Boxing scholar Hermie Rivera won’t be around at ringside for WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao’s title defense against unbeaten challenger Chris Algieri in Macau on Nov. 23. For sure, he’ll be missed. Hermie’s been a fixture in Pacquiao fights ever since Manny can remember so his absence will be felt.
Not that Hermie won’t want to be there. It’s just that at the moment, he has medical issues to confront with his doctors in Newark, California, where he lives with his family about an hour’s drive from San Francisco. Hermie says it will take six to eight weeks before doctors make a conclusive finding of his condition and lay out a battleplan for treatment. He hopes to visit Manila right after the Christmas holidays and if Kia is still in contention, catch Manny playing hoops with the Sorento in the PBA.
Meanwhile, Hermie continues to write chapter after chapter in his emerging magnum opus on Manny’s life. He’ll miss adding ringside anecdotes on the coming Algieri fight but it doesn’t mean the Macau adventure will be skipped in the book which is now almost five years in the making. Hermie has been keeping a close watch on pre-fight happenings so he’s not exactly out of the loop. In fact, Hermie sent an email the other day dishing out his thoughts on the bout. As usual, Hermie was in his element wise-cracking his way to sharing insightful wisdom. By the way, for those new in the game, Hermie carved his name in boxing history as the master conspirator who made world champions out of Luisito Espinosa and Morris East.
Here’s Hermie at his wittiest. On Algieri’s educational background and physical advantages, Hermie wasn’t impressed. “Chris’ Master’s degree plus height and reach advantages are non-issues or in short, ‘wa-epek,’” he wrote in his opening salvo. “Bob Arum has a Master’s degree in law from Harvard and he’s a promoter par excellence. Will Algieri’s Master’s degree help him when Manny’s jabs, hooks and straights come flying from all directions aimed at his vulnerable spots? Speaking of Bob, he says Hillary wants Manny to back her presidential bid. It’s but right for Attorney Arum to request such assistance. The Democrats, led by Mrs. Clinton, can install the first woman to become president with Manny’s backing if the elections were held in the Philippines.”
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Hermie downplayed Algieri’s 5-10 height and 72-inch wingspan. “Those advantages won’t be a factor,” he continued. “You saw what Manny did to OLDH and Margarito. The boxing congressman isn’t taking anyone he fights lightly. Surely, he ain’t taking Chris as a patsy. He’ll come out smokin’ (remember Joe Cantada?) when the bell rings in the once pirate-infested Portuguese territory to the delight of fans from the Mainland or from those occupying some of our Spratly Islands.”
To paraphrase, Hermie doesn’t think Algieri will be able to withstand Manny’s furious attacks. He expects Manny to run roughshod over Algieri and score a resounding victory. In Hermie’s mind, Algieri has absolutely no chance of winning.
As for Algieri and Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach trading verbal barbs in media, Hermie said it’s just all hype. “No such tussle happening between Chris and Freddie,” he mused. “At worst, Freddie is still smarting from what he calls a raw deal the judges handed (Ruslan) Provodnikov when they gave Algieri the edge in his title bid against Freddie’s ward, the Russian. I share the six-time Trainer of the Year awardee’s view that Provodnikov won that fight.”
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On whether the ultimate showdown between Manny and Floyd Mayweather will ever push through, Hermie said hope springs eternal. “It might happen,” he added. “President Obama’s battlecry when he first ran was hope and change. The other night, he lost hope of ever regaining control of congress. All that’s left is some loose change for coffee money.”
Hermie noted that Mayweather’s scalp is what’s missing in Manny’s resume. “It’s the one thing missing in his trophy room where he keeps his ring employment history,” he said. “And the voluble, unbeaten Moneyman will fill the bill if ever Pacman gets that long-delayed chance.”
Manny hasn’t notched an abbreviated win since stopping Miguel Cotto in 2009. He’s figured in eight bouts since halting Cotto, losing twice and winning six on points. Some experts speculate that Manny is hard-pressed to knock out bigger opponents in the welterweight division. But Hermie couldn’t care less if Manny wins by knockout or decision. For him, the bottom line is all that counts.
“Knockouts are fun but neatly-boxed bouts are strikingly spectacular to watch as well,” he said. “We’ll all be regaled with a knockout-ending match in Macau.” So there you have it. Hermie said Manny’s fans will celebrate on Nov. 23 as the WBO welterweight champ smacks Algieri with his first loss in a knockout finish. And that’s all Hermie wrote.