By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Ring idol and national treasure Manny Pacquiao said yesterday he was impressed with WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight champion and predicted he could be a future world champion.
Bautista who scored a smashing third round knockout over Colombian veteran Felix Flores Murillo on the under-card of “Double Trouble” featuring Pacquiao against Hector Velazquez and Erik “El Terrible” Morales against Zahir Raheem caught the eye of Pacquiao even when he was training at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.
In a long distance telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today from Cebu where he applied for a visa to travel to Japan with Rex “Wakee” Salud, manager of WBA minimum weight contender Eriberto “Yukka’ Gejon, Pacquiao said Bautista was “a
good boxer who has power and courage.”
Pacquiao noted that the undefeated 19 year old from Candijay, Bohol was “strong and fast and had a good defense.” According to Pacquiao all Bautista needed to do was “to throw more combinations.”
Pacquiao revealed he would start training for his January 21 rematch with Morales after his return from Yokohama, Japan next week where he will be at ringside to support Gejon in his world title quest. Pacquiao said he planned to return to Los Angeles in November to continue training under Roach at his Wild Card Gym.
Talking about his sixth round KO over Velazquez, Pacquiao said his speed was far too much for the slow-moving Mexican jokingly pointing out that Velazquez “threw a punch on Monday and it arrived in Friday.”
