peyk-peyk
09-17-2009, 03:30 PM
By Roy Luarca
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:10:00 09/17/2009
HE MAY BE A PUERTO RICAN, but World Boxing Organization president Francisco Valcarcel can’t help being fascinated with Manny Pacquiao.
“We get one fighter like Pacquiao every 50 years,” the 59-year-old lawyer told Percy Crawford of Fighthype.com. on Wednesday. “He’s not easy to fight and I love Pacquiao. Pacquiao is one of the greatest ever. He can fight, he can beat anybody and he started off as a flyweight and now he’s fighting in the welterweight division.”
Pacquiao, the pound-for-pound king, is gunning for Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto’s WBO 147-pound crown on Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
“That’s an endangered species, a fighter like that. You won’t see another Pacquiao for 50 years,” added Valcarcel, the WBO head since 1996.
Of course, Valcarcel has good things to say about his countryman, too, calling the Pacquiao-Cotto showdown “the best match-up in the last 10 years.”
Fact is, Valcarcel thinks the fight, where oddsmakers have installed Pacquiao a 2-1 favorite, is “going to be one of the best fights ever.”
“Both of these guys are beasts. It’s a fight that’s tough to pick a winner because it’s an even fight.”
Valcarcel also expects a smart, tactical fight from both sides. He envisions Pacquiao, with his perceived edge in speed, trying to hit Cotto and then move away from danger while Cotto, naturally bigger and stronger, applying constant pressure.
Based on the pronouncements of both fighters in their press tour of the megabuck bout dubbed “Firepower,” Valcarcel’s painted scenario may not be far-fetched.
According to Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s chief trainer, they don’t intend to get into a slugging match with Cotto, who’s expected to be 10 to 13 pounds heavier than Pacquiao on fight night.
The plan is for Pacquiao to sneak in and then move out, trying to pile up points and win rounds.
Roach, who predicts a victory for his prized ward but no knockout, said Pacquiao will only engage toe-to-toe when pressed.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao threw the first pitch during the Filipino Heritage Night at the Petco Park featuring the Major League baseball game between the San Diego Padres against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday.
The San Diego stop wrapped up Pacquiao’s blitzkrieg tour that traversed New York, Caguas in Puerto Rico, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Pacquiao is expected to arrive in Manila by Friday, wrap up his business and social commitments and then proceed to Baguio City to start his preparations for the 12-round showdown with Cotto.
In a related development, Pacquiao laughed off insinuations made by Floyd Mayweather Sr. that his incredible jump from a 106 to a 147-lb fighter is due to steroids or supplements.
“You know what? I don’t even know what a steroid is,” Pacquiao told Fanhouse. “I’ve never done that.”
The Filipino ring icon then retorted that it might be Mayweather’s camp that is using the prohibited substance.
“Maybe all of them—they’re using the steroids, and not me,” said Pacquiao.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:10:00 09/17/2009
HE MAY BE A PUERTO RICAN, but World Boxing Organization president Francisco Valcarcel can’t help being fascinated with Manny Pacquiao.
“We get one fighter like Pacquiao every 50 years,” the 59-year-old lawyer told Percy Crawford of Fighthype.com. on Wednesday. “He’s not easy to fight and I love Pacquiao. Pacquiao is one of the greatest ever. He can fight, he can beat anybody and he started off as a flyweight and now he’s fighting in the welterweight division.”
Pacquiao, the pound-for-pound king, is gunning for Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto’s WBO 147-pound crown on Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
“That’s an endangered species, a fighter like that. You won’t see another Pacquiao for 50 years,” added Valcarcel, the WBO head since 1996.
Of course, Valcarcel has good things to say about his countryman, too, calling the Pacquiao-Cotto showdown “the best match-up in the last 10 years.”
Fact is, Valcarcel thinks the fight, where oddsmakers have installed Pacquiao a 2-1 favorite, is “going to be one of the best fights ever.”
“Both of these guys are beasts. It’s a fight that’s tough to pick a winner because it’s an even fight.”
Valcarcel also expects a smart, tactical fight from both sides. He envisions Pacquiao, with his perceived edge in speed, trying to hit Cotto and then move away from danger while Cotto, naturally bigger and stronger, applying constant pressure.
Based on the pronouncements of both fighters in their press tour of the megabuck bout dubbed “Firepower,” Valcarcel’s painted scenario may not be far-fetched.
According to Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s chief trainer, they don’t intend to get into a slugging match with Cotto, who’s expected to be 10 to 13 pounds heavier than Pacquiao on fight night.
The plan is for Pacquiao to sneak in and then move out, trying to pile up points and win rounds.
Roach, who predicts a victory for his prized ward but no knockout, said Pacquiao will only engage toe-to-toe when pressed.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao threw the first pitch during the Filipino Heritage Night at the Petco Park featuring the Major League baseball game between the San Diego Padres against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday.
The San Diego stop wrapped up Pacquiao’s blitzkrieg tour that traversed New York, Caguas in Puerto Rico, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Pacquiao is expected to arrive in Manila by Friday, wrap up his business and social commitments and then proceed to Baguio City to start his preparations for the 12-round showdown with Cotto.
In a related development, Pacquiao laughed off insinuations made by Floyd Mayweather Sr. that his incredible jump from a 106 to a 147-lb fighter is due to steroids or supplements.
“You know what? I don’t even know what a steroid is,” Pacquiao told Fanhouse. “I’ve never done that.”
The Filipino ring icon then retorted that it might be Mayweather’s camp that is using the prohibited substance.
“Maybe all of them—they’re using the steroids, and not me,” said Pacquiao.