Thai foe next for Pacquiao?

A Manila defense against No. 3 contender Fahprakob Rakkiat-Gym of Thailand in March could be next in International Boxing Federation (IBF) superbantamweight champion Manny Pacquiao’s agenda.

Pacquiao’s business manager Rod Nazario is in the US negotiating a Home Box Office (HBO) deal to televise the planned bout on the world-wide cable TV network. Nazario’s partner Lito Mondejar says Pacquiao’s purse could be not less than $150,000 – if HBO agrees to bankroll the fight. Nazario is due back in town next week.

A second option is to hold the match in the US where Pacquiao is making a name for himself as the second coming of Pancho Villa, the flamboyant and hard-hitting former world flyweight champion who took America by storm in the 1920s.

Fahprakob, 26, is the reigning IBF International 122-pound titlist. He turned pro in 1992 and boasts a 35-2 record, with 22 knockouts. The Thai has won his last 30 outings and hasn’t lost since bowing to countryman Hadao CP-Gym on points in 1993 – eight years ago.

In 1994, Fahprakob claimed the World Boxing Federation (WBF) bantamweight crown. He made seven defenses of the WBF title before relinquishing it in 1997 to invade the superbantamweight division.

Among Fahprakob’s Filipino victims were Dodong Virtudazo, Rolando Pritos, and Bobby Rabanos. In his most recent outing last August, Fahprakob outpointed Nestor Farias of Argentina in Hammanskraal, South Africa.

Mondejar says if Fahprakob isn’t available, another possible opponent is No. 6 contender Fahsung 3-K Battery, also of Thailand.

But if you ask Pacquiao, he’d rather face World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion Agapito Sanchez in a rematch. Last Saturday, they battled to a sixth round technical split draw in a foul-marred brawl at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.

Pacquiao was butted, elbowed, kneed, and fouled repeatedly by Sanchez. When referee Marty Denkin ruled Pacquiao unfit to continue because of cuts over his right eye, Sanchez taunted the Filipino and said he had no heart. Pacquiao – who wanted to continue fighting although he could hardly see from his right eye because blood impaired his vision – walked up to Sanchez’ corner and said the Dominican Republic roughhouser belonged in a wrestling ring, not a boxing ring.

Two points were deducted from Sanchez’ scorecard. One for rubbing his glove on Pacquiao’s cut in the third round. And another for deliberately striking Pacquiao’s left thigh in the fourth. After delivering the low blow, Sanchez pushed Pacquiao down on the canvas, fell on him, and planted a knee on the battered thigh. Pacquiao says his leg throbbed in pain and was black and blue for days.

In an exclusive STAR interview, Pacquiao reveals that US trainer Freddie Roach warned him before the fight that Sanchez would butt in the early rounds to open a cut that he could work on as an advantage. That’s why he fought defensively in the first round – which Sanchez took – trying to avoid a clash of heads. But in the second round, Sanchez did what Roach feared – he butted Pacquiao to open a 1 1/2 inch wound that later took six stitches to sew up on the right eyelid. The second cut was above the right eyebrow.

Mondejar says there will be no rematch. Sanchez isn’t worth it. He won’t enhance Pacquiao’s marketability anyway. And he’ll just do the same dirty tricks.

Referee Bruce McTavish says Denkin’s license, not Sanchez’, should be revoked. "A fighter will try anything to win so it’s up to the referee to keep it clean," explains McTavish. "Denkin tolerated Sanchez’ dirty tricks so he should be censured, not Sanchez."

Pacquiao says he never thought of surrendering even as blood flowed freely into his right eye. No, he didn’t get scared when he suffered the first cut of his career. Twice, he wiped the blood with his glove then licked the crimson in defiance – drawing gasps from ringsiders.

Pacquiao relates that he entered the ring smiling because he was confident of whipping Sanchez. He sparred 138 rounds for Sanchez and was in tip-top condition. Stamina wasn’t a problem as Pacquiao insists Sanchez would’ve gone to sleep in two more rounds.

Pacquiao says he never lost his focus despite Sanchez’ roughhousing but abandoned his jab to resort to throwing bombs – sometimes, wildly – because he fought half-blind.

Sanchez never hurt him, continues Pacquiao, because he slaps his punches. He considers Lehlo Ledwaba and Nedal Hussein more formidable opposition than Sanchez.

His toughest foe? Pacquiao points to former Philippine flyweight champion Melvin Magramo who took him to the limit in Cebu in 1997. Magramo is the last fighter to survive the distance with Pacquiao.

Pacquiao says down the road, he’d like to battle the stars in the featherweight class – Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Nassem Hamed. His dream is to become the first Filipino to hold world titles in three different divisions. It’s a dream that will likely come true because Pacquiao is just so persistent.

When Pacquiao sets out to do something, the probability is he’ll get the job done. There’s nothing that heart can’t do.