By Ronnie Nathanielsz
After years of waiting to see their hero in action, Filipino boxing fans will get a chance to watch Ring Magazine featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao battle the 'Destroyer of Filipinos' Fahsang 3K Battery in a twelve round IBF eliminator titled "YANIG sa TAGUIG" in an open air arena at The Fort on Saturday, December 11.
The blockbuster fight card will also feature two leading "Champions of the Future" Pacquiao's younger brother Bobby Pacquiao, the reigning Philippine super featherweight champion and Orient Boxing Federation No. 1 contender and OPBF and Philippine No. 1 super flyweight Z "The Dream" Gorres, both of whom have been training under 2003 "Trainer of the Year" Freddie Roach at his Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles. Roach himself is scheduled to arrive in Manila two weeks before the fight to supervise the final phase of the Filipinos training.
The much-awaited return of the renowned Ring gladiator before his hometown fans is regarded as a "miracle" by international promoter Murad Muhammad who paid tribute to the top officials of SMART and Solar Sports as well as Mayor Freddie Tinga of Taguig for having worked together to make this important tune-up fight a reality prior to Pacquiao's celebrated rematch with WBA/IBF champion Juan Manuel Marquez on February 26 on HBO's celebrated World Championship Boxing.
Murad said "this is big and will signal the start of a concerted and cooperative effort with SMART, Solar Sports and Pacquiao's business manager Rod Nazario to place the Philippines as the center of boxing in Asia and one of the fight capitals of the world. The Philippines has a long and storied history in boxing with several world champions who won the respect of their opponents and the admiration of fight fans around the world. You had the late, great Gabriel "Flash" Elorde, a gentleman both in and out of the ring and in more recent times you had two-division world champion Luisito Espinosa and super flyweight champion Gerry Penalosa. But no fighter has been as colorful and as devastating a puncher as Manny Pacquiao. That's why he is a national hero and that is why this fight came about because the people at SMART, Solar Sports, Rod Nazario and I believe that heroes must, whenever possible, demonstrate their heroism before their own people.
Thailand's Fahsang 3K Battery accepted an invitation at short notice to fly to Manila for yesterday's news conference, indicating that he is not afraid to face Pacquiao before the media as a prelude to facing him in the ring. With over 20 Filipino victims in his impressive record of 44 wins with 7 losses, 1 draw and 23 knockouts Fahsang 3K Battery has earned the reputation of being a "Destroyer of Filipinos" and has vowed to overcome the odds and add Pacquiao to his string of victims.
Speaking through his manager, Fahsang 3K Battery said he has "never been knocked off his feet let alone get knocked out and it won't happen against Pacquiao" even as he pointed out that "Pacquiao was knocked out twice in his career and on December 11 it will be the third time." Fahsang said he had been in training for two months and is in gteat shape. Since he will return to Bangkok on Sunday the Thai fighter said he would train at Rod Nazario's Wild Card Gym this morning so as to make up for his failure to train yesterday because of the press conference. Fahsang said his left hook was the punch that will get Pacquiao.
Pacquiao who also interrupted his training to be present at the press conference in order to "size up" Fahsang 3K Battery, the 31 year old southpaw, knows the stakes are high and he cannot take his opponent lightly. Pacquiao told Manila Standard that "you must never take any opponent lightly and try to put him down. After all he has two fists and has trained hard and I know this will be a good fight." Pacquiao will also work out today before flying to Davao City to continue his training since he likes doing roadwork up the mountains.
