BOBBY PACQUIAO VS SOTTO FIGHT IN JEOPARDY
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 18 Mar 2007
Bobby Pacquiao’s showdown with WBC No. 2 Humberto Soto scheduled for June 9 at Madison Square Garden may be in jeopardy after the US Embassy informed him they were investigating the reported loss of his passport.
Pacquiao reportedly applied for a new passport at the US Consulate in Davao City but failed to inform American officials that he had lost his passport. It was only when he applied for a visa that he realized the problem he faced.
Well known boxing man Moy Lainez told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that a letter addressed to Pacquiao and sent to the Wild Card Gym of Rod Nazario in BF Homes, Paranaque stated that the loss of his passport was under investigation.
According to Lainez, Pacquiao who trains at the Wild Card Gym was reprimanded by Nazario for not informing the US Embassy about the loss of his passport. Pacquiao reportedly claimed he lost his passport in his hometown of General Santos while drinking with friends. Lainez said as far as he knows “he (Bobby Pacquiao) cannot leave the Philippines.” He said the US Embassy letter indicated that “a visa could not be given until further investigation.”
There was concern that the passport may have been used by someone else which would further complicate the problems for Pacquiao.
Soto who hasn’t lost a fight since 2002 has a ring record of 41-5-2 with 26 knockouts and is handled by Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who offered Pacquiao a choice of an April 27 fight against another opponent or a big money clash with Soto on June 9. Pacquiao reportedly picked Soto because of the purse of $150,000.
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