By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Lawyer Keith Davidson, a member of Manny Pacquiao’s new management team said yesterday that the Filipino ring idol cannot “underestimate” Mexican Hector Velasquez whom he fights on September 10. Velasquez has a record of 42-10-2 with 31 knockouts and in his last fight on July 15 scored a fifth round TKO over Trinidad Mendoza.
Davidson who watched Pacquiao work out at the L&M Gym in downtown Manla said the 30 year old Velasquez “is a tough, tough customer” adding that “he’s got a chin of concrete, a fist made of steel and has been coming along well in his last seven or eight fights.”
Davidson said Velasquez is coming off a KO victory which was achieved “with a devastating body shot. He’s got power, a little bit of speed and a good jab.” However, Davidson was confident Pacquiao would win and set up a rematch with Erik “El Terrible” Morales sometime in January but indicated they don’t wish to think about Morales at this point.
He said Pacquiao has a “few tricks up his sleeve on how to counter the jab of Velasquez and in the next few weeks will perfect that” in the celebrated Wild Card Gym of 2003 “Trainer of the Year” Freddie Roach.
Davidson indicated he was “very, very satisfied” after seeing Pacquiao work out at the Cebu Gym of boxing manager/promoter Rex “Wakee” Salud on Thursday and at the L&M Gym yesterday. Davidson said “Manny looks great, feels great” while he personally has enjoyed the visit to Pacquiao’s home in General Santos City and the L&M Gym which, although described as rundown and seedy was “the way a boxing gym should be.”
Pacquiao leaves for Los Angeles tomorrow night while Filipino trainer Restituto “Buboy” Fernandez will leave on August 21 after getting his visa.
