MANNY Pacquiao could avail of championship-caliber sparring not too far from his native General Santos, but he must agree to momentarily break away from his holiday spree.
Pacquiao could fly anytime to Cebu where World Boxing Council featherweight king In-jin Chi of South Korea is currently training at the famous ALA Gym in Talamban.
“Yes, he is here,” confirmed Cebu sportsman Tony Aldeguer, owner of the ALA Gym when asked by this writer if indeed Chi is training at his sweat shop.
“The manager [Ku Sung Lee] personally asked me through Atty. Rudy Salud during the Yanig sa Taguig fight,” Aldeguer explained on why Chi secretly flew to Cebu.
Chi has reportedly decided to transfer base in Cebu owing to Korea’s chilly winter season, which makes training there impossible. He is preparing for his second WBC title defense against Australian Tommy Browne on January 30.
Chi would not say it but he should be more than gratified if he could augment his preparation with a few rounds of sparring against Pacquiao, considered by some sectors as the finest featherweight fighter in the world today.
Working out together should also boost the chances of both Pacquiao and Chi in their forthcoming fights.
But it’s doubtful if Pacquiao, caught in the swirl of the holidays, would have the appetite for some man-size banging inside the ring.
In fact, the Ring Magazine featherweight champion has insisted he would leave to train in earnest at the Wild Card Boxing Club in California on Jan. 5, not immediately after Christmas as had been advised by trainer Freddie Roach.
Pacquiao on Friday signed a contract for a rematch against WBA/IBF featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez for $900,000 on Feb. 26.
Chi is one of the elite fighters being considered to face Pacquiao, along with Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Erik Morales. His stand-up, forward style should make him a perfect foe for Pacquiao.
Chi won the WBC title with a seventh-round knockout over Michael Brodie in April this year.
Their first encounter had resulted in a draw.
Last July, Chi defended against Japanese Eiichi Sugama and won via a tenth-round technical knockout.
The ALA Gym is known as the former home of prizefight boxing luminaries like ex-WBC champs Gerry Pe?alosa and Malcolm Tunacao, ex-WBA champ Joma Gamboa, world-title challenger Edito “Ala” Villamor, Andy Tabanas among others. It is also where current world-ranked fighters as Randy Suico, Rev Santillan, Rey Bautista, and Yukka Gejon train.
