FILIPINO ICON PACQUIAO COMEBACK SET
Las Vegas, NV- This September 10th, Manny Pacquiao (39-3-2, 31 KO’s) will engage in his fight fight since losing to Erik Morales in March, but not against aged veteran Kelly Kelley. Instead rugged Mexican Hector Velazquez will be the foil. Philippine reporter, Nick Giongco, wrote that Manny’s purse of this fight will be $700,000, an extremely high purse for a fight against what is thought to be a non-threatening foe. This is indicative of Manny’s star power. The bout will take place in Pacquiao’s United States hometown of Los Angeles, in the 19,000+ seat Staples Center. HBO will televise the “double main event,” which also features Erik Morales taking on once-beaten 1996 Olympian Zahir Raheem.
PACQUIAO IN FOR A ROUGH NIGHT?
Approved by HBO, Hector Velazquez (42-10-2, 31 KO’s) stopped last minute journeyman, Trinidad Mendoza, in five rounds last Friday on Telefutura. The 5’8 boxer used his reach and body attack to lure his opponent to a slow pace. He finished him off with a devastating uppercut and a furry of body shots. Velazquez has won every fight since losing a 12 round decision to Rocky Juarez, where many ringside reporters felt Hector handled himself well. Velazquez has fought many top featherweights, including IBF super featherweight champion Robbie Peden.
VALAZQUEZ, ANOTHER SANCHEZ TYPE OF GUY?
Experts in the career of Manny Pacquiao remember Manny’s rough fight against Agapito Sanchez back in 2001. Sanchez repeatedly hit Pacquiao low, causing referee Marty Denkin to deduct points in consecutive rounds. Sanchez even purposely drove his knee into Pacquiao’s thigh, after Pacquiao was dropped by a low blow, which temporarily crippled Manny. In an interview with Robbie Peden, who has officially announced his unification bout with Marco Antonio Barrera in the MGM Grand Arena, he reflects on his fight with Velazquez. Warning Manny, Peden said, “He (Velazquez) is a very dirty fighter and will hit Manny low, behind the head, on the break and after the bell.” Similar to Sanchez, Velasquez will try to take Manny out of game plan by roughing him up.
ROBBIE SAYS HECTOR CAN’T WIN!
Peden points out that, “he also doesn’t fight a fast fight as he tries to lure you into his tempo. He is kind of an opportunist guy and will try to take advantage if Manny loses concentration.” Peden feels that Velazquez’s only chance to take the fight deep, hoping Manny doesn’t train well and that the fight is fought at a very slow pace. However, a slow fighter is the perfect style for the power-punching Filipino. Pacquiao’s many victims try to outbox and slow down the pace of the fight, which often results in them hitting the canvas. Peden went on, “Hector is pretty slow, which will be an advantage for Manny because Manny is very quick. He is fairly tough but the straight shots of Pacquiao will get Hector every time. I think his chin is not bad, but I didn’t have too many problems hitting it.”
ONE TOO MANY WARS TAKE THEIR TOLL
Velazquez is a hard-nosed fighter, who is always in the fight and willing to do almost anything to win. Having fought from Japan to Mexico, he is always fighting in the other guy’s hometown. A professional since 1993, Velazquez has been in many wars and at an old 30, his tank is almost empty. It took Juan Manuel Marquez and Erik Morales all they had to finish their fights with the “Pac-Man.” Don’t expect Hector Velazquez to dig down and try to pull another war out of an empty basket. Peden agrees as he concluded, “Hector is usually durable but having been in a few wars his time is most likely up. It?€™s a good and smart fight for Manny.”
QUICK JABS FROM “SIN CITY” LAS VEGAS!
At the MGM Grand Saturday night and Sunday, it was “Viva Las Little Rock!” as Jermain Taylor, the 2000 Olympian brought his fans to their knees by upsetting the legend that is Bernard Hopkins. All four major middleweight belts are now residing in Little Rock, Arkansas. As for any controversy, you have to go through round one to get to round twelve. Boxing is scored on a ten point must system and every round is itself a “mini-fight.” Although Bernard Hopkins dominated Taylor in the last four rounds, Taylor won seven competitive rounds out of the first ten. The first round counts equally as the last round and that’s why Taylor was the clear winner, from the ringside to the rafters…World 122 lb. champ Oscar Larios is a beast as he withstood Wayne McCullough’s early assault, this before bashing him into forced submission after ten rounds. Larios is perfect at 122 as he has the size and enough power to hold off any good contender! Vernon Forrest blasted through Serigo Rios, who had an inflated record. Forrest was formally the best fighter in the world, this comeback was easy money…Look for “The Pinoy’s” top ten pound for pound list in the near future.
Jason Aniel
