MANILA, Philippines – Naniniwala si Top Rank chief Bob Arum na ito ang pinakaimportanteng laban ni Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao mula nang pabagsakin niya ang boxing legend na si Oscar Dela Hoya noong 2008.
Sinabi ni Arum na kahit paborito si Pacquiao ay delikado pa rin ang kanyang muling pakikipagtunggali kay WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley sa Abril 12.
Ginawa niyang halimbawa ang naging salpukan ni Pacquiao at Dela Hoya kung saan underdog ang Saranggani representative ngunit sa huli ay pinasuko ang “The Golden Boy†sa ikawalong round.
Halos dalawang taon na mula nang manaig sa kontrobersyal na laban si Bradley kontra kay Pacquiao sa isang majority decision.
“Of course it [fight] is risky. Why would people buy tickets or pay-per-view for a fight that didn't have a degree of risk? If it’s something that we know what the outcome is going to be, why the hell would people bother?†wika ni Arum sa kanyang panayam kay Gareth Davis ng The Telegraph.
Dagdag ni Arum na maaari ring maging dahilan ang edad ni Pacquiao na 35-anyos, kung saan halos 20 taon nang sumasabak sa gitna ng ring ang eight-division champion.
“He’s going to try and he’s training very diligently and is very confident but remember Manny isn’t getting any younger, and Bradley has been a terribly, terribly underrated fighter his entire career. Can Manny pull it out? Yeah, probably, but it’s not going to be easy.â€
Sinasabing ang pagkapanalo ni Pacquiao kay Dela Hoya ang nagdala sakanya sa kasikatan, pero iginit ni Arum na isa ang laban ng kongresista kay Bradley sa mga importante.
“Whether he [Pacquiao] ever fights Floyd Mayweather or doesn’t fight Mayweather, this is the most important fight of Manny’s career, next to the Oscar De La Hoya fight.†Arum ended.