Sporting Chance

Now it can be told.

World Boxing Council (WBC) International superbantamweight champion Manny Pacquiao hardly used his left hand when he fought Sydney-based Arnel Barotillo at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium last Saturday because it was swollen.

According to Pacquiao's trainer Emil Romano, the General Santos City brawler hit the hand hard on junior lightweight Francis Velasquez' head during a sparring session a week before facing Barotillo.

Despite the handicap, Pacquiao was confident of beating Barotillo. He never thought of asking for a postponement. In fact, Pacquiao promised business manager Rod Nazario the fight wouldn't go beyond four rounds. He was right on the money.

Romano said Barotillo built his defense to neutralize Pacquiao's lethal left hook -- the punch that waylaid Chatchai Sasakul, Reynante Jamili and most of his victims. So it was perfect that Pacquiao went to his right for the killer blow -- Barotillo never saw it coming.

"Sa mga tape ni Manny na pinanood ni Barotillo, 'yung kaliwa ang ginamit sa pamatay ng kalaban," said Romano who lost to Yong Kang Kim on points in a bid for the WBC flyweight crown in Korea in 1988. "Kanya, 'di pinansin ni Barotillo 'yung kanan ni Manny." That was Barotillo's fatal mistake. Pacquiao's right sent Barotillo to dreamland and referee Bruce McTavish didn't even bother to count.

Romano was hired to train Pacquiao three weeks before the Jamili bout last December. His previous trainers Leonardo Pablo and Luisito Tinagsa disappeared after the loss to Medgeon 3-K Battery in Thailand last September.

When he was offered the job, Romano told Pacquiao he wouldn't tolerate insubordination. "Sabi ko kay Manny, ako ang masusunod sa training niya -- hindi siya," said Romano. "Kung payag siya, okay sa akin. Kung hindi, sorry na lang."

Pacquiao vowed to be a good boy and follow Romano's rules.

"Wala naman problema sa disiplina si Manny," said Romano. "Sumusunod sa akin."

It's evident that since the Medgeon debacle, Pacquiao has been a paragon of virtue in the gym. He works hard, trains religiously, and is completely focused.

What about Pacquiao's much-publicized drinking habit? "Alam kong malakas uminom ng beer si Manny," said Romano. "Subali't, pag-naumpisahan na niya ang training, hindi na siya nainom." To prepare for Barotillo, Pacquiao sparred close to 100 rounds against heavier opponents so he wouldn't hold back his power shots.

Pacquiao knows what's best for him -- he learned a bitter lesson in the Medgeon tragedy.

The other day, Pacquiao and his wife Jinky left for General Santos City. Romano said he'll recall the fighter to Manila a month before his next fight.

At a victory party in a Luneta seafood restaurant last Monday, Pacquiao said what turned the tide in the Barotillo fight was his body attack. He admitted he was hurt by Barotillo's digs to the midsection in the second round and thought of taking an eight-count just to stop the assault. Two or three more solid shots to the body, Pacquiao continued, and he would've gone down.

Starting the third stanza, Pacquiao said he switched his concentration to the body. His weakness turned out to be Barotillo's weakness, too. When Pacquiao began hammering Barotillo's breadbasket, the Bicol Mauler suddenly retreated. That was Pacquiao's cue to turn on the heat.

Romano said he worked on Pacquiao's defense in the gym. "Okay na yung depensa ni Manny," he added. "Marunong na siyang bumali ng katawan, mag side-to-side at umiwas."

Next on Romano's gym agenda for Pacquiao is toughening his stomach muscles. He's thinking of using a medicine ball to harden Pacquiao's midsection and make him resistant to a body attack.

It looks like Pacquiao has finally found a trainer who knows what's he doing.

Postscript -Promoter Gabriel (Bebot) Elorde, Jr. phoned The STAR yesterday to deny charges that he told Barotillo to act like an Aussie boor as a marketing gimmick for the Pacquiao fight. As for Barotillo fighting for Australia, Elorde said that's nothing new. Barotillo was introduced as an Australian when he fought for the International Boxing Federation junior featherweight title in South Africa a few years ago. And when the Australian national anthem was sung last Saturday, Barotillo sang along. Additionally, Elorde said Barotillo's manager Mark Pitts referred to a former Filipino fighter now living in Hawaii as the business partner who brought in Filipinos illegally to work in the US. Pitts told Elorde the malefactor is a certain "Boy." I'm withholding the full name because the accusation is grave and needs to be proved ... Pacquiao's business agent Rod Nazario said the fighter's former manager Polding Correa has lost his right to share in future purses. Correa's contract expired last January. Nazario said Correa got his 30 percent share when Pacquiao fought Medgeon and Gabriel Mira but never collected in previous purses because they were too small. Correa was Pacquiao's manager for five years. In the Jamili fight last December. Pacquiao received $4,000 but Correa didn't collect his share which went to the fighter.