QUEENSLAND PREMIER SAYS PACQUIAO A BIT TOO SCARED TO FACE HORN
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 03 Sep 2017
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk attacked Manny Pacquiao for backing out of a proposed rematch with Australian WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn. "Frankly, I think he's a bit too scared to come and face Jeff Horn," she told reporters in Brisbane. Palaszczuk said the refusal of the fighting senator to fight in the rematch showed he knew he would be defeated. "For Manny not to reappear, really says to me that he knows Jeff is the world champion," she said.
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Former two-weight world champion Jesse Vargas is floated as a leading contender for the next foe for Horn. Vargas has not fought since losing a unanimous decision and his WBO belt to Pacquiao last November. However, Palaszczuk wants UFC superstar Conor McGregor which has the drawing power similar to that of Pacquiao. She believes McGregor's box-office potential would be a sell out if he faces Horn anywhere in Australia.
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?Pacquiao is not a full-time fighter anymore, he?s a politician,? Bob Arum told the Las Vegas Review Journal. ?His first priority is his work with the government and it?s very, very difficult to perform as a world class fighter on a schedule fighters have to have while he?s being a senator.? Arum was even not sure if Pacquiao would fight Horn next year. ?I really don?t know [if Pacquiao will fight Horn in 2018]. He says yes. He wants to, but we have to see.?
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One opponent who was considered to face Horn in November is WBO, WBA, WBC, and IBF light welterweight champion Terence Crawford. Arum had wanted Crawford to be ringside at the Pacquiao-Horn rematch and then face the winner in early 2018. With the Horn-Pacquiao rematch now being cancelled, Arum was asked if he would consider Horn fighting Crawford in November. ?I think that?s too premature,? Arum said. ?Too big of a fight to rush it. That could be a Vegas fight.?
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Mark Magsayo (17-0, 13 KOs) will soon have his crack at the world title. He is rated No. 2 by the World Boxing Organization. But as of now, WBO featherweight champion Valdez (22-0, 19 KOs) will defend his title for the third time against another unbeaten Filipino fighter Genesis Servania (29-0-0, 12 KOs) on September 22 in Tucson, Arizona.
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It will be Valdez's second defense of his belt after he plunged into action against tough Miguel Marriaga last April. Magsayo is expected to be tapped as the next mandatory challenger to Valdez, but for now he could still pass on the chance.
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According to Tamas Pradarics of BoxingScene.com: "There are more than a few unbeaten top-rated contenders by the WBO in the featherweight division, but none of them has a better chance to secure a mandatory challenger status to face knockout puncher reigning champion Oscar Valdez than Mark Magsayo."
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"Mark could fight Valdez by now, but he will be better with more experience, so that?s what we are doing. For now, we are working on getting him opponents that could develop his skills more. We are not rushing him to a title fight, as he still needs a lot to learn,? said Michael Aldeguer as told to BoxingScene.com.
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Magsayo made short fights by finishing his last two opponents Nicaraguan Daniel Diaz and Tanzanian Issa Nampepeche, as he spent less than four minutes in the ring in these two assignments this year. His most memorable win was against American Chris Avalos who knocked Magsayo down in round three in April 2016 encounter. It was a threatening moment but the undefeated ALA Gym fighter recovered on time and showered Avalos with hard punches in rounds five and six until Avalos quit.
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Magnifico is expected to return to action possibly on the undercard of Donnie Nietes? scheduled November title defense of his IBF flyweight belt. There are no opponents scheduled yet, but Aldeguer said they are searching for a high rated foe for their 22-year-old fighter. ?We are targeting anyone in the top 10 if we can get things done dealing with their promoters," said Aldeguer.
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Pedro Diaz, the trainer of Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-0, 11 KOs, 1 NC), is confident his boxer could beat Vasyl Lomachenko (9-1, 7 KOs). "First, we have to verify that the intentions of Bob Arum, the boss of Top Rank, are real. He is a businessman, it's nice to say things in words, but we need them to come true. Two boxing champions, two Olympic champions in the professional ring... such a fight would raise more expectations than Mayweather and McGregor," Diaz told George Ebro.
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Rigondeaux, who is the WBA world super bantamweight champion, would move up by two weight divisions to face Lomachenko, the WBO super featherweight champion. Diaz is not worried about the weight and height advantage of Lomachenko. He says Nonito Donaire, who was a heavy puncher, was a more complicated fight. Rigondeaux proved it when he outscored the heavily favored Donaire in April 2013.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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