PACQUIAO SKIPS MEPRANUM TITLE FIGHT, LEAVES FOR MANILA FRIDAY
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 09 Jun 2010
Pound-for-pound king and ?Fighter of the Decade? Manny Pacquiao will not be at special ringside when Richie Mepranum ( 22-2-1, 5 KO?s) of Sarangani province steps into the ring to battle Julio Cesar ?Pingo? Miranda ( 31?5-1, 24 KO?s) for the vacant WBO flyweight title on Saturday ? Sunday in Manila - at the Convention Center in Puebla, Mexico.
Well-known international promoter Fernando Beltran told us during a telephone conversation early Wednesday that Pacquiao informed him that he and his family would be ?leaving tomorrow night (Thursday) for Los Angeles and then he will leave for the Philippines on Friday.?
Beltran said who was Pacquiao's host in Mexico said ?he is not going to be able to watch the Mepranum fight? although a WBC news release stated earlier that Pacquiao would arrive in Mexico on Wednesday ?to attend the fight of his fellow countrymen Rodel Mayol vs Omar Nino and Richie Mepranum against Jose Cesar ?Pingo? Miranda. Both are world title fights.?
In fact WBC president Don Jose Sulaiman told us that Pacquiao who was vacationing with his family on the beautiful beaches of Nayarit was expected to be at the fights.
Beltran predicted that the Mepranum-Miranda clash will be ?a great fight. I think it?s a 50-50 chance. I think Mepranum is a better fighter but with no power, so Miranda has a chance. No matter what happens its going to be a great fight.?
He also predicted that while the odds in the Mepranum-Miranda title fight are 50-50 that WBC champion Mayol who battles former world champion Omar Nino Romero in a rematch will win.
The promoter added, ?I think Mayol has to be the favorite. I think he?s gonna win but its going to be a good fight also.? Mepranum is coming off an impressive ten round unanimous decision over Mexico?s power-punching Hernan ?Tyson? Marquez last March 12 in Dallas, Texas, out-boxing Marquez who was previously undefeated with 20 knockouts in 27 wins to score a stunning upset.
However, Mepranum?s opponent Julio Cesar ?Pingo? Miranda is an experienced fighter who has battled some of the best in the flyweight division.
Miranda is coming off a 3rd round TKO over Faustino Cupul (22-2, 16 KO?s) to win the vacant Latino title last April 10.
Prior to that Miranda dropped a 12 round decision to Moruti Mthalane in a clash for the vacant IBF title after scoring a spectacular 1st round knockout over former world champion Eric Ortiz in an IBF title eliminator that led to the title shot at Mthalane.
The 23 year old Mepranum is an excellent counter-puncher who trained at Rod Nazario?s In This Corner Gym in Sucat, Paranaque before moving to Freddie Roach?s Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles where he is trained by Restituto ?Buboy? Fernandez, surely one of the most modest but excellent trainers in boxing.
Well-known TV boxing analyst Moy Lainez who watched Mepranum spar at the In This Corner Gym said the promising youngster looked in fine shape and pretty sharp and noted that his forte is his counter-punching.
Top photo (L-R): Pacquiao, Beltran and Torres in Nayarit, Mexico.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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