WHO YOU LIKE?™ Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez + Andre Ward vs Carl Froch + Bernard Hopkins vs Chad Dawson. Pre-fight coverage from Chelsea Pier, NYC. featuring the Bob Arum (Top Rank) and Jaime Motta (ESPN). “It was very sad for me to see a son talk to his father like Floyd Jr. did to Floyd Sr.” —Bob Arum

Arum, Mayweather ‘Reconnect’ At Super Bowl XLV » Super Bowl XLV week at Cowboys Stadium was beset by myriad problems, from bad weather to seating, or lack of it. The only part that turned out like everyone had hoped was the game itself, the Green Bay Packers’ 31-25 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers. • The sport of boxing, however, might have been one of the unintended — or maybe not so unintended — beneficiaries of the spotlight on the NFL’s biggest stage. • Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones invited his friend, Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, to be a guest for the game in his private box. Jones also invited undefeated welterweight Floyd Mayweather… Bob Velin, www.usatoday.com

Hopkins Says Rematch With Pascal Set For May 21 » That ageless wonder of American boxing, Bernard Hopkins, apparently has no fear of two of the things boxers fear most — advancing age and tough opponents… Bob Velin, www.usatoday.com

Rising Peninsula Boxing Star Rides Momentum To Elite Competition » Amid camera flashes and the din of the boxing gymnasium, trainer Robert Garcia knows how to get his fighter’s full attention. • He leans in close to Nonito Donaire and whispers, “Let’s get to work…” Alexis Terrazas, www.sfexaminer.com

Top Rank Promotions CEO, Bob Arum, says the under card of Showtime’s main event featuring eight-division titlist Manny Pacquiao against three-division, five-time champion, Shane Mosley, could be haunted by the comeback of a “Ghost”.

Former WBC and WBO middleweight (160 pounds) champion, Kelly Pavlik (36-2, 32 knockouts) may return to the ring on May 7, according to Arum.

“We’re holding a spot on that card,” said Arum to Boxing Fanhouse. “Kelly wants to do it, we want to do it. So there is a big possibility that he could be on the card.”

28-year old Pavlik had been released from Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif. on Jan. 4, after having been admitted for alcohol issues on Nov. 4.

Although the comeback of the Youngstown, Ohio-native will inevitably spark potential match-up speculations, Pavlik’s manager, Cameron Dunkin, wants to make it clear that his personal matters come first.

“Kelly told me that he doesn’t want to disappoint anybody any more. He wants to get his life in order,” Dunkin said previous to his release. “So we’re just bringing him home and letting him see his family, and then we’ll let him rest and talk about his career or whatever else in a week or two.”

Pavlik’s alcohol problems stemmed back to 2007, during which he dethroned Jermain Taylor in an impressive seventh-round knockout in Atlantic City.

After another decision victory over Taylor, and third-round stoppage over Gary Lockett, Pavlik suffered his first loss at the hands of Bernard Hopkins (in a bout at 170 pounds) by decision in October of 2008.

Pavlik recovered with two straight knockout victories, before being dethroned in April by unanimous decision, to now Pound-for-Pound ranked, Sergio Martinez.

Most recently, Pavlik had been scheduled to fight on the Nov. 13 under card of Pacquiao versus Antonio Margarito for the vacant WBC junior middleweight title at Dallas Stadium; however, cited a rib injury as his reason for pulling out of the bout with Bryan Lee Vera.

Personal problems and speculations aside, it will be interesting to see if the “Ghost” will have the capability to instill fear in the middleweight division again.

— Alex Neely

Holyfield Soldiers On In Ring At Age Of 48 » The year was 1996, and Mike Tyson was out of prison and destroying everyone who climbed in the ring with him. Evander Holyfield was up next, and a lot of people in boxing were worried not only that Holyfield might take a serious beating, but that he might even die… Tim Dahlberg, sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Arum: Alexander-Bradley Winner ‘Absolutely’ Could Earn Pacquiao » Top Rank Promotions CEO, Bob Arum, told FanHouse that the Jan. 29 winner of an HBO televised junior welterweight (140 pounds) clash between southpaw WBC champ Devon Alexander, of St. Louis, Mo., and WBO counter part Tim Bradley, of Palm Springs, Calif., could “merit” a berth opposite eight-division king Manny Pacquiao, also holder of the WBO welterweight (147 pounds) and WBC junior middleweight (154 pounds) belts… Lem Satterfield, boxing.fanhouse.com

What Does Boxing Need In 2011? Marketing » Change is never easy, less so in sports.  Nevertheless,  boxing has gone through some major changes in the last hundred years.  First there was the move from bare-knuckle boxing, then the televising of fights, reduction of rounds, and finally, the advent of pay-per-view.  Each of these shifts in how boxing was conducted was met with criticism.  What was boxing with these newfangled padded gloves?  Only thirteen rounds?  How can you watch the fight without being in the crowd?, they complained… Jesse Tangen-Mills, thefastertimes.com

Promotional Rivals Bob Arum, Don King Unite » The differences between the two boxing sages are seemingly as endless as are their similarities. • Top Rank Promotions CEO, Bob Arum, graduated from Harvard with a degree in law, while rival promoter, Don King, a once-jailed, former criminal, will tell you that “I graduated from the University of The Ghetto.”… Lem Satterfield, boxing.fanhouse.com

No End In Sight To Golden Boy-Top Rank Divide » One of the haunting criticisms of boxing is that the best fights don’t get made. • Outside the obstacles that have kept the sport’s super-fight — Manny Pacquiao versus Floyd Mayweather Jr. — on hold, there is a devastating cold war that exists in the silence between the sport’s top two promoters, Bob Arum’s Top Rank and Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions… Lance Pugmire, latimesblogs.latimes.com

BORGES: It’s Time For Boxing To Create New Heroes » In boxing, as in life, timing is everything. Timothy Bradley figured that out a long time ago. • After being stripped of the WBC light welterweight title for allegedly ducking Devon Alexander 18 months ago, Bradley was accused of refusing to risk his future. Alexander went on to lay claim to the belt Bradley once wore while Bradley cited business considerations and Alexander’s low profile as the reason he opted out to pursue what he hoped would be bigger paydays… Ron Borges, www.thesweetscience.com

Taking A Field Trip To Canada For Chad Dawson Vs. Jean Pascal » Chad Dawson-Jean Pascal on Saturday is about as meaningful a bout as there is on the 2010 schedule. It offers Dawson, a strong contender for the best young American fighter there is today, and Pascal, a Canadian all-action highlight reel who very well could defeat Dawson. It’s being staged in the biggest city in Quebec, where they root loudly for their Canadian fighters but where the classy fans appreciate good performances by all. And it offers something that’s rarer than it should be: a chance to crown an honest-to-God, real division champion, in this case, the light heavyweight division… Tim Starks, queensberry-rules.com

///////////////////////////////////////////

Deal Is Near To Bring Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito Fight To Cowboys Stadium » Apparently Manny Pacquiao hopes to make it back-to-back bouts at Cowboys Stadium. And if promoter Bob Arum is correct, the crowd for a Nov. 13 fight against Antonio Margarito would dwarf the 50,994 that watched Pacquiao easily handle Joshua Clottey in March… BARRY HORN, www.dallasnews.com

» “Let me tell you something, when Bob Arum got Pacquiao, he was a star. I represented Pacquiao. I put him in with Morales, not Bob Arum. So, right now, what we have going on in boxing is leagues and there are two people that are involved in these leagues, there are two promotional companies, and that’s Golden Boy and Top Rank, and they only want to fight their fighters against their fighter because they don’t want to take the chance of fighting the best fighters in the world.” —Gary Shaw (Gary Shaw Promotions)

A NIGHT OF STARS »

Top: Walker Award for “Long and Meritorious service” winner, Steve Farhood and Lamar Clark of ROUND1. Center: Jo-Emma Lavin and Joe Calzaghe, honored as Best Manager. Bottom: Freddie Roach (Named Year’s Top Trainer), Manny Pacquiao (Fighter of Year 2008) and Bob Arum.

© Marty Rosengarten/RingsidePhotos.com

» Tickets «

WBO Champ Miguel Cotto Won’t Cry Uncle Vs. IBF Champ Joshua Clottey » WBO welterweight champ Miguel Cotto will meet IBF champ Joshua Clottey in a title unification match at Madison Square Garden on June 13. It will be the fourth time in five years that Cotto has fought at the Garden on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade… TIM SMITH, www.nydailynews.com

Is Clottey Catching Cotto At Just The Right Time? » Miguel Cotto’s rumble with his uncle Evangelista sounded a heckuva lot more interesting than just about any heavyweight title fight we’ve seen in the last few years, didn’t it? Such passion, such fury…why couldn’t most of Wladimir Klitschko’s recent foes have summoned half that energy and zest for combat?… Michael Woods, www.thesweetscience.com