'Manny P' looking for promoter

A dead-ringer for Manny Pacquiao is looking for a promoter but it doesn’t look like Bob Arum is interested.

Last Sunday morning, Johnny Dagami – known as Manny Paksiw – was at the Araneta Coliseum to watch the fights and at first, fans thought the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter had flown in from his training camp in Los Angeles to surprise the crowd of over 15,000.

Paksiw, 36, could easily pass for Pacquiao and in fact, was hired as the fighter’s double for the movie “Anak Ng Kumander.” Film director Tony Bernal introduced Paksiw to Pacquiao about three years ago and they hit it off. Now, Paksiw wants to travel to Las Vegas, watch his idol take on Ricky Hatton on May 2 and maybe, appear on stage as a stand-up comedian if there’s a promoter willing to take a chance to fit him in the impersonators circuit.

Paksiw comes from Biliran, not General Santos City, and finished only up to second year high school. He worked five years as a printing operator in a Malabon plastics factory then decided to try his luck in show business. At the start, he charged P350 to P500 for a 45-minute act of singing and joking. Now, his fee is up to P3,000 to P5,000 and he works with his “trainer” Fredy Root – 50-year-old personal reflexology practitioner Romeo Jamero of Bohol in real life.

Paksiw said he hopes to follow in Pacquiao’s footsteps, not as a fighter, but as a recording artist. He recently cut a record, singing his composition “Ikaw Ang Inspirasyon Ko” dedicated, of course, to his idol.

“I have 10 compositions and I’m ready to do an album, if only there’s a promoter out there willing to invest in my career,” he said.

Paksiw said he used to be a mainstay on Channel 2 shows but lately, he has appeared on TV only as a celebrity guest.

Paksiw has two children with his live-in girlfriend Rovilyn Gonzales whose nickname isn’t Jinkee. The children are Princess, 2, and Baby John, four months old. Princess happens to be the name of Pacquiao’s third child.

Paksiw said in show business, he’s known as “El Gwapo.” In his calling card, Paksiw is described as a stand-up comedian and performing artist. His dream is to become as popular as Pacquiao.

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Was Chicago referee Pete Podgroski too hasty in calling a halt to IBF flyweight champion Nonito Donaire’s title defense against Raul (La Cobrita) Martinez?

Donaire was in control of the fight from the start, scoring two knockdowns in the first round and another in the second. A left uppercut sent Martinez skidding to the canvas in the fourth and Podgorski didn’t bother to count.

IBF ringside supervisor Ray Wheatley of Australia said he agreed with Podgorski’s decision.

“The referee did a good job,” said Wheatley. “He’s very experienced. Martinez never really recovered from the knockdowns in the first round and fought the rest of the way by instinct.” Wheatley said Podgorski saw the futility of allowing the fight to continue with Martinez clearly a beaten man.

At the end of three rounds, the three judges – Larry Hazzard Jr., of the US, John Wright of Australia and Muhammad Rois of Indonesia – all scored it 30-24. They had it 10-7 for Donaire in the first.

Filipino referee Ferdie Estrella, who worked the Sonny Boy Jaro-Yukka Gejon bout in the undercard, said he was surprised by the stoppage.

“Martinez was clearly overmatched and I can understand why the referee stopped it,” said Estrella. “I don’t want to second guess Podgorski but if I were the referee, I would’ve counted up to eight and checked on Martinez before deciding whether or not to stop it. I think Podgorski felt that sooner or later, Martinez would get knocked out and he probably just wanted to save him from taking any more punishment. Donaire was just too fast and too strong. Martinez was not in his league.”

Podgorski, 55, campaigned as a welterweight and lightmiddleweight in the pros from 1977 to 1986, compiling a forgettable record of 22-15, with 16 KOs. He started a career as a referee in 1987 and has worked several IBF and IBO title bouts in countries all over the world, including Australia, Germany and Denmark.

As for the bout he worked, Estrella said he was impressed by Jaro who lost a decision to WBC lightflyweight champion Edgar Sosa in Mexico last year.

“I’ve done four or five of Jaro’s bouts and I believe he’s got the heart to become a world champion someday,” said Estrella. “The fight against Gejon was too short. I was told Gejon had to lose a lot of weight to make the limit so if that’s true, he wasn’t in condition. When he was knocked down, I gave him a count but stopped it when I knew he was in no condition to continue.”

Jaro, 27, is itching for a rematch against Solis. His manager Aljoe Jaro said the WBC is seriously considering the possibility of a return fight. It was Jaro’s second straight abbreviated victory in the first round.