World Boxing Foundation (WBF) president Mick Croucher of Australia took a few minutes to think out an answer.
I asked Croucher whom he thought would win in a hypothetical dream fight?Manny Pacquiao or Lionel Rose.
Pacquiao is in line to become probably the greatest Filipino fighter ever. He began his career as a flyweight in 1995 and now campaigns in the featherweight division. If plans push through, Pacquiao will invade the superfeatherweight class next year. He turns 26 on Dec. 17.
Rose was only 15 when he won the Australian flyweight title and 19 when he wrested the world bantamweight crown from Fighting Harada in 1968. The Australian aborigine was 23 when he lost to Yoshiaki Numata in a bid for the world junior lightweight or superfeatherweight championship in 1971. He retired in 1976 with a record of 42-11, with 12 KOs.
Rose never lost to a Filipino and counted among his victims, the likes of Filipino beakbusters Tiny Palacio, Flash Dumdum, Tanny Cuaresma and Billy Brown.
Pacquiao has never lost to an Australian and his victims included Australians Nedal Hussein and Todd Makelin. Another victim was Sydney-based Filipino Arnel Barotillo.
Pacquiao was originally docked to face Gairy St. Clair, a Guyanese who now lives in Australia, last Saturday. St. Clair was later replaced by Fahsan 3-K Battery of Thailand.
Croucher, who was in town recently to supervise the WBF superflyweight title bout between Gerry Penalosa and Bangsaen Sithpraprom, described Rose as the greatest Australian fighter in history.
“Rose was a class act, a brilliant bantamweight,” said Croucher. “He was stylish and had blinding speed. His agility was phenomenal. Maybe I?m biased but against Pacquiao, I?d pick Rose to win on points.”
Croucher, however, qualified his predeliction.
“If the fight goes the distance, Rose should win but if it doesn?t, Pacquiao will win by knockout,” said Croucher who grew up with Rose and lived about 100 kilometers apart. “Manny?s tough, strong and aggressive. I see a close fight, a classic. Rose?s weakness is the body. I remember I floored him once with a body shot during a sparring session. Being an aborigine, Rose was known to be soft in the midsection. If they only fought in the same era, Pacquiao versus Rose would?ve been the fight of the century.”
Croucher, 57, welcomed Penalosa as the WBF superflyweight champion and said the Filipino is a credit to the organization. “He brings prestige to the WBF because of his reputation and boxing ability,” said Croucher. “The WBF will not get in the way of Gerry aspiring to unify the world championship. Right now, there?s a lot of confusion because of so many champions. That?s because the primary motive is dollars. They create interim champions just to charge sanction fees.”
Croucher said whether or not the proliferation is good for boxing is immaterial. “We live in a democracy,” he went on. “We can?t stop people from forming their own organizations. We just have to live with it. As for the WBF, we want to be there for boxing. Our sanction fees are negotiable and much lower than others which charge $10,000 to $15,000 for each title fight. The WBF caters to the needs of fighters and provides opportunities for fighters to become world champions. We want to be known for our integrity and giving people a chance.”
On imposing an age limit for fighters, Croucher said the more urgent issue is close surveillance. “The critical range is 30 to 35 but you?ve got a Bernard Hopkins who?s 39 and still an unbeatable world champion,” he continued. “Then you?ve got a fighter who?s 24 and ready to retire. I don?t think you can legislate a definite age limit for retirement. I was in the US recently and saw Tony Tubbs who?s 46 and wants to fight again like George Foreman who?s over 50. They ridicule boxing. They should stay retired.”
