FOLLOWING a successful exhibition match with a third-tier Spanish club last week, the Azkals are expected to have their hands full for another fund-raising game for the victims of tropical storm Sendong (international name: Washi) on January 21.

Taking on the Azkals at the 13,000-seater Rizal Memorial Stadium is Korea's Icheon Citizens, whose players reportedly had World Cup experience.

Phil Younghusband gets raves from Real Madrid coach

AZKAL striker Phil Younghusband added another feather to his cap after his former mentor, currently with popular Spanish football club Real Madrid, recently praised his talent and passion for the sport.

P1.5M to be raised from Azkals charity match

SOME P1.5 million is expected to be generated from a charity game between the Philippine football team Azkals and Spanish club, CF Internacional de Madrid, on Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.

The Philippine Red Cross, main beneficiary of the match's proceeds, disclosed the figure on Thursday as preparations for the game organized for the benefit of victims of Tropical Storm Sendong (international name: Washi) went full-swing.

Cebuano bigman ready to bring act in Asean basketball

DIVERSIFYING conglomerate San Miguel Corp. is confident that its acquisition of Junemar Fajardo, a prized bigman from Cebu, will help in its initial campaign in the upcoming third season of the Asean Basketball League (ABL).

Tight schedule awaits the Azkals in 2012

THE recent friendly match between the highly-touted Los Angeles Galaxy and the Philippine football team Azkals opened the doors for more exhibition games against foreign clubs as the Philippines prepares for two major international tournaments next year.

Beckham plans another Philippine visit

GLOBAL football superstar David Beckham is keen on coming back to the Philippines after leading the Los Angeles Galaxy in routing the national team Azkals in a friendly match last Saturday.

Calling it a great trip, the 36-year-old Englishman thanked the Filipinos for their hospitality.

LA Galaxy win over Azkals, 6-1

MANILA (Updated) -- True to his promise the last time, global football superstar David Beckham meant business on Saturday night as he led the visiting Los Angeles (LA) Galaxy in frustrating the Philippine national team Azkals in a friendly match, 6-1.

Beckham, who seemed composed in 75 minutes of play, fired the opening salvo in the 20th minute when he bent the ball that moved past Filipino goalkeeper Eduard Sacapano.

Beckham tight-lipped about career as contract ends

BRITISH sports icon David Beckham remains tight-lipped about his future in football as his five-year contract with the Galaxy, who recently won the Major League Soccer crown, ends this month.

No pressure to defeat LA Galaxy, says Phil Younghusband

MANILA (Updated, 4:37 p.m.) -- As someone who idolized global football icon David Beckham since he was seven years old, going up against the Los Angeles Galaxy in a friendly match is a big prize in itself.

Just ask Azkals mainstay Phil Younghusband, who spent most of his formative years in England-based club Chelsea.

Mayweather beats Pacquiao in pound-for-pound ratings

MANILA (Updated 1:20 p.m.) -- Manny Pacquiao escaped with a majority decision win against Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez on Sunday (Philippine time) but that "controversial" victory cost the Filipino ring icon his pound-for-pound ranking.

Pacquiao is still in the top spot of the Ring Magazine's ranking, but came second to undefeated American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the ratings of sports websites ESPN and Sports Illustrated (SI).

P10-M proceeds eyed in the 'Run for the Pasig River'

AT LEAST P10 million may be raised from an eco-footrace that aims to rehabilitate the Pasig River, the event's organizers said.

Monchet Olives, chief strategic officer of ABS-CBN Foundation, said some 116,000 have already registered for the 3k, 5k, and 10k races of the "Run for the Pasig River" set on Sunday.

Mixed-martial arts greats see early KO win for Pacquiao

TWO Filipino mixed-martial arts legends see an abbreviated fight between pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, with the Filipino fighter knocking out his Mexican opponent before the first half of the 12-round match.

Alvin Aguilar, founder of Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC) and head coach at BAMF Mixed Martial Arts Center in Parañaque City told Sun.Star that he expects Marquez to go down by the third round.