By Salven L. Lagumbay: With Marco Antonio Barrera all of a sudden becoming the hot commodity as Manny Pacquiao's possible next foe, trainer Freddie Roach has put the psychological burden easier to bear for the Filipino ring hero as he emphasized yesterday that the Ring Magazine featherweight king should look "to finish Fahsan 3K Battery first and worry about Barrera and the others later."
Roach has reiterated that Pacquiao's priority is his December 11 showdown against Fahsan, whom he described as "this tough, durable Thai boxer who is bound to go all out to beat Manny." The 2003 "Trainer of the Year" had earlier challenged Barrera to "clear up the air and settle the issue" by taking on Pacquiao in February after Barrera claimed once again that he was distracted and not at his best in their November 15, 2003 battle in San Antonio, Texas where he suffered a devastating eleventh round knockout. Roach said he didn't think Barrera was afraid of Pacquiao but had declined the rematch offer from international promoter Murad Muhammad because "he (Barrera) wants a lot of money."
Meanwhile, Roach balked at the idea of Barrera camp that Pacquiao first take on WBC super bantamweight champion Oscar "Chololo" Larios before even thinking of a Barrera rematch. Roach said he had spoken to Larios' trainer Jose Reynoso who said "Oscar (Larios) will never fight Pacquiao" because there was no way he could match the speed or the power of Pacquiao especially if Larios had to move up to 126 pounds.
However, Roach expressed confidence that Oscar De la Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, which promotes Barrera, will sign the dotted line with Pacquiao although he stressed that he wanted the flamboyant Filipino southpaw to think of nothing else right now but the Fahsan fight.
On Sunday, Pacquiao, Roach and personal trainers Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri are scheduled to arrive in Manila while Murad Muhammad will plane in via Philippine Airlines from Los Angeles tomorrow. Fahsan 3K Battery, together with manager Jimmy Chaichotchaung will arrive on Monday as well as the opponent of RP and Orient Pacific Boxing Federation No.1ranked super flyweight Z "The Dream" Gorres, hard-hitting KO specialist Chaiyong Distar who has 11 KO's in 12 wins with 2 defeats.
Discovery Suites will be the official home of Manny Pacquiao and the other notable personalities involved in "Yanig sa Taguig" which is sponsoredt by Smart, Talk N' Text, PLDT and Solar Sports with the support of Taguig Mayor Freddie Tinga.
****
Mayol to defend OPBF crown Jan 29
World Boxing Council no. 2 and Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation minimumweight boss Rodel Mayol will be defending his regional title for the second time when he takes on a Thai challenger on January 29 at the Casino Filipino in Paranaque, Manila.
The dynamite-fisted Mayol, considered by boxing pundits as one of the Philippines' best pound-for-pound fighters alongside Manny Pacquiao and Randy Suico, will use this titular defense as his preparation for his possible world title crack next year against the WBC 105-lb king.
"I am ready for my next fight. Im always in good shape," Mayol said in an interview ringside at the Gerry Penalosa-Bangsaen Sithpraprom fight also held at the Casino Filipino in Paranaque.
The Mandaue City-based fighter, who fights out of the Stonewall Boxing Gym, boasts of an unblemished 19 wins with 15 KO's and no loss since turning professional under the guidance of Cebu boxing patron Tony Aldeguer. He threw his hat into the paid arena following a decorated amateur career which saw him become a five-time national amateur champion with more than 120 fights in his amateur resume.
Mayol had won the Philippine minifly crown in 2002 over Nino Suelo, and then four fights later, stormed Japan with a first-round demolition of then OPBF champ Genki Ohnaka in December, 2003 to wrest the crown.
Since winning the OPBF crown, Mayol has racked up four knockout victories, including a third-round TKO over top Indon prospect La Syukur in September this year.
****
Is Daniel Ponce De Leon ducking Sod?
Sources from the World Boxing Organization have informed that Oscar De la Hoya's prospect Daniel Ponce De Leon has turned down an offer to fight undefeated Thai prospect Sod Looknongyangtoy in a 12-round eliminator to determine the next challenger for WBO king Joan Guzman.
The WBO has already mandated that the top two prospects-- no. 1 Sod and no. 2 De Leon--meet up to establish a mandatory challenger for Guzman. However, Golden Boy Promotions matchmaker Eric Gomez has informed Kokiet Group, which promotes Sod, that they don't want to face the undefeated Thai.
With Daniel Ponce De Leon chickening out of the fight with Sod, promoters will now have to look for the next highest rated boxer to fight the Thai prospect in an eliminator.
Sod (20-0, 6 ko's) vs De Leon (22-0, 21 ko's) would have been a great match-up featuring two undefeated prospects.
****
Terdsak, Kaichon in big WBO eliminators
Two mainstays of the Bangkok-based Kokiet Group will be vying in 12-round eliminators sometime in February next year in Las Vegas in their quests to be installed as mandatory challengers of their respective divisions.
Undefeated Terdsak Jandaeng, ranked WBO No. 3 and holder of the WBO Asia Pacific featherweight crown, is set to collide with top-ranked Victor Polo in a 12-round slugout to establish the next challenger to champion Scott Harrison.
The power-punching Terdsak is unblemished in 13 fights with 11 knockouts, while the veteran Victor Polo, the Las Vegas-based Colombian, is 34-4-2 with 24 knockouts.
On the same card, Kaichon Sor Vorapin, holder of the WBO Asia Pacific junior flyweight title, takes on top-ranked Mexican Hugo Cazarez in a 12-round battle to install the next challenger for WBO champ Nelson Dieppa.
Kaichon is now on a 7-bout winning streak since a failed attempt at winning the PABA crown from Marvin Tampus last year.
Cazarez parades an 18-3-1 record with 14 KO's
December 1, 2004.
|
Subscribe to feed
