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By Eddie G. Alinea, Contributor
Joining the elite list of boxing immortals is
what newly-crowned World Boxing Council super-bantamweight champion.
Manny Pacquiao will try to accomplish now that
he has already earned the distinction as the first Filipino and
Asian to win world titles in three weight categories.
Already a strong candidate for the boxing Hall
of Fame, winning a fourth, a feat only eight boxers so far had
attained, at this stage of his career is doable and, therefore, must
be pursued.
Reason why nobody should blame the Filipino icon
himself and his camp, led by the influential Bob Arum of Top Rank
Promotions, in pronouncing after Pacquiao disposed off erstwhile
beltholder Juan Manuel Marquez last Saturday that a rematch with the
dethroned champ is not in their minds.
Arum, instead, insinuated that Pacquiao, who,
once in his checkered career had held the WBC flyweight crown and
the International Boxing Federation super-bantamweight plum, is
eyeing a match up against David Diaz, the WBC lightweight
titleholder.
Not only because of the high financial rewards
it can open, but, likewise, because succeeding in his quest will
earn for the Filipino fighter the legendary status, not all boxers,
not even champions can accomplish.
Why, Arum is even thinking bigger things by
going into the record last year that a Pacquiao versus
super-lightweight champion Ricky Hatton or former super-welterweight
champion look a possibility.
Sounds crazy, but knowing Pacquaio and Arum’s
penchant for big money and trekking the roads to more fame, nothing
is impossible.
As in the words of HBO commentator Larry
merchant, "As an attraction, Pacquiao vs. Hatton and/or Oscar
would be ax pretty big deal. Because of Pacquiao’s age (29), and
his pound-for-pound power, you couldn’t dismiss him. "
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