Kabiguan ang sasapitin ni Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao sakaling matuloy ang kanilang paghaharap ni Ricky Hatton ng Great Britain ngayong 2008.
Ito ang pahayag kahapon ni trainer Floyd Mayweather, Sr., ama ni world welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr, at mahigpit na karibal ni trainer Freddie Roach, bunga ng kakulangan ni “Pacman” ng ‘boxing skills’ kontra kay Hatton.
“Manny Pacquiao, that guy can’t box. All that guy can do is punch,” pagmamaliit ni Mayweather, Sr. kay Pacquiao. “Pacquiao has been with Freddie Roach for all these years and he still can’t box. They put him on the pound-for-pound, he should be on the clown-for-pound list.”
Matatandaang ibinilang ni Bob Arum ng Top Rank Promotions si Hatton, tinalo ni Mayweather, Jr. noong Disyembre para sa World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight crown, sa listahan ng mga posibleng makasagupa ng 29 anyos na si Pacquiao ngayong taon.
Bukod kay Hatton, nasa talaan rin ni Arum si WBC lightweight titlist David Diaz.
Ngunit bago kalabanin sina Hatton at Diaz, si World Boxing Organization (WBO) super featherweight king Joan Guzman ang dapat munang harapin ni Pacquiao, ayon kay Mayweather, Sr.
“Let him fight Guzman and see what happens, Guzman has too many things for Pacquiao. They are scared as hell of Joan Guzman. Guzman will beat them all. Bob Arum doesn’t want Pacquiao to fight Guzman. They say he moves too much. I like Bob Arum as a person, but all of those things are excuses,” ani Mayweather, Sr.
Si Guzman ng Dominican Republic ay isa sa mga ginagabayan ni Mayweather, Sr.
Tinalo ni Guzman si Mexican challenger Humberto Soto, alaga ni Arum, noong Nobyembre ng 2007 para mapanatili ang WBO super featherweight belt. (RC)