Ali lauds Pinoy champ

Foiled in his bid to be the greatest Filipino fighter ever, consensus world featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao still drew praises and words of wisdom from "The Greatest" himself.

Muhammad Ali, widely-regarded as the greatest fighter of all-time, on Sunday lauded Pacquiao for his courageous stand against WBA/IBF champion Juan Manuel Marquez whom he blasted the Mexican champ for three knockdowns in the first round and then endured a sprained left hand, a blistered toe and cramps in the next 11 rounds to settle for a split draw Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

Murad Muhammad, Pacquiao’s US promoter who worked as part of Ali’s security entourage during his heydays, said the former heavyweight champion watched the fight and told him to take good care of Pacquiao, who he said has the guts and heart of a great boxing champion.

"Ali watched the fight and told me to take good care of Pacquiao the way I took care of him," Murad quoted Ali in a phone talk after the classic bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Ali, according to Murad, even considered Pacquiao as his smaller version.

"He (Pacquiao) is a small Ali," Murad quoted the former Olympic champion as saying. "He’s exciting and a truly colorful boxer. He won it clearly."

In fact, Ali was so charmed with Pacquiao that he urged the Filipino champ to go for a rematch (with Marquez), even saying that Pacquiao could use the "Thrilla in Manila" in case the return bout would be staged in the Philippines.

"I’m willing to give it to him," Ali said, according to Murad.The Thrilla in Manila in 1975 at the Araneta Coliseum, where Ali beat Joe Frazier in a classic match, remains as one of the greatest fights ever in the history of the sport.

Against Marquez, Pacquiao tried to become the first Filipino to win three titles in three different weight divisions (112-lbs, 122-lbs and 126-lbs). Luisito Espinosa and Dodie "Boy" Peñalosa had won two.

Apparently, Ali saw in Pacquiao the ability to endure pain when the General Santos native fought with scalded toe, cramps and swollen hand the way he fought with a broken jaw in his losing stand against Ken Norton in 1973.

In the middle and late rounds, Pacquiao proved some skeptics wrong and drew the admiration of Latino fans as he showed that he has a durable chin the way he absorbed devastating rights from Marquez.

Despite his gallant stand, Pacquiao felt that he performed only 60 percent of the form he had against Marco Antonio Barrera, the Mexican legend whom he devastated in 11 rounds at the Alamodome last year although he trained harder and longer against Marquez, doing 135 rounds of sparring.

"Hindi siya makadiin ng suntok dahil dumudulas ung paa nya dahil nga sa blisters," said Pacquiao’s manager Rod Nazario, who added that they are willing to go for a rematch anywhere but in Las Vegas.

Meantime, Pacquiao and his entourage will go to Grand Canyon in Arizona Monday (Tuesday in Manila) then will leave for home Tuesday and are expected to arrive before adoring Filipino fans on Thursday. — Lito A. tacujan