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Kevin Johnson Promises To Stop Vitali Cold
By Phil Woolever
SWISS MOVEMENTS - The typical seasonal weather predicted for Berne, Switzerland this weekend should be around minus 3 degrees centigrade (approximately 26 fahrenheit), or well below freezing whatever type thermometer you carry.
American challenger Kevin "Kingpin" Johnson still plans on a very hot night none the less, and promises to come out blazing against WBC titlist Vitali Klitschko at the Postfinance Arena, before a capacity crowd. The assembled swarm figures to be the type of European homeboys who make the Klitschko brothers far bigger attractions, either as live or televised acts, than they are in the United States.
In this part of the civilized world, it's a pretty safe bet that most people watching television Saturday evening will be watching the contest live. The arena, with a capacity around 12,000, sold out in a matter of hours and almost all of those seats will be holding Klitschko fans.
Klitschko is around a 5-1 favorite, with a knockout expected.
Even in the face of such realistic imposing odds in "hostile", or should we say hostel territory, Johnson has managed to appear unfazed, even quite relaxed, and he promises to tip the Alpine applecart.
"I'll shock the whole world in nine rounds," Johnson said at Monday's press conference. "The only people who could have beat me are Muhammad Ali or Larry Holmes."
The scenario in which a smaller, unheralded US challenger confronts a formidable, far more rigid Eastern Bloc hulk conjures obvious "Rocky" based cliches, but Johnson's engaging personality has added some fresh hype.
"All I've been thinking about in training is winning," Johnson told TSS through an email exchange. "That's it. My job is to win the fight no matter what. I have not considered the possibility of any other outcome. I will win this fight and you can take that to the bank. I've trained in Europe several times over the years so I'm pretty comfortable over here. Other than the cold weather nothing is really different. Besides, when I'm training I never really pay attention to my surroundings. Everything else is irrelevant to me."
It would be one of the upsets of the year if Johnson could match the type of surprise Eddie Chambers pulled off against Alexander Dimitrenko last July, but the foundational components of slick boxer versus much larger, stiffer opponent are much the same although Klitschko has demonstrated strengths Dimitrenko never did, while Johnson has yet to perform on a level near Chambers'.
Klitschko has been on quite a roll since stopping Samuel Peter for the belt last year, staying relatively busy this season with respectable stoppages of Juan Carlos Gomez in Stuttgart and Cristobal Arreola in Los Angeles.
Johnson swears he sees success where those others met failure.
"I have respect for all of those guys but none of them have the skill set that I have, that will propose a problem for Vitali. I'm a boxer. Those guys stood there and took beatings. Vitali is going to have a hard time getting a clean shot on me. I have a better jab than all those guys and definitely a better jab than Vitali. Plus, I'm versatile. If plan A doesn't work, I got plan B,C, and D. Those guys just didn't know how to deal with adversity."
Everyone in the boxing game currently stands in Manny Pacquiao's shadow as a candidate for 2009's Fighter of the Year, but if Klitschko wins without hitches Saturday, he's a very respectable runner-up.
"Johnson should give me ten percent of his purse so I can pay his medical bills for him," deadpanned Klitschko.
There appeared to be a bit of bad blood brewing as the bout drew near, though Johnson was diplomatic regarding his treatment by the Klitschko promotional team.
"I won't comment on that," said Johnson. "I'll wait until I have the title in my gym bag before I respond to that. I was actually hoping to secure the opportunity before Arreola did, however it didn't happen that way. So I sat patiently and waited for things to clarify themselves. After the Klitschko-Arreola fight my team was approached again by team Klitschko and I told them to make the deal no matter. I was not going to let this opportunity slip by again."
Johnson seems happy with the fight location.
"Switzerland and Berne in general is great, the people, the food, and the atmosphere. I will definitely be coming back. I've been shocked by the number of fans who recognized me in public. Everyone has been so nice and respectful. I just hate the fact that I'm going to disappoint them by beating up on Vitali."
Should Johnson make good on his gloved-up goal, he'll consider himself the top heavyweight on the planet, despite many observers who rate Wladimir as the better boxing Klitschko.
"Vitali is head and shoulders above his brother in terms of talent. Wladimir is not in the same class, but it doesn't matter because after I take Vitali's title, Wlad is next on my list. I wan to beat both of them then I'll be undisputed champ."
All Klitschko's recent foes have talked a good game until Vitali's massive mitts started slamming into their kissers. Whether Johnson can keep the pounding promise that Peter, Gomez, and Arreola reneged on once the thuds got heavy is indeed a longshot.
Numbers wise, based on recent form it's probably around an 80% probability that if
fight is over by Johnson's predicted ninth round, it's Johnson who gets counted out. Still, he looks like at least a fairly live underdog. Johnson's demeanor indicates though he's probably outgunned, he won't go gently.
Berne is said to be named after a bear killed by the Duke of Zahringer in approximately 1191. The town was also known for a tourist attraction bear pit, a brick structure that once held some of the area's namesake beasts until the last of which were recently euthanized for health reasons. Those cold confines were scheduled to be replaced this winter by a more natural type setting.
Any symbolic similarities between the bear pit and Saturday night's ringpost confines remain to be seen. Either way, the majority of folks paid to see somebody get mauled.
Let's just hope the resulting action isn't unbearable.
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mortcola:
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People keep talking about the supposed limitations of the elder Klitschko as one of the "larger, stiffer" European fighters. Let's get away from stereotypes and superficialities. Vitali may appear stiff or awkward - he would lose points for aesthetics if this were figure skating. However, he is one of the slickest of modern heavyweights in terms of his ability to use distance and angles, to change the angle and velocity of his punches, to establish and control pace and territory, and to nullify his opponent's strengths. This skill-set, by definition, makes him an excellent boxer. Add that to his punching power, height, calm, intelligence, physical strength, and chin, and you have a thoroughly dominant champion. I don't know Johnson, and I respect his dedication and focus. But the self-motivational speeches have nothing to do with what will transpire in the ring. If he can shut down and out-land Vitali, hats off to him. But no one has ever done that before. Let's see.
Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 12:57:43 PM
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Shane:
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Well said "mortcola".
I don't give either guy 9 rounds. I say Vitali finishes him in 6!
Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 01:23:02 PM
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Radam G - ____ ____:
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A "bum" and a "tomato can" tangling? HMMM! At least the quack is not operating on a stiff. These nowadays heavyweighst are pathetic! They ought to be banned them from the hurt bitnezz for shady performance and for impersonating prize fighters. Holla!
Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 01:59:26 PM
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Frank Z:
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all i gotta say about johnson's words is: blah blah blah blah blah. until someone comes along who's gonna show the same consistent discipline, dedication, and coolheadedness as either wladamir or vitali i will go with them every time.
Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 02:27:05 PM
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ultimoshogun:
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Klitschko's been wiping out contenders like the terminator since his return and I don't see Johnson being the guy who's gonna stop him. Another win for Vitali.
Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 02:29:42 PM
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SALT lover:
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I used to be hard Klitschko bros critic. But one must reconsider that Vitali Klitschko is the best Heavyweight of this time, and now there's no doubt in my mind that he would've been a very competitive fighter in any era of the Heavyweight Division. His style is not beautiful, and he looks awkward to the naked eye, but if one thinks, and observe closely, you'll notice that this is a man that fights with his hands aroun' his waists, he counters you again and again with that lil' hangin' left hand, and his right hook is one of the most dangerous weapons in the Heavyweight Division. Plus more importantly, he's a 365 days a year athlete that maintains himself in shape, and can endure 12 rounds, which by the way any other era would've been 15 and even 30 rounds, but still would've endure those too... at least 15. Chris Arreola was thought to be the one who'd dethrone him, and the predictions that were sayin' that Arreola was gonna beat V. Klitschko went straight to where I'm throwin' my soft drinks: the trash can. Arreola is not, and probably will never be in the same league as Klitschko bros, and now Kevin Johnson, who's a little more professional than Arreola, looks like he'll be givin' the fight of his life, but the question is would that be enough? One right hook from the Dr. Klitschko, and "Good night, sweet prince".
Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 03:02:56 PM
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Freemore:
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Johnsons comments are laughable. America needs a good Heavyweight to burst onto the scene but i dont see it happening anytime soon. Vitali will bang him before the end of the tenth.
Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 03:07:50 PM
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TonyC:
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Kevin Johnson is delusional. He stands zero chance. Frankly I am surprised that the odds are so short. He has fought a bunch of nobodys and worse, has no power. When Vitali tests the waters and finds no shark, he will move in and kill. Johnson's 15 minutes are over. Nice guy, though.
Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 04:25:09 PM
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petrion:
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come on radam g, i agree with you most ofd the time, but not this time. v.k. has beat peters,would have beat lewis if not for the cut. if he and wlad are as bad as you say perhaps you could fight them yourself.
Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 04:54:09 PM
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J.E.K:
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V. Klitschko, is the better of the two brothers, and Lennox Lewis was the only person that I know of that was able to truely beat him. The younger brother's problem is that glass jaw he's scared to get clipped. Johnson sound's like another loud drum, waiting to be beat.
Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 05:55:18 PM
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petrion:
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i like vitali too, j.f.k.. though glass jaw rep a ligit question about wlad, he has done a better job of taking punches lately. while vitali has an iron one.
Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 07:04:43 PM
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Robert Curtis:
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Oh. So you're telling me that Vitali beat both those butterballs Peters and Arreola and ALMOST beat Lewis. Vitali is good, but anyone who’s studied heavyweight champs since Jack Johnson knows he doesn't compare well to past belt-holders. At his best, Vitali is better than Maxie Baer and not as good as George Foreman. Vitali's best showing was against Lennox Lewis, but it was a fair loss in the end. Lennox bombed him hard and busted open his eye like a true champ. You can say that Henry Cooper was robbed by Dundee's corner trickery before he lost to Ali on serious cuts. But there was no monkey business before Lennox's victory over Vitali. Enough with the woulda-coulda-shoulda stuff. Vitali and Wlad are today’s best, okay, but only because all serious competition left the game before they arrived.
Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 07:20:41 PM
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Robert Curtis:
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Peters=Peter, before you moonbats get smart.
Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 07:22:39 PM
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aaron:
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People should start demanding Denis Boytsov to step into the big fights against guys like Ruiz and Johnson. Boytsov is the only top contender right now who is actually young enough to have a real run as a unifying heavy weight champ. All these guys hitting their 30's like Johnson are just too old to be any kind of dominant champ.
Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 08:31:40 PM
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Jason:
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Vitali Klitschko is big, strong, durable, awkward, granite-chinned, has excellent stamina, and carries hellacious power in both hands. Having never seen Kevin Johnson, and only having heard of him with the announcement of this fight, and with his absolutely non-existent opposition to date, I give him little to no chance. But who knows, maybe this will be a shocker. Most heavyweights aren't respected until they're gone. Lennox Lewis turned pro in 1989 and wasn't respected until he was 2 years into retirement. The same will be the case with Klitschko. You can only blame so much on the era. If he truly was a bum, someone would knock him out. Many gave Arreola a chance, and he lost every round to him (I was rooting for Arreola in this fight). Klitschko is active (a good thing), keeps winning, and keeps winning emphatically. It has to count for something.
Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 08:34:42 PM
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brownsugar:
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it's hard to come up with any kind of frame of reference that would compel me to believe that Johnson will win,.. all I can say is that I think he'll do better than the previous punch bags have done against the sloppy but effective Klitschko,.
Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 09:29:57 PM
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Porkupine:
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Kevin Johnson will have a lucrative a career as a sparring partner for the klitschko brothers, though he may have to face Larry Donald for the UK rights for the job as Donald has earned his pay and will not give it up easily. Now there's a real american heavyweight fight!
Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 11:28:48 PM
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arturo:
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I hope that Johnson doesnt cry after the fight cause then every one is going to be scared of the Klitschko bros
Wednesday Dec 9, 2009 12:56:13 AM
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Isaiah:
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Everyone he turns, Vitali is favored to beat whoever they put in front of him. Kevin Johnson really think he can knock out Vitali? Yey... And I'm the next President of the United States... And for my first bill I pass, I declare no one with the last name of Bush shall ever be able to run for my office again. Sorry Jeb! HA!
Wednesday Dec 9, 2009 01:37:50 AM
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Mullen:
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Prehaps Johnson scored the same Stuff Vitali takes. Either way, Klit Klocks johnson.
Wednesday Dec 9, 2009 04:19:07 AM
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kountedout:
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johnson might put up a better effort then arreola did bc he boxes better but im going with vitali to stop johnson.
Wednesday Dec 9, 2009 11:03:29 AM
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ez da fez:
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Cammon Radam...
You still must be a little bitter after Vitali beasted your boy Arreola who you hyped with the same fervor you reserve for the pacman for at least a year. I remember in the immediate aftermath of the fight you were even humbled enough to call the Doc, "a great champ," but now after seemingly regurgitating your pride, he's a "bum quack with pee pee gloves" again. Yeah, often I'm too lazy to comment on these threads, but I still read them. when you, and others, *cough* ron borges, the most cranky and negative writer in the hurt buzz cough* continue your incessant hating on the classiest bros in boxing, that gets to me. the sad thing is, I'm going to have disagree with the soon to be pulverized Johnson, and say that wlad is a notch higher on the talent rung than Vitali. that's how good and how tough these dudes are. hopefully your boy Pac fairs better against Pretty Boy Floyd than the "cali-born Mexican Nightmare" did against doc. Iron Fist. I'm rooting for him.
Wednesday Dec 9, 2009 02:04:00 PM
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brownsugar:
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Johnson used to refer to the Klitschko brothers as the Bitschko brothers a couple years ago,.. Now he's shown nothing but respect and has kept a relative low key,.. compared to 2008,.. does this mean fear has crept in ?? or has Johnson learned the value of maintaining professional poise on the international stage??,.. I'd rather see Kevin make a real go at it (not like Areola),. and get stopped in 5 rounds,.. rather than just looking to survive while being hunted down like deer in the crosshairs... still I think the fans will be mildly surprised by his performance..
Wednesday Dec 9, 2009 06:12:38 PM
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Greg Quinn:
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"The only people who could have beat me are Muhammad Ali or Larry Holmes."
Yeah ok Johnson. I wont mention the real old time fighters..because I dont feel like getting into the whole "they where not big enough" debate, so fine, we will leave Jack Johnson, Dempsey, Louis, Marcanio out of it. How about a prime Frazier, or Foreman? How about a prime Tyson, or Holyfield, or Bowe for his few good fights at the top, or Lennox Lewis? All those guys would have beaten you. And I think plenty more, and I think the old timers would have as well, but yeah....you will lose on Saturday.
Wednesday Dec 9, 2009 08:09:13 PM
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Isaiah:
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@Greg Quinn. Yey, all those lineal champs plus the ones not mentioned would have put Johnson in the ER and Vitali being the former lineal champ. In fact, just work your way on down from what, either John L. Sullivan or Bob Fitz Simmons (Or is that too far back for most people in my age group? Who was champ at the beginnig of the 1900's again? I'm only 26.) all the way to current "THE MAN", Wladmer Klitshcko, and Johnson would find a butt whoopin no matter where he goes. So, no. There are more then 2 names that could beat him. Others that weren't mentioned, Gene Tunney, Floyd Patterson, Sonny Liston, heck! Even Johansson! By the way, I'm proud of Vitali being the first white man to hold the OFFICIAL title in what took 44 years. Add it up. Johansson lost the title in 1960 back to Floyd Patterson and Vitali fought for and won the vacant title in 2004. Talk about a long stretch, but everything always comes back around! Even, if it takes the Ukraine, etc. to whoop our American butts! Think about it. Jerry Quarry didn't do it. Gerrie Coatzee held the sad little WBA trinket. Gerry Cooney? Nope! But, didn't Tommy Morrison beat George Foreman for the title in 1993 my teacher used to say? I'd say, NO! That was the pathetic WBO trinket , so Foreman retired, got an undeserved shot at champ Mike Moorer and made history! The circle of life though brings evrything back around from one spot to the next before we know it and lo and behold, Vitali finally pulls it off and then a few years later, so does his baby bro. Only the Spinks brothers were the only other siblings to do this. Here's to you Vitali. You earned my respect years ago. Anyone want to go ahead and put me down for being proud of Vitali or should I just go ahead and call that person a hypocrite for being proud of a fighter THEIR own race? Just don't anyone get this confused. I still realize greatness no matter who it is, as is my obvious support for Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley, but think twiice before calling me any names.
Thursday Dec 10, 2009 12:40:40 AM
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LeRoy A. Peters:
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AMEN TO YOU ISAIAH!! Klitschko KO's Johnson within 7 rounds.
Thursday Dec 10, 2009 09:50:25 AM
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The Saint:
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For one, I'm actually on the same boat as SALT lover on this one. I used to hate Vitali Klitschko mainly because of his unsportsman-like conduct after he lost to Lennox Lewis. Vitali has since dominated every heavyweight that was put in front of him. For the longest time I blamed the heavyweight division but after the Arreola fight, I was forced to accept Vitali as a great fighter. Not that Arreola was a great heavyweight, but he displayed one aspect that no previous Vitali opponent has ever shown, with the exception of Lennox Lewis, and that is heart and resiliency. Most Vitali victims end up sleepwalking and waiting to be put out of their misery by the mid rounds, but Arreola kept on pressing and never lost his spunk. In that fight Vitali used superb footwork, pivoting and sidestepping out of harm's way as though he weighed 50-lbs less. His punches, while unorthodox and and rarely having his weight behind them, are highly effective. He is no less dominant, if not more so, than Floyd Mayweather Jr. When was the last time you saw Vitali lose a round clearly? And unlike Mayweather, he actually finishes his opponents. Vitali is just as dominant in this era as Holmes, Ali, Tyson, Marciano and Louis were in theirs. An all time great? In my opinion, yes, but unfortunately, Vitali probably will best be remembered for the sorry state of the heavyweight era he fought in. As I mentioned in another post, Vitali has limitations, like a prime Mike Tyson. But just like a prime Tyson, there's only a handful of heavyweights in history who would be able to expose and exploit those limitations. With that said, although I've never seen Kevin Johnson fight, Vitali is now on my "get old overnight" list and is ripe to lose on any given night. My only regret is that I became a fan of his a little too late.
Thursday Dec 10, 2009 10:44:00 AM
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mortcola@ez da fez:
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Good point there, about Wlad being a notch higher than Vit. If it weren't for his chin, we'd see the slickness and athletic dominance of Wlad. But he has narrowed down his moves, adapted to the chin-risk factor, and shows less of his arsenal than he did before. He uses his tools sparingly but effectively, and you'll notice that no one has touched his chin in years. And he keeps knocking people out, by standing right in front of them while nullifying their offense, jabbing them silly, and lowering the boom. Not exciting - but, frankly, brilliant and gutsy. imagine knocking people out while preventing them from breaking an egg strapped to your forehead. Not your classic warrior image, but an amazing feat. That being said, Vitali is a different kind of brilliant, unorthodox and awkward, but every bit as dominant - and with a serious chin and cojones to boot. Haters do your hating if you must - but reality stays real.
Thursday Dec 10, 2009 02:43:23 PM
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Is It Only Money That Matters?
"Who refuses to take a drug test worth $40 million?" For the American psyche, money is everything. It transcends what is right or what is wrong. For a certain amount of money, I'll do anything. Manny is Filipino, and he cannot fathom that kind of thinking. Is that what capitalism should be? I can't understand why $40 million should dictate your personality. Simply put, Pacquiao has his own dignity and refuses to be manipulated into taking $40M and giving his (butt) to anyone who wants it." ---TSS reader "Tony" informs readers of a possible cultural difference which causes certain peoples to interpret Pacquiao's refusal to cater to Mayweather's testing demands (photo by Chris Cozzone)
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