By Ronnie Nathanielsz
For Ring Magazine featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao when he steps into the ring at The Fort in Taguig Saturday evening at 9:00 p.m. against the “Destroyer of Filipinos” IBF No. 6 Fahsan 3K Battery it will be “a time for revenge” and if Pacquiao has his way – and he says he will – vengeance will be swift with an early knockout on the cards. Both international promoter Murad Muhammad and trainer Freddie Roach cautioned Pacquiao against taking Fahsan who has beaten more than 20 Filipinos, most of them by knockout, lightly, pointing out that he’s got some power in his left hand, is tough and durable and will come to fight and not run away to avoid the awesome power of the flamboyant Filipno southpaw.
The first appearance of Pacquiao before a hometown crowd since his eleventh round demolition of legendary Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera in San Antonio, Texas on November 15 last year and his controversial draw with WBA/IBF champion Juan Manuel Marquez last May when he decked Marquez three times in the first round but didn’t get the decision because one of the judges admitted he made a mistake by scoring the first round for Pacquiao 10-7 instead of 10-6 as the other two judges did, is presented by the SMART, Talk N’ Text in cooperation with Solar Sports and the assistance of Mayor Freddie Tinga of Taguig and Discovery Suites which is home to the fight personalities.
Pacquiao, in a conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard said he would follow the instructions of his handlers and not fool around, promising to put Fahsan away within two or three rounds and making sure the judges won’t have any hand in the decision adding that all he needed was for the referee to know how to count from one to ten. Roach said Fahsan has a weakness in that he “brings his hands real low after he throws a punch and leaves himself wide open and Manny will take advantage of that. Manny is so much faster and stronger than this guy so it should end in a couple of rounds although we are prepared to go twelve rounds if we have to.”
Roach emphasized “I don’t believe in carrying people and if Manny can finish him in one round that will be great for me” even as he indicated that a devastating knockout by Pacquiao will send shivers down the spine of Marquez whom he is scheduled to meet in a much-awaited rematch on February 26.
Pacquiao who was mobbed by fans, many of them young women at the official weigh-in supervised by Games and Amusements Board chairman Eduardo Villanueva and boxing division chief Noli Flores, came in at a trim 125 pounds, one pound under the featherweight limit. Fahsan, who looked far more subdued than he was at Thursday’s pre-fight press conference when he vowed to win by a knockout and shock Filipino fight fans, tipped the scales at 124 pounds. Roach said the support of the people for Pacquiao was “unbelievable” and the fight is almost like another “Thrilla in Manila”, the 1975 epic between Muhammad Ali and “Smokin” Joe Frazier.
The third man in the ring will be experienced international referee/judge Ferdie Estrella while the judges would be renowned New Zealander Bruce McTavish who has made his home in Angeles City and youthful newcomers in the big-time, Atty. Epimaco Almeda and Rick Canlas. Estrella said “I am honored to have been chosen to do this fight which is the biggest fight of the year. I will do my best and at least I know how to count from one to ten and if I have to count to twenty, I know to do that too.” Estrella said that after “three devastating typhoons we need some good news for a change and Manny will give us that.”
WBC founding secretary general Rudy Salud chided critics who said the fight is a mismatch stressing that any fighter who steps into the ring with Pacquiao other than Barrera, Marquez or Erik Morales will be considered a mismatch on paper or in the ring because Pacquiao is a super athlete and one of a kind and someone we should be proud of and stand by because he brings honor to our country and joy to our people.”
