By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Philippine super featherweight champion Bobby Pacquiao was a mere one pound over the 126 pound featherweight limit on the eve of the official weigh in for his IBF Pan Pacific title fight against champion and IBF world No. 3 Fahprakorb Rakkiatgym in the popular resort town of Pattaya on Friday.
In an overseas telephone conversation with Manila Standard, Pacquiao's manager said his fighter had done "some light workouts and will have no problems making the weight." Nazario said Pacquiao who has slowly developed his punching power was in good shape and determined to follow in the footsteps of his brother, Ring Magazine featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao.
What amused Pacquiao and Nazario was the fact that Thai journalists who crowded around Pacquiao on his arrival in Bangkok wanted to know whether he was "really Bobby Pacquiao" and even asked for his passport and photos to check. Nazario said "this is because there are so many unscrupulous people who bring fighters here under false names and fool the public."
Nazario noted that Pacquiao had never been to Thailand and didn't even get a passport until his fight last year in against Oscar Villa in Los Angeles but records show that he had allegedly fought in Thailand and lost to Sairung Suwanasil in a ten round non- title bout and then reportedly lost by KO to another Thai fighter.
The Pacquiao-Rakkiatgym fight will be telecast on a delayed basis on February 27 over RPN with San Miguel Corporation and Smart as major sponsors.
