One against three
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 18 Mar 2021
If it’s true that super WBA welterweight champion in-recess Sen. Manny Pacquiao plans to end his boxing career in a blaze of glory before his countrymen at the Philippine Arena in September, here’s an option for a swan song that’s guaranteed to bring the house down. Why not Pacquiao tangle with three legendary Mexican warriors, one after the other, in a series of two or three-round exhibitions? It wouldn’t just be a tribute to Pacquiao but also to Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez who figured in memorable engagements with the Filipino icon.
Something like this has happened before. On Feb. 6, 1965, world junior lightweight champion Flash Elorde took on three highly-rated Filipino boxers in a succession of two-round exhibitions wearing 12-ounce gloves in front of 18,000 wildly-cheering fans at the Araneta Coliseum. Elorde was 29 at the time and faced, in order, Young Terror, Rene Barrientos and Ric Penalosa. Terror (real name Fulgencio Cabangon) was 27 and rated world No. 8. Barrientos, the Philippine champion and rated world No. 6, was 21 and Penalosa, rated world No. 7, was 21. It was promoted as “the sensational and much-awaited Elorde Against Three fight.” There were 11 bouts in the undercard and two 1964 Tokyo Olympians, Manfredo Alipala and Arnulfo Torrevillas, were featured in separate six-rounders.
As expected, the show was a huge success. Elorde and his three opponents didn’t pull any punches. The three contenders were out to prove they belonged in the same ring as the champ. The exchanges were furious. Against Terror, Elorde turned him pale with a right hook to the jaw but the man with the scary sobriquet didn’t back off and threw caution to the wind in battling toe-to-toe. Barrientos charged at Elorde from the onset and brought the crowd to a roar. Philippines Herald sports editor Eddie Lachica wrote that Elorde whacked Barrientos “with vicious hooks from both hands, delivered with perfect timing …and Barrientos had cause to be thankful they were using only sparring gloves.” Lachica said Penalosa played a cat-and-mouse game but Elorde “beat a steady tattoo on the body … to handle the situation.”
Pacquiao is now 42, Barrera 47, Morales 44 and Marquez 47. Barrera hasn’t fought since stopping Jose Arias in Guadalajara in 2011. Morales retired after losing to Danny Garcia on a fourth round KO in 2012 while Marquez’ farewell outing was a decision over Mike Alvarado in 2014. Barrera lost twice to Pacquiao, by KO in 2003 and on points in 2007. Morales decisioned Pacquiao in 2005 but bowed twice by KO the next year. Marquez was in four brutal wars with Pacquiao, drawing in 2004, losing by a split decision in 2008 and a majority verdict in 2011 and scoring a KO in 2012.
Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune said the one-against-three concept sounds like a good idea. “Pay-per-view buys would be ridiculously crazy,” he said in a WhatsApp chat from his Los Angeles home yesterday. “Those Mexicans will train for it, of course. But with COVID, I don’t know if it’s logistically doable.” If the three Mexican stars agree, they could come to Manila early, open their training camps to the public and do meet-and-greets with fans. “Ali used to do open camps, lots of champs did it,” said Fortune. “Nothing to hide, no secrets, no magic punches. It would be awesome if Manny fights his last in his home country. He gives so much to the people and it would be a real treat.”
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