Cebuano fighter Pedro “Cobrita” Malco of SGG Stable, the country’s no. 2 bantamweight, has been tapped to challenge the recent conqueror of Bobby Pacquiao, IBF Pan Pacific featherweight champ Fahprakorb Rakkiatgym in a 12-round tiff on March 18 in Pattaya, Thailand.
Cebu promoter Sammy “Don King” Gello-ani, who manages Malco, informed this writer that the fight is on and that his ward is aptly prepared to take on Rakkiatgym, who knocked out Bobby Pacquiao in the 9th round last February 18 in their bout in Pattaya.
Malco, who trains at the ALA Gym under the watchful supervision of trainer Berto Casta?ares, father of WBF junior welter king Dindo Casta?ares, yesterday said in an interview that he is not awed by Rakkiatgym’s credentials, and that he will be in much better shape than Pacquiao when he faces Rakkiatgym.
“Nakita nako sa tv ila duwa ni Bobby og Rakkiatgym. Dili ko lisuran sa style in Rakkiatgym. Dako og taas sya nako dyutay, pero pwede nako sya ma-knockout,” (I’ve seen on tv his fight with Bobby Pacquiao. I’m not going to have problems with his fighting style. He’s taller and maybe bigger than me. But I can knock him out) said Malco, a sparmate of Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista, in an interview yesterday during at lull in training.
Thailand-based former boxing promoter Perry McNeely, who used to head the JMP Boxing Club which managed Malco, said that the Filipino fighter has a great chance against Rakkiatgym because “the Thai stands right in front of you and does not have that much power nor skills. I think Malco could hit him and will not be afraid of this guy,” McNeely, who was at ringside for the Bobby Pacquiao-Rakkiatgym rumble, had indicated.
