Nonito Donaire dropped Vazquez with a left uppercut followed by a left hook during the ninth round of the undercard bout for the World Boxing Council’s middleweight title fight between unbeaten champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Marco Antonio Rubio at the Alamodome.

Two of the judges voted in favor of Donaire: Levi Martinez and Don Trella gave a similar score of 117-110 in favor of the Pinoy boxer. However, the third judge–Ruben Garcia–scored in favor of Vasquez 115-112 making it a split decision win for Donaire.

Nonito Donaire Triumphs Against Vasquez for Super Bantamweight Title originally appeared on Starmometer on February 6, 2012.

This season, the Heat retained the excellence and stamina they exhibited last season and continue to be the powerful squad they were touted to be during the team’s rebuilding a few years ago.

In the game on Monday, Chris Bosh, who is part of the team’s power trio completed by superstars Lebron James and Dwyane Wade, will be pitted against his old teammates in Toronto, whom he led for years until he was traded to the Heat in 2010.

Toronto is currently kept afloat by the Italian Andrea Bargnani, whose importance to the team was felt most acutely when the Raptors lost several consecutive games due to the injury-induced absence of their top-scoring power forward.

Don’t miss the Heat-Raptors match on Monday (Feb 6), 9:00 a.m. on Studio 23. A primetime telecast of the game will be aired on the same day at 9:30 p.m.

Heat-Raptors Match to Air on Studio 23 originally appeared on Starmometer on February 4, 2012.

The co-main event, also a title fight, will be a battle between Mexican sluggers Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and first-ranked challenger Marco Antonio Rubio.

The three-division world champion Donaire (27-1-0 18 KOs), who will stake his 26-bout winning streak, will once again be traipsing into new territory as he climbs up to the 122-pound class, a division once ruled by the younger Vazquez (21-1-1 18 KOs).

The pugilist from Puerto Rico entrenched himself in the title in 2010, when he knocked out General Santos City-native Marvin Sonsona. Vazquez Jr, the son of former world champion Wilfredo Vazquez Sr, defended the title twice, but fell prey to the Mexican fighter Jorge Arce in 2011.

Arce has since relinquished the title in order to fight at 118 pounds and Vazquez is poised to reclaim glory. But for Donaire, who was the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s co-Athlete of the Year for 2011, it may be an opportune time to embellish his resume with yet another division title.

Meanwhile, WBO middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (44-0-1 31 KOs) will be challenged by contender Marco Antonio Rubio (53-5-1 46 KOs) in the co-main event.

Chavez Jr., the son of legendary boxing champion Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., is undefeated, while Rubio is in a two-year winning streak. The fight will follow the Donaire-Vazquez bout and will air at 1:00 p.m. on Studio 23.

Don’t miss these thrilling contentions for two world titles on Sunday (Feb 5). Catch the Donaire-Vazquez bout at 10:15 a.m. on ABS-CBN, and the Chavez-Rubio match at 1:00 p.m on Studio 23. A primetime telecast of the bouts will air on Studio 23 at 6:00 p.m.

Photo Credit: Top Rank

Donaire-Vazquez Title Bout to be Aired on ABS-CBN originally appeared on Starmometer on February 1, 2012.

This was announced by UFC president Dana White recently. Supposedly, the winner of the Muñoz – Sonnen bout will face Anderson Silva for the UFC Middleweight title in a proposed stadium-sized UFC event in Sao Paolo, Brazil, while Bisping and Damian Maia will headline the third installment of the UFC on Fox series. Now, Maia will fight Chris Weidman to complete the 3-fight card.

Meanwhile, the main event featuring former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans and Phil Davis will go on as scheduled. Balls (SkyCable Channel 34), the home of the UFC in the Philippines, will broadcast the event on January 29 at 11:30am.

The orthodox Evans, 16-1-1, is currently riding a three-fight win streak, including a second-round technical knockout victory over Tito Ortiz in August last year. Davis, 9-0, on the other hand, considers Evans as his toughest competitor so far. The two fighters were previously scheduled to headline UFC 133 but David suffered a knee injury and pulled out of the fight with Ortiz sliding in to take his spot.

Top middleweights Sonnen and Bisping are both known for their gift of gab. Both fighters already produced notable soundbites in the run-up to the fight. Fans expect fireworks in and out of the Octagon.“I am going to knock the teeth out of this snot nosed Brit who calls himself royalty, who calls himself a Count,” Sonnen said.

Get your UFC fix on Balls! Balls channel is available on SkyCable Platinum, SkyCable Gold, SkyCable Silver and over 200 quality cable operators nationwide. For more updates, visit www.ballschannel.tv and follow us on facebook.com/BallsChannel and @ballschannel on Twitter.

Fil-Am UFC Fighter Mark Muñoz Injured, Sonnen Gets Another Opponent originally appeared on Starmometer on January 25, 2012.

The Lakers and the Pacers are two of this season’s most exciting teams, with the Lakers remaining a powerhouse and the Pacers continuing the new era they started for themselves last season.

After enduring derailments early on in their bid for a good season, the Lakers have turned things around, with the injured superstar Kobe Bryant even posting 40-plus points in four consecutive games.

As evidenced by their win-loss ratio, the Pacers, too, are doing more than well. With the recent addition of shooting guard George Hill and power forward David West to the roster anchored by forward Danny Granger, the Pacers are said to have assembled one of the best lineups in the Eastern Conference this season.

Catch the live battle between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Indiana Pacers this Monday (Jan 23), 10:30 a.m. on Studio 23. A same-day primetime telecast of the game will be aired at 9:30 p.m.

Lakers-Pacers Tiff to Air Live on Studio 23 originally appeared on Starmometer on January 21, 2012.

He will be joined by team Philippines members and ALA fighters Lorenzo Villanueva, Joseph Von Minoza, OPBF Champion Merlito “Tiger” Sabillo” and Mhar Jhun Makahilig who is considered to be another prospect coming out of the Philippines.

PINOY PRIDE XI Philippines vs THE WORLD is ALA Promotions and ABS CBN Sports’ first mega boxing offering of the year that will showcase five different nationalities in one event. Team Philippines will be going up against high quality opponents from Mexico, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and Korea.

Showcased on the main event is Milan “El Metodico” Melindo, the WBO Intercontinental Flyweight Champion against world title challenger in Juan Esquer of Mexico. Melindo who is now being considered by BoB Arum’s Top Rank Promotions is a whisker away from a world title challenge and a convincing and spectacular win over Esquer might help him seal the deal for a world title shot.

Team Philippines will be giving the SM City crowd a peek of their preparations for their upcoming bouts against the opponents. A programed work-out will take place involving our fighters and ALA Promotions management will be giving away free tickets and treats through trivia and games to lucky patrons who will be present during tomorrows show.

Pinoy Pride tickets are available at the ALA Promotions Head Office with numbers 032.2364611, ALA Gym at the BTC, Bsaya Ispisyal Boutiqus at SM City Cebu and Ayala Center Cebu,USA Sports Ayala, Mooon café @ the I.T. Park, Lahug, SM City Cebu Food Court, Pacific Mall Mandaue, Gaisano Tabunok, Gaisano Metro Colon and ILA PUTI at the I.T. Park, Lahug

The eleventh edition of the Pinoy Pride series is supported by SM City Cebu, Pacific Mall Mandaue, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, KIA Motors Cebu, Mooon Café, Harold’s Hotel, PAGCOR, Gaisano Tabunok, Gaisano Metro Colon and EGI Resort.

PINOY PRIDE’s Team Philippines will be dropping by the City Mayor’s office to do a courtesy call to Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama 3 PM on the same day as the Public Work-out before proceeding to the SM City Cebu for the said show.

Pinoy Pride Team Philippines to Work Out at SM Cebu originally appeared on Starmometer on January 19, 2012.

The charity match, dubbed as “Kia Rio Cup,” is aimed at raising funds for the benefit of ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya’s drive for the victims of Typhoon Sendong.

While the Azkals will not be represented by several of their Europe-based players because of commitments to their respective clubs, top players Phil Younghusband, James Younghusband, Chieffy Caligdong, Ian Araneta and Anton del Rosario will be leading the team against the South Korean club, which boasts of World Cup veterans and excellent rookies.

The Azkals played their first charity match for Sendong victims against Spains’ CF Internacional Madrid. The game, held on January 7, was reported to have raised at least P1.5 million.

During the event, a telethon was conducted by Kapamilya stars, where they received donations and pledges for the victims.

The tickets to the Azkals-Incheon Citizens game, which is presented by ABS-CBN and US-based Dragon Promotions, are at P100, P300, P500, P1000 and P1500 and are available at Ticket World outlets.
Catch the Azkals-Incheon game live on January 21, 6 p.m. on Studio 23.

Azkals-Incheon Citizens Match for ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya Airs on Studio 23 originally appeared on Starmometer on January 19, 2012.

A few years after moving from Seattle and relinquishing the name “SuperSonics,” the Oklahoma City Thunder are riding high as one of the leaders this season in terms of win-loss ratio.

Oklahoma City is buoyed by the sharp-shooting Kevin Durant and the potent point guard Russell Westbrook. True to the “Cinderella story” tagged on them, they have gone from incurring poor standings like they did in their inaugural season in 2008 to achieving feats such as becoming the first team this season to win three games in three consecutive nights.

But the Knicks, too, have accustomed themselves to clinching straight wins in this compressed season. They secured their three-game winning streak on January 9 in a victory against the Charlotte Bobcats.

For years the Knicks were a dormant team until the arrival of stalwart Carmelo Anthony in early 2011. With the addition in December of defensive player Tyson Chandler, who helped the Dallas Mavericks win their championship last year, the Knicks are said to be capable of having a good run this season.

Don’t miss the Thunder-Knicks match on Sunday (Jan 15) on ABS-CBN at 10:15 a.m. A same-day primetime telecast of the game will air on Studio 23 at 9:30 p.m.

Prior to the primetime replay on Studio 23, catch Real NBA at 9:00pm. The program goes behind-the-scenes to deliver the biggest stories in the NBA, both on and off the court.

Thunder-Knicks Match to be Aired Via Satellite on ABS-CBN originally appeared on Starmometer on January 13, 2012.

Last Tuesday, January 10, Floyd Mayweather challenged Manny Pacquiao to a May 5 bout via Twitter:

“Manny Pacquiao I’m calling you out let’s fight May 5th and give the world what they want to see”

Mayweather is available for a fight in May because his jail sentence for domestic violence was postponed until June. The American boxer was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

In a news conference, Pacquiao replied to Mayweather’s challenge:

“I want to fight him. This is the fight the world wants,” he said.

Some boxing aficionados believe that Mayweather is only bluffing. But despite Pacquiao’s willingness to fight the unbeaten American boxer, his camp says otherwise.

Pacquiao’s financial adviser Michael Koncz told The Associated Press on Thursday that there’s no economic sense in the proposed May 5 bout because a 45,000-seat boxing arena being built in Las Vegas won’t be finished before the end of May and staging the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight in a smaller venue is not an option.

Meanwhile, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said in an interview that Mayweather is still looking for “outside parties to guarantee his end of the purse.”

“So, until he finds the angel, there is no fight,” he said.

Manny Pacquiao Accepts Floyd Mayweather Challenge originally appeared on Starmometer on January 13, 2012.

The Lakers and Grizzlies have experienced roughly similar fates so far this season, with both teams losing their two preseason and first two regular season matches.

The Lakers’ recovery is amid superstar guard Kobe Bryant’s lingering injury in his shooting wrist. While his shooting percentage has plummeted to it lowest since his rookie season, his assisting and rebounding capacities have not been greatly affected by the strain.

The Grizzlies, meanwhile, can prove to be a team to watch out for, according to some analysts. They asserted significance last season when as the eighth seed they defeated the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. This was only the fourth time in NBA history that such a victory occurred.

In the game with Los Angeles, Memphis’ Marc Gasol will be facing his older brother, power forward Pau Gasol. The older Gasol was the Grizzlies’ leader for years until 2008, when he was traded to the Lakers and his former team acquired his younger brother.

Catch the Lakers-Grizzlies game live on Studio 23 on Monday (Jan 9), 10:30 a.m. A same-day primetime telecast of the game will be aired at 9:30 p.m.

Lakers-Grizzlies Game to Air Live on Studio 23 originally appeared on Starmometer on January 9, 2012.

The Spaniards scored 3 goals against the Azkals’ 1 during the event titled “Dili kamo nag-iisa (You are not alone)” which was held on Saturday, January 7, at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

James Younghusband saved the Azkals from what could have been a shut-out loss to CF Internacional de Madrid (CFIM) by scoring the lone goal for the Philippine team in the 61st minute.

The Azkals who played yesterday are called “Alyansa” because they are composed of members of the Philippine Azkals and the United Football League (UFL).

The Spaniards also put up a strong defense by clipping Azkals Alyansa’s scorers, particularly Filipino striker Chieffy Caligdong.

Meanwhile, the CF International de Madrid captured the first 3 goals of the game courtesy of Rufino Sanchez, Garcia Fernandez, and Ignacio Buenache Feijoo.

The CFIM is a Spanish third division team from Moraleja de Enmedio in the community of Madrid in Spain.

Azkals Bow to Internacional de Madrid in Sendong Charity Match originally appeared on Starmometer on January 8, 2012.

Azkals players James Younghusband, Phil Younghusband, Ian Araneta, Angel Guirado and co-captain Chieffy Caligdong, among others, will join forces with members of the United Football League (Philippines) to form the selection squad Ázkals Alyansa.

CFIM chief Stephen Kenneth Newman said in a message on the team’s Facebook account that the game “is going to be an exciting and competitive match, something which I believe we owe to the organizers of the relief efforts who are working so hard, and to all of the supporters who will turn up for the game”.

Before the match, fans will be treated to a celebrity football challenge, which will kick off at 2 p.m. Kapamilya stars, meanwhile, will lead a telethon to receive donations and pledges for Sagip Kapamilya between 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Ticket sales and other proceeds from the game will be donated to the Philippine National Red Cross to benefit victims of Typhoon Sendong. Tickets to the match are at P100, P200, P300, P400 and P500 and are sold at Ticketworld outlets.

Catch the special charity match between the Azkals Alyansa and the CF Internacional Madrid on Studio 23 this Saturday (Jan 7), 4 p.m. Viewers abroad will be able to catch the excitement via ABS-CBN’s Kapamilya Bro channel and IPTV.

Azkals Battle Internacional de Madrid for the Benefit of Sendong Victims originally appeared on Starmometer on January 4, 2012.