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Pacquiao returns to ring Nov. 22 in Macau

By WTOP Staff

TIM DAHLBERG
AP Boxing Writer

Manny Pacquiao will return to China for his next fight, taking on Chris Algieri in the gambling enclave of Macau.

The scheduled Nov. 22 fight for a piece of the welterweight title held by Pacquiao comes a year after the Filipino headlined the first big fight card there with a win over Brandon Rios. Promoter Bob Arum said Pacquiao will likely fight at least once a year in Macau the rest of his career.

“It’s almost like fighting at home so it’s a major advantage for Manny,” Arum said. “Plus if he fights in Macau he’s not subject to U.S. income taxes, which are 39.5 percent.”

Arum said the fight won’t sell as well on pay-per-view in the U.S. as it would if it was in Las Vegas, but that will be offset by lower taxes on Pacquiao’s purse and a bigger site fee from the Venetian hotel-casino. He said plans are also in place to sell the fight on TV in China, where Pacquiao is becoming better known.

“We hope to make up for any shortfall with the pay-per-view in China,” Arum said. “The market is huge and we’re going to sell it for like four dollars.”

Pacquiao returns to Macau on a two-fight winning streak that began last September with his win over Rios. Before that, he had lost a disputed decision to Timothy Bradley and was knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez.

Algieri, a former kick boxer from New York, is unbeaten in 20 fights with eight knockouts, and won a split decision last month over Ruslan Provodnikov in a light welterweight title fight that got him the shot against Pacquiao. He is little known even in boxing circles, but Arum said he brings a lot to the promotion.

“He has a lot of things going for him. He’s a college graduate, good looking kid, a good boxer,” Arum said. “There’s a lot of stuff that makes him very saleable.”

Pacquiao’s options for opponents have been limited in recent years. Floyd Mayweather Jr. refuses to fight him, and until Oscar De La Hoya regained control of Golden Boy Promotions, his company was not allowing any of its fighters — including England’s Amir Khan, among others — to fight any of Arum’s Top Rank boxers.

The lack of compelling matchups has hurt pay-per-view numbers, too, with both Pacquiao and Mayweather not faring as well as expected in selling their last fights.

Arum said he believes Algieri will be accepted as a credible opponent despite his relative lack of knockout power, and that fans in Macau will embrace Pacquiao again.

“Boxing is doing well in Macau. It’s something new for them and we give them a presentation they haven’t seen before,” Arum said. “It’s the same as in Vegas, except it’s on steroids.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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