IF he were to compare his fighting style with late heavyweight legends Muhammad Ali and Joe “Smokin’ Joe Frazier, Pinoy boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao likened his own technique to the “Louisville Lip.”
“I think I am more like Ali, you know, float like a butterfly and sting like a bee,” Pacquiao said yesterday during a press briefing on the exact day marking the golden anniversary of the epic Ali-Frazier “Thrilla in Manila” at the World Kitchens Restaurant in Cubao City.
“Ali is like me, who moved around a lot and unleashed many punches,” said Pacman, the man behind the Oct. 29 card to commemorate the unforgettable clash between the fierce heavyweight rivals at the nearby Smart Araneta Coliseum that was the “Thrilla in Manila” venue 50 years ago.
Pacquiao also thanked President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who issued a directive in support of the occasion, for giving his blessings to the event, similar to what his late father, President Ferdinand Marcos, did in going all-out in backing the previous boxing blockbuster.
Headlining the “Thrilla 2” card is World Boxing Council strawweight champion Melvin Jerusalem, who will make his third title defense against South African challenger Siyaholwa Kuse.
Expected to attend the event are US-based referee Carlos “Sonny” Padilla Jr., the third man in the Ali-Frazier clash, and Mexican WBC President Jose Sulaiman.
“The Smart Araneta Coliseum has been part of so many unforgettable stories, from legendary concerts to historic fights. We’re proud to be the venue where the “Thrilla in Manila” happened, and we’re honored to be at the heart of the 50th anniversary celebration,” Irene Jose, COO of Uniprom Inc., noted.
The “Thrilla in Manila” was the third and final chapter of the boxing trilogy between bitter rivals Ali and Frazier, whose animosity for each other was renowned, prompting the former to call his foe a “gorilla” in the run-up to the fight held early morning at the sweltering and packed Big Dome and beamed back to the US.
In an era when matches were scheduled for 15 rounds, the two protagonists figured in 14 explosive, energy-sapping and brutal rounds that left both of them battered and bruised all over.
With Frazier virtually unable to see through both eyes, Smokin Joe’s chief cornerman, Eddie Futch, decided to throw in the towel just before the start of the 15th round.
“It’s all over. No one will forget what you did here today,” Futch told his ward, signaling Padilla to stop the fight, news reports quoting the celebrated trainer said.
Ali was also prepared to quit, telling his official biographer Thomas Hauser, “Frazier quit just before I did. I didn’t think I could fight anymore.”
