Ni Gilbert Espeña
TUTOL si Top Rank big boss Bob Arum sa plano ni eight-division world titlist Manny Pacquiao na hamunin si WBA welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse sa paniniwalang may tulog ang Pinoy boxer kapag hindi naging maayos ang pagsasanay nito.
Inireto ni Arum si Pacquiao na labanan si dating WBO interim super lightweight champion Mike Alvarado sa undercard ng pagdepensa ni Jeff Horn ng WBO welterweight title sa Amerikanong si dating undisputed light welterweight champion Terence Crawford pero umatras sa laban ang Pinoy boxer at nakipagnegosasyon para harapin si Matthysse sa Hulyo 14 sa Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“I think it’s a tough fight,” sabi ni Arum sa BoxingScene.com. “I think it’s a dangerous fight for Manny at this stage of his career. Matthysse hits like a truck. Manny has got to get himself ready and has to forget for a while his senatorial duties.”
Huling lumaban si Pacquiao noong Hulyo 2, 2017 nang matalo siya sa kontrobersiyal na 12-round unanimous decision sa maruming magboksing na si Horn sa teritoryo nito sa Brisbane, Australia.
Pinatulog ng 35-anyos na si Matthysse si Tewa Kiram ng Thailand sa 8th para matamo ang bakanteng WBA welterweight title nitong Enero 28 sa The Forum sa Inglewood, California.
“I have no idea what to expect with Pacquiao,” diin ni Arum. “I’ve never seen him come off this kind of layoff, except for after the Mayweather fight because he had the operation [on his shoulder]. But when he came back from the Mayweather fight and the surgery, he was sharp as hell with [Timothy] Bradley. So we’ll have to see, but it’s a very tough fight for Manny.”
May rekord ang 39-anyos na si Pacquiao na 59-7-2 win-loss-draw na may 38 panalo sa knockouts kumpara kay Matthysse na may 39 panalo, 4 na talo na may 36 pagwawagi sa knockouts.
