'Di kuwalipikado!

CANASTOTA--Hindi pa kuwalipikado si WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao na mailuklok sa International Boxing Hall of Fame dahil aktibo pa rin siya sa boxing ring ngunit limang taon matapos ang kanyang pagreretiro, walang dudang maisasama na siya sa naturang lista­han.

Subalit sinabi ni Hall of Fame director Ed Brophy na hindi pa matitiyak ang kanyang lugar sa honor roll.

“At this stage of his career, Manny has certainly gained the respect and admiration of the boxing world,” wika ni Brophy. “But I wouldn’t be able to guarantee anything. That’s not my call even if the consensus is he’s a shoo-in. A lot will depend on how Manny finishes his career. A fighter is eligible for induction only five years after his retirement. Then, a panel of experts and historians will vote for those to be in­ducted.”

Sinabi ni Brophy na ang mga Filipino fighters ay malinaw na nangibabaw sa sport. Kabilang na rito sina Asia’s first world champion Pancho Villa at dating world junior lightweight titlist Gabriel (Flash) Elorde.

Ang ikatlong Filipino sa Hall of Fame ay si promo­ter Lope (Papa) Sarreal Sr. na nakalista sa non-participants category.

Sinabi ng kapatid ni Brophy na si Mike, isang volun­teer chairman ng media committee for the induction rites, na inaasahan niyang mailuluklok si Pacquiao.

“I can see it happening,” sabi niya. “Manny has done so much for the sport. He’s fought in a lot of outstan­ding fights but I think his biggest win was over Ricky Hatton. That guy Hatton was tough and a great fighter but Manny took him out with one shot in the se­cond round. That was his defining moment.”

Sa 386 individuals na nailuklok, walo lamang rito ay mga Asians. Ito ay sina Villa, Elorde, Sarreal, Chang Jung Koo ng South Korea, Khaosai Galaxy of Thailand, Masahiko (Figh­ting) Harada ng Japan, promoter Akihiko Honda ng Japan at writer Joe Koizumi ng Japan.

Tinanong kung bakit hindi nakasama si da­ting world middleweight champion Ceferino Garcia, sinabi ni Brophy na titingnan niya ang records ng boksingerong nagpakilala sa 'bolo punch'.

Ang final decision ay gagawin ng voting panel na binubuo ng mga miyembro ng Boxing Writers Association of America at international ring historians.