By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is once again taking the long flight to the Philippines and is scheduled to arrive next Wednesday for a media day with “Fighter of the Decade” Manny Pacquiao in General Santos City on October 24.

Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz who continues to work from his bed at the Cardinal Santos Memorial Hospital in San Juan following two operations to remove blood clots from his right leg, told BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard/Viva Sports that undefeated Viktor Postol from the Ukraine has finally got his visa and is expected to arrive next week.

The 30 year old Postol (26-0, 11 KO’s) is the WBC light welterweight  Silver champion and stands 5’11.”  He won the  title with a rousing 11th round TKO victory over tough Selcuk Aydin when referee Raul Caiz Jr called a halt at 2:52 of the penultimate round last May 17.

Postol is ranked No. 1 by the WBC and No. 7 by the WBO and is expected to push Pacquiao in sparring at the Pacman Gym in GenSan under the watchful eyes of trainer Freddie Roach  where at present his sparring partners are Mike Jones and Stan “The Man” Martyniouk.

Last Tuesday, Pacquiao sparred five rounds behind closed doors with the heavy handed Jones and Roach said later he was happy with Manny’s performance.

However, most boxing men believe that Postol who has a solid jab and fights back with power punches would provide Pacquiao  the kind of sparring he needs to reach his peak for the showdown against unbeaten WBO light welterweight champion Chris Algieri in a 144 pound catch-weight WBO welterweight title fight on November 23 (Manila Time) in Macau.