ON July 2, the Araneta Coliseum will be trembling in emotion as Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao and Mexican Oscar Larios will be looking to empty their arsenal down to the last bullet.
Pacquiao and Larios know only one direction in the ring—forward. Pacquiao has a knockout percentage of .805 while Larios is not far behind at .643. When two monstrous punchers collide, expect a slam-bang encounter.
ABS-CBN, the promotions’ media partner, will broadcast the fight around the globe. It will also be viewed worldwide throughout the The Filipino Channel, which reaches North America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Guam, Japan and other parts of Asia.
So, who’ll blink first? Whose chin will be the first to turn into papier-m?ch?? A head-to-head look at the combatants might just provide some answers.
RECORD AND WORLD RATING
Manny Pacquiao
Is 41-3-2 with 33 knockouts… Went 60-4 as an amateur before turning pro on Jan. 22, 1995… Won the World Boxing Council flyweight title (112 pounds) in his 25th fight, knocked out Chatchai Sasakul in eight rounds in December 1998… Moved up to the junior featherweight (122 pounds) ranks and won the International Boxing Federation title in June 2001 with a sixth-round KO of Lehlo Ledwaba… Made four successful defenses of the IBF title before winning recognition as the “People’s Featherweight Champ” by stopping Marco Antonio Barrera in 11 rounds on Nov. 15, 2003… Moved up to the junior lightweight class (130 pounds) in 2005 and last Jan. 22, won the WBC International title with a 10th-round KO of Erik Morales… Without a doubt, Pacquaio is generally regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in boxing today.
Oscar Larios
Is 56-4-1 with 36 knockouts… Went 38-2 as an amateur before making his pro debut in January1994…. Won his first 20 bouts (15 by knockout) before losing to countryman Israel Vasquez in April 1997… Rebounded by winning 36 of his next 40 fights. Was on a 17-bout winning streak when he lost his third match with Vasquez in December 2005… Won the WBC junior feather title in November 2001 with a one-round KO of American Willie Jorrin. Made seven successful defenses before losing the WBC title to IBF counterpart Vasquez in December 2005… Set to make his first appearance as a junior lightweight against Pacquiao.
AGE, PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES, STYLE
Manny Pacquiao
Is 27 years old… Stands 5’6” with a 67-inch reach… Has fought three times as a junior lightweight, posting a 2-1 won-lost record… Punches carried more pop as a junior featherweight, but stoppage of Morales in January 2006 shows he hasn’t lost his power despite the extra luggage… Southpaw style is mixed with speed and nonstop aggression… Can be outboxed as shown in his draw with Juan Manuel Marquez in May 2004 and loss to Morales in 2005… Has been knocked out twice in his career by Rustico Torrecampo (1995) and Medgoen Lukchaopormasak (1999).
Oscar Larios
Is 29 years old… Tall for a junior lightweight at 5’8” and has a 67-inch wingspan… Has never fought as a junior lightweight—the closest he has come to weighing 130 pounds was in 2004, when he tipped in at 125 pounds in a nontitle decision win over Ivan Alvarez… Offers good blend of skill and power… Great determination, once defeated an opponent despite breaking his jaw early in the fight… So accustomed to fighting in hostile territory that he is also called the “Road Warrior”… Has been stopped three times by Vasquez (1997, 2005) and Agapito Sanchez (1998).
BEST WEAPON
Manny Pacquiao
Left straight offers blinding speed and debilitating power… In the rematch with Morales (2006), displayed excellent command of complete arsenal of punches, including sneaky right hooks to the head and body… Bled against Morales (2005) and Agapito Sanchez (2001) but is not a known bleeder.
Oscar Larios
Crowd-pleasing counterpuncher who can nonetheless box… Always comes in good shape and stamina is well-tested… Throws punches in bunches, but sometimes tends to get wild on his blows. Right uppercut is scary… Punched like a machine in his 12th-round KO win over Vasquez in 2002. Threw 732 power punches and landed 310 (43%). Overall, landed 387 of 1,080 total punches in 12 rounds. Simply amazing… Stopped on cuts in the third match with Vasquez in December 2005…Will not hesitate to resort to foul tactics in retaliation when fouled.
QUALITY OF OPPOSITION
Manny Pacquiao
KO wins over Barrera and Morales show that he has taken on the cream of the crop in his weight class… Won IBF junior feather title from Ledwaba, at the time when the South African was regarded as the best in the division… Between 2003 and 2006, took on three of best fighters from Mexico—Barrera, Marquez and Morales (twice).
Oscar Larios
Has a 5-3 won-lost record in fights against former and reigning world champions… The only fighter to stop durable Irish slugger Wayne McCullough (TKO 11, July 2005)… Soundly defeated tough Australian Nadel Hussein (November 2004), who once knocked down Pacquiao… Unlike Pacquiao, has never been involved in a real high-profile bout.
THE QUESTIONS
Manny Pacquiao
Can he get up for a fight with Larios after conquering a fighter as mighty as Morales? Will the homecourt advantage actually make him complacent? Is he not looking beyond Larios in anticipation of the third meeting with Morales in November?
Oscar Larios
Is he making a huge gamble by making his junior lightweight debut against the fighter regarded by many as the best in the division? Can he handle Pacquiao’s speed? Can he resist the temptation of mixing it up with Pacman?
THE OUTCOME
Tough guys don’t dance. Owing to his height advantage, Larios will be expected to keep the jab up and box at a distance. But oozing with Latino machismo, a fired up Larios will eventually take the fight to Pacquiao. Pacquiao will get a sampling of Larios’ power and if he took shortcuts in training, will kiss the canvas. But nobody slugs it out with Pacman without getting a taste of the Filipino’s venom. Larios will realize that fighting in a heavier class means absorbing heavier blows. The Mexican will be overwhelmed by Pacquiao’s speed and power and a sizzling barrage on or before the eighth round will have the referee exercising fistic euthanasia.
