Heroes & Villains

Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and Mexican warrior Juan Manuel Marquez fought twice and both bouts could have gone either way. Pacquiao-Marquez I in 2004, an epic match that saw Marquez hit the canvas three times in the first round but somehow survived, ended up in a draw. Pacquiao-Marquez II in 2008 was another close encounter, with Pacquiao barely winning a decision on the strength of one knockdown.

For the third time in seven years, Pacquiao and Marquez will go toe-to-toe to settle once and for all who is the better man. Pacquiao's offense against Marquez's defense. Pacquiao's left hand against Marquez's right hand. Freddie Roach against Nacho Beristain. Pacquiao and Marquez are so closely matched even their professional records are nearly identical. Should be another classic war Saturday night.

Pacquiao, 32, weighed in at 143 pounds during Friday's weigh-in, a pound under the 144-pound catch-weigh agreement, while Marquez, 38, tipped the scales at 142 pounds. Both men appear to be in phenomenal shape especially Marquez, who hired a new strength coach in Angel "Memo" Heredia to help him maintain his speed and power as he goes up in weight. Heredia has been linked to illegal distribution of performance-enhancing drugs, but he claims his work with Marquez is clean as a whistle. Roach and Pacquiao's strength and conditioning coach, Alex Ariza, say they are not concerned about Heredia's presence in Marquez's corner. We'll see how they feel about Heredia if the result tilts toward Marquez.

Roach predicts a sixth-round knockout for his fighter, which is somewhat surprising considering how the first two matchups concluded. But Roach believes Pacquiao's right hand is significantly better now and that could be the big difference.

The tale of the tape:
-- Age: Pacquiao 32; Marquez 38
-- Weight: Pacquiao 143; Marquez 142
-- Height: Pacquiao 5-6 1/2; Marquez 5-7
-- Reach: Pacquiao 67"; Margarito 67"
-- Stance: Pacquiao (southpaw); Marquez (orthodox)
-- Pro Record: Pacquiao 53-3-2, 38 KOs; Marquez 53-5-1, 39 KOs

The preliminary bouts at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas will start at 6 p.m. PST. The live round-by-round coverage, with my scores for each round, will begin at approximately 8 p.m. PST. on this site: SportsFanLive.com/heroesvillains

Contrasting styles make great fights and Floyd Mayweather vs. Victor Ortiz are two fighters with vastly different approaches. Ortiz, 24, is an aggressive young fighter who relies on his natural strength and can smash with either hand. Mayweather, 34, is regarded as one of the best counterpunchers in the sport, using great hand speed and footwork to outfox his opponents. Forty-one fighters have tried to bring Mayweather out of his defensive shell, and 41 have failed. Can Ortiz finally crack the code to Mayweather's impenetrable defense? That's the $25-million question fight fans are looking forward to see in tonight's welterweight championship bout at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The tale of the tape:
-- Age: Mayweather 34; Ortiz 24
-- Weight: Mayweather 146.5; Ortiz 147
-- Height: Mayweather 5-8; Ortiz 5-9
-- Reach: Mayweather 72"; Ortiz 70"
-- Stance: Mayweather (orthodox); Ortiz (southpaw)
-- Pro Record: Mayweather 41-0, 25 KOs; Ortiz 29-2-2, 22 KOs

The preliminary bouts will start at 6 p.m. PST. The live round-by-round coverage, with my scores for each round, will begin at approximately 8 p.m. PST. on this site using Coveritlive.com: SportsFanLive.com/heroesvillains

Seven-time world champion Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines returns to Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, tonight to compete for an unprecedented eighth world title, but he has a huge road block ahead of him in Antonio Margarito of Mexico. Margarito will have a 4½-inch height advantage over Pacquiao and likely to be almost 15 pounds heavier once the two combatants enter the ring.

Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 knockouts) weighed in at 144.6 pounds during Friday's weigh-in, more than five pounds below the 150-pound limit. He says the height and weight difference won't bother him tonight and the Filipino champion believes his speed will be the key to winning the fight.

Margarito (38-6-1, 27 knockouts) is a former welterweight champion who was suspended for a year after a plaster-like substance was found in his gloves when he fought Sugar Shane Mosley in 2009. A victory over Pacquiao, considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, would revive his career.

The last time Pacquiao fought at Cowboys Stadium the announced attendance was 50,994, the third-largest crowd to ever attend a boxing match. Tonight's bout could top that figure.

The tale of the tape:
-- Age: Pacquiao 31; Margarito 32
-- Weight: Pacquiao 144.6; Margarito 150
-- Height: Pacquiao 5-6 1/2; Margarito 5-11
-- Reach: Pacquiao 67"; Margarito 73"
-- Stance: Pacquiao (southpaw); Margarito (orthodox)
-- Pro Record: Pacquiao 51-3-2, 38 KOs; Margarito 38-6-1, 27 KOs

The preliminary bouts will start at 6 p.m. PST. The live round-by-round coverage, with my scores for each round, will begin at approximately 8 p.m. PST. on this site: SportsFanLive.com/heroesvillains

-- 6:10 p.m. PST: Brandon Rios is taking on Omri Lowther in one of the preliminary bouts. Rios is part of the Margarito camp.

-- 6:18 p.m. PST: Margarito is shown entering the stadium. He added 15 pounds overnight since the weigh-in. He'll carry about 165 pounds in the ring tonight.

-- 6:25 p.m. PST: Rios scores technical knockout in fifth round as referee steps in to halt the fight. He improves to 26-0-1.

-- 6:31 p.m. PST: About a half hour ago, Pacquiao enters the stadium with his massive entourage and settles into his dressing room. Pacquiao will weigh in around 148 pounds when he goes into the ring.

-- 6:44 p.m. PST: This current undercard is lifeless. Should just call it a draw and move on to the next bout.

-- 6:46 p.m. PST: Curious to see Mike Jones. Lot of hype surrounding him.

-- 7:01 p.m. PST: Freddie Roach is watching like a hawk as Margarito gets his hands wrapped in his dressing room.

-- 7:13 p.m. PST: Roach is still watching Margarito getting his hands wrapped by Robert Garcia. This may be the most watched hand-wrapping in boxing history.

-- 7:24 p.m. PST: Unless the next bout ends quick, the main event could start in a little over an hour.

-- 7:28 p.m. PST: Up next, Mike Jones takes on Jesus Soto-Karass.

-- 7:40 p.m. PST: A little dispute going in the Pacquiao dressing room. Margarito's trainer, Robert Garcia, is questioning the way Pacquiao's hands were wrapped. A little gamesmanship in the part of the young trainer. It's an obvious ploy to get under the skin of Pacquiao and Roach.

-- 7:45 p.m. PST: This latest dressing room spat just adds to the drama. Roach is visibly upset, so score one for Garcia for rattling his cage. In the meantime, Jones and Soto-Karass are giving fans their money's worth in the ring.

-- 7:48 p.m. PST: Roach's reply to Garcia's gamesmanship is that he's claiming Margarito is using a banned substance and wants an immediate drug test. Margarito's camp says they will get tested after the bout, but Roach claims the banned substance will be out of his system by the end of the night. This is getting good!

-- 8:28 p.m. PST: We're about 15 minutes away from the first bell of the main event. The crowd noise is so loud Jim Lampley is wearing a headset.

-- 8:31 p.m. PST: Three members of the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders singing the national anthem. Nice.

-- 8:36 p.m. PST: Nelly in da house!

-- 8:37 p.m. PST: Didn't realize the pay-per-view package included a Nelly concert.

-- 8:45 p.m. PST: Margarito now entering the ring.

-- 8:48 p.m. PST: Pacquiao now entering the ring.

-- 8:50 p.m. PST: I'm digging the theme song from Karate Kid.

-- 8:53 p.m. PST: Do your thing Michael Buffer ... "Let's get ready to rumble!"

First round: Opening round is always a feeling-out process, and that's how this one starts. Margarito is smartly keeping his distance using the left jab. Pacquiao tries to go to the body and later sticks a straight left to Margarito's face. Pacquiao is connecting consistently and lands two more shots later in the round. Round goes to Pacquiao, 10-9

Second round: Pacquiao opens the round with a straight left and his hand speed is bothering Margarito, but the Mexican fighter is beginning to land his own shots. It's a classic battle between size and strength vs. speed and quickness. Margarito scores two power shots while the two were in the middle of the ring. The bigger man is beginning to impose his size advantage. Round goes to Margarito, 10-9

Third round: Pacquiao starts off strong with quick shots to Margarito's head. Margarito continues to stalk the Filipino fighter, but his movement is a little slow and methodical. Pacquiao lands a big left cross that stuns Margarito and gets the crowd going. Margarito backs up Pacquiao to a corner, but Pacquiao lands a flurry of punches as Margarito covers up, and Pacman gets out of trouble. None of the shots hurt Margarito, but it certainly made him stop pursuing. Round goes to Pacquiao, 10-9

Fourth round: Pacquiao puts together a string of combinations that snaps Margarito's head like a bobblehead doll. The Mexican fighter seems to be weakening. The Filipino champion is beginning to control the fight and there's a visible cut under the right eye of the Mexican fighter. Pacquiao's best round of the fight. Round goes to Pacquiao, 10-9

Fifth round: Margarito comes out of his chair with a huge welt under his right eye. He starts the round pursuing Pacquiao hard, trying to get him on the ropes. But Pacquiao escapes by punching his way out of trouble. That's been the theme of the fight so far. Margarito doesn't have any snap on his punches as Pacman continues to pile up the points. An impressive round for Pacquiao. Round goes to Pacquiao, 10-9

Sixth round: Margarito's right eye is nearly closing and it will be extremely hard for him to see out of that eye the rest of the bout. It's hard enough to catch the speedy Filipino with two good eyes, it'll be almost impossible to catch him with one good eye. This is looking like a sparring session between a great fighter and an average fighter. Pacquiao is taking a little breather, but he's still winning the round. Margarito connects with some power shots at the end of the round, but Pacquiao battles back and countered with his own power shots. Round goes to Pacquiao

Seventh round: Referee tells Margarito go to a corner to have the doctor check his right eye. Fight continues. That eye is getting worse as Margarito continues to absorb power shots from Pacquiao's left hand. Whenever the two are in the middle of the ring, Pacquiao is winning the exchanges. Each time Margarito makes his move, Pacquiao has an immediate counter move. Round goes to Pacquiao, 10-9

Eighth round: So far, Pacquiao has won every round except one. Margarito gets Pacquiao on the ropes and begins to pound away, his best flurry of the night. But Pacquiao, again, gets out of trouble by punching his way out and delivers two huge power shots to Margarito's bloodied and battered face. Give Margarito credit for fighting back and continues his nonstop pursuit. Best round of the fight. Round goes to Margarito, 10-9

Ninth round: For the first time in the fight, Pacquiao is beginning to show signs of slowing down. But does Margarito have enough left in the tank to mount a serious attack? Pacquiao may have done enough to win the round. Round goes to Pacquiao, 10-9

10th round: Pacquiao looks like he has regained his strength and begins the round bouncing around and firing shots from all angles. Margarito is target practice at this point, and Pacquiao has reestablished his dominance. Pacman punishes Margarito with some vicious shots to the head. The Mexican nods his head, telling the Filipino none of the punches hurt. Pacman's punches may not knock him out, but Margarito's face is turning into a bloody mess and the cut is getting worse. Round goes to Pacquiao, 10-9

11th round: During the time in between, Margarito's trainer asks his fighter if he wants to continue. Margarito, with his right eye completely shut and swelling under his left eye, says he's fine. A true Mexican warrior, but on this night, he's been thoroughly outclassed and beaten badly by a world-class boxer. This fight is very close to being stopped. The referee is going to have to make the call because Margarito is not going to quit despite having zero snap in his punches. Round goes to Pacquiao, 10-9

12th round: Pacquiao is content on boxing from a distance, but he's still connecting with regularly. His pinpoint accuracy and powerful left hand was the difference in this fight. Round goes to Pacquiao, 10-9

FIGHT SUMMARY: Pacquiao scores a unanimous decision, claims his 13th consecutive victory and a record eighth world title belt. Final stats show that he connected 58% of his power shots and was clearly the better fighter. He continues to defy the odds by beating up on taller and heavier opponents. Margarito, a natural welterweight, couldn't impose his size advantage over the smaller but much, much quicker and very active Filipino champion. For every one punch Margarito threw, Pacquiao countered with a two-, three- or four-punch combination. I scored the bout 10-2 in favor of Pacquiao, but this could have easily been a shutout. I awarded Margarito two rounds on pure guts, but he was thoroughly outclassed by one of the best fighters of his generation.

Two-time NBA champion Jordan Farmar wrapped up his third annual Hoop Farm at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion this week.

Farmar, now a member of the New Jersey Nets, was joined by his former Lakers teammate Luke Walton on the fourth and final day of the basketball camp. The Hoop Farm not only teaches youngsters how to play the game and be a good teammate but it also promotes healthy eating habits and the importance of green living.

Even though Farmar is no longer with the Lakers, he will always be a favorite son of Southern California. He attended Woodland Hills Taft High School, played for Ben Howland at UCLA for two seasons and was a first-round draft pick of the Lakers in 2006. And he was an integral part of the Lakers' back-to-back NBA championships.

Farmar was kind enough to do a sit-down interview with me at Pauley Pavilion. He talked about how excited he is to be with the Nets, wished his former Laker teammates the best, and gave some background on his Hoop Farm, as well as The Jordan Farmar Foundation. Here is the full interview:

Brock Lesnar keeps getting better and better, which is bad, bad news for MMA heavyweight fighters.

In his return to the Octagon after a yearlong absence, the new-and-improved Brock Lesnar showcased his survival skills and his submission skills Saturday night against Shane Carwin in the main event of UFC 116 in Las Vegas. After withstanding an onslaught of damaging punches from Carwin in the first round, Lesnar, despite being bloodied and badly cut, rebounded and used a well-executed triangle choke hold to force the interim heavyweight champion to tap out at the 2:19 mark of the second round.

A fight billed as the biggest fight in UFC history was over in two rounds, and Lesnar reclaimed his UFC heavyweight championship belt and reestablished himself as the most dominant heavyweight fighter in the MMA world.

Not bad for a guy who seven years ago was the World Wrestling Entertainment champion and took part in a choreographed Royal Rumble; although he still tends to get WWE-ish whenever he gets a hold of a microphone on stage.

"I stand before you a humble champion. And I'm still the toughest S.O.B. around," Lesnar told a pumped up crowd inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Who will argue that he's the toughest S.O.B. around?

In his last three fights, Lesnar has made Randy Couture look extremely old, knocked out Frank Mir to avenge his only loss and made the previously unbeaten Carwin tap out. Who is next? Fedor? Cain?

Fedor Emelianenko recently lost his aura of invincibility after tasting defeat last month and Cain Velazquez is 20 pounds lighter than Lesnar so, if 265-pound Carwin can't take him out, Cain certainly won't be able to hurt Lesnar. A rematch with Carwin seems plausible, unless Fedor finally steps up to the plate and jump into the UFC mix.

Despite having just six UFC fights in his career, Lesnar (5-1) has already mastered the art of intimidation and domination with a mixture of patience and execution. He has transformed from a strictly ground-and-pound fighter to a more technically sound martial artist, with still room to improve.

"You have to evolve as a fighter. I just think everyday you gotta get better," the former NCAA wrestling champion told MMA analyst Kenny Florian.

In had been a year of recovery for Lesnar, 32, sidelined by mononucleosis and then diagnosed with diverticulitis, a condition in which an inflammation and a tear occur in the intestinal wall. The life-threatening illness was probably the toughest opponent Lesnar had ever faced in his life, so if he can survive that then fighting in the Octagon is a walk in the park.

"I'm just glad to be here. It's been a crazy, crazy year for me. It's been a roller-coaster ride," said Lesnar, who even cracked a smile as the second round began and surprisingly touched gloves with Carwin.

Carwin (12-1) was supposed to present Lesnar not only his biggest challenge but his most lethal. Both men entered the Octagon close to 265 pounds, and Lesnar is listed at 6-foot-3 and Carwin at 6-4. None of Carwin's 12 previous opponents had gotten past the first round and seven of them were by way of knockout.

Carwin, 35, tried to take out Lesnar in the opening round as he peppered the big man with some vicious punches, and knocked him down with a hard uppercut. Carwin got on top of Lesnar and continued to pound on his face. But Lesnar somehow survived the barrage, and once he got back on his feet the tide started to turn in his favor.

In the second round, Lesnar shook off the slow start and executed a perfect takedown. Once he was on top of his opponent, Lesnar used his wrestling skills to set up Carwin for a triangle choke, an arm hold that Carwin was unable to break free from and he eventually had to tap out.

"I probably came out there a little too cool in the first round," said Lesnar, who had not fought since July of 2009. "I'm not happy about the first round at all. I didn't show my skills very well, Shane won the first round no doubt about that. But we sealed the deal in the second."

After three brutal fights within a 12-month span, Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez needed a year off to heal from their injuries. Apparently, the time off wasn't enough for Vazquez as old wounds resurfaced in the fourth showdown with Marquez and his corner simply couldn't stop the bleeding.

Vazquez-Marquez IV held Saturday night at Staples Center in Los Angeles didn't quite live up to the previous three classic clashes because it was cut short - two cuts to be exact. Referee Raul Caiz Jr. stopped the featherweight bout with 1:33 remaining in the third round when it was determined that Vazquez could no longer protect himself due to two nasty cuts above his eyes.

Miguel Diaz, Vazquez's cutman, said during the postfight news conference that the cut his fighter suffered above his left eye, which was caused by a devastating straight right hand from Marquez in the first round, was one of the worst he's seen and Vazquez's corner nearly stopped the fight after the second round. "It was impossible to stop," said Diaz, who also explained that the cut was three levels deep into the skin and near the bone.

Vazquez suffered a second cut early in the third round on an accidental head-butt.

"It really affected me. There was a lot of blood and, honestly, I couldn't see the punches coming," said the 32-year-old Vazquez (44-5, 33 knockouts), who admitted that he may have to start considering retirement. "I really need to regroup with my family and think about it."

With both eyes swollen and blood tricking down his face, Vazquez was clearly bothered and he did not contest the referee's decision to halt the bout.

Lost in all the frenzy of the sudden stoppage was Marquez's brilliant performance.

Marquez (39-5, 35 knockouts) knew going into his fourth showdown with his rival that he needed to be the aggressor and the busier fighter to even the score, which stood at 2-1 in favor of Vazquez prior to Saturday night.

From the opening bell, Marquez, 35, established his left jab to put Vazquez on his heels and stayed in attack mode. Early in the third round, Marquez caught Vazquez with a couple of short punches to the head that brought him down to one knee.

"I prepared myself so good, I really wanted to even the score," said Marquez. "I came very, very prepared. I threw everything at him. The strategy was to throw a lot of punches."

Now that each fighter has won twice, would there be a fifth fight? "I got a look at Israel's eyes and I don't think I want to see a fifth fight," said co-promoter Gary Shaw.

The victory puts Marquez, the younger brother of Juan Manuel Marquez, in the front of a very talented pack in the 126-pound division. Marquez vows to fight the best fighters in the world. One of them could be Puerto Rican superstar Juan Manuel Lopez, who just happened to be sitting with the media in the press room when Marquez was addressing reporters about his next fight.

"I'm happy he said he wanted to fight me," said Lopez, who fights Bernabe Conception of the Philippines on July 10. "Hopefully we can make it happen. [Marquez] is a strong fighter but I have no doubt I can beat him."

More than 9,200 boxing fans attended Vazquez-Marquez IV, and among those in attendance were actress Charlize Theron, actor Garry Shandling, NFL star Larry Fitzgerald and legandary boxing trainer Freddie Roach.

"We witnessed four great fights," said co-promoter Oscar De La Hoya. "Marquez is a great fighter and he comes from a family of great fighters. He is a champion. It’s 2-2 now and that’s the way it should end. There are no losers here."

Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez are not your typical modern-day prize fighters who seek attention 24/7 and resort to name-calling just to promote a bout. They are two proud Mexican warriors who respect each other and don't need all the bells and whistles that sometimes overshadow the sport.

If you're not a hardcore boxing fan, you'll have a hard time pointing them out in a crowd. They are just a couple of two unassuming gladiators who allow their fists do most of the talking, and they have thrilled boxing fans with three incredible bantamweight fights comparable to other recent boxing trilogies such as Morales-Barrera or Gatti-Ward.

But 25 bloody rounds and almost 2,500 punches thrown were simply not enough to settle the score. Both camps felt that a fourth fight was sorely needed because Vazquez won the last fight by a point to earn a very close split decision and the first fight ended prematurely after Vazquez asked his then trainer Freddie Roach to stop the fight because he had trouble breathing due to a broken nose.

So, after taking a year off to heal, Vazquez (44-4, 33 knockouts) and Marquez (38-5, 34 knockouts) will slug it out for a fourth time in three years - this time in the 126-pound featherweight division - in Saturday night's main event at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

"Without a doubt, this is going to be a war just like the previous fights were. I'm really motivated to come back for this battle with Marquez and I know this fourth fight is going to be very significant to my career," said the 32-year-old Vazquez, who was born in Mexico City but currently resides in Huntington Park, Calif. Vazquez has a 2-1 edge in the head-to-head matchups with his rival.

"Israel Vazquez and I are destined to be intertwined together because of the legendary battles we have waged against each other, but I intend to close the book on our rivalry by dictating the final chapter," boasted Marquez, 35, the younger brother of former featherweight and lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez.

While Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. continue to wrestle over details for their much anticipated super bout to determine the best pound-for-pound fighter of his generation, Vazquez and Marquez are about to embark on their third rematch and the winner could very well catapult his name into the pound-for-pound conversation.

Note: Heroes & Villains author Joel Huerto will be at Staples Center in L.A. to cover Vazquez-Marquez IV on Saturday night, May 22. To read his postfight blog, visit SportsFanLive.com/heroesvillains.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has never lost a professional bout. Forty fighters entered the ring with what they all believed was a winning game plan, but all 40 exited with a loss. So what makes "Sugar" Shane Mosley believe he can take down "Pretty Boy" Floyd?

"I'm just as fast as he is, I'm stronger than he is, my arms are longer than his. I can hit him before he hits me. This is a real fight, and he knows it," boasted Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs), who will enter tonight's megafight at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas as a 4-to-1 underdog against "Money" Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs).

Naazim Richardson, Mosley's trainer, is confident his fighter will impose his will and superior punching power against one of the best defensive fighters in boxing history.

"Shane is gonna come out and hit Floyd in the mouth and Floyd is gonna sprout a tail, grow wings, draw fangs and claws, and turn into a dragon in the ring, and start spitting fireballs," Richardson predicts. "And I'm gonna tell Shane to use lateral motion to get away from the fireballs, slide up under him, step on his tail and punch him in the stomach."

Easier said than done.

Here is the tale of the tape:
-- Age: Mayweather 33, Mosley 38
-- Height: Mayweather 5-8, Mosley 5-9
-- Reach: Mayweather 72", Mosley 74"
-- Weight: Mayweather 146, Mosley 147

The live round-by-round coverage with scorecards after each round will begin at approximately 8 p.m. PST. on this site: SportsFanLive.com/heroesvillains

-- 6:06 p.m. PST: The Hector Saldivia-Said Quali bout is about to begin...

-- 6:10 p.m. PST: Early fireworks in Las Vegas. Quali knocks out Saldivia in the first round.

-- 7:08 p.m. PST: Main event is about an hour away. Both fighters are in their dressing rooms. Kenny Bayless is the referee.

-- 8:07 p.m. PST: There's a delay in the fight because both fighters are still getting their hands wrapped.

-- 8:09 p.m. PST: Just saw Eva Longoria-Parker in the crowd. Where's Tony P.?

-- 8:11 p.m. PST: The main event is about 10 minutes away.

-- 8:19 p.m. PST: Chris "Hitman" Brown singing the Star Spangled Banner. Where's Rihanna?

-- 8:23 p.m. PST: Mosley makes his way to the ring to the sounds of Eminem.

-- 8:26 p.m. PST: Mosley looks a bit tense. No sweat on the body usually means a fighter is tense.

-- 8:27 p.m. PST: Mayweather still in his dressing room, taking his time. A little gamesmanship on the part of "Money" Mayweather.

-- 8:29 p.m. PST: Mayweather now begins his stroll to the ring to the sounds of the O'Jays.

-- 8:31 p.m. PST: All the fireworks in the ring is making me jumpy. Kinda like that scene from "Boogie Nights."

-- 8:33 p.m. PST: Michael Buffer now doing his thing.

-- 8:34 p.m. PST: Crowd choice seems split at the moment. Let's get ready to rumble!

-- FIRST ROUND -- Mosley starts off with some short body shots. Mosley trying to establish tempo with some left jabs. Mayweather is not fazed and looks very relaxed. Mosley's gloves touches the canvas, referee Kenny Bayless calls it a slip. Mayweather appears to have connected on the exchange. Mayweather connects with a 1-2 combo to the head. Round goes to Mayweather.

-- SECOND ROUND -- Both figthers get tangled up in the middle of the ring and gets separated. Mosley connects with a hard right cross to Mayweather's face. The crowd is now involved and Mayweather seems a little stunned. Mosley lands a big right hand to the head and Mayweather's knees buckle slightly. Mayweather is trying to gather himself, but Mosley keeps up the attack. Mosley's right hand has Mayweather's full attention. Round goes to Mosley.

-- THIRD ROUND -- Mosley starts the round with a little bounce to his step. Bayless tells Mayweather to watch his glove, and Mayweather gives him an odd look. Mayweather lands a left hook and follows up with a right cross. The pace has definitely picked up, and Mayweather is beginning to move in. Mayweather decides to slow the pace and takes his time. Floyd seems to have weathered the early Mosley storm. Very close round to score, but Mayweather may have done enough to win it. Round goes to Mayweather.

-- FOURTH ROUND -- Mayweather begins the round with a wild right that barely landed on Mosley's head. Mayweather uses his left jab to keep Mosley at arms length. Mayweather lands a straight right that gets the crowd going. Very little activity in this round. Little flurries may have given Mayweather the small edge. Round goes to Mayweather.

-- FIFTH ROUND -- For some reason, Mosley has stopped attacking and it has given Mayweather a chance to size him up and deliver his signature quick shots from a defensive stance. Mosley tries to move in and Mayweather counters with a left hook. Mosley is now fighting Mayweather's fight and seem to have lost some rhythm. Round goes to Mayweather.

-- SIXTH ROUND -- The fight has come to a crawl, which is not good for Mosley because that's the type of fight Mayweather wants to establish. Mayweather stuns Mosley with a straight right. It did little damage, but a quick score nonetheless. Mayweather lands another right cross and follows it up with a quick hook to score more points. Those two punches did some damage to Mosley, who continues to be tentative. Round goes to Mayweather.

-- SEVENTH ROUND -- Mayweather is now in complete control of the fight and is in no rush to engage. Mayweather lands a powerful straight right punch to the head that backs Mosley into the ropes. Easily the best punch of the fight for Mayweather. Mosley looks weary as he heads into his corner. Round goes to Mayweather.

-- EIGHTH ROUND -- Bayless warns Mosley for throwing an elbow. Mayweather responds to Mosley's aggressive tactic with a clean power shot to Mosley's head with his right hand. "Money" Mayweather begins to run his mouth in the middle of the ring. Mosley now has the look of a defeated fighter. Round goes to Mayweather.

-- NINTH ROUND -- For the first time a while, Mosley is bouncing up and down on his toes, looking to move in. Mayweather is content on waiting on Mosley to make the initial move because he knows he can counter. Mayweather finishes the round with a straight right cross that landed flush on Mosley's face. Round goes to Mayweather.

-- 1OTH ROUND -- Mayweather's right hand is dominating the fight and it doesn't seem like Mosley has the answers. The younger and more talented fighter is beating up on the older fighter. Mayweather doesn't get enough credit for his strength and stamina, and both are on display tonight. Mayweather lands another straight right hand to the head, and the crowd is sensing a stoppage. Round goes to Mayweather.

-- 11TH ROUND -- Since Round 2, Mayweather has adjusted to Mosley's game plan and turned the fight around with his superior counter-punching skills. Mayweather is showing he's the best in-game fighter in the world. Mayweather has landed at least 20 punches in this round, while Mosley has thrown less than 10. Round goes to Mayweather.

-- 12TH ROUND -- This is an understatement...Mosley needs a knockout to win. Instead of unleashing hell and throwing caution to the wind, Mosley has done very little in this round and seems content to just finish the fight. Round goes to Mayweather.

-- Floyd Mayweather Jr. scores a unanimous decision over Shane Mosley to improve to 41-0.

FIGHT SUMMARY: Mayweather showed his superior hand speed and defense, and his right hand was his best weapon against Mosley, who clearly is not in Mayweather's class. Naazim Richardson, Mosley's trainer, said prior to the bout that his guy was the stronger guy and Mosley's power will force Mayweather to come out of his defensive shell. As it turned out, Mayweather neutralized Mosley's power by landing his own power shots and once Mayweather re-adjusted his fight plan, the fight became one-sided.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. continues to pepper Shane Mosley with a barrage of insults, calling him a Leprechaun, an Avatar and even poked fun at his hot-tub-time-machine haircut. But "Sugar" Shane has decided to absorb all of Mayweather's verbal jabs without retaliation because he knows he'll get his shot when he faces "Pretty Boy" Floyd on May 1 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

"He doesn't mean any of that stuff. That's just something to get an edge in the fight. Why am I gonna feed into that? Why am I gonna feed into something that I know he's trying to do? Then I'm the fool," Mosley said on HBO's "24/7" series.

Mayweather, 33, claims Mosley, 38, has been ducking him since 1998 and 1999, and both men have their own versions of the story.

"I wanted to fight Shane but we didn't make the fight happen because he said he had a tooth ache," Mayweather explained why the two legendary welterweights waited more than a decade before finally agreeing to fight each other.

"I told Mosley that all roads lead to Floyd Mayweather Jr. I told him that [his] biggest payday will be against me. Shane is one of my options," Mayweather boasted at a pre-fight conference at L.A. Live's Nokia Theater. "I'm not ducking nobody. I'm in a position to pick and choose my opponent."

When I relayed the message to Mosley about Floyd's claim that he was avoiding him, "Sugar" Shane came back with: "Tell Floyd to stop making up things. Tell Floyd to stop lying."

Note: Heroes & Villains author Joel Huerto will do a live round-by-round scoring of the Mayweather-Mosley fight on May 1. The pay-per-view event will start at 6 p.m. PST. For those who want to follow the live round-by-round blog, visit SportsFanLive.com/heroesvillains.

The NFL Draft is probably the most important week on the NFL calendar with the exception of Super Bowl Week. This is when teams lay the foundation for their franchise and begin the process of building a team to contend for a Super Bowl title.

The draft has become such a huge spectacle that the NFL and ESPN have decided to spread it out in three days (April 22-24). The ratings certainly back it up. The country is so football crazy these days that most us are willing to sit in front of a TV for six hours and listen to ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. talk about who has tremendous "upside" and who has a "great motor."

Kiper became a household name in 1994 when he mocked the Indianapolis Colts for choosing linebacker Trev Alberts. Kiper thought the Colts should have taken quarterback Trent Dilfer, but Colts general manager Bill Tobin opted for Alberts. Kiper said the Colts didn't understand what the draft was all about and Tobin fired back and said, "Who the hell is Mel Kiper?"

I'm going to channel my inner Kiper and (ahem!) attempt to predict how the unpredictable first round will unfold. By the way, who the hell is Todd McShay? Let the mocking begin!

1) St. Louis Rams: SAM BRADFORD, Oklahoma, QB
The Rams tipped their hand when they released Marc Bulger so they need a starting quarterback. Bradford reportedly had one of the best pro days in the history of pro days, but that means absolutely nothing. Remember, scouts raved about JaMarcus Russell after his pro day.


2) Detroit Lions: NDAMUKONG SUH, Nebraska, DT
The "Ndamunator" is easily the best player in the draft and the Lions will immediately plug him in as their starting defensive tackle. Some experts say Suh is the next Reggie White. Very high praise for a guy with tremendous upside (Kiper-ism!) and a great motor (Kiper-ism!).

3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: GERALD McCOY, Oklahoma, DT
Two Sooners in the top three! How in the world did Bob Stoops not win at least one BCS title? McCoy is a classic gap rusher in the Tampa 2 scheme. He's Warren Sapp with a smaller bootie.

4) Washington Redskins: RUSSELL OKUNG, Oklahoma State, OT
The Redskins gave up a lot to get Donovan McNabb, so they better invest in a starting left tackle. Okung and Trent Williams are the two best tackles on the board so either one works.

5) Kansas City Chiefs: ERIC BERRY, Tennessee, S
New defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel loves Tennessee safety Eric Berry, but the Chiefs could also take an offensive tackle to protect QB Matt Cassel. GM Scott Pioli is not much of a gambler so he'll take the safe pick.

6) Seattle Seahawks: TRENT WILLIAMS, Oklahoma, OT
Pete Carroll starts the rebuilding process in Seattle by taking the big tackle from Oklahoma. Williams fills a need on the offensive line. The unit fell apart when Walter Jones retired. Williams not only has tremendous upside (Kiper-ism!) but he also has an impressive backside.

7) Cleveland Browns: JIMMY CLAUSEN, Notre Dame, QB
New Browns GM Mike Holmgren sent out a smoke screen by telling reporters he's interested in trading up for Sam Bradford. Clausen should be available at No. 7 and Holmgren gets the quarterback he coveted all along despite the toe injury.

8) Oakland Raiders: BRUCE CAMPBELL, Maryland, OT
Predicting who the Raiders will choose on draft day is almost like predicting when the next earthquake is going to hit. Who knows what Al Davis might do here. Tom Cable is a former offensive tackle so Bruce Campbell or Bryan Bulaga makes sense.

9) Buffalo Bills: BRYAN BULAGA, Iowa, OT
The Bills seem to be content with Trent Edwards so they find him a protector. Bulaga is the best left tackle available in a very talent-rich and deep draft at that position. You can never go wrong with an offensive lineman from the Big Ten -- except for Tony Mandarich.

10) Jacksonville Jaguars: ROLANDO McCLAIN, Alabama, MLB
The Jaguars never replaced middle linebacker Mike Peterson so head coach Jack Del Rio, a former middle backer, selects the best middle linebacker on the board to lead his defense.


11) Denver Broncos (from Chicago): DAN WILLIAMS, Tennessee, DT
The sexy pick here is Dez Bryant, but I don't think head coach Josh McDaniels is willing to put up with another diva receiver. The Broncos could very well move this pick, but if they keep it Williams is not a bad Plan B.

12) Miami Dolphins: DERRICK MORGAN, Georgia Tech, DE/OLB
Outside linebacker Joey Porter was released during the offseason and Jason Taylor was not re-signed. Bill Parcells hit the jackpot a few years ago in Dallas with DeMarcus Ware and he's hoping lightning strikes twice and Morgan evolves into a Pro Bowl edge rusher.

13) San Francisco 49ers: ANTHONY DAVIS, Rutgers, OT
New GM Trent Baalke has two picks in the first round and he should use one of them on an offensive tackle. The 49ers have a solid left tackle in Joe Staley, but they need an upgrade at right tackle.

14) Seattle Seahawks (from Denver): C.J. SPILLER, Clemson, RB
After addressing their need on the offensive line with their first pick, Carroll could select a running back at No. 14. The Seahawks have not had a top runner since Shaun Alexander so Spiller - who is the best tailback on most experts' draft boards - is the likely choice.

15) New York Giants: JASON PIERRE-PAUL, South Florida, DE/OLB
The draft always reaches a fever pitch whenever the New York teams are put on the clock. No matter who the Giants select, New York fans will have a violent reaction to it: "The New York Giants select ... Arrrrgggg!!!" If the Giants pick Pierre-Paul, who is off the charts in terms of his potential, then DE Osi Umenyiora becomes expendable and will likely get traded.


16) Tennessee Titans: BRANDON GRAHAM, Michigan, DE
Defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch recently signed with the Lions, leaving a big hole at DE for the Titans. Graham turned in an impressive performance during the Senior Bowl and it will be hard for the Titans to pass on a legit pass rusher.

17) San Francisco 49ers (from Carolina): JOE HADEN, Florida, CB
Should Haden fall to No. 17, Baalke and Mike Singletary will be doing cartwheels in the war room because the best corner in the draft just fell into their laps.

18) Pittsburgh Steelers: MAURKICE POUNCEY, Florida, C-G
The two interior offensive linemen the Steelers covet in the draft are Pouncey and Idaho's Mike Iupati, and both guys should be available at No. 18. With all the drama surrounding Ben Roethlisberger, he'll need better protection on and off the field. Pouncey had plenty of practice in college as Tim Tebow's bodyguard at the University of Florida.

19) Atlanta Falcons: SEAN WEATHERSPOON, Missouri, OLB
It would be very tempting to take wide receiver Dez Bryant of Oklahoma State, but the Falcons have other pressing needs. Guard Mike Iupati from Idaho is an option they would explore, but the Falcons never really replaced OLB Keith Brooking, and Weatherspoon could fill Brooking's role.

20) Houston Texans: EARL THOMAS, Texas, S
Texans could choose Kyle Wilson of Boise State, who is the second-best cornerback on most experts' draft board and an adequate replacement for Dunta Robinson. But the Texans will never forgive themselves if they pass on a potential Pro Bowl safety from their backyard.

21) Cincinnati Bengals: DEZ BRYANT, Oklahoma State, WR
No team in the NFL takes more questionable characters than the Bengals, and Bryant fits like a glove. Chad Ochocinco has been begging management to sign a stud receiver and he just might get his wish. In an unrelated note, no truth to the rumor that Ochocinco will dump DWTS partner Cheryl Burke for Terrell Owens.

22) New England Patriots: SERGIO KINDLE, Texas, OLB-DE
Bill Belichick, aka Commander Hoodie, loves guys who can play multiple positions and Kindle is a defensive end who can play outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. At the University of Texas, Kindle was used as a pass rusher but he could drop back and cover. The Patriots could trade up to get him if Belichick gets impatient.


23) Green Bay Packers: MIKE IUPATI, Idaho, G
Aaron Rodgers took too many hits last year and the Packers can do him a favor by taking a physical interior lineman like Iupati, who can also play tackle. Iupati has a bit of nasty streak and moves very well for a 330-pounder.

24) Philadelphia Eagles: KYLE WILSON, Boise State, CB
With the loss of Sheldon Brown, Wilson addresses one of Philly's needs in the secondary. The Eagles could also take safety Taylor Mays with their first choice unless Earl Thomas is still available. Eagles could also move up to get Thomas, who has the potential to be another Brian Dawkins.

25) Baltimore Ravens: KAREEM JACKSON, Alabama, CB
The addition of WR Anquan Boldin allows Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome and head coach John Harbaugh to focus on the secondary. Second-year corner Lardarius Webb and veteran Fabian Washington are both coming off injuries and safety Ed Reed is reviewing his 401K retirement plan. Jackson is an athletic, physical corner who thrived in the highly competitive SEC.

26) Arizona Cardinals: BRANDON SPIKES, Florida, MLB
Cardinals GM Rod Graves knows he needs a middle linebacker to replace Karlos Dansby, but the problem is after Rolando McClain there are no worthy first-round talent at MLB. Do the Cardinals reach with Florida middle backer Brandon Spikes or do they take a defensive lineman? Spikes has tremendous upside (Kiper-ism!) but is a high risk, high reward player.

27) Dallas Cowboys: TAYLOR MAYS, Southern California, S
The Cowboys need a safety after cutting Ken Hamlin. Jerry Jones loves big, fast guys and Mays may not have the ball skills of an Eric Berry or Earl Thomas but he can run and is big hitter. He could be another Darren Woodson.

28) San Diego Chargers: RYAN MATHEWS, Fresno State, RB
The departure of Charger legend LaDainian Tomlinson leaves a big hole at running back. The Chargers will take the best available tailback on the draft board and Mathews makes total sense.

29) New York Jets: JARED ODRICK, Penn State, DE-DT
Even though the Jets apply unbelievable pressure on the quarterback, they do it with a lot of blitzing. Head coach Rex Ryan would love to have a guy who can create pressure on his own and Odrick can do that. The 6-4, 300-pound former Penn State star has a great motor (Kiper-ism!) and can play end or tackle.

30) Minnesota Vikings: DEXTER McCLUSTER, Mississippi, RB The Vikings don't have any pressing needs at any position and will take the best player available. A backup running back is a strong possibility. The Vikes could roll the dice and take Tim Tebow, but the likelihood of that happening is slim and none -- kind of like Brad Childress' hair.

31) Indianapolis Colts: CHARLES BROWN, Southern California, OT
Indy is a team that doesn't have major holes on both sides of the ball. Brown is a borderline first-rounder but so is Indiana's Roger Saffold. Colts take the player with the higher upside (Kiper-ism!).

32) New Orleans Saints: JERMAINE GRESHAM, Oklahoma, TE
The rich get richer as the Saints start doing the Benson Boogie should Gresham fall to No. 32, which is highly possible. Gresham is coming off a serious knee injury, but he doesn't have to be rushed back to action since New Orleans still has Jeremy Shockey.

The welterweight match between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey was similar to your average date on a Saturday night. I equate it to asking out the nerdy girl who sits behind you in algebra class because the hot-looking cheerleader snubbed you at the last minute. Although the date wasn't a complete disaster, it still cost you $50.

Clottey fought a very conservative fight and had his hands covering his face for much of the fight. Actually, I can't even call it a fight. It was more of a sparring session for Pacquiao. Each time Pacquiao would unleash a flurry of punches, Clottey would cover up and wait for the barrage to end, and he rarely came back with his own combination. I had Pacquiao winning 10 of the 12 rounds, and I was being real generous with the two rounds Clottey (35-4, 21 KOs) eked out.

"He was just too fast," said Clottey, who, despite having a noticeable height advantage, appeared more concerned about not getting knocked out than winning the fight.

At this point of Pacquiao's (51-3-2, 38 KOs) illustrious career, he doesn't need another ordinary notch on his belt. He has fought and defeated the best fighters of his era and the only thing missing from his mantle to cement his legacy as the greatest fighter of our generation is a superbout with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Pacquiao-Mayweather is the megafight all boxing fans are clamoring for. But there are two major roadblocks.

First, Mayweather needs to handle his business with Shane Mosley on May 1, which should be a very entertaining and competitive fight.

Second, the Olympic-style drug testing is still a major issue. Mayweather insists on random drug testing, but Team Pacquiao is reluctant to do it because Pacquiao is reportedly not fond of needles and he believes drawing blood hours before the fight zaps his energy.

Roach recently revealed on HBO's "Pacquiao-Clottey: The Road to Dallas" that Pacquiao agreed to a blood test hours before his first fight with Erik Morales, a fight Pacquiao lost and looked weary afterward.

The Mayweather camp, led by his father Floyd Sr. and Golden Boy Promotions executive Richard Shaefer, is extremely adamant about random drug testing because they suspect Pacquiao is using performance-enhancing drugs, despite the fact that the Filipino champion has never failed a drug test in his professional career.

"I'm the face of boxing," Mayweather boasted during a media event at L.A.'s Nokia Plaza. "I want to show that my sport is a clean sport. I'm fighting against the media, the Internet blogs. You have to be mentally strong to do that.

"At one time, fighters didn't have to take blood tests. Now, I'm taking a stand. In the sport of boxing, you don't go from ordinary at 25 to extraordinary at 30."

That last statement was a definite shot at Pacquiao without mentioning his name, and Pacquiao has not taken all the pot shots lightly as he recently filed a lawsuit against the Mayweathers and Golden Boy Promotions for defaming his name. The gloves are off, but unfortunately the Pacquiao-Mayweather war is being fought in courtroom instead of in the ring.

I find it real interesting, almost comical actually, that Mayweather, who has had more off-the-ring issues than Pacquiao, is the one calling Pacquiao a lawbreaker. Mayweather hasn't exactly been a model citizen, and his Uncle Roger is scheduled to appear in court on June 1 for allegedly beating and choking a female boxer in Las Vegas.

Floyd Sr. was the first to advise his son not to fight Pacquiao because, according to Floyd Sr., he has never seen a fighter dish out and absorb punishment the way Pacquiao has been able to do against bigger opponents. In Floyd Sr.'s mind there is no defense for a hard-charging Ivan Drago-like fighter, and that scares the heck out of the Mayweather camp.



Though there is no hard evidence to support the Mayweathers' claim that Pacquiao is on steroids, they have raised the legitimacy issue that surrounds today's athlete. Performance-enhancing drugs are about as addicting and as prevalent as reality TV shows. Athletes just can't seem to stay away from it and the paying audience can't get enough of it.

Whether Floyd Mayweather Sr.'s claim is true or not, the court of public opinion has been affected and the seed of doubt has been planted.

Pacquiao has agreed to giving blood and urine samples 14 days before the fight, but the Mayweather camp says that's not enough. Human Growth Hormones can't be detected through urine samples and blood testing is the only way to catch someone using HGH because it stays in someone's system a lot longer.

However, there are ways to avoid getting caught if you know when you'll get tested. For example, NFL players commonly use somebody else's urine or blood sample and stash them in the refrigerator up until the day of the tests. Then, when it's time to test, they hide the samples in their compression shorts on their way to the lab.

But I have a solution that both parties could agree on.

If I were Manny Pacquiao and I know that I'm clean, I would agree to the random drug tests on one condition - the fight would have to be at a catch-weight of 145 pounds.

If Pacquiao is being honest about his disdain for drawing blood hours before a fight because it makes him weak, then he should level the playing field by forcing Floyd Mayweather Jr. to shed two pounds off his 147-pound body.

This way, the ball is now on Mayweather's court and his team will have to decide if TWO MEASLY POUNDS is enough to tear down the most lucrative fight in boxing since Oscar De La Hoya fought Felix Trinidad in 1999. There are $40 million reasons why both men should fight.

Pacquiao wants Mayweather to cement his legacy and Mayweather needs Pacquiao to provide him with the biggest payday of his career (and we all know how much "Money" Mayweather loves that paper!). This fight needs to happen, and I don't see why it shouldn't.

It's fight night, Texas style! Seven-time champion Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines, the man considered as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, takes on Joshua Clottey (35-3, 21 KOs) of Ghana tonight in the first major boxing event held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The tale of the tape:
-- Age: Pacquiao 31; Clottey 32
-- Weight: Pacquiao 145 3/4; Clottey 147
-- Height: Pacquiao 5-6 1/2; Clottey 5-8
-- Reach: Pacquiao 67"; Clottey 70"
-- Stance: Pacquiao (southpaw); Clottey (orthodox)
-- Pro Record: Pacquiao 50-3-2, 38 KOs; Clottey 35-3, 21 KOs)

The preliminary bouts will start at 6 p.m. PST. The live round-by-round coverage, with my scores for each round, will begin at approximately 8 p.m. PST. on this site: SportsFanLive.com/heroesvillains

-- 6:50 p.m. PST: John Buddy scores a split decision over Michael Medina in the first prelim bout of the night. Pacquiao and Clottey are in their respective dressing rooms getting their hands wrapped.

-- 6:58 p.m. PST: Second prelim bout between Jose Luis Castillo, a former two-time lightweight champion, and Alfonso Gomez is about to start.

-- 7:10 p.m. PST: Middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik in the house!

-- 7:22 p.m. PST: Castillo didn't answer the bell in fourth round, awarding the fight to Gomez. Up next, Humberto Soto takes on David Diaz.

-- 7:54 p.m. PST: Two former Cowboys coaches, Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer, sitting ringside. Deion Sanders is also among the growing crowd that could exceed well over 50,000.

-- 8:22 p.m. PST: Soto scores unanimous decision over Diaz. Up next, the main event!

-- 8:25 p.m. PST: Soraya Simons singing the national anthem for Ghana.

-- 8:27 p.m. PST: Arnel Pineda singing the national anthem for the Philippines.

-- 8:29 p.m. PST: Three Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders singing the Star Spangled Banner.

-- 8:33 p.m. PST: The announced crowd of 50,994 is the third-largest crowd to ever attend a boxing match in history. Ali-Spinks in 1978 at the Louisiana Superdome holds the record at 63,000-plus.

-- 8:36 p.m. PST: Clottey enters the ring first. He looks relaxed and skipping to the beat of his chosen music.

-- 8:38 p.m. PST: Pacquiao enters the ring with AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" blasting in the background. The crowd is predominantly pro-Pacquiao.

-- 8:41 p.m. PST: Micheal Buffer with the official introduction.

-- 8:44 p.m. PST: Let's get ready to rumble!

ROUND 1: Both fighters start out very cautious. Pacquiao goes to the body early with some left hooks. Clottey using the left jab but hasn't connected a significant punch. A very safe opening round for both fighters. Pacquiao did enough to win the round. Round goes to Pacquiao, 10-9

ROUND 2: Clottey is fighting a very conservative fight so far. Clottey connects with the jab, but Pacquiao counters with a straight left. Pacquiao is trying to engage Clottey into a punch-for-punch battle, but Clottey continues to play it safe. Pacquiao staggers Clottey with a combination. Pacquiao finishes the round with a flurry of punches. Round goes to Pacquiao, 10-9.

ROUND 3: Pacquiao lands a straight left that grazes Clottey's gloves. Clottey lands a straight right, his first significant punch of the fight. Pacquiao is the busier fighter, but Clottey blocks the punches with his gloves. Clottey is giving Pacquiao way too much respect. Clottey lands a hard right hand. Best punch of the fight for the man from Ghana. Pacquiao pushes Clottey into the corner with a right-left combination, but Clottey recovers. Round goes to Clottey, 10-9.

ROUND 4: It's obvious that Clottey is going to outbox Pacquiao and is not going to get caught in a slugfest. Pacquiao's best punch is a straight left to the body. Pacquiao moves Clottey into the ropes with a barrage of punches, including a unique simultaneous right-left punch that both land on Clottey's cheek. Pacquiao peppers Clottey with two hard body shots. Round goes to Pacquiao, 10-9.

ROUND 5: Clottey lands a straight right. Pacquiao goes to the body again and back up top with a right uppercut. Pacquiao continues to pound Clottey's body, and the fight is beginning to look one-sided in favor of the Filipino champ. Pacquiao forces Clottey into the ropes with consecutive punches. Another round to Pacquiao, 10-9.

ROUND 6: Pacquiao has won four of the first five rounds so far. Clottey scores a left-right combo and forces Pacquiao into the ropes, a rare sight in this fight. Pacquiao moves the action back into the center of the ring where he continues to dominate. Pacquiao scores with a right hook to the body and a straight left to the face. Pacquiao is landing more power shots, most of them to the body, and his speed is clearly bothering Clottey. Round goes to Pacquiao, 10-9.

ROUND 7: Clottey refuses to open up and remains very conservative. Pacquiao continues to pound the body with right hooks, trying to get Clottey to drop his hands. Pacquiao's quick combo punches moves Clottey into the ropes, but Clottey manages to move the right back into the center of the ring. Pacquiao pushes Clottey into the corner again, but none of the punches did any damage. Pacquiao did enough to win the round. Round goes to Pacquiao, 10-9.

ROUND 8: Pacquiao has a minor swelling below his right eye. Pacquiao tries to pound the body, but Clottey blocks each one of them. Pacquiao connects on two uppercuts and two straight lefts. Clottey lands a straight right at the end of the round, but Pacquiao doesn't flinch. Round goes to Pacquiao, 10-9.

ROUND 9: At this point of the fight, Clottey needs a knockout to win. Clottey connects with a straight right to begin the round. Pacquiao lands four consecutive shots and moves Clottey into the ropes. The fight looks like a sparring session for the seven-time world champ and it doesn't appear that Clottey will come out of his defensive shell. Round goes to Pacquiao, 10-9.

ROUND 10: Pacquiao lands a right hook and a straight left to the head. Clottey remains very careful and is economical with his punches. Clottey lands two shots to the head. Pacquiao tries to blitz Clottey with a right-left combo, but Clottey was able to fend off the attack. Very close round. Round goes to Pacquiao, the more aggressive fighter, 10-9.

ROUND 11: Clottey lands a left hook to the head and a straight right that stopped Pacquiao from moving in. Clottey's best round since Round 3. Clottey lands an uppercut, but Pacquiao counters with a right hook and a left cross to the head. Another close round, and could have gone either way. Round goes to Clottey, 10-9, but I'm being generous.

ROUND 12: Accidental headbutt stops the action momentarily. Clottey lands a left hook, but Pacquiao doesn't budge. Pacquiao is clearly the more superior fighter and Clottey is no match for his speed and movement. Pacquiao finishes the fight with a barrage of punches that gets the crowd going. Round goes to Pacquiao, 10-9.

-- 9:37 p.m. PST: It's official. Pacquiao scores a unanimous decision over Clottey.

Pacquiao tells Max Kellerman that it wasn't an easy fight. "He's a very tough opponent. He's very strong," Pacquiao says of Clottey. "He was looking for the big shot. He's a counter-puncher."

Clottey says about Pacquiao: "He has speed. He's fast. He's waiting for me to open, but he's just too fast."

Pacquiao on fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr.: "I don't think he's ready to fight. If not, maybe Mosley and I will fight."

Pacquiao improves to 51-3-2 and Clottey drops to 35-4. As expected, both Pacquiao and Freddie Roach call out Mayweather.

Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) checked in just a shade under 146 pounds - 145 3/4 to be exact - during Friday's weigh-in while Ghana's Joshua Clottey (35-3, 21 KOs), a natural welterweight, tipped the scale at 147 pounds.

Both fighters were very friendly toward each other during the weigh-in, shaking hands more than once and playfully smiling and laughing during a face-to-face pose.

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's much celebrated trainer, predicted Saturday's welterweight championship fight at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas - also known as Jerry Jones' Taj Mahal - wouldn't go past 10 rounds. Though Clottey has never been knocked out in his professional career, he has never faced a fighter like Pacquiao, who continues to defy physics and has managed to maintain his speed and punching power despite the added weight.

Pacquiao, a former flyweight champion, is on an incredible winning streak, knocking out his last four opponents:

-- def. Miguel Cotto, TKO Rd. 12 (Nov. 14, 2009)
-- def. Ricky Hatton, KO Rd. 2 (May 2, 2009)
-- def. Oscar De La Hoya, TKO Rd. 8 (Dec. 6, 2008)
-- def. David Diaz, TKO Rd. 9 (June 28, 2008)
-- def. Juan Manuel Marquez, SD Rd. 12 (March 15, 2008)

Clottey lost a split decision to Cotto in 2009 and his only signiture victory in his previous five fights was a technical decision over overrated Zab Judah in 2008 when Judah couldn't continue because of a bad cut. A look at Clottey's last five opponents:

-- lost to Miguel Cotto, SD Rd. 12 (June 13, 2009)
-- def. Zab Judah, TD Rd. 9 (Aug. 2, 2008)
-- def. Jose Luis Cruz, TKO Rd. 5 (April 3, 2008)
-- def. Shamone Alvarez, UD Rd. 12 (Dec. 20, 2007)
-- def. Felix Flores, UD Rd. 10 (Aug. 9, 2007)

Las Vegas oddsmakers has Clottey as a 4-to-1 underdog, making this bout more of a tune-up match for Pacquiao. About the only advantage Clottey will have when he steps into the ring with Pacquiao is his height (Pacquiao is 5-6 and Clottey is 5-8). But Pacquiao has yet to be overwhelmed by bigger and taller fighters so the height difference won't be a factor.

Of course, there is always a chance that Pacquiao could take Clottey lightly and make it more of a challenge. But considering there is a HUGE payday in his future (i.e. Floyd Mayweather Jr.), Pacquiao won't let his guard down.



Note: Heroes & Villains author Joel Huerto will do a live round-by-round scoring of the Pacquiao-Clottey fight. The pay-per-view event will start at 6 p.m. PST. For those who want to follow the live round-by-round blog, visit SportsFanLive.com/heroesvillains.

Like him or not, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the straw that stirs boxing's melting pot.

Depending on the opponent, Mayweather can play the hero or the villain. He is both fearless and calculated. Very few pugilists today can bring attention to a fight better than "Money" Mayweather, and his pay-per-view buys back it up his pre-fight bravado.

During Thursday's media event held at L.A. Live's Nokia Plaza to promote his upcoming pay-per-view championship fight with Shane Mosley, Mayweather managed to fire insults at Manny Pacquiao without mentioning his name. And as he made his way to a group of adoring fans who attended the Floyd-fest, Mayweather led a playful chant of "HGH! HGH! HGH!" as Mosley - whose name has been dragged through the BALCO mud - worked his way around the barricades to sign autographs.

Score two points for the undisputed king of hype, Floyd Mayweather Jr.

"I'm the face of boxing," boasts the six-time, 33-year-old former pound-for-pound king (40-0, 25 knockouts), who begins his "Clean Up Boxing" crusade with a blockbuster bout with the 38-year-old Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) on May 1 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Floyd Jr. has built his entire career being defensive. He didn't get the nickname Pretty Boy Floyd by getting into too many slugfests. In the ring, he has mastered the art of hitting without getting hit. Out of the ring, he always seems to find himself defending his decisions, whether it's not fighting a guy who refuses to subject himself to random blood and urine tests (ahem ... Manny Pacquiao!) or fighting a guy who appear to be past his prime (ahem ... Shane Mosley!).

"No matter who I face, I don't get my just due. I'm fighting against the media and all those Internet blogs. You have to be mentally strong to do that," he said."

Mayweather has vowed to rid the sport of boxing of all fighters who, in Mayweather's mind, have enhanced their careers with the help of human growth hormones.

"I just want to clean up my sport," said Mayweather, who certainly is not referring to the trash left people left behind at Nokia Plaza.

And as much as he says he is focused on preparing for Mosley, it is crystal clear that Pacquiao -- who fights Joshua Clottey on March 13 in Dallas -- is very much in Mayweather's sights.

Mayweather firmly believes that he's STILL the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world and feels the title was unceremoniously taken away from him when he briefly retired from the sport three years ago.

Hard to argue Mayweather's point since he has never lost a professional fight.

When the subject of the much-awaited Pacquiao bout was broached, Mayweather went on the offensive and reiterated his suspicions about the Filipino fighter.

"At one time, fighters didn't have to take blood tests. But I'm taking a stand," Mayweather explained. "All I'm saying is, in the sport of boxing, you don't go from being an ordinary fighter at 25 to extraordinary at 30."

Whether or not Pacquiao is guilty of using performance-enhancing drugs, Mayweather has certainly planted a huge seed of doubt in the minds of the boxing community that Pacquiao may not be playing by the same rules as everyone else.

Pacquiao certainly didn't help his cause when he said he is not fond of needles. Well, if Manny Pacquiao is afraid of needles, then how did he get his tattoos?

I truly believe the Mayweather-Pacquiao megafight will eventually happen. There is just too much money on the line for it not to materialize. But Mayweather is going to make sure that it will be on his terms. Like he said before, the road to a big-time payday leads to Floyd Mayweather Jr.

If Pacquiao wants to complete his Hall-of-Fame credential and be considered the best fighter of his generation, he needs to agree to the Olympic-style drug testing and end all of the speculation. Otherwise, Pretty Boy will continue to needle him.

"I am deeply sorry."

Those were the words that came out of Tiger Woods' mouth during a surreal 13-minute confessional on Friday that Rick Reilly described as a magic show with the blue curtain in the background and a small gallery that included Woods' mother and his closest friends. Tiger probably wished it was a magic show so he can just wave his magic 9-iron and make all his problems disappear.

Unfortunately for Tiger, no magic wand can erase the nightmare that has been suffocating him for the past three months because of his transgressions and for cheating on his wife. His private life and professional life will forever be stained - and I'm talking Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky stained.

Some thought Woods was contrite and sincere in his apology while some berated the whole staged event and criticized Woods for reading from a prepared statement instead of speaking from the heart.

To summarize Woods' public apology, he basically said he was furious at himself for being a sex monster and commended his wife Elin for showing enormous poise and grace throughout the whole ordeal. Hmmmm. Sound familiar? It was straight out of the Kobe Bryant book of admission.

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the best, I'd give Woods' apology a 6.5 because I docked him for not allowing more writers into the room and didn't field any questions. There are far better public apologies made by superstar athletes in the past 10 years. Here is my top five:

5. MICHAEL VICK SENT TO THE DOGHOUSE
In 2007, former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick admitted he made mistakes and his poor judgment cost him two years of his NFL career. Vick accepted responsibility for his actions and paid his debt to society by going to prison for dogfighting and conspiracy charges.



4. MARK MCGWIRE ADMITS TO USING STEROIDS
Big Mac revealed in January that he used steroids for the better part of baseball career, including the magical 1998 season in which he hit a then-record 70 home runs. Though he admitted using performance-enhancers, McGwire claims that steroids did not help his ability to hit home runs. Yeah, right. And I'm the son of Poseidon.



3. MARION JONES TEARFULLY TELLS THE WORLD SHE CHEATED
Marion Jones, the former Olympic champion and the most decorated U.S. track star, tearfully pleaded guilty in 2007 to making false statements to federal agents and added that she "let her country down" and called her actions as "stupid." Three years early, Jones said she never used performance-enhancing drugs and was drug free. Jones spent six months in jail for lying to federal agents.



2. ALEX RODRIGUEZ TOSSES HIS COUSIN UNDER THE BUSS
During a 2009 press conference prior to the start of spring training, A-Rod admitted that he experimented with a steroid called "Boley" or "Bolay" in 2001. Rodriguez said, "My cousin and I, one, more ignorant than the other, decided it was a good idea to start taking it. My cousin would administer it to me but neither of us knew how to use it properly." A-Rod says he kept taking the illegal substance from 2001-2003. The highlight of the 2009 press conference was A-Rod's dramatic pause before thanking his Yankee teammates for their support.



1. KOBE BUYS HIS WAY OUT OF TROUBLE
Facing a life sentence for sexual assault, Kobe Bean Bryant, with his wife Vanessa by his side, told the world that he was innocent and was falsely accused of rape in 2003. While holding back tears, Bryant said: "I sit here in front of you guys, furious at myself, disgusted at myself for making a mistake of adultery. I love my wife with all my heart. She's my backbone." Bryant then turned to Vanessa, holding her hand tightly, and said, "You're a blessing. You're the beat to my heart and the air I breathe." Then Bryant used a line from an R. Kelly song ("Turn back the hands of time") and then reiterated how much he loves her and called her "special." Kobe proved how special she is by purchasing a $4-million purple diamond ring. Nothing says "I'm sorry" better than diamonds.