'Lakas at Bilis Ko Mananatili'--Pacquiao

DALLAS, Texas-- Kumpiyansa si Manny Pacquiao na mapapanatili niya ang kanyang lakas at bilis sa kan­yang pag-akyat ng weight division kung saan niya makakaharap ang mas malalakas at mas mabibigat na kalaban.

Ito ang magiging ikalawang laban ng 31-anyos na si Pacquiao sa welterweight class sa pakikipagsagupa kay Joshua Clottey sa Linggo sa Cowboys Stadium sa Arlington, Texas.

Sa kanilang pre-fight news conference kahapon sa 1.2 billion dollar Cowboys Stadium, sinabi ni Pacquiao na hindi niya babalewalain si Clottey.

“Clottey is a good fighter,” wika ni Pacquiao, nasa isang 11-fight winning streak ngayon. “He is so strong and he is bigger and taller than me. I don’t want to underestimate this opponent. I am going to do my best and give it a shot.”

Humigit-kumulang sa 45,000 manonood ang inaasahang tutunghay sa laban nina Pacquiao at Clottey.

Ito ang unang pagkakataon na magiging punung-abala ang Cowboys Stadium ni Jerry Jones para sa isang boxing card.

Sa kanyang paglabas sa entablado, dalawang Dallas Cowboy cheerleader ang nakasabit sa magkabilang braso ni Pacquiao bago ang pagkuha ng kanilang litrato ni Clottey.

“I have trained hard for this fight,” ani Pacquiao, inangkin ang WBO welterweight title via 12-round TKO kay Miguel Cotto noong Nobyembre. “I will try my best to put on a good show. I want people to be satisfied with my performance on Saturday.”

Sa 35-3-0 win-loss-draw ring record ng 32-anyos na si Clottey, tampok rito ang kanyang disqualification laban kay Carlos Baldomir noong 1999 at ang cose decision kay Antonio Margarito noong 2006.

Taglay naman ni Pacquiao ang 50-3-2 kasama ang 38 knockouts.

Ibinuhos naman ni Clottey ang lahat ng kanyang lakas sa paghahanda para sa kanyang pinakamalaking boxing fight.

“I have done everything to train for this fight,” sabi ni Clottey. “He (Pacquiao) is the best fighter in the world, but I want to see what he can do.”

Kumpiyansa naman si trainer Freddie Roach na hindi patatagalin ni Pacquiao ang kanilang banggaan ni Clottey.

“We can stop him in the late rounds,” wika ni Roach. “I didn’t say a knockout but we can stop him with an accumulation of punches. He (Clottey) has never seen a guy like Manny Pacquiao before and I don’t think he will be able to handle it.”

Idinagdag ni Roach na ang Cowboys Stadium ay hindi maihahalintulad sa kanilang mga laban ni Pacquiao sa Las Vegas, Nevada.

“This will be the biggest crowd we have fought in front of,” ani Roach. “We have a good game plan. Manny Pacquiao is at the top of his game right now.”

“If he sees something in there and wants to test something that is fine. We will take him (Clottey) to the ropes sometimes. We have worked on that because he is a big strong guy. We know his characteristics very well,” dagdag pa nito.

Ito ang kauna-unahang pinakamalaking laban na magaganap sa nasabing stadium at umaasa si Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones na hindi ito ang una at huling laban ni Pacquiao at ngayon pa lamang ay nakikipagnegosasyon na siya sa susunod na laban ni Pacman.