Philippine super-featherweight champion Bobby Pacquiao goes into his biggest fight to date as he vies for the WBC Continental Americas super-featherweight title today(June 17) against reigning champ Carlos Navarro in a 12-round showdown at the Table Mountain Casino in Friant, California.
This will be an important fight for the younger Pacquiao if only to prove a point: Navarro had knocked out Agapito Sanchez late last year. Sanchez is the same fighter who drew with Manny Pacquiao in their foul-infested fight in 2001.
Prior to departing for the United States, Pacquiao had sparred against top fighters at the famed ALA Gym in Cebu. Among those he had sparred were WBF champ Dindo Castanares, RP junior welter champ Bart Abapo, OPBF titlist Randy Suico, RP welter champ Dondon Sultan, and WBO Asia Pacific bantam king Rey Bautista.
“There is no way I am going to take any opponent lightly and that includes Bobby Pacquiao. He didn’t come here all the way from the Philippines to lose. I never watch tapes or study future opponents so I don’t know what to expect, but this is going to be a great fight,” Navarro (26-3-1, 21) said in a release sent to the media.
Pacquaio (21-11-3, 9 KO’s) will be seeing action in only his second fight in the United States. He has five title defenses under his Philippine belt. Pacquaio has said that he is prepared and thrilled with the television exposure of this bout.
The fight is promoted by the K2 Promotions, which is owned by the Klitschko brothers.
