The chances of featherweight People?s Champion Manny Pacquiao getting a fight this year appear dim after World Boxing Organization champion Scott Harrison?s manager Frank Maloney announced that the hard-hitting Scotsman will defend his title against undefeated Ethiopian Samuel Kebede on October 29 in Glasgow.
Maloney first contacted Viva Sports/Manila Standard inquiring about a possible title defense against Pacquiao and where the fight would be held and who would promote the event. The inquiry was forwarded through Roberto “Boying” Nazario to his father Rod Nazario, business manager of Pacquiao who was stranded in Florida because of hurricane Ivan. The young Nazario who manages his father?s business in the US exchanged emails with Maloney regarding a possible showdown with Pacquiao since no opponent for Harrison?s October date had been named. But now that Kebede with a record of 24-0, 14 KO?s has been chosen, Pacquiao will have to be sidelined until sometime next year.
Harrison himself said “the super fights against Marco Antonio Barrera, Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez and Injin Chi are out there so there can be no room for slip-ups as I?ve found out in the past.” Harrison said he was “not looking past Kebede and will be looking to take him out in quicker time than my last two opponents” who were Walter Estrada whom he stopped in five rounds and William Abelyan who was knocked out in three.
Pacquiao?s promoter Murad Muhammad was scheduled to discuss future fight plans with Nazario and HBO yesterday amidst indications that Marquez who salvaged a controversial draw against Pacquiao last May after being knocked down three times in the first round was willing to give the Filipino southpaw a rematch sometime early next year. However, Team Pacquiao was worried about the increasing restlessness of Pacquiao who has begun working out at the Wild Card Gym of Freddie Roach in Los Angeles. They point out that if the Filipino southpaw is to fight Marquez early next year he needs to get even a non-title fight sometime in November in order to retain his sharp reflexes.
