MANNY Pacquiao is more determined to pull off an upset over Argentine boxer Lucas Matthysse in the WBA welterweight championship with President Rodrigo Duterte expected to watch the fight live in Malaysia.
Duterte’s presence will fire him up more in his clash with the heavily favored Matthysse on Sunday morning at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the eight-division world boxing champion said.
“Natutuwa ako nang mabalitaan ko na manonood ng live ang mahal na Pangulo,” Pacquiao said in an interview. “Mas inspired ako na talunin pa si Lucas Matthysse sa Linggo.”
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte will fly to Malaysia this weekend to watch Pacquiao’s fight before meeting with Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
Matthysse, who is defending the world championship he won against Thailand’s Tewa Kiram in January for the first time, is not worried with the presence of the tough-talking Duterte.
“In that ring it will just be me and Manny, not the president,” uttered the 35-year-old Matthysse. “I am just determined to go home in Argentina with my world championship intact.”
This is Pacquiao’s first fight since his controversial defeat to Australian Jeff Horn on July last year and his first fight in Asia since beating Chris Algieri in Macau in 2014.
TEPORA MOVES CLOSER TO DREAM
Filipino boxer Jhack Tepora won’t waste his opportunity to move closer to his dream of becoming a world champion as he vies for the WBA interim featherweight championship against Mexican Edivaldo Ortega on Sunday morning in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tepora, a prospect out of the Cebu-based Omega Boxing Stable, said he had a great training in preparation for the Ortega match because he is determined to challenge WBA regular champion Leo Santa Cruz.
“Intense iyong naging training namin in preparation for this fight,” Tepora said. “Matindihan talaga dahil gusto namin na paghandaan si Ortega dahil alam naman natin na matitibay ang mga Meksikano.”
“Tiwala naman ako sa chance ko against Ortega pero kailangan ko lang mag–ingat na ma-lucky punch,” he added. “Pero, sa totoo lang, siya talaga ang dapat na maghanda sa akin.”
Tepora, who recently captured the WBO Inter-continental featherweight belt with a knockout win over South African Lusanda Komasini, has an unbeaten 21-0-0 win-loss-draw with 16 stoppage wins.
Aside from the WBO Intercontinental belt, the 25-year-old Tepora has also previously handled the WBO Oriental, WBO Asia Pacific and Philippine Boxing Federation super bantamweight championships.
The 27-year-old Ortega is not a pushover, having an impressive 26-1-1 win-loss-draw record with 12 knockout wins. He had a unanimous-decision win over Filipino Drian Francisco in January.
“Nagpapasalamat ako sa stable ko at sa manager ko sa napakalaking break na ito sa career ko,” Tepora said. “Hindi ko sasayangin ang opportunity na lumapit sa dream ko na maging world champion.”
Aside from Tepora, five other Filipino boxers are set to see action in the undercard of the world title clash between Manny Pacquiao and Lucas Matthysse at the Axiata Arena.
Juan Miguel Elorde hopes to continue his winning ways against Thai Ratchanon Sawangsoda in their super bantamweight clash while Harmonito dela Torre tangles with unbeaten Chinese fighter Yongqiang Yang in lightweight.
Jayar Inson, meanwhile, will face Australian Terry Tzouramanis in the welterweight division, Vincent Astrolabio will battle Yuki Strong Kobayashi of Japan in super flyweight, while JR Magboo will fight George Kambosos Jr. of Australia in lightweight./PN
