Now that the Mexican national anthem, the Philippines national anthem, our national anthem are finished (three Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders sang it in three-part harmony), R&B superstar Nelly is singing his latest hit. This is a first, or nearly a first. I can't remember the last time I heard a major star peform his or her latest hit before a prize fight. Sure they bring stars in to sing the anthem, but their own hits? That's so football. But it all leads up to the entrance by Manny and Antonio, who will beat eachother mercilessly for, well, three rounds? Todd …

Boxing sells in Texas. Cowboys Stadium is packed to the gills. I'll wager there are some 60,000 people in here to see Manny Pacquiao take on Antonio Margarito. Through the evening the video screens have panned the audience with a duel between Mexicans and Filipinos. But, true to boxing cutting off its nose to spite its face it seems the fight is on the verge of being scuttled by back and forth allegations: Freddy Roach (Paman's trainer) saying Margarito has been taking ephedrin, and Margarito's camp claiming Roach has been padding Margarito's gloves. Only in boxing. So, on the press …

Boxing hasn't been a broadly disseminated sport since the advent of closed circuit TV. But while cable and pay-per-view via HBO and Showtime are still the main platforms for fight broadcasts, the Web is fast becoming the path around that Maginot Line both for fans of the sport and for the big promotional companies who are desperately seeking ways to popularize a sport that used to sell out stadiums. Actually it's no coincidence that, as boxing is returning to stadiums -- Yankees Stadium in New York, and Cowboys Stadium in Dallas -- promoters are becoming a second conduit for …

While overall spending forecasts for the looming season are mostly lukewarm, Forrester is predicting a handsome holiday for e-commerce, with sales expected to jump 16% to $52 billion. The report, written by analyst Sucharita Mulpuru, says that consumers continue to shift more of their purchases online, with 37% of survey respondents planning to make an online purchase, up from 30% last year. And the Cambridge, Mass.-based consulting firm says that in November and December, online shoppers are likely to spend $338 this year, up from $303 in 2009. As in the past, this year's online shoppers are more …

I'm in Dallas with my equivalent of "my Samoan attorney." I'm here to write about the massive hoopla that is the Manny Pacquiao versus Antonio Margarito title fight. The press center is a place called the Texas Gaylord Hotel, which I can only describe as...well my attorney's words: "All the charm of a denuded Vegas hotel, with its endless corridors carpeted with what looks to be ketchup and mustard that would be better served slathered on the food." gee. We very nearly ended up at a dermatology convention, and Thomas, my attorney, was cruised by a Denny's manager in …

T.G.I. Friday's, Applebee's, Chili's, Outback Steakhouse, Friendly's and Pizzeria Uno are among the restaurant chains offering special deals to veterans in honor of Veterans Day (Nov. 11).  The chains are promoting the offers through social media, online advertising and/or TV spots. TGIF is offering a weekend-long (Nov. 11-14) deal in which retired and active military personnel (with military or veteran's ID) who purchase one entrée receive another free.  The offer applies to any regular menu item. Other specials for veterans/active military members include one-free-entrée offers (from designated menu items) at Chili's and Applebee's; one free individual pizza …

Yahoo is planning to lay off 20% of its total staff of 14,100, or about 2,500 employees, according to a TechCrunch report Thursday. Citing two independent sources, the tech blog said managers have been told to decide who stays and who goes. Yahoo last had a significant round of layoffs when it cut 5% of its workforce, or about 700 people, in April 2009. About 10%, or 1,500 were laid off at the end of 2008. Restructuring and reducing costs has been a focus for CEO Carol Bartz since she took over running the Web portal at the …

Mobile video ad network Rhythm NewMedia Thursday announced closing a third round of $10 million in venture financing led by QuestMark Partners and including prior investors LightSpeed Ventures, Morgenthaler Ventures and Rembrandt Venture Partners. The company said it will use the new funding to further expand its mobile ad network, which averaged 425 million monthly impressions in the third quarter, up 30% from the previous quarter. Rhythm's premium network includes publishers such as CBS News, Discovery and Animal Planet and advertisers such as AT&T, Macy's, Best Buy and Toyota.

Video ad network YuMe is expanding to mobile, launching software development tools for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch as well as a pair of new mobile ad units. By integrating its tools, publishers and app developers will be able to use YuMe's ACE platform to tap into multiple video ad networks including its own to run video ads across iOS devices. The two new ad units introduced are meant to be high-impact, interactive formats that fill the mobile screen. One dubbed Mobile Connect delivers a full screen video ad overlaid with icons users can tap to further engage …

Yahoo today announced appointing Wayne Powers as senior vice president for North American advertising sales. Powers, previously president of the Time Inc. Media Group, will report directly to Ross Levinsohn, recently hired as executive vice president of the Americas at Yahoo, overseeing the company's media group, advertising sales and partnerships. Powers effectively fills the role of U.S. sales head formerly held by Joanne Bradford, who left Yahoo in March to join Demand Media. As head of Time's Media Group, he led relationships with Fortune 500 advertisers and is credited with launching the Time Inc. Digital Network. Prior to joining …