Pinoy fighters see easy win for Manny

FILIPINO superstar Manny Pacquiao will win it, and he’ll win it convincingly, according to some of his fellow Filipino boxers.

Though they see the 40-year-old Pacquiao easily beating World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight super champion Keith Thurman on July 21, 2019 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, they think that Pacquiao shouldn’t let his guard down.

“His training went well. He’s very well conditioned,” former interim WBA featherweight king Jhack Tepora told SunStar Cebu. “It’s a sure win for Manny Pacquiao but he shouldn’t be too complacent. Thurman is a two-time world champion. He is quick and has power. My prediction is that Manny Pacquiao will win this in eight to 10 rounds but he still should not take Thurman lightly.”

Interim World Boxing Organization (WBO) light flyweight champion Johnriel Casimero sees Pacquiao winning it in less than 10 rounds.

“This will be a great fight. The opponent should not be taken lightly,” said Casimero. “Manny will knock him out in either the sixth, seventh or eighth rounds.”

Both Tepora and Casimero have seen Pacquiao up close and personal because both of them are lucky to be training with Pacquiao in Los Angeles.

Tepora is preparing for a future fight in the US, while Casimero is training for a title defense in August.

Promising featherweight prospect Mark Magsayo, who idolized Pacquiao as a young boy, is also convinced that it won’t go the distance.

“Of course idol Manny will win it,” he said,. “Manny will win it in seven rounds but if it will go that distance he’ll still win it. Manny’s got this.”

Magsayo is deep in preparation at the Elorde Boxing Gym for a fight against former world champion Pungluang Sor Singyu in his native of Tagbilaran City on Aug. 31.

ALA Boys KJ Cataraja and Albert Pagara also feel that Pacquiao will breeze through Thurman.

“Pacquiao will win. I don’t see it going the distance. I think that he’ll knock him out in the sixth round. I can see him getting knocked out because he’s an easy fight for Manny,” said Pagara, who’ll be seeing action in Ormoc City on Aug. 17.

“It will be an easy fight for Pacquiao. That kind of style is very easy to beat. It’s just like (Chris) Algieri,” said Cataraja. “His opponent will run. I believe Pacquiao can knock him out. But if Thurman doesn’t engage, I believe Pacquiao will still win it. I saw Thurman’s previous fights and he wasn’t that impressive. Pacquiao has this.”

Veteran Marjohn Yap, who just made his debut in the US, is also convinced that Pacquiao will be in for an east fight and that he’ll dominate Thurman.

“I think it will go the distance,” said Yap. “If Manny does not knock him out, he’ll still win because he’ll land the more punches. He’ll do to Thurman what he did to (Lucas) Matthysse.” (EKA)