MANNY PACQUIAO vaguely remembers the time when he squared off with Fahsan 3K Battery of Thailand in a three-round exhibition in the US territory of Guam over two years ago. But one thing struck him in the brief encounter.
Pacquiao said the thing he remembers most from that match was that Fahsan was a bit ?slow? and this is the reason why the Thai won?t be able to take away the Ring magazine featherweight title from his waist on Dec. 11 at The Fort in Taguig.
It was during the month of September in 2002 when Pacquiao went on a tour of the Pacific islands, overwhelming Fahsan in Guam and toying with Ilocos-born Hawaii-raised Jesus Salud in Honolulu, before heading to the US mainland for some R&R with members of his entourage.
Despite that negative trait he saw in Fahsan, Pacquiao refuses to lie down and relax since there are only 27 days before they collide in a blockbuster card dubbed ?Yanig sa Taguig?.
Yesterday, Pacquiao sparred for the first time against Fernando Montilla at the Almendras Gym in Davao.
?Four rounds lang,? Pacquiao said of the workout with Montilla, one of the country?s most feared lightweights.
Pacquiao hopes to log a total of 50 rounds of sparring for next month?s bout which he is going to use as a tuneup for his Feb. 26 rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico either in Los Angeles or Las Vegas.
?Hindi naman,? said Pacquiao when told if he is taking his training lightly.
?Mahirap din naman maging overconfident siyempre gusto ng kalaban ko na manalo siya,? added Pacquiao, who will earn almost R17 million in this scheduled 12-rounder.
Meanwhile, Bobby Pacquiao, the brother of the world featherweight king, has arrived in the country after a successful US debut last week.
Bobby carved out a lopsided eight-round decision over Mexican Oscar Villa-Arrieta at the Quiet Cannon in Montebello, California.
Bobby and cornerman Buboy Fernandez arrived yesterday morning on board a Philippine Airlines jet from Los Angeles. Bobby immediately flew to General Santos to be with his family.
Up next for Bobby is a mandatory defense of his Philippine super-featherweight throne against Dexter ?Dinamita? Delada of the Wakee Salud Stable of Cebu.
