Sugar Ray hinihintay ang Pacquiao-M'weather fight

MANILA, Philippines - Kagaya ng milyung-mil­yong boxing fans, gusto rin ni boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard na matunghayan ang laban nina Manny Pacquiao at Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

“Both guys are indeed the best in the division and I think they both are trying to gain some psychological edge, however big that is,” ani Leonard kina Pacquiao at Mayweather. “This is a fight that’s highly anticipated, that fans want to see it, boxing historians want to see it, I want to see it as a fight fan.”

Dalawang beses nang inatrasan ng 34-anyos na si Mayweather ang pinaplantsa sanang megafight nila ng 32-anyos na si Pacquiao.

Kasalukuyang bitbit ng Filipino world eight-division champion ang kanyang 53-3-2 win-loss-draw ring record kasama ang 38 KOs, habang inaalagaan naman ng American six-time world titlist ang malinis niyang 41-0-0 (25 KOs) slate.

Kamakalawa ay inihayag nitong lalabanan niya ang 24-anyos na si Mexican-American Victor Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KOs) para sa suot nitong World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight crown sa Setyembre 17.

Nakatakda namang itaya ni Pacquiao ang kanyang hawak na World Bo­xing Organization (WBO) welterweight title laban kay Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez (52-5-1, 28 KOs) sa Nobyembre 12 sa MGM Grand sa Las Vegas, Nevada sa napagkasunduang 144-pound catchweight fight.

Sa kabila ng magka­ka­hiwalay na laban ng Filipino world eight-division cham­pion at ng American six-time world titlist, kumpiyansa pa rin si Leonard na matutuloy ang pinakaabangang mega fight sa susunod na taon.

“Possibly. I’m an optimist, so I assume it would happen.” wika ng three-division king at 55-anyos na si Leonard (36-3-1, 25 KOs) na huling lumaban noong Marso 1, 1997 at natalo kay Hector Camacho via fifht-round TKO.

Sakaling matuloy ang laban nina Pacquiao at Mayweather, sinabi ni Leonard na mahihirapan ang American fighter sa Filipino boxing superstar.