Manny Pacquiao during the post-fight press conference of Pacquiao-Bradley 3 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Pacquiao beat Timothy Bradley via unanimous decision. PHOTO BY REM ZAMORA
HIMSELF protesting, premier boxing promoter Bob Arum had said those proposing to field in prizefighters like Manny Pacquiao in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics better have their heads examined.
Arum cried that having overwhelming professional boxers go against obscure fighters from aspirant countries could be criminal.
The impending disparity inside the Olympic ring could be both horrible and unimaginable.
* * *
Anyway, in declaring Olympic boxing as an open competition, International Boxing Association (Aiba) president Dr. Ching Kuo Wu of Taiwan has zeroed in on Pacquiao. Wu has promised to include Pacquiao as a special wild card entry in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
As could be expected, serious apprehensions followed the open invitation for Pacquiao to box for the Philippines in the Olympics next August.
* * *
For the record, the local amateur boxing governing, Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (Abap), refused to readily buy the idea of Pacquiao going for the first Philippine Olympic gold medal in Rio.
However, Abap has since relented and said yes, but only after clarifications and assurances were made by Aiba.
* * *
Going by the Aiba stand, Pacquiao will be both safe and fine for the Olympics, says the famous national sports development guru, Dr. Aparicio Mequi.
To those who feared Pacquiao could end up mangling opposition or endangering the life and health of his obscure Olympic opponents, Dr. Mequi says the Aiba has applied necessary measures to ensure healthy and safe competition.
Mequi says Dr. Wu has assured there is no imminent danger or risk of serious injury to an amateur fighter facing a pro in Rio.
* * *
Mequi quotes Dr. Wu in a statement provided by the famous sports journalist Joaquin Henson: “This is a total misunderstanding of our qualifying. How could a young, inexperienced boxer qualify? He will face the whole world in qualifying. If he’s not good enough, not competent enough, he will not be qualified for the Olympics. Only experienced, competent and very good boxers have the opportunity to qualify. Maybe, people don’t understand we have qualifying.”
Actually, Aiba had introduced and conducted two professional tournaments in 2010 and 2013, using the 10-point must system of scoring, while doing away with the head gear.
In fact, lightweight Charly Suarez, one of two Filipino boxing qualifiers in the Rio Olympics, is a veteran of these Aiba pro tournaments.
* * *
For the record, Pacquiao has retired and has not manifested serious interest about an Olympic stint.
Begging for Pacquiao to reconsider, Dr. Mequi says: “There’s no other Filipino who can do it. As a lover of sports history, I would prefer a Filipino to win our first Olympic gold, and not a Fil-Am, Fil-Japanese, Fil-Nigerian or any Fil-Something.”