NEWLY crowned International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight champion met no less than the king of his sport yesterday, superstar Manny Pacquiao at the Wild Card Gym in Para?aque.
The 27-year-old Florante Condes was thrilled no end to meet Pacquiao, regarded by many as responsible for putting the country back on the boxing map.
It was actually a chance encounter as both Condes and Pacquiao had planned to drop by the gym and pay owner Rod Nazario a visit.
Condes, along with Filipino manager Aljoe Jaro, went to see and thank Nazario, who has been helping the duo in the promotional and TV exposures of the fighter’s local bouts.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, went there to invite his former boss to watch his upcoming fight in the United States.
Nazario was Pacquiao’s longtime business manager until an ugly legal battle for the boxer’s promotional rights involving American promoter Murad Muhammad led to an unpleasant split-up between the two.
Pacquiao plans to leave late this month for the US to prepare for his return encounter with former foe Marco Antonio Barrera of Mexico in a 12-round encounter on October 6 in Las Vegas.
Nazario, who is said to be the Filipino adviser of Condes, told BusinessMirror that Condes would most likely accept the opportunity whether it will be a title or a nontitle bout.
“It’s a chance for him to get noticed in the US. Siguro tanggapin na niya basta ang importante makalaban siya sa undercard, said Nazario.
If Condes wont make it to the Pacquiao starrer, Nazario said their next option is to stage the champion’s first title defense here in the Philippines in late October.
Topping the list of Condes’s opponents is dethroned champion Muhammad Rachman of Indonesia.
“Magandang laban pa din kung mag-rematch sila kasi dikit ’yung unang laban. Others even consider their first bout as controversial. Interesting pa din kung magkaroon ng rematch,” said Nazario.
Last Saturday in Jakarta, Condes won the crown after scoring a split verdict in a give-and-take bout. The newly crowned champion twice floored Rachman in the third and 10th rounds.
Branded by experts as a smaller version of Pacquiao because of his vicious punching power, Condes upped his mark to 22-3-1 with 21 KOs, while Rachman drops to 61-6-5, 31 KOs.
Nazario said Pacquiao guaranteed him about his effort to convince his American promoter Bob Arum to include Condes in their colossal promotion.
Also being considered for the undercard is another prot?g? of Jaro, current World Boxing Council (WBC) youth super bantamweight champion Bernabe Concepcion.
The 19-year-old Concepcion (21-1-1, 11 KOs) twice saw action in the US and won both bouts via unanimous decision in a WBC youth title fights.
