London awaits Pacquiao

International Boxing Federation (IBF) superbantamweight champion Manny Pacquiao is going to London, not to visit the Queen, but to battle former European titleholder Michael Brodie of Manchester in a non-title bout on March 30 at the Olympia arena.

Pacquiao’s business manager Rod Nazario told The STAR yesterday the fight contract arrived here Friday. The match would’ve been for Pacquiao’s title but the Home Box Office cable network cut back on its budget and couldn’t agree to a $200,000 purse. It’s in the undercard of Naseem Hamed’s comeback against Manuel Calvo of Spain.

Although Pacquiao’s title won’t be on the line, it’s a must-win situation for the southpaw who hasn’t fought since figuring in a technical split draw with Agapito Sanchez in San Francisco last November. An impressive showing will assure Pacquiao of main event status in his next overseas fight, said US promoter Murad Muhammad. Besides, the bout will test Pacquiao’s ability to bounce back from a brawl where he suffered cuts for the first time in his career.

Pacquiao’s Filipino trainer Biboy Fernandez left Manila last Friday to supervise the champion’s preparations in General Santos City. Pacquiao is expected to leave early next month for Los Angeles to train under Freddie Roach at the Wild Card gym. Pacquiao and Roach will then travel to London a week before the Brodie fight.

Several challengers are being lined up for Pacquiao’s second defense. Brodie will be high on the list if he impresses in London. Other candidates are Wayne McCullough of Ireland and Enrique Sanchez of Mexico.

Nazario said there’s a possibility the defense will be at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Brodie, 27, boasts a 32-1 record, with 23 KOs, compared to Pacquiao’s card of 33-2-1, with 24 KOs. A fearsome body puncher, Brodie has scored knockouts in eight of his last nine outings. The only stain in his career was a disputed majority decision loss to Willie Jorrin for the World Boxing Council (WBC) 122-pound title in Manchester two years ago. Jorrin decked Brodie once but was clearly outboxed by the slick Englishman. Statistics showed that Brodie landed 221 of 704 blows and Jorrin, only 142 of 482.

Since losing to Jorrin, Brodie has posted three straight knockouts – over Sergio Aguila in four, Frederick Bonafi in five, and Sean Fletcher in two.

Asked if he feared any of the reigning world champions, Brodie replied: "I’m a world-class fighter. I’m dangerous. I’m not frightened of any of them. I’m ready for anybody in the world."

Brodie’s manager Jack Trickett said his protégé is "good to watch, fast, has a repertoire of punches nobody in Europe can match, defends himself well and has a razor-sharp boxing brain." Trickett predicted that 2002 will be Brodie’s year of destiny.

In other fight news, Filipino Vernie Torres lost to Colombian trialhorse Julio Coronel on a 12th round disqualification in a grudge rematch for the vacant International Boxing Association (IBA) junior bantamweight crown in Miami last Saturday.

Referee Jorge Alonso stopped it at 1:13 of the 12th because of Torres’ persistent headbutting. Torres, 26, had previously been slapped a pair of point deductions and repeatedly warned for foul tactics.

Last September, Coronel stopped Torres at 0:52 of the seventh round in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Torres claimed he was thumbed by Coronel and couldn’t see out of his right eye, prompting referee Fred Steinwinder to call it a night.

Torres’ second loss to Coronel dropped his record to 22-4, with 13 KOs. He was rated No. 7 by the WBC in the 115-pound class before his first defeat to Coronel and sought to reenter the Top 10 with a vengeful win. Coronel raised his mark to 22-16-1.

Earlier, last Jan. 26, former Philippine champion Melvin Magramo was stopped by Hawk Makepula of South Africa for the vacant International Boxing Organization (IBO) flyweight title at York Hall in London.

The end came in the seventh round for the 30-year-old Magramo whose record fell to 35-17-2, with 20 KOs.