PINOY CHAMPS FAVOR PACQUIAO

By Eddie Alinea

LOS ANGELES(PNA) – Two things Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley have in common. Both are strong and fast.

Who is stronger and faster will be decided on June 9 when they fight each other for the Filipino ring hero’s World Boxing Organization welterweight crown at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.

For a fellow reigning world champion, a pair of former titleholders and an Olympic Silver medalist, the 33-year-old Pacquiao, known to his countrymen as the Pambansang Kamao or the Pacman or simply Manny seems to have the edge.

”Manny is too fast, too strong for Bradley,” Filipino-Hawaiian WBO flyweight champion Brian Viloria said in an assessment shared by fellow multi-titled Gerry Penalosa and Luisito Espinosa and 1996 Olympic Games Silver medallist Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco.

“Bradley is strong too and fast, but Manny is a lot better in those categories,” Viloria, told this reporter in one of his frequent visits to Pacquiao’s Wild Card training camp in downtown Hollywood here.

“Manny’s too fast, in fact, that I couldn’t think how Bradley could keep pace with him,” Viloria added.

Penalosa, a former bantamweight and featherweight world crown-holder, agreed, saying “Manny is one of the quickest fighters that wore boxing gloves and one of the powerful punchers, too.”

“Mabilis din si Bradley, pero mahihilo siya sa kahahabol kay Manny. And if finally he catches up with Manny, Pagod na siya at magiging biktima na siya ng power ni Manny,” Penalosa, who could have won the country’s first Olympic gold medal had he been given a chance when still an amateur, said.

“Sabi nila, malakas din daw ako noong kapanahunan ko,” the San Francisco-based Espinosa said. “Pero inaamin ko, hindi ako kasing lakas ni Manny.“

“And definitely, hindi ako mabilis at kung mabilis man ako, hindi ako kasimbilis ni Manny,” he added with a smile.

“Walang kadudaduda may power ang suntok ni Manny at mabilis din siya. Ganun din si Bradley, pero aminin niya, hindi siya mas lalakas pa kay Manny at lalong hindi si bibilis pa sa bata natin,” Velasco concurred, who like Pacquiao is an entertainment figure.

All four Filipino fighters who brought honors to the country picked the ‘Fighter of the Decade” to via the short route.

“I think Manny is not only the stronger and the faster fighter between the two, he also has more experience having been in the fight business for a longer time,” Viloria remarked.

“Manny has fought all the greatest fighters in this generation in all the divisions he had been fighting,” Viloria continued. “And I think he, too, has brains.”

Viloria cautioned though that to win, Pacquiao must come up in shape and focused when fight time comes, saying the unbeaten Bradley also has what it takes to emerge victor in their encounter.

Like Viloria, Penalosa and Espinosa think Bradley’s style is made to order to Pacquiao’s fighting mode.

“Gustong-gusto ni Manny ang sugod nang sugod style in Bradley kaya malamang hindi tumagal ng 12 rounds ang laban,” the duo chorused.

“After four to six rounds, tapos na ang laban,” Penalosa projected.

“Kayang-kaya ni Manny si Bradley. Grabe and kondisyon ngayon ng kababayan natin. Parang walang kapaguran at yun ang ikatatalo ng kalaban,” Velasco said.