Pacquiao fight in limbo

The problem of finding a suitable opponent for Naseem Hamed has put in doubt the unification title fight between International Boxing Federation (IBF) superbantamweight champion Manny Pacquiao and World Boxing Organization (WBO) ruler Agapito Sanchez in London on Nov. 10.

The giant cable network Home Box Office (HBO) is bankrolling the London card which is contingent on Hamed fighting in the main event. Pacquiao and Sanchez are booked to face off in the chief aperitif.

Hamed, the former WBO featherweight titleholder and a crowd favorite in England, has handpicked European champion Manuel Calvo of Spain as his opponent but HBO is demanding a tougher foe, like former IBF bantamweight king Mbulelo Botile of South Africa.

HBO and Hamed can’t seem to agree and if they don’t come to terms within the next few weeks, it’s possible the entire card will be scrapped.

British promoter Frank Warren said he doesn’t think Hamed is serious about fighting again. "He’ll never recapture what he had before," noted Warren. "He’s become lazy outside the gym."

Boxing News editor Claude Abrams said, "It wouldn’t surprise me if the November date doesn’t materialize." If Hamed isn’t in the card, HBO will likely cancel the whole show, putting the Pacquiao-Sanchez fight in limbo.

If Hamed isn’t keen on facing Botile and HBO isn’t hot on Calvo, why not Luisito Espinosa as a compromise? Espinosa hasn’t fought since losing to Augie Sanchez last year but he’s raring to stage a comeback under new manager Noel Rivera. He’s been offered a $10,000 purse by matchmaker Joe Koizumi to fight in Japan but is holding out for more money.

Hamed was once deathly afraid of fighting Espinosa and even offered to manage the Filipino in a shrewd attempt to avoid a showdown. But after losing to Sanchez, Espinosa may not be a threat to Hamed anymore. If HBO can come up with a reasonable offer, Espinosa might just bite.

Two Filipinos on the same London card will be one for the books.

Meanwhile, The Ring Magazine honored Pacquiao as Fighter of the Month in its November 2001 issue. The Ring cited Pacquiao for his sixth round demolition of Lehlo Ledwaba to wrest the IBF crown in Las Vegas last June.

In the same issue, The Ring ranked Pacquiao No. 23 in its list of the world’s top 100 fighters, pound for pound. The only other Filipino in the elite cast was Gerry Peñalosa, rated No. 63. On top of the list was World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion "Sugar" Shane Mosley. Hamed was ranked No. 8.