A rooster for Manny

Lawyer and sportsman Rudy Salud has an interesting proposition for world featherweight boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.

If Pacquiao beats Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico in Las Vegas on May 8, Salud will give up his prized "Winning Time" rooster and four hens as a reward.

Salud made the offer during a dinner hosted by Solar Sports for Pacquiao and visiting US promoter Murad Muhammad at the Shang Palace in the Makati Shangrila Hotel last Thursday.

The rooster commands a market price of P200,000. Salud said he has refused offers to sell the cock but will give it for free to Pacquiao on condition he returns home with the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight titles that Marquez now holds.

Pacquiao, who plans to breed fighting cocks like lightheavyweight champion Roy Jones, Jr., couldn’t hide his excitement. "Talagang patutulugin ko si Marquez," he told Salud.

The rooster was No. 6 in Salud’s eight-cock entry that swept the P2.5 Million World Slasher’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum last January. Salud and Lito Orillaza teamed up to post the rare sweep in the international derby, considered the Olympics of cockfighting, that drew a record 102 entries, including 24 of the top American cockers.

Salud’s No. 6 rooster beat the top bet of noted American cocker Ray Alexander, prompting the former World Boxing Council (WBC) secretary-general and Philippine Basketball Association commissioner to comment that the Filipino bloodline in fighting cocks is clearly world-class. He credited trainer Gary Tubianosa for the feat and likened his regimen to Freddie Roach’s work with Pacquiao.

Salud told Muhammad that he has visited Jones’ cock farm in Pensacola, Florida and invited the fighter to fly to the Philippines as his guest. Jones is a cockfighting aficionado and owns a stable of 250 roosters—-whom he identifies by name. He has over 30 pit bull terriers protecting the roosters in the farm.

Salud said he will advise Muhammad when the next big derby is scheduled so Jones can plane in. Muhammad said he has no doubt Jones will take the first flight out, knowing Salud’s reputation as a breeder and owner of a stable of 1,500 cocks.

Salud recalled meeting Muhammad in Biloxi, Mississippi, in 1999. He took Gerry Peñalosa to Biloxi to fight Ramon Hurtado and Muhammad promoted the bout. Peñalosa’s purse was $10,000. After Peñalosa knocked out Hurtado in the second round, Muhammad’s aide brought an envelope with a wad of dollar bills to Salud who didn’t bother to count the cash.

Salud later found out the envelope contained $25,000. The next morning, he sought out Muhammad to return the $15,000 in excess of the agreed purse. Salud’s honesty clearly touched Muhammad who appreciated the act of integrity and explained the extra amount was a bonus for a job well done.

"That was my only encounter with Murad and it was a pleasant experience," said Salud.

Muhammad told Salud he would book junior bantamweight fighter Z Gorres in the undercard of Pacquiao’s fight against WBC superfeatherweight champion Erik Morales in July or August. Salud said Gorres is set to fight the Korean 115-pound titlist in the main event of a Kung Su Lee promotion in Seoul on May 29.

Before parting ways, Salud advised Pacquiao to always remember to pray. "Huwag mong kalimutan magdasal," he said. "Dala mo ang ating bansa. Pagbutihin mo. Ang buong bayan ay nasa likod mo."

Asked about his offer to Pacquiao, Salud said breeding cocks is a better alternative to betting on pool games.

Muhammad wondered if Pacquiao has the knowhow to breed cocks. "He wants to learn and he’s very interested," said one of Pacquiao’s confidants. "One thing about Manny, when he sets his mind to doing something, he goes all out. Like playing pool. Like boxing. Like beating Marquez."