By Ronnie Nathanielsz

World Boxing Council founding secretary general Rudy Salud says the Philippine Games and Amusements Board can’t do a thing to stop the “Dream Match” between Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao and “The Golden Boy” Oscar De La Hoya at the MGM Grand on December 6.

Salud who has always believed that Pacquiao has a good chance of beating De La Hoya stressed that even WBC president Don Jose Sulaiman and the WBC or any other organization has “no jurisdiction” over the fight, adding that the only one empowered to disallow the bout is the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

At the same time Salud assailed the suggestion by Congressman Rufus Rodriguez that GAB chairman Eric Buhain consider cancelling the license of Pacquiao. Salud pointed out “it cannot be done unilaterally” by the GAB without a proper hearing. Salud also pointed out that once Pacquiao agreed to fight in Las Vegas, his license falls under the aegis of the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

At the same time Salud pointed out that Roy Jones Jr moved up from light heavyweight where the maximum weight was 175 pounds to fight heavyweight champion John Ruiz and in the official weigh-in Jones tipped the scales at 193 while Ruiz was 226 or a difference of 33 pounds, yet Jones won.

Salud went back to the time heavyweight champion Joe Louis scored a 6th round stoppage of the giant Primo Carbera noting that Louis came in at 196 pounds and Carnera at 260 ½ while Louis was 6’2” and Carnera 6 51/2” and in terms of reach it was 76 inches for Louis and 85 inches for Carnera.

Salud insisted “they can claim there is a disparity between the two fighters  but they cannot even suggest it is a mismatch because it is not.”