LAS VEGAS - Ibinigay ng editor-in-chief ng Ring Magazine, kilalang Bible ng Boxing, ang kanyang blessing kay Manny Pacquiao.
Dumating si Nigel Collins, na kabilang na sa magazine noong 1972 at naging editor-in-chief noong 1985, sa officiial weighin ng pinanabikang rematch ni Pacquiao kay Marco Antonio Barrera.
Nagsalita ito tungkol sa laban ni Pacquiao at ipinahayag ang kanyang pananampalataya kay Pacquiao.
“Honestly, I’d say that Manny’s gonna stop him again,” wika ni Collins, na sa kanyang high school days ay nagsulat ng book reports at term papers para sa ibang estudiyante para makaipon ng pera na panggas.
“Barrera has pride and he’s got skills. You know he’s gonna give it everything that he has. But I don’t think it’s gonna be enough. Mother nature is against him,” patungkol ni Collins sa Mexican na magdiriwang ng kanyang ika-34 kaarawan sa Enero.
“There’s an old saying that all great fighters have one great fight left. But I don’t think it’s gonna be enough,” dagdag pa niya.
Natatandaan ni Collins na nang unang labanan ni Pacquiao si Barrera ay umiskor ito ng sensational 11th round victory na naglagay sa Pinoy sa unahan ng mga boxing charts.
“I know that Barrera had a lot of problems heading into the first fight against Pacquiao. But all fighters have problems,” aniya.
“And if you look at their careers since then, Manny has gotten better and Barrera has not. In fact, he’s gone back a little bit,” wika ni Collins sa mangilanngilang Pinoy scribes.
Ngunit sa isang tulad ni Barrera na isang mahusay na boksingero, walang imposible. (Abac Cordero)