SAN FRANCISCO–No less a sagacious, perspicacious boxing oracle than 83 years young Don ?War A Week? Chargin finds it ironic that Mexican ringmaster Juan Manuel Marquez is exiting, stage left, from Golden Boy Promotions to insure that he does nail down a historic third fight against Pinoy Idol Manny Pacquiao.
Chargin, the wily, six decades promoter who works out of his seacoast home in Cambria, said it was his friends at Golden Boy who demanded big money for a third fight with Pacman for the slick counterpuncher who has given Pacquiao so many in ring problems.
?Bob Arum just laughed at Golden Boy when they rightly demanded financial fairness for Marquez against Pacman and now it looks like Marquez is going off the reservation to Top Rank to make sure he gets the third match against Manny. Marquez handles his own business but I doubt he can be very demanding with Arum,? Chargin said Saturday morning after his Pinoy prospect Mercito ?No Mercy? Gesta went through tired, old Genaro Trazancos like the proverbial hot knife through butter.
Gesta, lightweight southpaw slugger from Cebu, improved to 21-0-1, 11 knockouts in beating the faded Mexican journeyman for the second time in as many years. The doctor halted the bout, before a lively throng of 1,200 fans at historic Longshoremen’s Hall on a miserably rainy night, after three rounds.
Still, despite his misgivings about Juan Ma turning his back on the Golden Lads named de la Hoya and Schaefer, veteran Chargin concedes Marquez-Pacquiao III is both commercially viable and will be a competitive match just like their first two brawls.
?Yes, that is certainly an easy fight to sell to the public, there is an appetite there to see Manny and Marquez do it again, I get that.
?Both of their fights were good fights with an element of controversy to each,? Chargin said. ?Juan Ma will always be competitive and difficult for Manny because of his style. It’s just in how they match up.?
Chargin’s comments are timely given Arum’s recent proclamation that if Pacquiao handles Sugar Shane Mosley on May 7, his November foe could well be Juan Ma if Floyd Mayweather Jr. is still not eager or otherwise available.
As far as Work In Progress Gesta, Chargin will upgrade the opposition and keep the lefthanded former Muay Thai boxer active but he does not plan to abruptly jump him from high school to graduate school.
?All in good time for Mercito,? Chargin said. ?The kid is 23, not age 33, so there is no extreme rush here. You will see tougher guys fighting him as we move along. But the goal is to have him completely ready for a world title challenge when that opportunity comes. He’s being moved at precisely the proper pace. This isn’t my first rodeo.?
I laughed at the rodeo reference as it reminded me that, for all the world champions Chargin has handled at the weekly Olympic Auditorium shows and other venues far and wide, his most ?famous fighter? put the western into country and western music.
?Buck Owens was a fighter I had out of Bakersfield. He had a couple of fights and then concentrated on music. I guess he made the right decision,? Chargin said.
No dispute there as Owens and his Buckaroos are in the Country Music Hall Of Fame and have had countless hit records.
One which was “I’ve Got A Tiger By the Tail.”
I wonder if Gesta’s future foes will be crooning the same tune.
