By Ronnie Nathanielsz
The president of Belmonte Productions which is recognized internationally for its top quality sports and entertainment program production for television, Frank Belmont, has warned Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao that his July 2 showdown with Oscar Larios is certainly not a mere walk in the park.
ABS-CBN vice president for sports Peter Musgni informed Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that the giant Philippine network was bringing in Belmont as a consultant to make sure their coverage of the Pacquiao-Larios showdown goes off without a hitch. Belmont said that given the chance to work with ABS-CBN and if his offer is accepted, the Pacquiao-Larios fight would have a worldwide audience either through US-based Direct TV or In-Demand affiliates in 50 countries.
Aside from being a top producer/director who began with the mega closed-circuit and pay-per-view showdown between Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns, Belmont has watched fights of both Pacquiao and Larios.
Belmont warned that while Larios is not a great puncher he is "a good boxer, durable, quick, experienced and not easily intimidated." On the other hand Belmont said that Pacquiao as the "promoter and hero in this coming drama could get a lot of distractions and too many responsibilites" which he added "is very dangerous even for a good fighter."
Belmont repeated the warning earlier issued by trainer Freddie Roach and the head of Pacquiao’s management team Shelly Finkel that for the Filipino southpaw to take Larios lightly would be a terrible mistake. The well-known American "for Pacquiao to think that Larios is a lemon would be sheer fantasy. Larios is a legitimate fighter and not just an opponent but a very dangerous one, a very serious one and someone who was never a hit-and-run artist."
