By Ronnie Nathanielsz
The manager of WBC No. 1 ranked Mzonke Fana, the reigning International super featherweight champion insists that Erik Morales must fight Fana first before thinking of a megabuck fight with Ring Magazine featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao, provided Morales beats Marco Antonio Barrera on November 27 and Pacquiao gets by Fahsan 3K Battery on December 11 and WBA/IBF featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez on February 26.
Branco Milenkovic, the well known South African promoter who staged the WBC eliminator in Johannesburg where Orient and Pacific Boxing Federation and WBC No. 2 Randy Suico lost a split decision to Fana last May 28 told Viva Sports/Manila Standard that “when it comes to Fana's situation it is very clear. Milenkovic pointed out that during the WBC Convention in Phuket, Thailand last month there was a “ruling during the issue of mandatory title defenses that the winner of the November 27 fight between Morales and Barrera will have to defend by February 29 against Fana.
Manila Standard earlier learned that Top Rank Inc., president Bob Arum had reserved a February 12 date for a Morales fight which may well mean he was prepared to abide by the WBC ruling although Arum floated the idea that the fight could be against Pacquiao. However, that appears to have been discarded since HBO has set the Pacquiao-Marquez rematch for February 26.
Fana, a lanky fighter with a stinging left straight is not given a chance against Morales since he has no power. Suico decked Fana twice and had him reeling across the ring in the final round in their WBC eliminator but couldn't put him away and lost a narrow decision. Fana won the WBC International crown by defeating Hungary's Laszlo Bognar on April 25, 2003 and has a record of 22-2 with 8 knockouts highlighting his lack of punching power.
