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WORLD
Boxing Council (WBC) president Jose Sulaiman wants Manny
Pacquiao to make his countrymen get the feel of genuine
honor that is supposed to be expected of him.
And
that, according to Sulaiman, would only be achievable if
Pacquiao fights for a legitimate world title.
“The
people around Manny always tell the media he will fight
for this amount of money. He can make the people really
happy if Manny can give his countrymen a world title,”
said Sulaiman.
Sulaiman
has been consistent about his advice to Pacquiao to have
his name included in the annals of boxing history by
wearing a crown.
“If
Manny fights for money, how can people remember his name
years from now? He can only be remembered if his name is
included among the list of champions,” said Sulaiman.
The
other day, Sulaiman said he has advised Pacquiao to
fight for any world title available.
“Manny
is a devastating fighter and is respected by people
around the world. He should not allow the people around
him to tell him what to do,” said Sulaiman.
Yesterday, Sulaiman said Pacquiao should take the
opportunity of being the mandatory challenger of
reigning WBC super-featherweight champion Juan Manuel
Marquez of Mexico.
“It’s
what the people want to see. Marquez and Manny had a
draw in their first fight. They must settle that inside
the ring,” added Sulaiman.
In their
only meeting in May 2004 at the MGM Grand Garden in Las
Vegas, Marquez survived three first-round knockdowns and
eventually salvaged a 12-round split draw in their
featherweight encounter.
Marquez,
who is the World Boxing Association (WBA) and
International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight
ruler, bounced back by winning the WBC 130-lb belt from
compatriot Marco Antonio Barrera last March.
He
successfully defended the crown via a masterful 12-round
decision over American Olympian Rocky Juarez two weeks
ago in Chicago.
After
the Juarez fight, Marquez challenged Pacquiao to set up
their return bout even at the lightweight class.
Pacquiao
has stated his seriousness to jump to the lightweight
class specifically against WBC champion David Diaz,
conqueror of Pacquiao’s former foe and now good friend
Erik Morales.
It is
but natural for Sulaiman to offer Pacquiao a chance to
fight for a WBC crown, being the organization’s
president for almost three decades and counting.
“He is
the hero of the
Philippines.
The Filipinos want him to fight the best. They want him
to fight the champion,” said Sulaiman.
Pacquiao
holds the WBC international 130-lb title which,
according to Sulaiman, was created to give fighters
another stepping stone in fighting for the regular
crown.
The
Filipino boxing superstar is also the longtime No. 1
contender of the regular WBC crown but his camp wants an
assurance of getting more money than Marquez should the
return encounter pushes through. The Mexican, however,
has stated he deserves a major take in the fight purses
being the champion.
Pacquiao,
28, became the youngest Filipino world champion 10 years
ago when he knocked out in eight rounds Chatchai Sasakul
of Thailand for the WBC flyweight belt.
After
surrendering the flyweight crown via a third-round
knockout loss to Thai Medgoen 3K Battery, Pacquiao came
back and scored a first-round knockout win over
compatriot Reynante Jamili for the WBC international
super-bantamweight title.
Yesterday, Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) vice president
Eric Gomez arrived in the country to attend the WBC convention.
Gomez,
boyhood friend of GBP owner and boxing superstar Oscar
de la Hoya, is expected to tackle with Pacquiao the
possibility of his much-awaited rematch with Marquez.
The Mexican world champion is promoted by GBP.
A Top
Rank executive is expected to attend the
Manila conclave, a situation that may create a breakthrough for the
still hazy rematch. Both Top Rank and GBP share equal
rights to the promotional deal of Pacquiao.
Sulaiman
and some of his associates were invited by respected
lawyer Rudy Salud, founding secretary-general of the WBC
and former commissioner of the Philippine Basketball
Association (PBA).
The
group had a hearty lunch at the
Quezon City
house of Salud’s son Chito, also a lawyer and current
consultant to PBA acting commissioner Renauld “Sonny”
Barrios.
Also
present were former Ombudsman and boxing supporter
Aniano Desierto, ex-Pacquiao business manager Rod
Nazario and promotional associates Moy Lainez, Lito
Mondejar and Gerry Garcia.
Salud
was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the WBC in a
gala dinner affair the other night in Intramuros,
Manila.
“Rodrigo
Salud was my mentor. I inherited from him the position
of secretary-general and I saw how great he was doing
his job during a WBC convention,” disclosed Sulaiman.
Sulaiman
is hopeful the ongoing convention in the country will
result to several landmark rules that will make the
sport reach greater heights.
“We hope
to create a direction of unity. A direction of
opportunity. No corruption. We hope to create more rules
for the good of boxing,” said Sulaiman. |
