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Larios coming over to hype up Pacman fight
By nick giongco
JUST before Oscar Larios heads to training camp, he might end up making a short visit to Manila to drum up interest regarding his 12-round battle with Manny Pacquiao on July 2 at the Araneta Coliseum.
As if a Pacquiao headliner needs one.
But ABS-CBN executive Peter Musngi yesterday revealed plans to bring over the heavy-handed Guadalajara, Mexico, native sometime in late-April so Filipino fight fans can familiar themselves with Pacquiao’s formidable foe.
"We would arrange that (Larios trip) through Manny’s US handlers," said Musngi.
Larios, who Pacquiao’s chief trainer Freddie Roach said has been calling out the Filipino southpaw’s name the last two years, is a livewire opponent, Pacquiao’s manager Shelly Finkel said also yesterday during the formal launch of MP Promotions at Champagne Room of The Manila Hotel.
"Styles make fights," said Finkel, who was joined in the dais by lawyer Nicholas Khan, Roach, Pacquiao, Manila mayor Lito Atienza, Musngi and Games and Amusements Board chairman Eric Buhain, as he defended the choice of Larios as Pacquiao’s adversary.
Also on hand to throw their support to Pacquiao’s newest venture were members Team Pacquiao-Philippines beefed up by Wakee Salud from Cebu, Jake Joson, Eric and Macy Pineda, Relly de Leon, Los Angeles-based Joe Ramos, GenSan lawyer Ging Jacal and MP Promotions staffers Stella Dapayan and Joelyn dela Merced.
Even Roach believes Pacquiao cannot afford to take Larios for granted.
"He lost to one of my boxers, Israel Vazquez, on a cut and we have to train hard for this one," said Roach, who has been with Pacquiao since mid-2001.
Roach said Pacquiao will train at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood for one month before the two of them travel to the Philippines and spend the next four weeks training in seclusion somewhere in Baguio.
Just like what Roach did at the Wild Card, security will be extra-strict once they head to Baguio for the final phase of preparation.
"I know that Manny is very well loved here in the Philippines, but I think his fans would all understand that this is not an easy fight and Manny must train seriously," added Roach, whose famed sweat shop near the corner of Vine Street and Santa Monica, is transformed into something like a fans’ club headquarters everytime Pacquiao is around.
Finkel said the Pacquiao-Larios scuffle will take place at 11 a.m. to accommodate the US television audience just like what local organizers did in Sept. 1975 when Muhammad Ali faced Joe Frazier.
"It’s going to be Saturday night (primetime) in the States around that time," added Finkel, who is also being helped out in the managing chores by Khan and another lawyer, Beverly Hills-based Keith Davidson.
Khan revealed that the undercard will be as explosive as the main event.
"There’s going to be a total of six fights in the show and we are going to have Randy Suico, Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista, Jimrex Jaca and Gerry Penalosa, who could even fight for the International Boxing Federation title," said Khan.
Mentioned as possible foes of some of the Filipino hotshots are Hector Velasquez and Javier Jaurgeui. Velazquez was stopped in the sixth round by Pacquiao last year in Los Angeles, while Jauregui defeated Suico on points also in 2005.
By nick giongco
JUST before Oscar Larios heads to training camp, he might end up making a short visit to Manila to drum up interest regarding his 12-round battle with Manny Pacquiao on July 2 at the Araneta Coliseum.
As if a Pacquiao headliner needs one.
But ABS-CBN executive Peter Musngi yesterday revealed plans to bring over the heavy-handed Guadalajara, Mexico, native sometime in late-April so Filipino fight fans can familiar themselves with Pacquiao’s formidable foe.
"We would arrange that (Larios trip) through Manny’s US handlers," said Musngi.
Larios, who Pacquiao’s chief trainer Freddie Roach said has been calling out the Filipino southpaw’s name the last two years, is a livewire opponent, Pacquiao’s manager Shelly Finkel said also yesterday during the formal launch of MP Promotions at Champagne Room of The Manila Hotel.
"Styles make fights," said Finkel, who was joined in the dais by lawyer Nicholas Khan, Roach, Pacquiao, Manila mayor Lito Atienza, Musngi and Games and Amusements Board chairman Eric Buhain, as he defended the choice of Larios as Pacquiao’s adversary.
Also on hand to throw their support to Pacquiao’s newest venture were members Team Pacquiao-Philippines beefed up by Wakee Salud from Cebu, Jake Joson, Eric and Macy Pineda, Relly de Leon, Los Angeles-based Joe Ramos, GenSan lawyer Ging Jacal and MP Promotions staffers Stella Dapayan and Joelyn dela Merced.
Even Roach believes Pacquiao cannot afford to take Larios for granted.
"He lost to one of my boxers, Israel Vazquez, on a cut and we have to train hard for this one," said Roach, who has been with Pacquiao since mid-2001.
Roach said Pacquiao will train at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood for one month before the two of them travel to the Philippines and spend the next four weeks training in seclusion somewhere in Baguio.
Just like what Roach did at the Wild Card, security will be extra-strict once they head to Baguio for the final phase of preparation.
"I know that Manny is very well loved here in the Philippines, but I think his fans would all understand that this is not an easy fight and Manny must train seriously," added Roach, whose famed sweat shop near the corner of Vine Street and Santa Monica, is transformed into something like a fans’ club headquarters everytime Pacquiao is around.
Finkel said the Pacquiao-Larios scuffle will take place at 11 a.m. to accommodate the US television audience just like what local organizers did in Sept. 1975 when Muhammad Ali faced Joe Frazier.
"It’s going to be Saturday night (primetime) in the States around that time," added Finkel, who is also being helped out in the managing chores by Khan and another lawyer, Beverly Hills-based Keith Davidson.
Khan revealed that the undercard will be as explosive as the main event.
"There’s going to be a total of six fights in the show and we are going to have Randy Suico, Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista, Jimrex Jaca and Gerry Penalosa, who could even fight for the International Boxing Federation title," said Khan.
Mentioned as possible foes of some of the Filipino hotshots are Hector Velasquez and Javier Jaurgeui. Velazquez was stopped in the sixth round by Pacquiao last year in Los Angeles, while Jauregui defeated Suico on points also in 2005.
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