So much at stake for Pacquiao

LOS ANGELES, California–Manny Pacquiao puts everything on the line as he fights a dangerous challenger, a hostile crowd and, in a way, history itself.

And when the smoke of the expected fireworks from the bristling match has thinned away into the humid summer night, the lone Filipino world champion hopefully would be waving a Philippine flag around the ring in triumph.

Forget the torment of the past, the alleged full-blown fracas in a nightspot in the south, the long hours in the gym, the incredulous yarn fed the media to disrupt his training, the issue on the first blood test and the unfounded tale of his contracting the dreaded hepatitis B virus.

Those are all gone, now the big task beckons. Pacquiao, the IBF superbantamweight champion, will stage Saturday (Sunday in Manila) the fourth defense of his crown against Mexican challenger Emmanuel ‘The Butcher’ Lucero before a predominantly Mexican crowd at the historic Grand Olympic Auditorium in an explosive encounter long conceded of not going the full distance.

Because he had maintained a back breaking regimen and meticulous diet, the native of General Santos tipped the scale at 119 3/4 pounds...." Masyadong napasobra," he said....against Lucero’s 121 pounds but Pacquiao was officially placed at 120.5 pounds later.

But there were some frantic moments in the weigh-in rites at the Hyatt Hotel in downtown LA as the ugly talks of the alleged sabotage reared its ugly head anew when the Filipino titlist’s handlers found out that they were given a medical test result posted in a medical form from Pennsylvania and not from California. (See related story on left column)

He has to take the pre-fight physical check-up early today. And then the Filipino titleholder, a clear favorite in the 12-round contest, would await the first bell amid the roar and din and then leave everything to the Almighty.

" Lahat dinadaan ko sa dasal, lahat ng tagumpay ko galing sa Kanya at inaalay ko ang laban na ito sa Kanya," said a relaxed Pacquiao in his Vagabond Inn room, a short distance from the Wild Card Gym where he had toiled long and hard for this showdown under the watchful eye of American Freddie Roach.

Later in the day the Filipino slugger and his wife Jinky led an entourage together with business manager Rod Nazario to a Filipino restaurant for a full dinner although Pacquiao still has to watch his weight so he wouldn’t go over the 10-pound limit at the second weigh-in today.

The 24-year old slugger (36-2-1 with 28 knockouts) is to receive $180,000 purse for the fourth defense of his three-year old reign in the undercard of the comeback fight of Fernando Vargas and Fitz Vanderpool. The Mexican boxing idol is fighting anew after serving out a nine-month ban for steroids use.

But it won’t be easy. The 24-year old unbeaten Lucero, with 21-0-1 (12 KOs) ring record, has exuded an equally high level of confidence and is determined to bring home the crown to the Bronx in New York where he now resides.

"He’s a great champion but now is my time," said the good-looking Lucero, the WBC Continental Americas champ who will come with a wide arsenal and an extra weapon in the predominantly Mexican crowd.

Pacquiao is aware of the challenger’s tremendous heart and recuperative powers as seen in his fight against Frankie Archuletea when he picked himself twice from the canvass to win via stoppage and an all-out style spiced up with a thundering overhead rights and power-laden right hooks.

"Kailangan walang kumpiyansa at mahirap ng matsambahan," said Pacquiao. No Filipino has won a title fight in the Grand Olympic since Speedy Dado bowed to Freddie Miller in a title match in 1933. The second to fall was Bobby Berna who knocked down Jaime Garza in the first round only to be stopped in the second round in a junior featherweight title match in 1983.