“I don’t think so” was my quick reply to the above question posed by one of my tennis colleagues. “While Fahsan 3K Battery is a strong puncher, Manny is stronger and quicker”, I added with confidence. That was the other day.
However, Manny appears to be taking this fight lightly. He did once take a fight lightly and he lost by KO to Rustico Torrecampo early in his career. Manny’s fans dread to see this kind of ending again.
To his fans’ dismay, Manny is right now in Subic taping a reality TV show as co-host of Philippine actor Robin Padilla. This is for a 20-day period which started last Saturday, November 20th. I know this to be for 20 days because I was offered to be one of the judges in the amateur boxing bouts to be taped for the show.
As co-host, Manny could be in Subic to fulfill the 20-day contract which will end December 10th, just in time to fight Fahsan on the 11th. Just in time?
Manny’s fans are now airing their concerns. Manny suffered his 2nd loss, also by a KO to Medgoen 3K Battery, because he got distracted and forgot to watch and keep control of his weight. After a drastic regimen to lose much weight, a dehydrated Manny still tipped the scales at 120 lbs, way above the 112-lb flyweight limit, losing his WBC flyweight title even before climbing the ring.
I asked the person who offered me the judging slot of the Subic activity whether I could go home once in a while within the 20-day period. The answer was no. The taping would be daily.
Distractions in training could lose an important fight for Manny. Ask Marco Antonio Barrera after his November 2003 fight with Manny. Ask Manny why he lost to Medgoen.
Should Manny lose his December 11 fight with Fahsan, we need not ask him anymore. We already know the answer.
If Manny is to be 100% prepared for the Fahsan fight, he might consider foregoing with the reality TV show taping and get serious with his fight preparation. But unless a compromise, say a re-scheduling the TV show taping is made, Manny could be sued for breach of contract. This would be another distraction going into the tune-up fight.
Fahsan, or any other opponent, is not to be taken lightly. It happened before. It could happen again.
If I’m to answer the same question today, my answer would be different. It would be, “Yes, Manny Pacquiao could lose his December 11 tune-up fight.”
