Who faulted in Osaka? His handlers claim the physique of former world bantamweight boxing champion Marlon Tapales, 25, popped up ahead, thus causing him to fail in making the 118-pound limit for the WBO championship fight in Osaka on Sunday. That was hard to buy, because the disaster could’ve been prevented with clinical monitoring and stricter control. The fact that Tapales had been allowed to report in Osaka 10 lb over one week before the big bout spoke volumes about dumb management. Team Tapales can afford to use some form of professionalism.
As Manny Pacquiao set out to depart for the promotional tour of his WBO world welterweight title defense against Jeff Horn, wet-market boxing fans in Mandaluyong City started entertaining fears for their super hero.
The main concern now was not Horn himself—but his [alleged] big right hand.
Call it delusion, a product of big talk, whatever, but the Horn camp has also succeeded in coming up with the message that Horn could demolish or stop Pacquiao with a right punch.
Fact is there has been no evidence available to prove the exact worth of the Horn right punch.
All that Horn, also branded a Southpaw Stopper, has been heard to say in advertising himself was that he hoped to stop Pacquiao with a right shot, similar to the fleeting phantom punch that Juan Manuel Marquez speared through to dump the Filipino superhero face first to the canvas in December 2012.
“Delikado pala si Manny, may killer right si Horn,” cried pesky meat cleaver Louie Sanyano on Sunday.
Asked who had told him that, the short and dusky Pacquiao diehard said he just read it in the papers.
Out in the murky fish vendors section, Pacquiao fans, who were one in brushing off Horn as wholly insignificant a month back, have also started wondering if the fighting Filipino senator could be in for trouble come July 2 in Brisbane.
This could only mean that Horn, who had been initially dumped as a worthless foe for Pacquiao, could now help big in marketing the Battle of Brisbane both in the Philippines and Australia.
Promoter Bob Arum has predicted a sell-out in Brisbane ahead of the Australian promotional tour.
Meanwhile, Michael Koncz, outspoken Pacquiao adviser, who originally said all they had to do was show up in Brisbane, pinch Horn’s silly ear, then head back home, has also started singing a different tune.
Koncz, last heard, was saying they would not [anymore] be taking the unbeaten but obscure Horn lightly.
Pacquiao himself has reportedly been making sure there would be a rematch in the event Horn succeeds in scoring the Upset of the Century.