Boxing: Unbeaten Crawford stops Porter to retain WBO welterweight title

LAS VEGAS -- Unbeaten Terence Crawford made a successful defense of his WBO welterweight title on Saturday, stopping Shawn Porter in the 10th round in Las Vegas.

The 34-year-old Crawford knocked Porter down twice in the 10th before Porter's father and trainer Ken Porter stepped in to call off the fight.

Crawford felled Porter initially with a left uppercut on the button that buckled his knees. 

It was all over 1:21 of the round, when Crawford's overhand right to the side of the head sent Porter to the canvas for a second time, prompting his father to lean over the ropes and ask the referee to halt the contest.

Crawford improved to 38-0 with 29 wins by knockout, while Porter suffered the fourth loss of his career, falling to 31-4-1 with 17 KOs.

The fight was close through the first nine rounds with both fighters suffering cuts over their eyes due to accidental butts.

Crawford moved to 16-0 in world championship fights and extended his streak of winning inside the distance to nine straight bouts.

Crawford is considered one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world. 

He was the undisputed champion at super lightweight, held a lightweight belt and is now 6-0 with six knockouts as a welterweight.

Crawford has the lesser of the four major welterweight titles. 

Errol Spence, who was at ringside on Saturday, holds the IBF and WBC belts and Yordenis Ugas is in possession of the WBA title.

Agence France-Presse

Punch stats: Pacquiao lands fewer punches than Thurman in tough win

MANILA, Philippines—Manny Pacquiao’s split decision victory over a tough Keith Thurman for the WBA super world welterweight title saw him absorb more punches than he landed.

According to the punch stats released by Compubox, the Filipino boxing champion connected on fewer punches than Thurman, 210-195, but it was still the Pacquiao, showing no signs of slowing down at 40, who was the more effective of the two and landed the harder hits.


Pacquiao knocked Thurman down with a right hook in the first round proving that he still holds power despite using his non-dominant hand.

The Filipino, who came out the busier fighter with 57 thrown per round compared to Thurman’s 48, also delivered a liver blow in the 10th that nearly prompted referee Kenny Bayless to stop the fight.

Thurman, though, backed up all his tough talk heading into the fight and gave Pacquiao all he could handle, making history with his landed power punches.

Compubox said that Thurman’s 192 is the most punches landed of any of Pacquiao’s opponents in the past 43 fights tracked by organization.

Pacquiao, a known power puncher, was able to utilize his jab effectively despite a two-inch reach disadvantage, 67 inches to Thurman’s 69, with an 82-18 advantage.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Manny Pacquiao, Keith Thurman make weight ahead of welterweight clash

LAS VEGAS—Manny Pacquiao and Keith Thurman made weight Friday ahead of their welterweight world title fight at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Both Pacquiao and Thurman, the WBA (Super) champion, hit the scales at 146.5 pounds for their showdown on Saturday night.

“It’s my time. This is “One Time” and still champion by tomorrow night,” Thurman said during the official weigh-in. Manny Pacquiao ain’t doing nothing to me baby.”

“It’s gonna be a good fight because I wanna prove something and I’m so focused for this fight,” said the 40-year-old Pacquiao, who is looking to turn back the clock again as he appears in his 71st professional fight.

The weigh-in was open to the public and Filipino fans made sure to make their presence felt, waving the Philippine flag and cheering wildly every time the eight-division champion’s name was mentioned.

The boxing stars such as Errol Spence Jr., Shawn Porter, Mikey Garcia, Danny Garcia and Nonito Donaire Jr. were also in attendance as well as Pacquiao’s family including his wife Jinkee and mom Dionisia.

The undefeated Spence, who is the reigning IBF welterweight champion, and Porter, the current WBC titleholder, are scheduled in a clash of their own on September 28 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

The winner between the two could potentially meet the victor of the Pacquiao-Thurman bout.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Patriots the early pick in Las Vegas books

LAS VEGAS — Oddsmakers made the Super Bowl essentially a tossup in opening lines Sunday, though bettors quickly turned the New England Patriots into a slight favorite in what is expected to be the most heavily bet — at least legally — title game ever.

Early bets moved the line at many books so the Patriots were either one- or two-point favorites. The over-under was 58 at some books, 58.5 at others.

Bettors pounced on early lines at the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook and William Hill chain that opened with the game as a tossup or the Rams a 1-point favorite. The early bets moved the line at most books in favor of the Patriots.

The Station Casinos chain opened the Patriots as a one-point pick, and it went to two points in early betting. Oddsmakers adjust betting lines to try and balance their action on both sides.

The rare disagreement among bookmakers came after two overtime conference championship games that drew heavy action in this city’s sports books.

The first Super Bowl since sports betting became legal outside Nevada is expected to draw record action in Nevada, and should blow past last year’s $158.6 million — itself a record — when the bets are tallied from a handful of states that now have sports betting.

Bookies wasted no time setting the line as the final seconds ticked off in New England’s dramatic win over Kansas City. Bettors then wasted no time testing the opinion of oddsmakers at the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook as they went to the window to get down the first Super Bowl bets with the Rams initially listed as a one-point favorite.

“It’s just been electric,” Westgate oddsmaker Jay Kornegay said. “We certainly expect to set a new record this year.”

The point spread will likely fluctuate around the city in upcoming days as big bettors make their moves.

Nevada sports books won only 0.7 percent of the last year’s handle for $1.17 million to narrowly avoid losing money on the Super Bowl for the third time in 28 years.

source: sports.inquirer.net

‘Aggressive but careful’ Manny Pacquiao cruises to victory

MANILA, Philippines—There’s no denying that Manny Pacquiao is far from his loose canon self when he was in his 20s and early 30s during his illustrious boxing career.

Pacquiao was a mad typhoon atop the boxing ring during his days as a flyweight throughout lightweight only slowing down, in his own way, when he became a welterweight in 2009.


And part of him slowing down was also being more careful atop the ring, that was what trainer Buboy Fernandez constantly reminded during the fight against Adrien Broner for the WBA World welterweight title on Sunday (Manila time) at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“My trainer Buboy said not to be careless, just take your time, and that’s what I did,” said Pacquiao during his post-fight interview with Showtime’s Jim Gray.

Pacquiao scored an easy unanimous decision win over Broner that saw the Filipino launch an offensive attack in the seventh and ninth rounds comparable to his days when he was still between 112 to 140 lbs.

The aggressiveness, however, came at a price when Pacquiao fought Juan Manuel Marquez for the fourth time in 2012 at welterweight.

Pacquiao cornered Marquez and attempted to launch one final attack before the end of the sixth but the Mexican landed a marvelous right overhand that knocked the Filipino out.

“Although I want to be more aggressive my coach told me not to be careless,” said Pacquiao (61-7-2). “Aggressive, but not careless.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Lawyer: Ronaldo rape accuser ’emotionally fragile’

LAS VEGAS — A lawyer for a Nevada woman alleging that soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo raped her in Las Vegas in 2009 said Tuesday her client was “emotionally fragile” and agreed to an out-of-court financial settlement nine years ago because she never wanted her name made public.

Kathryn Mayorga is out of the U.S. and is not speaking with media about the lawsuit she filed last week seeking monetary damages from Ronaldo, attorney Larissa Drohobyczer told The Associated Press. Drohobyczer didn’t say where Mayorga was. She lives in the Las Vegas-area city of Henderson.

AP does not typically identify alleged victims of sexual assault, but Drohobyczer said Mayorga gave permission on Tuesday for her name to be used.

“She’s not going to be interviewed,” the attorney said. “At this time she’s emotionally fragile.”

The civil lawsuit filed in state court in Las Vegas alleges Ronaldo raped Mayorga, who was then 24, in his penthouse suite at a Las Vegas hotel and hired a team of what the document called “fixers” to shape the monetary settlement, obstruct a police criminal investigation and trick Mayorga into taking $375,000 to keep quiet.

An attorney for Ronaldo, Christian Schertz in Berlin, did not immediately respond to emails from AP. It was not immediately clear if the player had an attorney representing him in the matter in the U.S. After the German magazine Der Spiegel reported about the lawsuit last week, Schertz threatened to sue, saying the article violated Ronaldo’s personal rights “in an exceptionally serious way.”

In an Instagram video posted hours after the suit was filed, Ronaldo appears to deny the allegations.

“Fake. Fake news,” said the five-time world player of the year. “You want to promote by my name. It’s normal. They want to be famous, to say my name. But it is part of the job. I am a happy man and all good.”

Drohobyczer, who said she did not represent Mayorga in 2009 negotiations with Ronaldo’s representatives, acknowledged Mayorga accepted the settlement money.

No court document was filed, and Drohobyczer declined to identify the lawyers who handled the case at that time for Mayorga and for Ronaldo.

An attorney who may have represented Mayorga in 2009 did not respond Tuesday to messages from AP.

Drohobyczer said Mayorga, now 34, became worried that her name would become public after a 2017 media report apparently referred to the June 2009 incident at the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Mayorga was not a source for the article, Drohobyczer said.

Her client also was influenced in recent months by the #MeToo movement of women making public allegations of prior sexual assault, the attorney said.

Mayorga met Ronaldo at a nightclub, according to the lawsuit, and went with him and other people to his suite, where the alleged attack took place in a bedroom.

“She came to us and we had concerns with what happened in 2009 … with the police investigation and the circumstances around the settlement and how the negotiations were conducted,” Drohobyczer told AP.

“We don’t believe she had the capacity to enter an agreement at that time due to her emotional state,” Drohobyczer said. She characterized Mayorga in 2009 as emotionally damaged, fearful, depressed and humiliated after the alleged attack and pressure from Ronaldo’s representatives.

“We asked police to reopen the investigation and they did,” Drohobyczer said.

Officer Aden OcampoGomez, a Las Vegas police spokesman, said that because the investigation is open, the department would not make public a police report that Mayorga filed the day of the alleged attack. The lawsuit said Mayorga also went to a hospital, where a sexual assault medical examination was conducted.

However, Mayorga refused to tell police the location of the alleged attack or to identify a suspect other than to say he was a European soccer player, OcampoGomez said.

Ronaldo, 33, is a Portuguese citizen. He went from Manchester United to Real Madrid in 2009 for a then-record sum of 94 million euros, or about $130 million. He now plays for the Italian club Juventus.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages of at least $200,000. It makes 11 accusations against Ronaldo or those working for him, including conspiracy, defamation, abusing a vulnerable person, battery, infliction of emotional distress, coercion and fraud, racketeering and conspiracy, breach of contract, abuse of process and negligence for allowing details of the confidential settlement to become public.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Serena Williams talks fashion, not fouls at Las Vegas event

LAS VEGAS — Serena Williams talked about her fashion business and her family, but not tennis fouls during a Friday appearance before a business trade group in Las Vegas.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion wasn’t asked about gender equality in sports or an argument she had last weekend with the chair umpire at her U.S. Open finals match in New York during about 25 minutes onstage with Sarah Robb O’Hagan, chief executive of Flywheel Sports, at the National Retail Federation trade show.



Williams, who took no questions from the audience, said previously she felt she had been treated more harshly than a male player would have been for smashing her racket and arguing with match official Carlos Ramos during her straight-set finals loss to Naomi Osaka of Japan on Sept. 8 in New York.

Williams received three code violations and was penalized a point and one game. She was later fined $17,000.

The incident drew a volley of commentary in recent days.

Tennis icon Billie Jean King said she believes tennis applies a double standard to women compared with men, and a similar outburst by a male player would have drawn no repercussions.

A cartoon caricature of Williams appeared in an Australian newspaper drew comparisons to U.S. racial stereotypes of the past.

In Croatia, U.S. Davis Cup team captain Jim Courier said he thought the gender issue had been polarized and, in some ways, politicized.

“It’s been quite the week,” O’Hagan said before steering the conversation away from controversy.

“It isn’t the first time you have had to deal with unfair judgment against you, and yet you have this amazing ability to come back with such courage and grace,” she said.

She drew applause praising Williams for calming a riled-up audience that booed the U.S. Open outcome to refocus the moment on Osaka’s victory.

“I feel it’s really important to stand up for what you believe in,” Williams said, “especially if it can affect the future and affect a lot of people in the future. That’s what it’s all about.”

Williams also was asked about what O’Hagan termed “epic comebacks” during her 20-year tennis career, including having a baby a little more than a year ago.

The tennis star, who has her own fashion line, advised business owners to “really figure out, ‘What can I do to revamp and bring it back to the top?’”

“Really, it’s just about having a great team … and rolling up your sleeves and hard work,” Williams said. “I work really, really hard at my game. And then I work super hard at my fashion business. And I’m working incredibly hard at being a mom.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

The Killers to release career-spanning vinyl box set

Las Vegas rockers the Killers have announced a vinyl box set that will include all seven of their albums released to date.

Called “The Killers Career Vinyl Box”, the set will be available everywhere in 180-gram back vinyl, along with a limited-edition 180-gram clear vinyl version; included in both packages will be a slip mat featuring the “K” from the band’s logo and imagery that evokes the lights of the Las Vegas strip.

Led by Brandon Flowers, the Killers formed in Las Vegas in 2001, and the collection begins with the band’s 2004 debut album “Hot Fuss”, which included the hit debut single “Mr. Brightside”, running right up through 2017’s “Wonderful, Wonderful”.

In addition to the studio albums, it includes the compilation album “Sawdust”, and exclusive to the vinyl box, the 2LP “Live from the Royal Albert Hall”, which featured two 2009 gigs at the London venue and was originally released as a live DVD.

“The Killers Career Vinyl Box” is due out June 15. Links to buy the collection will be available at shop.thekillersmusic.com. JB

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

PacMay 2 ahead? Mayweather at ringside in Pacquiao’s return bout

Floyd Mayweather Jr. was among the thousands in attendance when Manny Pacquiao reclaimed the WBO Welterweight title in a dominating performance against Jessie Vargas at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Mayweather arrived during the World Title bout between Oscar Valdez and Hiroshige Osawa, just before the main event featuring his longtime rival.

As Mayweather , who turns 40 in three months, was shown on the screen watching at ringside with his daughter, talks of a potential rematch with Pacquiao resurfaced.

And it didn’t stop there.

Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports! said the two legends even had a little interaction that could go a long way.

“Pacquiao wins, climbs the ring ropes and smiles down at Mayweather. Mayweather congratulated him. Pacquiao grinned and said, ‘Thank you,'” Mannix, who covered the bout in Las Vegas, posted on his Twitter account.

The 37-year-old Pacquiao,reportedly even smiled at the retired Mayweather late in the fight.

“RD 11: @MannyPacquiaoTR sees @FloydMayweather at ringside and smiles at him. #PacVargas #TeamLegend,” Top Rank tweeted.

Mayweather immediately left the venue after Pacquiao scored a unanimous decision win to claim the WBO welterweight crown and didn’t grant any interviews, but some were able to catch up with the undefeated former champion.

“Mayweather asked what he thought of the fight: ‘Not bad,'” Mannix said.

Mayweather beat Pacquiao by unanimous decision in May last year.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Bradley ‘loses’ memory of two knockdowns

LAS VEGAS — Timothy Bradley needed to watch a video replay to remember the two times Manny Pacquiao dropped him to the canvas.

Bradley candidly told HBO’s Max Kellerman in an interview at ringside that he couldn’t recall the two defining moments of the fight, which drew 14,665 at MGM Grand Garden Arena here.

“Honestly man, I can’t remember,” Bradley said, eliciting a laugh from the audience.

Kellerman showed him a replay of the two knockdowns to refresh his memory. After watching the first, Bradley said it wasn’t a pure knockdown, adding that he got pulled down by Pacquiao after getting hit.

The second knockdown, however, stole the words from his mouth.

“Oooh!” Bradley said, as if the memory also made him remember the pain of the vicious punch that sent him tumbling, literally, backwards in the ninth round.

Despite the twin knockdowns and loss, the American boxer was in good spirits, refusing to be broken by his failure to conquer the eight-division champion on his third try.

“You win some you lose some. I’m okay. I’m happy,” Bradley said in the post-fight presser.

The Californian warrior, who still has a lot left in the tank at 32 years old, is not turning his back on boxing just yet.

“I got beat by a legend, but I’ll be back. This is not going to stop me.”

However, he has has no plans of a stepping back in the ring anytime soon after the two-month gruelling build up for this fight, which had him away from his family.

“I wanna take some time off. I’m gonna enjoy my family. I wanna enjoy my beach house in San Diego. I wanna relax, kick my feet up before thinking about what’s next, that’s what we’re going to do.”

Once his memory of the knockdown is fully restored, he’s probably not going to use the phrase “kick my feet up” too much though.
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source: sports.inquirer.net

Arum: Pacquiao doesn’t need KO to impress

LAS VEGAS — Manny Pacquiao need not knock Timothy Bradley out to be impressive Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

All the Filipino ring icon must do is dominate Bradley in the same manner that he demolished Chris Algieri, according to Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum.

“There’s no need for that (knockout),” said Arum. “If he can stagger Bradley or put him down several times like what he did to Algieri, then that’s impressive.”

If that happens, Arum is ready to begin the long road to convincing Pacquiao to put off his retirement plans or at least consider a comeback next year.

Arum, who initially was adamant that Pacquiao wouldn’t retire after the Bradley fight, started hedging on his belief Friday.

“I can feel that he is really serious about retirement,” Arum told Manila-based sportswriters in an interview at the press center of Pacquiao-Bradley III at MGM Grand Garden.

“There’s no more hunger and he is focused on what he’s going to do for his country and family after leaving boxing.”
“If before he was joking as to who he wants to fight next, he’s not mentioning anything to me now,” added the 84-year-old Arum.

If Pacquiao succeeds against Bradley and Arum can convince the Filipino champion to fight on, the promoter insists the next bout should be against a top-tier opponent like the retired Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez in April next year.

“There’s no ordinary Pacquiao fight if ever, it should be against Mayweather.”

Arum is holding hope that a resounding win by Pacquiao will catch Mayweather’s attention and lure the unbeaten American to come out of retirement.

“A grudge rematch between the most recognizable fighters of their generation should be huge,” said Arum, a Harvard-educated lawyer who’s been involved in boxing for 50 years.

Mayweather-Pacquiao shattered several boxing records, including the pay-per-view buys (4.5 million) and live gate receipts ($72 million), last May 2 and if the second edition did half as well, then Arum would be happy.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Diaz, McGregor nearly come to blows at UFC 196 presser

As if the tension between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz couldn’t get any more heated, the two almost came to
blows during the UFC 196 pre-fight press conference on Thursday (Friday Manila time).

With the two fighters engaging in a staredown, Diaz put his hands up in a fighting stance, with his right fist directly targeted on McGregor’s face. The Irish didn’t take that act kindly and slapped his opponent’s hand away with UFC president Dana White in between them.

Diaz tried to get to the UFC featherweght champion, with his brother Nick and training partner Jake Shields joining him in the stage. But White, UFC executive Dave Scholler, and the security forces were able to pacify and averted a full-blown brawl.

McGregor will be making his welterweight division debut on Saturday (Sunday Manila time) at UFC 196 in Las Vegas.

The Irish was originally slated to challenge reigning welterweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos for the title, but the Brazilian had to forego the fight due to a foot injury. The fight would’ve given McGregor a shot to be the first man to hold titles in two weight divisions.

Diaz was named as a late replacement for Dos Anjos, and since then, he and McGregor have never stopped trading barbs even before the two faced off in the Octagon.

source: sports.inquirer.net

CM Punk faces Mickey Gall in UFC debut

The CM Punk sweepstakes is finally over.

Welterweight Mickey Gall earned the right to face the former WWE champ, impressing the fans with a first-round submission win against Mike Jackson in just 45 seconds at UFC Fight Night 82 in Las Vegas on Saturday (Sunday Manila time).

Gall caught the debuting Jackson in a rear naked choke and in an instant, earned his second UFC win in as many bouts.

He then pleaded for a bout and called out Punk, real name Phil Brooks, to enter the Octagon.

“I want to be fed. I’m hungry. Feed me CM Punk, please!,” said Gall, as UFC commentator Jon Anik made the match official. Punk then entered the Octagon and shook hands with Gall.

The 24-year-old Gall has had his eyes set on Punk for a long time, telling Fox Sports last January, “I’ll finish CM Punk.”

“I’m not sure if I’ll knock him out or I’ll submit him, but I think it ends in the first round. I’m supremely confident. I think I’m made for this fight. It’s a dream opportunity. I did think I’d get to the UFC one day but didn’t think it would happen this quick, but I’m extremely ready. If this comes to fruition, I’ll be a happy man,” he said.

Punk, 37, has been out of action since he last wrestled at Royal Rumble 2014, when he retired from professional wrestling.

He has then took his act to the mixed martial arts world, signing with the UFC on December that year and trained under Duke Roufus, together with former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis and ONE FC welterweight titlist Ben Askren in Milwaukee.

Punk was supposed to make his debut in 2015, but a shoulder injury derailed his plan and held him inactive ever since.

Thanks to the drawing power he has from his wrestling background, Punk has repeatedly expressed his intentions to make his first fight at UFC 200.

However, UFC president Dana White has other dates in mind.

“The CM Punk fight is probably going to be in June. UFC 199 is what I’m thinking,” White said in a report on Bloody Elbow.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Ultra-thin, high-def TVs battle for CES crown

LAS VEGAS, United States — A battle for the title of best new television opened Tuesday at the Consumer Electronics Show, with LG unveiling a new model no thicker than four stacked credit cards.

The South Korean consumer electronics colossus opened a packed day of press conferences at the annual tech extravaganza in Las Vegas with a line-up that included an OLED Signature panel touted as “quite literally, a picture on glass.”

The television measures an unprecedented 2.57 mm, LG Electronics USA marketing vice president David VanderWaal said during an on-stage presentation.


“Our passion and commitment for OLED has never been stronger,” VanderWaal said.

“OLED TV is already recognized as the best TV ever.”

OLED displays have pixels that emit their own light, while pixels in LCD TVs are illuminated by backlights.

OLED screens boast deeper blacks, allowing for a wider range of color than LCD displays. They also tend to come with higher price tags.

LCD televisions remain “the king of screens” with sizes trending up, according to the Consumer Technology Association, the trade group behind CES.

One in every five televisions sold this year is expected to be 50 inches or more, measured diagonally, and feature ultra high-definition 4K resolution.

‘Premium’ certification
LG was among the TV makers here introducing new models that will come with a freshly minted Ultra-High Definition Premium Certification signaling that they meet standards freshly established by an alliance representing manufacturers, technology companies and studios creating content.

“The criteria established by this broad cross-section of the Ultra HD ecosystem enables the delivery of a revolutionary in-home experience,” UHD Alliance chair Hanno Basse said in a release.

“And, the Ultra HD Premium logo gives consumers a single, identifying mark to seek out so they can purchase with confidence.”

Analysts told AFP they expected adoption of 4K ultra-high definition televisions to pick up speed this year as prices get in reach of more consumers and the displays become marketplace norms.

LG built Dolby Vision technology into its new televisions.

“Dolby Vision creates a picture so lifelike you will forget you are looking at a TV screen,” Dolby Labs senior vice president Giles Baker said during the presentation.

Dolby Vision has been used in major films including box-office record-breaker “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” according to Giles.

The LG television line-up included “Super UHD” LCD displays as slim as 6.6 mm and a new flagship 8K television measuring 98 inches diagonally.

Samsung steps up game

Later in the day, leading television maker Samsung unveiled a new line of ultra-high-definition LCD televisions capable of not only streaming games or shows from the Internet but able to serve as command centers for smart home devices, from locks and lights to thermostats and appliances.

Samsung Electronics visual display business president Hyun Suk Kim pulled back the curtain on new SUHD Quantum Dot televisions that he said marked the “start of a new era of TV.”

“This year we are focused on bringing the television experience into the future,” Samsung Electronics America executive Dave Das said.

“The new SUHD TV is a giant leap forward in time.”

New models have software designed to better consolidate traditional and online content, and remote controls that automatically detect and command accessories with no set-up needed.

Samsung’s new SUHD televisions will also allow people to play more than 500 video games, including blockbusters such as “Assassin’s Creed” streamed online in partnership with Sony’s PlayStation Now service, without needing consoles.

– Smart home hubs -The TVs will also act as command centers in smart homes by incorporating technology from Silicon Valley start-up SmartThings, which Samsung bought in 2014, allowing them to control devices synched to the platform.

“I think this is really a big step forward for opening up the market,” SmartThings founder and chief Alexander Hawkinson told AFP.

“You can have a smart home basically for free as a starting point; it is pretty amazing.”

SmartThings is based on open standards, letting tens of thousands of developers tailor applications to work with the platform.

“In 2016, we’re going beyond anything we’ve done before to offer a remarkable synergy of design, engineering and craftsmanship,” said Hyun Suk Kim.

Samsung also unveiled its first Ultra HD Blu-ray Player, along with partnerships with Hollywood studios to release films in the format.

source: technology.inquirer.net

The Periscope effect on the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight

WASHINGTON–The boxing match billed as the fight of the century is over, but the battle over smartphone video streaming of the Las Vegas showdown is just beginning.

Revelations that dozens of smartphone users streamed the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather weekend fight have raised questions about how new technologies can get around copyright restrictions imposed at live venues such as sporting events and concerts.

There are no reliable figures, but thousands of people may have watched the fight via the Twitter-owned app Periscope, which allows any smartphone user to “broadcast” live video, and independent app Meerkat.

These viewers avoided the $100 fee for official pay-per-view video — as long as they did not mind reduced picture quality.

Twitter chief executive Dick Costolo appeared to boast about the feat when he tweeted at the end of the match, “And the winner is… @periscopeco.”

It highlights the conundrum copyright holders could face if they lose control of their rights to fans with smartphone apps.

Similar questions arose last month when HBO sent notices to Periscope over piracy of its “Game of Thrones” series. And these issues are expected to multiply as smartphone streaming gains popularity.

Acting ‘expeditiously’

Under US copyright law, tech firms have a responsibility to remove copyrighted content “expeditiously” when notified of a violation. But at a live event, it’s not clear how fast is fast enough.

“The law really does not have the tools for copyright owners to go after platforms that have content that is live streamed,” said Bradley Shear, a Washington-area attorney specializing in social media and copyright issues.

The debate over these streaming apps “is going to restart the conversation about copyright protection in the digital age,” Shear told AFP.

Periscope and Meerkat say in their terms of service that they do not allow streaming of copyrighted content. But because there is no clear definition of “expeditious” the law may have been rendered useless by technology, according to Shear.

“This demonstrates the need to revisit our copyright law,” he said.

Eric Goldman, co-director of the High-Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University, agreed that when Congress wrote the Digital Millennium Copyright Act in 1998, “it did not contemplate live streaming.”

Goldman noted that copyright holders could in theory sue those who carry out the streaming, the viewers and the platforms such as Twitter.

But such litigation is unlikely after the fact, especially since the law allows tech firms “safe harbor” protections if they respond to takedown requests.

Goldman said some technology firms have gone beyond the law to help copyright owners, by setting up filters and using other means to block illegal videos or at least prevent them from being discovered in a search.

‘We were ready’

Periscope founder Kayvon Beykpour said at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference Tuesday that his team was “completely prepared” for the welterweight mega-fight, with a team of people scanning for emails about potential problems.

“We had 66 requests for takedown and we took down 30 of them, all in a matter of minutes,” Beykpour said. The others could not be removed, he said, because they had ended by the time the team could deal with them.

“We were ready, we knew we had to be well-staffed,” he said.

On the broader question, Beykpour said the issue of copyright infringement is overblown because of the relatively poor quality of video on these feeds.

“No one wants to watch ‘Game of Thrones’ on Periscope,” he said.

HBO and Showtime, which managed pay-per-view television for the Pacquiao-Mayweather clash, declined to comment.

But sources familiar with the matter said the newer platforms like Periscope lack the systems adopted by YouTube and others where copyright owners are allowed to log in as special users and instantly remove content.

That means each request must be managed individually, which can often mean action is taken too late.

Fight promoter Top Rank meanwhile said it takes the issue seriously and is considering legal action.

“We are always pursuing, watching out for piracy,” Top Rank president Todd duBoef said.

“We think anyone redistributing unauthorized streaming is cheating. They don’t have the right to distribute. We want a thorough report on how many streams are out there.”

source: technology.inquirer.net

Mayweather uses high-tech toy for recovery

Floyd Mayweather Jr. uses a new high-tech pod to recover after an intense training.

It’s called a cryosauna and it looks like something out of an animated series with yellow-haired characters.

Mayweather posted a video on his Facebook page which showed him using the cryosauna, an extremely low-temperature pod, at SuvZero Recovery on Las Vegas, making him the first person to use the high-tech gizmo.

SubZero Recovery CEO Dave Levi said in the video that the method used in the cryosauna is meant to replace an ice bath.

This will give you that initial shock where you instantly freeze, it will oxygenate your blood, pickup enzymes,” Levi explains in the video. “It actually gets much colder than an ice bath.”

Levi added that ice baths normally go to as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit but the cryosauna can go as low as negative 240 degrees and it’s because of liquid nitrogen.

“When you step out of the machine … those enzymes, the proteins in your blood, the oxygenated blood, will flow back out, and it’ll heal whatever it is,” Levi said in the video. “If you have joint pain, if you have soreness in your muscles from working out, that’s kind of what we’re hoping to do for Floyd because we know he works out so hard every day.”

It looks like Mayweather is pulling out all the stops for his May 2 welterweight unification bout against Manny Pacquiao at MGM Grand Garden Arena, even using something Son Goku would use. IDL

source: sports.inquirer.net

It’s on: Mayweather says he and Pacquiao to fight May 2

LAS VEGAS — The Fight is finally on.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. will meet Manny Pacquiao on May 2 in a welterweight showdown that will be boxing’s richest fight ever. Mayweather himself announced the bout Friday after months of negotiations, posting a picture of the signed contract online.

The long anticipated bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas will almost surely break every financial record ever, and make both boxers richer than ever. Mayweather could earn $120 million or more, while Pacquiao’s split of the purse will likely be around $80 million.

The fight, which matches boxing’s two biggest attractions in recent years, has been in the making for five years. It finally came together in recent months with both fighters putting aside past differences over various issues — including drug testing and television rights — to reach agreement.

“I promised the fans we would get this done and we did,” Mayweather said.

While the fight rivals the 2002 heavyweight title bout between Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson for interest, it comes more than five years after the first real effort to put the fighters together in their prime. Most boxing observers believe both have lost some of their skills, though Mayweather remains a master defensive fighter and Pacquiao showed in his last fight against Chris Algieri that he still has tremendous quickness in his hands.

Still, Pacquiao is 36 and has been through many wars in the ring. And while Mayweather has been largely untouched in his career, he turns 38 on Tuesday.

Pacquiao was sleeping in the Philippines when the fight was announced, but his camp issued a statement saying the fans deserve the long awaited fight.

“It is an honor to be part of this historic event,” Pacquiao said. “I dedicate this fight to all the fans who willed this fight to happen and, as always, to bring glory to the Philippines and my fellow Filipinos around the world.”

As part of the agreement, Mayweather insisted on having the right to announce the bout. He also won concessions from the Pacquiao camp on who enters the ring first, what type of gloves are used, and a number of other issues, including a reported 60-40 split of the purse.

But it didn’t take long for Pacquiao’s camp to start talking, either. Promoter Bob Arum expressed his elation in making the fight, while trainer Freddie Roach predicted a big win for his fighter.

“Floyd should enjoy being the A-Side while he can because on May 2 Manny is going to put him on his backside,” Roach said.

Arum, who has promoted some of the biggest fights in history, said this one would be bigger than them all.

“This boxing match will have the interest in the U.S. of a Super Bowl,” Arum told The Associated Press. “I think it will set all kinds of pay-per-view records and gate records. It will be the biggest boxing event of all time.”

Both fighters will bring 147-pound titles into the ring, but the fight is about far more than belts. Mayweather, who is unbeaten in 47 fights, wants to stake his claim as one of the greatest fighters ever, and remove any doubts about his legacy by fighting the boxer who is thought to be the greatest challenge of his career.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, will try to show that a knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012 and a disputed decision loss to Timothy Bradley should not define a remarkable career that began 20 years ago in the Philippines

Don’t tune in looking for a big knockout, either. The last time Pacquiao stopped anyone was in 2009 when he finished off Miguel Cotto in the 12th round, while Mayweather has only stopped one fighter (Victor Ortiz) in the last eight years.

Oddsmakers have already posted their opinion on the bout, making Mayweather a 2 1/2-1 favorite in betting parlors in this gambling town. The fight is expected to draw record betting, with tens of millions wagered in Nevada’s legal sports books.

Another record which will almost surely be set will be the pay-per-view price to watch the fight at home. The fight will be televised as a joint venture between competing networks Showtime and HBO, which will share announcers with Jim Lampley and Al Bernstein reportedly handling the task at ringside.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Wesley So to lead Webster team in big-purse chess tournament

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Chess grandmaster Wesley So will lead a powerhouse Webster University chess team in the richest-ever chess tournament, October 9-13 at Planet Hollywood.

Called Millionaire Chess, the tournament offers a total prize pot of $1 million, with the champion of the Open division receiving $100,000.

Other Filipino chess players from NorCal House of Chess of Fremont, California, are also participating in the tournament, which now requires a hefty $1,500 registration fee.

“They have to learn how to win in all types of events: RR invitational, team, big open Swiss, etc.,” said Paul Truong, a Webster University coach, who has guided the team to a NCAA championship together with his wife Susan Polgar.

“When so much money (is) on the line, some players do ‘chicken out’ or ‘choke’. This is a learning experience for them if they want to get better. Susan and I will be there to help them,” Truong said.

With So on the Webster team are students Le Quang Liem, Ray Robson and Ashwin Jayaram. Robson and Liem are grandmasters while Jayaram is an international master.

The tournament offers prizes for competitions in various categories base on the players’ EL0 ratings.

For the Open, the first prize is $100,000 with the second place getting $50,000; third place $25,000; fourth, $14,000; fifth, $8,000; sixth, $4,000; seventh to 20th, $2,000 each and 21st to 50th, $1,000.

Some 500 players from 39 countries, including 29  grandmasters, are expected in the tournament conceived by Maurice Ashley, the first African-American grandmaster, and businesswoman Amy Lee.

“Chess is a very exciting game, it’s been around for 1,500 years for a reason,” Ashley said in a recent interview with a Canadian radio station.

“Chess is in the mind of the players, and so it’s kind of difficult when you’re watching a chess game to understand exactly what’s going on. The intrigue, the drama, the psychological tension. It’s up to the commentators to bring that out.”

Ashley thinks that Las Vegas is the perfect venue because of the city’s tradition of high-stakes, all-in tournaments.

“Millionaire Chess wants to bring the game into the mainstream,” said Lee, Ashley’s business partner. “Chess is already becoming more and more prevalent in pop culture. It’s time to move this impression of this game into a new light.”

“When you think that more people play chess than all sports combined it’s hard not to see the opportunity to do new and exciting things with chess.”

Ashley and Lee expect to lose money in their first venture but believe they will steadily recover and make money with more tournaments in the future.

Also competing are Ted Castro, who owns and runs the NorCal House of Chess in Fremont, California, and international master Ricardo de Guzman.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Fil-Ams in Las Vegas relieved by Pacquiao win

• Were wary of non-KO fight ending, which could’ve robbed their champ again

• Fans now want Mayweather’s head

• Viewing parties bring family and friends together

LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Manny Pacquiao is back as champion. Order has been restored. Filipinos in Las Vegas can rest easy.

“He showed he still have plenty left in the tank,” said Pat Pimentel at a fight viewing party. “He has slowed down, but he’s still one of the best.”

Showing just occasional flashes of his old fiery self, Paquiao easily outpointed Timothy Bradley over 12 rounds Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Area to win back the WBO welterweight title he lost to the American two years ago.

There were no anxious moments for the two dozen or so Fil-Ams who watched the fight at the home of William and Trini O’Rourke on Dessert Inn, except before the decision was announced.

Pacquiao easily dominated the fight, but like in 2012, there was fear that Bradley, who came into the fight with a spotless 30-fight winning streak, could snatch the victory.

“I’m glad Pacquiao was declared winner,” said Jose Badsalin. “It was a convincing win, but you never know with this decision victories.”

After a two-loss streak, including that controversial split-decision loss to Bradley, Filipinos here have been wary of a Paquiao fight.

Pacquiao fights are a big event here for the 30,000 or so Filipino-American residents, and fight parties are pretty common, with groups of Filipinos using the occasion to meet up with friends, relatives and folks coming from the same Philippine towns and cities.

“It’s been like family affairs,” said Trini Rourke, who works at the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino in downtown Las Vegas. “Everyone here is either a friend or relative.”

Because watching the fight live is expensive, most Filipinos resort to buying pay-per-view to watch the bout, oftentimes sharing the expense and food potluck style.

At the O’Rouke fight party, there were pancit, lumpia, chicken and beef, kakanin, including cassava cake, and puto.

It’s an event repeated in many Filipino homes across the United States — and in the Philippines — as Pacquiao, a tried and tested boxing hero, continues to impress despite his advancing age.

The talk now, here and throughout the boxing world, is if finally fans will get the fight they’re hoping for — a bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr., a Las Vegas native.

“That will be the fight of all fights,” said Romy Lumanlan, who added that Mayweather could not forever avoid Pacquiao if he were to cement his boxing legacy.

Pacquiao came out sharp and eager to fight and engaged Bradley toe-to-toe in the early rounds, unleashing his patented two-fisted attack and combinations.

In the third round, Bradly pinned Pacquiao on the ropes and appeared to have hurt the Filipino, drawing gasps from the crowd watching the bout.

But Paquiao escaped with not much damage and administered the same punishment to Bradley in the seventh. As the American visibly appeared to be tiring out, Pacquiao took control of the fight.

In the 12th, however, the two boxers banged heads, and Pacquiao sustained a deep cut on his left eyebrow. Good for the Filipino champion, it was the last round, and there was no clear damage.

“He’s good for perhaps another two years,” said Gil Guillen, whose wife is Filipina, and had lived in the Philippines for 14 years. “We can still enjoy watching him fight.”

source: globalnation.inquirer.net

One Pacquiao-Bradley judge replaced

MANILA, Philippines—Staying true to correct the blunder off years past, the Nevada State Athletic Commission has subbed one judge for the rematch of Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley.

According to Dan Rafael of ESPN, Craig Metcalfe of Canada replaced John Keane of Britain after the latter was reportedly ill and would be unable to travel for the fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti informed the international sports website Tuesday.

In his report, Rafael said that the NCSA and its chairman, Francisco Aguilar, informed Top Rank, which promotes both fighters, of the change in the judges’ lineup.

Glenn Throwbridge of Nevada and Michael Pernick of Florida are still on-board while Kenny Bayless is still the third man atop the ring.

source: sports.inquirer.net