WORLD Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaiman reiterated yesterday his approval for veteran Pinoy ring icon Manny Pacquiao’s return to the ring by challenging defending WBC welterweight champ Mario Barrios of Mexico in July.
“Remember Sugar Ray Leonard? My father, Jose Sulaiman, and the WBC were criticized for making his fight vs. Hagler. Manny Pacquiao has been licensed by Nevada and passed all medicals and, as a legendary WBC champion, has been approved to fight by our organization. Let’s talk July 20,” Sulaiman in a statement given to ring writer James Slater posted on the boxingnews247.com website yesterday (Monday in the US).
Sulaiman was referring to the thumbs-up given by his late father Jose, then the WBC chief, for the comeback fight of Leonard, who came out of a three-year retirement to fight “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler for the WBC middleweight crown on April 6, 1987 at the Caesar’s Palace Outdoor Arena in Las Vegas.
A 1-4 underdog, Leonard, who had minor surgery on his right retina in 1984 and was 30 at that time, defied the odds, outboxingHagler to emerge the close winner by split decision and capture the crown.
Slater noted the age contrast between the two, underscoring the fact that Pacman is 46 and hasn’t fought professionally in four years and will go up against an opponent 16 years younger.
“While it is true Sugar Ray Leonard was approved to return to the ring to fight the fearsome Hagler, it must be pointed out that Leonard was far younger than Pacquiao at age 30, this some 16 years younger than Manny is today,” Slater stressed.
“There is no real comparison between these two fights, and just because Leonard was able to shock the odds and win the title, there is no reason to believe Pacquiao will do the same,” the writer added.
He cited several reasons for opposing the Pacquiao-Barrios scrap.
“Again, there are plenty of people out there who do not want to see Pacquiao risk his health, and his own reputation along with that of the sport, by taking this fight,” Slater pointed out.
“And if Sulaiman and his organization had said no, they would not sanction the fight, it may well have persuaded Pacquiao not to go ahead with his ring return,” he said.
“As things stand, the WBC’s sanctioning of the Barrios-Pacquiao fight sends out a strong signal that a 46–year–old–legendary former champion or not–can walk right into a world title fight after six (actually four) years without having won a fight,” he underscored.
Fearing the worst, Slater noted that “Sulaiman says ‘let’s talk July 20.’ Let’s all hope there is nothing tragic to talk about that day.”
