Friday, November 07, 2008 WBC to Pacquiao: Pay $30K or lose title
THE World Boxing Council is threatening to strip Manny Pacquiao of his lightweight crown if he fails to pay $30,000 of unpaid sanctions fees.
WBC president Jose Sulaiman said in a report posted at Philboxing.com that Pacquiao must pay $30,000 in the next 15 days or he will lose his WBC lightweight title.
“Manny Pacquiao is a great champion and the pride of the WBC. But he believes he is the ruler of the organization and that is not going to happen,’’ Sulaiman said in the report.
Meanwhile, aside from Pacquiao’s youth and speed, trainer Freddie Roach said the Pinoy has the advantage of being busy in the ring compared to Oscar De La Hoya for their Dec. 7 (RP time) match in Las Vegas.
Roach believes that although De La Hoya has the height and reach advantage, Pacquiao has the youth and is the busier boxer.
“So if height and size are his advantages we have the advantage of youth, and activity on our side,” said Roach in a report posted at Fightbeat.com.
Pacquiao has fought seven times in the past three years, three times in 2006, while De La Hoya only fought once a year in the last three years.
“Activity is what keeps you sharp. There is no way Oscar is going to be sharp,” he added.
Disadvantage
Another aspect that Roach believes to be in De La Hoya’s disadvantage is the acquisition of a new trainer, the famed Mexican trainer Nacho Beristain.
“He also has a new trainer, and it’s very hard to know a fighter in eight weeks time. I know because I did that with Oscar. When things don’t work he’ll resort back to what he always does—the left jab and the left hook. But when that doesn’t work he’ll abandon that like he did in the Mayweather fight,” said Roach. (EKA)
