In connection with OJ Simpson?s latest arrest, someone interviewed America?s most famous houseguest, Kato Kaelin.
Looking at Kaelin on TV made me think of Manny Pacquaio special adviser-agent Michael Koncz. I.m certainly no expert on this topic but I dare say that the crafty Canadian may be the most famous house guest in Philippine sports history considering all the days and nights he spent at Pacman?s residence in General Santos City.
On his trips to the US, Pacman was shadowed everywhere he went by Koncz. The jokes that went around included Koncz sleeping underneath the marital bed of Manny and lovely wife Jinkee and that Koncz trails Pacman even to the men?s room.
I saw some of this shadowing in San Antonio before the Solis fight. Koncz was omnipresent with his pen and clipboard. I even had a brief conversational exchange with the cryptic character. From what little I saw, Koncz appeared to be a conscientious guy who tried to keep Pacman on point with his busy daily schedule. Koncz and I even talked of an in depth interview but nothing ever came of that.
Now I fear that Boxingconfidential?s MPPB (Missing Pugilistic Persons Bureau) must issue an urgent APB (All Points Bulletin) for Koncz. He seems to be out of the Megamanny inner circle where he was Bob Arum?s eyes and ears and an archrival to Freddie Roach, the trainer who has always advocated Oscar de la Hoya?s promotional causeM. Now Arum?s Top Rank and Oscar?s Golden Boy Promotions are uneasy partners and dealing with my assertions and those of other knowledgeable boxing people that Pacman is severely underpaid.
I phoned Roach and got no response despite leaving my number on his paging feature. But here is the most curious thing. In starting to check out rumors that Koncz has walked the Pacman plank, where so many have gone before, I emailed the agent.
I asked if it was true that Pacman had fired him. I asked if he was out of the Pacman picture.
Within two minutes came this terse reply: ?Who said that??
My response was immediate. I asked Koncz to ring me up and supplied my phone number but got no response and, as I write this, no phone call.
Keith Davidson. Nick Khan. Murad Muhammad. Shelly Finkel. Rod Nazario. Gary Shaw?the Pacman Alumni Adviser List goes on and on. Has Koncz been given the gate?
I also want to ask Koncz questions about whether he remains involved as manager or co-manager of Bobby Pacquaio and about what happened to Filipino fighter Rolando Mayol?s purse from his August 4 bout on the David Diaz-Erik Morales card in Chicago.I?ve heard allegations that Mayol did not get what was coming to him from that fight.
Look, Koncz could show up, with clipboard and Bob Arum cell number on speed dial, next week when Manny moves his training site from Cebu to Roach’s Wild Card Gym. Maybe Koncz decided to sleep underneath his own bed for a while, in Canada or Orange County or wherever his real home is. Or maybe Manny told him to take a long walk off a short pier. It could happen.
In Boxingconfidential?s Court, Michael Koncz is innocent until proven guilty. But his sudden disappearance raises a lot of serious questions.
It?s often said that, like Muhammad Ali, Pacman enjoys chaos swirling around his pack of advisers, hangers-on, leeches and lackeys.
Then you don?t have to be a weatherman to know that the forecast for the remaining run-up to Pacquaio-Barrera II, Oct. 6 in Las Vegas, is stormy.
Unless someone hears from Mr. Koncz within 48 hours, I say let?s get his picture put on the side of milk cartons in America, Canada and the Philippines.
Can you imagine the uproar if he turned up in Mexico?
