NEW YORK — The moment he stepped inside Madison Square Garden on Friday afternoon for the official weigh-in, Bobby Pacquiao felt goose bumps all over his body and immediately asked one of his handlers, Canadian Mike Koncz, about the track record of Filipino fighters seeing action in the venue hyped as the world’s most popular sports arena.
Koncz, while well-versed in Philippine pugilism, was dumbfounded and had to rely on a visiting fight scribe to provide his prized pugilist the answer.
When Pacquiao clashes with New Yorker Kevin Kelley Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila), he would be attempting to pull off a huge feat since Filipinos have generally failed miserably there.
Flash Elorde was flattened at the Garden by Puerto Rican Carlos Ortiz in 1966 during the tailend of his remarkable career while minimumweight Andy Tabanas of Cebu suffered the same fate when he was stopped by Nelson Dieppa, also from Puerto Rico, with 45 second remaining in the 12th and final round in 2001.
In 1947, Flash Sebastian, a Hawaii-based Filipino met Sugar Ray Robinson, the legendary world welterweight and middleweight king, and was horribly knocked out in the first round.
But not everything is gloomy, actually.
Elorde did score a win at the Garden in 1965 against the rugged Peurto Rican lightweight Frankie Narvaez, but the Filipino had to pull it off on a disputable 10-round split decision as a riot erupted at ringside and onto the streets.
Still, Pacquiao, younger brother of superfeatherweight sensation Manny, is unfazed.
He’s prepared long and hard enough to beat Kelley, who, during a chance encounter at the lobby of the Affinia in Manhattan with the Bulletin, said he will be “too fast, too strong and too experienced” for someone like Pacquiao.
“This is going to be my showcase,” said Kelley, who has faced the likes of Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Prince Naseem Hamed in an 18-year roller-coaster career.
As for Bobby, he remains unfazed by the prospects of battling it out with a still fearsome foe and history on fight night. Pacquiao, who weighed in at 129 ? lbs as to Kelley’s 128, was on the phone after the weigh-in with Manny.
“He gave me words of advice and encouragement,” said Bobby, who should be facing Humberto Soto for the World Boxing Council interim superfeather title in the event he takes the sting out of Kelley.
Expected to root for his every move at ringside are co-handler Wakee Salud and lawyer Franklin Gacal, who flew in here Friday morning from Manila.
“Our kababayans are looking forward to a victory by Bobby,” said Salud. “Let us all join hands.”
In the main event, Miguel Cotto, the fast-rising Puerto Rican superlightweight, takes on Paul Malignaggi. Bob Arum’s Top Rank is staging the show.
