IF all Manny Pacquiao supporters want to hear buoyant views on their idol’s chances against Mexican star Erik Morales early next year, then they have to listen to boxing man Manny Pi?ol.
Pi?ol, the incumbent governor of North Cotabato, believes that Pacquiao has all the tools to bring to an end the still unshakable superstardom of Morales.
In fact, Pi?ol reckons that Pacquiao should have won his first encounter with Morales had the Filipino boxer focused on the Mexican’s weak points which was only exposed over the weekend.
Morales, as it turned out, seems to have trouble dealing with sharp-witted boxers as evidenced by the Mexican’s startling loss last weekend to American slickster Zahir Raheem.
“Sa tingin ko yung ginawa ni Manny kay Hector Velasquez would win the fight against Morales. Hindi na siya nag-rely sa raw power niya and he now knows how to cut the ring which he failed to do against Morales.” said Pi?ol, an emerging patron of Mindanao boxers.
Despite the loss to Raheem, Morales’ promoter Bob Arum still wants his ward to face Pacquiao early next year.
Another boxing connoisseur Hermie Rivera is getting the impression that Pacquiao can beat Morales in their rematch.
Rivera however said that the camp of Pacquiao, specifically American trainer Freddie Roach, should not rely or adopt Raheem’s style which gave Morales his first crushing loss.
“Pacquiao, can absolutely turn it around come January. However they should not study Raheem’s method. It won’t work that way since Pacquiao has his own style. The best thing to do is see what went wrong in their first meeting last March,” said Rivera, former manager of world champions Luisito Espinosa and Morris East.
Meanwhile, two Filipino boxers who are scheduled to fight in two separate major cards in the next two weeks, claims that Pacquiao’s continuing conquest abroad is serving as a morale booster to their promising careers.
Current Oriental junior lightweight champion Randy Suico, ranked 3rd in the same division behind Morales and Pacquiao, is all set to face former world lightweight champion Javier Jauregui on September 23 at the USC Lyon Center in Los Angeles, California.
“Nakatulong sa akin yung success ni Manny kasi mahirap nang mapahiya kung matalo ako. Lalo kong pagsikapan na manalo sa laban ko sa US” disclosed Suico who is scheduled to leave for the US on the 18th .
For his part, world minimumweight challenger Yukka Gejon hopes to join a now-star-studded Philippine boxing cast as he is all pumped up for his 12-round world title match against WBA world champion Yutaka Niida of Japan which will happen on September 25 in Yokohama, Japan.
“Matagal na akong naghintay na mapalaban sa world title. Magandang timing yung panalo ni Pacquiao kasi kung manalo ako ng world title, mas mabibigyan ito ng importansiya kasi sikat na uli ang boxing sa atin” relates Gejon.
