MANILA ? Ring Magazine and People?s featherweight champion Manny ?The Destroyer? Pacquiao is set to grace the forthcoming promotion of top Cebuano boxingman Rex ?Wakee? Salud on April 27 at the Lapu-Lapu City Sports Complex featuring the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) super featherweight title defense of Randy ?Kumong Bato? Suico. ?Manny (Pacquiao) and I just talked a while ago (yesterday) and he confirmed his attendance in my promotion this April 27 in Lapu-Lapu,? an ecstatic Salud told The Freeman.
Barring any hitches, this will be Pacquiao?s first appearance in Cebu since his phenomenal rise to stardom courtesy of a spate of impressive victories in the US, including an 11-round annihilation of Mexican hero Marco Antonio Barrera that installed the Filipino bomber as one of the world?s best pound-for-pound greats today.
Pacquiao, who put up a gallant stand-albeit for a losing cause-in his previous fight against Mexican superstar Erik ?El Terible? Morales, will stay in Cebu for at least five days as he is also reportedly invited to grace the World Boxing Foundation light welterweight defense of Dindo Casta?ares against Australian challenger Steven Marks on April 30 at the Mandaue City Sports Complex.
Meanwhile, the World Boxing Council (WBC)-ranked No.3 130-pounder Suico is now in peak and in top fighting form for his OPBF title defense against Thai veteran Muangfahlek Kiatchichean topbilling the explosive Lapu-Lapu slugfest.
Suico, who parades a 21-1 win-loss record spiked with 16Kos, will make the third defense of the title he wrested by stopping Korean Sungho Yuh in the sixth round in 2002.
In the supporting main event, World Boxing Association (WBA) Federation minimumweight title-holder Eriberto ?Ioka? Gejon, Jr. will stake his lofty world ratings and undefeated record when he takes on another Thai visitor in Namchai Thaksinisarn in a non-title bout scheduled for 10 rounds.
