Manny Pacquiao Can Be Taken Out

manny pacquiaoBy Ted Sares: On February 9, 1996, Rustico Torrecampo, 11-4-4, met Manny Pacquiao, 11-0 coming in, in Mandaluyong City, Philippines. After an uneventful two rounds, it happened. In the third round, Manny was hit by a brutal left to the stomach with all of Torrecampo’s weight and incoming speed behind it. Manny went down and out. He was lifted up by the referee like a rag doll. It was a startling sight to behold, but it was no fluke.

Rustico’s only other noteworthy win came by 6-round KO against Noel “The Eel” Tunacao, 28-4-2 at the time after which “The Eel” went on a ten fight win streak. Prior to that fight, he lost on points to rugged Leo Ramirez, 39-24-7 for the Philippine light flyweight title. He did beat Baby Lorona Jr. in 1993 by first round stoppage, but Baby was only 2-1-1 at the time; he is now 40-24-4. Still, while Torrecampo had pop in his punch, that he knocked out Pac Man in such convincing style defied all logic. The light flyweight from Manila last fought in 1997 and was 1-4-1 in his final six outings finishing with a mediocre 14-8-5 slate.

Six years later at the Pakpanag Metropolian Stadium in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand, Pacquiao fought Medgoen 3-K Battery Singsurat who was then 18-0. The high profile bout was for the WBC flyweight title. Pacquiao was 26-1 and most of his wins came by early round stoppages–perhaps a precursor to the trouble that would come.

At any rate, 3-K Battery cut him down in the third round with a powerful and well leveraged right to the rib area. Manny collapsed in a heap and could not beat the count. Again, the knockout was no fluke.

Singsurat is now 54-5 (39 KOs) with all 5 losses coming by KO. On December 1, 2007, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, he got payback of a sort when Jorge Arce iced him with a savage left to the body topped off by an unnecessary left hook to the head to win the WBC Latino bantamweight title. The body shot had the usual delayed impact as Singsurat was counted out. It all took place in 0.47 seconds of round one. Previously, 3-K Battery had won 11 in a row but get this; the combined record of his opposition in those 11 fights was 1-5-0! He won all but one by KO. This past January, he decisioned Denpayak Sor Pisanu, 0-0 coming in.

But back to Manny. A lot has happened since those two KO defeats. In fact, just three months later he won the WBC International super bantamweight title by stopping Reynante Jamili, 41-5. He would then win the IBF super bantamweight title by stopping South African Lehlohonolo Ledwaba, 33-1-1, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in 2001. He was on his way. However, boxing is a business where logic plays a minimal role and Pac Man must be on guard against the very dangerous and skilled Juan Manuel Marquez when they meet on March 15, 2008. And if JMM has done his homework, he knows Manny Pacquiao can be taken out.

Visit Ted Sares at www.tedsares.com