BOBBY PACQUIAO FACES 'LITTLE TYSON' GUZMAN ON MAY 6
By Salven L. Lagumbay
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 24 Mar 2006
Reigning WBC Continental Americas super-featherweight champ Bobby Pacquiao will take on undefeated former WBO superbantam king Joan "Little Tyson" Guzman of the Dominican Republic in a 10-round battle underneath the mammoth Oscar De la Hoya-Ricardo Mayorga showdown on May 6 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Rex "Wakee" Salud, who co-manages the younger Pacquiao, revealed in an interview yesterday from his base in Cebu that he has been informed of this latest development by his contacts in the United States, although Salud stressed that this will be an even more difficult fight for Pacquiao than the Carlos Hernandez bout.
Guzman had won the WBO superbantam title in 2002, defended it twice, before relinquishing it to campaign in the bigger featherweight division.
In his first title defense in 2004, Guzman stopped the late Agapito Sanchez in the seventh round. Sanchez, who died last year after being shot at by an enemy in an altercation, figured in a foul-infested draw with superstar Manny Pacquiao in 2001.
Restituto 'Buboy' Fernandez, this year's Elorde Best Trainer Awardee, expressed surprise over the choice of Pacquiao's opponent, saying that Guzman is such a terrific boxer with great power in both fists.
"This is truly going to be a major test for Bobby. If he gets past Guzman, then he automatically becomes a marquee boxer like Manny," Fernandez stressed, during lull in his training chores on super-featherweight Jimrex Jaca in Cebu whom he is preparing for a big fight on May 20 in Japan.
Guzman holds a record of 24 wins, no defeat with 17 KO's while the younger Pacquiao is 26-11-3 with 11 stoppage wins.
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