Lito Atienza
Kim ChiuPacquiao ready to take all comers at 140, 147 lbs
MANILA, Philippines – After his merciless disposal of erstwhile 140-lb division boss Ricky Hatton, Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao declared he’s ready to take on all comers in both the light-welterweight and welterweight divisions.
And oh, you can even add the lightweight rank in that list. “Depende sa timbang na paglalabanan, pero puwede naman akong lumaban sa 145 to 147,’ said the pound-for-pound king.
Pacquiao fought as a welterweight five months ago and proved to be as deadly as he retired the great Oscar De La Hoya in a dominant eighth round technical knockout win.
His pronouncement to fight within those weight divisions came in the wake of talks that Top Rank Promotions’ Bob Arum has been lining him up for a showdown with World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Miguel Cotto late this year at the Madison Square Garden in New York.
Cotto is set to square off with Joshua Clottey on June 13 at the same venue, where Pacquiao and trainer Freddie Roach are expected to be in attendance to scout on the Puerto Rican sensation.
“Mahirap magsabi (fight with Cotto). Wala pa talaga akong nasa isip kung sino ang makakalaban ko,” said the pride of General Santos City.
Then in a snap of a finger, he said he can even go down and fight as a lightweight.
“Actually, puwede pa nga akong lumaban sa 135. Kayang-kaya ko pang kunin yan,” Pacquiao said.
The 30-year-old Pacquiao took on champion Ricky Hatton in his first foray as a junior welterweight.
With a 140-pound limit, the Filipino bomber didn’t have a hard time making the weight as he tipped the scales at 138 during the official weigh-in. On fight night, Pacquiao came at 148 pounds.
“Hindi pa ako nag-reduce nun. Pinakain pa ako ng tatlong itlog ng umaga ng timbangan,” he recalled. “Nung gabi bago ng timbangan, kumain pa ako ng kanin, ulam, tapos uminom pa ako tubig. Nung umaga di na ako nag-ensayo, tapos pinakain pa ulit ako ng tatlong itlog, tapos 138 pa ang timbang ko.”
Comebacking junior welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., lightweight titlist Juan Manuel Marquez and World Boxing Organizatio (WBO) welterweight king Sugar Shane Mosley easily qualify as Pacquiao opponents in those particular weights.
But please, no fights at 150 pounds or above.
“Malabo na talaga yun,” he said.
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