By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Ring Magazine featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao will begin sparring Monday at the Almendras Gym in Davao City in preparation for his December 11 tune-up fight against IBF No. 4 super bantamweight Fahsang 3K Battery of Thailand even as he indicated he is not taking his opponent for granted. Tickets for the fight will go on sale Monday at all ticketnet outlets as well as the Wild Card Gym in BF Homes, Paranaque. There’s already been a big demands for tickets to the fight which will be staged at an open air arena opposite MC Home Depot in The Fort in Taguig. The fight is sponsored by Smart and Talk N’ Text as well as Solar Sports with the support of Taguig Mayor Freddie Tinga.
In a long distance telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard after a workout in his hometown of General Santos City, Pacquiao said he planned to motor to Davao City sometime yesterday to begin the next phase of his training. Pacquiao said he would begin sparring today against Philippine lightweight champion Fernando Montilla who arrived in Davao last week as well as Arnel Porras and Chris Saluday. Lito Mondejar of Team Pacquiao left for Davao on Friday carrying with him a new canvas for the training ring in Davao. Mondejar was scheduled to visit Cagayan de Oro City before going to Davao in time for Pacquiao’s training session today.
Meantime, the manager of Fahsang 3K Battery Jimmy Chaichotchuang has said that his other featherweight, former IBF No.1 super bantamweight Fahprakorb Rakkiatgym who lost by a first round KO to Pacquiao in Davao City in October 2002 would defeat “any featherweight in the world including WBA/IBF champion Juan Manuel Marquez” after Fahprakorb knocked our Ronald Kapughu of Indonesia in the second round of an IBF Pan Pacific featherweight title defense in Bangkok. Chaichotchuang added, “Manny Pacquiao will taste defeat when he meets my boxer Fahsang 3K Battery in Manila on December 11. I will then have the two best 126 pound boxers in the world. Fahprakorb Rakkiatgym and Fahsang 3K Battery.”
