EXPERTS PREDICT MANNY PACQUIAO WILL KO SOTO
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 12 Jun 2007
The same boxing people who were among the few who predicted that Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao would handily defeat legendary Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera in their November 2003 fight at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas are predicting that if Pacquiao fights Humberto Soto he will knock him out.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum reportedly planned the Soto-Bobby Pacquiao fight as a buildup to a showdown between Soto who hasn’t lost a fight in five years against the devastating southpaw Pacman who has demolished one Mexican legend after another. Arum who handles Soto and for the time being at least handles Pacquiao crafted the revenge angle knowing full well that Soto would whip the younger Pacquiao.
Rex “Wakee” Salud who is sometimes considered a member of Pacquiao’s inner circle but at times is pushed to the outer fringes in the jockeying that takes place around Pacquiao, informed Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that “the Soto fight is 70 percent sure.”
WBC founding secretary general Rudy Salud said he was certain that Pacquiao would demolish Soto but said that after the Jorge Solis fight last April, his setback in the May 14 elections and his loss of what was believed to be a substantial amount of money, Pacquiao may not be in the best frame of mind.
Salud said he agreed with celebrated trainer Freddie Roach who suggested that Pacquiao have one less demanding fight before taking on Soto or any of the other opponents mentioned by Arum including Edwin Valero and Joan Guzman. Salud said that if it could be somehow worked out between Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank, a rematch with Barrera would be the most logical and one that will earn Pacquiao big money.
Well known TV boxing analyst and an original Team Pacquiao member, Moy Lainez said from what he saw of Soto against Pacquiao in the fight telecast by Solar Sports over RPN 9 last Sunday, Pacquiao would knock him out for sure. Lainez said “if Bobby can hurt Soto what more Manny who is a much more devastating puncher. Besides, Manny is much quicker and moves well while Soto is a standing target and his defense was not very good.”
Lainez said Soto “is not in the same class as Manny and if Manny wants to take him out he can, anytime.” Lainez predicted the fight would last five rounds but that Pacquiao "should take it even for $2 million so he can recover some of the money he lost in the last elections.”
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