Tuesday, April 01, 2008 Pacquiao wants Morales or Marquez
AFTER battering Erik Morales in their last two fights and Juan Marquez in their epic matches, World Boxing Council super featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao may get to tangle with them anew, this time with a bolo, if he gets his wish.
And this is no April Fools’ joke.
Pacquiao, who recently accepted the role of Lapu-Lapu in the annual Kadaugan sa Mactan re-enactment on April 27, said he preferred the two Mexicans to play Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, whom Lapu-Lapu’s group clobbered during their meeting some 400 years ago.
“Pwede si Marquez, pwede si Morales,” said Pacquiao when asked who he prefers as his “foe” during a press conference after his courtesy call with Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday.
Pacquiao said his wife Jinkee will also play Lapu-Lapu’s wife.
“I am very happy because it is an honor to play Lapu-Lapu,” said Pacquiao.
Long shot
However, whether the two Mexicans will be invited for the role is up to the organizers of the Kadaugan sa Mactan, led by Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza,
Still the far-fetch idea is a long shot as Morales, whom Pacquiao defeated twice in their trilogy, is now retired and is now a close friend of Pacquiao. Morales also shot a commercial with Pacquiao and has visited the Philippines thrice.
On the other hand, Marquez is expected to be in the Philippines this Sunday as he was invited for the Gerry Peñalosa WBO bantamweight title defense which is co-promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, who also handles Marquez.
Aside from Pacquiao’s stint as Lapu-Lapu, the champion will also stage a boxing promotions with Wakee Salud in the next two months.
“We are also planning to put up a world championship fight between a Filipino and a Mexican,” said Pacquiao.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao shouldered some of the blame on why some Filipinos question his split decision win over Marquez last March 16.
“We should accept that Marquez is a good boxer and it is partially my fault since the fans are used to be winning by knockouts and I wasn’t able to knock him out,” Pacquiao said. (ML)
