JOEBAR DAMOSMOG, who once knocked down Fahsan 3K Battery in a title fight, came short of saying that the Thai will have to carry a handgun or a butcher?s knife if he wishes to prevent Manny Pacquiao from inflicting bodily harm when they lock horns next month.
“Matagal na sa laban na yan ang seven rounds,” said the heavily-built Damosmog after conducting a 30-minute teaching lesson to a student at the world-class Wild Card Gym on Presidents Ave. in Para?aque.
“Kilala ko naman si Manny. Ramdam ko ang lakas niya at mas malakas siya sa akin kaya sa tingin ko tatalunin ni Manny si Fahsan.
Pacquiao and Fahsan collide before an expected huge audience in an open-air arena inside The Fort in Taguig on Dec. 11.
Damosmog had Fahsan on the deck in the second round after being floored in the first of their scheduled 12-round International Boxing Federation Pan Pacific superbantam-weight match in Nakhon Si Thammarat, 700 kilometers south of Bangkok, in July 2003.
But in the sixth round, after missing with a right jab, Fahsan countered with his favorite left straight that landed smack on the Filipino?s kisser.
Then, Damosmog thought somebody had turned the lights out.
“Tulog talaga ako,” exclaimed the 35-year-old banger from Mindanao.
Damosmog said Pacquiao, who hasn?t fought since being held to a 12-round split draw by Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico eight months ago in Las Vegas, should only watch out for the 30-year-old Fahsan?s left straight.
“Yun lang naman ang malakas sa kanya (Fahsan). Yun ang dapat niyang (Pacquiao) iwasan,” added Damosmog, a veteran of over 40 fights.
Pacquiao and Fahsan had actually faced each other in the ring when the two engaged in a three-round exhibition in Guam in August 2002.
Pacquiao had toyed with Fahsan during that time, but the Thai?s chief handler, Jimmy Chaichotchuang, warned that his ward, whose real name is Fahsan Por Thawatchai, has improved tremendously since then.
Pacquiao and Fahsan are set to reunite this noon when the organizers of the multimillion-peso card make the formal announcement of the event at Pier One at The Fort. Fahsan and Chaichotchuang were scheduled to arrive early last night via Philippine Airlines from Bangkok.
Murad Muhammad is expected to preside over the press conference that will be graced also by executives from Smart Communications and Solar Sports as well as members of Team Pacquiao composed of business manager Rod Nazario, Ramon Lainez, Lito Mondejar and Gerry Garcia.
Pacquiao?s handlers are using the Fahsan bout as a tuneup for the eagerly-awaited rematch between Pacquiao and Marquez on Feb. 26 in Las Vegas.
But, first thing?s first. Pacquiao has got to heed Damosmog?s advice.
