Fireworks from Manny

BOXING expert Ed Tolentino, a lawyer, expects New Year’s eve to come  earlier this year.

“Today’s much awaited collision between 8-division world champion Manny Pacquiao and Brandon ‘BamBam’ Rios will be a barn burner of a fight, it will generate enough fireworks  for us to celebrate New Year in advance,” said Tolentino, who describes  Rios as an Energizer bunny on offense.

Lawyer Ed admires Brandon’s guts and toughness.

“He has enough balls to fill up my Christmas tree,” he said.

“That’s one of his strengths. His basic weakness, however, is he’s too slow, too plodding. Sometimes he’s even slower than Rizal’s statue at the Luneta.”

Tolentino thinks Rios’ style is too predictable.

“His offense is as limited as the range of Madonna’s voice. Rios will start fast, taking advantage of Manny’s ring rust. He must not let Manny get back in the groove. His best chance is to force Manny to trade (punches). He has a very deceptive overhand right which he throws in a clubbing manner while he is mixing it up inside. It’s a punch Manny may not see if he engages Rios up front.”

“Rios will test Pacquiao in the early rounds because he knows the Pacman will have confidence issues after his loss to Juan Manuel Marquez last year.”

“The first few rounds will be critical for Pacquiao,” according to Tolentino “but I see him weathering the storm with his speed and power. By the second half of the fight, he will be punishing Rios, eventually stopping him. I see a TKO within 8 rounds.”

Rios officially weighed in at 146.5 pounds, but on the actual fight today, lawyer Ed expects his weight to balloon to 160, which will make him a middleweight.

“He is big and will use his weight to bully Manny,” Ed said.

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HOOPVINE: “We’re lucky that the Pacquiao-Rios fight will happen in the wake of Supertyphoon “Yolanda,” said 2013 PBA MVP Arwind Santos. “After all the devastation and tragedy, Manny will provide a ray of sunshine. Good luck to you, idol Manny!” … From Willie Wilson of Ginebra: “I think it’s gonna be a great and exciting fight because Pacquiao and Rios’ styles complement each other. I believe Pacquiao will win with better defense than he showed against Marquez.” … Meanwhile Alex Cabagnot of Petron is hoping and praying that Manny gives today’s fight his hundred percent “and dedicate his win to the Yolanda typhoon victims. We need  something to lift up our spirits as a country. Go Manny!”